Merlin: In Modern Times

Chapter 1.13: A Modern Leader

Merlin felt like he had held his breath since the moment he stepped into the King's Study and now he could let it go. It had not gone so smoothly as he had hoped, but they had stopped the traitor, which was the most important thing. The most pressing problem was solved, but it was far from the only one; Stuart had claimed he knew where to find one part of the Trinity - and for that he needed the King's ring, Merlin guessed since it was so important to have. Before returning it to Arthur, Merlin had memorized the words on it and they were simply Rex Excalibur. It would explain his shock when he thought Merlin had found that sword, but it also revealed how ignorant Stuart was. There was nothing to identify the sword as the holy one and so Merlin couldn't think of any other explanation than the one that Stuart was going mad.

Merlin spent hours, days even, in the secret room in the dungeons to learn as much as he could about the Trinity, hoping he would find a clue as to what the words on the ring could mean - and where the three parts were hidden. Merlin didn't doubt for a second that they were all very much real and that they had to have been hidden by the Merlin back in the days. He was bound to have left some clues for his descendants for when the Once and Future King would rise again - and Merlin figured that Arthur was the perfect candidate. But then was Morgana ever so easily over won? Merlin could scarcely believe it - and Stuart had no magic. He could not really read the ancient language. He had to use guides to translate. Maybe he wasn't related to her after all?

Destiny had become the thing Merlin believed in strongly. He felt a pull towards the old legends and used that to explain why he was so quick to believe in the things Arthur didn't. One of those things even streamed through him with greater and greater power; the magic. And there was something nagging him; something crippling under his skin like a threat he couldn't see. He had an uncomfortable feeling that the entire mystery was far from over as Arthur thought it to be. In fact it might just be starting. The nights were sleepless because of the deep, dark nightmares that still haunted him; they were of the lady in the green robe. Now she always started at the same distance, coming towards him, closer and closer, until he would wake up drenched in sweat.

In the morning, Merlin went down to Mr Gaius for breakfast, as was now part of their usual routine, this time with his blanket still wrapped around him. Mr Gaius was just cutting the bread. "What's the matter, boy? You look like you didn't get any sleep last night," Gaius commented and put two steaming cups of tea on the table as he sat down.

Merlin shrugged and almost looked to be hugging his cup. He took a sip, not really caring that it burnt his tongue. "I still have those dreams I told you about," he revealed. "And I have this bad feeling in my stomach. It feels almost hollow and... dark."

Mr Gaius narrowed his eyes. "Stuart is gone now," Gaius pointed out. "Things will be all right. Could it be that the King's illness affects Arthur which therefore affects you?"

Merlin shook his head. "It has nothing to do with the King," he explained. "I think it's about me."

Mr Gaius didn't look any less confused than before. "I don't follow."

Merlin sat up, holding on to his tea. "Stuart might not be her descendant, Gaius. He didn't have magic. If he did, he would have been a much greater enemy, but he was simply desperate for power. I suppose he has always been standing in Arthur's shadow, which must have too hard on him in the end so he went off the deep end."

Mr Gaius nodded. "But," he added. "How did he then know about the ring? You said he knew where to find one of the three."

Merlin shrugged. "I haven't figured that out. My best guess is that he got help from someone who knew."

"So you believe there is another traitor at court?" Mr Gaius looked a little taken aback.

"It's only a theory," Merlin said, but in reality it was more like really strong feeling he had.