Merlin S6E01: A Crack in the Ice Part 1
Everywhere was white. Every inch of the earth, every tree was covered in a deep layer of snow, and the sky was completely shrouded in pearly clouds. This proved beneficial for the cloaked figure trudging through the icy fields for despite the bitter cold and lack of mobility, the snow was great cover for his all-white dragon companion. With Aithusa blending in relatively well, Merlin wasn't too concerned about accidentally alarming anyone from a distance.
"Will we be sleeping outdoors again today, my Lord?" Aithusa asked as they walked. Merlin looked decidedly put out by the thought.
"Hopefully not. I'm not sure even dragon fire could keep me warm the way the weather is right now, and we should be near some kind of shelter. And I thought I told you, you don't have to call me 'my Lord'." Merlin said. He looked at the dragon who had been his unwavering companion these last eight years; she had grown so much since he'd taken her under his wing, now large enough to carry humans on her back, and healed of the injuries she'd received so long ago.
"Yes, but you are my Dragon Lord, which I do rather like, so I think it's fitting." Aithusa answered. Merlin had to smile at that; Aithusa could quite stubborn when she wanted to, a fact Merlin did little to discourage by hardly ever issuing direct commands that she couldn't refuse.
"Very well, Aithusa. Let's focus then on finding that shelter before I go numb with cold." Merlin said, mostly complaining just for the sake of it; he wasn't actually going numb, and he could use magic to fend off frostbite for short periods of time if he got really desperate. They continued walking in silence for a while, Aithusa moving closer to Merlin and breathing a bit of fire just in case her dragon lord wasn't completely exaggerating about how cold it was, when a sudden cry broke through the air.
"Wait! You there! I must speak with you, you must help me!" the man running towards the warlock and his dragon yelled.
"Why, what is it?" Merlin asked as the stranger caught to them, kneeling over as he caught his breath.
"Are you…are you really Emrys, the wandering wizard who aids those in need?" the stranger said. Merlin had indeed spent the last two years wandering Albion aimlessly with Aithusa, giving magical help to anyone who needed it, gathering a bit of a reputation for himself.
"Oh, yeah, that's me. What do you need help with?" Merlin asked. The stranger looked about to answer, but then he got a proper look at Aithusa and his jaw dropped.
"Whoa! The White Dragon! It's even more magnificent than I imagined! Does it let people fly on it? Does it help you with your magic? Is it safe!?" the stranger said, clearly in shock. Aithusa lowered her head and moved to be more behind Merlin, saying nothing; it had taken years for her to be able to speak, but she only felt safe doing so around a select few. Her time trapped in the well had taught her strangers were never to be trusted.
"Um, sometimes, I mean, what? Didn't you want something, Sir? Urgently? And what's your name besides?" Merlin said, caught off guard by the outburst and wanting to draw attention away from Aithusa.
"Oh, yes, of course. Forgive me. I am Seth, and my village is in desperate need of your help. All of our water comes from a well in the middle of the village, but the well has completely frozen over! And no manner of heat or force can thaw or break it, trust me, we've tried every method known to man. We even tried throwing salt and chickens at it, to appease the nature spirits, but to no avail." Seth said somberly.
"Yeah, that won't work. Where is your village? I'll see what I can do." Merlin said, trying and failing to suppress his amusement at the strange superstitions he often found in the smaller towns and villages.
Seth lead Merlin towards his village at a brisk pace, Aithusa trailing behind them. The scenery slowly changed from wide fields to having more trees, until soon the outer circle of frozen crops could be seen.
'Do we really have to waste our time on someone like him? He called me an 'it', and doesn't seem all that bright.' Aithusa said telepathically, so that only Merlin could hear.
'Don't be like that Aithusa, he's done us no injury so we should help him if we can. I am sorry for the 'it' comment though, I wish it was common knowledge that dragons are every bit as sentient as humans are.' Merlin thought back. Aithusa just hmphed mentally in response, not really able to fault her lord's reasoning but still a bit bitter about the whole ordeal.
Finally, they reached the village, which seemed to be home to maybe a hundred citizens tops. Everyone in the village seemed to drop what they were doing at the sight of Aithusa, some running out to greet them. Aithusa growled quietly, not liking crowds or confined spaces any more than she liked singular strangers.
"Seth! You're back! I can't believe you really found Emrys, we were all worried you'd freeze to death before coming back empty handed." A villager woman said, running up to the return party.
"I know Shelly, I couldn't believe my luck! I thought I'd have to travel far to find him. But he's here now, and I'm sure he can save our village. Can't you, Lord Emrys?" Seth said, looking up to Merlin imploringly.
"Please, I'm not a lord by any means or standards. But I will do what I can for you." Merlin said.
"But…you're a mighty sorcerer, surely you're deserving of some title?" Shelly said.
"I don't need nor particularly want one, just calling me Emrys is fine. Now please, show me to your well?" Merlin insisted as politely as he could. Titles always made him uncomfortable, which is one of the reasons he never thought to live with the Druids; they revered him, which while flattering, wasn't something he could stand living around knowing he'd done nothing to deserve it.
"Here it is then, Emrys; completely frozen over as you can see. What do you make of it?" Seth asked frantically. Merlin crouched over the well and touched the surface of the ice with his hand, removing his glove to connect with any magic there more directly.
'Well, I could tell them it's cold without a doubt.' Merlin thought sarcastically, Aithusa trying not to snicker audibly. Forcing himself to focus, he extended his magic into the ice, and instantly noticed there was in fact magic present. But something felt…off about it, it wasn't quite untainted like the magic around Avalon or the Isle of Blessed was, but it didn't feel…marked by any one influence like that of sorcerer's magic was. A simple heating spell wouldn't thaw it out, he could somehow tell that wordless magic would have to be used here.
Weaving his own magic around the magic in the ice, he started gently pulling at it, trying to cause some magical friction to expel the cold. When that wasn't quite enough, he tugged harder at the ice magic until it snapped, unravelling and flowing back into nature. But the moment it snapped, Merlin felt struck by an unsettling wave of…something. Wishing his magical intuitions could be a bit more specific every now and again, he shakily removed his hand from the well, which he only now realized he had successfully thawed. The villagers were cheering around him.
"Oh, thank you Emrys! How can we repay you, our village is saved!" Seth shouted happily.
"Ah, that's not necessary. I'm glad I could help. But if you require no other services, I must take my leave." Merlin replied, eager to leave. The unsettling feeling had left as quickly as it had come, but it wasn't Merlin's habit to stay around those he helped any longer than necessary. The faster he was back on his own with Aithusa the better.
"But Emrys, surely you need a place for the night! Let us at least offer you that, its growing dark and cold out." Shelly insisted.
"No, really, it's fine, thank you for the offer. If you need me again, come find me, I'll be nearby for a little while. But it wasn't a sorcerer who did this to your well, so there shouldn't be more trouble. Come on Aithusa, we have our fair share of walking to do." Merlin said, turning to leave before the other villagers could protest more, Aithusa giving them a firm glare to make sure they didn't try to stop them.
Merlin and Aithusa walked for some time in the snow together, eventually finding a grove of trees to rest under. Aithusa tried to use her wings and body to shield her dragon lord from as much of the wind as possible, and kept a ring of fire burning steadily around him to keep him warm.
"My Lord…you seemed startled after melting that well. Such an act of magic should have been easy, thoughtless for you. Did anything go wrong?" Aithusa asked gently.
"I'm not sure. For just a moment, the water itself just felt…wrong. But then the feeling had passed and all seemed right again. Though the fact that the magic bore no mark of having been wielded by a sorcerer was strange enough on its own. It's almost as if nature itself decided to freeze that well, but that can't be possible. Can it?" Merlin explained.
"Magic exists in all living things, My Lord, from the land to the sea and sky. While the magic in nature is not known for acting in such…humanistic ways, I would hesitate to say anything is truly impossible for it. Nature's power is infinite, ruled only by a need for balance." Aithusa said. As she had grown older, her under understanding of her own magic and the magic of that around her had increased, so while she still knew far less than Kilgharrah had, her advice on magical matters was often valuable to Merlin, who had only ever studied magic on a need-to-know basis after his first few months in Camelot.
"I suppose…but I can't help but fear it may be more than a simple fluke of nature. Rarely is my life so uncomplicated." Merlin said dejectedly.
"Perhaps. But there is nothing to be done for now, so please sleep, My Lord. Or at least rest. How long has it been since you truly slept? Humans need sleep, Merlin, magic or no." Aithusa said. Merlin didn't miss the sudden use of his real name; she must be worried.
"I know, Aithusa, be at ease. I promise I shall endeavor for sleep this night, I won't get up for any account until the sun rises." Merlin said. Insomnia had plagued him since leaving Camelot, and he'd currently gone three nights without getting more than an hour or two of deep sleep before waking, restless. But his words seemed to calm the white dragon, at least enough that she left him alone, closing her eyes to rest a while as well, the fire dimming but retaining its heat.
Merlin laid there, not feeling remotely tired at all, troubled by his own thoughts. Reaching into his travel bag, he pulled out a small medallion that hung on a silver chain; it bore the insignia of a golden dragon. He stared at it, running his finger over the smooth surface, allowing himself to wallow in the myriad of emotions he felt simply looking at it, memories coming to the forefront of his thoughts without his bidding.
Merlin walked down one of the many hallways of Camelot's castle, his heart heavy with loss and with the knowledge of what he was about to do. He had only two people he knew he had to say goodbye to in person, and he had already bid Gwaine farewell a few hours prior. That left only his oldest living friend to see off: Guinevere. He found her standing out on a balcony not too far from her chambers. She didn't hear him as he entered.
"Gwen." He said softly, though she still jumped slightly in surprise.
"Merlin. Are you alright, what has you up this late?" she asked, looking genuinely concerned. It was well past midnight.
"I could ask the same." He said with a small, brief smile. "I wanted to talk to you Gwen, if you have a moment." He went on.
"Of course, Merlin. What's on your mind?" Gwen asked, still looking troubled. She could probably read the distress in his eyes, and he hated that he would have to distress her with this news as well.
"I cannot stay in Camelot anymore." He blurted out. He had originally planned on building up to that statement, but the truth just came cascading out the moment she'd asked. She looked distraught at his words, but not altogether surprised.
"Merlin…please…I know things are hard right now, but you don't have to leave. It will be easier to work through this together." Gwen said.
"I can't, Gwen. I'm sorry, but I cannot bear to be here another day. I tried, after Arthur died, I really did, for a time I even thought I was managing pretty well, but now that Gaius is gone…I just can't. There is nothing here that does not remind me of all I've lost, no sanctuary where I can mourn in peace for even a moment. I can't breathe here Gwen, I feel as though I'm drowning on dry land. I have to get away for a while if I'm ever to move on." Merlin said, eyes pleading her to understand, to not let them leave on cold terms. Gwen sighed.
"I…understand, Merlin. I truly do. Gaius was my friend as well. But I worry for you. Now is the worst time to be alone for any of us, but you most of all. If you left, where would you even go? What would you do?" she asked.
"I won't be alone. Aithusa will be coming with me. I intend to visit my mother in Ealdor first and from there…well, I suppose from there I'll just go wherever the wind takes me. I am supposedly connected to the magic in nature, after all, seems fitting enough I'd spend some time in it." Merlin said.
"I suppose…I am glad you hear you at least will be with Aithusa. I know she'll look after you. Will there be no way to contact you?" Gwen asked sadly; she knew she couldn't stop Merlin from leaving, so she instead wanted to make sure he wouldn't be alone, that he'd be taken care of. That he could still reach her if he needed her and vice versa.
"While I'm in Ealdor the regular mail system will work just fine. From there, I can arrange to have a wyvern act as a messenger between us. Gwaine made me promise to do so as well." Merlin replied with a small smile. This seemed to reassure Gwen just a bit.
"Very well. But you must promise to take care of yourself." Gwen said.
"I will. And you too, Gwen. If you ever need anything, you can tell me. I always do what I can for you. Oh, and I suppose I should give this back to you." Merlin said, taking the medallion from around his neck and handing it to her. She smiled and shook her head.
"No, Merlin, I insist you keep that. You've been invaluable to me these last six years both as an advisor and a friend, and I have no intention of officially revoking your title. You will always have a home in Camelot, and I sincerely hope your leave of absence is not a permanent one." She said. Merlin smiled, holding back tears.
"Thank you, Gwen. For everything. I hope to come back someday. Until then, take care." He said.
"Farewell, Merlin." Gwen replied. They embraced each other tightly, neither truly wanting to say goodbye. But finally, they did pull apart, and with a final nod, Merlin turned and walked away, leaving his old life and everything with it behind.
Merlin tried to shake the memory away. He looked at that medallion every night, always hoping it would bring him some sense of purpose, some reassurance that things would get better, but it only ever made him feel his loneliness more acutely. Thinking of Camelot seemed to widen that empty chasm that rested deep inside him, to the point where he could no longer say if he thought of it with longing or dread. It was all still too much. It stung less now than it did two years ago, at least on most days, but he still wondered if he'd be able to handle returning there. He knew he couldn't run from it forever, Camelot was where his heart was, where his destiny was, but was now the best time to go back? Would he even be able to recognize it if it was?
Tucking the medallion away with a deep sigh, he looked aimlessly into the cloudy sky. It was going to be another sleepless night.
Queen Guinevere set down her quill pen with a sigh. She had spent the better part of the last three hours reading over paperwork, filling in blanks and signing documents where it was required and where she saw fit. Her eyes were starting to get sore from reading by candle light, so she decided now would be a good time to take a break. She had gotten through all the immediate concerns after all, the rest could wait for tomorrow. But despite her exhaustion she felt restless. It had been a long day in court, and she'd had to spend several hours negotiating a dispute between two of the noble houses of which they really should have been mature enough to settle on their own.
Getting up from her chamber desk, she headed out the door, thinking some fresh night air would help calm her nerves. The castle of Camelot had not changed a great deal over the past eight years, aside from some trivial furniture differences here and there, so it was an easy and familiar path towards the courtyard. The people were more different then the architecture itself, but Gwen supposed that was simply the way of things.
Passing a few guards on the way out of the castle, Gwen came to stand by a tall pillar, lost in thought. Even with her long jacket on it was freezing out, but she found the cold, crisp air refreshing, rejuvenating. So distracted was she by thoughts of duty and humanity that she didn't notice when someone approached her.
"Can't sleep either, my Lady?" the someone said. Jumping slightly, she turned and saw Sir Gwaine smiling gently at her.
"It would seem not, Sir Gwaine. Even after the day has ended I find myself plagued by the burdens of the crown. One would think I'd be used to it by now." Gwen said with a slight self-deprecating laugh.
"I wouldn't; half the rulers I've met seemed pretty sick of the job themselves, and they'd typically been trained for it since birth. It's not exactly a relaxing job after all. Mind if I ask which part is keeping you up tonight?" Gwaine replied, keeping his tone light.
"The troubles with the weather, what else? Houses being frozen in ice and then thawing out on their own accord overnight, windstorms coming and going without pattern or cause; the people are growing restless, afraid, and I know not what to do about it. I have no doubt in my mind the problem is magic in nature, yet none of my sorcerers are able to tell what's wrong; even Galahad's witch assistant, Ryssa, can only say there is something off in nature. The people expect me to lead, to protect them, but I'm not sure if I am able. I'm not even sure that I am the correct person to lead Camelot; I never had any real political ambition, I was happy as a blacksmith's daughter. I became queen to be with the man I loved, and have done my best to uphold his legacy and country since his passing. But I often feel I am out of place as a noble, and I feel the lack of training and experience keenly at times." Gwen confessed.
"I think I can understand how you feel. When I was first knighted, I found it hard to always be in one place after so many years of traveling, and being surrounded by nobility was far from a pleasant adjustment. I was reminded almost daily early on why I had chosen a life as a wanderer in the first place, and most of the other knights agreed I didn't seem all that 'knightly'. But it helped knowing I had people who watched my back, and people I wanted to protect. And you'll always have my support, and that of other knights as well. You've lead with all the perception and fairness of a good leader, and you don't carry the burden alone." Gwaine said. Gwen gave a small smile.
"Thank you, Gwaine. You and the other knights have been so much help to me since Arthur died. But I fear even that is not enough to right the wrongs currently plaguing our kingdom. There is no one I can turn to for matters of magic anymore; Galahad knows much in the way of lore but has no connection to magic itself, and his assistants use magic but are not as well studied. This is a problem I fear we must weather blindly." Gwen said. For a moment, Gwaine didn't respond. He felt he knew the real reason Gwen was so upset. The person she needed was Merlin, but he hadn't been to Camelot in two years. Their magical protector had left them, their friend had left them, and he didn't doubt his queen was feeling that fact more keenly now than usual.
"I miss him too." Gwaine said quietly, head bowed. Gwen looked at him a moment, sadness apparent in her features. "Have you not written him about any of this?" he asked, genuinely curious. Merlin may not always be the quickest at responding, but Gwaine felt confident his friend would not deny them a word of advice on the matter even if he still wouldn't come back.
"No. I'm not sure how to put it into words; he always sounds so distressed in his letters whenever I speak to him of returning. But if things get any worse I just might; at any rate I should write him soon, I've had the poor messenger wyvern waiting around my quarters for an almost embarrassing amount of time." Gwen said, a bit of humor returning to her voice.
"Ha, likewise. Though for me it has less to do with not having written a response, and more to do with not wanting to relinquish the fables that come from living with a wyvern. They're pretty nice creatures when tame, and the looks I get whenever seen with it are a joy to behold." Gwaine said with a smile. Gwen couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm sure they are. But now I think I must retire; it is quite late, and my mind feels more at ease now. Thank you again, Gwaine, for lending me your ear. It means more than you know." Gwen said.
"Any time, my Lady. Sleep well." The knight responded.
"Goodnight Gwaine." With that Gwen departed, glad to have spoken of her troubles, even if she hadn't been able to find a resolution for them. She would be able to think more clearly after a good night's rest anyways.
He could hear the sound of waves. They didn't sound far off, yet they were somehow a very gentle sound. He could almost feel the water gently pushing and pulling all around him. He wasn't sure where he was, or how he got there, only that it was peaceful here. It was calming, it was right. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, it felt like an eternity and no time at all both at once. But it didn't matter; there was no strife here, no pain, this is a place he could always be. He had no desire to leave.
'Arthur…' a voice called out. Strange, he thought, there hadn't been any voices before now. He wondered what they could possibly want from him.
'Arthur…Arthur! Can you hear me? You can't rest here anymore, I'm afraid. You need to leave this place, you need to go home.' The voice continued. It was a female voice as near as he could tell, youthful sounding, but not one he recognized. And what did it mean, he had to go home? Wasn't this place his home? He was safe here. Happy here. Why would he want to go back to…wherever it was the voice wanted him to go back to?
'Arthur, there's a whole world outside right now that needs you. You cannot stay here anymore.' The voice persisted.
'I think I can,' he said in response. There was no reason for him not to. But what was that about a world needing him? He did feel just a little curious. But he shouldn't, should he? There wasn't any need to wonder in this place. But still the curiosity was there. Maybe it would go away on its own, he thought. Might as well wait and see. There was no reason to not stay here after all…it was so incredibly peaceful…
Merlin awoke with a start; he had only just started to doze off when it suddenly felt as though the earth was breaking beneath him, letting out a scream so sharp yet so brief it sent his head reeling. It took him a few moments after the feeling had weakened to realize it was a not a genuine physical reaction but rather a magical one. And it was only when Aithusa stirred from her slumber, eying him with concern and some alarm, that he realized he must have cried aloud when it happened as well.
"My Lord, what is it? Has something happened?" Aithusa asked. Merlin looked around, uncertain and agitated in his slowly parting confusion.
"Can't you feel that? The ground, the earth, its screaming, shaking. It's quieter now, but it's still crying out. What could do this to it?" Merlin said, still shaky.
"I'm…afraid I can't feel it. Not as such anyways, I can feel a minor disturbance in the air around me, but that could very easily just be your distress." Aithusa said, not liking whenever her youth and inexperience showed, especially when her dragon lord was clearly in need of wisdom, not guessing. Merlin looked up at her with a look of confusion on his face.
"But…you're a creature of magic as well, a creature of the Old Religion?" he said, sounding almost lost.
"Yes…but my magic is not fully developed, while yours is stronger than it's ever been, especially in regard to being connected to the magic around you. And as the living embodiment of ancient magic itself, you likely are even more in tune to it than a dragon could be." She said.
"I suppose… But this makes me all the more uneasy. It wasn't just a minor disturbance that froze that village's well, and now the earth is screaming. Something is deeply wrong, and I fear for Camelot. I cannot imagine these disturbances are isolated to this area alone, if anything the world seems more tremulous the closer my magic gets to it. Things may seem harmless now but if things get worse…people could get hurt." Merlin said, a dark shadow crossing his face as he took in all that meant.
"My Lord…if you go back there…will you be alright?" Aithusa asked timidly. She wanted to protect her dragon lord, but she knew this wasn't something she could save him from. There were few subjects that brought her friend such immense joy and immense pain as the kingdom of Camelot.
"I'm not sure. But it doesn't matter. If Camelot needs me, I will go there. Even if it breaks me." Merlin said solemnly, his eyes looking haunted. Aithusa wanted to protest; to tell her dragon lord that his happiness and safety mattered too, that he shouldn't be held responsible for an entire kingdom's safety. But she had said it all before, to little avail. And she knew a debate would only stress out her friend more, so she let it be.
"Very well, My Lord. But I'll be there for you. I'll always be there for you." She said instead, hoping to offer at least a little bit of comfort.
"I know, Aithusa. And I'm grateful for that. I just hope I'm able to fulfill my duty. I can't let Camelot down again." Merlin said. But he had given her a brief, warm smile so she counted it as a minor success.
Before either of them could think of anything else to say, they froze at the sound of someone walking towards them. It was a shuffling sound, like someone was stumbling as they walked. Sharing a curious glance, Merlin got up to see who was there while Aithusa prepared to do battle if necessary.
A few meters away Merlin found the source of the shuffling; a robed man was stumbling through the snow, muttering to himself in between sobs. Merlin instantly recognized him as a magic user, and a fairly powerful one; he emanated far too much energy to be a casual sorcerer.
"Hello?" Merlin greeted, unsure of what the best approach in this situation would be. The weeping man didn't seem to notice Merlin, continuing to walk along, almost zig-zagging as he fumbled about, sometimes grabbing onto a tree for support. "Hello, sir? Do you need help? Are you hurt?" Merlin tried again. Getting closer to the robed figure, he was able to make out some of his muttering.
"I should have known this would happen, I should have known, I couldn't have known, why is this happening, why, things will never change, never change…" the man muttered. Merlin felt a pang of sympathy towards the stranger, as well as a sudden wariness; the man's mutterings reminded him far too much of some of his own thoughts when times were dark.
"Um, are you alright? Can you hear me?" Merlin said, before deciding to lightly tap the man on his shoulder to announce his presence. However, the moment his gloved hand came in contact with the man's robed arm, the man flinched violently, spinning around and staring at Merlin with wide, tearful eyes, a look of total shock crossing his features.
"You…" the man said, and then suddenly started laughing hysterically. "It all…it all..." the man tried to say between bursts of laughter. "It all makes sense now!" he finally cried, then bolted off in the opposite direction.
"Wait, come back! What makes sense now?" Merlin shouted, suddenly feeling an intense need to see what this distraught mage was up to. Merlin tried to chase after him, but soon realized the man had vanished; teleported in all likeliness. Merlin stared after the last place he'd been for a few moments before returning to Aithusa.
"What…was that?" Merlin asked in shock.
"That man had magic. And he was yelling. I don't trust him." Aithusa said.
"Well, yes, neither do I, but I somehow felt like I was supposed to help him." Merlin said, feeling all the more confused.
"Deranged, powerful sorcerers have rarely turned out well for you, My Lord. I would not let your sympathies sway you towards a stranger." Aithusa said.
"Aithusa, you say that about everybody. But you're right, I should be careful. I somehow feel that was not a simple chance encounter." Merlin said. Nothing ever is with me, he thought bitterly. Then he noticed the sky was starting to grow lighter. He gave a deep sigh of resignation; he'd lost yet another night to worries and magic. He wondered if he'd ever be able to sleep again if things kept up the way they were.
Dozens of people stood crowded in the dimly lit underground room. The room was wide but poorly furnished, torches lined the roughly polished walls and a small section of floor was raised above the rest, acting as a stage. The members of the crowd quietly murmured to each other in anticipation, all uncertain why they had been called there that day. There hadn't been a rally in months; what had changed?
They were so absorbed by their own rumors they didn't notice when a man finally did walk onto the stage, a peasant looking man with short brown hair and all grey clothes save for a red band around his cloak's collar. He held in his arms a large brown satchel, and stood at the center of the stage, waiting to be noticed by the audience. Slowly, the chatter began to fade, and soon all eyes were on the figure on the stage.
"Thank you all for your attention. Some of you may already know me, but for those who don't, my name is Agron. I know it's been some time since we gathered here today; the queen fails to see the importance of our community and repeatedly creates new laws to silence us, to make showing our faces dangerous. She is allowing our good kingdom to be tainted by the disease that is magic, allowing monsters into court and into our cities and homes. But we no longer have to wait idly as our culture rots and is torn to pieces; for I have gathered you all here today with a new hope." Agron announced. The crowd had been enthusiastically fearful and angry while he talked about the queen and her laws, but now it grew excited again, some calling out to know what Agron meant. The leader again waited for silence before continuing his speech.
"For too long there has been little we could do to fight magic at its roots; every time we got close, we were stopped in our tracks by some god forsaken mage. But no longer will we suffer needlessly, for I have found a way to fight back!" he yelled to the increasingly restless crowd. He lifted his satchel and opened it. From it he pulled a rune-covered bracelet of sorts.
"This, my good citizens, has the power to negate any magic used with a ten-foot radius of the wearer! No sorcerer near you will be able to harm you, we will finally be able to strike them down on our own terms! Of course, I hope to keep widening the radius over time, but ten feet is enough for my plan to rid this kingdom once and for all." Agron announced passionately. The crowd was in an uproar at the good news, people yelling in relief and joy.
"What is your plan!? How can we help!?" one crowd member yelled above the hubbub, followed by a loud string of agreements and reiterations by other crowd members.
"My plan is a simple one, my friends! We arm ourselves with these bracelets, infiltrate the castle, and wipe out the queen's little army of sorcerers. From there we move to throne room and take out the queen and her filthy druid heir. Then finally the throne can be given to someone with sense, someone like the late King Uther who will not stand for regular, good citizens like us being bullied and oppressed by the presence of magic in our kingdom!" Agron finished with a shout, the crowd going wild. This would be a glorious victory for all humankind; Agron could feel it.
"There has been a pause in the weather problems, but still no indication as to what the source of it all is, so it cannot be said that they will not return or continue to develop. I have increased patrols to keep an eye on the state of the kingdom, but I'm afraid there is little else the knights can do." Leon said, seated at the round table.
"Thank you, Sir Leon. For now that will be enough. Just make sure each patrol has one of our sorcerers with them. Sir Percival, how are the villages faring?" Gwen asked.
"Decently, My Lady, but the winter has been hard on them. They would like to know if some more provisions could be sent out to them, mainly food and blankets. They're also frightened by the strange occurrences with the weather; some have lost food reserves to bouts of sudden extreme wind and rain." Percival reported.
"Of course we will send them provisions. Have the report of most recent damages and losses sent to me by tonight. And send word out that the crown will do all that it can for all its citizens. Will that be all for now?" Gwen asked, looking around at her council. They had discussed financial matters for nearly two hours before this and she was eager to retreat to her chambers and talk to her son.
"Yes, my Lady." Leon said.
"Very well. Council dismissed." Gwen said, hiding her relief. The council filed out, Gwen waiting until the crowd had dispensed a bit before taking her own leave. As she was about to exit the meeting room, she was approached by Sir Leon.
"My Lady, may I speak with you?" he said.
"Of course, Sir Leon. What's on your mind?" Gwen said, gesturing for him to sit down with her.
"Things may have quieted down for now, but I fear for when they start up again. The patrols help make the citizens feel safe and keep us informed, but that is all they do. Even our sorcerers haven't been able to do much other than temporarily solve individual cases. And Ryssa is still too young and inexperienced to have any lasting effect on the forces at work here. We barely even know what we are fighting. Do we…well, do we have a…back-up plan, should things escalate?" Leon asked nervously. Gwen sighed; nothing Leon said was untrue, but that didn't mean she was happy about it.
"Yes, we do. If it gets any worse, I will write Merlin and ask for his help. He's the most powerful warlock alive, if his magic can't keep us safe then nothing can." Gwen said. Leon looked a bit relieved at that, but still unsure.
"Then you still are in contact with him? Has he been well? My only concern is…would he come back if you asked him? It's been two years and he hasn't so much as visited, only sending word to you and Gwaine every now again to let us know he's even still alive." Leon said. Gwen knew everyone Merlin had not said goodbye to in person – which was almost everyone in the castle – had had a hard time coming to terms with his departure and the fact they didn't have any solid form of magical protection anymore, so she wasn't shocked at the slight note of bitterness hidden in Leon's voice.
"I have no reason to believe he won't come if Camelot is truly in need of his powers. He has always said he would be here if he was needed." Gwen said.
"I hope you are right. But there have some who have been professing their opinion the crown is growing weak…just recently there were rumors of there being secret meetings again, no doubt for the anti-magic rebels. I just hope we do not find ourselves fighting a battle on too many fronts." Leon said.
"We will deal with things as they come, Leon, so do not fret yet. Put your mind at ease." Gwen said.
"Of course. Thank you, my Lady. I apologize for troubling you." Leon said with a bow.
"No worries, Sir Leon." Gwen said, and then finally made her way to her private dining chamber.
Once there, she saw that her son, Amr, was already seated, poking at his food forlornly. His brown curls drooped in front of his eyes, having not heard his mother come in. He was still dressed formally, though he had finally set the crown off his head.
"Amr, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. Council lasted longer than I expected, and Leon wanted a word afterwards." Gwen said as she went to sit next to him.
"It is forgiven, your Majesty. I am only glad you were able to come at all." The young adolescent said a bit stiffly. He had sat up ramrod straight once realizing she had arrived, giving her a small bow of the head.
"Amr, I've told you, you don't have to address me as queen in private. Here, I want only to be your mother, no matter how busy the court keeps me." Gwen said gently. Amr relaxed a little in his chair.
"What was it that Uncle Leon wanted to talk to you about, Mother?" Amr asked.
"Oh, just the weather issues again, nothing new. But it's been taken care of. Tell me about your day, I haven't seen you since lunch." Gwen said, digging into her food.
"My tutors kept me busy. I think I've gotten good at analyzing texts and speaking publicly, even if I still get nervous, but I have a hard time in military studies. But my politics teacher says I'm improving elsewhere. And I got to spend some time with Ryssa and Galahad today, so that was nice. But while I do not wish to trouble you over dinner…there was something I wanted to tell you about the 'weather issues' as well, if I may." Amr said. Gwen was surprised at that; what information on the matter could her son possibly have?
"Of course, Amr, you may speak whatever is on your mind." Gwen said. Amr reach up to the amulet hanging around his neck, scarred hands grasping it tightly.
"My amulet has been glowing at random ever since the events started. I don't know what it means, but since it is a defense amulet I can only assume it is some sort of warning. Are we in danger right now?" Amr said, hazel eyes heavy with worry. Truthfully, this fact had Gwen worried as well. Amr has had the amulet as long as she's known him, and it had only ever reacted to protect its wearer from harm. None of the events had directly affected the citadel, so for the gemstone to be reacting then the magic must be hostile by nature and decidedly strong. This was hardly good news, but Gwen didn't let her worry show on her face; Amr was scared enough already as it was, he didn't need to have her worries on top of it all.
"There's nothing to worry about right now, son. We are in no immediate danger, and Camelot has survived greater odds and challenges in the past. We're a kingdom that keeps fighting no matter what, so whatever happens do not doubt that we will pull through it. All the knights, your uncles included, are here to help keep us safe. And I won't let anything happen to you either." Gwen said. Amr gave a slight smile, but still held onto his amulet nervously.
"Thank you, Mother. I will try to remember that." He said quietly. Gwen smiled warmly at him, even as her mind raced with what all this would mean for her kingdom.
The man Merlin had seen earlier now kneeled in a forest. He no longer wept, his eyes now hardened with a mad resolve. His hood was down, revealing a long mess of black hair and matching black tattoos under each eye in the shape of a small bird; a phoenix with its wings spread. Around him was a circle of stones, all of them giving off a soft, dim glow.
"I won't allow it to happen…I won't allow things to come to that…I, I can fight back now, I can change things now. It won't come to that, it won't…" the man, Gaheris, said to himself, his hands shaking. "I'll…I'll take out Emrys himself before letting it happen, whatever it takes I am ready and willing to do it. I won't be controlled, it won't happen…" He continued as he threw some ashes at each of the stones around him.
Then he began to speak a long string of words in the language of the Old Religion. As he chanted, the stones around him began to glow more brightly. The light crackled, flickering through the air around him as the chanting continued. The light weaved around to the words, bouncing erratically between the stones. As the spell reached its climax, the light bound together in front of him, and then in a burst the light was gone. Everything was quiet.
Gaheris reached trembling hands towards the object that now lay before him; an orb of deepest black, small enough to lay in the palm of your hand. Gently he lifted it into his hands, reveling in awe at the raw power he could feel from it. A mad grin formed across his face.
"I'm the one in control now." He said, emotion lacing his voice. His eyes alight with a manic fervor, he shoved the orb into his pouch and stood; Camelot wouldn't even see what hit it.
Merlin was looking around for a place for him and Aithusa to make camp for the day when it happened. A wave of energy struck him so hard and so fast he nearly fell completely over. It felt like cold fire sweeping through every inch of his body, burning and freezing at the same time, making his vision swim. Only as the pain faded and his head started to clear did he realize Aithusa had reacted strongly to the magic as well, recoiling and closing her eyes even as she caught Merlin with her tail.
"You felt that too…?" Merlin said, mostly to make sure he wasn't somehow misreading the situation in his state of pain-induced mental fog.
"Clear as day, unfortunately. Are you alright? Is this like what you were feeling in the earth?" Aithusa replied.
"Similar, but stronger, and darker. This was definitely done by a sorcerer, not the earth itself." Merlin said.
"My Lord…if someone is perverting the earth with magic, then you can't be the only one noticing the earth's current imbalance of late. I urge you to be cautious." Aithusa said, concern lacing every inch of her voice. She did not trust this magic user one bit, and while she knew Merlin was likely strong enough to fight nearly any sorcerer in a fight and win, she didn't want him to get hurt in the process.
"You're right, Aithusa. This isn't just a few anomalies anymore, there is now someone actively seeking to do harm using dark magic. I could sense where they were when the spell went off, they're about five-hundred miles northeast of here." Merlin said. Aithusa thought briefly as to what was located northeast of their current location. She felt her heart sink as she realized what was in that direction. She knew where this was going.
"I can't stay here any longer. I need to go back to Camelot immediately and make sure everyone there is safe. Aithusa, will you fly me there? As fast as you can?" Merlin said. And there it was. Aithusa sighed.
"My Lord… would it not be enough to send word to them? They have other magic users to fight for them now you know." Aithusa tried, even while knowing the attempt would be in vain.
"None powerful enough to combat magic like that. Please, Aithusa, this is
important. I have to get to Camelot as quickly as possible, they could be in danger!" Merlin insisted.
"Very well, My Lord. I will do as you ask. Get on my back." Aithusa said. She just hoped being back in Camelot wouldn't worsen her master's mental condition…she would be happy to see Guinevere and Gwaine again, and likely so would Merlin, but she knew as well how much pain that place had caused him. Things could go either very well or very poorly.
"Thank you, Aithusa. I won't forget this." Merlin said as he got onto her back. Flapping her great wings, Aithusa flew up into the sky and rushed towards Camelot as fast as she could. She ignored how she could feel her dragon lord's hands shaking as they held onto her.
There was a tremor in the water. He could feel it. It wasn't a great tremor, nothing world changing, and yet it unsettled him. It interrupted the calm. Nothing here should interrupt the calm. It also sent that feeling of curiosity right back into him, that restlessness. But he still knew this is where he was fundamentally supposed to be.
'Arthur, things are only going to get worse if you stay here. Your friends need you, you have to wake up!' the voice said. The voice was another thing interrupting the calm. At first it had been a curiosity, but now it sounded urgent and distressed, and he wanted nothing to do with any distress.
But if people did need him…wasn't that more important? But what could possibly be done by only him? Surely whatever problem there was outside of this place could be solved by other people. Yet if it couldn't…wasn't it his duty to do all he could? Frustrated with the lack of answers coming to him as his thoughts ran in circles, he decided to wait on it. Maybe the voice would give him more details if he waited long enough. And if not…then maybe this really was where he was meant to be just like thought.
Ryssa ran down the stairs from her room to the physician's chambers, frantic to find her mentor. Not finding him in his working space, she bolted out the door into the corridors, hoping he hadn't left the castle.
"Galahad!" she yelled as she ran, swerving around servants as she ran. Turning a corner, she ran smack dab into Sir Leon.
"Ah! I'm sorry, Sir, I wasn't looking, I need to find Galahad, where is he?" Ryssa said in a rush. She was usually flustered around the knights since they were warriors and she had no idea what the proper way of talking to a warrior was, but right now she had one very important goal in mind, so she didn't have time to think on anything else. Leon, for his part, also looked pretty shocked at having been run into.
"Oh, not a problem Ryssa, just remember to watch where you're going. And Galahad is on his way to meet with the queen. Is something wrong?" Leon asked at the sight of her panicked face.
"Yeah, magic stuff, Galahad will know what to do. Thanks for the help Sir Leon! And sorry again for crashing into you!" Ryssa said, then after a quick bow took off again towards the throne room. To her immense relief, she found her mentor waiting outside the throne room doors.
"Galahad! Do you have a minute? It's urgent." Ryssa said, remembering to lower her voice while so close to where the queen ruled.
"Of course, what is it?" Galahad said, looking concerned.
"Just now, or well about a minute ago, I felt something wrong in nature, in magic, it wasn't like before, this was strong and cold and impossible to miss. I think we're in danger and I don't know what to do." Ryssa explained.
"Really? That's interesting…and I think you're right about the danger bit. That's why I requested an audience with the queen. You can come with me and tell Her Majesty what happened, we'll sort this out. Don't you worry." Galahad said with a smile. Of course, he actually had no idea what could be done, there wasn't much in the texts to base a theory about this on, but he was sure something would come together eventually and he didn't want Ryssa stressing over it any more than necessary.
Just then the throne room doors opened, and a guard came out and said the queen could see them now. Galahad walked hurriedly in with Ryssa following closely at his heels.
"Galahad, what is it? The guard told me you said it was urgent." Guinevere said.
"It is, My Lady." Galahad said with a bow. "A few minutes ago, the weather conditions worsened significantly, storms raging outside, making it unsafe to go outside at all, let alone travel, and I fear many people will get hurt or lost in the storm. My apprentice has some information on the matter as well." He continued.
"I could feel dark magic twisting nature at the same time conditions worsened. I believe a sorcerer is behind this, or at least some of it." Ryssa said. If Guinevere was alarmed by this news she didn't show it; only a slight widening of the eyes showed any form of surprise at all. Ryssa always admired – and at times envied – her queen's ability to keep calm and collected during any situation.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, both of you. Guards, secure the palace and send word to the citizens that they are to stay inside until the problem is taken care of; have the sorcerers look into ways of sending provisions to the town without leaving the confines of the castle." Guinevere ordered. The guards moved to complete their duty, but were stopped short when the throne room doors burst open, Gwaine and Percival rushing in with excited looks on their faces.
"Your Majesty! Good news!" Percival said. Everyone looked at them, bewildered.
"Whatever is it, you two?" Guinevere asked in shock.
"Out in the distance, there's bright lights interrupting the fog, if you look close you see it's a dragon breathing fire! That can mean only one thing, don't you think? Merlin's coming back!" Gwaine said, looking as happy as if his birthday had come early. Everyone gasped in shock; this really was good news, almost too good to believe.
"What!? Let me see, where in the sky did you see this?" Guinevere said, letting go of propriety and looking totally shocked and hopeful.
"Over here, look out the window there! See? There's the fire!" Gwaine said, pointing out to the horizon. Everyone present huddled around the window to see it, and there was no denying that what Gwaine had said was true; they could all see the sparks of light in the distance that lit up a distinct dragon silhouette.
"That's…that's wonderful! Guards, have someone ready to welcome Merlin and Aithusa back into the castle, but otherwise carry out my previously stated instructions." Guinevere stated.
"Yes, your Majesty!" the guards said, and they were off. Guinevere couldn't keep from smiling. Camelot may not be entirely hopeless after all, she thought happily.
Agron stood in the shelter of his home when he noticed a light flickering outside his window. Getting up to go look, he nearly dropped his tea cup in surprise; the White Dragon was flying towards Camelot! His mind swirled with this new information; Emrys would be back in Camelot after all these years. The embodiment of magic itself. The ultimate enemy to the good and common people. And it was coming right into a trap waiting to be struck.
This changed the plans a little bit. He had to be weary of the White Dragon, even if Emrys couldn't use his other powers around the bracelets. But if he could take out Emrys…it would be a huge blow to the magic community. Their revered leader, dead, a direct blow to the heart of the disease. No, if the dragon could be worked around, this could be a huge success. He could finally free his kingdom. No one would have to fear the corruption of magic any longer.
He could perhaps make a potion to stun the dragon? Or put it to sleep. A sleeping gas, perhaps, that could do it. Dragons were fearsome, but there was no reason to think they were undefeatable. He would take out the white dragon and then take out Emrys.
A smile formed on Agron's face. He was starting to get truly excited. Soon his kingdom would be cleansed and once again pure.
'Arthur! You can't wait here as long as you were meant to. The outside world needs you, please wake up, you have to fight.' The voice urged. He had been feeling more and more agitated, but no new information or understanding revealed itself. Why couldn't things have just stayed calm?
'Fight what? It was calm here, and I don't know where you are. Are you in any danger?' he asked, finally taking some initiative. The voice needed to provide answers and quickly. He couldn't stand any more of this not-quite-calm. Either he had to embrace the distress or repel it, and before he could decide on which he needed information, he needed all the perspectives. Which, right now could only be his and the voice's, but it was something.
'I am not, but many others are. People you care about, your friends. You are a king, Arthur, I know the pull of the afterlife is strong, but it is not your place anymore. One way or another you will leave this place, but it will be easier for everyone if you do so of your own will.' The voice said. Now that gave him some stuff to think about. A king? Afterlife? He couldn't really remember any of it, but it sounded about right. Being a dead king made its own kind of sense.
'If I am dead, how am I supposed to leave the afterlife? Isn't that impossible? That's why I feel right here, I'm supposed to be in the afterlife, because I'm dead.' He said.
"You are special, Arthur, you are bound by destiny. You were never meant to stay dead forever, but this is much earlier than anyone expected. You must will yourself back to life. It is something only you can do, as you are the Once and Future King.' The voice said. Arthur mulled it over. All this stuff about destiny sounded pretty fake, but he HAD been feeling an itching of curiosity and restlessness lately, maybe that was odd for a dead man? Maybe that was this 'destiny' trying to kick him out of the afterlife? The voice did say he was leaving whether he chose to or not, which didn't really seem fair but he supposed it couldn't be helped. He was just a dead spirit of an apparently 'destiny-bound' king, who was he to tell the mystic afterlife rulers how to do their job? Part of him was tempted to try though, just to be stubborn and see if he could. But he turned the childish thought away; how was supposed to rule anything if he gave in to petty urges of rebellion?
'I'm not sure how to will myself into life again. Can't you help me? You seem to be in charge here." He said.
'I am the guardian of the Gates of Avalon, the Lady of the Lake, but I have limited control over Avalon itself. You must think of your kingdom, Arthur, your friends. Think of your people, and wish to return to them with all of your might.' The voice, the Lady of the Lake, said.
'And if I can't remember them?' he asked.
'You must try. Just focus, Arthur.' The Lady of Lake said. He didn't respond but inwardly agreed to give it a go. He tried to remember being king, ruling the kingdom, being around friends…but nothing came. No faces, no names. His restlessness grew exponentially; he had to get out! He was a king, that meant he had people depending on him! His people…his people! Camelot! Grabbing that memory, that name and idea, and latching onto it with all his strength, he focused only on one thing: returning to his people.
He burst out of the water. Taking in his first breath in who knows how long, he stood there. He was a king. He had a kingdom called Camelot and it needed him. He would find it. Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King, had returned.
Author's Notes: There it is! This chapter was mostly build up, so the next one will be more action packed. Please let me know what you think! After finishing Merlin I was eager to write a continuation, so then this all happened. As for updates, since the chapters are all gonna be 10k+ in length my goal is monthly updates, but they might come faster or slower depending on Life Stuff. But even if I go a while without updating, I have no intention of abandoning this fic; not until I've at least written all of S6 and S7. So fear not! :)