The Hidden Hills

by starsailor iphigenia

Freylin AU. When Arthur dies, the island of Brittania is trapped in a pocket universe. When he awakes, the rest of the earth has progresssed thousands of years into the future and is rapidly destroying itself. Portals have opened between the two worlds. Arthur and Merlin must find a way to help the refugees who pass through the portals hoping for a better life in Camelot. (1/3)

17. Chapter 17

Merlin dreamed.

He dreamt of Arthur, fighting in front of the castle gates. The golden runes on Excalibur's sides caught the light. Arthur was alone, separated from his knights by a sea of green-clad enemy soldiers. Merlin leaned over the battlements above him. I should be with him.

No. Arthur was not alone. Someone else was fighting beside him. They were back to back. Every time Arthur was in danger of being overwhelmed by sheer numbers, the person threw their opponents back. Every time Arthur wanted to advance, the person cleared a path. He was holding a sword, but he was not using it. Instead, a light was burning in the palm of his hand.

Someone else had magic. Someone else was using it for Arthur. Merlin knew what that meant. His time was over.

He shook his head, violently enough to make Arthur, sitting in a chair by his bed, lean over and put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

Merlin felt the touch, and his dream changed.

A little girl, with coffee-colored skin and a shock of curly white-blond hair, was playing in a big sunny room. Another child, a baby, similar in coloring but with darker blond hair, was sleeping in a cot not far away. He had a vague impression of people watching them from the far side of the room.

Another little girl, younger than the first, was sitting half-hidden in shadow by the cot. She had very fair skin and very black hair, and she was holding a book on her lap, but she was not reading. She was watching the other girl. After a few seconds she looked up, and caught Merlin's gaze. She gave him a little half-smile.

Arthur caught Merlin as he nearly fell off the bed. "It's all right. Easy now."

Merlin stared up at him as though he had never seen him before. "Are you sure she was dead?"

"Yes. Quite sure. She was cold."

Merlin turned over and buried his face in his pillow. Arthur reached out and ruffled his hair nervously.

"Go back to sleep."

"What would you do with me if I wasn't important to you anymore?" His words were almost completely smothered by the pillow.

"What? Don't be ridiculous. That's never going to happen."

"It will."

"Don't be stupid. You're my friend."

0000

In Merlin's dream, the smiling girl held out her arms to him. He picked her up.

Fastened around her neck with a black cord was a delicate crystal rosebud.

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The continuation of this story is called The Crystal Rose and I will start posting it right away. Thanks for reading! I hope you have gotten half the fun from reading this as I did from writing it.