Modern Merlin

Chapter One - New Beginnings

Merlin could feel it in his old bones that today was the day. He was going to see Arthur again. At last! Merlin watched as a lorry passed him by. He sped up his pace to Avalon Lake. He had to hurry. Arthur would be there soon! Merlin stared out at the water as he remembered the day that Arthur had died so many years ago…

Merlin hadn't been able to bear to set his body ablaze. So he had done something else. He had used magic. Old magic that spoke from the very depths of his soul. He hadn't even known what he had been doing at the time. He only knew that it had felt right. Afterwards, when he looked again he had to blink to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks. For Arthur's body had vanished. He had heard someone coming and out of panic he quickly cast the boat on fire. He had been frightened that he might get in trouble for losing Arthur's body. He had no idea how revered he already was back in Camelot.

Nor did Percival when he stumbled into the clearing to see Merlin standing on the shore and the boat ablaze on the lake. Merlin looked at Percival with tears in his eyes and Percival knew what had transpired. They grieved together.

After a time Percival told Merlin that they should be getting back. Merlin shook his head. He would not be returning. He had to find out what happened to Arthur! He couldn't get caught up in the goings on of the castle life. He couldn't see Gaius for now he was all Merlin had left in this world. If he were to see him he knew he would never be able to leave again.

Percival returned home and told the tale. Gwen was named the next successor. She had full faith in Merlin. She knew all he had done for Camelot and for Arthur. Magic was accepted again in the kingdom and Gwen made sure that Merlin received the due credit he deserved, even for all the past events that she had now came to realize. Tales were told of his glory!

Meanwhile, Merlin traveled far and wide. He never gave up hope, and for some reason he never aged. At least his body didn't. His soul grew weary. He missed Arthur. He missed everyone. But he believed in Kilgharrah's words that one day Arthur would return.

…And now that day had finally come! Merlin could feel it. He was at the lakeside now. He wondered if he would also see Freya again after all these years? He looked down at his old hands and decided to morph into his younger form, just in case!

He looked around, trying to see Arthur. Doubt suddenly started to creep in. What if he had been wrong? What if he would never see Arthur again? What if everything had been for nothing?

That's when he noticed the boat, slowly drifting towards him.

Merlin used his distance vision to see inside and gasped. There lay Arthur! Merlin started trudging out into the water to greet the boat. But he miscalculated the land beneath his feet and dunked himself fully under for a moment. He came up and since he was already wet he decided to just swim the rest of the way to the boat. He reached the side and looked in. Arthur's eyes were closed. He looked exactly the same as the last time Merlin had seen him.

"Arthur," Merlin exclaimed. But why wasn't the king opening his eyes? As if on cue Arthur's eyes flew open. He sat up and looked around. He smiled when he saw Merlin and clasped a hand on his shoulder. "We made it! You saved my life Merlin."

Merlin returned the smile but then his features fell. "Arthur you don't understand. There is much you need to know."

Arthur gave a pondering, thoughtful frown. "What is it?"

"Well for starters… could I get into the boat with you? I'm freezing!"

Arthur moved to one side and Merlin got in on the other. "Thanks." Merlin shivered as he looked at Arthur and tried to decide if he should use magic or not. He still felt strange about it, even after so many years had passed. It seemed that no time at all had passed for Arthur which made Merlin feel even more self-conscious. He was rather cold so he decided to go for it. He spoke the words of magic that would dry him.

Arthur gaped. "I don't know if I will ever get used to that!"

Merlin smiled sheepishly. "Well you probably won't considering that I can't really use magic in the open. So aside from right now I doubt you will have the chance to see much of it."

"Nonsense! The first thing I shall do when we return is to do away with the ridiculous ban on magic that my father set in place!"

Merlin's eyes shone with tears and happiness. So many times he had wished Arthur would come to accept magic and now he had. Now. Merlin began to laugh hysterically for a minute.

Arthur wasn't sure why but it felt good to hear his friend happy so he joined in!

When they had quieted and Merlin had composed himself enough to explain the situation, he tried again.

"Arthur… I didn't save you."

Arthur wanted to begin laughing again at the ridiculousness of that statement. But he realized he had dismissed what Merlin had said countless times in the past, that looking back it turned out Merlin had been spot on. "Am I dead," he asked in a serious tone.

Merlin smiled. "Not exactly." He gave a laugh when he saw the panicked look on Arthur's face. "No! No, you're not," he hurried to assure him.

"Well what do you mean then? Come on, out with it! I want to hurry back to the castle. I am dying to see Gwen!"

"Arthur, you can't go back. I'm so sorry. I didn't save you in time. You did die. But I couldn't bear to say goodbye. Words of magic started flowing from me. I didn't even know what they meant or what I was doing. Then I looked and you were… gone." Merlin could tell by Arthur's expression that further explanation was needed. "I somehow sent you here."

Arthur scratched his head. "Isn't this where I already was?"

"Where, but not when."

Arthur glared at him, slight realization finally setting in. "What do you mean by that?"

"Arthur… We are 1500 years in the future."

Arthur stared at him, unable to form words. At last he said, "You have got to be kidding me!"