Fun Fact: while writing this, I found myself accidentally talking about a conversation between Melvin and Gains. Thank you autocorrect.

I don't own Merlin.


"If you're hearing this, I have an invitation for you. We're all tired, we're all worried, we all want this fighting to stop. If you're ready for peace, ready to make it happen, come to the coordinates at the end of this message. But, before you make up your minds too quickly, try and think - what are you fighting for? My name is Arthur. I've seen what happens when a country doesn't work together, and I've seen how much better things are when it does. If you come, you're not coming to fight. I hope to see you there."

The message had been broadcasting on repeat all evening and through the night, followed by the latitude and longitude of Camelot's former location, spoken by Merlin. After setting the message to broadcast, they'd stayed in the town for the night planning to go to Camelot the next morning. Merlin had been tired from his sleepless night, but he still hadn't fallen asleep right away. The more he felt comfortable with the others, the more he was reminded of the distance between them. Though he felt selfish admitting it, he missed when just he and Arthur had been making this journey. At least Arthur would speak directly to him then.

In the morning, Merlin outlined their path for the day while he and Arthur ate breakfast. They'd rummaged throughout the grocery store last night to replenish their food supplies, and they'd even found some wild berry bushes on their way there, which made a nice change from the dried fruit they'd had until that point. Everyone watched as Merlin drew a rough map in the dust on the floor.

"We're here," a dot, "and Camelot is here," another dot, not quite in line with the first, "We could follow an abandoned road, but that would take us like this," he made a line connecting the two dots with an arc, "So instead, I think that we should go through tunnels that will take us in a much straighter line. Assuming they're not caved in. But even if they are, I can probably clear them."

"Alright, but what do we do once we get there?" Gwaine asked, popping one of Arthur's blackberries into his mouth.

"Hey!" Arthur hit him.

"You don't even need to eat," Elyan said, smiling.

Gwaine shrugged. "I can still taste."

Gwen cleared her throat. "I believe we were discussing our plan. Merlin?"

"Oh, right, when we get there... Well, we wait, and hope people show up."

"And if they do?" Gaius asked.

"Then we can talk to them, arrange discussions between them."

"That's a good start, but it's unlikely that everyone will be ready to lay down arms immediately," Gwen reasoned. "We should be prepared to fight, if we need to."

"That's a good point, but we are offering an end to the fighting," Leon said. "Mightn't they be unwilling to follow us if we need them to battle?"

Merlin cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well I was planning on Arthur convincing them," Merlin looked over at him.

Arthur looked back at him and answered levelly, "I'll try, it's a good enough plan."

"Good," Merlin hesitated. "There's something I should tell you. Camelot... well, we're going to the same place, but, er, there's not exactly a castle there anymore. There's not exactly anything there anymore."

He waited, unsure of what to expect in reaction. There was a moment's pause, then Gwaine said, "Well, that won't stop us meeting there will it?"

"Alright, good." Merlin nodded and stood up and brushed off his hands. "Well then, we should pack up."

They left the town cautiously, and were soon back in fields similar to those they'd walked through the day before. Merlin had pointed out the direction they needed to go, but the path was clear enough that he didn't need to take the lead. He walked toward the back of the group with Gaius.

"The plan will work, won't it?"

"It will be fine," Gaius assured him. "I'm more worried about you."

Merlin glanced at him, surprised. "What? Why?"

"I expect you've done quite a bit of travelling in your time, Merlin, and I don't think there are many places you'd avoid. But, if you haven't been to Camelot since we lived there, I'm concerned about your reasoning."

Merlin swallowed. "I just didn't want to be reminded of..." he glanced ahead for a moment, "of all of you. But, I'll be fine Gaius."

Gaius regarded him carefully. "I see."

"But there is something I want to talk to you about. There's a lot that's been happening that I can't understand."

"Oh? In what way?"

"Well, first, I woke up the morning after Arthur came back, and I was like this. I came across a strange presence that Arthur seemed oblivious to, and your..." Merlin struggled to find the right words, "...spirits, I guess, were waiting around the table. I can't understand."

Gains raised his eyebrows, "There's no precedence for any of this?"

"Not that I can remember. There's something else, I keep getting the sense that there's something... stirring, I suppose. And, Gaius, I don't know why the war started."

Gaius nodded slowly. "I'm afraid I don't have much that I can help you with Merlin. But it certainly all sounds heavily steeped in magic."

"Yes..." Merlin's brow furrowed.

"Is there someone else you can ask about this, other sorcerers perhaps?"

Merlin pulled himself away from the idea he'd just had. "Uh, no, there hasn't been anyone else who can use magic for a long time, so I can't ask anyone. And as for Arthur..."

They had reached the tunnels by this point and they had to duck low to enter. Merlin pulled out his flashlight, glad to see that Arthur had done the same and was turning it on with some hesitation. Once inside, the tunnels were just tall enough to stand up in and the group moved forward at a slow pace.

Gaius resumed the conversation, "And how has our erstwhile king been?"

"Mostly alright." Merlin looked ahead, watching Arthur, who was speaking quietly with Gwen. "I- I think he's getting use to knowing that I have magic, Gaius. Knowing who I actually am."

Gaius looked at Merlin, but didn't speak.

"Sometimes I worried that he wasn't- that he didn't want to come back. I didn't do anything to resurrect him, he just came back, but... I just hope he doesn't blame me."

"Merlin, I'm- What's this, why are they stopping?"

They'd just come around a slight bend, and the others had pulled up short.

"Merlin..." Arthur spoke quietly, but annoyance was creeping into his tone. "Would you care to explain this?"


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