Merlin fic.

Merlin sat behind his dusty desk, counting dusty coins and paper bills, and putting them away into a nearly empty dusty drawer in his empty shop. The drawer was always empty now seeing how the newest craze, online shopping, and advances in medicine had practically driven old medicine shops like this to extinction. Merlin hadn't had a new customer in almost three months, and these days his supply of superstitious old ladies that still believed that putting a few odd herbs in their afternoon tea would actually extend their lives by a few days was dwindling. Every now and then Merlin put a good health enchantment on the herbs just to keep them around but now even that didn't seem to be working.

Many of the shops that neighbor his had recently come into hard times. Several had even shut down or moved closer to the city where they might have more luck and Merlin was starting to consider joining them or just give up on the whole shop idea in general. He had been running this little store for about 50, pushing 60, years now, changing his appearance twice and putting up a façade of buying it from himself. It was tricky magic, projecting a doppelganger and holding up a disguise, but it was necessary to keep suspicion off him.

He currently looked like he did in his first century, very young almost like he was still in his twenties. It was a habit of his, coming back to this look. He tried never to come back to the same look twice; it was just easier that way and ever since they invented that damn photograph there was always the looming fear that someone would recognize him. Maybe it was nostalgia; maybe it was a longing for simpler times and old friends. But deep down he knew it was because there was always the off chance Merlin could run into him.

Long ago he thought he would come back. He was supposed to unite the lands and bring peace. But then he left and did not come back. Merlin consulted the secret prophets, the fallen gods, the new high priestess, the druid seers, anyone he could turn to for advice in the old religion. Every answer came back the same: He is the once and future king and he will come again. Well it had been 1500 years, years of roaming around from place to place wandering all of Europe looking for his king and nothing. Merlin was done waiting and it was time to get on with his life. Which is why he had opened this shop.

The rusty bell above the door rang and the door swung open. At first Merlin instinctively reached under his desk where he had stored Mrs. Smiths weekly package of tea leaves that he had gone and collected yesterday, but then he remembered that he had yet to ring her to tell her that he had it. Merlin glanced up at the rain soaked figure that was inspecting some plants growing under the window.

Merlin cleared his throat, "Hello, can I help you?" The stranger jumped, almost dropping the jar that he was holding.

"Sorry sorry, I was just looking at these medicines," came a deep mans voice from under his cloak. He placed the jar carefully back on the shelf and tuned to face Merlin, "I'm looking for a quick remedy for a cold. My grandmother absolutely INSISTED that I come here."

Merlin almost gasped but kept his composure. This boy was the spitting image of his king, from his messy blond hair to his stupid looking pout that He always wore. "just a coincidence," he muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing, And just who happens to be your grandmother by the way? I don't get many customers in an old shop like this you know."

"Mrs. (TO BE FILLED IN LATER), She has a whole cabinet devoted to those funguses you sell her. I personally don't believe in all that hocus pocus stuff but she refused to get me any real medications until I came here."

"I see. A cold you say? I think I know what to get you, Come into the back and I'll put on a pot of tea." He motioned toward the little door leading to the kitchen in Merlin's living space.

"Sorry I don't drink tea." The boy motioned to leave but Merlin stopped him.

"The tea isn't for you, you clot pole! It's to make steam to clear up your nose. I'm going to crush some of these Echinacea petals for you to eat. It's an old trick I learned from the Chinese. 100 percent guaranteed to work I promise."

"Ok but how much is it I haven't got a ton of money on me?"

"Oh don't worry about that I charge that to your grans bill the next time she comes round."

"Sweet! You're not too bad you know. What did you say your name was?"

"Merlin."

He looked surprised.

"Merlin? That's and unusual name. I'm Arthur. Its funny actually, I used to have a good friend by that name a long time ago. A long long long time ago." This time Merlin really did gasp. He dropped his flower and just started at the boy. "Merlin you idiot! The last fifteen centuries haven't helped your coordination, I see."

Merlin didn't even hear him. He couldn't even speak. He rushed around the counter and embraced his old friend and tightly as he was able. Arthur looked at him with the smile he always had whenever he felt he was being clever, but Merlin just drank it in with disbelief, happy that he had come back after all those years.

"Ok you can get off now Merlin" Arthur laughed and Merlin let go, but cautiously, still afraid that this was some sick joke and that Arthur would slip away form him at any moment. Again.

"I can see your still a prat." Merlin said through the tears running down his cheeks. He made an awkward laugh and then composed himself. "Where have you been? I searched everywhere."

"Honestly I don't know. The last thing I remember is you and me in the woods running from Morgana. And you stopped her" He looked at Merlin with squinted eyes, "with magic! I remember that you were the Sorcerer! But after that I remember waking up on an Island and there was an ancient woman, who I expect was part of the Old Religion, that told me I had to seek you out and told me where I could find you. She also explained that it was the year 2013 and told me a bit of what I should expect. These wagons are magnificent! You don't even need horses and they go so fast!"

"You should see the airplanes. They're able to fly! No magic involved I promise. Its amazing what the mortals are able to do without magic. They even have cell phones- err, little boxes that they can use to talk to each other from far away." Arthur looked at him funny.

"What do you mean without magic, did the kingdom not accept the old religion when I died? I would have thought with me gone and no one to take my throne your people would have come in victoriously."

Merlin sighed thinking of the aftermath of the final battle against Morgana and Mordred.

"After Gwen found out you had been killed in battle she adopted yours and your fathers policies against magic users and the old religion. Morgana and her magic was the breaking point."

At the mention of his queen Arthur paled and became rather stoic. "I can't believe that since I woke up I haven't given one thought to Gwen." He paused for a minute and looked like he was trying to dislodge something from his teeth.

"Did she ever…" he began, "get married again?" Merlin thought for a second.

"Yes, sire, I believe she did but after many years. They had a little boy who grew up an became king after Gwen passed away. She had a long and happy life and ruled as the most just queen in the history of England. Their son, of course, was named Arthur. Arthur the second he was crowned." Arthur seemed pleased to hear this. Merlin continued his tale.

"I never went back to Camelot although Gaius came around to visit me with news every so often. I retired myself to an abandoned castle and practiced my magic. I became a sort of silly superstition, then so did Gwen, and then so did you. The world forgot about us, about Morgana, about the old religion entirely so I set off looking for you. Eventually I even gave up that and came here."

"The Old Religion, however, did not die when you did. They left the kingdom and went into hiding. Most of the druids were afraid to even come close to Camelot after what happened with Morgana. Everyone knew it was your destiny to unite them with the rest of the world and they were perhaps more devastated at the news of your death than many and so they just left. I can only think of a few who are left today."

"So is that still the plan then? I still have this great destiny to save the world? I just want you to know I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing since I'm no longer king."

"I don't know either, but if I learned anything in the past 1500 years its that you can't escape destiny so whatever it is, it will present itself eventually."

Merlin looked down at his desk and then looked at his lost king again. He had no clue what they were supposed to do either. And to be honest he didn't care. All he knew was that they were together again and this time there wouldn't be any Sorceress or evil knights that could take Arthur away from him again. And for the first time in 1500 years, Merlin was happy.