Author's notes
So here's the start of the story I've been wanting and waiting to write for three months. This is the story for those of you who watched Episode 5.13 and thought, "How?" when Arthur says to Merlin " Everything you've done, I know now…..,"or thought, "Eh?" when Kilgharrah says to Merlin "All that you have dreamed of building has come to pass," or who wondered if Gaius had some sort of medieval X-ray device to know about the piece of sword moving towards Arthur's heart. This is for those of you who, like me, wanted to know more about what happened later, what happened earlier (eg who wanted to see Arthur and Guinevere getting married), or who just wanted more!
Through the re-telling and expansion of scenes (what did they talk about when Merlin was feeding his wounded king?) and through flashbacks to some imagined new scenes and stories, this aims to fill in what I felt were some gaps and things that didn't get the explanation they were crying out for because of the limitations of a 45 minute episode (or two).
I haven't looked on the site to see if anyone's written anything similar, so if there are already similar things out there - apologies. I only searched to check that no-one had already taken the title that's been in my head for the last two and a half months: From Camlann to Avalon. This story doesn't cover everything from the episode (and the bits leading into it), but focuses mainly on Merlin, Arthur and Gwen. And, of course, one huge acknowledgement to Jake Michie and Julian Jones who between them wrote the final two episodes – their words and scenes are reproduced here without permission (although I am in the process of seeking it!) and provide the framework for this story. And apologies for the fact that this first chapter is more of a prologue – I'm working on the story today, and hopefully there will be another chapter by the end of the day with some genuinely new stuff. It's all there in my head – I just have to write it down.
Enjoy! (and if you also have any other unresolved niggles from the ending – yes, yes, apart from the fact that Arthur dies – send me a DM and I'll try to resolve them too!)
Chapter 1
It ends here.
The words came unbidden into Arthur's mind as he wheeled his horse round into the narrow pass that he'd previously only seen drawn on a map – the map that he and the other knights had pored over back in Camelot. He'd known that to reach their land, Morgana and her army would have to cross the White Mountains. Looking at the charts laid out on the table before him that day, he'd also known that there was only one pass that would give passage to an army the size of hers. He'd pointed to it on the map, and it had been Percival who had supplied its name: Camlann.
And now here it was, in front of him. As he rode slowly along, Arthur looked at the cliffs on either side of the pass – they were just as his knight had described. Yes, this was the perfect place to put his plan into action. Although his army was outnumbered by his sister's troops, Arthur knew that if they could hold the pass, they would eventually drive Morgana and her army back. Arthur stopped his horse and raised his hand, signalling to the other knights to stop also. He surveyed once more the scene before him: the narrow pass surrounded on all sides by rock. "This is it. Camlann."
There was, however, something about the place that left Arthur feeling deeply uneasy. A cold wind blew through the pass making him shiver slightly. He knew that everything rested on what happened there in the hours that would follow. "The fate of the kingdom will be decided here." Gwaine looked around – he shared Arthur's sense of foreboding – and Arthur continued: "Make camp, take up positions."
But before any of them moved, Leon spoke up from his position just behind the king: "It's a death trap, sire."
"That's the idea."
Leon continued, "Morgana will have no means of escape -" He paused: "But neither will we."
Arthur voiced again the reason why they were all there: "They'd always outflank us – this is our only chance."
Percival and Gwaine continued to look at the harsh, unyielding cliffs that seemed to press in on them and hem them in – neither of them liked their odds, but they kept their feelings to themselves. However difficult the battle ahead may be, they believed in Arthur and would follow him anywhere – even to their deaths. Arthur turned his head to face his old brother at arms, finally giving voice to the words that had come into his head: "It ends here, Leon. Be it life or death…"
Arthur nodded almost imperceptibly to himself, as if committing himself afresh to his chosen course of action: "… it ends here."