"There is a place far, far beyond;
A place of liberty with a shiny dawn;
'Tis the future, and the pass is the key;
To set the flame of heaven free;
Where we lie and die in peace;
And make history with a puzzle piece."
-History in the Making
CHAPTER 2: History in the Making
Arthur Bradley felt oddly irritated.
He wanted to kick Colin Morgan who slumped beside him, eyes closed and breathing steady but far from asleep. Arthur Bradley knew that the mighty and ancient warlock is now contemplating their new predicament, calculating and planning their next move. Ending up here wasn't in the agenda of their to-do-list-to-save-all-of-Albion. But when the hero chase the bad guy, things pretty much end up in the gutter without knowing said bad guy's game plan.
So, yes. Arthur Bradley was very irritated.
But not at his friend and certainly not at their lady companion who slumped on the other side of the warlock. Arthur Bradley could hear her hum quietly as if the lullaby could chase this nightmare away from her sleep. On her fingers, she twirled her talisman round and round, from one hand to the other. The sorceress's reserved power contained inside the tiny cerulean stone embedded in a smooth and beautifully carved wood with tiny runes decorating around the edges of the stone.
The warlock's eyes opened when Arthur Bradley looked back to his friend, suddenly sensing the change in the atmosphere. He seemed to be anticipating something and when he met Arthur Bradley's eyes, they were reassuring and gleamed deviously. Arthur wasn't sure whether to be worried or to be excited at whatever the warlock had in mind but whatever it was, he was pretty sure he'd get dragged into it anyway.
There was a clang outside the cavern entrance where their guards were posted. Then, a dark head poked out of the dim light and hesitantly entered the little cavern. Colin Morgan's eyes glowed a pure gold and lit torches appeared around them, illuminating the entire room. Arthur Bradley and Gwen Morgan identically rolled their eyes and that it looked so alike it was almost comical and sat up straighter, knowing Colin Morgan merely did it to show off.
Merlin flinched visibly in the blatant use of magic even if he was the very embodiment of magic itself. Living in Camelot for nearly three years made him more vigilant when it came to his gifts or anything related to it. He glanced behind him to make sure they were truly alone and focused on the man that had conjured the blazing torches with wary eyes.
"Ignore him." Arthur Bradley said, trying to break the tension. "He likes to show off."
Now, it was Colin Morgan's turn to roll his eyes. "Well, it made sense to do it. Do you really want to spend the whole time talking in the dark? I prefer to see the people I'm conversing with, thank you very much."
"Well, why make a show of it then? After all, I knew you knew he was coming. You had that look in your eyes. Why didn't you do it before he came in? No need to give the man a heart attack when it isn't necessary. Besides it wasn't that dark-.."
"Can we please just get on with it?" Gwen Morgan groaned.
"Oh, sure. Shut me up when it was him who started it."
"Was not."
"Was to."
"Was no-.."
"Who are you?" Merlin asked, slightly irritated yet amused. Is this how he and Arthur looked like when they bickered?
"That's an easy question to answer, Merlin." Colin Morgan said. "I'm you."
Arthur Bradley rolled his eyes and Gwen Morgan groaned slightly beside him. Colin Morgan shot them a look.
"Well, there's no better way to say it, is there?" he turned back to Merlin whose eyes bulged and looked ready to bolt at a moment's notice. "Really Merlin, you.. or I-.. we are the greatest sorcerers to ever live. We have power without equal. Such a thing as time travel would be possible to accomplish with enough practice and power. But that doesn't mean we get to do it often. To travel back and forth in time would alter the time space continuum and it would drain you for a long time."
"You don't look weak." Merlin said, unsure.
"Yes, you would know, would you?" Colin Morgan said with a small smile. "No, I'm not drained. I am in perfect magical and physical condition because it wasn't I who casted the spell."
"But you just said.."
"Yes, that we are able to do it and I have. And you will do many times over in the times to come."
"Who sent you here then if it wasn't you?"
"The Old Religion needed us to come back in time and gladly opened a portal for us. Magic is in uproar and Albion is in danger. It made it easier for our friends in our time to combine their magic and generate enough power to send us back."
"And why did you come back?"
"Because we were chasing a bad guy." It was Arthur Bradley who spoke now. Colin Morgan smiled at his idiom.
"A bad guy?" Merlin asked.
"Yes," Arthur Bradley sighed as if speaking to a child. "Every good story needs a villain."
"And this is a game to you?" Gwen Morgan demanded furiously.
"Gwen," came Colin Morgan's warning. But she pretended not to hear.
"You think this is some silly fairytale that needed a heroic ending?"
"Stop it." Colin Morgan tried again. Arthur Bradley's eyes looked hollow. As if he shut himself off the earth to block out Gwen Morgan's accusing tone.
"Have you forgotten this creature killed your friend and many others from our tribe? Or were their deaths made the story more exciting and fruitful?"
"That's enough, Gwen." Colin Morgan's tone was sharp. Gwen Morgan looked away.
Colin Morgan sighed. "It's best we continue this conversation in the morning since my sister seemed to be far too strained from the travel to keep a cool head and proper decorum. Merlin, I'll appreciate it if you tell no one of this conversation. Maybe Gaius but no one else."
"I'll appreciate that, too." Merlin said, grinning cheekily that uplifted everyone's spirits. Arthur Bradley grunted with a small smile and Colin Morgan gave him a curt nod, a thanks for that one. Even the sour sport Gwen Morgan gave a crack of a smile amidst her stormy expression.
"Best to call me Colin," Colin Morgan continued. "And Arthur to Bradley. Just so we could avoid confusion."
Merlin nodded and started for the cavern entrance where the guards still slumped asleep. He was inches from the entrance when he turned and with an expression that something just occurred to him.
"Judging by your clothes, I'd like to ask." Merlin said. "How far off the future are you?"
Colin's eyes suddenly darkened, like a pool suddenly becoming too deep to see the bottom. He smiled sadly.
"Tomorrow, Merlin."
And with that, the torches disappeared and they were plunged into darkness.
Morgause strode the palace corridor with determination.
Cenred's night shift guards bowing or planting themselves to the wall to clear her path whenever she passed them by. She paid them no heed. She was in a very happy mood and no amount of bootlicking could spoil it. She marched into the throne room and the sight brought a smile to her face.
"Sister," Morgana greeted from her throne with a gentle and blissful smile of her own.
A woman stood before her, garbed in a long, elegant and ungodly sleeveless red dress, her hair straight and cascaded down her back. When she turned, Morgause smile almost faltered. Her face, stoic and unfeeling, met her shocked and confused one and those familiar green eyes were as cold as ice it sent a shiver down her spine. This wasn't the loving sister and passionate Morgana that Morgause knew. This was something that's dead but managed to walk the earth still.
On the other side of the new queen was a man clad in black yet it was an attire that she had never seen. It was made of soft material that has no equal, not even a king's finery in all of the seven kingdoms. He had a polite smile on his face that Morgause couldn't seem to sneer at like he did with other men. This man had an honest and open baby face that conveyed his entire motive and wasn't ashamed to admit it. Morgause had to respect and admit that she admired such courage. No man had ever shown as much.
"Hullo," he said when her gaze never left him. He extended his hand toward her. "I am Nathan Welch. In my time, they call me the Necromancer."
"Such a promising title." Morgause said, diplomatic and regal and relenting her hand to his. "I am Morgause, High Priestess of the Old Religion."
"Pleasure to be in your acquaintance." He said and kissed the top of her palm politely.
Morgause turned to the cold eyed woman. She still had a hard time referring to her as her sister. Morgana gave an encouraging smile from her throne, sensing her sister's hesitation.
"Hullo, sister." The future Morgana said. "It has been a long time."
Morgause smiled. "So it would seem."
Morgause knew the purpose of these strangers.
They had traveled back in time.
They had landed in the palace court yard, the Necromancer passed out cold and Morgana standing in regal calm and with an icy gaze that fazed even the bravest of their knights. Then again, they were Cenred's knights. Their bravery didn't say much in that respect.
"What brings you here in the past, Morgana?" Morgause inquired. "For such a powerful magic to be done, it had to be important."
"Yes, indeed it is. But I am no longer Morgana." That sent more shivers down Morgause's spine and the Morgana that sat on the throne gave her a bewildered look from behind. "I now call myself Morgan le Fey and my purpose is to stop Albion from coming to be."
Morgause's blood literally ran cold.
"Starting with killing the Once and Future King and the warlock, Emrys."
"You spoke with them?" Arthur demanded, disbelief and irritation coated his tone.
"Yes." Merlin replied.
"Let me make this clear; you spoke with three prisoners who obviously dabbled with magic that had your face and mine and, let's not forget, that they dabbled with magic?!"
"You said that twice."
"I don't care, Merlin! They could've tricked you or enchanted you or worse, they could've killed you!"
"Are you admitting that you were worried for me, Arthur?"
"That's not the point, you idiot, and you know it."
Merlin sighed. So much for deflecting the subject. Merlin had decided that he would try convincing Arthur that they were telling the truth but it seemed that plan was going nowhere for him but to another royal scolding.
Arthur, on the other hand, had adamantly refused to be persuaded to change the subject. He would have to admit that it did embarrass him to admit his worry slipped off his tongue before he could stop himself but Arthur had enough. He had lost so much recently and his pride was the last thing on his mind when it came to keeping what he had left safe.
Merlin was one of those people, a wanted addition or not. He came to terms with the fact that his manservant, his friend, was just one of those few people he can't afford to lose and putting himself in harm's way with a reason as stupid as starting a conversation with three magical prisoners was aggravating Arthur's nerves.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
"Arthur, I'm fine." Merlin said and raised his arms as if he was being inspected. "See? No harm done. They bear no ill will, I can feel it."
"And since when were you an expert on people?" Arthur murmured sarcastically.
"Just trust me on this." Merlin said seriously.
Arthur gave him a long and scrutinizing gaze to search for any doubt or hesitation. When he found none, he sighed again. He strode pass the warlock and headed to the cavern where they kept the three prisoners with Merlin on his heels. Arthur knew that Merlin knew he would put his theory to the test.
When they reached the entrance to the cavern though, he heard muffled voices that sounded close to arguing. When they entered, Colin sighed with his eyes shut tight in annoyance and Bradley was glaring at Gwen who raised her chin up in defiance and gripped her side tightly, little specks of red covered her hand.
"What's going on?" Arthur demanded, eying Gwen's speckled hand.
"The idiot went and got herself injured and mentioned nothing about it!" Bradley ranted, exasperated.
"Did you just call me an idiot?" Gwen spoke up, indignant.
"Enough, all right? Behave. I swear, you two are just a hand-full." Colin snapped.
Merlin sniggered from behind Arthur who found nothing funny about this situation at all.
"How did she sustain the injury?" Arthur asked.
Gwen hesitated. "I guess when I landed I fell on top of a sharp rock" she mumbled.
Arthur stared at her, dumbfounded. "You fell on top of a sharp rock?" he repeated.
"Is there an echo in here?" she mumbled sarcastically and rolled her eyes, her head still downcast, avoiding everyone's incredulous stares.
"And you didn't bother to tell me?" Colin said, angry now. "You were hurt! It's bleeding! Don't you think it's worth telling me?"
"Like I said, I didn't know it was that bad." She waved her other hand in dismissal. "I just thought it was bruised up but then I woke up with blood on my side."
Arthur sighed. Was Merlin right? Were these strangers really are just in the wrong place at the wrong time? he thought. He inwardly scoffed at that statement. Wrong time indeed.
"Merlin, make sure she's bandaged and given a tonic for the pain. Give them a meal as well." Arthur told Merlin while turning and heading out the cavern, glimpsing at Merlin's broad grin on his face. "After that, have my armor polished and ready. We attack in two hours."
"Sire."
He turned at Merlin with a questioning gaze. But Merlin just shook his head and pointed at the people behind him. Colin had sat up straighter and stared straight at him.
"Yes?" Arthur humored the man.
He hesitated then steeled himself with a deep breath. "We didn't come here on accident, Prince Arthur."
Arthur back slowly, standing beside Merlin. "What are you saying?"
"We followed someone here. Someone who is a threat to Albion."
"Who?"
"An old evil." Colin's face looked grim. "We believe she is Morgana Pendragon back from the dead."
Arthur frowned. "But she isn't even dead yet."
"She is from our time, sire. She calls herself Morgan le Fey and mercilessly wrecked havoc all across Albion."
"How was she brought from the dead? When was she brought from the dead?"
"There is a man named Nathan Welch who claims to be a necromancer. In fact, he had done such an amazing feat that he is the Necromancer." Gwen said. "As to when.."
She trailed off and looked at Colin who only sighed. "Merely a thousand and five hundred years from now. Give or take a few decades."
Both Arthur and Merlin's eyes widened.
"A millennium?" Merlin whimpered. "How.."
"So, you are sorcerers." Arthur concluded.
"Yes, I am." Gwen bravely confessed.
"Gwen." Colin hissed and warily eyed Arthur who stood so still he could've been made of stone.
"You've done magic." Arthur said, his face unreadable.
"Of course," Gwen said, her eyes locked with the Prince's. "How else do you think we keep Albion safe if not by magic? It's how it's been for thousands of years."
Her tone implied sarcasm on that last statement, Arthur was sure of it. Now, he was really angry with Merlin. What was he thinking talking to magic users?
"That's a lie." Arthur told her. "Magic is evil and devours all goodness in the world."
Bradley looked at him funny, as if he couldn't believe those words had just slipped off the Prince's tongue or the fact that it seemed so unbelievable to him and Colin just looked at him with pity. Gwen's look was another story entirely.
She scoffed and winced when she moved. Merlin moved and he was right beside her in a second like it was his sister that was injured. Arthur yanked him by the back of his jacket, away from the sorceress.
"Arthur-.."
"They are magic users, Merlin!" he retorted. "How can you be so naïve?! You are such an idiot! She could've killed you! What were you thinking?"
"Forgive me, sire." Merlin said, his eyes serious, almost deep and unfathomable. Arthur was taken aback. Merlin rarely paid him the respect he was due and he certainly did not expect a show of such fierce passion it was almost close to anger.
"But I fail to see what an injured and bound teenager could do to me. Magical or not, I have done no wrong towards her. Courtesy decrees that she pays me that mutual respect as well."
He bowed slightly and went back to Gwen's side whose eyes were wide and filled with admiration. Arthur watched him numbly. What had he said to cause Merlin to act so drastically? He had always teased Merlin to be such a girl but they both knew Merlin was anything but that. He was brave, self-sacrificing, stubborn and loyal to a fault he could almost be a knight. Merlin had always been head-strong and, God forbid, wise. Arthur had to wonder where those goddamn brains of his now when he decided to befriend a witch?
Arthur never took his eyes off Merlin as the younger man took his neckerchief and placed it above the wound, applying pressure to suppress or lessen the flow of blood oozing out of it. So, naturally, he missed the looks on both Bradley and Colin's faces. Bradley had a small smile tugging on his lips and the proud look on his eyes, raising his chin high to show his full support of Merlin's actions as if it was the most heroic thing he had ever seen. Colin simply had an amused, fond smile on his lips, his eyes dancing in reminisce.
"Thank you, Merlin." Gwen told him as he tended to her wound, her eyes almost wet as a smile slowly appeared like the sun chasing the night away. "The world will remember a kind man like you. As a matter of fact, it does and it will."
Merlin smiled back though a bit sad and nodded in gratitude of her praise. Arthur opened his mouth and was about to ask what she meant by that when Gaius strode in and greeted him from behind.
"Sire." Arthur turned toward the old man and saw him incline his head for a little bow. Gaius took immediate notice of his ward next to Gwen, tending to her wound.
"What happened?" he asked.
"She fell off a sharp rock." Bradley wryly told him and Gaius raised his famous eyebrow.
Colin snickered at that and beamed at the physician as Gaius advanced toward Merlin and knelt on the other side of Gwen. He took out his medical bag, one he brought with him anywhere if he tended to his patients which are almost everywhere you look. You can't be too careful within the cave and add to that the injuries sustained from the battle.
Gwen smiled softly at the physician and removed her hand from the wound, as did Merlin, when Gaius inspected the damage. In under half an hour, the wound was bandaged, cleaned and sorted along with the right tonics to ease the pain of the bruising and prescribed the rebellious girl to rest; all under Arthur Pendragon's watchful eye.
When Gaius and Merlin stood from either side of the girl, they looked at Arthur, awaiting his decision or daring him somehow. Arthur couldn't be sure which. But from their slightly tense posture, keeping the girl out of his line of sight suggested that they were protecting her.
Protecting a sorceress. Only Gaius and Merlin.
Arthur shook his head slightly and sighed.
"They'll be your responsibility, Merlin." Arthur told him. "If you trust them."
"I do."
"If they take one step out of line, no matter how little," Arthur continued with unfathomable eyes. "Know that it would be on your head."
With that, the Crown Prince of Camelot walked away.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
so yeah, that's for chapter 2. hahaha. now, I think I'm going to have to work on the Once and Future for a while because I lost the file and its really hard to retrieve all those lost ideas and just-.. sigh. I'll try to write this as much as I can though. I've been thinking of maybe finishing this first before the O&F. But yeah.. Depends on stuff. I've got school and all. Busy.
Let me know what you think of this via comment or something.
MERLIN IS THE PROPERTY OF BBC.