"And so, the story untold finally unfolds;
Of a king that ruled with the core of his soul;
His heart and his fist in a crown and a throne;
And the new, crystal age finally born;
Everything changes from this day forth;
The dawn in the horizon out far North."
-Out Far North
Arthur was outside the cave, sitting on a fallen tree and stared at nothing under the sinking sun.
He had his hands clasped together in front of him and they touched his lip gently, a picture of a troubled man.
They had canceled the attack, Colin providing them with information they can't just ignore. The news of why exactly they ended up where they are now. Plus, this was backed up by their spy, returning from their scout of the palace, rumors passed from servant to servant to undercover guardsmen that was left in the citadel, forced into the new monarch's employment with the penalty of death hanging over their heads but brave enough to risk their lives for every little information they could feed their prince that might help take back Camelot. The spies confirmed that there were actually two Morganas walking around the palace, an unknown man that was dressed in fancy black clothes who could only be the Necromancer, along with the news of the king still alive and imprisoned in the dungeons beneath his own castle.
For how long? They weren't sure.
In the war council, the remaining nobles and knights, along with the new ones that Arthur had knighted, decided that they needed to move into a more open ground. The cave was beginning to be too conspicuous for hiding and Morgana's patrols have already scouted too close to the area for comfort with the fact that it was getting too damp inside the cave as the winter approaches, getting a lot more colder so as giving people colds and runny noses and random animal cave dwellers popping up at random parts of the cavern getting more of their people injured.
After the meeting was concluded, Arthur had the three time travelers begrudgingly introduced to the people on Merlin's insistence that they needed to move around for necessity reasons and for the people to get used to and be informed that they have the consent of their prince to be here. The people gave the three time travelers strange, wary and curious looks and Arthur had to give a brief and limited information of their origin, intentionally leaving out the part the girl was actually a sorceress.
His head throbbed of the mountain-pile problems he has.
Arthur sighed.
Merlin was one of those problems.
The younger man would be the death of him someday. He never meant to be cold but as much as he was a friend he was also the Crown Prince of Camelot and was expected to do what will always be best for Camelot and its people. If Merlin had manage to put his faith on the wrong people, he would be in danger not only with the enemy but also by Camelot's laws by association. His hands were tied.
Then came those thoughts of how Merlin got his way in the first place.
If it was any other day, Arthur would give his best authoritative and regal tone to shut the manservant up and Merlin would stop and let it go. But for some reason, Merlin had managed to convince Arthur to trust a known magic user, vouching for her and a release of the three prisoners, putting any of their future knowledge to good use. Aside for magic, of course. But there was also the fact that Merlin is a good judge of character and sees more than he lets on. Lancelot and Gwaine are proof enough of how his manservant could pick the most random people and see right through their heart like glass. Arthur would be begrudge to admit that Morgana and he himself are also a good example of the younger man's sixth sense for personality. The sad calculating glares Merlin sent Morgana and the lady's smug and hateful glares she returned to the manservant now made sense.
Merlin knew from the beginning.
He always somehow knew.
And there was the fact that he believed in Arthur.
Merlin believed that he would be a good- no,the greatest king Camelot will ever see. Arthur didn't know why the younger man believed the things he did or what he saw in the prince to warrant such loyalty and faith that Arthur thought was unworthy of him. He only bullied his manservant. Why would he think—know- that Arthur would be a great king when he treated his friend so horribly? Yes, friend. Because status and pride be damned, Merlin is his friend.
Then, there it was.
His faith in Merlin as a friend made Arthur believe that he might be right about those three strangers. Arthur saw it for himself. Merlin had completely melted like they were some unicorn to be petted. Arthur even came to one conclusion that maybe he trusted the trio as well. But that was ridiculous. He didn't even know them. Plus, they were involved in magic. They can't be guaranteed to be trusted. But for some reason that he can't quite put his finger on that there was something about them that just compelled him to bargain into a blind faith.
Especially with Colin.
The man, he discovered, had more in common with Merlin than he'd like to admit. The way those azure eyes would practically glow with wisdom whenever he spoke and the way he had that insolence in him to contradict the nobles during the council. Witty comments, chiding tone, gestures and stares and neatly veiled insults directed to some of the war council members' stupid suggestions and opinions. Arthur was actually impressed and quite amused. Merlin had his moments with that bizarre wisdom as well though not always and he was practically insolent albeit hidden to almost every noble except with the king.
Bradley and Arthur had some things in common as well, the way he walked, talked and even when he smiled and laugh it looked and sounded so alike though his counterpart spends the better part of his day bantering with Gwen, which also made the people callGuinevere by her full name. Gwen and Colin had been helping with the wounded ever since the meeting ended late morning, teaching Gaius how they did it in the future in far more effective ways and Bradley trailed them like a puppy as if he was afraid to be left alone. But then Arthur discovered he was only trailing Gwen like a puppy. Arthur knew what that felt like and it was horrifying and painfully obvious why he does it. Arthur felt like he should trail Guinevere like a puppy as well but sadly, princes don't trail maidservants like an idiot.
Whenever Gwen was out of Bradley's sight or was too preoccupied to hold a banter, he'd go and converse with knights or commoners, wounded or anyone he found interesting to chat for that matter, even giving the infirmary a hand or the soldiers a spar with hand-to-hand combat. He seemed to be good at that and Colin glanced him from afar, looking like a proud father and friend beside a very sober looking Merlin, his shoulders slumped and in his eyes was a well-concealed sadness and pain as he conversed with his counterpart. He met Arthur's eyes and the prince saw that rare but not unheard of look on his manservant's azure eyes; depth.
That was the last thing Arthur saw when he decided he needed some air and came out here to think.
But the matter of why Arthur couldn't shake the feeling deep in his core why these strangers seem very trustworthy and familiar still remain. No matter how much he reasoned and argued with himself that magic was involved and magic will always be evil, he'd come back and let his heart take the lead and trust them anyway. Maybe he should ask Gaius if Gwen had somehow enchanted him. But he'd been enchanted so many times he actually knew the difference now so he doubted it.
This was all him and his decision alone.
He heard twigs snapping as someone approached him from behind. Arthur had to smirk. Who else could be so loud in the middle of a forest?
"Arthur," Merlin greeted.
"What?"
"Nothing. They were looking for you."
Arthur nodded and glanced at his manservant. He had a sad look on his face and his brow furrowed as if solving how to reclaim a kingdom. Arthur would know. He was going through it himself.
"You all right?" Arthur inquired. Merlin looked up at him, dazed. Arthur bit his tongue. Now, he sounded as if he cared. He cleared his throat. "You look like you were forced to kick a puppy."
"Maybe I did."
"What was that?"
"I said may I sit." Merlin said a little louder.
"Since when had you asked permission for anything?" Arthur said dryly.
"Well, you are royalty. Even if you are a prat."
Arthur clipped Merlin upside the head and they chuckled good-naturedly.
"But really," Arthur said refusing to let it go. Manly and princely bravado be damned. "I know you too well, Merlin. You look less cheeky than usual. Not that I'm complaining but I find it rather oddly disturbing whenever you actually shut up. So, humor me. What's wrong?"
Merlin shook his head. "Nothing, really. Just some things Colin told me about the future." In fact, that was the most honest answer Merlin could ever give Arthur but utterly far from the truth.
"Yeah? What did he say?"
Merlin shrugged though clearly it was far from nothing.
"Just some a few random things. How they have these machines that could fly without the use of magic." Arthur raised his brow. "Or how they could talk miles from each other with little boxes or how they could paint a picture in less than a minute."
Arthur gave an impressed whistle. "That sounds very surreal."
"Yet to them it seems normal. It seemed.. not enough. I heard how the world would be and not all of it sounded pleasant. Weapons that could obliterate an entire city, crossbows that could fire a hundred little miniature metal arrows in one pull, tonics that could destroy the mind."
Arthur frowned. "Sorcery." he hissed.
Merlin shook his head.
"People there no longer believe in magic, Arthur. They built it all through science. What's left of magic had tried its hardest to stop the world from falling apart."
"You can't be sure if they're telling the truth. I mean, Gwen Morgan is a witch. They could have tricked you into believing."
But even Arthur himself didn't believe his words and he knew his manservant wouldn't either.
"Maybe, maybe not." Merlin took a moment before saying. "He said that by coming here, they had changed and altered the past. They knew the outcome, we would win but, now.."
Merlin trailed off and Arthur looked at him, urging him to continue.
"Now, the future is uncertain."
The prince looked away, absorbing the new information they had just gained. So, they would win back Camelot. Easier said than done.
"Well, we make our own destiny, Merlin." Arthur said solemnly and Merlin gave a humorless laugh. Arthur gave Merlin a pat on the shoulder. "Stop being such a girl, Merlin. Remember that we move tomorrow at first light so pack up. Don't worry about the future anymore. It's a long way from now. What matters is what's in front of you, not ahead."
Arthur stood. "'Sides, we'd be long dead by then."
Then he walked away, heading back to the cave.
"That's where you're wrong." Merlin murmured when Arthur was far enough not to overhear and watched as the sun completely set, the events that afternoon, playing in his head.
Merlin was crushing herbs and mixing potions in the part of the cave that they made into an infirmary when Gwaine and Lancelot found him. The war council had just finished along with Arthur announcing the arrival of the strange travelers and the two new knights immediately sought out their friend to discuss the trio.
Most especially, his counterpart, Colin.
"He looks exactly like you." Gwaine said. "But.. older and a lot more graceful."
Merlin had to bite his lower lip to keep himself from laughing because of how true that was. Though he wasn't so sure with the graceful part. Lancelot gave him a sidelong glance and Merlin met it with a mischievous glint in his eye. That was enough for Lancelot to confirm that magic and Merlin himself was involved in this. He just had to wait it out to ask what it was.
Colin and Gwen arrived shortly after Gwaine and Lancelot, trailed by a frowning Bradley. Colin approached Gaius who just smiled and directed them whom to accommodate with their assistance. Colin saw Merlin, Gwaine and Lancelot looking and they gave polite nods then returned to their conversation.
"Where did they come from anyway?" Lancelot wondered aloud.
"They say it's in the future. I tried to ask how far off judging by their clothes but Colin wouldn't say." Merlin shrugged. He glanced at the trio again, Gwen in her still bloody shirt but without her jacket, Colin in a strange red jacket with a little hood that had the word 'Lacrosse' in the middle of his chest and Bradley with his red shirt.
All three of them covered in dirt and grime. Merlin made a mental note to give them clothes to change into later.
"You spoke with them?" Gwaine asked, impressed.
"Last night." Merlin answered with a nonchalant shrug.
"Did they tell you about the future?"
"No."
"How come they're dressed that way?"
"I don't know."
"How did you come across them anyway?"
Merlin felt a little nervous by Gwaine's interrogation. He was asking too many questions. "I was .. curious."
Gwaine let out a loud guffaw that attracted a lot of attention. Merlin shushed him and Lancelot gave Merlin a nervous look. Their friend's inquiry had him on edge as well.
"Only you, my friend, could be curious of magic users."
Merlin stiffened. He looked around frantically to make sure no one had heard. Lancelot gave Gwaine a chastise look. Gwaine held his hands up in surrender.
He's smarter than he let on. Merlin heard in his head. For a moment he thought he had thought it but his eyes met Colin's briefly and knew that his future-self had just spoken in his head. Merlin cannot begin to fathom how on earth he heard them talking all the way from where he was, on the other side of the cavern, tending to a wounded. He turned back to Gwaine. He'll have to ask later.
"How'd you-" Merlin whispered and Gwaine caught on.
"I figured it out." He said shrugging, whispering as well. Both Lancelot and Merlin gave him looks that he needed to elaborate exactly how he figured it out.
"Come on," Gwaine said. "People from the future? Traveling through time? What kind of power could be capable of doing that?"
Merlin was actually impressed that Gwaine caught on so fast. But still, no matter how brilliant his friend is, he needed to discourage him.
"You can't know that. They're from the future. There could be a number of ways."
"You can't know that either, mate." Gwaine countered.
"Why not just ask?"
They all turned at the voice and saw Colin standing there with a hint of amusement in his face. Gwaine recovered first, ever the buoyant knight.
"So, how did you?" Gwaine boldly asked.
"Gwaine," Lancelot warned.
"No, it's all right." Colin said. "He's right."
Lancelot and Merlin gaped at him in horror while Gwaine looked like a school boy who had just been given a star for a job well done.
"Told you so." He gloated.
"I'd appreciate it if you told no one. I have the feeling that your prince do not take kindly to magic users. After all, we did have history records and it told us of the penalty of using magic." Colin said in a low voice so no one would over hear.
"Your secret's safe with us, isn't that right Lancelot?" Gwaine said it as if Lancelot didn't agree he would regret it. Badly.
"Of course." Lancelot said without skipping a beat.
"That's our Sir Lancelot," Gwaine said with a grin. "Ever noble and ever brave."
They heard an obnoxious laugh from somewhere to their left and they turned to see Bradley chatting with some knights and commoners alike while Gwen was rolling her eyes beside him but had a small smile on her face while attending a patient. Guinevere just shared a look with Merlin who stood directly across him a couple of meters away and he understood. He too was reminded of someone who he most preferably called as the royal prat.
"Might I have a word, Merlin?"
Merlin looked back to Colin who looked at him expectantly. Lancelot and Gwaine both nodded at the two warlocks and went on their way, giving them their privacy.
"What is it?" Merlin asked.
Then, silence.
Merlin looked around at what caused the hectic chaos to stop. It seemed that everyone apart from himself and Colin in front of him ceased all movements. As if time itself had stopped its ticking.
"The future." Colin simply said and offered a hand.
Merlin knew what the other man was offering. The future, indeed, lay on his palm, like the Crystal cave had been. He knew the consequences of knowing the future, of how one mistake could alter everything. He hesitated.
"It's alright." Merlin looked up to Colin's face. All that sadness, that burden, that heartache, that loss, that loneliness, that strength, that wisdom and depth laid bare for him to see. It should frighten him even more so but all he felt was understanding. Even more scary, he accepted it as his fate.
"It'll all be alright in the end." Colin sooth.
Merlin nodded slowly and he placed his hand on top of his future self's and he was plunged down into oblivion, the future flying pass by behind his close lids.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
treyrina: i hope i got to explain why Arthur acted the way he did and i hope this gives you a little more closure and you like it ;))
Merlocked18: well, there's a lot more to juggle on the other later chapters. trust me. XD
so, yeah. i got caught up with a lot of stuff and loads of things to write. gods. guys, if you're somehow confused on how this story even started, that's entirely my fault. Because, this is actually a part II of another fanfic. And i still have to get on that.
Anyway, just thought i'd let you know i'll be actively writing this again.
so. yeah. comment or somthing. til the next, mates.
MERLIN IS THE PROPERTY OF BBC.