Few days past with Iseldir waking him up before first light. Settling down in a clearing and guiding him. Teaching him to breathe, to straighten his back, and to relax his body. It's difficult for the first few times. Attempting and failing to get relaxed enough. When he does unclench his muscles, the magic around him hums. Crashing as waves against wobbling rocks. A rushing stream that cannot be stopped.
Merlin gasps, dizzy and spinning. He felt his grip slipping, nearly being carried away to the bottomless ocean. Iseldir exhale is prolonged, standing up. "We should try again another day. I can't figure out why that is happening, but If it's anything like I think it is, then we'll need more help than I thought."
He sees the sun shining directly above them. Had it really been that drawn out? It only felt as if minutes passed, and yet an eternity struggling to stay afloat. "Yeah, Sure. We can do that." Merlin gets helped to his feet, swaying in the breeze. The onslaught of the water a background noise, now slipping away as he comes back to reality.
"If you don't mind, could you tell them that Dwarfs are coming? I don't want them to be unprepared when they come."
"Dwarfs? Are they arriving soon?"
"In the next day or so, yes."
The man chuckles, and the boy regards him in slight bewilderment. He hasn't heard that man laugh before, and it wasn't as much of a laugh as it was small puffs of air.
"Oh Emrys, you keep surprising me. It has been said among the druids that there are other, older creatures of magic that had roamed the earth. Long before man. Some say they are closer to beasts than humans." The druid leader shoulders straighten in a rigid line, disquieted.
"They are similar to us but have unchangeable differences. Just like how our magic cannot be separated from our body. They aren't animals, not in that sense. They are civil, kind, even."
"It is alright Emrys. I am not afraid." The warmth of his palm seeps into the fabric of his shirt. " You have done so much for us. I trust your judgment. Come. I'm sure the druids would be delighted to see you again."
The feeling of his body being dragged across the ground, inch by inch. He groans, squeezing his eyes closed. Rolling onto his side because being dragged on his back is uncomfortable. The last thought in his head as he drifts back to sleep is: I am not dealing with being kidnapped, or whatever is happening, right now.
Then waking back up is blissful. Soft and silky sheets and fluffy padding beneath him. It reminds him of the mattress he used to have in his cabin. A Tempurpedic mattress or something of the like, super comfortable and something he never wanted to leave.
He snaps awake. Ridged, and recollecting. To be greeted with thousands of beady, black ogling creatures with green skin. He screams, unnecessarily and panic leaping up into his throat, throwing himself off the bed.
It doesn't get him away from the thousands of small, muscular, and long-nosed beings standing in his room, on nearly everything, to watch him. Patient, watchful, and… laughing at him? Merlin takes a breath, calming down the frantic beating of his heart and resisting the urge to yell at them.
His voice is rather lax but undeniably sarcastic. "You know, I feel like I should launch you out the window. But that would be rude. Like standing in a strangers bedroom. How about: Oh sir! Can I come into your bedroom? I might have said: Why not? But no."
They continue to stare, adamantly waiting. He sighs. The room is completely changed from when he last saw it. He's actually laying on a small, but comfortable mattress. Held aloft with intricate, twisting branches for legs. Picking himself off of the floor and onto his bed, resting his chin in the palm of his hand to look at them.
A raised brow prompts one climb up the bed as if it were nothing, despite being the size of his hand. It stands close next to his thigh and stares up at him. Up close, he notices that the ears are pointed and that they have swamp green complexion. The black of their eyes covers it entirely.
When it speaks, it's a low gurgling croak. Hard to tell if it was a boy or a girl in tone, but a sort of groveling tilt. "Sire, we simply give you gift. Hopeful of all of us, to join you're Kingdom."
They way they speak is odd, as if they don't know how to properly speak. He doesn't think he's ever seen this type of creature in his life. Either they are really good at hiding or had quickly gone extinct. Many creatures have died off because magic was being drained from the world.
"Tell me about you. I want to know what you are, and why you wished to be here." It bobs as if expecting this.
"Yes! We are Wobilnock. At your service! All want to service in great Kingdom. Rich Kingdoms. As this will be. Rich in magic, with Emrys! King Emrys!" The other's bob in agreement, a tinge of excitement rippling through them.
"We ask to serve! And- to be in rich Kingdom. It what we live for! Bring us much joy, to give joy in others." He frowns at their earnest expressions. Showing nothing but the truth. Not even his magic could feel any ill intent. If this was truly the case, then no wonder why they went extinct.
It's not as if he could turn them down. Not really. Not with the way they are all looking at him with big, hopeful eyes.
"Fine," Merlin sighs and jumps at the sudden roaring of cheering around him. They're all hugging and celebrating. Before he knows it, half of the room has vanished, and then all of them have simply… disappeared. Except for the one grinning up at him by his side.
"Thank Emrys! Wobilnock grateful! Will serve you well!" Then it's face pulls down, serious. "Wobilnocks take care of Emrys. Will get Kingly clothes, baths! Food! Emrys will not need worry.¨
He holds out a hand before It could hop off the bed, ¨I… really don't want to be pampered. I can take care of myself, and I don't need fancy clothes. Just… keep it simple? I´m not going to be above everyone else.¨
The expression on Its face grows dark. "King are above everyone else. King help rule, and serve people. We Wobilnocks serve King, so King isn't too stress."
¨I get that, but in the end, I'm born the same as everyone else. I don't need special treatment.¨
It doesn't give a rebuttal, staring blankly at his face. He almost thinks that It didn't understand him if it weren't for the furrowing of grey brows.
¨King get better treat-meant.¨ Stumbling over the complex word, but set as a statement. Then it waves and jumps off the bed before he can stutter out a no. ¨King no worry. Wobilnock take better care of King then King can.¨
When he goes to look for it, the green figure is already gone. Merlin is getting really frustrated with beings constantly disappearing from the conversation.
That day he didn't get a chance to hunt them down, for the Dwarfs had arrived at his Castle with the guidance of Grettir. The druids, at seeing Grettir lead the Dwarfs to the castle, politely moved away. Yet they watched from the sidelines, clutching each other.
Merlin made sure to greet Thomdeg with his best-winning smile. Even as his people dragged large carts full of stone, tools, and a cart full of leather bags. Some of the druids frowned at last cart.
"Thomdeg! I'm glad you made it. Was it a safe trip?"
He grunts, setting down his cart and groaning as he stretches. "Nothing we can't handle, ain't that right!"
The others being him give a warbled sound of agreement. Thomdeg crosses his arms and stares at the Castle behind Merlin with a cutting stare.
"This is what's become of our Creation? Hmmf." He startles the hot by marching to it, leading expectantly. Merlin glances to the lingering group of Dwarfs.
They've already made themselves comfortable on the ground or on the carts; uneasy glances coming from both sides until Carey smacks the side of Aglan's head. Scolding him for starting and telling them all to, "Go talk to them you flock of chickens!"
Sheepishly, the druids do start to move forward and to introduce themselves. They take it with some hesitation but greet each other amicably. Merlin is terribly grateful for that old women.
When he turns around, the red-bearded man is gone. He's waiting a little bit away, scowling at him, tapping his foot. Merlin hurries to his side.
"Sorry. I wanted to make sure everyone is comfortable." This smooths out the harshness in his face slightly, but he briskly marches towards the tower.
"We'll fix this place right up for you. Not a bad repair job, from what I can tell from here." Gnarled fingernails scratch his chin. "We'll take a look at it. I can tell you what we're goin' to do, but can't share details. Building is our secret, and we keep it that way."
"Sure, but, you said that you would 'build a proper kingdom?'"
A hand smacks his shoulder, and he nearly falls from it if it weren't for that same hand grabbing his shirt and pulling him back to his feet. "Eh. Yeah. I'm helping you. You tell me specific things you want, I'll see if its a good idea."
Merlin steadies himself with a small breath. "Alright. How should we do this?"
"I inspect, and you talk."
The inspection passed fairly quickly. Merlin had a few ideas from the modern era that Thomdeg listened too. Thoughtfully humming to most answers, but not necessarily turning them down. Once he was done, they returned to the outside, suggesting ideas for what the city could be like.
It was hard to translate ideas into terms that he could understand, if not completely have them go over his head with the words he uses. A thing like a plane could frighten others, and that's the last thing he wants to do. There are things from the future that he would really like to use and incorporate into his kingdom. Yet if he pushes too far, people could call him insane. It's not too far off from the truth but he can't have other kingdoms go against him. All such little politics he's had the 'delight' of learning from royal families over the centuries.
It's times like this where he aches; a bone-deep hurt that never goes away. Some time periods he misses, wishing to stay there forever; others he never wishes would come to past. More often than not, it was the latter. It's the reason he's even trying at all.
Now that he thinks of it after his mother died, a terrible plague swept over the land. Kingdoms of thousands would go quiet overnight. He did his best to help since he could not be hurt, yet the inky, black blood that spilled from their orifices and too easily become gas in the air. Nothing could stop it.
Humans became lucky, he thinks. Those who had been in villages far away from populated areas had lived, as long as no one traveled. There had only been a few hundred people left when the disease had died out.
He sighs. Maybe, if he does things right this time, he could prevent that from happening. He feels it, something that he knows without words. To maybe… even meet someone important. Someone more important than the sun rising in the morning, or the gravity that pulls the tides of the sea.
In a blink, the sun has created below the horizon, and he's alone. Thomdeg had agreed to think over his suggestions, then left to make sure his people were ok. The world is so quiet, not even wind was stirring. Maybe if he thinks a little harder, the memories will return to him. It's not the first time he's tried to grip onto sand that slips through his fingers.
Again, he can't help but wonder what happened. Was it magic? The essence of the world taken away that caused such fiendish actions against family? Or is it something thatś inevitable?
A low, erratic thumping of his chest. Tendrils of pain spreading and crushing his lungs. He needs to get to Kilgharrah. Even as he runs- without direction- he thinks. Suddenly everything that he's done is worthless. Every step he took. Every life that he's taken under his wing, has died. Will die. That is one thing that has always been inevitable. He will once again watch the world rot and turn to ruin. And he will be alone.
¨Merlinnnn...´
The tears and sweat on his body become apparent as the sudden wind dries them. A shudder so terrible racks his body that he collapses to his knees. It won't stop. He can't still the trembling of his hands and legs, as if he was preparing to run away from reality. All he wants to do is scream. He can't. He won't.
"Breathe Merlin. You'll be alright."
He gasps, dizzy and counting out loud with the brief air. "One, two, three…" Repeating, breathing, and counting until the screams in his eardrums are a little less dim. Until the light around him doesn't burn his eyelids as much.
He wants to tear off his skin so that he can't feel anything anymore, not the raw rubbing of clothes against his skin, the piercing sharpness of scales surrounding him, the burning sun that will turn him into a crisp.
"Breathe, Merlin." He gasps again, muttering clenching and releasing his muscles. The adrenaline fizzing away. Leaving only bone-deep exhaustion that entices him to sleep mid-day. Skull empty of thought or feeling.
"Are you with us?" He struggles to glance up toward the light but sees Kilagharrah calmly staring at him. The boy sighed, pressing his clammy hands to wet cheeks. "Sorry." A strained croak.
"You have nothing to apologize for. Burdens for those carrying them have a price. Rest, take a moment to gather yourself. I will watch over you."
Yet Merlin doesn't rest. All he can do is have a blank mind from the panic that prevents him from thinking too hard. To be painfully aware of the world around him, as if he was a cornered animal. Unknowingly, and even with Kilgharrah best efforts, the trees turned to early autumn. Nearly a month early.
The dragon worries over his little charge. Even if this man is a child right now, and even if he is Emrys, his mind is hanging together by a thread and needles. He fears the day Emry's unravels, but time will come when he will find his other half. Till then, he will do his best to keep him together.