Just a little one shot my friend amertka and I came up with during orchestra. Enjoy, and give her page a look if you guys want some Merlin stories.

Sealing up the letter, Merlin carefully put it in the box already filled with them. He didn't write one everyday, just when he was feeling sad, or bored, or when something interesting had happened. He was writing them to a certain person who he knew could never come back.

Merlin knew the laws of death better than anyone. It had taken all of his friends, his best friend, his first love, and all of his family. Now he was all alone, but that's how he liked it now.

He stopped venturing out into the world as much. It was just getting to hard. He would see people laughing and enjoying life, and he would want to join them. He would want to become their friend. But then they would die, just like everyone else. And he would be left alone again, with nothing else but his memories.

Merlin got up from his desk and walked through the small house that he lived in. It was a simple thing. It was simple one story, two bedrooms, a nice bathroom, a well-stocked kitchen, a sitting room with a worn comfy sofa and a large TV. Not that he really watched the television. He used to watch the news, but it only reported sad things.

Merlin walked past his living room and over to the sliding glass doors that led to the low porch. He gazed out into the lake that he had buried three of the most important people he had ever known. A deep and well-known sadness swept over him. He felt it every time he looked at the lake. A normal person would move away from the sadness, but he had an important reason to stay. Well a few important reasons, but tomorrow was one of the biggest.

Merlin walked back inside and went to his kitchen. He needed to pack a few meals into a backpack for later, then go take a nap so he could stay awake as long as possible. Working quickly, although it had been many years since he was a servant, he grabbed breads, meats and cheeses to stuff inside the bag. He also threw in a small cake that he knew the person he was seeing loved.

Satisfied with the full bag, he stored it in the fridge so it would remain fresh, and then went to take his nap, setting his alarm for 11:30 PM. He wanted extra time to get down there and prepare everything. He also needed to get the flowers.

When he awoke from the nap, he rolled over to look outside at the lake. His bedroom had a lovely view of it. He could see the bright, full moon glittering off the smooth dark water, barely illuminating the fallen stone obelisk that used to stand so tall and proud.

He rolled out of bed and walked over to his closet. In the back he kept a special outfit from the old days. A worn and faded blue tunic, the warm red scarf, and a pair of brown trousers. He missed wearing clothes like these everyday, they were so comfy. But he needed to fit in with the times, and nobody wore things like this except to certain dress up events.

He slipped on his outfit, and even pulled a pair of old brown boots from the back. He walked to the kitchen when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Well, not himself. He was an old man. Merlin had made himself look old so people wouldn't grow suspicious. He quickly changed that, and was looking in the mirror again, this time his face was that of when his best friend ruled.

He resumed his walk to the kitchen, when he made sure he had everything. He had the food, he packed some extra water, and then did a mental check.

"Oh!" He said to himself quietly. He had forgotten the letters. He hurried back to his room and found the box where he had put them. He put a lid on the nearly full box, funny it seemed to get fuller every year, and hurried back to the kitchen.

Now he had to rearrange some stuff to make the box fit properly, but he was ready. Merlin glanced at the watch he wore, and saw that it was five minutes until midnight. He shouldered the backpack and walked out the back door, locking it with magic behind him.

It was about a two-minute trek to the special place, where he went every year on that day. Merlin set his backpack on the ground and dried off a place with his magic. He glanced at his watch again. One minute to go.

Merlin took a seat and looked up at the moon, waiting for it the reach the pinnacle of the sky. Then he looked down at the lake. There she was. A tall, beautiful woman was standing in the middle of the lake. Her dark hard flowed didn't move as she walked on top of the lake in the red dress that she had been burned in.

"Freya." The name escaped his lips at the almost solid form of his love rose from the water and made her way to where he was sitting.

"Merlin." She said, with a smile on her face. She took a seat right next to him and placed her head on his shoulder. He couldn't feel her head, but he knew she was there.

"So anything new happening at the lake?" Merlin asked. Centuries of practice, and he still could not talk to her without sounding like a fool. But she loved that about him.

"No." Freya said, a smile on her lips. "A certain someone keep it very clean, and all the life inside of it are happy. I just spend my days reading your letters. I think I have them all memorized by now."

Merlin chuckled at this. "Well I have a new box of letters for you. More this time, so hopefully they will keep you more entertained."

Freya lifted her head off of his shoulder. "Just looking forward to this day every year keeps me entertained. Tell me, how had the world changed now."

So Merlin told her. He told her of cars, mysterious devices that let you talk to people over long distances, these new devices that let you read a book without having to touch a page. He talked with her until the dawn broke, when he pulled some food out of his bag so he could eat.

Freya had frowned at the book thing. "So people just tap a screen and the page turns for them? That's just so sad!"

"How so?" Merlin asked, who actually found this convenient sometimes. Sure, nothing beat a physical book, but when you were going on a trip and wanted to read a great deal, it was fantastically light.

"Because!" Freya pouted "You can't tell if a book is good or not. There's no way to know if its sad without the lack of tear marks, or dreadfully dull by how new it is."

"Well, it's the people of this century." Merlin explained, taking a bite of bread. "They like things electronic. Just how they are."

Freya laughed slightly at that. She gazed out at the lake for a moment before she was reminded of something. "Did you bring me those books? I finished them all many times and I am looking forward to the sequels."

Merlin chuckled at that. "Of course. I bought them last week so they are in mint condition. Just try not to cry at the end of that Greek mythology book. I know I nearly did."

And with that, Merlin clapped his hands. A crash was heard from the direction of Merlin's house, which he grimaced at remembering he forgot to open a window for this trick, and about ten books came flying over to them. They landed neatly in a stack next to the wide-eyed girl.

"I've seen you for centuries and this never gets old." She murmured, and leaned against Merlin again. This time he could feel her. He body gets more solid during the day, but starts to fade again when it becomes night.

"I don't really use magic anymore." Merlin told her. "There's never the need. Well, there were a few times that I protected people, but now this technology that the humans are coming up with does a lot of the things for them. Magic is just the stuff of legends."

Freya sighed. After a moment of silence she spoke "What about our story? Has that become a legend as well?"

"Yes." Merlin said softly, tears forming in his eyes. The story of King Arthur was well known throughout the world as a legend. When he had first heard of his own history being called a legend, he felt insulted. He had friends who died in that legend, many died in his arms. Including the love he currently held in his arms.

"Its so sad how far the mortals have fallen since the Good Old Days." Freya said softly, and Merlin felt a small wetness on his hand. But he didn't care, he was close to crying too.

"Yeah, the Good Old Days." Merlin replied softly, thinking about their little phrase. It was still hard to think of the past, it hurt even more to talk about it. So they used that phrase. It hurt less.

"Tell me what you see as Lady of the Lake." Merlin asked. Freya complied.

She told him about how she could sense all the life in the lake. She told him how happy it made her feel when children played in the lake, or when couples came here for secluded picnics. She even talked about a certain man who she had watched grow old many times, only to get younger suddenly.

At midday Merlin pulled out the cake he had brought. It was her favorite, red velvet. This was the only time she could eat, when her connection to the lake was weakest and she was the most solid she would be for another year.

"Merlin this is fantastic!" Freya exclaimed as she ate another bite. Merlin smiled at her eyes brightened with each bite, savoring the flavor.

"It's your favorite." He said as he took a bite of his piece. He had only taken one. This was the only time she got to eat all year, not that she got hungry, but she had insisted that he take one piece.

After cleaning up the lunch, Merlin stood up and offered Freya a hand. She smiled and took it, allowing Merlin to help her up.

"Would you care to dance?" Merlin asked, a mischievous glint in his bright blue eyes that were so young, but looked so old.

"I would love to." Freya said, and curtsied before leaning in her beloved arms. Music seemed to come from the tree and swirl around the two as they held each other close. After getting tired of spinning, they two sat down.

Freya begged Merlin to tell her a story, one that she could keep with her for another year. So Merlin told her many. He told her of fairy tales, made up stories, even ones he had heard from others. All he did was tell her of the world.

Soon the sun had set, and Merlin had finished the last of the food he had brought with him. It was getting closer and closer to midnight. Closer to when they would have to say good bye.

As the hour drew near, Merlin pulled Freya closer, desperate to feel her fading body. "Please don't go. Not again." He whispered to her, trying to hold back the tears.

"I have to. I don't have a choice." Freya murmured back, trying to hold in her own tears. "Next year, take me somewhere. I want to see this world you have told me so much about. Next year, lets spend the day together again."

"Every year." Merlin said softly. He glanced at his watch. They only had five minutes.

"Here." Merlin said, digging through his backpack to bring out the box of letters. Freya took it and set it on her stack of books. She waved her hands and the things disappeared. Like she soon would.

"Ill read them every day." Freya promised. "Just promise me what you promise every year."

"I promise ill come back." Merlin said. It was getting harder to hold back the tears now. But he had to be strong, for Freya.

"Merlin, I want you to promise me another thing this year." Freya said, looking at the man she had loved for centuries.

"Anything."

"Don't be alone. I watch you delivering the mail every day. And you always look to my lake when you pass it. But you're always alone. I never see you visiting with friends or others coming to your house. Live, for me. Experience the things I don't get to, so you can tell me about them next year." Freya told him gently.

Merlin nodded slowly. He could do it, for her.

The time was drawing nearer. Freya was fading.

"Good bye my love. Until next year." Freya said, reaching up a placing a kiss on Merlin's lips.

"Good bye Freya. Until next year." He murmured when her fading lips were removed from his. He could barely feel her now.

Freya smiled up at him, and slowly but surely, the women he had just spent 24 hours with vanished into thin air. Faded into the black waters again.

Merlin couldn't hold back the tears any longer. He sat down and cried. He had just been awake for an entire day and needed rest, but he didn't care. He cried. He let the tears fall about the days he and his lost love would never spend together. They were restricted to just one day a year. One day was never enough. He wanted to hold her forever. He wanted to wake up early on her birthday to make her a special breakfast. He wanted to come home from work every day and plant a kiss on her check and ask her what she did that day. He wanted to truly grow old with her, not just by magic. He wanted to watch her get grey hair and eventually walk with a cane. He wanted to lie by her side as she slipped into the afterlife, or her to be by his side when he slipped into it for good. He would have happily traded all the years had had lived, all the lives he had experienced, except for the one where he met her, just to properly grow old together and die together. All he wanted was to be with her.

But it wasn't meant to be. He only cried harder. He cried like this every year, but he never could stop. He was alone again. He would fulfill his promises to her. He would live the way she couldn't for her. He would bring back new stories for her, and next year they would go the movies, or get ice cream, or she would show her London.

Next year. That was their promise.

Merlin fell asleep by the lake, exhausted from being awake so long and from crying so hard. He awoke the next morning to a beautiful and peaceful dawn. He got up, rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and looked at the lake. It shimmered in the fresh morning light, the island in the middle still looking green and fresh, the stone obelisk still in ruins. Another day with out her.

But another day closer to seeing her again.

"Until next year, Freya." Merlin spoke softly to the lake. He picked up his backpack and headed back to the house to wait for next year.

Hey if you guys want me to do other ones just let me know. I hope you enjoyed this one.