-Epilogue-

The ride back to Camelot was made in relative silence save for Arthur who was saying something about wanting to find Kalson the sorcerer. It was quite obvious to Merlin that Arthur didn't like being bested by an old man, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.

When he had woken up the chamber was dark save for the single lit torch. Arthur and Sir Leon had still been unconscious but Susanna had been sitting up against the rock wall looking as if nothing had ever happened.

"Where's Kalson?" Merlin had asked.

"Gone. One minute he was here and the next…he was just gone." Susanna replied.

"How are you feeling?" Merlin asked.

"Fine…better than fine actually. For the first time in a long time I feel…normal." Susanna had replied.

Merlin smiled a little. He was glad that her secret was still safe. Arthur and Sir Leon hadn't remembered a thing Kalson said other than his name. While he was glad that Susanna had stayed, he was still unsure as to what would happen next. How would his destiny change? For the better? For the worse? Would Susanna help in uniting Albion or would she help to bring about its destruction? So many questions and no direct answer to those questions.

What Merlin knew without a shadow of a doubt was that he loved her and she loved him but he also felt a little guilty, like he was betraying Freya. He still had feelings for her but she was dead, she had died in his arms. Still, a piece of Merlin felt that she was still alive somewhere.

"Are you okay?"

Merlin glanced to his left to see that Susanna was riding beside him. She had been riding behind him but obviously she had sped up so she could talk to him.

"Just thinking." Merlin replied.

"About what?" Susanna asked.

"A lot of things. While I'm glad you stayed, why did you not return home when you had the chance? I thought that was what you wanted." Merlin asked.

"I thought that's what I wanted too, but when it came time to make my choice I realized one thing. My choice had already been made. You kept saying I didn't belong here in this time, but I realized…I do belong here. I belong with you." Susanna replied.

Merlin could tell that she was speaking from the heart, still his only reply was "I know."

"If you two are quite through with your romantic little talk…"

Both Merlin and Susanna froze and looked ahead to see Arthur watching the both of them.

Merlin's face flushed beet red while Susanna's face paled as she lowered her head a little.

"When we get back the both of you can clean my room, polish and repair my armor, make my bed, tend to my horses, walk, feed and water my dogs, wash my clothes, clean my boots and bring me my dinner." Arthur said a tiny chuckle in his voice.

"The both of us? But…Susanna isn't a member of the royal household." Merlin said.

"She is now!" Arthur shot back.

Susanna had placed her right hand over her mouth so no one could see her silently laughing at Merlin's 'deer in the headlight' facial expression.

Regaining her composure she lowered her hand and replied in unison with Merlin, "Yes, sire."

MERLINMERLINMERLIN

It was 2012. Susanna had been missing for four months and only yesterday the search had finally been called off. Marcia her son Timothy and her husband Jonathan were preparing to go back home to the United States without their daughter. Cassie, the family dog who had been Susanna's pride and joy had been truly upset when her master disappeared.

Cassie, the half beagle, half basset, half blue-heeler mix had run off during the night, only to be found by Marcia and Tim on the shore of a mist covered lake. Seeing that the dog wanted to go to the ruins that was situated in the middle of the lake, Tim and Marcia took the lone wooden boat out there.

When the boat reached the landing, Cassie had jumped out and run up the wooden stairs. Tim and Marcia had called after her but she didn't listen. The dog sniffed the ground constantly, smelling the scent of her master. She followed the scent down a flight of stone steps and in to a darkened chamber. Still sniffing, Cassie ran her nose along the ground picking up dirt, stone and some sort of material she couldn't identify. All of a sudden a light appeared around the dog and she vanished.

MERLINMERLINMERLIN

There it was; Camelot. After being gone for four days for everyone riding in it looked like a sight for sore eyes. Merlin and Susanna had done nothing but talk amongst themselves and Sir Leon and Arthur had done nothing but watch and listen.

"I have never seen him take to anyone like that before." Sir Leon said, gesturing in Merlin's direction.

"I haven't either. It's a little strange." Arthur said.

"Do you mean to tell me sire that you don't believe in love at first sight?" Sir Leon asked.

Arthur gave Sir Leon a look but didn't answer the question. Instead he rolled his eyes and spurred his horse to go faster.

All of a sudden a sound caused Arthur to hold his hand up and stop the procession.

"What is that?" he asked, looking behind him.

As everyone drew their horses in to a halt, they all quieted down to see if they could hear what Arthur was hearing.

At first there was nothing and then a piercing bark filled the air.

"It's not a wolf." Sir Leon said. That much was clear.

"It sounds more like a dog." Merlin commented, glancing behind him.

The barking drew nearer until finally a form could be seen running towards them. As it drew nearer the features of the animal became clearer.

It definitely was a dog. It had the face of a beagle, the long low body of a basset and the general coloring of a blue heeler.

"It's a…dog!" Sir Leon said in an almost quizzical tone of voice.

"Thanks for that statement but why is it following us?" Arthur asked.

Sir Leon shook his head in response. As the dog drew nearer it began to bark at the horses, startling them.

Arthur's horse reared back in fright, dumping the Prince on to the ground with a thud.

Groaning, Arthur sat up and reached for his sword. All the while Sir Leon, Merlin and Susanna were still seated on their horses watching the spectacle. Finally, the dog turned and looked up at Susanna, its tail wagging madly.

"Cassie…?" Susanna whispered, hardly daring to believe it. Slowly a smile came to her face as she literally jumped off of her horse and fell down on to her knees. "Cassie!" she called out.

The dog ran up to her, jumped on her and proceeded to lick her face, her tail still wagging like mad.

"I take it…you know this creature?" Arthur asked, lowering his hand away from his sword.

Susanna, a smile still on her face sat up off of the ground from where Cassie had knocked her down.

"I do. She's my dog. Her name's Cassie." Susanna replied.

Arthur watched Cassie for a moment, trying to judge whether he should just run her through or not. Finally he decided not to. It was plain to see that Susanna loved the creature and it was plain to see that the creature shared that love for its master.

"Alright, she can stay." Arthur said as he climbed back on his horse, "just don't let her go spooking my horse again!"

Smiling, Susanna picked up the 40 pound animal and handed her to Merlin. Once she was back on her horse, the procession continued on back towards Camelot.

When they were moving again, Merlin passed the dog over to Susanna.

"So, Cassie is from the future too?" Merlin whispered to Susanna.

Susanna nodded her head as she ran her fingers through Cassie's smooth coat.

"Then how did she get here?" Merlin asked.

"I don't…" Susanna began before something caused her to look towards the trees. There, barely visible was Kalson, who raised a hand of greeting towards them.

"Does that answer your question?" Susanna whispered back, gesturing towards the man. Merlin looked and saw the man before he smiled a little. The day had started out in a weird manner but it had ended on a high note and in Merlin's mind that's the way it should be.

-THE END-

Author's Note: Thank you all for reading and reviewing this story. I may return with a sequel to this at some later date but for now I rest. Once again, thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you did enjoy this story!