Chapter 07
Each time Harry returned here he wasn't sure how he'd let it get this far. Now that he was very much a part of this society it would be very hard to change their minds about him, about what he could do, and who he was.
His tylium supply had given up about 10 years ago depositing him the land of the Britons.
The idea that he might have a common tongue with the people here was something he hoped for until he heard it spoken. It was then that he knew he had to learn yet another language, it joined the many he learnt during his service to the Pharaoh. Harry was relatively sure he wouldn't be using a lot of the languages he learnt then, now.
But now, in a shorter time than it took his previous studies he could speak, swear, read and write in the language spoken here.
Walking up the path to the castle he looked up at it in wonder, it was powerful, substantial and unlike the other powerful castle he had experienced in his past, future, whatever it was. This was a proper, real castle. It had been, laid siege to and was and probably would be defended for a long time to come. Which, now that he thought about it was like Hogwarts.
But unlike Hogwarts it didn't have any apparent magic imbued in it, this was a castle and its strengths lay in its physicality and, he supposed its reputation.
Adjusting his bag he had slung over his back he looked around, greeting those few people who knew him, who knew the man who was his friend whom he'd befriend, or rather been befriended by nearly 10 years ago.
Walking further into the castle itself he was almost shoved over by his friend running in the opposite direction.
"Merlin! I didn't expect to see you so soon, I thought you were going 'wandering' again!" Said the excited man who had a cut over his eye and a slow forming bruise on his face. Arthur grabbed him in a hug in greeting. "How are you?"
"Arthur. Well, friend, well," Harry hugged him back as he studied the younger man's face. "Jousting again?"
Arthur stepped back and adjusted his chainmail. "I won," he grinned cheekily.
Harry sighed. "Fine, perhaps you did," he reached around in his bag, his hands finding purchase on a telekinetically summoned cloth bag, from which he extracted a smaller bag. "Cover this in hot water and then hold to your face and cuts," Harry handed the bag to Arthur. "Keep it wet Arthur," Harry warned nodding to his face. "It'll clear up your face, you do not want to ruin your face too much."
Arthur laughed. "You and your magical bags Merlin! You truly are a brilliant man."
Harry shrugged.
"You will come to the feast later Merlin?" Arthur asked him.
"I didn't wander all the way back just to fix up your face Arthur," Harry smiled.
Arthur laughed. "With you Merlin sometimes I do not know what to think of you or to expect."
"Till the evening then Arthur, I shall leave you," Harry bid Arthur goodbye.
"To your books Merlin then, tonight," Arthur said, rushing off to no doubt wash and hopefully use the potion Harry had given him.
-/
Hermione, back, way back in the his past, then sometime future, had always been wary of taking Merlin's name in vain.
Supposedly he was some powerful wizard that had lived so long ago no one really thought he actually existed.
In the Twelve Colonies, Merlin had been his own, his little bit of his old world, an expression of awe, occasionally of annoyance, but mostly a word that he could use that no one understood. Though they knew the tone, it was like frak.
Which was another word he quite enjoyed using.
When nearly 10 years ago he'd found himself in the land that surrounded Camelot, and had by luck and favour found himself invited into the castle and to a feast Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father was holding he stood near the entrance just watching.
"Merlin, this is amazing." Harry recalled it was this, or something like this that he'd said out loud. He'd recalled this memory so many times it felt like it was a memory of a memory, re-remembered so many times that it almost felt un-real.
Arthur had been behind him, perhaps listening to him talk to himself.
"Merlin, that's an unusual name, let me introduce you. You've a traveller's tone and standing Merlin," Arthur had said and Harry, not really knowing how to stop the son of the most powerful man in the room had run with it.
Now, ten years on, he had searched around the lands and then some. There wasn't anyone called Merlin, anywhere.
He'd made extensive use of Camelot's library and the few others around. Merlin didn't exist.
Except now there were some writing about him.
So he did exist.
He was...Merlin.
Harry felt this should present a problem, but, if he was honest, he didn't care.
His tylium supply was out, he couldn't move forward into the future any faster than anyone else now.
He wasn't sure when he'd decided, decided that maybe he was, would be Merlin. But there it was.
There was nothing he could do to change it now, his mistake was his gain, or something like that.
Uther had said something like that, describing something else. Harry hadn't been listening, sometimes Uther tended to rant and ramble.
Quietly, telekinetically he opened the door to the library and stepped in, almost walking into the man himself.
"Merlin," Uther greeted smiled broadly, Uther hadn't trusted Harry when he had begun his association with his son.
That had changed nearly 5 years ago when Uther had been gravely ill with what Harry had thought to just be fever, but after trying many things had resorted to a small amount of bezoar. Something he had gone to some lengths to obtain and store appropriately.
It had worked, curing him of whatever poison he'd been afflicted with.
Since then Uther had been much more friendly towards Merlin.
"King Uther," Harry greeted with a slight tip of his head.
"You are here for the feast tonight?" He enquired.
"The end of spring," Harry confirmed with a nod. "I saw Arthur, I gave him something, he's been jousting."
Uther was nodded and smiled broadly. "You treat Arthur like a brother Merlin, worrying for him."
Harry shrugged.
Uther laughed. "Always mysterious. Sorcerers can be, no relations and ties as you say,"
Harry nodded, as he had liked to say. He had no family, not this far back, well probably.
He'd had some romantic liaisons on Caprica, then in the fleet, none that had lead to pregnancies or anything like that.
In Egypt the Pharaoh had foisted upon him various slaves for his satisfaction, none that he'd really taken up.
Now here in Camelot in what he guessed was the start of the middle ages, though again he cursed his poor knowledge of history. Even magical history he had a poor knowledge of, Binns never really holding his attention. When the interesting stuff should have been taught he'd been out fighting a war instead of learning. Here and now, he didn't feel ready to settle with anyone, or do anything family related. He still felt there were things to do, things he had to do, and he still had lies and mistruths that he'd built up, and there was no one he wanted to tell all those to.
Although, he had confided in Arthur, that his true name was Harry. Merlin was his...his sorcerer's name.
"What is it you are reading up in my library today Merlin?" Uther looked around.
Harry had to admit it was a fine library, which Uther never let him forget was his which he used with Uther's permission, but he wouldn't allow him to forget whose it was. "History of sorcery I think Uther," Harry said looking to him. "I worry for you and for Arthur, there's so little written, yet..." Harry trailed off. Even though it was 5 years ago, he did wonder if that poison had been magical. The question hadn't really been answered, but he had been collecting various ingredients most of which he carried in carefully crafted bags.
"Perhaps what you need is your own house Merlin, to better service the house of Pendragon," Uther said closing the door to the library and looking to Harry. "One day Arthur will sit atop the throne."
Harry nodded. "That is usually how monarchies work," he commented in a tone which thankfully Uther laughed at.
"You speak your mind without fear Merlin," Uther observed.
"I respect you and Arthur," Harry paused. "I would not continue to return to Camelot if I did not," he finished honestly.
Uther clapped his hands together. "Good, Merlin, good. Then, seek out the maps of our lands, somewhere for you, I wish, a gift to you."
Harry blinked, he wasn't sure what to say. "I'm humbled Uther, I'm not sure, I mean, I..." he trailed off.
Uther chuckled again. "Most men would be on their knees in praise, the great king Uther offering them lands, not you Merlin."
Harry must have had a panicked expression on his face.
"No Merlin, you are different, a sorcerer. Arthur has explained your odd reactions to the lives we live in Camelot," Uther commented.
Harry breathed a breath out.
Then it seemed Uther was wandering out "I will see you this evening Merlin."
"Good day to you Uther," Harry called towards the door which he closed with a brief thought.
-/
Later that afternoon Harry stood leaning against a post as the musicians rehearsed, or whatever it was they were doing. They'd all played the music before in this space, but whatever it was they were doing Harry stood listening.
That was one thing he missed from the Twelve Colonies. Well, actually there were many things he missed from the Twelve Colonies and even the fleet. But one of the specific things was music.
He used to have a tape of Kara's with music on it, but the magnetic tape had long, long ago been consumed by entropy and turned to dust. The magnetic heads on the tape player too had succumbed to rust and demagnetisation.
At least the raptor and viper were in slightly better condition. The tarps and plastic he'd used to protect them from the outside world he'd replaced with tanned animal hides during his Egypt pitstop and then again when he'd arrived here.
Now, it seemed he would be able to find a permanent place to settle down.
"My father spoke to you Merlin," Arthur commented, Harry had felt him creep up several minutes previously.
"Indeed," Harry pondered, not turning around to look at Arthur.
"You're not surprised?" Harry fancied Arthur was pouting.
"By your father's offer, yes. By your approach, no," Harry finished and turned around to look at Arthur.
"You must tell me one day Merlin how you know when someone is creeping up on you," Arthur watched him.
"I have been betrayed many times Arthur, I have been stabbed in the back, literally and figuratively. I have watched people play the games of murder, deceit and mutiny," Harry paused. "You develop senses for some of these things Arthur, often you are forced to learn from experience."
Arthur looked at him for a long time. "You say these things Merlin, but you're barely as old as I am," Arthur paused. "But then I look into your eyes and know you're being truthful in what you say. My father too, knows you speak the truth," Arthur paused as Harry turned back to observe the musicians. "Even if you do not tell the whole truth all of the time."
Harry didn't turn back to him. "No one speaks the whole truth all of the time Arthur, be wary of anyone who does," Harry paused. "Because they're usually lying, if not with their words, then with their manner."
"Will you accept Merlin?" Arthur asked.
"Your father's offer?" Harry turned back around to face Arthur, he nodded. "I think."
"You think Merlin? Where do you go when you're not here in Camelot?" Arthur asked.
"I wander, consult others, I'm not the only sorcerer in Britain Arthur," although, Harry admitted they weren't exactly common, no one was really writing 'Magic a History' at the moment.
Arthur frowned. "You don't want somewhere to-"
Harry cut Arthur off. "I would, but I don't wish to be..." Harry trailed off before beginning again. "Indebted to your family. Your father does not let me forget this is his castle and his library." Harry looked and focused on Arthur intently. "I think this is where I am meant to be, and have a future here, but-"
This time Arthur cut him off. "I know my father's manner Merlin, he has many faces."
Harry nodded. "Indeed he does Arthur."
"Find your place to be Merlin, you are my friend, not my father's, now, come, you can help me dress," Arthur bounced up.
Harry dramatically sighed, he'd already cleansed and dressed for the evening. "Don't you have people to help you Arthur?"
"You're more fun Merlin," Arthur laughed as Harry followed him.
"That's because I make you do it yourself!" Harry exclaimed as he followed him through the castle.
-/ - \\-
According to Arthur, when he'd shown him the maps it would be more than a week's ride from Camelot.
It wasn't quite Land's End, but it was down that way, it was almost perfect. A running river near by, within a large forest, there was sandy pit a short distance away, good hopefully for glass making. Even what looked like a hill with possibility of caves.
It was, however as Arthur had pointed out looking at a map some distance from Camelot, certainly not one of the lands near the villages that his father seemed to think Harry, or rather Merlin would go for.
Though as Arthur had said, his father knew him much less than Arthur did.
Harry had set up a small tent, it was unlike the design of any of the tents that people currently used, more so based on ones he'd used on Scorpia when he'd visited exploring its jungles.
He'd popped back to Camelot and left Arthur a message and a map and told him to meet him here in two weeks, so he could see for himself.
Harry wasn't really sure how Arthur was going to find him. While there was a village it was probably a day's walk away, maybe two days. There wasn't any path to this place.
He'd done his thing of apparating from a great height and falling. It was hardly something a normal wizard should do. Though Harry had realised that he wasn't normal at all.
He was living his life in his past towards his future.
He was also Merlin.
Such a statement was both grandiose and insane. But no one had challenged him on it, it was just a name.
There had thus far in the history of Britain been no great evil wizards, witches or sorcerers to be conquered.
Nothing so dangerous like that.
There were some people, others like him, mages, sorcerers, wizards, witches and other terms that he met, those seeking to expand their knowledge and abilities and those discovering things about the world.
Some he met in Britain, some he met in Europe, others he met in Africa and the East, using the languages he learnt during his service to the Pharaoh - more forgotten languages that some people still knew. Or were surprised that he knew.
Not everyone knew how to apparate, not everyone knew...all the things he knew and had forgotten.
Harry knew there was a lot more to discover about the world.
The descendants of Hera, Juno and the others, the intermingling of Cylon and Human, it still made him smile. Remembering Caprica and Gaius and their realisation of what he was, sat before them, even if they didn't quite believe it.
Now, he was his own past, living his life backwards, and he was loving it. The time he had spent on Caprica and with the fleet, it felt like one of the happiest, most adventurous part of his life. His life spent at Hogwarts and against Voldemort, it felt, looking back on what he'd experienced thus far like a tiny part, like the first chapter or so.
But, Harry thought to himself, because it was such a small part, he knew there were things he'd forgotten.
He could name the President of the Twelve Colonies, the people she worked with in the fleet, Hoshi and Gaius, Starbuck and Lee, Josiah and all the others of the fleet. But he couldn't remember who he grew up with. He knew it was his aunt and uncle, but their names escaped him, the house he remembered was boring, mundane. They were fat, his uncle's sister had a vicious dog that he could describe in great detail.
But their names...
It didn't matter, he probably could recall, if he sat down and meditated on it, but...it didn't feel like it mattered.
The fleet, the Twelve Colonies, that mattered, and he knew, one day he'd write it all down, along with all his other notes, some he had in notebooks in his bag, others filed away in his mind.
But some things, they just didn't matter.
Standing up he gestured at a pile of wood he'd gathered, he'd walked along what he thought could be a path towards the village and tied some red fabric on ever fifth or so tree. It wasn't exactly a path, but if Arthur was aware enough he should be able to follow it and find him. Harry wasn't going to entirely leave Arthur with just a map.
Although he would need to read the map fairly well to find this plot of land.
-/
A few weeks later a figure looked over as a man on a horse came out of the forest and came upon him.
The figure was stood over one of three fires, each with a cauldron sat above it boiling away.
"Merlin! You choose the hardest to discover places!"
Harry looked up at Arthur, he always seemed to be surprised, faced with a challenge like the one he had presented, Arthur wasn't annoyed, he'd seen it as an adventure, a challenge to be conquered.
"Arthur!" Harry walked over and held his hand up to allow Arthur to easily get off his horse, especially with all the clothing he was wearing. Not chain mail, just thick leathers. His horse had saddlebags. Though looking and listening Harry could tell he came alone.
"My father said I should take some men with me Merlin, even if these are the lands of Camelot."
Harry looked at him.
"I did not say where I was going," Arthur looked at him. "I left my knights in the last village."
Harry nodded. "I have some stew cooking," Harry gestured the furthest cauldron. He didn't want to get into the question of Uther, he still wasn't quite sure how he felt about Uther Pendragon's charity. But the offer was far too good to refuse; the offer to create a home base for himself, somewhere to operate out of, to create a base of operations.
"You are brewing potions in these?" Arthur asked curiously.
Harry nodded and gestured to the one he had been watching over. "This will briefly wrestle the strongest of fevers from someone, or give someone the will to fight and live, for a short while." His own spin on a pepper up, except more...free with the ingredients, and the method, and everything really. There were few apothecaries the way he recalled them, you had to be much more independent, here in the past.
That he didn't have a wand didn't hold him back, he could just gesture for the potion to stir and it did, without any further intervention.
"And that one?" Arthur asked.
Harry shrugged. "Something for the village, I hope," he'd noticed that the local villages seemed to be suffering from scurvy, or something like it, last season wasn't amazing.
He felt as a new comer, as a sorcerer, there was a responsibility.
"You are watching over the villagers as a sorcerer? From a tent, Merlin you are a part of Camelot!" Arthur proclaimed.
Harry just smiled. "I can see they need help Arthur, just a little bit of a helping hand, that's all, they may not even want the assistance."
"And if they don't want it what then?" Arthur asked curiously. "Will you force help on them?"
Harry looked at his friend. "No, Arthur, I don't want them, or anyone to fear me."
"Of course Merlin, of course, but you know, when you're in charge you have to make decisions, that's what my father says," Arthur said as he sat down on a log nearest to the stew cauldron.
Harry nodded. "Well Arthur I'm in charge of myself, and that's all."
-/
It had taken time to build the house he'd wanted for himself. Much larger than the simple cottages that were in the village, this was complex, in fact it was a complex. There was an entrance to the lands, marked only by a few totems to tie some of his magic to which would protect and establish a perimeter.
Further in, he had consulted other sorcerers, architects and other people he had met on his travels.
A potions room; storage for them.
Secure barns, large enough for him to store all manner of large things that he'd kept mostly intact for more than 100,000 years.
Rooms for living, cooking in the mundane sort of way.
A library, all for himself.
It had all started as just some markings on the ground, and then the foundations, and then stone, bricks and other things like that.
Now 7 years after Arthur had ridden up to him making stew he had returned.
He had in fact come back multiple times throughout the building process, but now he returned to properly be a guest.
"A guest of Merlin," Arthur said by way of greeting, "In his vast house," he laughed as Harry took his horse towards the stables.
"Do you look after my horse as well Merlin?" Arthur called curiously.
"I rely on some for other things," Harry called.
The stables, cottage, mini-farm and kitchen gardens were located some ways from his house, hidden in fact by a large outcrop, so that they were almost completely cut off. Harry had used some of the technology stripped from the raptor to rig up a little alert system, a button he could push would light up a lamp within the cottage.
He'd chosen those who lived there from many. They could farm, live their lives etc, take care of his visitor's horses.
He never really needed a horse, and those who kept the stables and farm never questioned him.
He was Merlin, the sorcerer of the Pendragons.
He could be a little bit weird.
They could live a good life, protected and assured by Merlin.
-/
Arthur looked around the warm, brightly lit room; there was glass; large pieces of it, not contained by lead or coloured like those in the castle. These large windows allowed the sun in, warming his face and body. There was only one large fire he could see in this space, and it was far smaller than those at Camelot.
Merlin had taken his bags to his room, he knew Merlin had said he had no use for servants, despite his and his father's offer of those deeply loyal. Merlin…Harry had said he did not need, nor had he constructed his house for them. Those who maintained the stables was his only space for convention, he still needed a smith for some things.
"All set up in the guest wing," Merlin. No, Harry said as he re-entered the room wearing a soft cloak, now Arthur realised why Harry had asked him if he wished to remove his cloak.
"You have a revealing home Harry," Arthur said with a broad smile, in part just being one of the few, the very few who knew Merlin's true name.
"It has many secrets Arthur," Harry said, as he did often, mysteriously.
"Will I ever know them all?" Arthur asked.
"That would be telling Arthur, the future is a long time," he said before wandering off towards his kitchens.
-/
There was mutton slowly roasting in the ovens, vegetables waiting to go into a hotter part of the oven. Some small cakes he'd prepared early, they were wrapped up in fresh linen with a protection spell over them.
Harry set the kettle on to make himself some tea. He'd had to go all the way to China to obtain it, and now it grew in a greenhouse here at…whatever he was going to call this place. He hoped Arthur would come up with something, so he didn't need to.
"It still amazes Harry, you have no one as cook," Arthur walked in having removed a lot of his travelling clothing, leaving his tunic on.
It was one of the benefits of coming from a relatively advanced civilisation, and being an engineer. He knew how to insulate a building, even with the technology he had, he'd cheated here and there. The bathrooms had hot running water courtesy of some technology he'd liberated from the raptors. Radiators designed for cooling the raptors were now solar collectors holding and storing hot water.
He'd already had a few other sorcerers and mages visit him and be astounded by this.
Flushing toilets deposited themselves into a septic tank, which in turn fertilised his gardens.
He'd even played around with a bio-reactor to generate useable gas for finely controlled potion making, or just to experiment with.
It was a comfortable fortunate life he had found himself in.
"Would you like a drink Arthur, ale, beer, wine-"
"None of that tea you drink Merlin," Arthur wrinkled his nose.
Harry laughed. "I would never think to offer you that again, what about mead?"
Arthur seemed to think for a moment.
Harry dramatically sighed. "Ale then," he said going over to a storage area at one end of the room, returning with a small barrel.
-/
Later Arthur followed Harry into the 'guest wing' where his bags had been dropped in the large room.
"I am not used to needing to unpack Harry," he teased.
Harry turned to look at him, waving a hand up, his bags rose up from the air. "I could be very easily unpack, but you might not like where everything goes Arthur," he teased in his own way.
Arthur laughed waving his hand down, "No Merlin, you have shown your power." Few saw the casual nature of Merlin's powers, and even fewer still saw the ease with which he wielded them.
"Through here's the bathroom Arthur," Harry was calling him.
There was no bath, that was one of the first things he noticed and said so.
Harry looked to him and shook his head. "I have never liked baths for cleaning Arthur, you end up sitting in your own filth," he turned to an area of the room. "I have ensured there is a supply of hot water, not infinite mind," he fixed him with a look. "Hot and cold, leave in the middle for warm," he said gesturing something a smith seemed to have constructed it had small red and blue inset windows. "That leaver to start to the water. Push back up to stop, soap is there" he finished.
"And where do I take my shits Harry?" he teased.
"Behind you Arthur."
He turned, not expecting Harry to answer.
"Pull the chain when you are done," he paused. "The basin also has water, if you wish to shave yourself," he finished and made to leave.
"You won't do that for me?" Arthur asked in a teasing tone.
He paused. "I'm your friend Arthur, not you servant," he paused and smiled. "I could, I might also give you an interesting hair cut, good night Arthur."
Arthur watched as his friend walked out, unsure of what Harry meant, if anything beyond what he had actually said meant.
-/
Arthur stood the following morning wrapped in gown, despite the warm sunlight filtering in and looking at the controls Harry had indicated.
He had only bathed, in a bath, with water heated on a fire, brought by servants. Here there was none of this.
He had not seen Harry since the previous evening.
Slipping out of the robe into the chill of the room he approached the controls and pulled the leaver down.
Then from above like a waterfall it cascaded down, less like waterfall and in fact more like rain, warm rain. Taking a hold of the leaver he pushed it towards the hot area and laughed.
It was hot.
He looked around, smiling to himself, the water cascading over his body as he felt over his skin; the scars, the everything. Then he took a hold of the soap rubbing it in his hands he breathed in the scent of the foam.
It smelt of a far away forest, of the sea and of something else he couldn't identify.
-/
Harry smiled, hearing Arthur laugh to himself and checked the hot water gauge. There was still plenty for the younger man to use. He'd warn him when he got out of the amount he had to play with.
Bread was cooling on a rack on the bench, a mixed berry jam waited in a jar.
A pot of tea for him and…whatever Arthur would drink this morning for him, probably weak ale.
It was nice to have Arthur visit, he was his oldest and closest friend here in Camelot, in fact in the world.
He knew other sorcerers, other people who dabbled in magic and potions, but none whom he trusted with his 'true' name.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed your 'shower' Merlin!" Arthur proclaimed as he walked into the kitchen and sat at the table with him. "Although I do not think my father would approve or desire it for himself," he finished with a laugh.
Harry smiled and shook his head. Uther had visited but once, when he'd finished the main house. Harry had served him a meal, spoken about the local village, but it was clear Uther did not like being within Harry's, or rather Merlin's simple domain. Harry suspected Uther had expected something a lot more grand than what was here. Uther had remarked on his lack of battlements.
Harry had pointed out as a sorcerer his battlements were far more complicated. Uther hadn't even stayed the night, possibly unnerved by him.
"No, your father did not like what he found here Arthur, as you've pointed out I live a simpler life than you and your father in Camelot," Harry began as he rose from his chair to get the bread.
"You enjoy taking care of yourself? You still wish for no servants?" Arthur wondered.
"I have lived on my own for much of my life Arthur, here I have many guests, visiting sorcerers and mages, other learned people," he paused to place the jam in front of Arthur. "I did not know what you wished to eat, give it a sniff," Harry said.
Arthur gingerly sniffed the pot, his eyes getting wide and mouth opening. "You spoil me Harry."
"You're Arthur Pendragon, I probably should," Harry teased. "Ale or would you like something else?" Harry asked as he handed Arthur a knife to cut his bread.
-/
"Should I prepare your guest's horse Merlin?" Asked Robert who was working in near the stables as he and Arthur walked out. Robert along with his wife Mary had the cottage.
Harry shook his head and looked to Arthur behind him. "My guest can walk with me Robert, thank you," Harry finished with a smile.
"You are very friendly with your tenants Merlin," Arthur said as he caught up with him.
"Should I not be?" Harry wondered as they walked. "They tend some of my gardens for me, some of the more mundane vegetables I use," Harry commented. His 'tenants' looked after the kitchen garden, most of it was regular vegetables with a handful of not local vegetables that he'd shown them, some they'd liked, some they hadn't, those in the latter he grew elsewhere. "It makes more sense for them to tend the kitchen garden, they have a larger family to think of than I Arthur."
"Of course," Arthur said, Harry was glad he did not try to bring up family, he had learnt early on in their friendship of subjects not to probe.
"Where are we off to today Merlin?" Arthur asked. He had not brought his sword, but Harry had seen the dagger he still carried with him, despite assurances he was under his protection, and they would not be leaving the protection of the lands.
"What is this?" Arthur asked looking at the totems that stood either side of the path they were walking.
"They are protection and warding," Harry explained simply.
"And beyond that?" Arthur asked, his hand falling to where the dagger was.
"Other protections," Harry paused. "Within anyone who attempts to pass…" he trailed off.
"You protect your tenants within your sanctum?" Arthur asked.
Harry nodded. "They live with me, as those within Camelot's walls do you, I should protect them should I not?"
Arthur looked at him curiously for a moment and nodded. "I guess I should think as you do, when I will need to do that…even you cannot say."
"No, I cannot Arthur," Harry gestured along the path. "And as to your original question we are off to pick something for oil."
"Oil?" Arthur repeated.
It wasn't one of the first things he'd planted, but it was one of the more extensive groves that was on the property, a line of olive trees growing on a slight slope, where he'd cleared some land of trees he'd used during the construction process. It had left a good amount of space to plan out various fruit and nut orchards.
Olive oil was something he utilised for food and for potions and, while he could pop off to get amounts of it, now that he had land he could make it himself.
-/
Harry had to smile at Arthur's enthusiasm for the olive picking, but he was eager like a puppy to know what the process was to extract the oil. He'd promised tomorrow to show him the other groves.
"I still do not understand the sorcery in which you can fit that huge harvest within that small bag Harry," Arthur said shaking his head as Harry showed him into one of his preparation rooms. It was near enough to his potions lab.
"That is my sorcery to know Arthur," Harry said as he hefted the bag into a large copper vessel, inside was a blade to macerate its contents, driven by an electric motor he'd taken from one of the raptors, and powered by solar panels mounted on the roof. Sliding a switch down it whirred into life startling Arthur.
"Just another of my designs, come," Harry gestured as Arthur followed closely. "I will let you taste the oil, harvested a few weeks ago.
Arthur dipped the bread into the oil and savoured it, smiling broadly. "This is from the Mediterranean?"
Harry nodded. "Only enough for my purposes and valued guests, I don't want your father demanding I provide it for Camelot," he warned.
Arthur nodded. "You share a portion of your life with me Harry, I value that closeness."
-/
Harry put the quill down, one he'd carved himself, made the ink for and everything and paused in thought. He had taken to writing out his thoughts, his memories and experiences. He couldn't remember it all, he mused, he couldn't be expected to remember it all.
Those things that he didn't need to remember, didn't need to repair, redo, things like the FTL, tylium, atmosphere re-processors, UV lighting and countless other things he had written down; drawn great diagrams of, explained in detail. For whom he was doing it, he wasn't sure, but he was relatively sure it was important. He had lived so much…and those things were important.
Much like the people he'd known, those he would remember for a long time still.
But still, some things faded away into the far reaches of his memory and experience.
He had wished more than once for a pensieve; so he might extract his memories, perhaps preserve them? But without a wand, or really the desire to experience his memories in such an abstract way he decided it was something for the future, something a more dedicated wizard could explore.
Rising from his chair he summoned his travelling bag and coat and looked outside; it was still quite early in the morning. Walking outside he left a message on the sundial outside, his tenants, if they came looking would find it, and know that he would be away for a week, perhaps three.
Even though it was just a step across the Channel, there was still so much to explore.
-/
Harry stood, impassively as Uther ranted to him, about how when he'd sent a rider to summon him he hadn't been there, how he had needed to do…whatever it was on his own.
Extract information from someone he gathered in between Uther's rants.
Arthur was stood off to the side impassively listening and watching his father pace up and down.
Harry wanted to say something, wanted to comment and say 'are you done?'. But he had learnt that was not how one spoke to a king.
Sometimes he could get away with it, a lot of the time he did.
But his king had needed him, and he failed. He said so, he didn't grovel at his feet, nor did he say it in an impassioned way.
"I was not there when you required me King Uther. I am a sorcerer, I cannot entrust things to anyone else, for the security of my work and Camelot there are things I must explore; only myself," Harry explained in a calm controlled manner.
Uther seemed to pause in his rant. "Of course, only a sorcerer can Merlin," he seemed to say it as a threat. "I ask you, sorcerer of Camelot to accompany my son on a campaign, rather than assist me," he finished seemingly deflating from his rant.
-/
Harry had retreated to his 'sorcery room' within Camelot castle, the space he had created for himself during the time he did not have a house, and even following, it was a space to keep many prepared potions and potions ingredients to use if and when required, in service to Camelot.
"So what was it that your father needed me for? To get information from someone I gather," Harry said as he looked through a book of notes, not looking up at the figure stood by the door.
"A messenger, he wished to know more," Arthur answered.
Harry looked over to Arthur. "They are usually chosen so they know just enough and no more," he smiled. "If your father failed at getting any information out of him it is unlikely I would," he paused. "So tell me, where are we going and how much death is there to be?"
Arthur looked at him carefully. "How do you know there is to be death Merlin?"
Harry looked at him and wanted to say that they were fighting with swords and bows. Some death was likely. "Unless you intend to fight with words alone there will be some deaths."
-/
There was a fizz in the atmosphere here, he didn't want to say to anyone except Arthur, and he was off being him.
A fizz of some magic in the air, something was being woven from the other side, he couldn't discern what, but it was making the air fizz, and it was enough that he needed to think on a contingency of what to do when things went wrong.
Harry had borrowed a smith's hammer to break up the chalk, he'd done his thing of apparating from a great height and looking around as he fell. He didn't want to go too far to find the chalk, and this wasn't pure chalk by any description, but he hoped it was enough.
"You look as though a gale has blown through here Merlin," Arthur said from the entrance to the open tent where he was breaking the rocks up. "What is this in aid of?"
Harry gestured towards the log that was on the other side of the tent, and as he sat down Harry came over to sit beside him and spoke softly. "I believe there is a sorcerer at work."
Arthur looked to him surprised. "And why do you hide this fact?"
Harry shrugged. "I wouldn't want to worry your men until such time as you need to fight, it would occupy their minds."
Arthur laughed. "My men will fight for me, they worry not for other things as you do Merlin."
Harry nodded and returned to his rocks. "So be it Arthur, I merely worry."
Arthur looked to him. "How many battles have you been in, as to worry of my men Merlin?"
Harry looked up at his friend, a hard expression on his face. "Enough Arthur."
-/
He'd had enough chalk to establish a line, but not a circle around them, enough for a clear line of defence. It wasn't ideal, but then if Uther had been a bit more forthcoming with his information he could have prepared a lot more.
When he'd seen the battles the Pharaoh led those had been huge affairs. This was still big and…he frowned upon realising it, despite what he'd done to ward off the magical effects many of these young men would die. Not, he hoped from magical effects, but from the rather more brutal sort.
-/
Harry held his hands up above his head, forcing with some effort the arrows coming his way up, deflected away from where he was bandaging up a fallen man. Harry pulled him up, he was covered in blood, but none of it was coming from a very open wound any more.
Opening a flask Harry tipped a small amount into the man's mouth. "Swallow, you will feel a warmth and then a readiness," Harry said slowly to the man as the potion worked.
The man tried to talk but Harry shook his head, Harry pushed him up and moved onto the next man.
And the next and…
As night fell and the battle waned Arthur found Merlin holding a red hot sword, putting a stick into a man's mouth.
"This will hurt, but you will live," Merlin said calmly as the man tried to nod.
Arthur heard him shout as Merlin burnt the man's wounds, halting the bleeding from them it seemed.
"You have saved a great many this day Merlin, I did not know it of you," Arthur greeted wearily.
Harry looked to his friend, he had fared better than many of his soldiers, but still had some wounds. "Come on," he gestured. "You have injuries."
Arthur let himself be led to Merlin's tent where he watched the younger man, in appearance at least wash off his hands and extract flask from his bag.
"You carry that bag often with you Merlin, it seems ancient," he observed as he let Merlin undress him to get at his wounds.
Merlin chuckled. "It is a copy, one of several, and it is old, made in the far east," he poured the liquid onto his wounds.
Arthur fought to not shout out.
"That will hurt," Merlin added idly. "But will prevent further disease," he said as he threaded a needle. "Do I need to explain why I am doing this?"
"Because I was stupid enough to be injured?" Arthur asked.
Merlin laughed. "Yes."
-/
Notes:
I didn't want to cover anything "notable" within the Arthurian myth, just…little peaks into Harry's life in Camelot with Arthur.
Thanks for reading.