Because the Merlin finale left me with too many feels. Also I should be watching it now but it's over *Sobs in a corner*
Merlin lay back against the trunk of a tree and looked up at the sky. Thousands of stars glittered and shone in the dark velvet of the sky. A slight breeze rustled amongst the leaves above his head. He let out a broken sigh. Unbidden, a memory stole into his head.
Branches cracked as Merlin lay back, his head cushioned on an exposed root covered in moss. He just lay there, staring at the sky. It was a clear night and above him hung millions of stars. He started trying to count them in his head as he did when he was younger and still lived in Ealdor.
"What are you muttering about Merlin?" Arthur said. Merlin turned to stare at him. Apparently he hadn't been counting in his head after all. "It better not be about me" Merlin laughed "Because everything's about you isn't it?" "Well, if it's not about me then what else do you have to talk about? There's no-one else here you know." Merlin's gaze returned to the sky "Oh just remembering nights where I'd lay under the stars back in Ealdor and try to count them. I never could manage it though" Now Arthur laughed "Of course you couldn't Merlin. Have you no idea how many there are up there?"
Merlin scowled at the sky. Arthur, seeing this, felt guilty. His frien- manservant had shared a treasured memory with him and he had just trampled all over it. "Sorry Merlin. I didn't mean to laugh at your memory. I used to do the same" Merlin whipped his head around wearing a shocked expression. Arthur felt defensive "What?" he asked "You tell me to apologise more and when I do you act all surprised. Honestly Merlin. There's no pleasing you is there"
Merlin was overcome by a sudden bought of coughing, Arthur suspected he was trying not to laugh "Sorry Sire" Merlin managed "It's just, as you said, you don't apologise much, yet here you are apologising to me" Arthur lay back next to Merlin "Yes…Well…Don't expect anymore. I'm just in an exceptionally good mood from hunting" Merlin laughed "Of course sire"
They lay there silently for a while until Arthur commented "Looking at them makes us seem so small. There are millions of stars up there and we are so few. The stars will still be there in a year, in hundreds of years…" He trailed off "Where do you think we'll be in a year Merlin?" Merlin thought for a while "I don't know sire" he said at last "Changes are coming, big ones, I can feel it" Arthur snorted "You and these feelings Merlin. Where do you get them?" "A dragon told me" Merlin said with a smirk "Really Merlin? A dragon? What am I going to do with you?" Merlin chuckled "Prat"
An owl hooted bringing Merlin out of his memory. He stared out at the lake where Arthur had sailed out of sight and let out another broken sigh "Where will we be in a year" he snorted softly "Of all the possibilities, I never expected this" He returned his gaze to the sky, a single tear crawling down his face. It caught the light and glistened for a moment like a star, frozen in time. But gravity took over and pulled it down to where its light was absorbed into the ground.
I don't own Merlin