The Doctor had no idea if his theory would work; after all, he wasn't perfect in his knowledge of magic. He had only learned of it the day before. But he was excited at the prospect of being able to bring people back from the dead, even if it may disrupt the "natural order" of things. In his mind, there wasn't a set "natural order". Nature evolved, and those evolutions expanded its horizons. This was just another step in the evolution of the universe.
Merlin, however, didn't look as sure as the Doctor felt.
"I dunno, Doctor, I mean, people die for a reason, don't they?"
"Maybe, but maybe this knowledge and magic was bestowed to us for a reason, eh? Ever considered that?" Merlin just stared at him. "Maybe you were born with magic as a part of your very being for a reason, and maybe this is part of the reason."
"Maybe, but Kilgharrah said that Arthur would rise again when Albion's need is greatest. That is set in stone, as it was told as prophecy among the practitioners of the Old Religion pretty much since the beginning of time itself. I don't think we should interfere." Merlin sighed, putting his face in his hands. "Arthur is going to get a second chance at life, and that appears to be the will of a higher power. That higher power hasn't granted anyone else second life, so maybe their deaths were for the greater good." The Doctor thought on his words, almost convinced, but his excitement at his discovery refused to abate. He dissected every word of the prophecy Merlin recited to him, trying to riddle out how this new knowledge factored into it.
Then, it dawned on him.
"Maybe Arthur gets a second chance through you," the Doctor exclaimed. Merlin gave him that confused look that had become all too common along their short time together. "I mean, maybe this knowledge was given to us at this time by this so called 'higher power'," the Doctor drew air quotes around the phrase, "because you are Arthur's chance. Maybe you are meant to raise him from the dead, maybe something's about to happen." The Doctor gazed beseechingly at Merlin. "Please, let's just try."
Merlin thought for a moment, his blue eyes dark and stormy as he considered the proposal. He fiddled with the edge of his jacket, ran his hands across his face, combed through his hair with his fingers. Then, he became still as he looked to the Doctor, a fiery determination in his eyes.
"All right," he acquiesced, straightening his posture, "We'll try." The Doctor grinned.
"Brilliant."
"How are we going to do it?" Merlin inquired, as the Doctor scrambled haphazardly about the TARDIS, punching in coordinates and pulling levers as he prepared to take them back to the Lake of Avalon.
"Well, I'm sure it will be exhausting. For you." Merlin rolled his eyes. "But, we'll be hooking you up to the TARDIS core, which holds an infinite amount of power, which you can draw upon as you please. Incant the spelly thing, and bam, dead friend not dead anymore." Merlin nodded, staring at his hands. The Doctor tried to sound sure of the theory, for Merlin's sake, but in truth, he had no idea what it would do to him. He felt guilty for using him in this way, and, he had to admit, it was partially selfish. If he could do something like this, have it work, he could fix so many lives he had ruined. He could restore Gallifrey, he could reunite families, he could repair his conscience, little by little. He wouldn't have to live in this mental pit any longer, this endless darkness that just kept getting darker.
He shook such thoughts from his mind as he pulled the final lever. The TARDIS whirred and wheezed, and began to hurtle back to Earth. Before too long, Merlin and the Doctor felt the TARDIS land with a gentle thump, and the sound of people chattering outside the doors. Merlin and the Doctor exchanged perplexed glances: no one but Merlin seemed to visit the Lake of Avalon, and it sounded like a crowd made up of hundreds milled around outside.
The Doctor approached the door first, and rested a hand on the knob, looking back at Merlin. Merlin nodded his assent, and the Doctor pushed the door open to meet a solid brick wall. The Doctor scraped off a crumbling bit onto his finger, and promptly licked it. He tasted ancient mortar, and brick directly made from stone bits mined from a 1500's quarry.
He went back to his controls, ignoring the disgusted look on Merlin's face, and turned the TARDIS around. When he opened the doors once more, they saw they were in an alley leading off from a market square. Laughter sounded, coins jingled, and conversation permeated the air. Merlin turned to the Doctor.
"You missed." The Doctor glared at Merlin, and stepped out of the TARDIS,
"I did not miss," the Doctor sniffed. "They make excellent raisin bread in the 1500's and I haven't had lunch yet. I'm exactly where I want to be." That was a complete lie, of course, but the raisin bread was excellent. He dug around in his coat pockets until he unearthed a silver and two coppers. That should be enough to buy him one loaf.
He set off, Merlin close behind, seeking out the raisin bread stand that was always so popular in markets such as this. They found themselves meandering, idly looking at the goods on sale, and chatting with some interesting people. Yes, people did actually speak the way they did in Romeo and Juliet, eloquent and thorough. Merlin seemed to make it a point to talk to everyone they came across. He asked them about their lives, about the wares they were selling.
"Why are you talking to everyone?" the Doctor asked, after Merlin finished laughing at a joke from the local tavern keeper.
"I was in Africa, for some time off, you know. I was sorely bored of sitting by that lake and needed a break. I want to learn what I can while I'm here." The Doctor nodded. After about 10 minutes of wandering, they smelled raisin bread on the air, and hurried toward it. When they arrived at the stand, they found a lengthy line waiting for them, and they grudgingly took their place at the end of it. The longer they stood there, the more confused and bewildered looks they received.
"Curses! We forgot to change," the Doctor growled. Merlin looked down at his apparel, embarrassed. Eventually, he took off his leather jacket, for he was receiving nasty looks from the poorer members of the population. He attempted to tie it around his waist, when someone came up behind him and snatched it away. They both whirled about to see a woman standing there, inspecting the jacket, running her fingers over the zipper and toying with the clasps on the pockets.
She was rather pretty, with fiery red hair and ice blue eyes that sparkled as the looked up through her long eyelashes at Merlin.
"'Tis a rather fine garment thou hast found thyself in possession of, my good sir," she observed, staring at Merlin. Merlin looked like a deer in headlights, and the Doctor attempted to control himself before he busted out laughing.
"Indeed, m-my lady," stuttered Merlin, twisting his fingers around the hem of his shirt.
"It compliments thee amazingly well, though thou wouldst be comely still, even when wrapped in rags, and the sky weeps, leaving droplets upon thy lashes and shimmering upon thy head, even then would you be fruit unto mine eyes." Merlin seemed completely taken aback by the Shakespearean flirting, completely struck dumb, his mouth hanging open, hands reaching toward his jacket, which was still in the girl's hands. The Doctor could not help snorting at the fear in his eyes. Merlin glared at him, and he quickly clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle his mirth.
"Th-thy compliments are much appreciated miss," Merlin finally forced out, struggling over the elaborate speech. "But my heart belongs to another, and if I were to respond in kind, I would be soiling her honor as well as mine." The girl's eyes widened in shame, and she shyly handed Merlin his jacket.
"My apologies, sir," she mumbled.
"Your apology is accepted," Merlin said, zipping up his jacket. "But do not be ashamed. I am sure you will make a man very happy someday." The girl smiled appreciatively, and hurried away. It was when Merlin sagged in relief that the Doctor let out a great howl of laughter, slapping him on the shoulder.
"That was beautiful," he gasped, wiping tears from his eyes. "You could have fried an egg on your face, mate."
"Shut up."
Before too long, they reached the front of the line, the Doctor paid for the bread, and they were breaking off pieces as they headed back to the TARDIS. Merlin kept his eyes fixed on the ground, as if he were hoping not to attract any more attention, so the Doctor just spoke to the back of his head. This was all well and good, but then Merlin stopped suddenly in a small courtyard, causing the Doctor to slam into him.
"Oi, watch it! A little forewarning before you slam on the breaks would be nice." Merlin pointed to the rim of the courtyard, where what looked like a palace guard had a young boy by the shirt. The boy looked to be about 12, with shaggy brown hair, and filthy clothing that hung off his gaunt frame. In his hands, he clutched a single bright red apple, which was ripped from him by the guard. The guard tossed the boy to the ground, and his cry of pain could be heard from their position.
The Doctor felt anger rising within him as the guard kicked the boy aside, and yelled at him to be gone. He clenched his fists as the guard smacked the boy across the face when the boy started to beg. He looked to Merlin to gauge his reaction, and his own anger gave way to fear at the murderous rage displayed in him. Merlin looked to the Doctor, the Doctor nodded, and they strode as one across the square to where the guard stood over the cowering boy.
"Oi! You!" The Doctor called. The guard looked up, annoyance flashing across his features. "Yeah, the barmy in the chainmail!" Merlin and the Doctor drew closer until the Doctor could almost smell the reek coming off the man. Nevermind, he could smell it, and that alone almost dissuaded him from acting on his emotions. "If you're going to beat on children, the least you could do is wash up once in a while, because WHOO!" the Doctor fanned a hand in front of his nose. "You are just a walking, talking skunkweed." A small giggle escaped the boy from the floor, and the Doctor smiled as wide as he could and knelt on the ground next to him.
"Stand ye away from the thief!" yelled the guard suddenly, advancing upon the Doctor. He reeled away from the needle-like point of his épée, his vision tunneling onto the shining silver point. He scooted away frantically, but the guard followed.
"All right, all right! I am now a good ten feet away from your 'thief'. Could you please remove the metal stick?" the Doctor pleaded as his back slammed into a wall.
"That may be so, but thy grave insults cannot be pardoned," the guard pushed his weapon up under his chin, "accept with your death." Suddenly, a voice rang out, the Doctor's saving grace.
"Away, thou most notable coward, thou infinite and endless liar, thou hourly promise breaker, the owner of no one good quality!" Merlin was now shouting at the top of his lungs, startling the guard. The guard whirled about so quickly, his épée left a shallow, stinging cut in the Doctor's neck. He put a hand to the wound and looked about toward Merlin, who was glaring daggers at the guard, and whose hands were fisted by his sides.
"Such insolence! Dost thou wish for the cold hands of death to enclose thy throat?" the guard roared, stretching forth his weapon.
"Er… yes?" Merlin ventured. The Doctor sighed in incredulity, raising his eyebrows. Merlin shrugged at him.
"And so it shall be," the guard said, taking the proper dueling stance, holding his
épée vertically in front of his face, and spreading his legs until they were shoulder-width apart.
The Doctor nervously straightened his bowtie, eyes still on Merlin.
He didn't seem to have a weapon, nor did he seem afraid. Then again, why would he be? He could take this man apart with less than one blow. But discretion was key to surviving in a different time. If he used magic here, then the knowledge of such power would create massive ripples in the time-space continuum, obsessing people that shouldn't be obsessed, and creating new, twisted pathways through the minds of men. The Doctor tried to convey this by shaking his head vigorously, and Merlin nodded in return.
Instead, he did something the Doctor never saw coming.
He put a hand inside of this leather jacket, and slowly drew out a medieval sword twice
the length of his arm. There was a blue gem set into the pommel, and the pommel itself seemed to be made of what looked like bronze, yet the blade gleamed like sunlight, throwing rays of light off of its razor edges. The guard's épée looked like a toothpick compared to the weapon of war Merlin held.
Merlin imitated the guard's dueling stance, and smiled at the fear painted across his face. The guard refused to back down, however, gripping his épée so tightly, it whitened his knuckles. He made the first move, darting at Merlin with the speed and grace of years of military training, raising his weapon as he went. Merlin stood his ground, a steely glint in his eye as he advanced on him. He easily blocked the guard's blow, and stepped out of his path, causing him to stumble over himself.
He got to his feet quickly, and managed to regain his footing, but by this time, Merlin had the upper hand. He hounded mercilessly upon the cowering soldier, exchanging blow after blow, sometimes slicing at his head, others by his knees, moving so gracefully, it almost seemed more like a dance than a duel.
It was the most amazing display of swordsmanship the Doctor had ever seen, and he had warred with many a species for earth, some of which had been wielding blades since the beginning of their lives.
Merlin ducked under the guard's blade, at the same time swiping his foot under the guard's legs, causing him to buckle. He swung his épée limply when on his knees, and Merlin deflected the blow, snapping the weapon in half, kicking away the point, and planting his foot into the guard's chest. Merlin pushed the point of his sword to his throat, eliciting a gasp of horror. He held it there for a moment to make clear his point, then backed away, speared the apple that had fallen to the ground, and took it in his hands. He gave the fruit to the little boy, who was still on the ground. He stared at Merlin, wonder in his wide eyes, then got to his feet and took off running, probably to spread the word about what had transpired.
The Doctor stared at Merlin for a moment, processing what had happened. He wasn't done doing so when shouts began to rise from the market square, so he filed it away for later contemplation.
"We'd better go," the Doctor said, resting a hand on Merlin's shoulder. "If we stay, they'll either try and make you king or, you know, kill you." Merlin nodded, replacing the sword inside of his jacket. Apparently, Merlin had a TARDIS-like leather jacket, and he started thinking up diagrams and equations, but stuffed it away as he and Merlin made for the TARDIS.
*A thin sword, think The Princess Bride