Camelot Rises
This is a story set in the present day in which Merlin has been waiting for Arthur to return for over 1000 years and one day, at long last he does. This tells of how Arthur adjusts to this new time and how the two friends reconnect.
Chapter 1
It is 20th April 2011 and in the small town of Glastonbury in Southern England an old man with long grey hair and a matching beard, dressed in black linen trousers, a white shirt, dark blue overcoat and black apron toe shoes, with a bag slung across his shoulders is walking alongside a lake, on his way home. For a moment he looks out onto the water and at the small island that sits in its centre before moving on.
Twenty minutes later he arrives home to his large Georgian house and once he gets inside, he immediately goes to the hall mirror, where he utters a few words and his appearance changes, he becomes younger - it's Merlin.
Later on he is watching television, it's a history show on the myths surrounding the Arthurian legend, which he of course lived through. The man on screen says "...Morgan le Fay was Arthur's half sister through their mothers first marriage to Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, she was an enchantress, a sorcerer who held great power. It is thought that she learned about magic from Merlin himself, little did he know that she would become one of his and his king's greatest adversary's".
"First of all her name was Morgana, not Morgan, she was Arthur's half sister through Uther and I did not teach her magic. I swear these shows will get their facts straight one day"
Merlin then gets up and walks over to a table, over which hang some paintings that he had made of himself, Arthur, Gwen and all of their friends, he was always painting them, worrying that he would forget their faces if he didn't. Taking one of himself and Arthur down, he looks at it, saying "If only you were here old friend, I've been lonely for a very long time, I could do with a friend right now".
Merlin then hangs the photo up and heads upstairs to get ready for bed. Hours later Merlin is fast asleep, dreaming about the same things he always dreams about, life back in Camelot with his friends.
*Start of Dream*
"MERLIN!" shouted Arthur.
"Yes your majesty"
"Why are there more holes in my belt?"
"There aren't, it's just a new one that's all"
"Do not lie to me Merlin, if anything else, you're terrible at it"
"Fine, I had to put some more holes in it"
"Why?"
"You've err put on a little weight"
"I have not!"
"As the person who dresses you, I beg to differ"
"Are you being rude to your King Merlin?"
"Me, no, never"
"Just leave, and never tell anyone of this"
Merlin is about to open the door to leave the room when he says "Fat git", which causes Arthur to throw a pillow at him, with Merlin ducking out just before the pillow hits.
*End of Dream*
Meanwhile on the shores of the lake, a head is seen coming out of the water, it's a man and it's as if he is walking out of its centre - it's Arthur and he is dressed in full armour.
When he gets out of the water, he stands on the bank of the lake and looks around him, seeing houses and lampposts all around, then a car comes whizzing past him and he looks completely and utterly startled and even a little frightened.
"Where am I?"
End of Chapter