Chapters might come less frequently for a while, but I promise I haven't abandoned this story. I don't own Merlin.
Arthur and Merlin ate as they walked, until their path took them within sight of the edge of the town. Then Merlin stowed the nearly empty bag of dried fruit, and they needed to move carefully. During the war, towns had become more insular, less sprawling and so rather than fade into the country around them, they now seemed to start suddenly. Roads that had once lead to cities and towns were now either barricaded or too mangled to use. The particular town Arthur and Merlin were avoiding was bordered at one part by a small cliff, and it was along the base of this that they walked. Below the edge of the town as they were, anyone watching would need to look almost straight downward to see them, and they kept close to the edge of the rock. As they passed the part closest to a building, they heard voices drifting down. The words were indistinct, but the tone was clearly that of complaint. Arthur moved to keep walking past, but Merlin stopped him and whispered a spell. The voices clarified.
"All I'm saying, is that I've seen the size of the camp in that valley, and there's not much point in resisting." The speaker's voice was deep and adamant.
"What, just give up?", a second voice, a woman's by the sound, asked.
"Or try and join them. Whatever it takes to finish this thing. I dunno about you, but I'm not sure what we're fighting for anymore.", deep-voice grumbled.
"Were you ever?" A new voice asked grimly, "I only ever wanted to protect the people needing protecting when the first fighting started, and all of a sudden I'm part of the newest army."
"Look, I'm all for ending the war," the woman said, "But I don't think surrendering or joining up's the way to do it! I've heard some of the other sides talking when we go scouting, and they're no happier than we are."
The third person to speak laughed, "What? We should try and make peace?"
"And why not? You said you don't know why we started fighting."
Deep-voice grunted, "Well, best of luck on your diplomatic mission, but until then, don't be surprised if you see me on the other side of the next skirmish. Wouldn't be surprised if they ate better too."
With that, the talk turned to food, and Arthur gestured to Merlin to press on. Merlin thought about what they'd heard. He was trying to remember what exactly the first conflicts of the war had been over, when they reached a narrow opening in the cliff. Arthur peered inside the gloom. The sun slanting in illuminated a tunnel which went slightly down and away from the town.
"This doesn't look like it'll take us past. It just look like it goes away."
Merlin shook his head and walked forward, "It branches a lot, there's a turn later on that will take us past and around the edge of the town. It's about the same distance as going around above ground, but less dangerous."
"And how are we going to see?"
"We'll use the torches again, here. If they're not bright enough I can, uh, cast a spell."
Each with a flashlight in hand (Arthur holding his cautiously), they started to walk through the craggy tunnels through the rock. They were quiet at first, concentrating on watching where they were going, but as they moved further and further in and the darkness pressed in around the flashlight beams, Merlin started to talk. He picked up his story and, since Arthur didn't stop him and his memory for details came and went, made it though about half the renaissance in the hours they spent in the caves. A few times they stopped, both to drink water and for Merlin to map out their path with magic, not to mention to provide themselves with respite from the endless walking.
But finally, the caves did come to an end and they emerged into a sizeable cavern partially lit by sunlight falling in thin beams to the floor. The farthest corner was in deep shadow, but other than that there was more than enough light to see by. Merlin slowed down as they entered, the cave felt off, something about the air was simultaneously stele, and rich with something he could not name. However, judging from the angle of the light, it was evening, and so Merlin pushed the thought to the back of his mind and got to work pulling out the food they'd need for dinner. Arthur sat down on a flat part of rock next to him.
"So what do we do from here?"
"It's about two days to Camelot from here, at least taking the safest route. I thought we'd set up camp and get an early start tomorrow."
Arthur rubbed his hands together absently, "Yes, but I mean once we get there. What do we do then?"
Merlin cleared his throat, "Well, uh, I'll have to check some of the papers I brought, but my main thought was to, well, I guess take stock of our position and, er, get a message out I suppose."
Arthur tried to meet Merlin's gaze, but the warlock kept his eyes on his rucksack, "Merlin, what's our plan?"
Merlin stood up, "You know, I should probably get some firewood. Why don't you get everything set up, and I'll be back in second?" He smiled, but not convincingly.
The area outside the cave wasn't very wooded. Merlin had to spend longer than he liked looking for wood and it put him on edge. More than once he thought he heard something, but it came from the west and whenever he glanced up to look, the setting sun got in his eyes. He convinced himself it was just and bird or a snake or some other animal.
When Merlin returned to the cave, Arthur was sitting with his shoulders slumped, "What's the point, Merlin?"
"What?"
"We're facing an entire country and we don't have a real plan, we don't have any knights or an army. And I've looked in your pack, we're running out of food. Even the stuff that comes in..." he gestured helplessly, "Those metal things."
Merlin set down the wood next to his sleeping bag, "We can still win. We can still end the war! You wouldn't have come back if there wasn't a good reason."
"How do you know? You've been here all this time and you still don't know what we should be doing!"
Merlin cast around for something to say, something about the darkened corner was making it hard to think, "You heard those soldiers we passed, they don't like the war, they want it to stop as much as we do. All the armies need is someone to unite them."
"Really? Unite them how?"
"You know..." the corner was tugging at him, wanting him to move, "Cast down the evil, bring back justice and peace."
"There's no evil this time Merlin. And even if there were, I don't have anything to cast it down with."
But Merlin barely heard him. There was something in that corner and, conjuring a flame in his hand, he walked past Arthur and straight towards it. There was a rough, eroded, moss covered stone there. Merlin increased the size of the flame and peered more closely at it, ignoring Arthur's confused and annoyed remarks behind him. The stone was roughly circular at the top, supported by other pieces of rock rather like... Merlin backed up and turned slowly in a circle, taking in everything again.
"This isn't a cave," he whispered, "This... This is what's left of the Castle of the Ancient Kings."
"What are you- "
Merlin shushed him, "Can't you hear it?"
"Merlin if you say woodworm..."
"No! There's something there, around the table."
Merlin waved off Arthur's next remark and closed his eyes. He could feel it, around what was left of the table, miraculously still around after all these years. There was something... six somethings there, just on the other side of truly being present. When Merlin opened his eyes, they were blazing. Without know what he was doing, a spell began to spill out of his mouth. The air around them hummed and the somethings began to fade into view. Not somethings, someones! Their friends, looking no older than the last time Arthur had seen them, were slowing forming before their eyes. Elyan came first, then Gaius, Gwen, Percival, Leon, Gwaine. Merlin stumbled back as the magic filling the room released him and he lapsed into silence, his mind racing. Arthur for his part was staring awestruck. Gwen was almost fully present, and Arthur was starting to move forward. Merlin grabbed his arms, talking quickly.
"Arthur! Arthur listen, they're not really back like you are. They - they won't age, or stay, or..." Arthur was pulling free, "They're just borrowed!"
But Arthur wasn't listening. He pelted forward and, as Gwen faded into full solidity and looked up, swept her into a tight hug.
As usual thanks for reading and please review if you have any thoughts or feedback, it means a lot to hear from people who read this.
