Here's the ever so wonderful chapter two. This takes place when Merlin disappears in the first chapter, so you're not confused. You just need to know what happens.

And Caoimhe is pronounced Kiva, no matter how much it doesn't look that way. Don't ask where the v sound came from, I don't know. It's Gaelic, so normal pronouciation guides don't follow. Just get used to it. You'll be seeing it a lot.

Credit goes to MerlinStar as well, for her help in this!

Many thanks to the reviewers, you guys are fantastic! I never expected to get so many so quickly, you guys are great!

Disclaimer: I don't own BBC's Merlin! Though if I did, I wouldn't have destroyed the legend so throughly. MerlinStar doesn't own it either. Nor do we own Lord of the Rings.

(You'll understand at the very end of the chapter:))

Chapter 2

The warlock stood at the top of the rugged hill, admiring the view across the valley. On the horizon stood Camelot, framed against the sunset sky. The white stone of the castle gleamed against the heavens of liquid gold and ruby, and flags proudly bearing the Pendragon crest sighed as the evening breeze gently teased them. In all its glory stood Camelot, the golden kingdom. It had been two years since the winged woman had come to Camelot to prophesy. For two years, the kingdom had prospered.

*

At dawn the next morning, Merlin awoke to lively, chattering birdsong, and the sound of running water from a nearby stream. Stretching, the warlock stood and looked around at the surrounding countryside. Vibrant green forests cloaked the surrounding hillsides, and in the valley below, an azure river snaked its way through golden farmland.

Everywhere around him, Merlin could hear the joyful melodies of birds, and over by the stream, delicate dragonflies darted - with a shimmer of blue - over the running water. The beauty of the morning was astounding, and as Merlin made his way down the hill, watching the wildlife and collecting samples of rare and interesting plants, his spirits rose. Early spring was always a good time to collect herbs and other specially needed plants, as the winter stores were pretty much empty and nature was screaming, "Wake up and grow now." It also gave Merlin an idea of where he could return to for refills and emergency supplies. Nettles in large groups tended to be in different spots from year to year, and yarrow was always hard to find.

Over the years, Gaius had passed on much of his knowledge of plants and medicine to Merlin, and the wizard had come to take an interest in the subject. By combining his newfound interest with his powers, the warlock had become a talented healer in Camelot, and a source of help to many. When Gaius had died, Merlin had become the only source of help. While powerful, Merlin was still only one person. His current goal, along with gathering supplies, was to travel to all the surrounding villages. His hope was to train a few people in each village what to do if he couldn't immediately aid them in some way. That included a quick study on herb-lore, beyond what a wise woman or midwife knew. And if nothing else, to pound into their heads that willow bark tea was the best way to put down a fever. Usually it wasn't the illness that killed a person, it was the fever the body generated to fight the illness that killed them.

Suddenly, Merlin had a strong feeling that something was not quite right here. It was quiet. The animals had stopped, and the birdsong had dropped to an occasional chirp here and there. He had begun to sneeze a lot, though that didn't mean anything. He was vaguely allergic to green things. Sniffing flowers made him sneeze, too. The sinking feeling in his gut was the most telltale sign.

Magic, powerful magic, and right here in this forest. He searched for it, and after scanning his immediate surroundings for a few moments, found it.

A huge, huge weeping willow tree. Many large branches gave way to smaller ones, which hung down around it like a great head of green hair. The trunk was thicker and taller than any other willow trunk he had seen. This tree had been here for quite a long time. Merlin did not want to guess how many hundreds of years. The trunk was about three feet across and about seven feet tall before the first few main branches began. He could hear the wind speak as it whispered through the leaves, of long ages and strong magicks. Oh yes, this was the source of the magic. But why this tree, and why hadn't he seen it before? He'd been through this part of the forest many times.

The leaves rustled, and the woman from two years ago appeared. She was without her cloak this time, and the outlines of her brown wings peeked from behind her back. She wore a light green dress that was backless to accommodate her wings.

"What are you doing here?" Merlin asked. Though he didn't fear this woman, instinct told him that she was not all that she seemed.

"Emrys, do you not trust me?" She gave a small, quiet chuckle. "Surely the great warlock, Emrys, knows better than to make enemies so quickly? That is a fool's job, for they are blind to the truth of this world," She gave another laugh.

"What are you doing here?" Merlin repeated in frustration.

"My name, Emrys, is Caoimhe. I have come to tell you of your future, for you will not be returning to Camelot. Your time alongside the Pendragon in this age has come to a close."

Merlin stared at her, trying to understand what she had just told him. Her large, hazel eyes gazed solemnly back at him. They almost glowed in her pale face, surrounded by a mass of wavy, copper hair. She was so beautiful, and yet...

"Are you trying to threaten me? Why would you want to fight me? I have done nothing to you, nothing," he voiced his thoughts aloud.

"No, young warlock, why would I want to harm you? I am your protector, your guide!"

Merlin shook his head in disbelief as Caoimhe lifted her head to the heavens, and her body glowed pale gold. Then, in an ethereal voice, she began to prophesy, much as she had two years ago:

"Time is everlasting.

You are its companion.

Sleep, child of Old

Let Time ravage the wold.

Awake and learn,

Of what is far and near.

Wait and yearn,

For Arthur's return,

Prophesized here.

Warlock, advisor, friend,

Mordred is not Arthur's end.

His destiny's not completed,

Till Albion's united.

We wish you strength, We Powers of Old

Your calling, We have told."

Merlin remembered when Caoimhe had first appeared and announced her first prophecy. She had said that Camelot would reign across the land as a beacon of strength and hope. And it was. Arthur was loved and hailed as the strongest king the land had ever had. Arthur ruled, and his kingdom had been affectionately named the 'home of the dragon'. Realization hit Merlin like a ton of bricks. Caoimhe's prophecy had come true, and this one would as well.

But, this could not be! The Dragon, that damned, blasted Dragon had told him that it was his destiny to be with Arthur! His fate! They were two sides of the same coin! He just couldn't up and disappear for some amount of undetermined time. He had sworn his life to Arthur—even if he wasn't his manservant anymore, he still bound himself to that oath.

No. He would not believe that this was his destiny, to abandon Arthur in his greatest hour of need.

"You're--- you're wrong. This can't happen. Even Morgana would get things wrong every now and then."

"You are assuming that I am a seer. I am not. I am just a messenger. This is a message from the gods of the Old Religion themselves." Caoimhe said. She knew what was going on in Emrys's head. She had reacted the same way when the gods had taken her away from her loved ones.

"I won't do this! You can't make me do this! I won't be chained to Fate this way! I refuse!"

"You are chained to this fate just as much as I am, Merlin Emrys Merlinnus! We have no choice in this matter! Submit to this defeat gracefully, or the gods will force you! Just as they forced me." She whispered at the end.

Merlin narrowed his eyes. "How?"

"See these wings?"

He nodded.

"I tried to become something that was never meant to be. I grew up in a neighbouring kingdom during Uther's time. I was born at the beginning of the Purges. My land shut all its borders during this time, fearing Uther's madness would spill over. I studied magic, and found myself entranced by the magic that flew in the wind. I wanted to be closer to it, to become a part of it. I tried to create myself wings, so that I could fly. I almost killed myself."

'Pain. All encompassing pain. Scorching head and acid ran through her veins. It hurt for her heart to beat. She screamed, it felt like her back was being pulled out of shape and remoulded.'

"The pain was nothing I would wish on the devil. By the time I had woken up on the floor in my home, I knew I was trapped. The gods had let me keep my life, but at a price. I was to be their messenger, until the end of time. Man wasn't supposed to have wings."

"You have to do this, Emrys. There is no other choice."

"But...this...I..." Merlin was at a loss for words. He understood that the will of the gods of the old religion was something that could not be ignored, but he could not understand why they would take him away from the one thing that was his life. He had damned near died, multiple times, risking his life for Camelot, and now he was supposed to leave it? Merlin couldn't wrap his head around it. At all. "I don't get it."

"You don't have to. Not right now, at least. Things will make themselves clear in time. All you have to do is wait." Caoimhe assured.

"What am I to do?"

"In one word? Sleep. The gods didn't quite give me the whole story. What I know is that you are to sleep for an unknown amount of time, and then wake up."

"Sleep? That's it?"

Caoimhe nodded. "Yes. You will live an extraordinarily long life—a span of three times the longest time a man has lived. Three hundred years is a long time, but the amount of time the gods will need you is much longer than that. There will be times in the future that the gods will want you to experience, but you cannot await them normally. The gods will put you into an enchanted sleep, and you will wake up every now and then. You are to live the next parts of your life in chunks and pieces."

The willow that had been a strong magical presence during the whole conversation flared again, much stronger than it had before with a bright silver light. An arch in the centre of the trunk defined itself, and faded, leaving a hollow in the middle of the trunk. The hollow inside was large enough for a full-grown man with plenty of extra room besides. The hollow was facing the east.

Caoimhe smiled sadly when she turned to look at the tree. "This is where you'll be spending most of your time."

"In a tree?" Merlin asked, incredulous.

"Would you rather a cave or rock? I'm sure I can arrange things for you."

"No, no, a tree is good." Merlin said, waving his hands in front of him in a surrendering gesture.

"All you have to do is walk in and wait a bit. You will fall asleep fast enough. I will be here when it's time for you to wake." Caoimhe frowned, and blinked quickly a few times. "You are very lucky, Emrys. You get to sleep the years away. I do not have that luxury." She blinked a few more times, trying to keep the tears at bay. She placed her hand on his cheek, and stared into his eyes. "Things will change. I know this for a fact. Good luck, Emrys." Caoimhe ducked under the branches of the willow, passed the hollow in the trunk, and disappeared.

Caoimhe was gone. Merlin could make a run for it and get to Camelot in half a day on foot. Nevertheless, Caoimhe was also right. Those who did not obey the gods were punished, quite severely.

The implications of everything finally sank in. Merlin would not see Arthur again. Not for a very long time. He dropped to his knees. The moist earth began to seep into the fabric of his pants. He punched the ground in frustration, he could do nothing.

"Why me? This...I...can't..." He raised his head to the sky and screamed, sounding very much like the hawk he was named after.

*

Merlin stood up after a while, finally having reached a decision. He had stayed right where he was, enjoying the notion that he could just get up and go back to Camelot, go back to his his rooms, and Gaius's workroom, even though the old man wasn't there anymore. Back to Gwen, with her wonderful smiles and careful encouraging of her people. She was queen, and Arthur was absolutely in love with her. Back to Camelot, and its wonderful people. Back to Arthur, his longest and strongest friend. His home. He could ignore that Caoimhe had ever said anything. Ignore that she had ever appeared. He couldn't. That would endanger everyone. The gods didn't punish a person directly, oh no. That just wasn't their style. They went at the people around you. People that had been cursed by the gods had been shunned. Not only for the bad luck they had around them, but for the safety of everyone they came across. He wouldn't do that to Camelot. He wouldn't do that to Arthur. Better to let him think that he had died.

Merlin glared at the willow. It was sunset now, so most of the trunk was in shadow, and the hollow was completely dark. He would encase himself in here, a living tomb, and he an unwilling occupant. The gods could not control him completely, however. His soul, his very spirit, would be at Camelot, at Arthur's side.

He stalked into the willow's hollow, more angry than afraid of what he would encounter when he woke up. He turned around, and saw the entrance to the hollow disappear, leaving him in darkness.

He blinked. Once, twice, closed his eyes again a third time, and did not reopen them. Merlin, the greatest Warlock of all time, protector of Camelot, and simply, friend, had fallen asleep and would not see his beloved kingdom, Camelot, again.

Merlin slept. All through the years, through hard ages, he let Time age the world. His magic intertwined with that of the willow. The willow's magic kept him alive, and his magic hid and protected the willow. It stood through water and flame, and determined loggers looking for wood. It stood through war. There were many, many wars. The willow stood. Merlin slept through it all, and waited for when he would wake to the world again.

Home is behind
.....The world ahead,
..........And there are many paths to tread.

Through shadow
.....To the edge of night,
..........Until the stars are all alight.

Mist and shadow
.....Cloud and shade,
..........All shall fade,
...............All shall fade.