It was not quite dawn outside, and Merlin sat on the front stoop of a quaint log cabin at the edge of the woods. Apparently the old home had belonged to Arthur's great aunt who had passed it to her great niece when she died, and Arthur's mother had brought them for a couple of weeks every year in the summer.
What had that been like? Having family that passed things on to you? Who looked out for you, watched over you, took care of you? Long ago Merlin had once had his mother, and then Gaius, but that was so many years ago that sometimes they felt more like a dream to him than real life.
Pulling the thick blanket he'd brought outside with him up around his shoulders, the warlock rested his arms across the tops of his knees and sunk his face into the soft but musty fabric. They had arrived at the cabin not long before, and all the knights had promptly crashed on various beds, couches, and cots.
Merlin was exhausted himself, his body still fighting off whatever poison had infiltrated his system at the museum, but he hadn't been able to sleep like the rest of them. His mind was too active right now, thinking about traitors and kings and a past that connected them all.
Closing his eyes, Merlin tried to think back, picturing the panic on Morgana's face when he'd begun to bleed. She wasn't to blame. A piece of him wanted her to be, but he knew deep down that she was innocent. Which meant—
"What are you doing out here?"
A voice interrupted his thoughts from the doorway behind him, and Merlin glanced over his shoulder to see Arthur propping open the door and glaring down at him. "It's freezing out here!"
"Just thinking." Merlin answered, his voice as quiet as Arthur's, and he watched while his friend eyed him a moment before disappearing back inside.
Blinking at the heavy wooden door, the warlock slowly turned back to face the trees and empty road and sank back into the blanket. He knew he needed to get up and go inside, but he felt nauseas, and the cold air was the only thing keeping him from spending the next hour in front of the toilet.
Letting out a breath that clouded the air around his face, Merlin's eyes turned to the sky where heavy clouds had covered the horizon. He wanted to be happy, he had Arthur and the knights back after all, but dread was the only thing weighing on his shoulders.
What he really felt was stupid. He'd nearly died, he'd nearly gotten his friends thrown in jail, and somehow he'd gotten an innocent guard killed in the process as well. And for what? They still didn't have the sword. And if Arthur and Gwaine hadn't been there, Merlin knew he'd likely be dead as well. Wasn't he supposed to be the one protecting them? Had it really been so long that he'd become useless at his one job?
Tilting his head down until his vision was cut off by the blanket, Merlin breathed in deeply and heard a faint creaking behind him. Looking up, he found Arthur stepping out the door in his jumper and carrying two steaming mugs.
Without saying a word, the blond stepped halfway off the stoop and sat beside the warlock before passing him a mug of tea. Shaking off part of his blanket, Merlin threw the fabric around Arthur's shoulders before cradling the mug in his hands. For a moment neither of them spoke, instead the two sat in silence, sipping their tea in the cold winter air.
"How are you feeling?" Arthur finally asked, his thumb sliding over the rim of his mug as Merlin glanced at the sky.
"Lightheaded still." The warlock sighed, lifting a hand to brush back his unruly hair.
"That makes sense." Arthur nodded, lifting the mug to his lips again as Merlin side eyed him.
"Because of how much blood I lost?"
"Because of the lack of a brain." Arthur said dryly, though his lip twitched in what looked like an effort not to smile. Even so, Merlin snorted, his shoulder bumping into Arthur's as the two let out quiet laughs.
"How long do you think we have before the police arrive?" Merlin asked, gripping his mug tighter as Arthur frowned.
"A day or two at most. We haven't been to this cabin in years, but it's still on record as our family owning it."
"What are we going to do?"
"How should I know?" Arthur scoffed. "You're the wizard here."
"Warlock." Merlin huffed, tugging the blanket back a little as Arthur rolled his eyes.
"Whatever." The blond shot back as they lapsed into silence again.
For a little while longer they sat there, sipping their tea that had grown cold rapidly and listening to the branches rustling around them.
"I don't think it was Morgana who poisoned me." Merlin said quietly, breaking the silence as Arthur's head whipped towards him.
"Then who did?" The man demanded as Merlin's shoulders lifted weakly.
"I'm not entirely sure. But she looked as scared as I felt when it happened."
"Who killed that guard then? We were the only ones there."
"I don't know that either." Merlin admitted, rubbing his eyes with one hand.
"There's a lot we don't know." Arthur grumbled, reaching around and setting his mug on the porch beside him.
"Yeah, I've noticed." Merlin nodded, and the blond let out a frustrated groan.
"It feels like we're being toyed with."
"It's because we are."
"Wait," Arthur said, twisting around to look at Merlin. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means there are people and powers at play here that we can't see and that we know nothing about." Merlin stated simply, his fingers playing with the raised image of a snowman on the side of his mug.
"Then it's time to get off our asses and find out who and what those powers are."
"And how exactly would you suggest we do that?" Merlin asked with an exasperated laugh, turning his own head to stare at Arthur who had determination gleaming in his eyes.
"By starting with the lowest rung."
"Morgana?" Merlin asked, and Arthur nodded.
"Morgana."
Tipping his head back and sighing once more, Merlin slouched forward and sipped at the tea again.
"You don't have to keep drinking that, I'm sure it's gone cold." Arthur stated, gesturing to the mug as Merlin looked inside at the dark liquid.
"Did you make this?"
"Yes?" The blond answered carefully, his brows furrowing together. "Why, is it that bad?"
"No, it's just strange having you do your own things. Or things for me." Merlin shrugged, offering him a playful smile that caused Arthur's shoulders to relax.
"Yes, well, it was still a struggle to get myself dressed this morning by myself."
The two cracked up in laughter at that, and the warlock placed his own mug off the side before tugging at the corner of the blanket.
"Arthur?"
"Hmm?"
"What are you and Lancelot going to do about Gwen?" Arthur's smile faded, and regret began to rise in the man for asking. "You don't have to answer that, I was just curious."
"No, it's alright. Thing is, I don't really know what to do about it."
"Do you still love her?" Merlin asked slowly, and the pain crossing over Arthur's face was evident.
"With every piece of my being." The blond said softly, looking out at the trees as he clutched his hands tightly together. "Which is why if she chooses Lancelot I won't try and stop her or win her back. Her happiness means everything to me, even if that happiness is what leads her away from me." Running his hands through his hair, Arthur refused to look back at the warlock.
"You've grown a lot." Merlin murmured, staring at his friend while the world around them began to brighten as day broke.
"As if I was so childish back in Camelot." Arthur let out a sharp laugh, and Merlin tilted his head in thought.
"Fairly certain you were."
"What?" Arthur scoffed, disbelief in his tone as he glared at the warlock. "I was a king, Merlin. I ruled over an entire kingdom!"
"And you were still a child." Merlin shrugged, as if he couldn't help what the truth was.
"You're an idiot, Merlin." Arthur snapped, shoving his arm as the warlock smirked.
"Yeah? And you're still a prat."
Rolling his eyes, Arthur folded his arms over his chest and stamped his feet. "You should go inside and rest. You're less annoying when you sleep."
"I slept the entire drive here. The last thing I need is more sleep."
"You also lost a lot of blood trying to go after that sword." Arthur pointed out, and Merlin's body suddenly froze, the words drawing back his train of thought from earlier. How had he forgotten? "Merlin? Are you alright?"
"We forgot your sword."
"What?"
"The sword, Excalibur." Merlin said, looking over at Arthur who was looking at him in concern. "We went to retrieve it, but it wasn't there. Not at all."
"That's why we need to confront Morgana."
"Don't you remember? She said she didn't know where it went either." Merlin shook his head, his thoughts racing as pieces of the puzzle began fitting together in his mind faster than he could track them.
"She was lying then."
"I don't think she was. I think she's being toyed with as much as we are."
"Who would do that though?" Arthur asked, throwing up his hands in exasperation before he suddenly went quiet. "Wait."
"Yeah." Merlin nodded, meeting his eye as Arthur's voice turned cold.
"Mordred."
"He put the idea in our heads to go confront her." Merlin scoffed, shaking his head. "He knew I wouldn't be able to resist going and reclaiming the sword for you."
"Damn that little weasel! I'll kill him." Arthur snarled, his fingers tightening into fists on his lap. "Again."
At that, Merlin let out a laugh, and Arthur glanced up at him in confusion. "Our lives are mad."
"Tell me about it." Arthur gave a weak laugh of his own.
As their anger waned, snow began to fall down around them, and the sky started to turn a brighter shade of grey.
"Why does this feel like the calm before the storm?" Arthur asked, lifting a hand as a snowflake drifted down onto his open palm.
"It probably is." Merlin shrugged, watching the snow drift down as the world fell silent around them.
"What's the worst that could happen?" Arthur asked, his gaze still on the horizon as Merlin turned to look at him.
"If what?"
"If we lose."
Blinking, Merlin looked down at his pale hands, his fingers finding it difficult to curl into fists with how cold they were. "You were brought back because of need. I've seen wars ravage the countryside. I've seen them destroy parts of the entire world. I've seen men die and countries burn."
Merlin paused, and he could feel Arthur's intent stare burning into him. "If you came back now, in an age that seems otherwise calm, there must be a reason."
"Are you afraid the sword will fall into the wrong hands?" Merlin hesitated before nodding. "Mordred's hands?"
"Yes." Merlin confirmed, and Arthur cursed quietly.
"Do you think it could be powerful enough to destroy the world?"
"It must, if you're here." Merlin said softly.
Breathing out for a long period, Arthur finally shook his head. "A lot on our shoulders right now."
"There always is."
"We should wake the others." Arthur stated, running his fingers through his hair and pulling the blanket off his shoulders.
"Why? They're as exhausted as we are."
"We don't have time to wait or rest. We need to train."
"Nothing changes." Merlin smirked, though there was no real amusement in his words as Arthur stood.
"No, nothing does." Stepping onto the porch, the man hesitated before glancing down at the warlock. "Come in soon and rest."
"What, I don't need to train too?" Merlin asked, giving a cheeky grin to his friend.
"I think you have a few hundred more years of experience on the rest of us right now."
Merlin chuckled, and Arthur walked to the front door. Shoving it open, his loud voice echoed throughout the house. "Up and at 'em, men!" Merlin listened as Elyan, who had been sleeping nearest the door, let out a string of muffled curses. "It's time to get to work!"
A/N
I desperately needed some soft squishy feels before diving into the action filled ending chapters! I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it!
Sorry this story has dragged on for SO long. I've been working insane hours trying to get bills and car troubles paid. Desperately looking forward to a break over the holidays.
That being said, I hope everyone who celebrates has happy holidays! Lots of love sent to all you amazing people out there, whether you celebrate or not!