Out of Time

Chapter 11

Merlin stalked on the periphery of the bailey, Danielle Carpenter ever in his vision. At first, he watched as she spoke with Lancelot, the young knight who had arrived recently to support Arthur's cause. They spoke for a spell, the ever charming Lancelot seeming charmed for once.

Eventually, Lancelot returned to his training with the sword and Danielle to her training with the bow. But that didn't last long, the abrasion on her arm paining her, so she moved on to her other responsibilities, namely collecting inventories.

He grew bored yet more puzzled as the day drew longer. He couldn't fathom what could be so special about her. What about her made the fates turn him blind to things he had once relied on and bemoaned?

As the day drew to a close, he found no answer and feared only time would tell, but in spite of his gifts, Merlin had never been a terribly patient man. Patience was a virtue left to the omniscient and he no longer was.

#

"So," Arthur started as he sat, "what is it about a foundling boy that has my most trusted advisor and friend so intrigued he cannot take his eyes off him?" Not that Danny hadn't already captured his attention, but the degree of focus Merlin granted the boy only intrigued him further.

"Arthur," Merlin said as if startled.

"Don't tell me I startled you, he who knows all," he mocked, a small smirk on the monarch's face.

Merlin sighed. "I do not know all, Arthur. No one is omniscient."

"Yes, but I've always suspected you're damn close."

Merlin scowled at him, finally taking his eyes off the boy, who stood up to leave the Great hall.

"Honestly, Merlin. I've never seen you so surly. What ever is the matter?"

Merlin dropped his chin into his hand and stared off into space. "Fate."

#

Arthur stepped out into the bailey intent on finding Danny. He spotted him immediately, a bow in hand. The boy pulled the bow string back, nearly pulling it back to his chin before relaxing it inch by inch until he need not hold on anymore. Then he repeated the exercise several times more as Arthur crossed the expanse, dust kicking up underfoot as he went. A good storm wouldn't go amiss right about then. They were certainly due.

As he stepped up to Danny, he grabbed the bow, easing it out of the boy's hands.

"Hey!" he protested, reaching for the weapon.

"I was thinking of going for a walk, and was wondering if you would wish to accompany me. The bow can wait." Arthur chose his words carefully, speaking slowly, knowing this wasn't his native tongue.

"But I have to practice."

Arthur resisted the urge to smile as the boy pouted at him, like a child whose treat had been taken away. "Giving your muscles a rest will speed their recovery, Danny. You've worked quite hard since you first arrived here, and I thought you could use the break. It'll also give you a chance to familiarize yourself with the area better. What say you?"

Danny nodded, looking defeated as he followed Arthur out of the bailey. Arthur turned away to hide his smile at the boy's expense.

#

Dani kept a few paces behind the king at first, not knowing what to say or how to act. He made her nervous, and she wrung her hands constantly as they left the castle and headed out into the surrounding woods.

"I love going for these walks," Arthur said, looking behind him and stopping until Dani caught up. "For a few moments, I don't have to be King Arthur of Camelot, with all the duty, responsibility, and," he waved his hands," everything that goes along with it."

"Then why did you bring me along?"

He turned, walking backwards for a spell. "Because you're not one of my people. Because I wanted to talk to someone in a capacity that didn't involve my kingdom for once."

"You don't have anyone you can talk to?"

He turned back around and sighed, his shoulders sagging as he sped up, which was answer enough. But then he straightened his shoulders again, shrugging off the melancholy as if it were a suit he'd donned. "How are you liking Camelot so far?"

She chuckled humorlessly. "Anything is better than starving, sire."

"I suppose it is."

"The language barrier is a bit of a challenge, but I feel as if I am adapting. I've met some... interesting people."

"No doubt. Merlin has certainly taken a shine to you."

"What?" Dani froze, alarmed at the offhand comment.

"He seems fascinated by you." He turned to look at her. "It's a good thing. He's suffered a terrible malaise of late. When he's here, which is rare, he always seems as if the world is about to come to an end and there's nothing he can do about it."

That would be because it was. If the legends were true, Camelot would end, and Merlin knew it.

"I've been at my wit's end as to how to help him. Having you arrive has been a boon. He hasn't stayed this long in years, and I can't remember the last time I found him so intent on something."

Yeah, the mystery that was Danielle Carpenter, apparently.

Yippee.

Arthur had slowed again, and she found herself side by side with the legendary king.

Not knowing what else to say, she blurted out the first thing that popped into her head. "I heard that Lady Guinevere and her father would be arriving soon."

Arthur sighed, and Dani perked up at the sight. "To talk about a possible marriage contract."

"You don't seem overly thrilled at the idea."

He started momentarily at her comment. "It's not that. Well, I doubt any bridegroom is overly thrilled at getting married, but it's more the timing. At this point, a wife would just be one more burden on a plate that is already entirely too full."

"Then why don't you put it off?"

"I'm not exactly getting any younger. You're young. You have plenty of time to think about marriage. I'm not. I would be terribly neglecting the needs of my kingdom if I didn't think of its future."

Dani nodded. "Heirs."

"Precisely."

She shrugged. "Well, I've heard of men begetting offspring much, much older than you. You've still got time."

"That may be so, but the world can be a fickle place, and while a man might live to a ripe old age, he can also die before he's ever even born. We have no guarantee of the years ahead."

And she had no argument for that. She couldn't actually tell him that by marrying Guinevere, he would likely be ensuring that his people, his kingdom, had no future.

He would never believe it.    

Author's Note: My standing desk came in!  I'm super excited... and exhausted.  This thing weights a ton, which is probably why it's so unbelievably stable (and why the shipping cost so much!).  There's so much room on my desk now.  It feels like there's a sea in front of me.