2 POV chapter

Choices || Arthur || Elsa

"Knowing can be a curse on a person's life. I'd traded in a pack of lies for a pack of truth, and I didn't know which one was heavier. Which one took the most strength to carry around? It was a ridiculous question, though, because once you know the truth, you can't ever go back and pick up your suitcase of lies. Heavier or not, the truth is yours now."
― Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees

Arthur's father didn't move when Arthur approached him. Uther's dead eyes were lifted to meet his son's only when Arthur put a hand on his shoulder.

"You're safe now, Father." Arthur briefly wondered how true his own words were. If his father found out the whole truth, he would not see them as anywhere near true. Elsa was still in Camelot. Merlin was still in Camelot.

Uther turned away again. "Safe," he whispered. "Safe."

Arthur waited for anything else to be said but there was nothing. He couldn't stand the silence from the man who had been so absolutely resilient Arthur's entire life. Despite all the bad things Uther had done, Arthur already longed for his advice on what to do next. He left, unable to stare at the shell of a man any longer.

"Have you made up your mind yet?"

Elsa appeared from around a corner, her hair knotted above her head in what seemed to be the Arendellian fashion. It was strange, seeing her as herself, the Queen of Arendelle and user of magic, not just a helpless outcast from a royal family. A woman who, although she wasn't seasoned with a sword or any normal weapon, was strong, brave, powerful, and a fighter in her own right.

"I haven't had time to think," he told her. She didn't have to clarify her question. It was about Merlin, Arthur knew it was. He'd admitted to her that he couldn't imagine… getting rid of Merlin in the way the law said he should, but he wasn't sure he could allow him to stay either. He would have his knights support if he did, but would he have the support of his own conscience?

Elsa fell into step next to him. "You should slow down and let yourself think," she suggested. "The people are fine. Thanks to you, they have resumed their usual lives. It's your close friends that need you now. Have you seen how tense everyone is?"

He had. There was no way to miss the way Gwaine always seemed to end up positioned defensively between Arthur and Merlin when all three were in a room together or the way Gwen's eyes darted back and forth between the two. Leon constantly reminded Arthur he was there if he needed to talk, Elyan offered support, and Lancelot and Percival were undoubtedly on Merlin's side. Merlin and Arthur in the same room couldn't happen without some degree of awkward tension. It was worse before Merlin explained everything to everyone at the round table. He'd been born with magic, and he'd grown up knowing it without being taught.

Elsa and Merlin's experience of magic was almost too far from Arthur's knowns for him to comprehend it.

"I know I should, I just keep putting it off, I guess."

"A good thing you have me, then," Elsa said. She pushed him gently out of the hall and out onto a balcony overlooking the square.

Merlin was there, leaning over the railing. When he heard them get closer, he turned, smiling when he saw Elsa first and letting it drop slightly when he met Arthur's eyes.

Elsa dropped her hand from Arthur's shoulder and left. Arthur never would've called a sorceress a presence comfort, but once she was gone, Arthur wished she would come back.

Arthur cleared his throat. "Hello."

"Hullo, Arthur."

They stood for a moment, both preferring to look out at the citadel than at each other. At least, that's what Arthur thought, but when he finally faced his (former?) manservant, Merlin was already looking at him.

"I'm sorry for making you wait for a decision," Arthur started. "I… you… I was wondering what you wanted to do. Do you even want to stay in Camelot, I mean? I know you and Elsa have gotten quite close." He hoped Merlin would still say he wanted to stay. He shouldn't hope that. He shouldn't even think about hoping that.

"We have been," Merlin agreed. "But it was never more than friendship. It might have been. It still might be, if I have to leave Camelot. But when you found us that day, Elsa had just accidentally revealed her magic to me and I was just trying to comfort her."

The way Merlin fidgets when he says it was never more than friendship makes Arthur doubt his words. Even if they were true, Merlin no doubt wished it wasn't.

"You didn't really answer the question."

"Yes, I want to stay in Camelot. Elsa may have to leave, but everyone else I love is here. Gwen, and Lance, and Gaius, and Gwaine, and the others, and you. My destiny is here, with you."

"Maybe not." Merlin was always talking about destiny, he clung to it as if predestination was the only possible route for life to take. "What makes you believe that?"

He wished he hadn't asked. The explanation Merlin gave about being Emrys and Arthur being some important future king was added pressure that Arthur didn't need in his life at the moment.

"Sorry, I've said too much, haven't I?"

Arthur shook his head even though he was thinking 'yes.'

"How's your father?" Merlin asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I don't know. All this. Morgana and being tricked by magic again hit him hard." He left the possibility of Uther never recovering unsaid. It lingered between them, begging to be brought into the conversation. After hearing about Merlin's prophecy, Arthur wondered if Merlin would have any sympathy for Arthur wanting his father around.

"Perhaps we're heading for a new time. You may need to take charge, become...become King."

No, Merlin wouldn't truly be able to sympathise.

"Who knows what the future will bring."

"Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd little waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like."

― Lemony Snicket

"There's been no sign of any of them," Elsa said carefully. She walked next to Merlin, following him further into the trees. He carried the magic sword from the lake at his side and clearly had a purpose. Elsa figured whatever it was, his goal probably shouldn't be done alone.

"There won't be, not until they have another plan," he said with confidence. "If we're lucky, Morgause will never recover enough to be a serious threat again."

"Is this the end, though? Hans is still out there. If he really is the ruler with the frozen heart, we haven't won just yet."

"Beware the heart of ice, untouched by love and hardened by hate," he said. "For the one who holds a frozen heart will be your true challenger. The dragon told me that. I was thinking. Is Hans really someone untouched by love?"

Elsa recalled all the interactions she'd ever seen Hans perform. "I've never seen him make and act of love, not even love as simple as friendship."

"Hmm. Wait here." Merlin wasn't paying attention any more. He seemed to have sensed something about the area. The something, whatever it was, wasn't bad. He drew the sword, but didn't swing or prepare to fight with it, he simply held it reverently with two hands.

"Where are you going?"

"In the wrong hands, this sword can do great evil. I promised I would place it where no one could wield it." He turned. "I'll be right back." He disappeared into the trees, leaving Elsa alone in a small clearing.

Elsa felt a shiver run up her spine and twitched in surprise. She looked down at her hands, pale and uncalloused, but not covered in ice. Still, she felt the uneasy and strange feeling that must be cold. She rubbed her arms to rid herself of goosebumps.

"Are you okay?" Merlin returned. He took Elsa's arm and noticed the goosebumps."You don't get cold."

Elsa laughed shakily. "I know. I'm not sure what's going on. Maybe… I have no idea."

"Maybe you're nervous?"

She didn't think that was quite it. She knew what it was to be nervous. She knew what it was to have fear without reason. This was different. This was something that brought ice to her core. For once she felt the warmth of another person as something to be desired instead of a simple indicator of life.

She took Merlin's hands and looked up at his face. "Will you come to Arendelle with me?"

Merlin's pause before answering was enough to tell her everything she needed to know.

"I'm sorry. Even if Arthur doesn't want me here for a while, he needs me here. He wouldn't last a week without me. I have to make sure he at least lives long enough to fulfil his destiny."

"Maybe I could come back," Elsa suggested. "Once Arthur is king. I could come back to Camelot and live here. I still have so much to learn from you, and," I'll miss you.

Merlin pulled away from her and began walking again. "You can't abandon your kingdom any more than Arthur can."

"But unlike Arthur, I have a sibling who could also take the crown. I don't have to stay."

Merlin shook his head. "I don't know."

"I meant what I said when I came here. The people of Arendelle would much more easily trust her than me."

"Maybe it's your job to change that."

"Maybe I'll need help. Maybe paying a visit to Emrys once in a while would be beneficial."

"To you or your kingdom?"

Maybe it didn't have to be one or the other. A bridge had to be made between those with magic and those without. A bridge had to be made between Camelot and Arendelle if Hans were ever to return. Maybe they could be that bridge.

Sorry for the filler chapter. This story is basically done though. I have an epilogue of sorts half written, and then we'll move on to the sequel. I won't be posting the epilogue on ffn until I've posted the first chapter of the sequel (that way you can just go straight to it and follow if you want instead of me having to post an A/N telling you its up), but if you're on A03, I'll probably post there sooner since they have a way for readers to subscribe to a series.