A.N. I wrote this for my sister because she wanted a different ending, one with Merlin finding Arthur. Enjoy.
Tales and Story-tellers.
The new year was approaching. Merlin new that meant the start of a new journey, a new search.
The years have been nothing but long to Merlin. Memories of good moments and bad moments through the different centuries could bring a smile to his lips or a tear to his eye.
Merlin'd married a beautiful women he loved and had a family. Merlin watched his children grow up and have their own children. Merlin got old and so did his wife. Merlin watched his grandchildren have children and one by one he watched them pass away too. Merlin grew old but he did not die.
Merlin knew he couldn't stay and watch the ones he loved get old and die. Merlin watched his family from afar and kept to his journey, to his destiny.
Merlin's magic was stronger than ever though as the years passed by his need to use it was less and less. Merlin watched the generations evolve. Watched the times change into the new eras.
Merlin traveled. Telling the tales of Arthur and the brave Knights. The great dragon told Merlin that Arthur was the once and future king. Merlin knew that meant he was to be there when Arthur needed him again.
Two sides of the same coin.
Merlin walked carefully pulling his coat around him a little tighter to keep the cold January air from numbing him further. It was a new year. A new start.
He walked into the small diner, brushing the snow flakes from his short dark hair. His young appearance caused a few girls sitting in a booth to stare and giggle as he passes them.
Merlin sat. The new generations were extraordinary different than what Camelot was. It was louder with new technology. Merlin found it fascinating. There was always something to keep his interest. Each lifetime Merlin lived he grew along with it and spread his tales to those who'd listen.
Merlin remembered this place from years before. Merlin visited with an older face then. Merlin always went back, it was the last place he saw Arthur and the place he knew they'd meet again one day.
Merlin took his neckerchief off and placed it on the counter in front of him. Merlin took his gloves off and rubbed his hands together to try and get the last chill off of his long, pale fingers.
The small dinner was new. Merlin didn't see it the last time he was here. The inside was warm and inviting. It seemed to be a rather relaxed day.
Besides the table of giggle girls still smiling and trying to get his attention, a small family was sitting at the other end of the dinner enjoying there food. A fussy baby and his young parents were trying to calm there child. Unnoticed to them that the infant had dropped what seemed to be his favorite toy. A small stuffed loin.
Merlin walked over and picked it up. When Merlin handed it to the small child his tears instantly stopped and Merlin was rewarded with bright, sparkling eyes and a big smile from the child.
"Thank you so much!" The young mother said, cradling the child in her arms. The little boy grabbed a lock of his mothers golden hair and began to pull on it. The two parents didn't seem much older than what Merlin's current appearance was.
"All for that silly toy." The man laughed kindly looking down at his son in the women's arms. Merlin nodded and went back to the stool at the counter
"That was very kind of you." The waitress said. She was also blond, maybe a few years younger than the couple though.
"That toy was very important." Merlin stated with a smile and amusement in his voice.
"I'm sure it was," The waitress added. "Must be the babes best friend. Mine was a stuffed panda, still have it actually." She smiled. Merlin smiled back brightly until a chill from the door opening caused him to shiver. "You must be chilled to the bone, would you like a tea or coffee?"
"Coffee, please." The waitress nodded and turned to get Merlin his order. She come back with a white mug and a steaming fresh pot of coffee.
"I'm sorry," She said sounding embarrassed. "I forgot to ask if you'd like cream and sugar."
"It's alright." Merlin said. "Just cream." She nodded and poured until he said stop.
"I'm a bit forgetful." She admitted, blushing.
"Aren't we all at times." Merlin answered.
"Perhaps." She said shyly. She looked at Merlin for the first time. "You look familiar." She stated. "Do I know you?" Merlin shook his head.
"I don't think so. I'm new." Merlin said taking a sip of his coffee. "Just come to visit."
"You have family here?" She asked.
"Not anymore." Merlin said quietly. When Merlin looked up the girl again looked embarrassed.
"I'm being rude." She stated and Merlin watch in confusion. "I shouldn't be asking you so many questions. I'm new too. Just got this job a week ago. I'm suppose to be friendly but I don't think I'm very good at it. I shouldn't be asking questions like that."
Merlin smirked at the young girl in front of him. She seemed to be over thinking what she was to do and Merlin couldn't help but be amused, in an innocent way.
"What if I ask you a couple questions?" Merlin suggested.
"I guess that depends on the question." She said putting her pen to her lip to think then nodded. "But that does sound fair."
"Well, what's your name?" Merlin asked. The girl looked down quickly and noticed that she wasn't wearing her name-tag.
"Oh no!" She said in a panicky voice. "Excuse me a second." She said running though a door only to emerge a few seconds later out of breath and pinning a bright red tag to her shirt.
"Chaya." Merlin read and she nodded.
"Sorry it must have fallen off in the back." Chaya said sounding nervous.
"Are you ready for my next question?" Merlin asked once Chaya had gotten her breathing back to normal. "What would you recommend?"
"Oh," She said thinking quickly. "I'm not much of a breakfast person but this place has a very good turkey melt with bacon and chips." She said excitedly.
"That's what I'll order." Merlin said and Chaya wrote it down on her pad. "There isn't many other orders right now, this should be done soon." Chaya clipped the order to a wire and pushed it through a little window until it disappeared.
"Can I ask you one more question?" Merlin asked turning around to face Chaya who was wiping down the table where the girls that giggle when he came in once sat at.
"Of course." She said grabbing the napkin holder to refill.
"Why do you say I look familiar?" Merlin asked with genuine curiosity. Merlin did admit to himself that there were times when he was forgetful as well.
"Well," Chaya said shyly again. "You have the same eyes as the Story-teller." She explained.
"Who's the Story-teller?" Merlin asked. Merlin watched Chaya refill the napkins and place it back on the table. When she was done she went back behind the counter and leaned her elbows on the gray marble top in front of him.
"When I was a girl this man would always come to the park every Saturday." She started. "He was an older man but he was so lovely! He told all the children about these amazing stories of King Arthur," Merlin could remember many different places that he told the stories and many of the children's faces but not all of them. Merlin watched the girl as she animatedly continued.
"He talked as if he was there. Every Saturday was a new tale, a new battle that Arthur and his Knights faced. I'm taking Arthurian History for my studies but it's nothing like how the Story-teller would recite it." She blushed again when Merlin smiled at her.
"Mother told me he was just some daft old man, probably a drunk. But I still believe he had some kind of magic to him. Mother would go shopping and she'd ask me to get something for her but I'd sneak out and go across the street and listen to the new story he had to tell." Chaya looked out the window sadly. The snow had stopped.
"The last time I saw him was when he told all the children of Arthur's death. I cried for days hearing my hero's final tale. I went back the next Saturday but the man had gone and he didn't come back. I still go on Saturdays. I know that man has probably passed away by now. But I still wish him well, his tales made my childhood a happy one I just wish that I would have written down his words so I'd always have them."
The sound of a bell broke the silence that had followed Chaya's answer. Merlin could feel his eyes burning with tears. This young girl held on to his words so strongly. Chaya returned with his plate and placed it in front of him.
"You still didn't answer why I looked familiar." Merlin pointed out.
"Oh," Chaya said, being embarrassed by her forgetfulness again. "Your eyes. They look just like his. That same blue that I'll never forget. Much older than the holder, even the old mans eyes seemed as if he'd lived many lives." She smiled and left him alone to eat his meal.
"Are you done, I can take these for you." Chaya said taking the dirty dishes around and giving him his bill. Merlin noticed that on the bottom she wrote, Don't worry about your meal, it's on me for being a rubbish waitress. Merlin smiled and took out his wallet anyway paying the bill and giving her a generous tip. Merlin grabbed a pen on the counter and wrote, Thank you.
Merlin walked back out into the cold January air. As he started making his way down the street he was sure he could here someone calling out, 'Excuse me! Wait! Sir wait!' Merlin finally stopped and turned around. Chaya was running after him in the cold without a coat on. Merlin felt bad and started walking towards her.
"You walk fast." Chaya said out of breath.
"You better not be trying to give me my money back." Merlin scolded her, amusingly.
"Well, yes I am." Chaya stated. "But you forgot this too." She said handing back his neckerchief. Merlin took the red cloth but refused to take back the money. "But this is way to much." She said.
"Chaya," Merlin said placing his hands on her shoulders. "You deserve it."
"I don't." She said trying to hand it back but Merlin wouldn't take it. Finally she had to put it in her pocket, just as Merlin instructed her to do. "But why did you say thank you?" She asked. This time Merlin laughed. He leaned down, Chaya being shorter than himself, and looked her in the eyes.
"For keeping the magic alive in your heart." Merlin said softly to her then kissed her on the cheek. "Now go back inside before you catch a chill." Merlin said. Chaya nodded, turning around to head back into the dinner before she turned quickly.
"I don't know your name." She called out. Merlin smiled a gold flash of his blue eyes that he knew Chaya saw and snow began to fall again.
"Merlin." He called back to her.
"The man of the stories." Chaya said excitedly. "Does that mean… Are you…" She rambled on.
"You don't have a jacket." Merlin pointed out. "Go." He said pointing to the diner. Chaya smiled.
"I'm honored to meet you Merlin." Chaya said before going back inside just to watch him through the wide front windows.
"It's an honor to meet you too." Merlin said to himself. But he was sure Chaya could hear him. Before he continued down the street the young couple with the baby boy passed him.
"Look, Arthur," The mother said to the child bouncing in his arms pointing out the snow as the child tried to grab the flack with his chubby little hands. Merlin smiled at the couple as they passed. When the child locked eyes with Merlin, Merlin couldn't stop himself.
"Hello Arthur." The baby shrieked with joy and clapped his hands reaching out for Merlin as the parents passed. The smiled staying on Merlin's face for the rest of the day.
/
Chaya walked down the snow covered gravel path through the park. She reached the bench she always sat on, the one the Story-teller would sit on. She looked down to find it completely clear of snow and dry, something she wasn't expecting considering it was snowing just last night.
She also didn't expect the large package sitting on the bench with her name on it. She looked around at first to see who could've left it, but there didn't seem to be anyone around and there were no footprints but her own.
Chaya untied the string and unwrapped the paper. Inside was a thick leather bound journal. She sat down holding the book. When she opened it there were tears in her eyes when she realized what she was holding.
Inside was, handwritten, all the stories she was told as a child by the very man that sat on this bench while she was listening and avoiding shopping with her mother. On the last page the was a note to her.
Chaya,
I hope this will help you to never forget these tales. Always keep that magic in your heart.
Merlin.
Chaya clutched the book tightly to her chest as she walked home.