Arthur & Merlin: A true fantasy retelling.
A/N: First off I am going to apologise for this one, you will either like it or not, it is an AU that popped into my head while working on an original story, so to introduce the concept and the world I will be using some of my own original characters for the first chapter, don't be disheartened is all I can say.
For reference, Madison is your atypical earth girl in a fantasy world where all this will take place, Kriston and Hargilber are residents of this world, and a Fighter/Magician pair, which will be explained later. Like I said, the world and concepts are my own, I am merely twisting some things of the Merlin series to fit, as when I was writing the original plot I realised the Fighter/Magician pair worked very well for Arthur and Merlin.
"Arthurian and Merlyn?" Madison frowned. "Like Arthur and Merlin from Camelot?"
Kriston blew out a sigh, but nodded, this was the fifth time he had told her this, and he simply could not understand whey she was intent on not believing him. "Yes, Aurthian and Merlyn are the feminine versions."
"Of Camelot, it's actually called that? In Albion?" She was almost bouncing now.
Behind them Hargilber merely smiled, enjoying his Magicians exasperation.
"Yes, it is actually called Camelot. Why are you so obsessed?" Kriston asked, studying her closely over the tops of his glasses before pushing them up his nose with his long fingers, hiding the crystal blue colour.
Madison simply smiled. "In my world we have a legend of King Arthur and Merlin, who ruled over Camelot, creating a great kingdom and the knights of the round table. Everyone knows the legend, but no one has ever been able to work out just where Camelot might have been. Which makes sense if it was actually here and not there. But if that were true then how would my world know the stories? I thought you said there was no way for other-worlders to get back to their worlds?" she gave him a suspicious glare.
Kriston would have sighed again, but he was too glad that she had finally stopped repeating 'Arthur and Merlin, really?', to bother. "I'm not sure how you could have had stories of Albion's history in your world, nor of Arthur and Merlin, but I'm sure they're completely different to what actually occurred."
Madison rolled her eyes but smiled, used to his ill humour by now. "Let me guess, Arthur wasn't only the king of Albion and Camelot, but the fighter of the Fighter/Magician pair?" she teased.
"Oh, you have gained some intelligence then have you?" she mock applauded her. "But yes, he was, but he didn't know it until he was much older than is normal for pairs to bond fully, but even so they went on to become the most powerful pair every recorded. That's why this tournament is held every year in Albion, each pair fights to earn the title Arthur and Merlin."
"So if they were so powerful, why aren't you excited about it?"
"I think their names should be left in peace to be honest." he shrugged.
"We normally forfeit during the preliminaries." Hargilber added in.
There was silence for a time as they walked, the country of Albion growing closer, and the mere thought of being in Camelot, though she knew it would be nothing like what was described in earth legends, she couldn't help the excited rush that raced through her. "Tell me about them." she asked.
"Why?" Kriston immediately retorted.
"Because I want to know about them, you say the actual history is different from the legends I would have heard, so I want to hear the actual history. Otherwise I'm going to have to tell you what I know and you know you hate it when I do that." she grinned, he didn't really, but she did know he would winch at every deviations to the actual history as he knew it.
"Fine, spare me your attempts at story telling." he snapped.
Hargilber laughed behind them, and simply grinned cheekily when Kriston glared at him.
In the land of Albion, almost two thousand years ago, magic was rife, Dragons flourished there, and a King, wise and good, was granted a son, a son that should not have been, and for one life to be created one needed to be taken, and that life was the life of the Kings wife. The King grew angry and banished the Magician who had done this from his lands with her Fighter alongside her. But it was not until the child, a child the king both cherished and despised was almost five years old, that things became dark in the once bright and magical land of Albion.
"Gaius!" Uther bellowed as he burst into his young sons chambers, glaring at the healer standing next to his son, soothing a fevered brow with a cool cloth. "Gaius, what is going on? What is ailing my son?" he demanded to know, for though he hated that his wife, his precious Elaine, had died for his son to live, he would see no harm befall his son as he was all that remained of her.
Gaius, an old man even then looked at the king, a sadness in his eyes. For Gaius had once been a Magician of a pair, but had lost his bond sister, his Fighter, and had sworn off magic since that day. "His body calls for that of it's soul mate sire." he answered the king, shushing the child's slight movements and fevered cries.
"Soul mate? What is this?" Uther demanded, his eyes boring into Gaius's head.
"He is one of a soul pair My lord, the fighter most likely."
Gaius was no watching, so he did not see the thunderous look that crossed his kings face, so when Uther exploded into a mighty rage, he was shocked to inaction. "MY SON WILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH MAGIC!" He cried angrily. "This is the work of that witch, that Nimuah. My son shall not be bound to one of her kind. I will see to it!"
And see to it the King did, in a fit of rage he did something that could not be undone, he decreed that magic was evil, and those who practised it would be killed. He inspired such fear in the people, fear that had never been there before, but soon the people of Albion were driving out those who possessed magic, Pairs were split up before they were even formed, those found practicing were killed quickly. The Dragons tried to reason with the people, for they were a powerful race in Albion in those days, but the King turned on them also, and forced the dragons out, killing those who remained. All save one, this one he captured and locked deep within a cavern below the castle in Camelot. It took him years, and he knew he would never be able to completely weed out the magic of the land, so he turned his sights to his son, who, as magic had dwindled, had grown stronger, and in the Kings eyes it meant that magic no longer held sway over him. He set about educating his son in the wickedness of magic, and was pleased that his son agreed with him; unaware of his sons true feelings.
"Gaius?" the ten year old prince said, holding onto the doorway of the old healers rooms.
"Yes Arthur?" the old man smiled kindly. "Could you not sleep again?"
Blond hair whipped as Arthur shook his head. "I keep dreaming, of another boy, but I can never see his face. We plays together a lot, but I don't know who it is… Every night Gaius, why?"
Gaius hid his sad sigh, merely smiling at the boy. "I know not dear boy."
"I think he's using magic in my dream… I think he is, but I don't know because I don't really know what magic is…" Arthur trailed off, regarding Gaius warily. "Gaius, may I ask you something and ask that you not tell my father?" he asked, seriously.
Gaius nodded, and knew he would keep this secret from his King, because if the king found that Arthur was questioning his fathers teachings then it was possible the boy would be driven even further from his soul bond. He beckoned the boy inside, and there was silence until the door shut tightly behind him.
"Is magic truly as evil as my father says?"
"Magic Arthur, itself, is neither good nor evil, it is the people who use it. It's a little like power, you can use your status to do great things for others, or great things merely for yourself. But promise me Arthur, that you will never say such to your father. A great evil was done him once by magic, and he is only trying to do what he believes is right." The warning was not only because of that, but because he had more than once patched the young prince up when there should have been no need.
Arthur nodded. "What about the dreams Gaius?"
"They will fade Arthur, with time." Gaius knew they would, his own had, memories of his soul sister were lost to him now.
And so the years continued on, the King continued his crusade against the magic in Albion, the prince continued to dream, but as Gaius said the dreams slowly faded into nothing the more his fathers hold became in him. He grew arrogant, unhappy in his position, knowing he was missing something, but never knowing what. Until the day Merlin arrived in Camelot's court, a clumsy youth who hid a great secret, and Arthur found himself faced with someone who did not treat him as a prince, an untouchable, a burden or a reminder, someone who treated him as an equal, they stood upon the same level despite birth or rank.
"I knew you were a prat, I just didn't know you were a royal one." Merlin said cockily
Arthur gave him a hooded glare. "You know I've been trained to kill since birth."
"Really? And how long have you been training to be a prat?" There was an honest to gods twinkle in his eyes then, and Arthur was infuriated, and he was sure his face showed it.
"You know you can't address me like that."
Merlin gave him a half smile "Oh, I'm sorry, how long have you been training to be a prat, my lord?" he gave a mock half bow.
Merlin, through a twist of fate, became Arthur's servant, and unwilling protector, told by the great dragon hidden below the castle that they were two sides of a coin, soul bound, one the weapon, the other the shield, that without the other he would never be made whole. Merlin did not understand, for such understanding was lost to the land of Albion then, they were too old perhaps to be properly soul bound, too conflicted, for those who make up the partnership of Fighter/Magician are normally raised together as siblings if they are not siblings already, never had two so old been thrust together. The path ahead of them was rocky, fraught with danger. Merlin forced to hide his magic to protect himself, to keep himself alive so that he could keep Arthur alive.
A friendship grew between them, and sometimes it seemed as if they had bonded, but one did not know of the other, and no secrets can be had between a pair. So they continued on, fragmented, and stumped at every turn by the hatred Uther held for magic. But a soul bond is akin to destiny, and cannot be stopped once it starts. But it took a great event to set in motion the wheels that would bring Albion to greatness once again.
"Merlin!" Arthur called, his sword hanging loosely in his grip, ineffectual against the beast before them, Merlin stood behind him, and he had waited for the reassuring whisper of nonsense words that would somehow aid him in overcoming this creature that was destroying Camelot in search of them both, but nothing had come, and Arthur was becoming rather disheartened. "Merlin!" he snapped, using his most arrogant and angry tone.
"Yes Arthur?" Merlin finally responded.
"A little help would be nice." he said, sidestepping a swiping claw, ignoring the way sweat and blood mingled running down his face.
"I don't know how I could--"
"I do not want to hear your excuses right now Merlin, just do what you have to do, and do it quickly!" he dodged again, and he could hear Merlin spluttering as he tried to come up with a reply, then the beast roared and all hearing was lost to him, he stumbled back at the mere force.
"Arthur!" he could see Merlin's mouth move to form his name, and he wondered how he had suddenly ended up facing his servant, his friend… then the pain blossomed and he had barely a split second to wonder when he had been hit before he dropped to his knees
Merlin couldn't believe it, couldn't believe that he had allowed his own fear of discovery kill Arthur, kill his soul mate. He stood before the beast, and could not now even recall the words to the spell he should have cast minute ago, when Arthur had asked for his help. His eyes staring glassily at where Arthur's body lay, probably dead, uncaring if he was to go next, his whole life just seemed empty and meaningless with Arthur there, as much as the prince drove him crazy. He did not even see the claws swipe for him, he saw and understood nothing until he realised Arthur was not where he had fallen.
Arthur instead stood, sword just keeping the claws from Merlin, blood seeping from wounds all over him. Merlin heard Arthur speak, his voice strained, pained, but arrogant, demanding, everything Merlin needed to hear in that instant. "Merlin, now would be a good time."
The words flowed back into his mind, and he spoke them quickly, quietly, intensely, and finally Arthur's sword strokes caused damage, but Merlin continued casting, anything he could to make sure Arthur won, and to ensure Arthur survived.
When the battle was over he made his way to the princes side, sliding an arm around him to keep his wavering form upright. "Arthur?" he asked quietly, not knowing how to ask.
"I've known forever you idiot… I might not have known I knew at the beginning, but I always knew there was something about you Merlin, always." there was a smirk on Arthur's face, but it was malicious, or hurtful, just teasing, and his eyes rolled back and he dropped like a stone.
After that the secret became something that was even more difficult to hide, and soon Uther discovered it, and flew into a rage unseen before in the king, he had Merlin imprisoned, intending to deal with his son himself before burning the warlock the next day. Had Merlin not used his magic to full effect that night, Arthur might well have died, but as it stood the two stood against the King, who threatened that they would both die if need be to rid Albion of magic.
The two left the kingdom under cover of darkness, vowing to return and free Albion and Camelot from the mad king that now ruled it.
"So they left, found the knights of the round table, came back, stormed Camelot, Arthur pulled the sword from the stone and became king. Yes?" Madison almost bounced as she walked, enthralled by the tale.
Kriston shook his head. "Not quite like that no."
"Tell me!" she demanded.
Kriston cast a look back to his own soul bound brother, who merely smiled back unabashed, quite amused by proceedings, and sighed, knowing he would have to continue the tale. He muttered something unsavoury about Hargilber, that he knew his Fighter heard by the snort of laughter behind him, before continuing the tale.
A/N: Ok, I shall end it there, I will probably continue this at some point in the future. I hope you enjoyed it and that it eventually made sense. Please review.