When Elizabeth got home Arthur and Uther were waiting for her. She looked at their faces and immediately knew something was up.
"Hey guys. Have a good day?" she asked, trying to break the tension.
"We discovered and uncovered many things," was Uthers response.
"Oh yeah?" she asked, putting down her things.
"Yeah," said Arthur, "And do you mind telling me about this mechanism."
He was pointing to the Television. "What, the TV? How'd you manage to figure how to work that?"
"We're smarter than you think," said Uther.
"Okay look. All it is is a device that shows TV Shows. There are soaps and reality TV and comedy's and sitcoms and news programs and all sorts of things. What did you guys watch?" she asked, hoping they weren't watching ABC3's 'The Adventures of King Arthur'.
"The Brady Bunch," said Uther, "It was quite fascinating. Though not as fascinating as what goes on between the segments."
"You mean ad breaks? Yeah, they're just people trying to sell stuff. Don't worry about it."
"We meant," said Arthur, "The 'ads' as you call them, that show other TV shows. Previews, I believe they are called."
"What did you see?" asked Elizabeth.
"A preview for a show called 'Merlin'," answered Arthur.
"Oh dear," said Elizabeth.
"How is it that the actors that play us, look exactly like us?" asked Uther.
"It's difficult to explain," said Elizabeth warily.
"Try," demanded Uther.
"Look, I don't really know. I know my mother had a hand in it, but I don't know how. All I do know is that she watched that TV show before she came to Camelot. I swear, I don't know anything else."
"It had images of things that had already happened. In it…Merlin was using Magic," said Arthur, "Is it true?"
Elizabeth looked Arthur right in the eye and said, "I cannot say."
"That's a lie," said Uther, "If the boy is a sorcerer we have a right to know!"
"No. You really don't. Look, I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. It's not good to meddle with the past. If you watch that show you'll know stuff before you're meant to and that could mess up the whole of time. It's important you don't know anything," explained Elizabeth.
"But-"
"No, buts! Look I work every day. It's a demanding job, I can't watch you to make sure you do what you're told. I really need to be able to trust you with all this okay?" she said practically begging.
Uther and Arthur looked at each other and nodded.
"Thank you, " she said, "And now, there is someone I want you to meet."
She led them to the back yard where Arthur was confronted by a small dog jumping up at him.
"Her name is Elphi," said Elizabeth, picking her up.
"Elphi?" repeated Arthur, looking at the small dog.
"Yes. She's my puppy," said Elizabeth.
"You own a puppy? Where was she last night?" asked Arthur.
"She was staying at the children's ward. She keeps the kids company," she said.
"Childrens ward?" asked Uther.
"Yeah," said Elizabeth, and then she must have realized that they didn't understand what that was because she said, "Oh! I work at the hospital. I'm a doctor…that's a form of Physician only more advanced. The hospital is where sick people, really sick people, go to be treated. The children's ward is where the sick children sleep."
"Oh…" said Arthur.
"I figured that since you're here during the day, you can look after her. All you gotta do is feed her. She's toilet trained, finally."
"I suppose so…"
"Great! I'll get dinner."
The next day after Elizabeth had gone to work, Arthur and Uther set off to find out more about why there would be a television show after them.
They set off the bookcase looking for anything that would help, the puppy on their heels. The most they had been able to get out of Elizabeth had been that they were a myth here. Nobody knew for sure they had existed.
"So that's sort of why you can't be seen in public," Elizabeth had said, "You would be recognized as the actors and if you said your real names…well it would create a fuss we could do without."
"Arthur! I found something!" called Uther, holding a book.
"'The Encyclopaedia of Mythology'," read out Arthur.
"We're a myth aren't we," reasoned Uther.
They searched and eventually came upon 'Arthur' under Celtic Myths.
"'Arthur is probably the best known of Celtic heroes. He was most popular during the middle ages'…blah blah blah…there's not much here…."
"Try to find Merlin," said Arthur.
"Why would he be part of the myth?" asked Uther.
"Well the TV show is called Merlin so…"
"Alright well…here we are! 'Merlin', so there is a section on him…'Sometimes Merlin was the famous wizard of Arthurian Mythology. So powerful was his magic that one medieval tradition credits him with the magical construction of Stonehedge, the outstanding British monument that had survived from ancient times. Another of his work was supposedly King Arthurs famous Round Table, a copy of which can be seen at Winchester today. Merlin's birth was the subject of a strange story. Apparently the Britons were told that a great fortress…'"
They read on, reading about how, supposedly Merlin had helped Uther to sleep with Igraine, and then had raised their son. It was all very strange to hear a story about you that people believed to be true, when in fact you knew it not to be.
"So….we're going to watch that program anyway?" asked Arthur.
"Yes, son. Yes we are."
Okay was next chapter is the first episode of Merlin! Please review!
BTW this is the first chapter I have typed up on my brand new laptop!
