My name is Merlin. Some call me Emrys but my name is Merlin. I was servant to a horrible, arrogant young man. I was servant to a great prince. I was servant to a wonderful man. Most importantly, I was servant to the greatest king this world has ever known. He was the once and future king and I was his servant. More than that, I was his friend and he was mine.
Magic was banned, outlawed, those who practiced it were executed. But I was a sorcerer. I was proud to be called the king's servant. My king was the king who fought and died for his kingdom in the war against magic at Camlann. My king was the king who united the land of Albion. My king of Camelot. My king, his name was Arthur.
As my king lay resting with almost full strength still, I revealed to him that I was - I am - a sorcerer. At first, my king didn't believe me. Even to the poiny of saying, "Merlin, you are not a sorcerer. I would know." Then I showed him and he was furious, he wanted nothing to do with me. Twelve years of trust, friendship, and loyalty came crashing down in six words, "I'm a sorcerer. I have magic." Although I told him I use it for him and him alone, my king ordered me to leave him. That broke my heart more than anything else. Over the course of his last two days, my king came to accept my being a sorcerer. He came to accept me.
I remember every second of everyday with him. I remember every word spoken, every secret shared, every wish and thought that crossed our minds. I remember every secret touch, every caress, every kiss, and every night. I remember all the trips and hunts and rescues. I remember, and still have, all the secret letters left at my door or on my pillow. I remember every word of all the letters I wrote him. I wish I wish I could forget, but I'm glad I can't. I love that I remember. I remember everything.
He's not all I remember. I remember my seat at theround table at his right, as his right hand man. I remember Freya. I remember my mother and father. I remember Gaius and Uther and Morgana. I remember Gwen. I remember the knights and my relationship with all of them; Leon, Mordred, Percival, Gwaine, Lanelot, and Elyan. I even remember Cenred, Morgause, and Agravaine. I still even remember Will. I remember Kilgharrah and Aithusa. I remember them all.
On our way to Avalon, our first night, I couldn't light our fire and he surprised me when he said, "Why don't you just use magic?" I did and it was strange, for both of us. He couldn't understand why I was still serving him. I did it for two reasons: Camelot and Albion needed him right then more than ever and he was my only friend, and still is, and I can't lose him. He had no idea how much he meant to me. He still means as muc now. He remembered the day we first met when he tried to take my head off with a mase. I told him how I used magic to stop him. He had sounded shocked and offended when he realized I had cheated. He also told me he should have taken my head off that day. I'm glad he didn't and deep down, he was glad too.
Even just by the next day, he hadwarmed up to me again, like it didn't matter that I was a sorcerer. It was like I hadn't betrayed him since we had met. I wasn't expecting his next question: "Why did you never tell me?" It took me off guard. I wantedto tell him since Uther made me his servant. I fearedhe would have my head chopped off. Even if he didn't know that, I didn't want to make him decide, I didn't want to put him in that position to have to choose. It wasn't that I didn't trust him, I trusted him with my life, it was that I couldn't give him that decision to make. He couldn't see that at first, he said he wasn't sure what he would have done. It surprised him what worried me, why I never told him. I really don't think he would have had me executed but I couldn't put that pressure on him.I wasn't scared or worried about dying, I was worried for him and his decision.
Saxon patrol were for us that day. My king and I were hidden and I used my magic to lead the Saxons the other way. It was then my king realized how much I've used my powers and what I used them for. What he said next really has stuck in my head and heart for all these years, "All these years, Merlin. You never once sought any credit." The look in his eyes and on his face was a look of sadness. The tone of his voice was one of appreciation and regret. A few days before now he said other words that have also stayed in my heart and head since the second they left his lips, "You know, Merlin, all those jokes about you being a coward... I never really meznt any of them... I always thought you were the bravestman I ever met. Guess I was wrong." Those last four words have never left my heart. I went back to my chambers that night with a broken heart in my chest and tears in my eyes. After my king stated that I never sought credit for my work, I made sure he knew that I didn't do it for credit. I did it for him.
Later that night I told him not to speak so much, save his strength. He decided to be his usual prat self and pull the, "I'm the king, Merlin, you can't tell me what to do," card. I've always told him what to do. Whether he listen to me or not, I'm always proven right. Just cause he's the king, doesn't mean I won't tell him what to do or what's right and wrong. And just because he's dying, I'm not going to change how I am with him. I told him that and I never saw his response coming, "I don't want you to change. I want you to always be you. I'm sorry about how I treated you." I never thought he'd apologize to me for anything. And I never thought he'd truly fully accept me with my magic. But he did.
The next morning was my king's last morning. He knew it was and that my magic couldn't save him. We were so close to Avalon and he knew he wasn't going to make it. I was struggling to get up,to pull him up. It was then he asked me to hold him till his death. I slouched back and held him. He told me there was something he wanted to say to me. I feared he was going to say goodbye. He didn't. For the first time he admitted I helped him build Camelot. He could have done it himself but I'm honored to have been there to help him and advise him every step of the way. My king's last words to me, to anyone, were, "I want to say something I've never said to you before... Thank you." He pats my head and with that, he's gone. I never cried so much or so hard in all of my life. I utter his name one last time before I sent the boat carrying him adrift into the lake of Avalon. He really did never say goodbye.
Now its 2014 and I live in a small house right across the street from the lake of Avalon. I work at a museum close to the lake and my house. There is a section on Camelot and King Arthur and - myself - Merlin thanks to me. That's where I work. Its not very big but the children and adults alike all are amazed, enthralled, and entertained by my tales of Camelot. They all think its fiction, that I made up all the stories. They don't realize that they're all real, that the United Kingdoms wouldn't have existed without the legendary King of Camelot. I tell the truth about it all. I tell my stories about my life in Camelot.
Today happens to be a nice day so I decide to walk home for lunch. I see the fog above the lake begin to stir from the corner of my eye and my interest is peaked. I look over and see something reflect the sunlight. Its rising quickly and I'm very confused. Finally I get a good look at the object. Its a sword! Not just any sword, its Excalibur! I drop all I'm carrying and run into the lake - just like I did when Lady Sophia tried to take the prince's life to become a sidhe again. I run in yelling my king's name. He finally rises. He's still in his chainmail and robe. Both him and his attire have stayed untouched by time and by the water for all these centuries. He looks up with confused eyes that change to happiness, contentment, and loving once his eyes find me. We're both trudging through the lake to each other. Finally, after all this time, I hold my king once more. My first words to him are, "I thought I'd lost you." That's what he said to me when he found me after I was kidnapped by Morgana and her men. To that he replies, "You'd have to try harder. Besides, you couldn't even if you wanted to."
My king now lives with me and all is well. I'm still like the servant and I'm still a sorcerer. He's still the master and he's still my king. Arthur Pendragon truly is the once and future king.
The End.