Author's note: I started this story in 2017, during a time in my life when I was very uncertain about my future. Some three and a half years later, I'm no more certain about my life, but I'm happy to bring this tale about endings to an end. I had many adventures and ample distractions in between, and looking back I realize that I picked up some plot threads in this tale only to lose them in a basket of other stray ideas.

When I killed off Gwen's servant, it was my intention to have Marissa worm her way into the castle and take her place. During the nearly ten months it took me to get back writing this, I forgot that was my plan. I also had always intended to bring Percival back for an encore performance, but I never found the right place for him. Anyway, we're past all that now. This is the ending to the story I wrote.

Thank you to anyone who has read this far, especially if you waited three years to get here. Knowing that you've come along for this ride brought me great joy.

IOIOIOIOIOI

When the flames that had seemed almost out licked the base of the castle once more, and Merlin still had not returned, Gwen left George in Gaius' care and trudged through the brush at the edge of the forest, all the way around the castle to where she knew a tunnel from the cells let out into a ravine. She had hoped to see Merlin there, safe from the relentless fire.

What she saw instead was much stranger. Smoke billowed up from the tunnel, and it looked very much like the silhouette of a man walking towards her. Merlin was slumped over the man's shoulder.

Merlin muttered, "Arthur, put me down. I said I'm fine."

"Arthur?" Gwen said. The figure dropped Merlin, not entirely gently, and stared at her. It was Arthur – she could see him now, swirling into focus.

"Guinevere," he said. Gwen loved the sound of his voice. The foul-tasting potion Gaius had provided her the night before was worth it, even just for one word from Arthur.

They slowly approached each other, trying to breach almost a decade of being separated by the boundary of death. Guinevere hesitantly reached up to touch Arthur's face, worried that she would be touching only moonlight, but his jaw was solid beneath her fingertips.

"I've missed you so much," she said.

"And I you," Arthur said. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here. I would've given anything –"

"I know," Gwen said. She leaned in, and they kissed. Gwen knew Arthur was not really there, not in the same way that she was, but the kiss felt like every other one they had ever shared.

There were too many things to say, so for a long moment, they didn't say anything at all. When Arthur finally spoke, he said, "I can't stay here."

"But I've just found you," Gwen said.

Distant shouts carried over from the field in front of the castle. The fire was back in full force. Merlin looked from the smoke to Arthur and did not know what to do.

Gaius appeared then, trundling over the uneven terrain. George walked in front of him, swatting plants and rocks with a fine stick he had found. He looked up, smiled, and said, "father!"

George ran to Arthur and hugged his legs. Gwen started crying then – tears of joy – and for a moment they were a family.

Leon had come too, escorting Adrian. The knight looked more than a little confused about what was happening, and found himself staring at distinct patch of nothing that had every else's attention.

"You need some help, Emrys," Adrian said. "I think if we do the spell together, we may be able to put out the fire." He came to stand by Merlin and they spoke together. The fire fizzled out, for good this time. When the work was done, Leon took Adrian by the arm and lead him away. As they left, Leon turned to Gwen and said, "My lady," and then, to the spot that looked like nothing but was certainly something, he added, "My king."

Gaius handed the horn of Cathbadh to George.

"It's time to go now, isn't it?" Arthur asked.

Merlin nodded.

Gwen clasped Arthur's hand. "I will always remember this: all of us standing here together, as a family. Goodbye, Arthur."

"Until later, Guinevere," Arthur said. He took a step back and tried to smile, but he was not all happy to be leaving his family again. He said, "George, be brave and be strong, but most of all be kind."

The boy nodded and lifted the horn to his lips. Something swirled around Arthur, and they all felt him going.

"And Merlin," Arthur said, "Don't be an idiot."

When he left, the world felt different, though no one could say exactly how.

IOIOIOIOIOI

The fall equinox was a sunny day, if a little chilly. Merlin could not say exactly why he had come to the great stone circle. He had not brought George or the horn of Cathbadh, so there would be no seeing Arthur. Still, it felt good knowing that Arthur was, in a way, nearby. If Merlin spoke, maybe Arthur would hear him.

Merlin hung just on the edge of the circle, under one of the great arches. He said, "They've just finished repairs to the castle. Between Marissa and the fire, there was a good bit of damage. It looks great now. The builders said the castle should stand for hundreds of years to come."

Merlin took another step closer. He saw only grass swaying in the wind.

"Gwen pardoned Adrian, the druid boy from the cells. He lives in the citadel now, and helps Gaius with his daily work. Sometimes he goes on quests with the knights. He and Sir Tristan get along great. Sir Galahad is surely outnumbered now.

"Leon is well. Guinevere is well, too. She misses you, but she has seemed happier of late. George is doing well in his lessons with me, and his training with the knights. They have him using a real sword now."

Merlin took another step.

"It's been quiet since you left. No attacks, or fires, or other disasters. Honestly, I think Camelot is a lot better off without you, Arthur. You're just a magnet for trouble."

"Shut up, Merlin."

Merlin was not sure if he'd really heard it, or if it was a trick of the wind. He moved squarely into the circle, and he saw Arthur there, looking like his kingly self.

"Really most of the time, I think you're the one who causes the trouble."

"Do not," Merlin said.

Arthur gave a toothy smile. "Can you hear me?"

"Can see you, too, so you ought to wipe that dumb look off your face."

"Is that any way to talk to your king?" Arthur asked. "I thought you needed to be a blood relative and have that horn to talk to the dead."

Merlin shrugged. "I guess there are some perks to being the most powerful sorcerer to have ever lived."

"I wouldn't say you're the most powerful," Arthur said. "I mean, you're alright, I guess, but you couldn't even put out that fire by yourself."

"The fire that you started," Merlin said.

"Fair point," Arthur said. Then, "Tell me more about Camelot."

They talked and laughed, and Merlin did not know how much time passed. This place was thin, and time or life or death seemed to have little impact. Here they were, the king and his servant, as they always had been and always would be.