Merlin's magic (Oneshots) 1

The magic realm (part 4)

A.N,;//

I know this took forever. I had some issues with work. We're having some tutoring for a new machine we got, plus, they finally realized they should teach me more than one thing, so I haven't been able to focus on brainstorming during work. Which I usually do.
(I have a lot of time, lmao.)
This is also very short. But at least I'm listening to the story again and I can finally make out what it wants to be. The shapes are forming slowly, but they are forming.
Feel free to brainstorm with me, if you want :)

btw, I had wanted to send the picture last chapter already. But I couldn't put in one, so you have to bear with that. The picture is the hug of the end of last chapter. In Arthur's room of course. With a few kantliz on his bed. 

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Breakfast was awkward.
Neither Tanus, nor Merlin were saying a word. Which made Arthur keep his mouth shut as well.
Rayleigh was the only one chatting. And boy could she talk.

While she talked about the weather and how many trees had been destroyed over night – a fact which she shamelessly mentioned - Arthur picked at the sandwich he was supposed to eat.
It looked more like small pillow forts. Honestly, what were they eating here?
He took a deep breath and then picked one up with his bare hand to bite into it. It tasted sweet. But also sharp. A bit like mint, but more sugary. (It tasted like toothpaste.) The texture was slightly stringy, but not as unpleasant as rat.
Was this supposed to be a dessert, should this give you energy? Breakfast, in Arthur's life, had a purpose. It gave him the strength to train and to rule.
This was like .... cake for breakfast. Nice on birthdays, but he couldn't really work on a sugary stomach.

"I do suppose we need to talk about what happened yesterday.", Rayleigh suddenly interrupted Arthur's mind rant about the importance of food.
Arthur looked up, stopping in the middle of chewing. Was he imagining it, or did his teeth suddenly feel cleaner?
He also felt more awake. Was that from the oddly bitter tea he had been drinking earlier?

Arthur faintly noticed, how Merlin send him a glance before excusing himself from talking by drinking a large sip from the so called "coffee".

"The castle was shook yesterday, by the sea, as you well know. I do suppose Merlin has to tell you something about that."

Arthur suddenly felt a heavy sense of defensiveness washing over him.
To put Merlin on the spot like that! Hinting at a large secret that Merlin had hidden for well over ten years! Arthur still felt like the conversation yesterday had been nothing but a dream. COMING here felt like one giant fucked up dream.
But even he knew that this was supposed to be Merlin's choice. Rayleigh couldn't just bring this up so casually and expect Merlin to be comfortable about it!

Merlin looked at the table and let his cup down.
Arthur shook his head, effectively stopping Merlin from responding. "I already know. I was the cause for it. I upset him. This -", Arthur flailed his hand around the room. "-realm, reacts to his moods. I understand."
The simple fact that Arthur knew about Merlin's magic now (as weird as that thought roamed around in his mind), didn't excuse her behavior.

Rayleigh tilted her head at him, scanning him with her knowing golden eyes.
"What you felt was not Merlin being upset, Arthur. You felt his regrets. You cannot understand the depth of his burdens. The sea contains it. All the memories, the pain, the deeds Merlin has done over the past few years in your care.
The sea is a magical creature in this realm, Arthur. And she is almost as powerful as I am.
But only just. If you want to learn magic, you have to understand what you unleashed last night. "