September's walk to remember,
Merlin loves to hike, especially in the morning when the air is fresh and the scent of flowers sharply penetrates the air around him.
He has a specific trail that he walked along when he was a child, having picnics on the rocks as Africans sun sets on the horizon of the Atlantic Ocean.
His father us to take him there many times before the accident happened, when it was September the 15, Merlin and his mother Hunnith and his best friend Will would go to the spot where his father was attacked, light candles and talk about him with love and care and light sparkles when it was the moment when he was hurt, when the sun just touched the horizon.
Merlin was with Balinor that day, they were walking next to a valley when a mountain lion attacked, and till this day Merlin whished he was stronger, even though he was ten years old.
Since that day Merlin walked that path and spotted beautiful, large red roses growing there.
When it was the day of his father's death, the boy would take one rose and keep it with him at all times till it broke apart, like his heart did.
But no matter how many times he tried to forget, it just kept coming back.
It was a beautiful sunny weekend in Camelot valley, Balinor was talking to his boss: Uther Pendragon of the local museum where he worked.
What Merlin could gather, Uther and his son were walking on the same mountain and thought about meeting up and going to the local café in town to introduce their children, Uther told of his child: Arthur Pendragon who was Eleven years old and loved sports, Merlin could hear a child's voice gently protesting of what Uther chose as his favorite hobby.
"Alright Balinor, I need to go now…see you in a few…" Uther's stern voice hissed through the phone, for a moment his tone poisoned the air around them and disappeared when Balinor switched off his phone.
Merlin looked up at his father.
The man gave Merlin an apologetic look.
"Sorry, son…you know how he's like, always calling…but I know what would make you happy!" he grinned, eyes warmly wrinkled at the sides, eyes skinning with kindness.
"What?" Merlin asked.
Balinor laughed and took Merlin up, putting him above his head so Merlin sat on his father's shoulders.
Balinor's' kindred laugh gently echoed through the forest.
He lightly bounced up at down, causing Merlin to scream with joy.
An hour past and Balinor looked up to see Merlin, who looked bored.
"Don't worry, son…you see that red rock there?" Balinor asked, pointing to a large boulder.
Merlin hummed.
"That's where we're all going to meet up…and you're going to meet someone…" His father smiled.
Merlin grinned goofily and lightly swings his legs in excitement.
When they past a large crater on their side Balinor noticed the birds grew quiet, everything was eerie and the only noise was Balinor's feet shifting through the pebbles.
Suddenly they heard voices, Merlin grinned.
"Almost there!" Balinor said and stopped.
Merlin frowned and looked down.
"What is it?"
"Shhh…" The man hushed his son.
He scanned the forest; suddenly he saw a bush move and two black piercing eyes stared him down.
His heart skipped a beat.
The man lifted his hands and took Merlin down.
He crouched over to his sons' height.
"Listen to me, Merlin…I need you to go through that path and find Uther…call out his name or Arthur…now…run and daddy will be right there…just pretend that there is a monster behind those bushes…remember that game you and Will played?" Balinor whispered
Merlin nodded.
"Right, now go…and keep quiet…I'll be there soon...if Uther asks what's happening just say: Lion…"
Balinor hushed and gently shoved Merlin to a rough path way.
"Go…go now, son…and remember…I love you…" he whispered as the man slowly grabbed a rock and stick.
Merlin pouted in worry and confusing but slowly got into the path and ran.
Somehow Merlin knew something was wrong and learned the skills given from that game and quietly ran through the path.
Suddenly a horrid screech that Merlin has never heard of before echoed through the forest.
He whimpered and ran faster, burnt twigs cut past his skinny form as he ran through the path.
The grass got higher, making everything dark.
"AHHH!" A scream ripped through the forest and Merlin stopped.
He looked back, whimpering in worry.
He gulped and ran, seeing a light ahead.
"What's that, dad?" Asked a curious Arthur.
"I'm not sure, son…" Uther frowned.
Suddenly they hear something near them and out of nowhere a young boy ran out of an old pathway.
Covered in scratches, scarred and worried.
"Uther…Uther!" He cried haplessly and ran up to the man, hugging his leg in desperation.
"What happened?" Uther asked, bending down to the child.
Arthur walked over and stopped in front of the boy, frowning in pity and gently rubbing his back.
"Father…Lion…Uther, Uther…" Merlin sobbed.
"Lion…wait…what's your father's name?"
"B-Balinor…" Merlin cried.
Uther gasped, he picked up the child and called 911.
Merlin swung his arms around Uther's neck, crying into his shoulder.
"Hello, I'm at Camelot valley and a man named Balinor Emrys has been attacked by a Mountain Lion…please hurry, this is Uther…we are in the crossroad of Avalon pass…hurry!" He said, sternly and hung up.
Moments later a team of medics found them, Uther took Merlin to the Valley where Merlin last saw his father.
There was blood on the ground and there was a group of medics in a circle.
Merlin walked over to them.
Arthur followed.
Merlin saw a large black bag that was being zipped up, he looked closer to see hair and a picture of him when it was his seventh birthday with his mother and friend.
Merlin frowned.
He looked over to Arthur.
"Who is that, why does he have a picture of me…when, when is father coming back?"
Arthur frowned.
"Merlin that is you-" But the blond was able to stop himself.
"Umm…he…he had to take a…lion back to the…animal shelter…he…he will be…back soon?" Arthur lied, feeling awful.
Merlin nodded.
"I hope he's okay…" Merlin pouted and hugged Arthur.
The boy sighed heavily with guilt and looked down at Merlin.
"I will look after you…I promise…" He vowed to the boy.
"-There was nothing they could do-the medics were too late…Merlin wasn't fast enough…the wound-bad-no way-adoption-take care of him-divorced?" Uther discussed from a distance, Merlin was trying to hear the stranger.
"-Papers-legal right-take-Hunnith-I will-visit-clarify-take him in-Merlin-Ealdor-Pendragon-" He continued.
Merlin sat down with Arthur; he turned around to see Uther finished the call.
The man sighed and ran a hand through his hair and looked over to Merlin.
Guilt and sorrow filled his eyes, boring into Merlin before he gave a small smile and walked over to the boy, he kneeled down.
"Merlin…I'm Uther your father's boss…we are going to take you to your mom's to get your stuff…you're staying with us for a few days…"He smiled.
Merlin nodded.
He then looked over to flashing lights.
"What's that?"
"Its' an ambulance…umm, a special car to-" He looked down to see his phone ringing and sighed.
"One moment." He said and walked away, putting the phone to his ear.
"Miss Emrys…It's Uther…you're ex-husbands boss…I-I…I have distressing news…you're son and him as well as me and my son were walking in the same mountain and…it seems they…encountered a…animal and…your son is alright I assure you but…I'm afraid you're husband has passed…I'm sorry…" Uther told Hunnith.
Merlin looked over to Uther.
"We will do paper work for adoption…I understand how difficult your life is…money wise and…I will take him in, you may visit him whenever…" Uther said.
Merlin didn't understand.
Hunnith gasped.
"Please give him a job to do with art…and for work please, please buy him a studio…he will love that…I will back his stuff and discuss how to care for him…goodbye…" She sobbed and hung up.
Uther ended the call and took in a deep breath before walking over to Merlin and Arthur, his son was showing Merlin how to make a daisy-chain…the way his wife made it, past wife.
"Arthur, put that down…it probably has insects in it!" Uther hissed.
Arthur glared at Uther before placing it on Merlin's head, the boy smiled and lightly touched the delicate white petals.
"Come, Merlin…where going to take you to the nurse…" Uther said and took Merlin into his arms and called the nurse.
She cleaned his cuts and when he was clean the black bag was gone and there were people with cameras a tape with black bolded letters endlessly spelling out.
"DEATH SCENE DEATH SCENE DEATH SCENE DEATH SCENE"
Merlin frowned.
Two camera men turned to him and took pictures of him, the blinding lights harshly flashed in front of his eyes.
He cried out in pain and Arthur saw this and stood in front of him.
He flung his arms apart, protecting Merlin from the flashes.
"STOP!" He cried.
One photographer stopped and told the others to go away, leaving them alone.
Arthur turned around to see Merlin rubbing his eyes.
"I'm scared, where's dad!" He sobbed.
Arthur sighed and hugged Merlin, not bothering to lie to the boy.
Suddenly two blinding lights shun in front of the two boys, Merlin cried and closed his eyes, snuggling into Arthur.
The boy closed his eyes and hugged tighter.
He felt so helpless.
Suddenly two women came out, switching the car off, darkening the forest.
They held large briefcases, one sat with Merlin and Arthur, the other was talking to Uther.
"Merlin…?" She asked.
The child stopped crying and looked up at her.
"I'm Freya…were taking you to a place and we need to talk to you for a bit, then we'll take you to your mom and then Arthur and Mr. Pendragon will take you to their house…" She sweetly hushed him.
"-But…But I want to see dad…why won't you let me see him, I want daaad!" He sobbed.
She sighed, giving him a pitiful stare.
"Come…" She whispered and gently picked Merlin in her arms, her strong scent of perfume made his eyes water.
"No, Arthur stop her…please I need you!" Merlin sobbed, arms extended to Arthur, tears falling down.
"Don't worry, Merlin…I'll go with you…" Arthur said and followed them to the car.
"I-I just want to go home, I don't want to go anywhere…I want daddy to take me home!" Merlin cried.
"Shh…shh, Merlin shhh…its okay, stick with me and I'll get you back home…" Arthur whispered to Merlin, hugging him gently.
Merlin hummed, lightly nodding into Arthur's star wars t-shirt.
They arrived at a busy center where photographers and reporters stood in front of the car, lights flashing against the screen, hundreds of voice humming loudly into the car.
The door opened and the flashes were blinding, microphones stuck inside pushed towards Merlin and Arthur.
Voices, hundreds of different voices screamed into the car.
The harsh snapping of the cameras made Merlin flinch, some microphones japed onto his chest, lights blinding him, voices, screaming.
"STOOOOOOP!" Merlin screamed, causing everyone to fall silent.
"Please stop…I just want dad…the lights huuurt…g-way!" Merlin cried.
That night the video of Merlin's speech aired around the world, his voice echoed from the tape-recorder into the radios.
People were quiet, listening to Merlin's innocent voice pleading for his father who was presumed dead.
He didn't know, he didn't know.
But he will and it will be heart breaking.
Merlin yawned tiredly as he sat in a large room with a few people who were wearing suits.
He tiredly scanned the room before a women sat in front of him.
"Merlin…I need to tell you something…" She smiled.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"I'm Vivian…" She smiled.
Merlin gave her a smile.
"Merlin…you're father is…"
Suddenly someone stood up.
"Don't tell him, he's exhausted…let him rest for a day, then tell him…don't you have heart!" The pale man cried.
She shot out of her chair.
"Don't tell me how to do my job!"
"What you are doing is wrong!"
"His father is dead, he needs to know!" She screamed.
Merlin rubbed his eyes, blinking up at the now quiet and frozen room.
"He's what?" Merlin croaked.
Tears falling down.
"Merlin…I-" Arthur spoke up, trying to pull him into a hug.
"B-But…I saw him just now, in the forest…he…he-" Merlin croaked, lips trembling.
"-Dad said that he will be back soon…he's taking the lion to the animal place….Arthur said…Arthur said it…tell them, Arthu-r…please, their wrong…I…their wrong!" Merlin cried.
"I…" Arthur croaked, looking over to Merlin.
"Arthur…?" Merlin asked.
"He is taking the lion to the hospital…he will be back…" Arthur said, looking up at the lawyers.
They nodded.
"Y-Yes…that right…" One man said, eyes closed, his hand covering a part of his face.
Merlin nodded, frowning angrily at them.
"Now…Merlin, you're going to your mother now…then to the Pendragon mansion…in one day, you will be here and we will tell you something…" Vivian said and packed up.
Merlin nodded.
He looked up to see Uther looking down at him and smiling.
He picked Merlin into his arms as well as Arthur and took them to Hunnith.
She opened the door, tears fell down her face.
"Did you tell him?" She whispered to Uther.
"No, tomorrow we will…" Uther answered.
She nodded and took Merlin into her arms and put him to bed.
Arthur slept on the bed next to Merlin's, while Uther sat with Hunnith.
The mother told Uther what Merlin likes and dislikes where, from his favorite food to his favorite soap.
Uther noticed she was a good mother, a very good mother.
When they were done they made their way to the room, Hunnith hushed Uther and lightly opened the door to see Arthur and Merlin sleeping, hugging each other tightly.
The mother smiled and walked in, Uther stood in the hall way, watching her care as she picked Arthur in her arms and gave the blond child to Uther and went back in to take Merlin into hers and gently put them into the car.
Uther slipped in and waved Hunnith goodbye as they drove away to his home.
When they arrived, the two boys were taken to different rooms.
When the next morning arrived Merlin was told the truth and he screamed and cried, Arthur hugged him tightly as lights yet again flashed, voices rang around the room.
Merlin was adopted as Uther's son.
Merlin Arthur grew up as great friends.
When it was high school, Arthur was the bully of the school, he lead a gang and bullied everyone, even Merlin.
There was one day where Merlin ran into Arthur's room and punched him in the face like Valiant did to him as Arthur laughed.
Days passed and they finally gave each other a good talking to.
"What happened to you, Arthur…you were like a brother to me all those years ago?"
Arthur growled with anger before screaming.
"Dad was more a son to you than he was to me!"
Merlin flinched.
"He was always disappointed at me, but oh no, sweet innocent Merlin he loved, Merlin he relied on…no, not Arthur…you, you're not even his son!" Arthur screamed, sobbing.
Merlin gasped.
"Oh, Arthur…I'm so sorry…I-I don't know…I wanted to impress him to not feel so useless…I, I didn't know…god, Arthur…I'm so sorry, this is my fault and I didn't even notice it…" Merlin said.
Arthur looked up.
"Can you possibly forgive me?" Merlin asked.
Arthur sighed.
"Okay…I'm sorry too, I was such a jerk to you…I didn't mean to hurt you like that..." Arthur whispered, his finger tracing Merlin's bruised cheek.
Merlin blushed and hugged Arthur, fitting oh so perfectly into Arthur's arms, where he belongs.
Days later, Arthur quit being the leader and hung with Merlin's friends.
Morgana was his badass friend, Gwen was his shy and kind friend and Will was his best friend in the whole world.
Lancelot, Arthur's friend dated Gwen and Mordred, Merlin's cousin dated Gwen.
Years later and Merlin was bought a studio near Arthur's coffee shop that he ran on his own.
Arthur and Merlin are now roommates in Avalon Street, a large flat that was given as Arthur's gradation present by his Uncle Agravaine who Merlin accused as a family money stealer that was shown to be true.
Their trust bonded forever more.
Merlin woke up one day.
It was the 15th of September.
The day of his father death and the day he met a great friend.
Merlin got up, yawning loudly as he walked into the kitchen.
An hour later he got ready for a walk on the mountain.
He wrote a note to tell Arthur that he was off.
Merlin looked around the flat and smiled before closing the door and walking over to Camelot valley.
He breathed in the sharp scent of the flowers as he hiked up to the spot where his father was killed.
When he arrived the man sat down and cried.
He felt alone there, like it replayed that terrifying moment all over again, he felt so helpless.
If he ran a bit faster he could have saved him, and Merlin felt guilty as hell.
Arthur kept hearing how amazing Camelot valley was now and chose to hike there, thinking to find Merlin in an hour and take him for coffee, maybe then he could tell how he had this huge crush on him.
Arthur spent the walk whispering confessions to himself.
Suddenly he heard a lion's screech sharply hiss through the forest, soon another cry rang out that sounded like-
"No…" Arthur breathed and ran, his feet pounding the gravel.
His heart pounding, pounding violently against his chest, his breath heavy with worry.
"MERLIN, MELRIN!" He screamed as the man skidded across a sharp corner where they found Merlin.
Suddenly he was face to face with a mountain lion.
Arthur's heart skipped a beat, his blood running cold as a limp body lay behind the cat.
He cried out in rage and grabbed a stick, screaming like a mad man, throwing rocks and making himself big and terrifying,
It seemed to work and the lion tore away from the path.
Arthur was then alone, looking at a limp body of Merlin.
He sobbed and fell to his knees, keening as he took Merlin into his arms.
There was a small cut on Merlin's shoulder.
Arthur thought that Merlin might have broken his neck thus died as the lion pounced onto him.
Suddenly Merlin's brows furrowed and a soft moan escaped his lips.
Arthur gasped and hugged Merlin tightly, laughing hysterically.
Merlin opened his eyes.
"Arthur?" He croaked.
"Yeah, yeah it's me… Arthur whispered into Merlin's ear.
"I…" Merlin moaned.
"Shh, you're okay...I've got you…I promised myself to protect you…I…I love you, Merlin…" Arthur whispered and placed a kiss on Merlin's lips before he took the man to the hospital.
Years past and they were husbands.
Sometimes they would walk in the mountain but they always carried a phone with them just in case.
Fate is a hard thing to forgive, it is evil yet good.
It can take people away for all eternity…
It can also bring people together for all eternity…