Disclaimer: I own nothing but Essie and the idea. Don't sue me, thank. (this goes for the entire story)
"How long has it been, Granddad?" she asked again. Merlin looked up, his eyes weary and tired.
"Soon, Essie," he sighed, biting more out of his bread.
"Tell me a story, then?" she asked ruefully, setting her olive-skinned face in her hands as she leaned forward on the rustic wood table. Merlin sighed, glaring at her teasingly, a small smile hidden under his white beard.
"I already have- I've told you every story I've got!" he protested, taking another bite from the cheese as well.
"You've lived over 1000 years, and that's all you've got? C'mon. You must have one more story."
She was nearly 21 years old. She was grown and well ready to move out of her hubby lodge, and go seek a career, seek a life. But she was stubborn as a rock, Essie was. She'd never abandon the Lake- it was part of her.
When Merlin had appeared, she had saved his life. A truck was barreling his way and she had lunged out and pushed him out of the way. Invited him in. And they had stuck ever since.
Of course, it had nothing to do with the fact that she happened to live right next to the Lake.
"Well… there is one story," he started. Her cinnamon eyes widened considerably. She knew everything about Merlin and where he came from. Sort of just came out, really. She had a way with words, despite the fact that she rarely used them before Merlin's arrival. She spilled her guts and somehow caused Merlin to do the same.
Before he knew it, he admitted to everything. Arthur's death, his immortality. His destiny. The Dragon, his friends, his loved ones.
And she believed every word of it.
"Tell, tell!" she quipped. He sighed and smiled at her through his beard, looking back down at his food as he ate it.
"There was to be a joust-"
"-I've heard of those-"
"-And Arthur was angry because he felt everyone gave him special treatment, due to the fact that he was the Prince-"
"-Typical-"
"-And so he decided to secretly joust under false pretenses, so that no one would know it was him-"
"-So he got someone from the village?"
He was indifferent to the fact that she kept interrupting. Sure, it was his story, but she got excited. He would do the same if it were Gaius telling him.
"Yes, precisely-"
"Merlin, do tell me the story of his returning, again?"
He stopped at her words. He looked up from his food, his eyes stern. It was obvious that she hadn't meant to blurt it out. Her eyes were wide and apologetic, but at the same time, her vivaciousness was shining through. Merlin smiled to reassure her it was okay.
She was a child at heart.
"Alright," he said softly, before sighing again (he did that a lot around her) and taking a deep breath to start his tale-
There was a loud splash outside. Essie looked up quickly. She knew the Lake like she knew the lyrics to her favourite songs. It was usually quiet and peaceful. This wasn't normal.
Merlin looked up as well, extremely silent.
There it was again-
Essie was on her feet, and ran to the window. Like a five year old child, she pulled back the lace and peered down at the lake.
"Merlin," she breathed, "Merlin, I see something."
Merlin got up slowly, his old heart beating like a young man's. He stepped slowly over the cold wood floor, to where Essie was standing. He peered past her shoulder.
There was a flash of blue light. Something was erupting from the middle of the lake.
Essie turned slowly to Merlin, clear excitement bursting, her skin almost breaking.
"King Arthur," she mouthed.
Merlin stayed frozen, before Essie jumped to her feet off the sofa under the window, and pulled gently at Merlin for the door.
Merlin snapped out of his shock, and gripped Essie tight. She supported him as she grabbed the blanket on the couch, threw it over him, and they both went as quickly as they could to the door out into the cold evening.
Merlin stumbled over Essie but she didn't mind. She was as excited as he, maybe even more. For her, it was like all the fairy tales and fables were coming to life in front of her. And she wanted nothing more.
It was about time something of a miracle took place in her life.
Merlin was even more taken. He was almost more afraid than excited- What if Arthur didn't remember Merlin? 1000 Years is a lot of time. He wouldn't be able to take it anymore. It would be like another death of a friend, and he had had enough of those.
They almost fell together at the shore of the lake, and by then the blue light was intense. There was a strong beam of light causing gray matter to swirl above the fiasco over the lake, bolts of lightning shooting at the now choppy rough waves.
"Merlin- Merlin, where is he?" yelled Essie over the howling wind.
"He must be rising from the middle of the Lake!" yelled Merlin, his voice raspy and low, "We must get there Essie, we have to bring him ashore!"
"Well yeah, we don't want the King back from the dead drowning now, would we?!" she screamed, as she helped Merlin to the dock where her boat was situated, bobbing up and down in the rough waters.
She helped Merlin in, clambered in herself, and she set the jets full speed towards the center of the lake, where there was the most activity.
They soared over the large waves, ignoring the mist that felt like needles on their faces as they finally drew as close as they could without turning over the boat.
The sky that was once a smooth light gray was now an angry shade of black and indigo, the gray masses of clouds contrasting against the magical sight.
The very center was as bright a blue as Merlin's eyes had once been. He was panting and had to keep blinking out water from his eyes that weren't all due to the sharp harsh wind. He fought hard to keep them open.
Eventually, a figure began to rise out of the water. It was a strong, and burly figure, one that Merlin immediately recognized despite the hundreds of years it's been.
"Arthur!" he bellowed over the noise. But the figure didn't stir.
"Merlin…" started Essie, as she got up in the rocking boat. She had practically grown up around boats, and she had mastered keeping her balance. She squinted, before shouting, "Merlin, he's there; I can see him!"
"Where?"
"He has sandy hair- and blue eyes, gleaming blue eyes!"
"Yes, yes! We must reach him!"
"Grand dad, he's about to reach us!"
The figure had risen completely out of the water, and was stumbling through the air. He didn't seem to be fully conscious.
"Merlin!" Screamed Essie, as the figure stumbled alarmingly close to the boat. Merlin and Essie both reached out at the same time, and caught his heavy wet body before he hit his head on the ridge of the boat.
They hauled him in as the wind began to die down and the clouds began to clear almost immediately after Arthur had fallen into the boat. There was a loud popping sound like the cork out of a bottle, and everything was as still and peaceful as before, like nothing had ever happened.
"Full speed, Essie!"
"Yes, sir!"
Merlin hauled Arthur's head onto his lap, wiping the water and longer hair out of his eyes. He had been perfectly preserved. Everything was the same about him except the being dead part. He was barely conscious.
"Arthur, Arthur, are you alright?"
"Merlin…?"
"Yeah, yeah it's me," Merlin felt like a new man as he looked down to the young face of his once long gone friend.
"Merlin, we're- MOTHER OF GOD!"
Merlin looked up quickly to the bewildered Essie, whose eyes were even wider than before, if possible. She was in total shock.
"W-what is it?"
"You! You're- different!"
Merlin reached to his face. He hadn't noticed his beard was considerably shorter, and some of his wrinkles had disappeared.
"Merlin, you're younger! You're becoming younger!"
Merlin's younger face broke into smiles as he looked back down at Arthur. He was gaining some consciousness.
"Quickly," ushered Merlin, as he looked back up at Essie's still shocked face, "we can't dump everything on him now- we must take it slowly. Hurry, before he is fully awake."
She nodded as she stumbled to help him, struggling to help raise Arthur's heavy body.
They almost dropped him on several occasions, and a few times he even protested until they finally reached inside and dumped him on the couch.
Arthur groaned, slowly opening his eyes.
"Merlin?" he grumbled, now more audibly.
"It's alright, Arthur," assured Merlin, who was crouched by his side, "everything is alright."
"I- I died," Arthur stated, as he rubbed his eyes, finally focusing in Essie who was standing just behind Merlin.
"You," Arthur suddenly called, pointing clumsily at her, "You- maidservant."
"I beg your pardon!" quipped Essie, her hands on her slim waist, "I most definitely am not your maidservant, or anything otherwise!"
Merlin glared at her and she just shrugged with an accusing stare at Arthur, who was confused by her words. She was rather rash sometimes.
"Merlin… Merlin, what's happening-?"
"Arthur, calm down, get some rest."
"M-my whole body hurts. Throbbing"
"I can fix that," blurted Essie, who hurried to the cupboard of the kitchen just behind her, around the island and its various drawers filled with rubbish.
She came back with a spoon and small bottle of pink thick liquid.
"What is it?" grumbled Arthur, who was glaring as hard as he could manage at Essie. He was offended by her.
"Tylenol," she answered, "it's a painkiller- it'll take any pain away."
He looked to her suspiciously, then glanced at Merlin, who nodded reassuringly. Some more of his wrinkles had disappeared and his hair was even darker.
"It's cherry," she added, as she offered the spoonful of liquid she had poured so clumsily.
Slowly, not taking her eyes of her square shaped face which was still eager as ever, he opened his mouth, not moving otherwise, which made her sigh. She reached out over the drawing table and spilled the thick liquid slowly into his ready mouth.
He nodded slowly, before glancing at Merlin, and said, "I- I'm tired."
At this, he fell backwards into the cushions and started to snore.
Essie looked at the back of the box of the medicine.
"Ah," she nodded, looking to Merlin, who was even younger already. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, "It has some sleep in the mix. He'll be out to regain his energy."
"Good," agreed Merlin, before getting up with a renewed vigour and grabbed a blanket which had fallen off the couch previously and threw it on Arthur.
He turned to Essie, and there was a short silence. Suddenly a full out laugh broke out on his face.
He ran over to Essie and grabbed her, twirling her around (which he had most definitely never done before), as she laughed along with him, the situation finally dawning on them and settling in.
"He's back!" They both whispered loudly over Arthur's snores.
"The King has returned!" celebrated Merlin, as he took Essie's face in his hand and kissed her twice on her cheeks. She laughed even more along with him.
"King Arthur returns to the living!" She beamed.
They didn't sleep very well that night. They were too busy partying quietly, as Arthur continued to snore on the old couch.