Archive of Our Own ^beta

In a land of myth, and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a man no longer as young as he used to be. His name... Merlin.
No one even recognized him anymore, his story considered merely a legend nowadays, but even if many times he’s been close to the brink and losing hope, he still believes the prophecy rings true and that Arthur will one day come back.

Merlin, who can still be seen walking past what was once the lake of Avalon, waiting for Arthur to rise as Kilgharrah told him he is destined to do.
Merlin, who has yet again taken on a younger appearance, avoiding suspicion of how that one old librarian of that one old library with practically no business never seemed to close nor die.
Merlin, who is, after several centuries, one of the last representatives of magic to exist in a world that has all but forgotten all about magic, dragons, and all the creatures and stories of his past.

The sorcerer was, once again, walking around what once was Camelot, now a bright town that persevered with some of its old-time look, making it a tourist selling point.
Merlin likes to visit the town from time to time, reminding him of the times and many adventures he lived here, the amount of things he learnt inside those city walls.
It was there that Merlin saw him, a man that looked exactly like Arthur did at that age, or would have if he ever reached that age more like. At first, Merlin thought he was having a vision, his old eyes playing sick tricks on him, loving to make him suffer like that.
But no, after discreetly following the man, just to make sure he wasn’t wrong, he was sure of it, he had not been mistaken about what he’d seen. He would just need to confirm it, somehow.

Knowing the streets of the town like the back of his hands after all the centuries he’s been walking the cobblestone streets, gave Merlin the advantage he needed to make a run-around and be able to arrive at the main plaza, and hide and wait for the perfect moment to move and totally accidentally bump into Arthur, murmuring a quick spell he knew by heart to confirm if his suspicions were true.
The spell was a simple illusion spell, making whoever it was cast upon see Camelot as it looked during Arthur’s time. But there was a trick to it, it would only resonate with Arthur’s soul, so only the reborn prince who had been promised would be able to see it.

What could Merlin say? Arthur or not, he had never lost his mischievous streak and needed to mess with people, and if they looked exactly like Arthur did? That part of him stirred even more so than normal.
And, by the perplexed and downright surprised and a bit scared expression on the other man, Merlin could certainly say that this man in his early thirties was the prince who had been.
There was one more thing that would confirm it, and it was if Merlin took the man to the lake of Avalon and he pulled out Excalibur.
But there was no way that the man would follow Merlin, who was a total stranger to a lake in the middle of a forest. That sounded like the start of a horror B-flick with a bad plot.

And so Merlin’s last resource was to walk up to Arthur and pretend he had too seen the vision he had made Arthur see, using his personal experiences to make it seem oh so real, even acting a bit relieved when Arthur confirmed he had seen it also and how glad he was he wasn’t the only one, because for a second he thought he had been going crazy.
Merlin, as a start, then invited him to a pint in a pub, so they could talk about what they had seen.

While in the pub, the two got to talk and Arthur -yes that was actually his name too, which just cemented what Merlin already knew to be true- revealed that he had come to the city because ever since he was little he had been really interested in Arthurian history, believing it was more than just legends, that he had always felt as if there was a connection between him and the heroes of his childhood stories and so he had decided to go to University and study History and was now working on his thesis which he decided to make about the story about King Arthur, Queen Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table, and the famous sorcerer Emrys and the great history of the the Kingdom of Camelot.
Merlin, in turn, told Arthur that he had been living here for most of his life, for as long as he could remember, and that he had a library that specialised in that exact topic, that he might even have some diaries from people of old, at least those who knew how to write or cared to have it recorded, and that he’d be glad to let Arthur browse the books he needed. At that offer, Arthur didn’t take not even a second to accept, paying the tap and already urging Merlin to take him there. Which made Merlin almost groan, if not for the real eagerness this Arthur had, because he did that exactly the same way the old Arthur would have.

It had been some days ever since that fateful meeting, and even if Arthur had to back to where he lived, he and Merlin had exchanged numbers so they could still talk and meet whenever Arthur went there, or whenever Merlin “found” a book, though maybe he could say he unburied it from wherever he knew it was, for Arthur to take a look.
And if some of those books were written by some of the many names Merlin had gone by in his long life? Well, Arthur didn’t need to know about that and he needed to make a living out of something as time, and writing books about history when you’ve lived it had always been easy and made him have money to eat.

But back to Arthur.
Merlin and Arthur kept on meeting. And, under the guise of helping Arthur with his thesis, Merlin invited Arthur and guided him around town, explaining what everything was and what it was said to have been.
Still, there seemed to be no signs of Arthur remembering anything of his past life, even if there were times there seemed to be a glimmer of recognition in Arthur's eyes for it to be gone the next second when the man questioned why he was feeling that way. That made Merlin not say anything just yet, even if Arthur and he had grown closer, and would even consider each other friends.
Or so Merlin thought. Because Arthur considered all those little escapades and teaching him secret places dates, Merlin’s own awkward way of asking him out without having to.

For example, there was a time when Merlin suggested to unbury their noses from books and that he would be Arthur’s personal guide and would give him a special and personalised tour of the Citadel now turned museum, and not that tourist trap tour announced on information pamphlets.
And how once there, while talking about different things in between explanations and questions, Arthur looked around the halls and rooms, walking around the place with the naturality of someone born in it. That made Merlin usher the other a bit and take him to the Throne Room when he knew it’d be empty, studying the man’s reaction once he stepped inside. And how Arthur’s first reaction was to walk up to the Throne and almost sit there, stopping himself at the last second.
“Oh God, so sorry, I don’t know what came into me!” Arthur exclaimed “I almost sat on a relic. I could have destroyed it by accident!” he added, bewildered by his own actions.
“Don’t worry, that chair is way more sturdy that you give it credit, you wouldn't have destroyed it. I think sitting there would’ve suited you quite a lot.” Merlin said, half laughing, with a knowing smile on his face, even if a little deflated at Arthur having stopped himself.

And in between books and tours, the two men had grown closer and closer everyday, Arthur even renting a room near the town, so they could see each other more frequently, and then every day.
And if while Merlin taught Arthur the nooks and secrets of town and lent him books feelings flourished in between them? Well, Merlin just ignored those, pushing them to the back of his mind. Yes, he had a suspicion about Arthur’s feelings but Merlin had his own personal reasons not to act on them. Yes, he was aware that now Arthur was free to love whoever he wanted, free from any expectation King Uther would have had on him and his backwards view on magic and other topics.
Because while he knew he felt something for Arthur, he didn’t want to impose his own love and expectations of what he had wanted with and from the Arthur of old to the new and modern Arthur, recognizing that while they technically were the same person they weren’t the same man at all either, so every time Arthur asks him out on anything that sounds remotely like a date Merlin finds himself refusing.

Though, to be fair to Arthur, while he had always been quite flirty with Merlin, not hiding the fact he found him attractive, he only started acting openly more vulnerable and asking Merlin out after what happened when the two had started visiting places important to the great Sorcerer Emrys and King Arthur.

It had been a few cool summer days, so after Merlin “found” information about Emrys and the last battle of King Arthur, the two decided to take a few days and visit the places.

“Arthur, look here!” Merlin jumped out suddenly, finally finding the book he had been looking for quite a long time now.
“I’ve finally found a recollection of stories that talk about the life of the elusive Emrys. It seems to mention a few instances of his life. From where he lived before Camelot, to different times and places he had almost met his end.” Merlin said, pretending as if he was reading from the book before carefully handing it to Arthur.

“It says here, he was born and raised in a town called Ealdor.” Arthur read “It mentions, too, the several places important for the Sorcerer Emrys.” he continued, browsing around the book, reading about the sorcerer but stopping at some excerpts, Merlin very much aware which without needing to look. After all that had been an autobiography of sorts he had written, just leaving some parts still too painful for him to write about at the time.

“The book mentions this Isle of the Blessed several times but there’s some parts that seemed as if the author had decided to scrap or just not write about. Happens the same with this weird Crystal Cave, where Emrys seemed to have experienced great painful adventures. It also seemed as if Camlann and the battle that took place there had been just brushed over despite its great importance” Arthur pointed out, showing Merlin the part of the books he meant, making the mage grimace at that, because there was no need to shove his mistakes on his face, not that Arthur would know about that.

And so, to make Arthur stop rubbing his old bad writing in his face, Merlin suggested a trip. They’d start by going to Ealdor, and then they’d go to the places Arthur wished to to satiate his curiosity. And so they made the needed reservations and prepared for the days ahead.

The journey to Ealdor took just a few hours, compared to the couple days it would have taken on horseback back then.
Ealdor, Merlin’s hometown, was still quite a rural town, but way bigger than it used to be and way with a way more modern look than Camelot did.
It made sense the town evolved differently, Merlin guessed, since it was not a known fact he had been born there. Still, it made Merlin experience a sense of nostalgia and hurt inside, seeing part of what made him be who he was lost to time. Yes, the place held so many good memories, but Merlin recognized nothing of it without the people making the town the lively place he once knew.
And as he looked around, to see how it all was now, trying to see even a glimpse of the past through the cracks of the streets and buildings, Merlin missed the way Arthur was looking at him, as if Merlin’s pain was his too.

“Merlin?” Arthur asked, tentatively reaching towards yet not touching Merlin in case the other didn’t want the contact now “You don’t seem to look all too well. Do you need us to rest?” he asked, concerned about the man he had grown so close to and he had learnt to care about.
As a reply, Merlin took a deep breath, pushing his pain out of the way, and denied the rest instead continuing to walk as he guided Arthur around the town, explaining how much it had changed from Emry’s time, and how he wished Arthur could have seen how he looked back then instead.

For Merlin’s own sake, Arthur decided that staying a night in Ealdor wouldn’t do the black haired man no good and that they could rest somewhere else, that he’d pay for it if needed, if Merlin was short on funds. That was Arthur's way to care for Merlin, because he would offer his shoulder to rely on, a hug, if Merlin asked but knew Merlin would refuse, deadbent for some unknown reason not to accept Arthur’s very clear advances.
And so, before Arthur could do something he regretted later on, like trying to kiss Merlin’s strange pain away, the two continued with their travels, now to the Crystal Cave, which was the one closer to them.

It took them a couple days to reach the place, one to arrive at the closest town inside the Valley of the Kings, and another of trekking and hiking to arrive at the cave itself.
Once there, Arthur was, at first, hesitant to enter saying he felt the place was important for him, but that that wasn’t possible since he had never been there before.
Well, Merlin thought, not that you remember. You were here before, and Taliesin saved your life. But that wasn’t something Merlin could tell Arthur, or else he’d think he had definitely gone crazy.

But once Merlin managed to convince Arthur to get inside, well, the look on the young reborn King’s face was one of surprise. The shining crystals leave him in awe, as Merlin warned NOT to look into the crystals or he could end up being trapped there forever.
And when Arthur questioned him about how he knew that, Merlin made a dismissive sound, saying that there was way more to him that met the eye giving Arthur one of his knowing smiles that he knew always left Arthur in a flustered state.

Using his past knowledge of the paths inside, Merlin guided Arthur through the Crystal Cave as he explained the history of the place.
“It is believed that this Crystal Cave is the birthplace of magic itself, and that the crystals contain knowledge of the past, present and future. And, as you know, the Sorcerer Emrys has some history with the place too.” he started.
“I’ve be-.... I mean, Emrys had been here twice. Once trying to save Arthur’s injuries and failing, instead finding himself having to look at the crystals and seeing a future he needed to prevent, succeeding only in part as it happened either way.” he explained, as one of his hands softly touched on of the crystals, making sure he didn’t infuse any magic and started scrying by accident.

What he didn’t realise is how as he spoke, the magic even Arthur could feel latent in the place, seemed to swirl around Merlin, the sole source of magic outside the cave, giving him an almost surreal glow.
That was only for Arthur to see and realise. But it seemed the man didn’t know about magic, just thinking it was some sort of light trick the bright crystals made him see. Arthur just assumed the passion with which Merlin was taking was making him shine even brighter than he already did in his eyes.

“The second time the Great Sorcerer came here,” Merlin continued, unaware of Arthur’s loving stare, “was after his magic had been devoured by the Gean Canach and Mer-, I mean Emrys, went to the Crystal Cave in the hopes of restoring his powers.” he said, faking a cough after his misstep of almost saying his own name.
“Wait!” Arthur interrupted him “What do you mean Emrys lost his powers? That’s impossible, there’s instances of it from after.” Arthur called out.
“Oh, you’re just as impatient as you’ve always been, Arthur. I am getting there now.” Merlin snapped back, before continuing to speak.

“As I was saying, after having his magic devoured by the Gean Canach, Emrys came here hoping to restore it, but was ambushed by Morgana, who injured and trapped him inside. But after a long while, Emrys was visited by a spirit of someone important to him, who urged Emrys not to lose hope and give into despair and to rest for a while. With nothing else to do but follow the spirit’s advice, Emrys did so and found out he had his magic back upon waking up, and was able to warn King Arthur about Morgana’s plans and escape the cave.

They walked around the cave as Merlin retold his history with the place as if it had been someone else who had lived all that.
And after showing Arthur everything about the cave that people without magic were allowed to see, the two men finally came out of it.

Taking a full day of rest before their next destination, The Isle of the Blessed. Which turned out to be even more tricky to get into.
There was no way to get into the middle of the foggy lake, and so Merlin was forced to use magic behind Arthur’s back on some people so they’d lend the pair a boat for a day.
Still, it was a rather uneventful journey because, even if Merlin had insisted there was nothing to see, Arthur insisted more and more every time that he needed to go.
Once there, Merlin gave Arthur a tour of the ruins, talking about the Old Religion and avoiding any mention of Nimueh, and the whole bargaining a life for a life and how Merlin almost died here, welcoming the apathy he felt right now instead of the whirlwind of emotions and memories this place would bring him otherwise.

Merlin knew Arthur was probably aware he wasn’t telling the full story, but Arthur had no way of knowing. Not even in his past life did he ever know what had happened here. He had just insisted on visiting the place because the stories on that one Emrys’ biography were inconclusive and he hoped to find clues about them and the reason why in here. But instead he found nothing but ruins, a slightly inexplicably moody Merlin, who was starting to angrily snap at every minor thing, itching to get the hell out of there, as if the place brought him back memories he rather not think about.
And so, after making fun of him for his sour mood and getting called “Dollophead” by Merlin and being miffed by that, Arthur just huffed and pouted as he walked back to the boats, Merlin following suit.

Having wasted one day and having gotten nothing out of it but an awkward atmosphere between the two of them, Arthur decided it was better for them to start the journey back to Camelot, with just one stop in the middle.
Camlann.
He wouldn’t not use the opportunity to visit the place that was the downfall of a great King and his namesake, while also the start of a great Kingdom.

There they were, on the White Mountains, so close to Camlann plain that Arthur could already imagine how the place must’ve looked back on his namesake King’s time.
But, just at the last turn before the plains, Merlin abruptly grabbed him by the arm to stop him from getting there.

“I know this is what you want to do, but I don’t think it’s such a good idea.” Merlin advised him, voice grave and serious.
But Arthur, just pushed forward, freeing his arm from Merlin’s grasp, a frown on his face, he had never liked being told “No” when he was so close to getting what he wanted.

“If you’re going to do what you want just like you used to, at least I ask you to give me a moment to tell you a story about the place.” the sorcerer pleaded, and the urgency in his voice was what made Arthur stop to look at him from over the shoulder, as if telling him to go on, that he’d listen to what he had to say.
“While everyone knows about the battle of Camlann where Arthur and his Knights fought against Morgana’s saxon army and won, where he said the famous quote of “Then it is at Camlann, that we make our stand” before battle, there’s part of the story that little people know about. Almost forgotten about if not for the ones who lived it.” Merlin starts.

“Let loose the hounds of war. Let the dread fire of the last priestess reign down from angry skies. For brother will slaughter brother. For friend will murder friend. As the great horn sounds, a cold dawn at Camlann. The prophets do not lie. There Arthur will meet his end, upon that mighty plain.” Merlin recited, knowing the prophecy by heart, as if branded by fire on his brain for the rest of his days.
“That was a prophecy a Bendrui priestess gave to Emrys about what would happen at Camlann. That’s how Emrys came to know about Morgana’s plan to ambush Camelot’s army during the night and warn King Arthur so they could successfully meet the Saxons head on.” he continued “But when the mage finally arrived at the battlefield, Camelot’s army was outnumbered by Morgana’s magic and her albino dragon, and so Emrys decimated the witch’s army with lightning, striking her witch herself and forcing the dragon to flee and retire.” he retold, eyes looking at the plains below as if he was seeing everything happen all again in front of his eyes, and he couldn’t do nothing to prevent what he knew would inevitably happen, just like in the many nightmares he still had about that night.

“However, Emrys failed to prevent what he always considered his worst failure to that day and forward, as he failed to save the man he had promised to save and follow, the man he had been destined to be with.” and even as he retold the story, his regret was obvious in his voice, as fresh and pungent as the first, never fading, never able to recover from it.
“Because when he finally got to Arthur’s side he had already been fatally wounded by Mordred, the druid boy and then knight, just before killing Mordred himself. And all Emrys could do was carry his King away from the battlefield, trying to get him to the dragon Kilgharrah to save him just for it to be too late, and his last breath was while Emrys held him.” he finalised his story, “I just wanted to warn you, this place might be really important to you, I’m sure it really is. But you should be extremely careful with it, to visit one’s place of death is a dangerous thing to do, it creates a bridge between the past and the present.” Merlin added, finally looking back at Arthur, who had fallen silent, enthralled by Merlin’s tales and voice, but as clear yet cryptid as Merlin’s last words had been, they had also made Arthur more resolute to see the place.

“Take me there.” he ordered, and to Merlin, he sounded just like how his King sounded when he barked out an order that left no option for rebuttal. “Take me where he was stricken and where he drew his last breath.” he told Merlin, and for a moment Merlin could swear he saw the chainmail and armour Arthur always wore instead of plain normal trekking clothes, the King who was promised returned.

And so Merlin, even if unwilling, knew there would be no way to stop Arthur now and so, once more and as he had done many times now, acted as a guide, taking Arthur to where he wished to be.
While on their short journey, Merlin avoided looking around, all his memories of the battle flooding him, but he could have been able to walk around this plains with his eyes closed by now as many times as he had seen them the nightmares that plagued him.
He just stopped to look back when they had reached the place Arthur had requested, turning to look at Arthur, who now stood a few feet back.
Arthur, who had a bewildered and confused expression on his face, as he clutched the place Mordred had stabbed him in his past life, looking at his hand, finding it clear from any blood, before looking back at Merlin, questioning what was happening and what was the pain he was feeling if he had not been wounded.

And Merlin, unable to stop himself, went to Arthur’s side. Telling him he had warned him and that they should just forget about it, that should make the pain stop. But Arthur, as stubborn as he had been, shook his head in a negative and told Merlin to tell he wanted to see where the old King finally succumbed, and continued walking forward using Merlin as a crutch, not even needing Merlin to guide him as if guided by a memory of his own.

At some point, when the sun had set and the stars were illuminating the sky, the two men reached their final destination, Arthur suddenly stumbling into a stop, before nearly collapsing into the floor hadn’t it been for Merlin who caught him just in time.
The two men in a position that brought very bad memories to Merlin. But
Arthur, even if strained and with his blond hair sticking to his sweaty forehead, had a pleased smile on his face.
“Merlin, tell me please. Why is this I am feeling right now?” he questioned, looking up at the sorcerer, as tears fell down his face.”Why do I have the feeling this has happened before even if that isn’t possible, Merlin?” he asked, his eyes finally closing after whispering about how he wasn’t hurting anymore.

While this all was happening, Merlin was praying to any god, old and new, who might be listening to him, not to let this happen, he couldn’t lose Arthur once again and in the same way because he couldn’t stop him from walking into his own death. He couldn’t be the reason he lost Arthur a second time.
He couldn’t take another eternity waiting for him to be reborn again, so he asked for the gods to let Arthur live, to take him instead, crying and wailing and using magic to wake Arthur but to no avail, until he finally passed out due to overusing his magic and exhausting himself.

He didn’t know how long it’d been, he just knew the sun was high in the sky, reaching its zenith, and that he was all alone in the grass field where he must have fallen asleep at some point the previous day, not really remembering everything that happened all that well.

There was one strange figure standing at the border of the forest and so, Arthur stood up and walked towards it thinking it’d be Merlin, just to find an old man, who gave Arthur no introduction, before turning around and starting to walk, not waiting for Arthur to follow him.

After a long while of walking, when the sun started to set and the sky was painted a myriad of colours, the silent man stopped walking at the entrance of what had to be the largest labyrinth Arthur had ever seen in his entire life.
“Fret not, for Merlin is safe, I have my watchful eye kept on him.” the man suddenly said “But to reunite with him, you must complete this test. It should not take you long nor be an arduous task, if you really are who he claims you to be. After all, if the sorcerer is right you did come out victorious out of it once before.” Anhora disclosed, leaving Arthur with more questions than answers.

But when Arthur turned around to ask the strange man whatever had he meant with all he had said, he found himself alone once again, the hooded man nowhere to be found.
Alone and standing in front of a labyrinth looming over him.
And, if he really wanted to get back with Merlin, Arthur had only one way to go. And so inside the labyrinth he went.

Arthur didn’t know for how long he walked, since time didn’t seem to work as it should on this cursed labyrinth, and his phone had died at some point before he thought to take it out and see how much it had been. So he just walked and walked and walked, getting lost and retracing his steps again and again every time he was faced with a tall bush wall once more.
But at some point, after almost giving up several times, Arthur finally reached the exit, and was now standing in the sea shore somewhere in what had once been known as Albion.

But what caught Arthur’s attention wasn’t the fact that he was now standing in front of the sea and the labyrinth was nowhere to be seen anymore, but the fact that there was a table with two goblets and in one of the two single chairs was Merlin, whose face once he realised Arthur was really there brightened with delight while Arthur walking up to Merlin.
“I’m here for you, Merlin. We can go back now.” he said, urging Merlin to stand but unable to.

And then, there was the strange hooded man who had taken him to the labyrinth at the start, looking at Arthur and pointing at the free chair, making Arthur understand he needed to sit down too.
“Not so fast, young boy.” he started “There are two goblets before you. One of the goblets contains a deadly poison, the other goblet, a harmless liquid. All the liquid from both goblets must be drunk, but each of you may only drink from a single goblet.” the man explained.

“Anhora.” Merlin then spoke up, looking at the man “We both remember how this went the last time, I know how the trick works so it won’t work again. And, either way, neither has Arthur here done anything deserving of the test.” he said, very much sure of himself and protective of the other.

As he spoke, Merlin moved to grab the two goblets and emptied one, pouring the liquid inside the other, lifting it to mockingly toast to Anhora, who had, once again, disappeared before lifting it to his lips.
But at the last second, when the goblet was almost touching his lips, Arthur quickly moved and reached for and grabbed the goblet and drank it all, soon collapsing onto the floor hadn’t it been for Merlin stopping his fall.

And even if Merlin knew he just needed to wait for Arthur to wait, he couldn’t stop thinking about the implications of Arthur having drank the goblet. Mainly, because while Merlin was aware of what would happen, Arthur did not and believed he would’ve died had he drank it and drank it in his stead.

Thankfully, or maybe not so much, Arthur woke up a few hours later, with an exasperated and stressed Merlin pacing around, thinking about what would happen now, and what to say once the blonde awakened.
But all words left from his mind once he saw those blue eyes staring at him with such stupid fondness.
“Arthur! What were you thinking?” he exclaimed as he kneeled in front of him “I knew there was merely a sleeping draught in there, that’s why I was about to drink it. How could you do something so senseless as to drink it? Especially when you weren’t aware of the trick?” Merlin questioned him, his exasperation and concern obvious in his words.

“I already thought I lost you once again last night, when you fell asleep and wouldn’t wake up no matter what kind of magic I used. And when this morning I woke up and I was back here, I did try to drink the deadly poison even if I knew it was naught but a sleeping draught because I don’t want to live in a world in which you don’t exist. I have already gone through that again and I would surely not survive it a second time, not when I also have come to love you.” Merlin admitted, all words pouring from his mouth, not able to stop them. An, at this point, Merlin doesn’t care he is revealing his real identity, because his feelings have just taken the best of him.

“Merlin,” Arthur said, interrupting the other’s confession of everything. “I might not be the Arthur you had fallen in love with in the past, not the Arthur you once knew. But memories from my past or not, doesn’t change the fact I have fallen in love with the Merlin I’ve met.” Arthur lets him know.
“And I don’t know if you love the old Arthur, the Arthur I am now, or if you love both versions. But I’ll wait for as long as you need to figure it out.” Arthur adds, lifting Merlin's head so the other is looking at him in the eyes and sees he means every single word.

Needing a few moments after that speech, Merlin finally answers.
And his answer is to grab Arthur’s face and kiss him with all he has, separating just as Arthur was about to kiss him back.
“I did love King Arthur, and I’m sure I still do. But I also love you, and who you are now too. And I don’t want to throw away this second chance destiny gave me just because of someone you once were, and still are while also being your own person.” Merlin said, going to kiss Arthur after he said all he wanted to.

Ever since Arthur and Merlin made their way back to Camelot after what had happened after Anhora’s test, the two of them went their separate ways. Both needed some time to process everything that transpired. The willingness to risk their lives for the other, the rushed confessions and identity reveals, the shared kisses.
It’s not that either regretted anything from what had happened, but they needed time to sort everything out and see what would happen from that point forward and how would they continue what they had started, or whether they’d do that at all.

And so a week went by before Merlin and Arthur saw each other at all.
They were sitting in a café when Merlin started the conversation they had been avoiding and evading for the last few days.

“So… We need to decide what to do now.” Merlin started, awkward and tense all over. “We can either let it all go, forget all of this ever happened and continue with our lives as they were before wwe started. Or we can go to the Lake of Avalon and see what happens, even if I’m already sure you are the one who was destined.” Merlin explained.
“I don’t think we have much of an option, really. Even if we pretended nothing had happened it’s not like we’d be able to stop what we started. So it’s better we finish it.” Arthur replied “I say we go to the Lake.” he concluded. And once again, it was like old times when Merlin wouldn’t be able to stop Arthur from doing something once he had decided to do it, so he’d go with him. Not only to see what would happen, he had to admit he was excited and nervous to see what’d happen, but also to intervene and save Arthur’s life if, for some reason, things didn’t go as planned.

And so, decision made, they only needed to prepare for it, or rather for whatever could happen no matter the end result.
Few days later, the two men had everything ready and set to the place that had the possibility to both confirm what they already knew, or shatter everything they believed so far.

As expected, the pair arrived at the lake within the day, but with other tourists visiting what was an important place from the legend, the two men would need to wait until dark to do what they had come for. So, Arthur and Merlin, despite the slight tension hanging in between them due to not knowing what would happen, spent the day doing what many other couples had done before. Walking around the lake, enjoying the view and landscape and the magic surrounding the place, having a little picnic by the lake’s shore, talking about little things and just enjoying each other’s presence as the hours went by.

But with everyone there slowly leaving as the sun set on the horizon, Arthur and Merlin started to prepare for their mission, waiting until the stars were reflected on the lake’s surface and the moon was their only light before doing so.
And when midnight chimed in, Arthur, resolute and with both mind and body prepared, walked into the Lake of Avalon, after the Sidhe told him they had been waiting for him, deeper and deeper until he dived in, disappearing under the surface.

Merlin had no other option to wait, but with every minute that happened he couldn’t help but worry.
But after what felt like the millionth time asking the Sidhe if they could tell him how everything was going and just having his worries overlooked and being told to be patient as someone of his age should be, he saw it.
Ripples started to appear in the middle of the lake and Arthur rising from the Lake of Avalon, Excalibur in his triumphantly raised in the air, looking like the King he was, walking until he was next to Merlin once again.

“My King.” Merlin said, kneeling and bowing his head as Arthur walked towards him.
“Raise Merlin, there’s no need for you to do so.” Arthur said, ordering Merlin to his feet. “And you’ll want to hear what I have to say.” he said before starting explaining everything that happened after he disappeared from Merlin's sight.

Apparently, after diving Arthur visibility obviously went dark and couldn’t see anything but darkness all around. At some point, he even lost his sense of direction and couldn’t tell what was up and what was down, so there was no way for going up to the surface for oxygen.
And when he had but given up and his vision blurred, it was when she appeared in front of him.

A young dark haired lady wearing a long pure white dress flowing all around her reached to him, and suddenly Arthur could properly breath and see under water.
“I am Freya, the Lady of the Lake. I have been waiting for a long time for you, King Arthur.” she said “There’s one last test you must go through, to truly prove who you say you are.” Freya explained, a sheathed sword appearing on her hands out of nowhere, and presenting its jewelled pommel to Arthur.
And as if compelled by something bigger than himself, Arthur could see his arm and hand moving on its own accord towards the sword, pulling it out as if he had countless times before.
“King Arthur, the one who was promised, it’s an honour to have you back.” the Lady of the Lake smiled at him “I assume Merlin came with you? Tell him I’m well and that I hope everything is going well on the surface.” she added, this time speaking as Freya and an old friend of Merlin’s.
“I hope you two are well and have a long and prosperous life.” she added, as she sent Arthur back to the surface, where he belonged, before disappearing into the lake’s dark depths.

At the mention of Freya, Merlin smiled, happy to hear she was well, even if neither knew what would happen now that she had given the sword back.
But just as he was about to question if Freya had told him anything else, Arthur spoke again.
“Oh, but there’s more, Merlin.” he said, that smug smile Merlin both loved and dreaded with all the trouble it spoke about.

“As soon as I touched Excalibur, something happened.” he started, his smile growing as he raised an eyebrow to see if Merlin could guess what that something was, even if he didn’t give the sorcerer enough time to think nor answer before he spoke again.
“As soon as I made contact with the sword, all my memories from my first life flooded back.” he revealed “Merlin! I remember everything!” he exclaimed, unable and unwilling to contain his bliss, letting Excalibur fall into the floor and hugging Merlin.

“I remember my feelings for you, which are the same I already felt, so now it’s just double or even more, if that was even possible to begin with.” he said, as he gently held Merlin’s face in between his hands, looking at him with such fondness that Merlin could feel a blush appearing on his face just by being looked at.
“I do understand why you were holding back on acting up on your feelings and your inner conflict. But if you allow, let me say I’m just glad I could just meet you and we could fall in love with each other for a second time. And I can’t wait to continue to share all those first times we were denied with you.” he told Merlin, before pulling him close and kissing him, pouring all his being and hoping to convey everything he felt with it.

“For the gods in the Old Religion, I swear you’re going to be the death of me, Dollophead.” Merlin said, once they separated.

In a land of myth, and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom doesn’t rest on the shoulders of a man no longer as young as he used to be anymore.
In a time when the Kingdom of Albion isn’t no more, the King who was Promised returned to life, after his getting the thesis that put everything into motion, now works and lives with The Greatest Sorcerer to Ever Walk the Earth, having the life they had once been denied.

They’re just two young men in their early thirties who have waited centuries for the other and have fought countless battles and magic and time itself to be able to love each other.
One a great King, the other the last of the Sorcerers, who happen to run a little specialised library in the city of Camelot.
But as long as they have each other? That suits them more than just fine.