Work Text:
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Merlin disappears just as winter settles in.
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It’s six months before Gaius tells Arthur that it was possible that the cold and snow were here to stay.
Then it’s eight months, then ten – then it’s a year.
Merlin’s still gone and winter is still thick around Camelot ((just Camelot, nearby kingdoms – even those further north – still cycled through their seasons)) and so many starved before fleeing.
But Arthur just sits on his frozen throne, each passing day without Merlin leaving him more and more cold and cruel.
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Fifteen months after Merlin disappears, an earthquake rips through the kingdom and Arthur’s castle almost comes down.
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A week after the earthquake, Leon runs into the throne room, eyes bright with tears and he cries, “Merlin is approaching the gates, sire!”
That night, the snow begins to melt.
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End.