Arthur looked across the lake lazily, obviously avoiding the subject of Camelot. Merlin sat up, looking across at Arthur with a knowing gaze. Arthur could feel Merlin watching him and he sighed, looking up to meet his eyes.
"I'm sorry about Camelot," whispered Merlin, knowing this would all be a shock to Arthur.
"It's just... To me it was all yesterday yet to you... It was millennia ago," said Arthur, trying to make sense of his emotions and explain it all.
"You've always been there," corrected Arthur, returning the smile.
"I know... I'll always be here though, to explain it all," smiled Merlin sympathetically, creating a small nod from Arthur.
"This is... Home?" gulped Arthur, glancing around the hallway in something like dismay. Merlin nodded.
"You've always been there," corrected Arthur, returning the smile.
"I have another one, in Cardiff," added Merlin, dumping his keys on a table and dropping his side bag to the floor.
"Cardiff?" questioned Arthur as he followed Merlin through the hallway to a large kitchen.
"It's the capital of Wales... Like the citadel was the capital of Camelot, so Cardiff is the capital of Wales," suggested Merlin, unsure of how to word it as he kicked his shoes off. It was a country farmhouse, big and expanding as it sat behind a stone wall set back from the road. As a result the kitchen was warn and welcoming, with it's old fashioned range stove and space for 8 people at the dinner table, despite Merlin living alone.
"It's... Beautiful," said Arthur, taking an obvious pause and gulp between the words. Merlin chuckled to himself as he flicked on the kettle and grabbed two mugs.
"Tell the truth Arthur. You hate it," he sighed, dropping a tea bag into each mug.
"I don't hate it! It... It's... It's just not..." Arthur couldn't finish the sentence as he winced at the unsaid words.
"It's not Camelot," finished Merlin for him, angrily splashing the boiling water into the mugs and adding nearly a pint of milk. He thrust a spoon into the mug and gave it a quick stir before before shoving it towards Arthur.
"It's hot." he stated before gliding past him and into the living room on the opposite side of the hall. Arthur watched him go, feeling every shred of hope he'd had washing away. He let out a strangled sob as he placed the burning mug of the strange liquid onto the table. He glanced at the shut door Merlin had slipped through before collapsing into a dining chair with a shuddering and heavy heart.