Oh man, haven't posted in a while. This is for the Merthur Party on tumblr, with the day 1 prompt...

The Prince and the Servant.

"There's something about you. I can't quite put my finger on it."Arthur whispered to the peasant he just beat. No, he reprimanded himself. I need to stop referring to the townspeople as peasants. Even if they are. Especially sharp-tongued, blue-eyed beauties such as this.

The townsperson in question had introduced himself as Merlin. He had just strode in like he owned the castle! And then! Oh, and then he proceeded to say, "That's enough." As if was king!

Arthur scoffed at the new memory. How smug he had felt when he twisted Merlin's arm behind his back and introduced himself as the prince. Even so, Merlin's opinion of him hadn't changed. It was infuriating, maddening, and yet… refreshing.

It didn't occur until later that night that he had thought of Merlin as a beauty. He justified his mind with the knowledge that Merlin did look rather girlish. Yes.

The very last thing Arthur expected to see that night was the pleasant-looking-peasant (as Arthur liked to refer to him as. Not that he'd ever tell anybody) at the feast for the Lady Helen.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Merlin standing in front of the staircase, in front of his current manservant. What is he doing here anyway?

Lady Helen was singing and he felt… he felt so… so…

1700s

"That's enough."

A dark haired boy, maybe a man, stood in front of the young man he and his friends were picking on. Did this stupid boy not see who he was? It looked like he was nothing more than a servant.

"Why do you think to challenge me? It seems I do not know you, and I have no quarrel with you."

"You've had your fun."

Ha! If that insolent sod knew his rank, he'd gladly shut his mouth. "Alright," Arthur said, "If you're so willing to fight, then let's fight."

As Arthur chased around who he later learned was Merlin, he couldn't help but laugh at the bubble of joy in his chest, and how familiar it all seemed.

1800s

Arthur leaned against the recently constructed Nelson Column, his friends surrounding him. He looked on at the shopkeeper's son, watching his buddies berate him.

Until he heard a boy's, really a man's voice, one that rung in his head and woke a part of his brain he hadn't realized was asleep. He instantly recognized the voice, even if the reasonable half of this head said you've never met this man.

"That's enough."

1920s America

"P-please, sir, I-I don't know how I lost it, please don't - "

One of Arthur's cronies kicked the boy's stomach. He couldn't be more than 12.

Tears were streaming down his dirty face. "I swear it, please, don't h-hurt me…"

Arthur winced as the same man shoved his foot onto the boy's mouth, silencing him. "Listen here, boyo, if Mr. Pendragon doesn't get the money he lent you by this time next week, we're taking ya sister too."

The child on the ground whimpered. Arthur opened his mouth, "That's-"

And as though it echoed throughout time itself, that voice said:"Enough."

Current Day

"Arthur, haven't I told you this countless times?"

Every lifetime. What? Where had that thought come from?

Arthur turned to the obviously-lower-class teenager in back of him and scoffed. "Who do you think you are, Prince of Wales?"

The young man smirked. "Had to chance to once…"

"What?"

"Nothing."

An awkward silence passed where he and the raven haired boy stared at each other. Arthur was getting a little uncomfortable and shifted in his shoes. He was being stared at rather fondly for a stranger.

"Well, Merlin, it was nice meeting you," Arthur held out his hand to shake.

A look passed over Merlin's face. It warmed his chest a little to see him look so elated.

"You remembered my name."

2100s

Merlin regularly visited the places he had found Arthur. He knew that somehow, this time, it'd be different.

I'll see you soon, Arthur had said to him no less than 30 years ago. Wasn't it about time for him to show up?

2200s

Merlin sat at the shores of an unremarkable lake, or what he knew it as, Avalon.

He stood up, not really thinking about where he was going. He felt a weight in his bones though, and it was pulling him towards the tower in the middle of the lake.

Merlin waded into the water, not caring his clothes were wet. He conjured a small boat and pushed towards the island.

He stepped out before the boat had come to a complete stop, which didn't matter that much. Avalon was evaporating.

From behind the pillar, a reptilian-looking man strode out. "Kilgharrah," he stated. It was not the first time the dragon had taken on this form, but it had also been a few hundred years.

"Hello, my young warlock. Though your eyes do not look as young as your face."

Merlin didn't say anything. "It is time for Arthur to return, truly, and unite Albion again. The wasteland of what used to be England is seeping into the earth, slowly poisoning us. Surely you can feel it?"

Merlin nodded absentmindedly. He could feel his power making him more tired, doing less than what he used to do.

"As you very well know, Arthur has lived almost as much time as you. His past lives were there to educate and wizen him for what the coming years will bring. It will be difficult, but it always is. Hopefully in this lifetime, Arthur will not be ripped away from you so young. Once you reunite Albion to the highest it has ever been, both of you will find peace."

Merlin's eyes widened as he took that in. 2000 years. For this. Already he could feel the sparks on his fingertips in anticipation. I will finally get to die. And live my life with Arthur.

Tears shone on his cheeks. His attention focused back on the dragon man. "What about you, Kilgharrah?"

"I can feel my time as well, young warlock. Though I am sure Aithusa will gladly take my place, to advise the next son of the earth. There will be more like you after this, Merlin, yes. But as I said, your story will live long in the minds of men. I wish you the best of luck."

Kilgharrah nodded to a place behind Merlin's back.

Climbing up on shore, Arthur looked up at him through wet lashes, the blood rusted brown on his chainmail just below his heart. Spitting out a bit of water and wiping his glove on his tongue with a sour look on his face, he said, "How long have I been in there? Eugh, I smell like rotten fish…"

It looked like the sun had broken out on Merlin's face, shiner brighter than it had for billions of years. "Long enough."

I can't really seem to harness the ability to write one story at a time, so I just combine them with a similar theme between them all. I know the last portion isn't prompt-prompt but I can't stand sad or lonely endings. If you got this far, congratulations! You win my love and appreciation. Thank you for reading!

happywritingx