I OWN NOTHING!
Chapter One: Watch Where You're Going
All Merlin can do is watch. Watch as the love of his life loves another. Watch as his love's sweetheart betrays him for another. Watch as everything crumbles. Again. And again. And again. In every single life, Merlin has never known peace. As soon as he met Arthur, he would remember. But Arthur would not. Not unless Merlin made him remember.
But Merlin remembers the joy Arthur feels at loving Gwen, the happiness that encases them for a time. So Merlin steps back and lets them. He lets them destroy one another, and finds his heart crack a little more each time. What he doesn't know is that he isn't the only one.
Merlin knows that Morgana remembers all. She remembers each life, and remembers her first life. After the first few attempts at vengeance, she realizes the pointlessness of it all. She realizes the extent of the suffering Merlin endures. And so she becomes Merlin's rock; the one person he knows will stand by him and let him lean on her.
Many times Morgana tried to interfere; every time she was too late. It is only after she meets Merlin that she would remember, and she often awoke too late. Morgana watches Merlin wither away inside, and can do naught but hold his hand and help him move on to their next lives. She waits for the day when the tragedy ends and the sorrow lifts; she waits for the day when she no longer needs to be Merlin's rock. And so she waits.
And times change. Although in every life, Arthur is born powerful in either wealth or nobility, the rules of the time grow kinder. Arthur does not have to kill Gwen for adultery; he only has to divorce her to set her free. And in the end, Merlin and Morgana there. Watching. Waiting. Hoping.
Year 2011
Arthur Penn Dragonsbane signed the last of the divorce papers with a sigh of both sadness and relief. He truly loved his once-wife, but he saw quite clearly the unhappiness permeating their lives. He was not surprised when he found her in bed with Lance. He only felt a little betrayed that they did not tell him sooner.
He handed the papers to Elyan, his lawyer, and got up from his office desk. They shook hands and went about their business. Elyan, Arthur knew, was off the inform Jennifer about the papers and their terms. Arthur couldn't bring himself to care about the divorce anymore; it was only a formality. Their marriage had ended a long time back.
As he walked blindly down a hallway, he bumped into someone and heard an extremely familiar yelp as someone crashed to the floor, papers flying everywhere.
"I'm sorry," Arthur apologized as he quickly gathered the papers together to hand back to the man he bumped into. But everything stopped when he met a pair of stunning blue eyes.
And he remembered Everything.
R&R Please!