Chapter Text
“Arthur, are you sure you want to be doing this right now? I know how difficult it is and surely we could get someone else to go through her things-”. Merlin stopped when he saw the expression on Arthur’s face, he looked wounded in the way he always did whenever Morgana was mentioned. Safe to say she was still a sore subject. Uther had never gone through the few belongings Morgana had left behind after she fled Camelot, a traitor. Merlin knew how upsetting it was for Arthur to even talk about her, let alone do this- it still felt like an invasion of her privacy even though she hadn’t lived in the castle for years. A part of Merlin wished Gwen could do this, she knew Morgana better than anyone. “No Merlin, despite your best efforts to avoid a simple task, I need to be the one to do this okay?”. Merlin just nodded, he knew better than to hurt Arthur when he was like this. It was a mundane task at first (who knew someone could possess so many hairbrushes) and they placed her things into sacks, ready to give to the poorer children in the lower town who they knew would appreciate it more than anything.
But suddenly, the task got very interesting indeed. Arthur let out a small exclamation as he pulled out a beautifully carved willow box, clearly very precious and rare. The lid was encrusted with amber jewels and it looked heavy in the King’s hands. But that wasn’t what made Merlin worry, it was the great pain in his chest, the ringing in his head and the pull he felt in his very essence when Arthur lifted the lid. This was ancient, earthly magic and in the wrong hands it was dangerous. Merlin could only watch as Arthur pulled a small iron device out of the box, it seemed to have tiny wheels and cogs inside of it. And it glowed inexplicably in the torchlight of the chamber. “Sorcery.” Arthur met Merlin’s eyes with that old familiar look of simultaneous disgust and confusion at the mention of magic. Merlin could only nod in agreement, how could he deny it when the contraption appeared to be otherworldly. Arthur stood up immediately and walked out the chamber, leaving Merlin following him aimlessly. “We’re done here Merlin, you can rest.” Merlin was baffled, he hadn’t expected such a visceral reaction from Arthur. “But Sire, it's not late?” Arthur turned with a pleading expression, “Please, leave me”. Merlin could only nod as Arthur turned down the passage away from him.
“It's a dægmæl.” Gaius declared confidently. “I'm sorry that wasn’t English Gaius, what does it do?” Gaius began to flick through the pages of his book until he found what he was looking for. “It turns forward time. You land in the future, most people end up a year in advance. It’s extremely dangerous and difficult magic. The high priestesses would use it to try and make prophecies more accurately but other than that it is extremely rare.” Merlin had never heard of anything like this, so why did Arthur clearly know about it? As if he could read his mind Gaius proudly exclaimed “I used to teach Arthur and Morgana a story about this when they were little, they never believed it to be true but that’s probably why Arthur reacted so strangely.” It suddenly all made sense in Merlin’s head, this dægmæl was just another reminder of the family that Arthur had lost, his sister and his dad. Merlin’s heart ached for Arthur. “He’s going to try and use it isn’t he Gaius?” The two men stared at each other for a moment as panic set onto Merlin’s face. “I’ve got to talk to him.”
Merlin found his King staring out the window in his chambers apprehensively and so deep in thought that he didn’t notice when Merlin walked in the room. In fact he visibly flinched when his name was called. “Arthur are you okay?” No response. “Did you eat breakfast?”. Arthur turned with an eye roll and said “I’m not a teenage girl, you don’t need to check on my eating habits. I can function fully on my own.” Debatable, Merlin thought. There was a seemingly everlasting silence as they both combed through their thoughts.
“I want to use it Merlin.”
“I knew you would, me and Gaius were discussing it last night and it's a-”
“A dægmæl I know”
“Childhood folklore?”
“Of course. Gaius was always fond of that story when we had a fever. He probably thought it would give us hope that the future would be different.”
“Arthur, it's dangerous and rare and nobody knows how it works.”
“But Merlin, if you were in my position and you had the fate of all these people resting on your shoulders, what would you do? What would you give to know how to protect them?”
Your fate is in my hands and you're the one I’m meant to be protecting but the universe seems to have forgotten that part, Merlin thought bitterly.
“I suppose you’re right.”
“Of course I am you clotpole, pack your things we’re going on a trip!”
“Hey that’s my insult you don’t get to steal it!”
“Fine, what was the other option? Foolish arrogant ass? You’re a prat?”
“And a royal one” Merlin finished for him. A warmth passed between them and they grinned at one another foolishly.
2 days later the pair found themselves in the Darkling woods unannounced to anyone other than Gaius. Gwen presumed it was a hunting trip which had dragged on longer than necessary, Merlin felt awful for lying to her but he knew nothing could talk Arthur out of this. They placed the beautiful wooden box with the lid open in the centre of a hexagon just like the instructions commanded. Then the two chanted " frumcyrr forþcuman onben geanoirr” The forest went white and Merlin’s entire body was on fire, the pain in his chest a pounding drum. He couldn’t see Arthur and everything was spinning and then suddenly the world went black.