A Brief History of Merlin

by Drag0nst0rm

Arthur is dead, but Merlin can't just sit around and sulk about it. From Camelot to Sherwood to Hogwarts to the modern world, Merlin is nothing if not busy. It helps keep his mind off things as he waits for Albion to finally need his king once more. (A series of oneshots that begin a couple of weeks after Arthur's death and end at his return. I own nothing you recognize.)

7. Sherwood Forest, 1190

The forest had grown since he had traveled here with Arthur. The name had changed too. But the lake was the same, and the isle untouched since the day he'd laid King Elyan's daughter there. None of the rulers after her had been worthy of the honor.

"What ho! A wealthy traveler weighed down with worldly goods! Shall we lighten his load, gentlemen?" a cheerful voice asked.

Merlin turned, raising an eyebrow. "Surely you wouldn't attack a helpless old man like me, Robin?"

"Helpless my foot, old man," Robin laughed, swinging down out of the trees with a few of his men. "I still haven't forgotten that lesson you taught me last year, and I've never seen someone take down so many of the sheriff's men single-handedly."

"I wouldn't have had to if you stopped to think once in a while," Merlin grumbled with no real venom. Grumbling just sort of came naturally when he was his elderly self.

Robin just laughed again and slapped him on the back. "Come on Tuck, we're not so bad. Not since Marian's joined us at least. And we know we've got you to keep us out of real trouble."

Yes, they did, even if they didn't know who "Tuck" really was. They had him, and they always would, because Robin was far more Arthur's heir than the prince who was currently plotting to steal the throne. Prince John raised taxes. Robin . . . redistributed them. The prince believed he had the right to rule. Robin believed that all men were equals. Merlin could see echoes of the round table far more clearly in the rustic scene around a camp fire than in the vaulting halls of London.

Leon agreed with him. He went by Will Scarlet now. The name Leon was out of style.

Robin interrupted his thoughts. "A new man's joined the band."

"Oh?"

"We call him Little John. There he is now."

It was like seeing Percival rise from the grave. "Little John?" he repeated doubtfully. "Yes, I see what you mean."

A/N: So not only am I taking liberties with history, I'm also taking them with geography and ancient legends! Yay!

But then, so did BBC in the show, so doesn't that just sort of make it more canon?

Maybe?