Chapter Text
At first she refused to acknowledge it. Then she refused to believe it. Then she just didn’t accept it.
No matter how sick she got.
She hid it at first but it didn’t last—and of course Escanor worried. Fretting at every movement, and attempting to keep her in bed or at least from her lab. Not to mention his anxiety when she was actually actively sick.
Even before she acknowledged it she felt the guilt.
It was embarrassing really, throwing up into a pot in front of him. Maybe it shouldn’t have been—they’ve shared stories, the bed, secrets no one else alive knew. They’ve both fallen sick in the time since they shared this house—taking care of each other as best they knew how.
Maybe it was because deep down she knew.
She grew nauseas at the oddest times. She asked for the same meal five days in a row without even realizing it until Arthur said something. Ingredients she had used for millenniums suddenly soured her stomach at their smells. The looks Escanor sometimes shot her—wondering and uncertain—a very intelligent man himself.
Eventually she couldn’t ignore the facts anymore.
It wasn’t like her to ignore them at all.
So when Arthur and Escanor were out at the market she grabbed one of the stones she had made as a small trinket to sell. It had a very specific feature—one that many women, married or not, had bought.
It glowed in her hand and despite all the facts she still dropped it in surprise.
And dread.
As Arthur had expected, Merlin made it to the office first. They found her observing the damages to Camelot from Arthur’s window. Escanor’s heart clenched as Arthur went quiet, stress radiating from the boy in waves, but he didn’t say anything, just followed him into the room and took his place at Merlin’s side.
She turned to them with a tight smile.
“What were you thinking about?” he asked her.
“If I could study the Albion—perhaps learn to disrupt the magic powering them—or even turn them to our side,” she said, pushing a strand of hair behind her hair. “I’ve never had time to do so before… ah, but that’s not important right now.” She turned her attention to Arthur. “One of your men was just in—he told me to tell you search and rescue is underway and a count is being had in the caves for people who lived in that district. So far things are looking better than expected.”
Some relief passed through Arthur gaze, it was limited and fleeting, but it made Escanor breathe a bit easier. That and the news itself. He had lived in this city for almost ten years now. He’d become fond of it. Idly he wondered if the house they had shared had survived the destruction. He hadn’t taken the time to really gage just how big the damages was—but he’d guess that it would have been close to the edge of it. Fifty-Fifty if it survived or not.
A bittersweet thought.
Arthur rallied himself. “Right. Good.” He took a deep breath. “What do we do now?”
The room went silent for a minute.
“The good news is Galan was killed,” Merlin finally stated. “But I’m… concerned about just how high his strength was—far more than I had been expecting—and that’s with his magic depleted…” Her eyes stared unwavering at Meliodas. “If he had attacked at another time…”
Merlin had told him a lot over the last ten years—but not everything. Somethings were not her secrets to share he was sure. Escanor knew Meliodas had been alive three thousand years ago, that he was older than Merlin himself. He did not know why he had lived for so long, but based on Merlin’s gaze he could tell she suspected that Meliodas knew more.
“Those monsters,” the Holy Knight Escanor had learned was named Slader mumbled under his breath. “And he was just one of ten…”
Meliodas shrugged. “Yeah—that sucks… but there is no point dwelling,” he raised his free hand. “We just have to come up with a plan!”
“All of us but Sir Escanor were wiped out in an instant,” Slader said crossing his arms. “And that’s with that monster having a sever handicap. What possible plan could be confer to take out the entire group—who presumably will grow stronger by the minute.”
“If we know where they are resting—teleport me there. I’ll deal with them,” Escanor told them. “There is plenty of sun left today. That way they will grow no stronger and not have time yet to scatter from their comrade’s death.”
Merlin shot a nasty glare at him and Escanor couldn’t help but slide his gaze to the side. His pride bristled slightly but it was enough past noon that his trust in Merlin’s judgement dampened it. If she was nervous about their power—than it was something to be nervous about.
“But… in the past weren’t their many people who held their own against these people?” Princess Elizabeth asked nervously.
Hawk snorted. “I’m going to go on a limb and say whoever could hold their own against these freaks were even bigger freaks.”
Escanor cleared his throat. The pig wilted a bit.
“Ah—well—I didn’t… um…”
“Eloquently put, Sir Hawk,” Merlin said dryly. “To put it more bluntly. We are clearly inferior.”
Escanor could feel himself bristle more. Not out of hurt pride—he knew Merlin wasn’t referring to him—but out of disgust to hear Merlin say those words so bluntly and without an ounce of hesitance of herself. Of Arthur. Of their comrades.
He knew, logically, that she was right. They didn’t have a chance against a commandment. He still had to swallow down the urge to argue.
“In times of peace it’s isn’t necessary for all to bear arms… but in times of conflict even children must bear the weight of a sword in order to fight for survival. Three thousand years ago was a time of great conflict. A world scorched in intense flames. A world where blood could only be washed away with more blood.”
Merlin’s voice had gone stiff, and her gaze was tired for a brief moment before she wiped it from her face with a determined grin. But Escanor knew. Knew Merlin had seen that world as a child. Had grown in its aftermath of its ruin.
He wondered if he could spare her of that this time.
“So in order to defeat them there is but one thing we can do—we must grow stronger.”
Meliodas snorted. “Just because you added an interesting backstory doesn’t make your plan any easier to do than mine.”
Merlin shot him a dry look. “I’m not done. First we need to roughly gauge our power.” With a flick of her wrist a Balor’s eye was in her hand and she gazed at everyone in the room.
“Roughly put, six of the Seven Sin’s power levels equals 21, 840,” she said. “Escanor’s ranges roughly from 15 to, for a brief moment, undefinable, and back again throughout the course of the day. Combining that with the Power Levels of our allies, give us roughly just over 150, 000 at night.”
“That’s pretty good…”
Merlin nodded distractedly. “Galan’s power level, devoid of all magical power, was 26,000. Presuming that the other commandments are equivalent that puts a total up to 260,000. If they regain their magical abilities, then they will likely exceed 300,000. And that’s without them summoning Albions or lower ranked demons to their side.”
For a moment the room was quiet.
“But… If we all take on them one at a time.”
“It’s not so simple,” Merlin sighed. “I know I just went through all that—but… Power Level alone only says so much. Generally if there is too big a different between opponents, it doesn’t matter much on how many of the weaker ones there are—not in the numbers we have.” Her grin turned dangerous. “But significantly prepared—and with proper teamwork—a weaker foe can take down someone of a great power level. And power level itself changes. The more magic you use, the more exhausted you are, your moral, weaknesses and strengths, familiarity of the battlefield—it can all make a difference. It is not hopeless”
“Exactly,” Meliodas said clapping his hands together. “Sure talk is cheap but all of us are going to get stronger. We’ve backed ourselves into a corner—so it’s not like we have much choice.”
“Yes.” Merlin agreed before her eyes fell on Arthur, and then Princess Elizabeth. “By the way… Princess Elizabeth… Arthur… if we are to have a hope in this battle—the two of you must awaken your magical abilities.”
Escanor could hear the sadness in Merlin’s voice that he imagined most of the room didn’t. Perhaps Meliodas did as well because the two shared a look he couldn’t read and Meliodas took an almost defensive stance next to the princess, but he didn’t know. Arthur just swallowed before nodding once and again Escanor hurt.
He was so young. Both of them were.
But… most soldiers were.
“Lady Merlin! Count me in!”
Escanor almost jumped from just the princess’ power of voice. His eyes darting from Arthur to her. She stood determined, one hand to her chest, having pushed herself around Meliodas’ protective stance. “If there is anything I can do… or rather… I’m no use right now but if there is something I can do to change that—I will!”
Escanor could see the brief sadness in Merlin’s eyes again, and she was solemn as she nodded her head. “I can see the determination in your eyes.”
“So we train,” Arthur said still looking nervous. “I assume you have some kind of specific plan, Merlin?”
“I have a place in mind, yes, where we should be able to focus on gaining strength in as short amount of time as possible. With Galan’s death the Commandments are going to move soon, if they haven’t already.”
Arthur frowned. “But… I… after all this—I shouldn’t leave Camelot… not when it’s now likely a target…”
Merlin paused, and glanced out the window again—as if she hadn’t considered that idea.
“Escanor cannot train in any traditional way—so this training excursion will not be as useful for him,” Merlin started, sounding thoughtful.
That was true, Escanor had trained many times to try and train up his weaker form to no success, and with his constant flux of his power any other time it was impossible to notice if the training had any use at all. He could of coarse learn new weapons, develop new abilities, and study new strategizes, but a gross increase of strength was beyond him.
“And you’ve already placed Camelot in Escanor’s hands temporarily before. He could stay in your place.”
“That’s true…” Arthur considered rubbing at his chin.
Enough time had passed since noon that Escanor cleared his throat awkwardly. “He put Camelot into the hands of his advisors, I was just here to keep an eye out for threats,” he said, ignoring the fact that said advisors had come to him more than once for his opinion or approval. Ignoring the fact that wasn’t exactly what Arthur had said.
“Don’t be like that, Escanor, you did a fine job,” Merlin said with a teasing lit in her tone. “You are after all a prince.”
“Escanor’s a what?” Meliodas asked dryly.
Escanor shot Merlin a look and she gave a brief amused grin.
“That was a long time ago—but if Arthur wants it I won’t say no.”
“In that case then… I could go,” Arthur decided slowly. Escanor huffed again at the amount of trust he was showing. He may have been a prince once, but that was almost forty years ago now. It didn’t mean all that much. Not really.
But he would do his best. For Arthur. To protect the home he had made here.
“Alright,” Meliodas said, clapping his hands. “It’s decided let go get stronger—”
A door slammed from down the hall and just through surprise—and lingering adrenalin—everyone went dead silent. Escanor’s hand clenched Rhitta, but it eased as he realized the steps were light and small—hurried larger one behind them trying to keep up.
“MAMA!” Morgan cried as she burst through the door. Everyone save, Arthur, Merlin, and he jumped, and Escanor had been ready to intervene if battle nerves had pushed anyone to do any more. Thankfully they kept their wits and she dashed right past them as if they didn’t exist to jump into Merlin’s waiting arms.
“WHAT?” Meliodas finally managed to sputter, looking between the door, where Ms. Bine stood in the frame trying to catch her breath, and Merlin, who had straightened, carrying Morgan who clutched to her neck. “Did she just…?”
Merlin simply raised an eyebrow.
Ah… Escanor sighed, finally realizing what was happening. He gave Merlin a dry look and her smirk grew particularly wicked. No wonder Meliodas had been surprised he’d been here. Merlin had left it a surprise.
Meliodas frowned and walked over to them, face twisted in mortified curiosity. He poked at Morgan as if expecting she would turn out to be an illusion on Merlin’s part and frowned more when she didn’t disappear. “What did you do?”
Merlin snorted. “I know you have great faith in my magical experiments, Captain, but I promise she was made the old-fashioned way.”
Escanor sputtered in embarrassed humor beside them.
“Wait—then who is…?”
“Papa?” Morgan asked, leaning backwards so she could catch his eye, and nearly far enough to tumble out of Merlin’s grasp. “Did you kill the monster?”
Meliodas sputtered again and Merlin crackled. The Princess and Slader looked confused, and Gowther curious. Escanor sighed and ignored them, turning to Morgan. “One of them, Arthur and Captain killed the other.”
Her eyes went wide and she turned again to Arthur, who was trying to hide a smile, looking almost as amused as Merlin. Escanor sighed but he couldn’t be upset. Arthur was smiling. “Really big-bro?”
Meliodas choked one more time—though Escanor was half convinced this time at least was him goofing off. “Big bro?”
“He’s adopted,” Merlin said dryly as Morgan fought from her grasp and wandered over to Arthur.
Arthur eyes went wide. “I am?” he said in a mock horrified voice and now everyone was laughing.
They had needed this Escanor realized as he looked around the group. After what happened—what had almost happened—they had all needed this.
“Arthur,” Morgan complained pulling at his tunic. Arthur laughed and rubbed her hair.
“Yes, I fought it with Sir. Meliodas… though he did most of the work.”
Morgan frowned at him, and then turned to Meliodas. She walked up to him and frowned harder. Meliodas raised an eyebrow.
“Your short,” she finally conferred. This time Escanor couldn’t help but snort as well.
“You’re shorter,” he told her with an amused grin.
She frowned even more at him. “I’m three.”
“I bet I was taller than you at three.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Don’t fight a toddler, Captain, you’ll lose,” Merlin said dryly.
“Speaking from experience?” he teased back, looking at her, and then at Escanor. Over his shock he grinned wider. “Seriously though—how did this happen,” he waggled his eyebrows at Escanor who huffed and glanced away, pretending he wasn’t red-faced.
“Mostly me,” Arthur interrupted dryly. Both Escanor and Merlin gave him a look and he only shrugged. “You know it’s true.”
Meliodas grin turned wicked. “Got to say—I’m surprised. Even during the day I didn’t think Escanor would be able to get it on without passing out.”
Escanor sputtered—embarrassment climbing up despite the hour of day. To his relief Merlin cleared her throat pointedly.
“That’s enough—we have more important matters to deal with right now.”
Meliodas’ smirk didn’t really go away but he nodded. “Yeah—we should go check on Diane and get her up to speed.” He peered over his shoulder. “And Gowther should really put on some pants…”
They all went their separate ways. Meliodas and Elizabeth headed out to talk with Diane. Slader led Gowther away—with the help of Ms. Bine— to get him some clothes. Arthur picked up Morgan and took her when he went to start making arrangements to leave. Merlin herself went to the lab Arthur had arranged for her, Escanor following her quietly, in order to study Galan’s corpse a bit before they left.
Escanor was quiet for several moments before he spoke. “The house is still there.”
Merlin’s hands didn’t stop as she glanced up, momently confused about what he meant, until she realized he was sitting on the window sill and looking out the window. Her tower gave her a 360 view of Camelot, unlike Arthur’s office as wizard towers tended to be on the highest floor, with strong walls and a weaker roof—just for safeties sake.
He was talking about the house. Their house.
“That’s good,” she said softly, eyes dropping back to her dissection. She was rather fond of that house. More so than most of the places she had lived. It had… a lot of good memories attached.
He went quiet again and she continued her work. Galan was a large creature—it would take a significant amount of time to dissect him properly—or as much as she could with how… thoroughly Escanor had smashed him—but anything she could gleam could be useful.
Her understanding of demons was that they were actually many clans of different species that shared a plane of existence—The Demon Realm as it was—as well as a ruler. There were similarities between all of them—mostly the ability to use and control the back icor like energy that healed them, allowed them to fly, among other things.
She only knew some of the sub-species from the books she had salvaged from Belialuin. The human looking Cambions like Meliodas, the armored Armatus, the Lesser Demons—a grouping of many species from the demon realm more animal like and less sapient. She was sure there were others as well.
Galan was an armatus, or at least she could only assume so from how his hard shell—that broke even her strongest of scalpels and required magic to cut—clung to his flesh. Organic. With luck other Commandments would also be armatus and she could use what she learned here for an advantage.
She made cut after cut, preserving the body with magic as she went so it would last longer—pausing to note oddities of muscle structure and bone color before moving on. Quickly the outside world faded away.
Until he spoke that is. Escanor’s voice was always good at bringing her back.
“Morgan should go with you.”
Merlin blinked away from her work, her hands pausing briefly, and found him still staring out over the city. “What?”
“I… I cannot protect her all hours of the day,” he said turning back to her. Merlin eyed the timekeeper on the wall to confirm it was after three—not that she was really surprised—Escanor’s pride came second to Morgan’s safety in his mind no matter the time. “And I made myself a very large target.”
Merlin pursed her lips, staring down into her work in thought. He… wasn’t wrong. Killing Galan—along with the amount of power he had realized in his rage and grief—would have caught the eyes of at least one of them she was sure.
Meanwhile at the druid shrine—Morgan would be more than safe there. She would even be happy—getting to go on an adventure with her Mama and Arthur.
They would probably just teleport there anyway as well. She could feel that the passage way to the shrine was open—they hadn’t closed it to her.
“You’re probably right,” she admitted. “But…”
Escanor couldn’t protect himself at all hours of the day either. She had no idea if Galan’s death would cause for quick investigation or an increases of caution or both.
Her suggestion—that Escanor watch Camelot in Arthur’s place—suddenly didn’t seem as perfect.
Frowning she set down her tools and walked over to the sink to wash her hands. Drying them she returned to Escanor’s side. “I do not know if they will be drawn here. Your power would have certainly alarmed them—but it fading so quickly afterwards may make them think you have teleported away. You have been storing most of it into Rhitta since Galan’s death—it’s much less noticeable that way.” Even as she said it her words tasted sour. “But perhaps tomorrow around noon I can teleport you somewhere remote. You can change and releases power there and then quickly change back and teleport away. It may lead them away.”
Escanor grunted in approval and she could see him nod out of the corner of her eye. Still she felt uneasy as she looked over the city—half of her view ruins, the other still standing. Escanor was right; she could just barely make out the house from here.
Galan was far more powerful than she had thought—and being surprised like they had been—not having time to make up a strategy and form spells to counter him… it had been too much. She had been useless.
“Just… Just promise me… that if you are attacked—you will do whatever you can to stay alive.”
Escanor smiled and finally turned to look at her, taking one of her hands. “Of course—I have far too much to live for.”
She smiled slightly and squeezed back.
The two of them stood in silence for several moments, staring out over the ruins, and lost in their own thoughts.
There had to be a way. Escanor was capable of fighting Galan rather easily—but were the other of similar strength, stronger perhaps, did they have some ability to counter his? Even if they were of equivalent strength they would have to plan very carefully in order to use the One—and once the second or third member went down at noon they were bound to realize. And the rest of them—unless she figured out some strategy or another they were far underpowered. Even if Meliodas did regain his lost power—and that was something she was still leery to return to him—would Escanor and he be enough?
She needed to do research—hopefully one of the many still unread books in her old lab in Belialuin would have the information she needed.
“You wouldn’t have actually stayed as stone… right?” Escanor asked breaking her from her thoughts. Merlin blinked.
“I may have… for a bit. I changed because I removed my soul from my body.” Her lips pursed again and she sighed, embarrassed. “I forgot...”
“Forgot what?”
“I forgot that I had resistance—in that brief second—it’s why I removed my soul… I panicked.” She snorted humorlessly and leaned against Escanor’s arm. “If I hadn’t told you… reminded myself of that time those years ago… who knows when I would have remembered.”
She had forgotten—truly forgotten the details of what happened all those years ago. Trauma and time and a sheer wish to forget playing their parts until it was a hazy memory of a memory.
And then one day it had come back. A conversation, a joke—and it had all rushed back.
It was good she remembered now… but she could still taste ash on her tongue sometimes.
Escanor hummed, releasing her to instead wrap his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close. Merlin let her eye close for a moment at his warmth and his heart thrumming beneath her ear.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” she promised.
“Good.”
They stood like that only for a moment more before the door of her lab slammed open and Meliodas strode in, Elizabeth following behind face twisted in concern.
“Hey Merlin, we have a problem!” he said.
Merlin sighed and shared a wry look with Escanor before pulling away.
“What is it now?”
“Arthur—can you go to Percival’s for the night.”
Arthur let out a groan as he settled the bag of groceries on the table. “Do I want to know what you’re planning on doing…” he trailed off as he turned and caught at look at her face. “Uh…um—yeah sure—I’ll see you two tomorrow?”
He left quickly, leaving her alone with Escanor, who quietly finished putting away the food, and then turned to her, brows furrowed in concern. It was late evening, so he was still, if barely, taller than her.
“Merlin? Wh—”
“I’m pregnant.”
For a moment she saw the wonder and excitement, and pure unabridged glee cross over his face but Escanor had always been a very observant man—doubly so when she was involved—and it faded quickly, turning to uncertain concern.
“Merlin… What’s wrong?”
“What isn’t wrong,” she hissed, she didn’t mean to, but she did. “This wasn’t… this wasn’t part of the plan! I never… I never even… as a child my dolls were students and test subject never… never—and then everything went to hell and it just seemed impossible and I never thought about it! And it would have been impossible if I hadn’t changed my true age but I did and that must be why—after three thousand years of not worrying about it now I do have to worry about it and I must have forgotten at some point and… and…
“The Commandments are returning and with it the war and that hell again and we’re going to be in the middle of it—that’s why the Seven Sins were formed!— and it’s happening soon—Bartha foresaw it and—and—and…”
She trailed off, breathing heavily, her tongue finally as jumbled as much as her mind. Her heart pounding in her ears.
“That’s not a place for a child…”
Escanor was silent.
He was silent and suddenly Merlin couldn’t breathe. What was he thinking? It couldn’t be good. How could she make this mistake? How could she? How could—
His hand gently wrapped around her wrist. She stared at the ground, suddenly honestly afraid to turn and look to him—to see his reaction to her words.
“I… don’t really know what you meant by Commandments or about a coming war, but I trust you, I trust your belief, your feelings, your decisions—” He pulled her into a hug. Merlin only realized she was trembling as she shook against his arms. “I trust you. Whatever you do, whatever you think is best. I’m here.”
She heard in the words he did and didn’t say exactly what he meant. He is with her—whatever she did—whatever she needed to do. Even if…
She knew that despite his carefully controlled voice that Escanor would love to be a father—to have a family. To have a family with her in particular—and oh, her throat tightened at that thought—but he was giving her the choice with no judgment—without even voicing his wants—and with a promise that he was with her.
Her eyes watered and she couldn’t remember the last time she cried.
And she could do it. She could list at least seven ways to lose a child off hand, even order them from most effective to least, she sold one, knew she had everything she need for there of them, was pretty sure she had what she needed for two of the others. In her books there are probally more.
“What if I don’t know,” she finally mumbled into his chest, warm and strong and not even the slightest bit intimidating. She expected that to throw him—he had so much faith in her, still idolized her at times—she always having the answer was a core belief to him…
But he didn’t miss a beat, instead he tightened his hold slightly and said, “Then… we’ll figure it out together.” For a moment they stood in silence before he continued. “Can you… tell me about this war your foreseeing?”