Day One Hundred and Three

"Arthur, I have magic." Merlin's declaration was uttered with a weary sigh, though the boy stood tall and unafraid in front of the prince who gaped at him much like a fish out of water.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Merlin stated, jutting his chin out and locking eyes with the blond. "I. Have. Magic."

When the prince began to shake his head, the warlock heaved another heavy sigh and thrust his hand out towards the unlit fireplace. "Bael onbryne!"

The fireplace roared to life, flames that hadn't been there seconds before were now licking at the logs carefully placed earlier in the day. Arthur stumbled back, his mouth dropping open in disbelief as Merlin lowered his hand and arched a brow at the royal.

"You're.. you're a sorcerer." Arthur gasped, his hand gripping the back of his chair tightly and looking as if he were ready to use it as a weapon against his servant.

"I prefer warlock, actually." Merlin said with a small shrug.

"You've been practicing magic. You're as evil as the rest of them." The man whispered, his blue eyes hardening as his hand flew to the pommel of his sword.

"No, I'm not." Merlin groaned loudly, ruffling his hair with both hands in exasperation.

"You will burn for your treachery."

"Thirty eight." The boy muttered, glaring across the room at the still burning fire while the blond froze.

"What?"

"You've said those exact words to me thirty eight times now. Honestly, it's getting a bit old."

"What in the hell are you talking about?"

Shifting his focus onto one of the open windows where night had fallen dark and heavy over the world, Merlin sighed. "The moon is nearly at its peak."

"What does that have to do with anything? You are aware that you not only admitted to, but used magic in front of me?" Arthur demanded, freeing his sword as Merlin's shoulders slumped.

"I suppose I will just have to try again tomorrow."

"Merlin—"

Arthur's words were cut off by a blinding light filling the room, causing the young warlock to shield his eyes as the floor dropped out from underneath him. The light faded to darkness, and Merlin didn't bother trying to fight it.

One Hundred and Two Days Earlier…


Day One

Merlin woke to a clear day, an aching neck, and his blankets spread about on the ground. Stretching his arms out with a yawn, the boy forced himself out of bed and dug through his mess of clothes before dressing for the day.

He was still groggy as he made his way out to the main chambers and slid into a seat at one of the tables where a bowl of steaming stew waited for him. Stirring through it with his spoon, Merlin yawned again and began to eat.

His mind wandered lazily, waking him up as he did, when a fleeting image of Lancelot suddenly appeared brightly in his mind. Dropping his spoon, Merlin tried to force the thoughts away, grief and guilt at war inside of him. He'd lost his appetite in thinking about his lost friend, and Gaius chose that moment to appear with his own breakfast.

"Good morning, Merlin."

"Morning." The boy mumbled, glaring at the stew as if it were its fault that he'd thought of the knight.

The warlock could feel Gaius' eyes on him, and Merlin lifted his gaze just as the physician let out a low hum. "How are you fairing this morning?"

"I'm fine." The boy said, his voice quiet.

It had only been two weeks since the loss of his friend, and of the only other person in Camelot who had knowledge of his secret. Someone who had accepted him, who chose to remain friends despite the risks.

"Doesn't seem like you are." The elder responded lightly, and Merlin bit back a sigh.

"I just have a lot on my mind right now." He didn't have to tell his guardian where exactly his mind had been, Gaius merely nodded, a pitying expression settling into place. "I should go wake Arthur." The boy mumbled, pushing his bowl away and rising from the table.

For a moment the physician looked as if he wanted to stop the boy, but in the end he simply told him goodbye, and Merlin was hurrying to close the tower door behind him. The walk to the prince's chambers was quiet despite the bustling citadel around him.

No one stopped to talk to him, and more than once he'd felt a pitying gaze from a guard or a maid who knew he'd been friends with the fallen knight. By the time he'd reached Arthur's room, he was sick of everyone, and he'd barely even uttered a word.

The curtains were already drawn in the prince's room when he'd stepped inside, and Arthur sat behind his desk glaring at a small box. Surprise darted through the warlock, and Merlin approached the man with intrigue.

"So, is this going to be a common occurrence for you? Because I have to say, I wouldn't mind."

Arthur looked up then, scowl set firmly in place, and gestured at the box in irritation. "You did this."

Blinking, Merlin stepped up to the desk and looked down at the small package. It didn't look big enough to hold more than a few coins, and while the box was plain, there was a red ribbon beside it that had presumably held it closed.

"No clue what you're talking about." The boy shrugged, causing Arthur to scoff.

"It's an early birthday present." Shoving the box away from him, Arthur leaned back and folded his arms across his chest as Merlin shook his head.

"That wasn't from me."

"The card that was attached says otherwise."

It was Merlin's turn to frown as he picked up the box and gave it a small shake. "The card was wrong. Why would I give you something early? What was inside?"

"Nothing. I pulled the lid off, and it was empty."

"Is that why you're pouting?" Merlin asked dryly as Arthur rolled his eyes.

"I don't like the fact that you left a strange, empty box on my desk."

"I didn't leave anything." The boy shot back, his foul mood causing the prince's brows to lift.

Ignoring the questioning look on the blond's face, Merlin opened the lid and peered inside. The man was right; there was nothing inside. Turning the box upside down and holding it towards the light, Merlin squinted.

There was a small, glowing tab in one of the corners, and as the warlock picked at it with his fingernail, a sudden burst of dust flew into his face, falling into his mouth and nose. Dropping the box and coughing loudly, the boy wiped at his face in disgust.

"What is the matter with you?" Arthur asked as Merlin doubled over and coughed louder, feeling the strange substance filling his lungs and making it hard to breathe.

Finally managing to catch his breath after another few moments, Merlin wiped his watering eyes and stared at the box warily.

"Merlin?"

"It had dust in it. Strange, sparkling dust."

Meeting the prince's eye, the warlock watched while a grave expression rose to the man's face. "You don't think it was magic, do you?"

"If it was then I suppose it's a good thing I'm the one who messed with it rather than you."

Arthur sat back with a heavy sigh, his frown furrowing his brows together and seeming to age him an additional five years. "I don't need another fallen man, Merlin. That's the last thing I want."

Merlin's shoulders fell at his words, and the warlock looked away. They'd spent the last year growing closer to Lancelot, the both of them. Merlin had finally had someone he could trust aside from Gaius, and Arthur had found a loyal knight. Only now Lancelot was gone, and there was a gap left behind that would never be filled in the same way.

"I should get to my chores." Merlin muttered, setting the box back onto the desk as Arthur's brows shot up in surprise.

"Are you actually asking for work, Merlin?"

"I do my job well from time to time, Sire." The boy frowned, snatching up the prince's cape from off a chair before ducking out the door to begin his day.

He didn't see the prince again until that evening when he carried the man's dinner into his chambers, the tray heavy in his hand as he kicked open the door and caused Arthur to jolt near his wardrobe.

"No, Merlin. Don't bother knocking, that would be too courteous of you."

"Glad you understand." The boy grinned, setting the tray down while the blond wandered over to inspect it. A moment later his gaze lifted to Merlin, and the warlock squirmed under his intense stare. "What?"

"You haven't grown a second head or anything."

"You expected me to grow a second head because I inhaled some sparkling dust?" Merlin asked incredulously, backing away from the man as he did.

"How was I to know what would happen? Besides, perhaps if you had a second head you'd be able to make two poor brains function as one normal one."

"Funny." Merlin rolled his eyes, walking over to the windows and pulling the drapes closed.

While he prepared the man's bed next, Arthur sat down at his table and cleared his throat loudly. "Oh, Merlin?"

"Yes?" The warlock asked warily, noting the mischievous tone in the other man's voice.

"Light my fire, it's drafty in here."

Huffing a small breath as he was planning to do that task next, Merlin dropped the last two pillows haphazardly onto the bed before marching over to the fireplace. Placing two extra logs of wood on, the boy set about coaxing the flames to build and preparing it for a long night.

"Oh, and when you're finished I need my drink filled." Arthur spoke, waving about his goblet when Merlin glanced over his shoulder.

"I already filled it." The boy stated tersely, brushing the cinders from his fingers while Arthur peered into the cup.

"Seems fairly empty to me. Perhaps that dust affected your eyesight."

The sigh that left Merlin was louder than before, and the boy marched over only to stare at him in disbelief. The prince's goblet was in fact full, but Arthur's brows stayed raised in question until Merlin snatched up the pitcher.

Pouring all of two drops back inside the goblet, the blond smiled, picking up his drink and swirling it about in approval. "Perfect."

"Goodnight." The boy muttered, biting back an onslaught of insults as he moved for the door.

"Oh, Merlin?"

"What? What is it? What could you possibly want now?" The boy snapped, whirling back around to see Arthur smirking.

"I was merely going to say have a good night."

Lies. Straight lies. But Merlin forced his head into a weak bow, uttering curses under his breath the whole time.

The warlock wasn't even hungry when he returned home that night, but pressure from Gaius required a quick meal and a forced conversation before he finally escaped to his bedroom. Sinking down onto his bed, Merlin turned to stare out his window at the clear evening sky with the moon on full display. Perhaps tomorrow would prove to be a better day.

Day Two

Merlin woke to a clear day, an aching neck, and his blankets spread about on the ground. Sitting up and stretching, the warlock let out a loud yawn and scratched the back of his head before his eyes flickered over to the window.

Another bright day in Camelot, which meant Arthur would likely be eager to train the knights when he had time. Which also meant that Merlin was likely to be used as a training dummy later that morning.

Pushing himself up with a sigh, the boy glanced around his messy room with a frown. He needed to take time that evening to clean up before Gaius walked in and tripped on it all.

Pulling on his clothes with another yawn, Merlin rubbed the sleep from his eyes and walked down the few steps into the main chamber before sliding into his seat at a table. Sitting in front of him was a bowl of steaming stew just waiting for him.

Staring at it for a moment, Merlin stirred it with his spoon and watched as a wilted carrot rose to the surface before it sank back down. Gaius must have made a large pot the day before and was merely reusing leftovers. Taking a bite, the warlock looked up as Gaius strode over, taking his own place at the table.

"Good morning, Merlin."

"Morning." He mumbled around his spoon, slurping his next bite and receiving a disappointed look from the physician in return.

"I know your mother taught you your manners, Merlin."

"Sorry, I didn't eat much of it yesterday. It's good."

"Didn't eat much of what?" Gaius asked, stirring his own stew around as Merlin furrowed his brows and gestured to his bowl.

"The stew."

"Yesterday? I only made it this morning. If you like it though, perhaps I'll try and save some for tomorrow." The elder began to eat his own breakfast, but Merlin's appetite had shrunk as his spoon slipped into his bowl and splashed some of it onto the table beside him.

"What are you talking about, Gaius? We ate this yesterday morning. You remember, you commented on my mood."

"Your mood changes like the weather, Merlin. I don't remember them all with each day. But I do know that we had leftover baked apples for breakfast yesterday." The physician shook his head and stared at his ward as if he'd lost his mind, and for a moment Merlin was worried that he had.

"But.. I thought.." Pausing, the boy looked away. Had he imagined the stew? Was it possible he merely dreamt it? Odd thing to dream about though, stew. Pushing himself up from the table, Merlin shook his head once. "I should go wake Arthur."

"Are you alright, Merlin?"

"Fine." The boy mumbled, ignoring the questioning look the elder wore as he ducked out the door.

By the time he made it to Arthur's chambers, Merlin was questioning everything. Had he seen those maids the day before rushing about with the same laundry? Were those guards the exact same ones?

When he finally stepped inside the prince's room, the warlock found the man already awake and dressed, sitting at his desk with a frown.

"So, this is going to be a common occurrence then." Merlin remarked, letting the door fall shut behind him as the man glanced up with a scowl.

"What are you on about now?" He asked before shaking his head. "No, never mind that, what is this?"

Holding up a small, plain box, Merlin felt his blood run cold. Too many coincidences.

"It's a box." He forced out while Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Obviously I can see that. It had your name on the card. What is it, some sort of early birthday present or some nonsense?"

"I don't know, but it's the same box as it was yesterday." Merlin said, stepping closer as the prince furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Yesterday? I didn't get a box yesterday."

"Yes, you did." The warlock insisted, a strange sort of panic wrapping around his chest and making it difficult to breathe. "It looked exactly like that one, only there was nothing inside of it."

"Have you hit your head again?" Arthur asked, his tone far too serious to be joking.

"What?"

"There's nothing in this box, Merlin. Why give a gift when there's nothing inside?" As if to prove his point, Arthur tipped the box upside down over his desk.

"There is, it's just dust." Merlin stated, snatching the box from the man's hand and flipping it back upright.

This time, however, there was no tab. No sparkling dust. Nothing. It was the only thing so far that he knew was different from his time the day before.

"There was dust before, just inside. It sparkled. Only now there's nothing. Strange." Merlin mumbled more to himself than anything as he set the box down in front of the prince again.

"Yes, you are acting strange today, Merlin."

"Doesn't this feel familiar to you? Any of it?" The warlock asked, his voice almost a whine as he gripped the edges of the prince's desk.

"What, you trying to skip out on your work? Yes, it does feel rather familiar." Arthur muttered as the boy rolled his eyes.

"I'll get to them."

"Now, Merlin."

"But—"

"Now, Merlin."

Sighing, the warlock pushed off the desk and shot a final, frustrated glance in Arthur's direction before going off to do the same work he swore he'd done the day before, even grabbing the prince's cape as he left.

The day passed in a blur of confusion for the boy, every interaction the same as the day before, every piece of work mimicking ones he recalled doing the previous morning. Merlin's body and brain were exhausted from the constant back and forth by the time he returned to Arthur with his dinner that evening.

Setting the tray that was all too familiar onto the table, the warlock went about his nightly duties in silence while the prince settled in at the table.

"Oh, Merlin?" The man called, a mischievous smile rising to his lips.

"You want a fire lit?" The boy predicted, already leaving the bed half set up before moving to the fireplace while the blond stared.

"Yes, actually. How did you know what I was going to ask?"

"Call it a hunch." Merlin sighed, lighting the fire and brushing the cinders from his fingers.

"Oh, Merlin?"

"Yes, Arthur, I'll fill your wine back up."

"Okay, how are you doing that?" The blond snapped, obviously irritated that his fun had been ruined.

"I think I've already lived this day." Merlin shrugged, walking over to stand in front of him. "Everything that is happening was exactly the same as it was yesterday."

"I guarantee you that it is not." Arthur frowned, though his fingers drummed against the table in thought.

"Everyone I've spoken to has said that, but it doesn't change the fact that is has been almost entirely the same." Merlin mumbled dejectedly, gathering up a few items before he started for the door.

"Merlin—"

"Goodnight, Arthur." He waved a hand, glancing back long enough to see the man's perplexed expression before the door shut between them.

When the boy finally returned home, it was to a familiar dinner and a word for word conversation with the physician. No one believed him. No one else thought it was strange. So Merlin resolved not to think about it anymore.

He took a few minutes to tidy his room, stuffing clothing into his wardrobe and dresser, and attempted to distract his mind with work. He changed quickly into his bedclothes after, climbed into bed, and buried his head beneath a pillow. Tomorrow would be different. It had to be.

Day Three

Merlin woke to a clear sky, an aching neck, and his blankets thrown about on the ground. Stretching, the boy yawned and sat up, staring blearily at the mess that was his room. He really needed to clean up before Gaius came in and—

His own thoughts cut themselves off in a panic as Merlin's eyes widened. He'd cleaned his room the night before, he distinctly remembered cleaning it, so why did it look as if he hadn't?

Jumping out of bed and throwing on the first clothes he could find, Merlin burst through the door and into the main chambers, his heart pounding in his chest. Sitting on the table at his place waiting for him was a steaming bowl of stew. Gaius stood near the fire, serving up a second bowl, dressed in the same robes he'd worn the last two days.

"Gaius—"

"Good morning, Merlin." The elder smiled, sitting down at the table and staring expectantly at the boy until he joined him.

Sitting slumped over, the warlock slowly began to shake his head. "Gaius, does this day feel strange to you?"

"No, should it?"

"I swear I've lived this day twice already."

The physician frowned, setting his spoon down while he did. "Are you certain that you're not just tired? Living the same day, I don't even know that magic could cause such a thing."

Sighing, Merlin poked his spoon around his dish and felt his stomach rumble as a wilted carrot rose to the surface. What was going on? Was he losing his mind?

His day passed in a haze. Arthur complained about the empty box. The chores he was given were a repeat of the day prior and the one before. Arthur's dinner and jokes about the fireplace and replenished wine had entirely lost its humor. Evening came and exhaustion claimed Merlin beneath its heavy folds, only for the boy to wake in the morning and repeat the same things time and time again.

Day Fifteen

Merlin woke to a clear sky, an aching neck, and his blankets thrown about on the ground. The first noise out of his mouth was a long, loud groan.

He'd tried to stay awake the night before, forcing himself to see through to the next day. However, just as the moon reached its peak, a blinding light had washed over him before leaving him in darkness, and Merlin had woken yet again in his bed, starting the day the same as always.

Sitting up and slamming his fists on the bed on either side of him, Merlin let out a loud curse. He was done with this. Getting up and throwing on his clothes, he was just striding out the door when Gaius appeared with his bowl of stew and stared at the boy in concern.

"Merlin, are you alright?"

"If Arthur comes looking for me, tell him that he can fetch his own dinner." The boy scowled, storming out the door and leaving Gaius to shout after him.

It didn't take long for the warlock to find the man he was looking for, catching Gwaine hanging about the kitchen and flirting with one of the maids.

"Gwaine." He called, approaching the knight who turned and beamed when he saw him.

"Merlin! Come to fetch the prince his breakfast?"

"I'm actually taking a day off. I was headed for the tavern." The boy declared, enjoying the confused expression the knight wore.

"Isn't it a bit early?"

"I'm surprised you're asking me that." Merlin snorted as the man smiled.

"For you, my friend. It's never too early for me to go to the tavern."

"Then come with me. Camelot will survive one day without you."

Hesitating for only a moment, Gwaine nodded, unclasping his cape and tossing it over his arm. "Lead the way."

It wasn't often that Merlin did not go about his duties for any reason considered fun. Usually there was an attack, or an assassination attempt, or Arthur just being plain stupid. Today however, he wanted to forget who and where he was, and what was happening to him. Which was how, three hours later, he was drunk in the early afternoon with Gwaine beside him.

"When Arthur finds you he is going to be livid." Gwaine was laughing, his mug thumping against the table they sat at while Merlin brushed a hand over his flushed face.

"What about you? You skipped out on your knightly duties!"

"Yes, but I am known for this sort of thing. Not to mention I'll still be able to return to my duties tomorrow. You'll be laid out for a week if you drink anymore."

"You underestimate me." Merlin laughed, downing the last of the ale in his mug. "See, I have this notion that I won't feel a thing tomorrow."

"Oh? And what sort of power grants that? Because I would love to have some for myself." The knight's laughter bellowed out of him as the boy leaned closer.

"I keep reliving the same day, over and over again." Merlin said, attempting to keep his voice low, though there was only one other patron and the barkeep himself there at such an hour.

"Really?" An impressed noise came form Gwaine, and he made a motion for both of their steins to be filled.

"I'll wake up tomorrow with no aches and pains from drinking, and Arthur will be none the wiser." Merlin nodded solemnly.

"Well then, we shall drink to the same day repeating itself and to us never feeling the effects of our actions today!" Gwaine cheered, lifting his refreshed ale high in the air as Merlin joined him.

The next several hours were filled with laughter and singing and even more cheering as people slowly filtered into the tavern and joined in their festivities. Merlin was barely aware of time passing, or of much else for that matter. The drink flowed freely, and he felt good.

"Merlin!"

Until right then. A song died on Merlin's lips at the sound of his name, while somewhere off to his left he heard Gwaine laughing with a barmaid.

"Arthur!" The boy cheered, pushing off his stool and stumbling over to the prince. "If it isn't the royal dollop head himself!"

"Where have you been all day?" The prince snapped, his face flushed with anger as another man stumbled past them and gave the prince a drunken bow.

"Here! Why, have you been looking?"

"For Gwaine, actually. Gaius told me that you were horribly ill."

"He lied for me?" Merlin gasped, practically beaming. "How kind of him!"

"What are you even doing here?" Arthur demanded, glancing around while the boy swayed.

"I'm forgetting my woes. You do that with ale, don't you?"

"And what woes do you have, exactly?" Arthur scoffed, his arms folding across his chest while Merlin glanced left to right.

Leaning forward suddenly, the warlock threw out his arms in an effort to keep the world from tipping over. "That I have magic!" He whispered, though his voice came out louder than he intended as he let out a laugh.

Arthur didn't seem to find his announcement funny though. Instead, the prince's face went pale, his eyes flitting around the space once again.

"Your face!" Merlin cackled, tears filling his eyes as he laughed. "You should see your face! I knew that's how you would react!"

"You're leaving, now." Arthur snapped, snatching ahold of his arm and yanking him forward as the boy stumbled.

"But I have to pay, I've built up a big tab." He complained, his vision swimming while his head ached from being jerked all around.

"Come back and cover it tomorrow." The prince commanded, yanking on him again. When Merlin still refused to move, Arthur looked over at the barkeep who gave a single nod. "See? It's fine, you'll pay it tomorrow. Now move." Shoving the boy out the door, Arthur stood in front of him while Merlin swayed. "What were you thinking spouting such nonsense? It's like you want to be thrown in the dungeon!"

"It doesn't matter," The warlock slurred, the world beginning to spin around him. "No one believes me anyway. Not about this, not about the same day happening over and over."

"I don't want to hear another word out of you." Arthur scowled, grabbing the boy's arm and guiding him back to the citadel.

It felt like an eternity had passed before Arthur was kicking open the door to the physician's chamber, causing Gaius to jump up from where he sat.

"Arthur! Oh, Merlin." The elder's voice grew quiet as his eyes slid from the prince to his ward while Arthur helped the warlock to sit on one of the benches.

"Guess where I found him?" Arthur asked, crossing his arms as the boy smiled wearily up at his guardian.

Everything in the room had begun to dance, and nausea was threatening to pull him under.

"Apparently he has magic." Arthur scowled, and Gaius too paled at the words as his eyes darted to the boy.

"Mm, I'm the greatest in the land!" Merlin cried, throwing his fist into the air as the physician moved towards him.

"Merlin—"

"Oh! Hi Gaius." The boy waved, a wide grin on his face as the elder dipped and swayed in front of him.

The figures moved faster and spun around in a dizzying manner until the warlock's head fell to the table and everything around him went black.

Day Twenty Three

Merlin woke to a clear sky, an aching neck, and his blankets thrown about on the ground. For a moment, the boy simply stared up at his ceiling.

Another day, and no repercussions. He'd been careful the following morning after he passed out, but the day had merely repeated itself as usual, and Arthur was none the wiser about his magic. After that, Merlin had begun to see what different ways he could go about telling Arthur about his magic.

Twice the prince had been furious. He'd nearly refused to believe what the warlock was saying, and when he finally did, he'd banished Merlin on the spot.

Three times he'd been imprisoned. The moment Arthur did believe him, he'd either called for the guards, or had taken Merlin to the dungeon at the point of his own sword.

Only once had Arthur believed him, and somewhat accepted him. Even then, the prince had sent him back to the physician's tower in a fit of rage, though he had commanded an early breakfast, and Merlin felt that was about as good as he was going to get.

As time continued to pass however, the boy began to wish that he had an easier way of tracking how good or bad things went with more than just a mental tally. This repeated day was different though, as Merlin had finally decided to hunt down the person who had caused this, and demand they put an end to it.

And so the morning went as it usually did, and when he stepped foot inside the prince's chambers, Merlin immediately walked up to the desk and stared down at the box sitting there. Off to the side, where he hadn't paid it any mind before, was a simple card with ink writing his own name in large, swooping letters.

Arthur sat where he always did, with his usual frown in place while he stared at the box. Before he could speak however, Merlin beat him to it.

"I didn't give you that." He said, watching as Arthur's brows lifted in surprise.

"How did you know what I was going to ask, I hadn't even said anything yet."

"I knew exactly what you were going to say." Merlin sighed with a halfhearted shrug.

"Oh really, and how, may I ask, did you know that?"

"I've been reliving this same day over and over again."

"Right, okay. One small problem with that." Arthur scoffed, leaning forward and giving the boy a look that said he thought he was an idiot. "That's not possible."

"That's not possible." Merlin spoke the words at the same time as the royal, one brow arching in question as Arthur frowned.

"Don't do that." "Don't do that."

"Stop that!" "Stop that!"

Arthur's face had begun to turn red.

"I mean it, Merlin. Stop it." "I mean it, Merlin. Stop it."

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted, and the boy ducked his head with a smirk he tried to hide. At least that part was still funny each time.

"I told you." He shrugged again while Arthur leaned forward with curiosity.

"How could that sort of thing even happen?"

"Magic." Merlin spoke, gesturing towards the box as Arthur suddenly pushed himself away.

"Are you saying that isn't an early birthday gift?"

"Birthday gift, evil curse, same thing right?" Arthur shuddered at his words, rising from his chair and staring down at the box as if he expected it to leap up and attack him. "You do remember the last time we were cursed, don't you?"

"Don't remind me." The prince scowled, making his way cautiously around his desk.

"I need your help to break this, Arthur."

Pressing his lips together tightly, the royal rested his hands on his hips. "Why are you the only one going through this?"

"Probably because of the dust."

"Dust?" Arthur repeated, shaking his head in confusion.

"The very first day that box seemed like it was empty, but it had some sort of sparkling dust in it. When I tipped it upside down to check, the dust fell all over me. I believe it was meant for you, but I got caught up in it instead."

"Why are you always getting mixed up in these things?" Arthur rubbed his forehead, and Merlin frowned.

"I have unfortunate luck, I thought that was obvious. I mean, I work for you, don't I?" At Arthur's glare, the boy continued. "The first step is figuring out where the box even came from."

"You mean you haven't managed to do that yet with all these days you've been reliving?"

"I only just started looking in this direction." Merlin defended, frustrated at the way the other man was smirking.

"So, you're lazy is what you're saying."

"Are you going to help me or not?" The warlock demanded, his voice a huff that had Arthur lifting his hands and nodding.

"Yes, alright, fine. Where do we start?"

Day Thirty Seven

"I'm sorry, you're what?" Arthur asked, his eyes wide and his brows furrowed in disbelief.

Merlin, on the other hand, was at his wits end. "I am reliving this same day over and over again. No, I'm not lying. Yes, I hate my life right now. And no, I don't know who did it, I'm still figuring that part out which is rather difficult when you have to restart every single day."

For a moment Arthur didn't speak, though his mouth opened and closed like he wanted to say something but couldn't. "How did you—"

"Know all the answers to the questions you barely even had time to think of? I told you. The same day. Over and over." Merlin placed his hands on the desk and leaned forward, staring at his friend with weary determination.

"But—"

"I really, really need you to believe me, Arthur. I cannot go through this every single day, so please."

The two stared at one another before the prince let out a sigh. "Fine. Who sent the box?"

"A prankster." Merlin said, relieved that he hadn't had to fight as hard as he'd expected.

"A prankster?"

"The best I can figure is that they wanted a laugh at your expense."

"Well, that worked out well for them, didn't it?" Arthur laughed, obviously not understanding how dangerous those words were. "How did you figure out who it was?"

"We found them four days ago." Merlin explained, lifting a hand and running it through his hair. "Those first two days we tried to find their camp. The third day they managed to dye your hair blue. Then yesterday, well, they killed you." Cringing as the words left him, he watched while Arthur let out a noise somewhere between a cough and a gasp.

"They killed me?"

"With a stick. It was embarrassing, and really beside the point as well."

"I don't think it is!" Arthur cried in exasperation, throwing his hands up as Merlin fought back a groan.

"Arthur!" The warlock yelled, surprising the man into silence. "They're slipping away, and I need your help to get a leg up on them."

"How exactly do you intend to do that?" Arthur demanded, obviously still miffed about the whole 'death by stick' thing.

"By using magic." Merlin spoke, plunging on without hesitation.

"Excuse me?" Arthur asked, his voice turning dangerously calm.

"I have it, I need it, and you've got to accept it."

"You don't have magic." Arthur said slowly, his eyes flashing as the boy frowned.

"Yes, I do."

"No, you don't."

Huffing a sigh, Merlin thrust his hand out towards the unlit fireplace across the room. "Bael onbryne!" The fire roared to life, flames licking at the logs as Arthur stumbled back in shock while Merlin lowered his hand. "See? Now we need—"

"Get out." Arthur whispered, cutting the boy off as he backed up a step and rested his hand on his sword.

"Arthur—"

"Get out!"

Day Fifty One

"Why tell me now? Why tell me like this?" Arthur demanded, his voice filled with anger as the fire burned bright below them.

"Because I needed your help!" Merlin shouted, grimacing at the prince's elbow digging into his ribcage.

The forest was heavy and thick with darkness, and the fire below had caused sweat to drip down his face and arms.

"I cannot believe you." Arthur spat, clawing at the netting they were stuck in and causing them to swing forward a fraction. "Get us out of here before I leave you to rot by yourself!"

"That doesn't even make any sense!" Merlin yelled back, gripping tight to the woven knots.

"I will have you banished for this." The prince threatened.

"I know. Now swing!"

Day Sixty Four

Tears traced down Merlin's cheeks as a low whine left his throat. "Please, Arthur." The warlock whispered, feeling the sharp steel of the prince's blade press tighter against his throat as he sat kneeling on the ground.

"Shut up." The blond hissed, pushing the tip of his blade further and causing blood to trickle free from a cut along his throat.

"Please, I'm your friend." He begged, blinking past the tears as they mingled with the dirt and blood smeared across his face.

"No, you're not." The prince spat out in disgust. "I can no longer trust you or anything that you say or do."

"All I've ever done is be loyal to you. I've only ever protected you." The boy cried, his fingers digging into the dirt beneath him.

"While using magic. Which is outlawed. And is punishable by death." Arthur glared, drawing his sword back over his shoulder.

"Is this really what you want to do?" Merlin asked quietly, the evening sky casting eerie shadows over the prince's face.

"What I wanted was a friend that I could trust." Arthur uttered before his sword swung down in an arc straight towards the boy's head.

Day Seventy Seven

"You killed him." Arthur spoke, his voice mixed somewhere between shock and awe.

"I didn't mean to." Merlin whispered, dropping to his knees in front of the bandit that lay bleeding out before him.

A massive tree branch had skewered the man straight through the middle, and his blood had already created a puddle beneath him on the forest floor.

"How did you even do that? I didn't see you move, and that branch came out of nowhere." Arthur shook his head, stepping closer to the boy as Merlin dug his fingers into the dirt beneath him.

"Magic." The warlock spoke quietly, his next breath choked as he looked up at the prince. "I have magic, Arthur."

For a moment neither of them spoke, and Merlin blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. He hadn't wanted to kill the man, it had been obvious that he was just hungry and desperate, but he'd tried to hurt Arthur, and it was second nature to do what was needed to protect the Pendragon.

"Why did you never tell me?" Arthur finally asked, surprising the boy at the lack of fury burning through his words.

"You'd have had me banished or killed. Or you would have killed me yourself." Merlin let out a mirthless laugh as he tipped his head back and stared at the evening sky through the canopy of trees.

"No, I wouldn't have killed you." Arthur spoke, his voice thick as Merlin's eyes found his.

"Really? Because nineteen other days say that you would."

They lapsed into silence again, and Arthur sank to his knees beside the boy. "How many times have you told me?" He asked finally, his eyes firm on the dead man in front of them.

"I've nearly lost count." Merlin gave a half hearted shrug, and Arthur shifted next to him.

"How do I typically respond?"

"Badly." The warlock answered immediately, his fingers clenching into small fists. "I never meant to lie to you, Arthur. I've only ever worked to protect you and Camelot."

"With magic." Arthur said gruffly, and Merlin flinched at his tone.

"Yes, with magic."

"You know that I cannot condone this, don't you?" The prince asked, looking up and over at the warlock.

"You rarely do." The boy spoke with a weak smile.

"Rarely?" Arthur asked, his brows drawing together in confusion.

"There have been, on rare occasions, those moments when you don't lash out at me for my secret." Merlin said carefully, waiting for the argument and instead receiving a snort as the man laughed.

"I bet you love those times."

"It is when I tend to find out the most information about why I'm forced to live this day over and over again." He said, bringing his hands into his lap as Arthur's eyes darted over his face.

"You said that everyone forgets what happened when the day resets?"

"Yes. And then I have to live it all over again." Merlin nodded.

"How many times has it happened? How many times have you relived this day?"

"Nearly eighty times now." The warlock admitted as Arthur stared.

"How have you not gone mad?"

"I'm not certain that I haven't." Merlin chuckled weakly, using his fingers to pick at his nailbeds on the other hand.

"So, I'm going to forget about all of this when tomorrow comes."

"Yes."

"Alright then," Arthur stated, pushing himself up with a groan and brushing the dirt off his trousers. "Let's get to work then."

"Wait, you're not going to banish me?" Merlin gaped at him, staring up at the blond who now towered over him.

"Why bother?" The man asked dryly, a frown settling into place. "It's not as if it would even stick."

"Aren't you mad?" Merlin asked next, his brows tugging together in confusion. This had never happened before, the way Arthur just continued to talk to him as if his magic didn't matter.

"Of course I'm upset, Merlin! I'm furious, and I feel betrayed."

"Arthur—"

"However, you saved my life two weeks ago, at least two weeks ago to me, and that does count for something. Not to mention what you did just now as well. So, let's go and figure this out."

Merlin's mouth had fallen open at some point, but he couldn't seem to lift it back up. This was what he'd always wanted from Arthur, a form of acceptance for who and what he was. Just like Lancelot had done.

"Get that look off your face. And hurry up! What do you already know?"

"They're a trickster, they live in the northern woods, and every time we've managed to find them, they try to kill you." Merlin listed the facts easily, having given the information more times than he cared to remember at this point.

"Why is it that everyone we encounter lately has wanted to kill me?" Arthur complained, kicking at the dirt as Merlin pushed himself to his feet as well and brushed off his hands.

"I can't begin to imagine, Arthur."

"I spared your life, Merlin, perhaps show some respect." The royal snapped, glaring at the boy who ducked his head before side eyeing him.

"Just how angry are you, Arthur? Really?"

"Just walk, Merlin." The prince muttered, already finding his way back to the path as the warlock hurried to catch up to him.

The forest grew darker the longer they walked, until after nearly an hour Arthur finally broke their silence. "How much longer until we reach their camp?"

"We should be nearing it soon, in that clearing ahead." Merlin pointed to where a thick patch of trees would give way to an open clearing perfect for the trickster's camp.

"What exactly do we need to do differently from the other times?" Arthur asked, slowing his steps.

"I need to use my magic." Merlin said softly, not meeting the man's eyes even when his intent gaze burned into him. "Every other time we've tried to confront them, you didn't know about my magic. I think using it freely while you distract them will be the key to defeating them." Merlin explained, daring to look over only to find an unreadable mask in place.

"Fine, do it." Arthur gave a sharp nod.

The warlock had only managed to take another two steps when the prince's hand shot out and gripped his arm tightly. Merlin looked down in surprise at the fingers wrapped around his bicep before he shifted his gaze to Arthur, only to find the blond glaring at the ground.

"How long have you been hiding the use of magic?" He asked quietly, his voice thick, and Merlin felt guilt roiling around in his stomach.

"I was born with magic, Arthur." The warlock spoke, watching as Arthur's head jerked up in surprise. "I never went behind your back to practice it, it's just a part of who I am. But I never used it for evil, I promise you that. I only ever use my magic to help you."

The prince stared in silence for another few moments before yanking his hand back and turning away. "Let's just finish this."

The next few minutes were spent in tense silence before Merlin finally parted the branches and the two stepped out into the edge of the clearing. A small camp had been made right in the middle, with a set up tent as well as a fire with logs for seating settled around it. And there, sitting on one of those logs by the fire, was a young girl.

"Where is this prankster?" Arthur hissed, leaning in closer to look as Merlin swallowed.

"She's right there." He pointed.

"She?" Arthur gaped.

As if on cue, the girl turned, and her bright red eyes gleamed in the firelight. Pitch black curls tumbled down her shoulders and over a purple cloak, and when she smiled an impish grin at them, each of her pointed teeth seemed to sparkle.

"If it isn't the serving boy and his master, again." She spoke with a laugh, the noise far too childlike for the warlock's comfort.

"Donovan, it's time to end this ridiculous game." Merlin said, all the while Arthur was still sputtering beside him.

"That's a child, she's a child, Merlin. Why would a child want to kill me?"

"I haven't been a child in many, many years." The girl snarled, focusing her attention on the prince.

The heat grew more intense around them, and there was no time to duck for cover as the girl swung her cloak around and a blast of magic erupted around them. Shoving Arthur to the ground, Merlin stared at the tree that had been directly behind them that was now ablaze.

"Free me of this, Donovan! It's been long enough!" Merlin shouted, positioning himself in front of Arthur as the prince pushed himself up and drew his sword.

"No, it hasn't! You deserve to suffer, the both of you!"

"Why?" Arthur demanded, stepping forward until he stood beside Merlin.

"Do you remember that army of undead that came to Camelot? That ravaged the towns and murdered your people? They destroyed my family, they killed my father and tortured my brother, all because we were different. You could have stopped them, but you didn't!"

An inhuman shriek left the girl's lips, and as she swung her cloak out and her deep blue dress brushed over her bare feet, a wave of energy threw the two of them back into the trees. As Merlin fell, his head connected with the edge of a fallen trunk, and everything around him went dark.

Day Ninety Six

"Merlin?" Gaius' voice called through his bedroom door, but Merlin made no move to answer him, instead burrowing himself further into his blankets he'd scooped up from the floor an hour before. "Don't you have to work this morning?" The elder called, rapping on the wood to get his attention.

Holding back a sigh, Merlin ran his hands down his face and let out a ragged breath. "I'm not going to Arthur this morning, Gaius."

"Merlin—"

"Gaius, please. Just leave me be." Closing his eyes tightly, Merlin listened as the footsteps near his door finally receded.

He couldn't handle another day. He couldn't take having Arthur hate him and attack him. He was tired, and he was done. Perhaps if he slept again he would find himself waking up from the living nightmare he was stuck in.

Day One Hundred and Fourteen

"You will free us of this endless loop, she-demon!" Arthur commanded, holding the girl's cloak tightly in one hand while his other kept his sword pointed directly at her throat.

"Why do you care?" She scoffed, seemingly unafraid of the danger as she sneered at the prince. "You're not the one going through this, he is!" As she gestured behind him, Merlin stood like a shadow, watching on with a drawn expression.

His body and mind were exhausted, and he no longer cared about fighting. Arthur had been furious to learn of his magic, but he'd still come anyway. Small miracles still tended to happen.

"How many times has he tried to kill you now? Either by his sword or by fire?" Donovan asked, tilting her head to better see the warlock despite the sword that had already begun to draw blood to the surface of a nick in her throat.

"Somewhere in the seventies now, I think. I don't know, I've lost count." He mumbled, his gaze flickering to where Arthur stood.

The prince looked shocked, a pained expression on his face as his sword pulled back a fraction from the girl's throat.

"And how many times has he accepted you?" Donovan prodded, obviously enjoying both of their discomfort as Merlin swallowed thickly.

"Six times."

Arthur's grasp on the girl fell, her cloak sliding through his fingers until she landed hard on the ground. The prince straightened, his sword still at the ready, but his eyes were on Merlin.

"Why won't you accept him, prince?" She asked, staring up at the blond with red eyes that burned with mischief and intrigue.

"I did." The man snapped, turning back to the girl who stood and brushed off her cloak with disgust.

"This time, perhaps. But you heard him, very few times in the other days have you done much more than want his head for a thing that comes naturally to him."

A scowl formed on Arthur's face and his fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword. "Magic is outlawed in Camelot."

"Yes, but even so, with his magic he has done nothing but help you, isn't that correct?" She asked, arching a brow at the man while scooting an inch away.

Arthur's eyes flickered to Merlin, and there was a flash of doubt in his eyes. "For now."

Those two words stabbed into Merlin like a dagger to his chest, and he barely contained the noise of pain.

"You're afraid that he will betray you." Donovan nodded, as if that thought were perfectly logical.

"They all do." The prince replied, and Merlin's chest constricted in hurt.

"Arthur, I would never—"

"It doesn't matter." The man cut him off, suddenly sheathing his sword. Giving the girl one last glance, he strode past Merlin without another look. "This is your fight, not mine."

"Arthur wait, please!" Merlin called, spinning around to watch him leave before refocusing on the girl who shook her head, sending black curls all over.

"Let him go, you are about to start this day over again anyway." Her impish smile and her dangerous teeth were infuriating, and suddenly Merlin was launching himself at her. A look of surprise and then panic crossed her face, and Donovan scrambled backwards as the warlock threw out his hand and barely missed grabbing her hair.

"End this!" He roared, his voice booming across the clearing as his chest heaved. "I will not do another day of this! End it, or I will." His threat hung heavily in the air, and the next step back that the girl took made her stumble, crashing to the ground in fear.

"Wait, I—" Her words cut off as Merlin threw himself at her again.

Instead of reaching her however, two rough hands pulled him back. "Stop it, you don't want to do this." Arthur spoke, wrenching the boy back as he struggled in his arms.

"I thought you left! Why do you even care?" Merlin screamed, fury sending strength coursing through him as he tried to fight the prince off.

"Because you're my friend, you idiot!" He yelled, pulling again as Merlin's back collided into his chest. "I won't let you attack her and risk destroying yourself in the process!"

"I can take her." The warlock scowled, though his rage was quickly fading.

"I know." Arthur said quietly, and as he let go, Merlin turned to glare at him. "You probably could. I don't know how powerful you really are. But if you hurt her, or kill her, you'll destroy yourself in the process. I'm not worried about her hurting you, I'm worried about you hurting yourself." Arthur snapped, waving his arms about as he spoke.

"Arthur—"

"If you want to though, go ahead. I don't even know why I bothered coming back." Folding his arms over his chest in frustration, the prince focused his gaze on the girl who had yet to get back up.

"Perhaps I played my game too far." She said warily, her eyes darting back and forth between the two of them.

"You think?" Arthur scoffed as the girl stood and brushed off her dress with a sigh.

"Was that story you told me about your family even true?" Merlin asked as the girl's red eyes flickered up to his and her impish grin returned.

"I'm sure it happened to someone's family." Merlin took a step forward and a small squeak left the girl as she tugged her cloak tight around herself. "Alright fine!" She snapped, straightening out her shoulders while glaring at them.

"Consider this my early birthday gift to you, Arthur. I will leave you and your kingdom be. For now." She lifted her chin and met Merlin's dirty look. "And my gift to you, warlock, will be that no one will remember this day. No one will know of your secret."

Merlin's expression turned to shock, watching in surprised silence as the girl grabbed the edges of her cloak and grinned. "Until our next game, boys." Bringing her cloak around herself, a pillar of fire burst from the ground and consumed her before disappearing a moment later, leaving the two of them alone in the middle of an empty clearing.

"Well. That was.. abrupt." Merlin muttered, staring down at his hands that were crusted with dirt. Could it all really be so simple? Was it really over?

"Merlin." Looking up, the warlock found Arthur staring intently at him, his hands at his hips. "Don't tell me."

"Don't tell you what?" The warlock asked in confusion, though his heart began to beat faster regardless.

"I won't remember what happened today, or any of the days. And I don't want you to tell me. Not that it happened, not that you have magic, none of it."

Hurt coursed through the warlock, and Merlin swallowed thickly as he looked away. "Why not?" He forced out, though his voice broke at the end. He'd thought Arthur would accept him, that finally he wouldn't have to hide himself anymore.

"It's not for the reason you think." Arthur sighed, rubbing at his forehead. "I'm not in a position to believe you. You said it yourself, too many times I've failed you."

"But that could change." Merlin argued, his fists clenched at his sides.

"No, it can't. Merlin, I am angry, confused, and I don't even know what else right now. I don't know what to think or believe about you or your magic. Now is not the right time."

"Then when will it be? Ever?" The warlock asked weakly, his shoulders slumping.

"I honestly don't know." Arthur shook his head, staring at the boy before reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder. "I want to say thank you, though. For all the times you helped me, or my kingdom. I may not approve of your methods, but you've a braver man than I've ever given you credit for."

Looking up, a lump formed in Merlin's throat. "Really?"

"Don't expect me to get emotional over this, Merlin." The man scoffed, dropping his hand and straightening his shoulders. "But you deserve to know that you've done well."

Lifting his chin, Merlin nodded once while Arthur smirked, shoving the boy's shoulder before he turned and headed back into the forest.

"I've done well." The warlock said softly, looking up at the sky that began to grow brighter. The light became blinding all around him before fading to darkness, taking Merlin with it.


Merlin woke to an overcast sky, a messy head of hair, and a grin that took over his whole face. He nearly leapt out of his bed to get dressed before the warlock was hurrying into the main chamber. Gaius sat at one of the tables, placing pieces of old bread on a platter when he looked up at the boy.

"Merlin, good morning. You seem rather cheery today."

"Just excited for breakfast." The boy beamed, sliding onto the bench as the elder looked him slowly up and down.

"Are you alright?" Gaius asked, sitting down across from him while Merlin bit a huge chunk out of a piece of bread.

"M fine." He mumbled around his food. When the physician still didn't look away, Merlin swallowed and stared right back. "What?"

"It's nothing, it's just.." Trailing off, Gaius rested his hands on the table and shook his head. "Weren't you wearing those same clothes yesterday?"


A/N

Listen. I had this finished before, and then my laptop deleted over HALF of what I'd written. I sobbed. For like, an hour. I was DISTRAUGHT. But here we are, rewritten and finally posted, and I want to thank you all for your patience in just how long this monster of a chapter took me to write and post.

I hope you guys enjoyed and I would like to welcome you to the season four arc! I'm quite excited! This story in particular I got from a very old online prompt from a Pinterest comment made by ShadoWatched, and I hope I did it justice! If there are any story ideas that you guys have that you'd like to see, let me know! I'll try to work them into the story if I can!

See you guys in the next one, and thanks again for reading!