Title: Love is our true destiny.
Fandom: Merlin.
Characters/Pairing: Merlin/Arthur, Gwen/Lancelot.
Rating: PG-15.
Warnings: Unbetaed; playing with dimensions and AU.
Summary: TRC AU; Merlin, Arthur and Lancelot have to travel to different dimensions to get their wishes. Merlin doesn't want to return home, Arthur only desires to be back in Camelot, and Lancelot just wants for Gwen to live. They'll need to work together if they want those wishes come true.
A/N: I took the title from Thomas Merton's quote. This story responds to the challenge of making an Anime AU, and since lately Merlin has been my main source for new stories, here we are. For those who have seen Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, then you probably will be baffled. I hope I can make it work in the future chapters, with all the different dimensions, so… give it a chance? Also the story is unbetaed at the moment, but I hope this will change soon.
Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to the BBC; TRC belongs to CLAMP and the mixing them up is all my doing.
A farmer's life is a boring one; at least that was what Lancelot heard often when he said what he did for a living. People didn't understand the wonders of having the touch to grow things. It wasn't as easy as everyone thought, and Lancelot had discovered that being a farmer was a gift more than a burden. Royalty would never understand the hard work this kind of task required, and hence the fact that it was so underestimated. How could Lance, a farmer, compare himself with a Prince, even when he thought he did more for Camelot than the future King had ever done?
This was precisely what tortured Lancelot the most; being a farmer in love with the Princess of Camelot. Well, she wasn't a princess yet, but everyone knew about the arranged marriage between Guinevere and Prince Arthur of Camelot. Apparently Arthur couldn't find a suitable wife in all the Princesses that visited the Kingdom, and he chose a faithful servant instead. It was his luck, falling for someone out of his reach. And he couldn't hate Arthur either; he actually liked the guy, even when most of the people in Camelot despised him. He was cold and distant, but they didn't understand that it was hardly Prince Arthur's fault, when his father made his personal task to push the Prince until he became a calculating and spoiled person. Lancelot felt sorry for him; it was the only son of Uther Pendragon, the pressure was every day on his shoulder, and it was no secret that no matter what the Prince did, it was never enough for the King.
Yes, another day in Lancelot's life; seeing the castle from afar, and hoping to steal a glance of Gwen when he delivered his merchandise. However things were about to change in his life, and without imagining the events that will unfold, he started his routine diligently.
Morgana had been waiting a long time for this moment. Finally, things were set in motion for a better future; she smiled. This was for the best, for Camelot's future. She couldn't let Arthur continue this path; if he wanted to rule the Kingdom, he had to learn to be more generous and less arrogant. She knew, she saw what Arthur's closed mind would cause the Kingdom. Uther poisoned him, and it was too late for Morgana to intervene. She managed to infiltrate into the castle, but she was powerless before Uther, who suspected even of his own shadow. The only solution was, perhaps, drastic, but it was for the best. Arthur would hate her at first, but she couldn't let him take over Camelot without seeing the truth about magic. No matter how strong Arthur thought he was, magic would always defeat him and he had to see it.
It's time, Morgana sighed, waiting patiently for Arthur in the woods. She knew he was out on a hunting trip, and everything had been carefully planned to avoid failure; the journey was about to begin.
Morgause stared at the door in front of her, boiling with rage. Uther thought she had died; it was expected, he always underestimated magic. At least he couldn't complain, he lived far too much than what he deserved. She entered the room without knocking, expecting to surprise him. By the look on his face, Morgause knew Uther was waiting for her.
"Finally, my dear," Uther said, sounding pleased. "Are you here to kill me?"
Morgause smiled bitterly. Uther had been always one step ahead of her. Well, if he was ready, then there was no point in delaying the inevitable.
"It's time, Uther… you will pay for your sins, and Arthur will have to redeem himself if he wants to maintain the crown. The dawn of magic has finally arrived."
Merlin was nervous. It was the first time he performed such powerful magic, but in the end, he managed to succeed. He didn't know how long it would take Mordred to reverse his spell, but he hoped that by the time he achieved to do it, he would be as far away as he could.
"Are you really leaving, Merlin?" The sad voice of his only friend made Merlin's heart twinge with regret.
"I have to, Freya," Merlin smiled sadly, "there's no place for me in Albion anymore. He destroyed everything I care for."
"You have me," Freya tried to convince him. "You don't need to go. He's trapped, he won't hurt us anymore."
"I was lucky enough to cast the spell without his awareness," Merlin said quickly, "but he's stronger than me, and he will break free someday. I just need to disappear… I won't let him take my magic after the way he used me. I need to go, Freya, you understand this, yeah?"
Freya nodded, looking sad, and hugged him tightly. He didn't want to let Freya there, but she was trapped; sometimes he regretted creating her, however it was too late to be repented at this point. He wanted a second chance, and now he had it. Freya had been created to mitigate the loneliness in Merlin's life; she served her purpose, and when Mordred reversed his spell, he would try to use Freya to lure Merlin, but by then he would be far, far enough for Mordred to never found him; and then Freya would be free as well. Death was not the end, but the beginning, Merlin learned that by letting go every person he cherished the most.
"Very well… I must go."
"Where will you go, Merlin?" Freya asked with apprehension.
"I'm visiting Nimueh."
Merlin smiled sadly at Freya while he started whistling. It was probably the last time he would see Freya.
"Goodbye, my beautiful bird."
"I'll let you know if he awakes." Freya said enthusiastically. "At least I can do that, yeah?"
"I would appreciate it, Freya." Merlin started fading, noticing a tear running down Freya's cheek while she waved goodbye.
Merlin disappeared with Freya's sad eyes engraved in his mind.
Arthur started getting suspicious of the current situation. He had lost his companions and had no clue on where exactly he was, even when he had known these woods since being a child. It was like being in a different place, but that was ridiculous. When he heard a small noise behind him, he grasped Excalibur tightly, ready to kill whoever was messing with his head. He froze when he saw Morgana standing there, with cold eyes and a strange smirk on her lips.
"Morgana?" Arthur let go of Excalibur, sighing exasperated. "I almost kill you. What the hell are you doing here?"
"Oh, Arthur… things are about to change, and you better be prepared for it."
Morgause whispered an enchantment; Uther kept his gaze on her, proudly until the end; deep down she admired that. Too bad it wasn't changing his destiny; for Camelot's glorious future, Uther must die.
"Will it hurt?" Uther asked in a low voice.
"It's a little late to be asking that, Uther," Morgause said calmly, "but I assure you, I'll make it as painless as possible. I'm not, after all, without a heart. I can feel compassion, even for you."
"Monsters don't feel." Uther spat, finally showing his fear.
"I beg to differ." Morgause smiled. "I can see your fear; that means monsters are indeed feeling; any last requests?"
"I trusted you," Uther whispered, as if he was afraid of anyone overhearing them, "and you betrayed me."
"You brought this on yourself in the moment you used magic to your benefit, and then turned your back to magic users. Deep down you must have known, Uther; magic always demands payback."
Morgause chanted the last words, as she watched Uther taking his last breath… justice had been served. The King is dead… long live the King.
She heard a clattering sound; turning around quickly, she saw Guinevere standing in the doorway, looking completely shocked.
"You killed the King…" Guinevere whispered, sounding horrified. "You're a sorcerer…"
This wasn't in the plan, and Morgause started panicking for a moment; she had no time to waste, so she whispered some words quickly, watching Guinevere fainting. She had nothing against the girl, she had been a faithful maidservant to Morgana for a long time, but she had just entered the game, and Morgause was using that to her advantage.
Lancelot entered the castle when they usual staff weren't at the doorway to receive him like it was accustomed. It was odd, farmers and any other kind of servants that didn't belong in the castle had the entrance forbidden. King Uther was suspicious of everything and everyone.
"Hello?" Lancelot tried to see if someone showed up, at least to threaten him with flogging him; the guards weren't in their posts either.
This was even stranger, and he knew something was wrong. The first thing he thought was making certain Guinevere was well, so he decided to defy every rule imposed by King Uther and wandered around the hallways looking for her. He assumed she would be in Lady Morgana's room, after all she was her maidservant; he started to feel apprehensive when she wasn't there, and neither was Lady Morgana. The castle was quiet, and he thought he heard a small whisper. He tried to concentrate on focusing his attention solely in that sound to see where it came from, and then he also noticed a small glow from down the hall. He started walking, hearing words closer and closer, and he noticed this was leading him into the King's room. When he came to the door, he saw Gwen lying in the middle of the room with someone next to her… a woman Lancelot had never seen before, but it didn't matter, something was wrong with Gwen, he could feel it. Lancelot didn't think it twice; he entered the room, rushing to Gwen's side.
"Gwen?" Lancelot tried to wake her. She seemed really pale. "What did you do to her?" He demanded angrily at the strange woman.
"Ah, the hero finally arrives." The woman said sounding pleased. "I'm afraid I bear bad news. Your lovely Guinevere is dying."
"What?" Lancelot felt the blood draining from his body. Gwen couldn't die! He glanced to his right, noticing King Uther sitting on his chair; he seemed pale and lifeless. Oh, no… the King was dead; this woman was an assassin.
"Yeah, it's rather sad; she has been a nice person to everybody… such a shame."
"There must be something I can do! Please, don't kill her! She hasn't done anything, she isn't even royalty yet!" Lancelot said. He saw the hands of the woman glowing…. A sorcerer. What Uther fought the most was what killed him; deep down, Lancelot knew it was somehow fitting.
"Very well, if you want to save her, here's what you have to do. I'm sending the two of you with Nimueh, one of the most powerful witches of our era. She knows you'll come; she can grant wishes for a price. She's the only one who can save Guinevere; she has enough power to manage it… however Lancelot Du Lac, the price might be higher than what you're willing to pay."
"I'll do anything to save Gwen; I don't care if I have to sacrifice myself." Lancelot said forcefully. This witch was playing with him, and Gwen didn't have much time.
"Sacrificing willingly isn't the highest price. Before I send you, you must know this; Gwen has been gifted with the sorcerers' memories, if you save her, you'll save Camelot as well. She's the key to the truth. I apologize for dragging you into this mess, but I'm sure you want Guinevere alive," the woman smiled kindly. "Your love for her could be the key as well."
Lancelot blushed, wondering if the woman knew his feelings because she was a sorcerer, or if she knew because he was too obvious in showing his love and devotion. It was probably the second one, everyone knew about his feelings, except the same Guinevere, and probably Prince Arthur.
"Please, don't let her die." Lancelot pleaded, so the witch will just hurry up and send them to the other sorcerer… Nimueh.
"You two are good people, I hope you can return to Camelot safely," the woman said, and she really sounded sincere.
Lancelot heard her chanting, and the room started to glow.
"Wait! Who are you?" Lancelot asked, seeing everything fading.
"I'm called Morgause…"
Lancelot barely heard her, as a bright light surrounded them. He held Gwen tightly, to feel reassured of having her in his arms; if only that were enough.
"Good luck, Lancelot Du Lac."
He didn't know if he imagined the last part. It was barely a whisper in his mind, but for some reason encouraged him to give his best to save Gwen.
Arthur was gaping at seeing Morgana performing magic right there, in the open. Morgana a witch… even when he teased about it, this was beyond belief. The girl he grew up with, the one he loved as a sister… betrayed him.
"You traitor!" Arthur sputtered with rage. "Sorcerer! You will die for your treason!"
"Oh Arthur, don't waste your breath. You can't be King until you learn a valuable lesson, and if I have to be the one to teach it, so be it."
"What are you talking about? You are completely mental."
"Uther is dead, Arthur." Morgana sounded casual and cold. It made Arthur shiver. He never knew she could have this dark side.
"What? That can't be, you're lying!"
"It's true. He got what he deserved anyway."
"You killed him! You killed my father!" Arthur started yelling, losing control. He reached for Excalibur again, this time to make certain that this witch paid for what she did, but he couldn't move anymore.
"Now that I have your attention, you must know something. Your dearest father was nothing more than a liar and a cold hearted murderer. He played with forces beyond his comprehension, thinking he would win. You need to know the truth and not only what Uther fed you among the years, and for that to happen, you need to be where magic isn't forbidden. You need to see the beauty of the gift to understand why you need it in Camelot."
"I don't need to learn anything! There's nothing beautiful about magic. I know sorcerers are demons! Magic is evil, my father was right!"
"See? I can't convince you of giving magic a chance, so I'm taking you where you can open your eyes. Your father was a little man, with a little mind." Morgana said coldly. "It's time for your trip to start, Arthur."
"Don't touch me, filthy witch!" Arthur flinched when Morgana came closer to him. "I despise magic, and you will be the first to die in my reign, I promise you."
"We'll see about that. Say hello to Nimueh for me." Morgana said in a gentle voice, almost like that would change the fact that she committed treachery to the Kingdom.
"Witch!" Arthur kept sputtering, as if that would change things. "You won't get away with this! Camelot will never belong to you."
"Don't be silly. I don't want to own Camelot; I just want peace for everyone. Good bye Arthur. I hope you learn your lesson, for Camelot's sake."
Morgana started chanting weird words; Arthur couldn't understand whatever she was saying, but at this moment he agreed with his father: magic was evil. He never suspected she was a sorcerer, and the shock of the scene didn't allow him to ponder more about the situation. He was powerless before her, and with frustration he saw himself being engulfed by a bright light.
"I hope to see you soon."
Merlin blinked as soon as the light faded. Arriving into Nimueh's dimension had been rockier than what he thought. He blinked again, noticing he wasn't alone; a guy holding an unconscious woman was crouching in front of Nimueh, and next to him a blond man, too young to be glaring with that bitterness was standing, looking appalled.
"Welcome to my house." Nimueh smiled. "Merlin, long time, no see; how are you?"
"I admit I could be better." Merlin said pleasantly.
"Please, you have to save Gwen!" The guy with the woman in his arms interrupted the polite chat.
"Lancelot?" The blond asked, sounding shocked. "What the hell are you doing here? What's wrong with Guinevere?"
"Your Majesty?" The guy… Lancelot, apparently, turned his head at the blonde. It seemed like it was the first time both of them took time to look at their surroundings. "A witch was in the castle, she put some spell on Gwen and she's dying!"
"Another witch?" The blond said, angry. "How I detest these magic users, ruining other people's lives."
Okay, this didn't bode well for Merlin. He glanced at Nimueh, who only looked amused by the blond's outburst.
"You three came here because you wish something. I'm capable of granting those wishes for an equal price. Speak your mind all of you."
"I want to never return to Albion." Merlin said first, as nobody was speaking like Nimueh commanded.
"I want to save Gwen." Lancelot said quickly, containing the panic in his voice, or at least trying. He must really love that woman.
"I want to return to Camelot." The blonde said finally, still sounding upset and reluctant.
"How unfortunate, the three wishes have roots in common, and yet oppose somehow, particularly yours and the young Prince wishes, Merlin."
Merlin exchanged looks with the blond. So he was the Prince of some place; he should have assumed as much when he heard Lancelot calling him 'your majesty'.
"You must pay the price for your wishes… first, the brave Knight…" Nimueh looked at Lancelot with tenderness.
"He is not a Knight, he's a farmer." The Prince corrected. Merlin was starting to dislike this guy.
"He would have been a Knight in another era," Nimueh spoke softly, "if dear Merlin here hadn't meddled with destiny."
"Too late to be chastising me." Merlin said bitterly. The last thing he needed was a moral lesson from Nimueh. This, then, must be the famous Arthur Pendragon the Dragon spoke so highly of; he didn't put two and two together when he heard that he wanted to return to Camelot and he was a Prince… maybe he wanted a few more moments of glorious denial. For the awaited King of Camelot that will bring a change to Albion, he looked like an idiot.
"That's true, no point in wallowing in what it could have been. Lancelot Du Lac, in order to grant your wish, the price will be high."
"I'll pay whatever you want!" Lancelot sounded desperate.
"Oh, but you shouldn't say those words that freely, young man. 'Whatever I want' could be too high, even for your willingness."
"Yeah, you can't trust her, Lancelot." Arthur said. "Magic is evil."
Merlin could see Lancelot glaring at Arthur.
"It's your future wife, sire." Lancelot said, barely containing his anger.
Arthur's features softened after hearing Lancelot's words.
"But I don't love her as much as you do, it seems. I don't mean to sound insensitive, but Camelot is falling into hands of magic users, and I need to get back. Sacrifices must be made for the greater good."
"What a load of rubbish." Merlin thought prudent to intervene. "You are just selfish, like your father."
"What do you know? Who are you anyway?" Arthur glared at Merlin.
"That's not relevant now, is it?" Nimueh interrupted. "Magic is neither good nor evil, but this girl doesn't have time to waste in pointless discussions. She has been gifted with the memories of our kind. She possesses the sorcerers' memories."
Merlin gaped at the girl. It was written that one human will be blessed with the memories of the sorcerers to share the persecution and isolation they have suffered. He hadn't felt magic changing, but it was probably because he extenuated himself trying to imprison Mordred. He often ended up in a lethargic state that didn't allow him feeling magic for a while.
"The price to save her life is those memories."
"What was the point in gifting her with the memories if you're taking them away?" Merlin couldn't help to ask.
"Oh, every wish connects to the price, Merlin. Have you forgotten the basic rules? Balance must be reached." Nimueh said, smirking. "That's the price."
"I accept!"
"Oh, but she won't only forget the sorcerers' memories… she also will give up her own set of memories, including remembering what you are to her… and I'm afraid that any memory that includes you, will never be regained. She will never remember anything about you."
Lancelot swallowed; Merlin could see the indecision in his eyes. Having someone you love forgetting who you were, was one of the most painful things to experience. Merlin had heard stories about it, it was downright cruel, but then again, this was Nimueh; what else could he expect from her?
"If it saves her… it doesn't matter, do it, please, she's getting colder."
"Very well, but unfortunately it's not that easy. To grant Prince Arthur's wish, the price is helping you and the girl retrieve the memories. I can't hold such powerful memories; therefore they will be scattered in different times and places, and your duty is to recover all of them. When the most important memory is obtained, the one who set things in motion to this point, you will be able to return to Camelot. If you agree, you can't quit on your word, Prince, so think carefully about your next course of action."
"Do I have another choice?" Arthur said gloomily. Little Prince was against magic like his father, but unlike Uther, he knew when he was defeated. This was interesting, Merlin mused.
"I'll take that as a 'yes, I'll pay the price', but you also have to give me Excalibur," Nimueh smiled.
"What? No way!" Arthur got defensive.
"Why in seven hells do you want a sword?" Merlin questioned, arching an eyebrow.
"It's pretty." Nimueh kept her smile. "It will be a nice addition to my collection."
"I'm not giving you my sword, witch!" Arthur kept arguing.
"Suit yourself; then you'll be stuck here. I could use a manservant around to volunteer to taste my potions and such…" Nimueh trailed off.
Arthur paled, and Merlin knew he was going to agree, even when he hated it. Smarter than Uther as well, finally a King Merlin could get on board with… if he wasn't such a prat.
"And finally, Merlin," Nimueh took Arthur's silence as an agreement. "You have to join them as well."
"With what purpose?"
"You prolonged this long enough, warlock." Merlin could feel the heated glare of the Prince. Right, he hated sorcerers. "I can't grant your wish of not returning to Albion, but I can grant you never returning to Essetir, where your main problem resides."
"Not good enough. He will be able to feel me if I'm in any of Albion's Kingdoms, including Camelot." Merlin added the last part because he knew where this was going.
"He won't be able to feel you if you don't use magic. No matter where you run, he will find you if you use your power, and you know it. It's my offer, Merlin, either join the group and help the girl recovering her memories, or return to Ealdor and face whatever destiny may be still there for you." Nimueh said coldly. "If you're lucky, he will be trapped a long time."
"If I'm lucky… this proves my lack of good fortune lately," Merlin grumbled out.
"The price is joining the group, and you are forbidden to make the binding potion."
"You suggest I don't use magic in order of not being found, and then you ask for the only thing that allows me to avoid using it?" Merlin complained.
"Rules are rules. Do you all agree in traveling together until this girl recovers all her memories? Merlin, you will never return to Essetir, Arthur, you will be back to Camelot, and Lancelot, the girl will live."
"Yes, I agree!" Lancelot answered immediately. "Anything to save Gwen."
"I agree." Merlin said next, feeling sorry for this guy. He was really devoted to the girl, Gwen.
"I agree." Arthur said last, sounding defeated.
"So be it…"
Nimueh's magic was powerful, and Merlin couldn't help pondering how they all ended here. Perhaps it was Mordred's fault, when he took Merlin from his mother at an early age and forced him to use magic against his will; maybe it was Uther's responsibility, when he visited Nimueh to grant him a wish without realizing what he was giving up; it could Nimueh and Morgause's error, that in seeking revenge, magic itself turned against them and punished them, making Nimueh a slave of destiny. Deep down, Merlin got the indistinct feeling that this was entirely his fault, when he rejected his destiny and let Mordred deceive him.
Perhaps all this was his fault, but he couldn't do anything to change the past; just the future.
"It's done." Nimueh announced
"She feels warmer." Lancelot said, feeling relieved, or at least Merlin assumed it was relief.
"She will regain consciousness soon. Now, a few ground rules; you will visit places where other versions of yourselves will live. Learn from them, sometimes we need a different perspective to understand things. As soon as you find the memories, you will move to the next place; try not to form strong attachments."
"How are we supposed to find the memories?" Arthur asked.
"Glad you ask, Prince. Give me your hand."
"What for?" Arthur glared.
"If I didn't know better, I would say your father has told you about me." Nimueh grabbed Arthur's hand forcefully, "you too, Merlin."
"Great, this already sucks." Merlin said, coming closer to Nimueh and lending her his hand.
Nimueh grabbed both hands and closed her eyes.
"You are rather skinny for a warlock." Arthur said while Nimueh kept her eyes closed in deep concentration.
"Thank you; you are rather pratish for a Prince." Merlin said calmly.
"How's Guinevere, Lancelot?" Arthur diverted his attention to the guy.
"She seems better; she is warm again, and she's less pale."
"Good."
"Are you always this pleasant, or are we fortunate enough to witness this side of you?" Merlin asked.
"I won't be nice to you; magic is evil." Arthur parroted; Merlin knew those were Uther's words.
"Like a sword?"
"What are you babbling?" Arthur looked at Merlin with disdain.
Before Merlin could answer, his hand started to glow. Arthur tried to retrieve his hand back when he saw this, but he seemed unable to do it. A sudden 'pop' made Arthur and him jump in surprise, and when Merlin saw the smoke fading, he noticed an egg lying on their hands.
"You've got to be kidding me." Merlin muttered, feeling like perhaps being at Mordred's services wasn't that bad compared to this.
"A gift from Kilgharrah; you know he liked your father."
"What's this?" Arthur asked, without letting go of Merlin's hand.
"A dragon's egg," Merlin answered gloomily.
"It can't be! Dragons are extinct." Arthur said, still watching the egg with an odd fascination.
"Clearly, that's not the case," Nimueh said. "The egg will hatch soon; it has your magic and Arthur's essence, to technically you both are daddies of this small dragon."
"Funny." Merlin glared at Nimueh.
"This is obviously a trick!" Arthur kept his frantic tirade.
"Are you retarded?" Merlin asked, exasperated. "If so, Camelot will be an easier target than what I thought."
"Target? Are you planning on attacking Camelot?" Arthur returned his hate-glare at Merlin, finally letting go of his hand and settling the egg carefully for Merlin to carry it. At least he handled it with care; it was more than what Merlin had expected.
"I just said I don't want to return to Albion, that includes Camelot. I'm saying that other Kingdoms might attack, I've heard Uther has created quite a hostile environment around." Merlin explained nonchalantly.
"Lovely discussion, but you must hurry. I'll transport you to the first place, and then it's the dragon's responsibility to take you. He also –"
"He?" Merlin and Arthur asked at the same time.
"It's a boy," Nimueh tilted her head. "He also will be able to feel Guinevere's memories. As you know Merlin, memories can be retained in objects or persons, so you're the only one able to communicate with the dragon. As soon as you recollect the memory, the dragon will take you to the next place with the magical fire. Are we clear?"
"Did you know my father died?" Merlin frowned.
"I know he tried to rescue you, failed, and he inherited the gift when he passed away. It will be handy in this situation."
"I'm sure." Merlin said dryly.
"Ready, then?" Nimueh glanced to Arthur's waist; he reluctantly let Excalibur loose from his belt and gave it to her.
Arthur crossed his arms, defiantly, Lancelot took Guinevere gently in his arms to carry her and Merlin just took a good hold of the egg Arthur had set in his hands. Whether he liked or not, he was responsible for that egg now. Nimueh started the movements and whispered a few words Merlin knew perfectly. Even when Merlin was powerful, traveling through dimensions required a huge amount of magic, and he couldn't spend his life using magic to escape, Mordred will locate him immediately. Only Nimueh could help him, however he should have suspected she was going to use the dragon's power to fulfill the wish. He glanced at Arthur when they started disappearing. He returned the look, and Merlin noticed the mistrust in those blue eyes. Lancelot had apparently only been aware of Gwen, as he practically ignored Arthur and Merlin.
This was the day where destiny made three different paths join; it was the start of a journey no one had planned, however they didn't have a choice but follow through if they wanted to reach their goals.
Arthur felt he was in the middle of a nightmare. He hoped to wake up soon, and be able to see that his father was alive, Morgana wasn't a witch and he was pretending not to know how devoted Lancelot was to his future wife, which he knew loved him back and he didn't care anyway. Sometimes he felt he lost his heart and compassion during his father's teachings; truth was that Arthur was called 'the Ice Prince' for a reason; he didn't even have Knights as it was accustomed. He trusted no one, and his father's Knights could keep Camelot secured in the meanwhile. He didn't need anyone.
For this particular reason he was frustrated and angry; Morgana knew his weak spot, and used it against him. That ungrateful witch, after all his father did for her, taking care of her since she was a child, and treating her like a daughter. In their younger years Arthur was jealous of all the attention 'Lady Morgana' drawn, but he understood. She was an orphan; she needed the attention more than him.
And now, as he opened his eyes, he regretted trusting her more than anything. He noticed he was surrounded by trees, with Lancelot still having Guinevere in his arms and the warlock looking rather bored.
"Where the hell are we?" Arthur spoke as apparently nobody wanted to point out the obvious question.
"I feel magic… a lot of magic." The warlock said, sounding distressed.
"Great… what does this mean?" Arthur kept his harsh tone. Maybe this warlock… Martin or whatever didn't do anything to him, but he was dangerous, and he wouldn't trust him. He would watch him very carefully.
"Gwen hasn't woken up yet." Lancelot added, distressed. God, did he have to act like a girl? He was in love, they all got it, no need in sounding all heartbroken; the other witch said Guinevere was going to be fine.
Arthur didn't even know why it bothered him so much seeing Lancelot so dedicated to Guinevere. He supposed that people in love acted that way; his father never stopped loving his mother, hence why he didn't remarry, that had to be love… right? He wasn't sure how love felt. He cared about his father, but he trained him to be a cold and calculating being. His father made the mistake of being too compassionate, and magic ruined Camelot. Never again, where his father's exact words; he didn't breed a weak child, he was taught to be independent and powerful.
To surpass his father in every step. No matter the cost.
Deep down, Arthur had to admit he had been curious about love. People seemed happy about it, and acted as if it was the best thing to happen. Arthur thought it was useless, but hey, love promises had done a lot for him, as he managed a few alliances with the other Kingdoms. One thing was pretending to be in love, and another was actually feeling it though. Perhaps Arthur was raised to never be able to feel love.
"Don't worry, Lancelot, I think she will wake up soon." The warlock tried to reassure him. "We need to move, magic users are coming."
"And go where?" Arthur snorted. The nerve of this warlock.
"I'm not sure," the warlock smiled at him. "I thought you had an idea, after all you are the one who complains about everything."
"You are a warlock, aren't you? Then use whatever magic you have and take us out of here, you idiot." Arthur snapped. This guy was ending his patience.
"I'm afraid I cannot do that, sire." The mocking tone wasn't gone ignored. "I cannot use magic."
"You cannot, or you will not?" Arthur glared at the warlock.
"Aren't you against any form of magic, Prince Prat?" The warlock said, keeping his mocking tone. "Besides, why would I use magic? I don't care where I am, as long as I don't return to Albion. Your father sure made that land a joy to live in, uh?"
"My father doesn't have – "
"Shhh!" The warlock demanded, making Arthur angry. Nobody, and he meant nobody, dared to shush him. If they were in Camelot, this imbecile would be flogged.
"What?" Lancelot asked, gripping on Gwen tightly, like that would make any difference in the situation.
"You don't belong here."
Great, a welcome party; they all turned around, seeing a man in a long, black tunic.
"I apologize," the warlock spoke in a soft tone. "We are travelers and we are lost."
"I noticed that." The man said calmly. "You are not from this dimension. You are the lost Emrys, correct? I'm afraid our Emrys has passed away, it was his time."
Arthur noticed the warlock frowning at the odd man. The lost Emrys? What the hell did that mean?
"That's unfortunate." The warlock answered dryly.
"Oh yes, many changes separate us. But you cannot stay here. The Magicae Circuitu is around, and your friends will be imprisoned and killed."
Arthur looked at the warlock, who only shrugged, apparently he didn't know about the… thing the old man just mentioned.
"Why would the Magicae Circuitu imprison my… companions?" Great, now he was the warlock's companion. What was next? Being his servant?
"Non-magic users are outlawed. They must be persecuted and killed, as they contribute to magic contamination. If magic users have children with non-magic users, their powers will fade in time and magic will be lost."
"Oh, that's rich!" Arthur interrupted. "We are the good ones here! You're the one contaminating our world. Magic is unnatural!"
The man gasped, and the warlock Marvin shook his head.
"Blasphemiae. Proditor ad puritatem magicae, mortem est paulo poena –"
"I have a Dragon's egg." The warlock interrupted the man's angry tirade in Latin, showing the egg.
"Mirabile!" The man changed immediately his tone. "I thought they were extinct."
"I told you." Arthur said smugly.
"Not now." The warlock hissed. "I apologize for the rude behavior, we are in a strange place, and the Prince had gone mental over the pressure."
Arthur was about to protest when a cold gaze quieted him down. The warlock wasn't joking, and he had to admit he didn't want to die there. He had to go back to Camelot and make Morgana pay. He settled with frowning to show his discomfort. He glanced at Lancelot, noticing how he hadn't said a word the entire time; it was the way servants handled themselves in Camelot. Only speak when addressed and keep their extra comments to themselves. He hadn't noticed how cruel that seemed to be, until now when Lancelot barely said anything to him; he didn't spend that much time with the servants to be aware of how restrictive this could be perceived.
"Come with me," the man said suddenly. "They are near, and will sense the lack of magic… Anyone helping non-magic users is persecuted as well."
"Are we sure this isn't a trap?" Arthur asked the warlock. For the meantime, he had to be some sort of ally, as he was the only one with magic among them.
"He's a Druid, or is protected by them at least, and they're pacifists. We are safe with him… at least for now."
They followed the man in silence; apparently small talk was over, as the man just walked in front of them without asking any more questions. The warlock seemed lost in thought as well, and Lancelot… he was in another world, probably wishing Guinevere was awake already. He sighed, if he didn't die here, he was really lucky.
Merlin recognized the magic as soon as they arrived. Nimueh had a dark sense of humor, sending them to a place where magic is venerated and non-magic beings are persecuted. Now he had to keep the prat quiet (as if it was that easy, clearly the Prince didn't connect his brains with his mouth) and feel the pulling of his own magic at being in this place. His magic desired freedom, but that was what got him on troubles in the first place. No, he would never use magic again, no matter what.
They arrived to a small village, and the man performed a protection spell. He looked so carefree, so happy… perhaps Merlin could stay here. They lost their Emrys after all, it wasn't against the rules. But no, he didn't belong here, and besides he had compromised in helping with the girl's memories. He was trapped until they finished this quest.
"You can stay in my hut; we are welcoming you as you are the lost Emrys. And from time to time we help non-magic beings so they can go to the refugees." The man started talking again.
Merlin couldn't help noticing the stares of all the Druids, probably surprised of seeing them there; they were very apprehensive of outsiders, no matter if one of them was the 'lost Emrys'. He was still digesting this situation; apparently his defiance was known in other dimensions as well, how nice of Nimueh in informing everyone about his mistake.
It was a nice place, Merlin had to admit. The man gave them a room to put the girl for a while, and Lancelot stayed with her, as expected. Prince prat was just glaring at everything, standing near the door; maybe he was thinking in bolting as soon as some magic was shown, and he couldn't blame him. He was so far from his comfort zone that even Merlin felt sorry for him.
"I believe we need to introduce ourselves," he suggested, trying to be more optimistic about the situation, standing next to Arthur. At least he wasn't in Albion. At least he wasn't with him anymore. "As you know, I'm Merlin Emrys. And the Prince here is Arthur Pendragon."
The man gasped again. Well, it seemed that Merlin wasn't the only famous around other worlds.
"Arthur the King? The Great Arthur of Camelot?" The man bowed his head. "His majesty, it's an honor!"
"Finally someone who sees my greatness," the blond prat said smugly. Merlin hated that attitude. "You should learn from him."
"He's not King. Not yet; his father, Uther Pendragon is in charge of Camelot." Merlin said bitterly.
"But he will be. Legends will be formed about you two… King Arthur and his Court Sorcerer… you aren't lost anymore, Emrys, you finally found your place."
"I doubt it." Merlin snorted.
"No chance in hell." Arthur glared.
"Ah, but I see it; you cannot fight destiny, Emrys. Not anymore."
"Yes, I have been told that a lot lately." Merlin grumbled out. Was every magic user ganging up on him?
"Indeed, you must be reminded of your task."
"I consider myself reminded, thank you." Merlin kept his tone cheerful, but he could feel Arthur's gaze on him. "Anyway, the girl is called Gwen… Guinevere, correct, Prince?"
"Yes, Gwen is more of an endearing pet name," Arthur explained, still watching Merlin carefully, "and the guy is Lancelot. He's a farmer in Camelot."
"Pleasure to meet you all. I'm called Taliesin, I'm a seer sheltered by the Druids. We knew you were coming, Emrys, we didn't know you were bringing King Arthur as well though."
"I hardly knew myself. And is Prince Arthur," Merlin corrected. "Don't feed his ego, he doesn't need it."
"Jealous that your own kind respects me more than what they respect you, Lost Emrys?" The idiot prat said, his turn to mock him.
"Oh, you are so full of it." Merlin kept the pointless discussion. He didn't know why he had to answer the comment, the prat's question was probably rhetorical, but he was forced by some sort of impulse.
"If you excuse me, I have to notify Iseldit of your arrival. He wanted to meet you, lost Emrys." Taliesin said solemnly.
"Merlin will do, no need in getting all formal," and he hated being called 'lost Emrys'.
"Of course," Taliesin nodded. "I'll retire now."
Merlin and Arthur watched him walk away. Taliesin lived alone, so nobody would bother them anymore until he brought that Iseldit fellow. Merlin sighed; he was tired, grumpy and lost.
"Too much for you, warlock?" Arthur asked, and for the first time Merlin could notice he was being sincere.
"I could ask the same thing," he answered coldly. "For someone who hates magic, this must be hell."
"Even in hell, you must adapt if you want to survive." Arthur said; Merlin noticed his gaze going to the girl.
"Weak must die, yeah?"
"I'm sure this works for you warlocks as well. It's a survival's rule." Arthur shrugged.
Merlin was about to retort, when he felt the egg warming up.
"Oh, dear…" He said, moaning.
"What? Are you okay?" Arthur asked suddenly, making Merlin frown. Why would he care if he was okay? The Prince seemed to notice the same thing and added quickly, "you're the only connection with these people. If you die, Lancelot, Gwen and I will be done."
"Obviously," Merlin snorted. "Nothing wrong with me, and I appreciate the concern, sire, but it's the Dragon. He's about to be born."
"Honestly?" Arthur came closer, making Merlin extremely uncomfortable. He wasn't used to other people being close, as Mordred forbade everyone to even look at Merlin.
"Yes…"
There was a cracking sound, and Merlin could see the small Dragon shaking the eggshells around him batting his small wings, trying to be free. He understood that feeling perfectly.
"Wow…." At least Prince prat wasn't freaking out.
Merlin watched the small dragon with awe. He was adorable, and his magic felt a tug at seeing him; perhaps he was drawn to him since his father gave him his gift before dying. Merlin cleaned the small dragon with his neckerchief.
"He has your eyes." Merlin joked, as the small dragon had blue eyes like the prat.
"And he has your slender limbs and your almost transparent skin." Arthur snorted. "This is no time to be joking about that thing. This is so bizarre."
"Have you thought of names for him?" Merlin tried a different approach than jokes; he noticed the dragon opening his mouth. What? Was he supposed to breastfeed him as well?
"He's a dragon, of course I haven't thought of names for him, stupid." Prince prat in all his glory.
"Then I have a suggestion. We could call him Aithusa," Merlin said, trying to communicate with the dragon to see what he wanted.
"What kind of idiotic name is that?" Arthur complained.
"I don't hear you giving suggestions, so Aithusa it is."
"I have a baby dragon with a warlock. And it's called Aithusa," the prince said with disbelief. "My father would die again if he could see this."
"Die?" Merlin lifted his eyes to see Arthur. "Uther Pendragon is dead?"
Before Arthur could answer, they both heard a small noise coming from the room. Lancelot had Gwen's hand between his own, and was smiling widely. The girl was waking up, and in a silent agreement Arthur and Merlin decided to let their fight for custody of the dragon for a later occasion.
"Gwen!" Lancelot said, relieved after seeing the girl blinking at him.
"Excuse me… how are you?" the girl asked, confused.
Merlin could see for the first time, a heart breaking.