Out of Time

Chapter 8

Dani continued her inventories. After what felt like hours, she'd finished with the food stocks, and had moved on to the bailey. She'd counted hay bales, and was about to inventory weaponry, when a young man—probably not even old enough to drink legally in her time—raced into the bailey on horseback.

With a fluid motion, he brought the horse to a halt, jumped off the horse, ignoring the obviously exhausted beast's care, and raced into the keep.

Her mind flitted over who he might be. A scout? Alerting the king of some threat? Or maybe someone from a neighboring land? Asking for assistance of some kind? She shrugged her shoulders, not letting the mystery bother her. Dani had to inventory all the craftsmen's supplies after she finished with the weaponry. She had enough on her plate.

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Merlin raced inside, searching for Arthur... or news. His head whipped around, fully expecting to see signs of mourning, but the great hall was mostly deserted, as it usually was at this time of day. "Where is he?" he barked, startling a servant, who pointed in response at Arthur's office.

He jogged there, but Arthur was already stepping out of his office, obviously having heard Merlin's booming voice. Merlin let out a sigh, all the tension of his ride finally leaving him.

"Merlin, you're back!" Arthur exclaimed.

The smile on the other man's face could have lit up a room, reminding Merlin of when Arthur was a boy, exuberant, but always inadequate in his father's eyes. Why did his future disappear? His initial relief had blown over, and now that near constant dread and worry had taken its place once again.

"We should go in your office," Merlin said. Though lower in volume, his voice still oozed power, as if heralding his otherworldly heritage.

Arthur nodded, and lead him into the office. Merlin closed the door behind himself before taking a seat.

"So," Arthur said, taking his seat, "What brings you back to us, Merlin?"

"What makes you think anything in particular brought me back?"

Arthur laughed. "Merlin, you were nearly panicking when you arrived. I don't know what possessed you, but it had a strong grip."

"I can no longer see your future."

Arthur looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"Several days ago, your future disappeared from my sight, as if you had none."

"But I'm here. I'm fine."

"Indeed."

"That's why you raced back here." Arthur mused over what he heard. "Why would it disappear?"

Merlin shook his head. "I don't know. At first, I thought the only reason your future would disappear like that was if you were dead."

A look of sympathy crossed Arthur's face. "Oh, Merlin."

Merlin waved off what would come next. "It's not important."

Arthur gave him a dark look. They both knew full well the truth. Merlin saw Arthur like a son, and losing him would kill him. They'd been friends, king and advisor, and like father and son at various times in Arthur's life. Neither of them would tolerate losing the other.

Not knowing what else to say, Merlin merely nodded, stood, and walked out. He would just have to fix this—figure out what was obscuring his sight, find that something new in Arthur's life that had changed everything. And figure out if that change was for the better... or worse.