Finding Our Path

Chapter 2

Merlin's POV

There were several subtle signs that today wasn't going to be a good day. I woke up at my usual time but much to my confusion, I couldn't hear any birds, or even the faintest gust of wind. Instead- it was silent, eerie almost, with the sky an unfortunate shade of grey.

I stepped out of my bed to find my sheets were a mess on the floor, with ink from my books transferring onto the sheet permanently. Notably I found the small print of an owl which I stared at blankly before grabbing a crumpled tunic to throw over my head as well as trousers before finally putting on my boots. I decided to ignore the messy sheets and walked through to the main area of the chambers, immediately seeing Gaius staring blankly from the dinner table. That was never a good sign.

We have a quick breakfast, a warm but bland mixture of water and oats. He didn't say anything, instead preferring to stay in his own head. I didn't mind. After I finished breakfast I said a quick goodbye to Gaius, and he told me my list of chores for later tonight would be left on the table. I walked into the door on my way out.

The corridors of the castle were particularly cold and in my haste to make it into Arthur's chambers I ran into a guard with a torch- setting me on fire. I hoped that Arthur wouldn't mock me for the distant smell of burning I would be emanating. I.. survived that treacherous journey and walked in unannounced. He was sleeping. As always. I asked a passing servant to bring him breakfast and I started a general cleaning of his room. No matter how many hours I spend in here, by morning it always returns to the same mess. Only the dragon knows what he does in the dark hours of the night.

After about twenty minutes I wake up his royal pratness. "Merlin.." He groaned. "Go away, you're always up so early." He turns his head into the pillow and chooses to ignore me. He wishes he could get away with that. I look around his room and find the same goblet of water I left for him last night, walking to it with a growing smirk. I was a little too quiet because Arthur turned around again. Too late for him as I quickly launch it.

"MERlin?!?!" He immediately stands up from his bed, hair soaked. "Do you remember what I told you last time you tried this?" He asks, aggravated. I just give him a cheeky smile and return to completing chores, walking towards his wardrobe and throwing him an outfit.

"I didn't try. I succeeded. Maybe you'll finally stop treating me like your mother and get up on your own accord. Here's a towel." I say, trying to keep a straight face. He starts to walk over to me.

"Mer-" Arthur stops and turns around as we hear a knock. "Who is it?" He calls out.

"Apologies Sire, it's Gaius here." Was the slightly frenzied reply.

"Come in Gaius." Arthur commands, and Gaius does so with haste. Curiously, two guards accompanied him.

"Sire, you must come with me, your Father.. we're unsure how this happened.." Gaius trails off before turning around to walk away. Me and Arthur exchanged a fearful glance before following.

When we approached Uther's room, I paused to walk behind Arthur and stood just on the inside of his chamber. It was a harrowing sight. He looked normal. At first. As I got closer though the truth blinded us.

"How did this happen." Arthur asks quietly.

"I am unsure. He seems to have passed away of natural causes during the night. I'm sorry. A search for any information is already being conducted." Gaius replies.

If you've never seen the transition from a living creature to a corpse, it is a very moving experience. I immediately looked to Arthur and saw there was a moment of intense grief in his eyes, as if all the love he ever felt for his Father, every nostalgic memory that sparks up, as if the soul was making one last connection with his. The cadaver, the corpse, the body without them is so very different. During our many battle, people have been tortured and slain in many different ways, it was normal, but seeing this so clearly makes it disgustingly real. A once strong and seemingly invincible King, reduced to nothing but a pruned, sunken shell of a man.