PROLOGUE
The Lake of Avalon:
The water was still.
A natural mirror reflecting the cloudless sky, the blue just beginning to dark with the promise of night. And as always, it was peaceful. Infuriatingly peaceful for the heartbreak and soul shattering grief that he had suffered on its shores.
Merlin stared out across the lake of Avalon not moving from his spot on it banks, remembering.
It was the same. Just the same as it was every year he came. Ten years of honouring this day in this way, yet every time he came here it was like he was living the same one.
Ten years since that day. Ten years since he had failed.
The blue sky, still waters, the slight breeze. Never enough to shatter the image in the lake, but just enough for him to know it was there.
He felt like screaming… he felt like sobbing… he felt like shattering the mirrorlike reflection of the lake with a fireball. .
But the lake just sat there. Still… calm… peaceful.
Somehow chasing away thoughts of chaos and destruction.
But it could not chase away the memories. The memories of seeing the light fade from Arthur's eyes, of listening to the last words he would ever utter, of seeing his chest rise for the last time.
Of pushing that boat from the shore across the lake and seeing the flames devour the boat and the body it carried.
Merlin just stood on the banks, saying nothing, doing nothing.
He had arrived that morning as the sun started to rise and begun his vigil. And it was only when the last rays of the sun sank behind the mountains that he turned and left.
Just as he had done every year, on that day, since the year Arthur had died.
Camelot:
Guinevere sat on her throne and hoped no one saw her white knuckles as she clenched the armrest with a steel like grip. Never had her crown felt so heavy than now, as she waited upon the news. Her stomach clenched and grip on her throne tightened, as Leon and Percival hurried into the throne room. She sat up straighter in her seat and her spirits sunk, they were back too soon for the news to be good.
"Did you find the missing patrol?" she said but their grim expressions told her everything.
"Yes Your Majesty" Leon said, respectful as always but it was Percival who continued.
"They were slaughtered Gwen" he said, the horror of what he had seen clear on his face "not far from the border into what was Rodor's land"
Gwen's stomach sank even further "All of them?" if what she thought was coming, they would need every man they could get.
"Yes Your Majesty" Leon confirmed the grim news and Gwen closed her eyes "every last man. And-" he hesitated,
Gwen's eyes snapped open "What Leon?" could it be any worse? A little voice inside her whispered Of course it's worse… you know what's coming…
"They were no ordinary killings, Gwen" Leon was pale "some were literally torn apart and others didn't have a mark on them. And-" Leon stepped up to the dais and reluctantly handed Gwen a scroll "this was with the bodies".
Gwen took the scroll, bile rising in her throat as she touched it and realized it was human skin. She broke the black seal and read what was written. She tried to hide her fear and horror behind her court mask as her greatest fears came to being before her eyes.
"It's him isn't it?" Percival said not fooled "The Black Sorcerer. The one who conquered and destroyed Olaf and Alined's kingdoms"
"Yes" Gwen said grimly already forming desperate plans in her mind "We have six days. Then he's coming for Camelot".
Merlin's mind was blank as his spirited mare ate up the miles of the three day ride back to the place he now called home. Back to the place his father had once called home, the cave within what used to be Cenred's kingdom. He thought of nothing as he rode. Nothing, that is, until he crested a rise and the great bulk of Camelot came into view.
He stopped, as he did every year. Thoughts flitted across his mind, again as they did every year. He wondered: should I go back?
But just looking at the huge castle, a great shadow against the ever darkening night sky, filled him with guilt and self-loathing. What would he say to everyone? He couldn't imagine facing Gwen. Having to tell her that he had failed. That Arthur wasn't coming back. At least not in this lifetime. Having to see Gaius, and Leon, and Percival, and the countless other people he knew, and explain where he had been the past ten years. He was sure everyone thought he was dead, it was better that way. No reminders of what he couldn't save.
And so, as he did every year, he gave Camelot a wide berth and continued on into the night, not looking back.