Reunion
„And that time...is right now" she finishes dramatically and moves a step to the right. In this moment Arthur steps outside of the shadow of the old tree.
Arthur takes a few further steps and then stops when the trembling gets even worse and he fears to trip over his own feet. He takes in every reaction Merlin is showing. At first there is none at all. Merlin is as still as if he was turned into stone. Merlin! Finally! But why is he just standing there? Doesn´t he recognise me? When Arthur starts to fear that something could be wrong Merlins brows furrow slightly and his eyes get their lively touch back.
„Arthur?" It is a mere whisper but the blonde man does not need to hear it to understand its meaning. This time with more confidence Arthur starts walking towards his friend. He gathers all his strenght to stop himself from running straight at him not wanting to startle him even more. Unconsciously he takes a step back and slightly shakes his head. Arthur wavers in his steps not sure what is going on in front of him but he keeps going. Within seconds a full spectre of emotions crosses Merlins face: hope, scepticism, fear, confusion and scepticism again. Without turning his head he takes a look at Dorothea as if to ask if she sees the blonde man too or if it is a figment of his imagination. The young princess beams at him and nods in confirmation. Merlin looks back at Arthur who is now only a few steps away from him and suddenly his legs give away leaving him falling on his knees, overwhelmed with so many emotions he lifts his hands up to cover his mouth.
„Merlin!" seeing his friend falling down Arthur quickens his pace and after only a few steps he is kneeling right in front of him with one hand on Merlins shoulder to make sure he does not fall over. The warlock looks at him with tears building up in his kind blue eyes and Arthur feels a light tremur running through his friends body. Without thinking about it he draws him closer and embraces Merlin into a tight hug. Only now Arthur realises that he himself is holding back tears as well. The warlock needs a moment to realise what is happening and then returns the hug burrying his face in Arthurs shoulder. Nobody says anything for a while, the two friends just happy to finally have each other again. Arthur feels the trembling of his friends slowly ebbing away and a few moments later they slowly let go of each other. Merlin looks at him in confusion.
„Arthur!...how...when did you..." he stammers looking Arthur up and down as if he still does not believe it is really him.
„I woke up in the middle of nowhere only a couple of days ago. You can imagine my suprise finding out that I have been dead for 120 years..." Arthur says trying to make it sound funny but Merlins eyes turn sad and he looks down on the grass.
„I am sorry Arthur" he says very quietly but loud enough for Arthur to hear him.
„For what?" he asks confused. Merlin has done so much for me. What could he possibly feel sorry about?
„I...I couldn´t save you...I was not fast enough...maybe if I had reached the isle in time..."
„Merlin stop. There is nothing you could have done back then. And there is not a single thing you have to apologise for. Not to me." Arthur states and feels relieved when Merlin looks at him again, his eyes loosing some of their sadness.
„Dorothea told me quite a lot about what you have done for me." Both of the men look up at the girl standing a few meters away to give them some space. She is caressing Tonitrua and smiles in their direction when she hears her name called. Looking at Merlin her eyes turn apologetic as if to say someone had to tell him andMerlin smiles at her thankfully. Arthur stands up holding out a hand to Merlin helping him up on his feet.
„...and after what I have heard it should be me who is apologising. You have done so much for me without ever getting credit for it...I was such an idiot!...so many times I made fun of you for not being of any use when it comes to battle...never knowing that you could fight off an entire army without moving so much as a muscle..."
„That was not your fault!" Merlin interrupts him feeling the need to maintain his friends honor even though it was Arthur himself who was saying it.
„You did not know...you were not supposed to know...not at that time I mean..."
„Yeah because I might have told my father who would not have even thought twice before burning you on the pyre...and later on you had to fear that I might even do the same...I should have known better than that" Arthur says getting angry about himself.
„You need to give yourself more credit. I was born with magic...and I always knew that it could be used for good...it was an instinctive knowledge. You on the other hand were raised in the believe that only evil comes from magic and that every sorcerer in the land is plotting against you. Everything you ever saw of magic only reinforce that belief. And still you were open-minded enough to not let hatred conceal the truth. In your heart you always knew that there was more to magic than meets the eye."
Arthur is speechless. He had thought that Merlin would be going on about all the things he had done for him in all these years without anybody ever acknowledging it but instead he is defending him. Arthur is so stunned that he just sits there jaw dropped and not able to speak. After a while Dorothea comes to his rescue.
„I dont want to interrupt your sweet talk but I guess the whole city is waiting for the Great Warlock in anticipation. We should not let them wait any longer." Merlin and Arthur nod in unison and with that the three turn to walk back to Camelot, Tonitrua calmly following them in a few meters distance. After a few meters Arthur furrows his brows and slows down his pace falling back behind the others.
„How can you look like that after 120 years? I mean seriously...when I heard you are still alive I pictured you as an old frail cripple..." he says not noticing that the others continued walking without him.
„I guess that is the benefit of my immortality" Merlin shouts without turning around.
„Your WHAT now?" Arthur yells and starts running after them.
I hope you enjoyed this little chapter and it would make me really happy if I was able to lift at least a little bit of the sorrow about the series finale from you.
I think that I will be continuing this story but for the moment I have to learn since I am in the middle of the exam period.
If you enjoyed this chapter/story I would appreciate a review. Take care!
