In which there are explanations.

A/n: Welcome to Enduring Legends, an Advent series that started on November 27th and will continue daily through Christmas Day.

This is a joint writing project between Miroslav and LilyAyl, also known as Cinaed and Ailelie in other places. The story is an ensemble slice-of-life written in real time (with a few exceptions).

Warning: This story will contain male-female friendships, het, slash, stand-in fathers, happiness, worry, parent-child relationships, love, and magic.

This is not Arthur's great return. This is that one time Merlin's botching of the spell (or Arthur's concentration-piercing yelling) made them reincarnate and regain their memories in America (of all places).

This story will also contain images. Keep an eye on our profile for links.

(PS: This section was written by LilyAyl)

Monday, A long, long time ago

Someday Albion would need Arthur again.

Before the serpent—

Before Mordred—

Before that damned cave—

Merlin worked a great magic to ensure the land would one day again have her king. The spell would ensure Arthur (and Merlin, since he did not trust Arthur to keep himself alive in any age without him around) would reincarnate life after life, regaining their memories of Camelot only when the need was greatest.

Under decent circumstances (a quiet-ish day during an eclipse), the spell would have worked perfectly.

However, attempting the spell while sick with Arthur bellowing from the courtyard and Gwen whispering through the door that he needed to move and now if he'd intended on hiding from Arthur for the duration of his illness, though honestly, the squirrel tail had been rather cute and it wasn't like anyone outside of them and the knights had seen—

Well, Merlin should have realized it would end in disaster.

They still reincarnated, unaware, age after age. Only, instead of 'they' meaning only him and Arthur, 'they' apparently comprised everyone. He'd also mangled the memory trigger. Merlin was just surprised it had taken them this long to all wake up.

Someday Albion would need Arthur again.

But not yet.