San Antonio, Texas
January, 2023
"Please, I'm begging you! I need to go back!"
Fifteen days later, I found myself engaged in a heated argument with Lionelo Hargrove. He had been ignoring my text messages and I'd finally had enough and pushed past my hatred of phone calls to confront him.
"Astraea, we went through hell to get you back!" he raised his voice. "And you wanna throw it all away just 'cause you're having a rough time?"
I froze and tilted my head. "How do you know about that?"
"Your uncle's helpin' me with the legal stuff, remember? I hear things," he replied. I could practically hear him rolling his eyes.
I huffed and ran a hand through my hair. Perhaps I am, in a way, taking the coward's way out by choosing to go back to Camelot – but is it really the coward's way when it's almost certain that I'll be facing some more magical creatures like the gryphon and the afanc as soon as I get there?
"Is this some sort of 'Back to the Future' thing? Will I change the present if I go back? Is that why you don't wanna do it?" I questioned.
"What? No, Astra, it doesn't work like that. You can't change anything because you were always there. Y'know what I mean?" he replied.
I nodded in understanding and then hummed when I remembered that he couldn't see me. Then another scary thought crossed my mind, "Wait, so is my whole life already written out if I go back?"
"No. Your future is your future no matter where it takes place."
I blinked rapidly, trying to understand how that could make sense. "How does time work, then?" I wondered.
"It's too complicated, you won't understand it," Leo responded.
"Right," I mumbled under my breath, feeling kind of offended that he wouldn't even try explaining it to me. Then I realised that I'd strayed off the important subject at hand. "Anyways, so will you do it?"
I heard the blond sigh on the other side of the phone. "Astra, your uncle would kill me," he said.
Ah, so that's what he's so afraid of.
"Look, I'll make sure that doesn't happen, yeah?" I promised. "You just take care of the time-machine and I'll take care of the rest." My leg began to bounce up and down on my bed, where I sat.
"It is not that simple, Astra!" he yelled over the line, causing me to separate my phone from my ear for a second.
Well, it looks like the time for negotiations is over and the time for threats has arrived. "Lionelo, you either get the time-machine to me, or I'll go public with everything that happened!"
"Astra–"
"You know I'll do it, Leo!"
"But–"
"You have a week. Don't make me wait," I stated before hanging up.
I smirked to myself, thinking that I'd make a great (terrible) politician.
I stood up with a sigh and moved towards the mirror that stands in a corner of my room. I frowned at the girl that stared back at me, not quite able to believe that we are the same person.
She'd lost at least a couple of kilograms over the past six months, her skin was almost transparent, her hair was frizzy and lifeless, her eyes were dull and sported big purple bags underneath, and her once naturally red lips had lost all colour.
She kinda reminded me of Void!Stiles.
But that will change soon. Leo will get me back home and everything that has happened since I returned to Texas won't matter anymore.
With another sigh, I stepped away from the mirror and went to change out of my PJs. I threw on a black sweater with a horse's head stitched in white on it, light blue riding leggings, and my boots, before going outside to spend some time with Dallas.
As time worked against Leo's will, I decided to treat myself to some of the wonders of the twenty-first century. To the things I will miss once I'm back in Camelot. I thought that perhaps I could bring a few of them with me – coffee beans being the main priority. But for now, I'll just enjoy the remaining week I'll spend in 2023 Texas.
I was surprised at how drastically my mood had improved since my phone call with Leo. I felt a sense of empowerment that I'd never experienced before. For once, I'm not just settling for whatever life throws my way and simply going through the motions. For once, I'm chasing after something I want with all my heart. And let me tell you – it feels great!
After shooting a quick text to Elisa to cancel my training session – college doesn't matter anymore – I saddled Dallas and we headed out of the ranch.
My hands held a relaxed grip on the neck-rope as we cantered along the grass that frames the dirt road.
One of the things I missed the most about modern life while I was away was ice-cream. I pondered the idea of taking some with me, but I wasn't sure it would survive the journey, given its propensity to melt coupled with the lack of refrigerators over there. So I figured I'd just enjoy it while I could.
I rode to a small ice-cream parlour and ordered a big cookie-dough cone before returning outside and leading Dallas towards a small park nearby, where I set him loose and allowed him to graze while I ate my cool treat, sitting on a cold wooden bench with my helmet and vest resting next to me.
My eyes wandered around the scene, observing the cloudy winter sky above me, the balding trees, and the semi-dried grass covered by a layer of dampness. I could hear the faint sound of birds chirping somewhere in the distance, and smell the churros and hot cocoa that were being sold out of a food-truck just down the lane. A small smile formed on my lips. For the first time in almost six months, I can feel something resemblant of peace.
Everything will be all right. I'm almost home.
"Well, hello there." My thoughts were interrupted by the unexpected sound of a voice I became familiar with over my high-school years – only due to the slight but distinctive French accent that is laced with it.
"Marcus," I acknowledged, not bothering to look up at him.
I was kinda surprised that he was speaking to me. Marcus Bouchard was my generation's star student. He speaks six languages, excels at most sports, and has a way with words that appears to easily win over people. It also doesn't hurt that he's fairly attractive, with big blue eyes and wavy black hair. The girls were always all over him, but he had a reputation for sleeping around and making bets that he could get X, Y and Z into bed.
So, as you may have guessed, I avoided him and his posse like the plague. It wasn't hard. I was pretty much invisible.
"I did not know you were back!" he exclaimed as he sat down uncomfortably close to me while taking small spoonfuls out of his own ice-cream. Mint and chocolate chips, I believe. I scooted away from him.
"Sorry, I forgot to tell you," I replied, shooting him a sarcastic grin.
"Did those nerds really build a time-machine?" the boy asked. I could feel his eyes burning holes on the side of my face and I wanted to punch him and run away. But I had to remain civil. This isn't the middle ages where I can easily get away with punching jerks.
"Of course not. Time-travel isn't real," I mumbled in response.
Marcus chuckled and put a hand on my knee. I instantly swatted it off while glaring at him, making him frown down at me. Only for a second, and then he smiled again. His teeth were remarkably white and straight. He's the sort of boy one would find in a cheesy Netflix movie. But, in my eyes, he has nothing on Arthur.
Woah, where did that come from?!
Bucky Barnes. He has nothing on Bucky Barnes.
"So, how's life?" Marcus asked while throwing an arm over the backrest of the bench. I scooted further away from him. One more centimetre and I'll be sitting on the ground.
"It could be better," I noted in a mutter while glancing around as I lost sight of Dallas for a moment, but I soon found him behind the bench as he continued to snack on grass. I also noticed that there were several empty benches all around. Why did Marcus have to sit next to me?!
"How come?" the boy wondered, still grinning down at me.
Should I? I never hesitated to sass people in Camelot… namely Arthur… Screw it, I'll do it. "Well, for starters, I could be not talking to you," I shot.
Marcus recoiled with a frown. Then he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you have a problem with me?"
I snorted, "Nothing personal, just the way you treated girls in school." He finally looked away from me and his cheeks reddened slightly, which made me grin. "Are you here because of a bet, or somethin'?" I doubled down.
Like a deer caught in the headlights, the boy quickly stood up and scurried away. I couldn't help but laugh – though part of me was mortified at the thought that he might've been trying to turn me into another one of his meaningless conquests. That sent chills up my spine.
I'm saving myself until I'm married to someone special.
My brain thought it'd be funny to put an image of Arthur in my mind and I flicked the side of my head in an attempt to make it go away.
'Five days, buddy ;)' I texted Leo when I woke up the next day. Then I got out of bed and headed downstairs to get breakfast, only to halt when I spotted Aunt Kelly sitting at the kitchen table while working on her laptop. I shifted awkwardly on the staircase.
Am I an awful person for wanting to leave? Will she miss me? Will Uncle Gus? Will Sage and Olly?… Well, maybe, but I'm not a part of their nuclear family. In the end, they'll probably be happy to not have to worry about me anymore.
Still, I can't face her lest she see right through me and discover what I'm planning. I can't risk anything going wrong. One bad move and I'll be darned forever. I only have one shot at making this work, and I can't miss it. So I returned to my room, figuring that I'd just get something to eat at the shopping centre, and ordered an Uber before I changed into a grey Iron-Man sweater, jeans, and black Converse; then I gathered most of the savings I had, and climbed out the window and jumped off the roof.
The Uber arrived shortly after and took me to The Shops at La Cantera. I went straight into Barnes & Noble, wanting to get something to eat even if it was from Starbucks, and bought a Frappuccino and a bagel before getting some books for my trip – more specifically, a cool science encyclopaedia for Gaius, and some classic novels that I didn't have at home, such as 'Northanger Abbey', 'Frankenstein', and 'It'. I figured that I would need something other than movies and series to entertain myself.
Then I wandered around several clothing stores as I looked to expand my wardrobe a bit, but mostly because I wanted to get everyone back home a set of PJs. One doesn't truly know life until they've spent a rainy day curled up under a nest of blankets while wearing PJs, watching a good horror movie, and drinking hot cocoa with marshmallows! That reminds me – I have to hit the H-E-B, too!
Afterwards, I went to a toy store to get a pack of UNO cards and a Cluedo. I also stopped by the 'Build-A-Bear Workshop' and got a stuffed 'Hedwig the Owl' for Merlin. He needs it to complete his wizard look, y'know?
How perfect would it have been if I'd found a plushie of Archimedes from 'The Sword In The Stone', though?!
Once I was certain that there wasn't anything else I wanted to get from the shopping centre, I ordered another Uber and dropped everything off at home before going to the H-E-B. There I went insane buying a bunch of candy, loads of chocolate, Oreos, cocoa beans, coffee beans, pasta, rice, tortillas, small packets of seeds for fruits and veggies that are native to the Americas, lots of shampoo and conditioner, lots of toothpaste, lots of feminine hygiene items… among other things.
I stared down at all the bags scattered in my room and wondered how I would ever manage to get everything to Camelot. It's not like I can take a car, or something. I can't even drive! But that's a problem for future me.
I had a nice shower, changed into PJs, and fell exhausted onto my bed with a grin playing on my lips.
Leo got back to me two days later and reluctantly agreed to meet me at my Uncle's farm, with the time-machine, on the weekend – which is only three days away! I couldn't keep the triumphant smile off my face after hearing that. I'm really going home!
With no time left to waste, I determined that I could buy a collapsible camping wagon from Walmart and use that to transport the ridiculous amount of stuff I'd bought. So I ordered it online and then hurried to pack up everything I wanted to take home.
I managed to get most of my clothes to fit into two duffel bags, my books and 'Funko Pop' figures into a small suitcase, my collection of MCU blankets and pillows into a medium-sized suitcase, and all the food and the gifts I'd gotten for my friends into the biggest suitcase I could find in the house.
I carried everything outside and into the barn – feeling incredibly grateful that Gus and Kelly were away on one of my uncle's work trips – and loaded it all onto the wagon.
The bags at the top kept on falling off and I ended up having to secure them with a bunch of ropes, only to have the darn thing tilt and end up on its side. I huffed and untied everything so that I could get it out, get the wagon back on its wheels, and try again. Finally, after about six attempts, I was able to keep it upright with everything inside of it.
A big smile formed on my lips. It's all set!
After that was done, I went back into my room and got to typing out a nice explanatory letter for Gus and Kelly on my laptop. I owe them that much. In it, I thanked them for everything they did for me in the absence of my parents, and begged them not to punish Leo for agreeing to send me back to Camelot. I assured them that this is entirely my decision, and that I'm certain it is the right thing for me to do. I promised them that I will be okay, and reiterated how grateful I am to them.
I printed out the letter and taped it to their bedroom door. I'll be gone before they return.
Camelot
January, 505 AD
Gaius and Merlin sat at the kitchen bench in the physician's chambers, both of them lost in their own heads as they ate dinner after the young sorcerer had defeated yet another villain not two hours prior.
The kingdom hadn't been able to have a moment of peace in the past six months as chaos kept enveloping it.
First there had been an assassination attempt on the King – courtesy of a group of radicalised warlocks (surprisingly aided by Morgana, though she was the one to stop it at the last possible moment) who wanted to get him off the throne. It was unchained by a series of events; painful and unfair events that included the wrongful execution of Guinevere's father after he'd been framed for practising alchemy. Merlin was certain that Astra could've found a way to prevent that but, instead, he and Morgana had had to comfort the maidservant after the blacksmith's untimely death.
Then there had been an incident with a creature called the 'Questing Beast', which had almost ended Arthur's life after a messy encounter. It was thanks to Merlin that the blond had survived. He had traded his life for the Prince's, only for Nimueh (the sorceress behind it all) to trick him and try to take his mother's life instead. He had then faced her in combat and emerged victorious, ridding Camelot of the evil woman once and for all. The young sorcerer learnt that she had been the cause of several other incidents: the afanc, the poisoned chalice and the Black Knight. That's probably the only time when he had been relieved that Astra was no longer with them; for he was glad that she'd been spared the agony of seeing the Prince come so close to dying.
Camelot had been somewhat quiet during the first two months after Nimueh had been defeated, but then it'd been invaded by a crazy, superstitious sorcerer – Cedric – who had been trying to resurrect an ancient, evil one – Cornelius Sigan – by having his spirit possess him. The whole ordeal had been a disaster, especially because Arthur had very unjustly fired Merlin after he'd been tricked by the bad sorcerer. Luckily, he and Gaius had found a way to defeat the lunatic and get back home in time for supper.
The young sorcerer had never missed his best friend as much as he had over the past week. He knew, for a fact, that she would've averted half of the slightly abusive things he'd been put through by Arthur by simply knocking down his 'ego' (as she called it) a notch or two.
If his magic could travel through time, he would've brought her back in a heartbeat.
The physician's eyes carefully examined his ward as the boy ate slowly. He hadn't failed to notice how Merlin had been but a shell of himself ever since Astraea had left; hardly ever smiling or cracking jokes, and always seemingly lost in thought. Gaius's ageing heart churned in his chest every time he thought about the girl. Strange and slightly annoying as she could be, she had become a treasured part of their lives.
A knock at the door made both males jump out of their thoughts. It flung open to reveal none other than Arthur, who looked fairly dishevelled and sported a red bruise around his right eye. "I have come to see Merlin," he announced.
The young sorcerer dropped his head, knowing that he was likely about to be yelled at. A sort of tension had settled between the pair after Merlin had had to tell the Prince about Astraea's departure and, while they continued to be friends (kind of), every interaction felt heavy and draining for both of them. Cedric's tricks had only made things worse.
"I have not forgotten about your lazy, insolent ways, or the fact that you called me a clot…pole," the Prince spoke as his eyes burnt holes in the side of Merlin's face. Gaius cast his ward a questioning look at hearing the alleged insult. "But I do have to admit that there was some truth in your accusations against Cedric."
The sorcerer glanced up at him, raising an eyebrow. He was having a hard time believing that the Prince was recognising he'd made a mistake by not believing him!
"Does this mean you are admitting that, on this occasion, I was actually right?" he asked with a small grin, though it was a bit forced.
"Not exactly, no," Arthur responded. "It means that I have a knighthood to bestow first thing tomorrow and no one to clean my armour." He suddenly revealed a bag he'd been holding behind his back and turned it upside down over the table, letting the pieces of metal fall out of it without any regard for the food that lay near.
Merlin huffed, thinking that Astra would've purposely gotten it all dirtier and then somehow forced the Prince to clean it himself.
"Is that all?" the sorcerer asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice as his face fell once more.
"Yep," Arthur nodded and gallantly threw the empty bag at Merlin's head before leaving without another word.
Gaius leaned down beside his ward as he watched the Prince walk away and whispered, "Clotpole," once he was no longer within earshot. Merlin snorted in amusement.
