Epilogue Part One: Dark and Light

The sorcerer known to some as Emrys stood at the edge of the great Lake of Avalon, his deep blue eyes sweeping across the vast expanse of water, looking at its distant shores.

It had been over a year since the Druid boy Mordred had disappeared, along with his people, to a different part of the kingdom, where no one knew their whereabouts.

Winter came with howling winds that carried snow down from the mountain peaks that bordered Camelot. The lake itself was nearly frozen, its waters turned black as the ice creaked and groaned.

Merlin did not feel the cold, not bundled in furs, not when he casted a warming spell on the air around him. He stood at these shores for a reason, drawn here from the stories he heard from Kilgharrah, and the books Iris had found deep in the heart of Camelot's libraries.

There was magic here- far older and more powerful than anything he had felt before. It slid along his skin, and a part of him felt his magic rise up in response.

I know you, it seemed to say.

The crunching of snow alerted him that he was no longer alone. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw a familiar, slim figure making her way towards him. Bundled in furs and a deep gray cloak, it was her copper-colored eyes that he saw first, before she pulled back her deep hood.

Red, red hair spilled down over her shoulders to her waist, as red as flame, the only true spot of color against the desolate gray landscape.

Her magic seeped along his, her warming spell intermingling with his as she moved to stand by his side. When her forge-bright eyes cooled, he smiled at the familiar shades of blue and green that looked up at him.

Iris did not smile, nor did she speak out loud. Those blue-green eyes were filled with the same grief he knew echoed in his. She merely took his hand in hers.

Take as long as you need, Emrys.

Merlin nodded. It seemed now the only time she called him by his truest name was in times of heightened emotion, when before it was as natural as breathing. Part of him wondered if she stopped that habit because part of her did not want to face the visions and prophecies tied to the name Emrys, which in turn, were tied to her.

Putting that thought aside, Merlin focused on the matter at hand. Before him was a longboat, which was filled with evergreen branches, ferns, and winter-blooming roses. And nestled in dark furs, looking as though he was merely sleeping…

Merlin's throat tightened. Gaius.

The court physician had first taken ill in the springtime, and despite all the ways that Merlin and Iris and even Morgana tried to save him, they could not ascertain what was slowly killing their beloved mentor.

Iris, in a fit of fury, had summoned Kilgharrah with her mind rather than using Merlin's Dragon Lord gifts, and demanded that the dragon tell her why the man that was like her father was dying.

"He has reached the end of this life," was all the Great Dragon offered.

When the dragon had departed, Iris had unleashed a wave of magic, wild and uncontrolled as her rage and grief, which set the meadow on fire. She had stood amongst the flames, her eyes burning gold, her magic rolling off of her like armor, protecting her from harm until she collapsed to her knees. She had screamed and sobbed as the flames disappeared as a storm rolled in. Rain washed away the ashes, soaking her to the bone until she managed to pick her way back to the castle.

When she had returned, wet and hollow-eyed, Gaius had beckoned her over to his bed. His frail hand cradled hers as he told her not to worry, for he was to be reunited with his beloved Alice.

"I have known you in this life," he told her and Merlin. "And it was an honor. Perhaps we shall meet again in another life…"

Now the magic-wielders stood at the edge of the lake, his body between them, with cold tears tracking their cheeks.

Merlin offered a small prayer. May you find the love you were looking for. May you find the peace you deserve. May you cross into that other world, and know we shall never forget you.

Then, with a wave of his hand, Merlin's magic pushed the boat out into the waters. Fog slowly crept in along the water's surface, and they could hear a distant song.

Iris smiled first, recognizing the Villia's song as the water spirits helped the boat along. Merlin brushed the tears away, watching as Iris removed the bow that had been strapped across her back alongside her quiver.

Her eyes sparked as she lit an arrow, before lifting the bow and taking aim. The arrow was then released, resembling a shooting star as it arched over the water, landing in the boat.

The delicate flora caught fire first, and it was not long before the entire boat was blazing. Then the fog thickened, becoming a veil where the boat disappeared into, never to be seen again.

Come along, Emrys, the sorceress beckoned, taking his hand in hers, like she had many times before.

Ooo0ooO

The winter was long and harsh, and often Merlin found himself wondering about his visions of a different winter.

One where the flowers had died, where a dragon called but was unseen, where there was a sword in the stone… and where Gwen and Arthur had started their family, and where Iris had been wearing the ring he had placed on her finger, finally and forever his.

But when that would come… he could not say.

Soon, something within whispered. You know what's to come next.

Smiling, Merlin found himself nodding to that little voice, reaching into his pocket to draw out that ring he had seen in a vision long ago.

The band was made of braided gold and silver, etched with tiny runes that depicted love, devotion, magic and promises. At the center, a small round crystal sat nestled among the silver and gold. At first glance, one might mistake it for a diamond or an opal, but the stone was far more precious.

Taken from the Crystal Cave itself, a place Merlin had journeyed to twice, the stone was full of magic, one that could show the future if someone were to gaze into its center. Merlin had used his magic to complement the crystal's, where if one were to gaze into it, they would only see beautiful, light-filled images of the future.

They would see that cold winter, but how the castle was filled with laughter and warm as Gwen held her children close by the fire. They would see a meadow in spring, full if freshly bloomed wildflowers, and a sorceress conjuring a springtime storm.

A reminder, Merlin told himself. That no matter what may be lost, there was this- this little piece of tomorrow- to hold onto.

Smiling to himself, Merlin allowed himself to gaze into the crystal, to allow magic to tell him when it was time for this ring to find its home on his sorceress's hand.

Ooo0ooO

Author's Note: There is one more part to the epilogue- then onto To Love a Sorceress!

Gaius's last words were inspired by the quote from Alice in Wonderland (2010): "I've come to the end of this life... Perhaps I'll see you in another life." - Absolem, voiced by Alan Rickman