And... a prologue. Lovely, right? I'm working on it, but first- I came up with the idea at 2.30 am here and I am posting this because I want some feedback before I go on. If it's worth my time, I guess? This, should we continue, will take place sometime during the season 5 era, with Merlin/Mordred as the end goal and some hints of Merthur along the way. I want at least 10 chapters out of this, not including this pathetic amount of words, alongside an actual plot that doesn't get resolved for a while... unlike practically everything else I write. This will be a reveal fic

Arthur wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to be looking at.

Because what it looked like, and what it actually was, were two different things, surely.

Except they really weren't, and he knew that. Logically, he knew that.

…

Six Months Ago

"It's… it's been a year, sire."

As if Arthur didn't know that.

"He's only a servant. There's no use in wasting more-"

"Shut up," Arthur seethed, swinging his eyes to the speaker; one of many nameless nobles he dealt with on a daily basis that meant nothing to him. "Just shut up."

"Sire-"

"I said shut up!"

The man reared back and Arthur nodded, then turned back to the map on the table. So many areas crossed out, so many crannies and nooks and plains and wide fields searched. There was nothing. No hint of a struggle, or a trail, or anything.

Merlin was gone.

…