Merlin Memory Month 2019

Prompt Day 2 - May 5th - "Hopes and Promises"

A/N - You can read this story as a new standalone oneshot, or if you read the previous chapter, you can read this one as a sort of continuation :) I hope you'll like it!

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They had been travelling for four days now, and it was getting rather late. The birds slowly stopped singing, the sun hid behind the mountains in the distance and thick clouds covered the sky, bringing a promise of a night rain. It was summer, warm weather even during the night, greenery everywhere. And yet, they hadn't found a place to spend the night.

Maybe it was because they weren't particularly tired. Maybe it was because for the past hour they had both been lost in a pleasant conversation which neither of them wanted to put an end to.

When the crickets started chirping though, both Merlin and Arthur knew it was time for sleep. Thankfully, within a couple of minutes, they came across an old tower. It wasn't very high nor safe by the looks of it, but the roof was still intact and could shield them from the rain.

"It looks like we found ourselves a place for tonight," Merlin commented as he stopped walking and looked the tower up and down. "An old watchtower? Maybe?"

Arthur nodded. "From the looks of it."

The first raindrop landed on his forehead.

"Come on, then. Better not get wet."

They approached the door - it looked just as old and potentially fragile, but when Arthur tried to open it, it was locked.

Thunder sounded in the distance.

Arthur fiddled with the lock using his dagger, but it held.

"Wait, I'll do it," Merlin covered Arthur's hand with his and Arthur stepped aside, putting his dagger back into its scabbard. He watched as Merlin reached out his hand and said, "Tospringe."

The lock immediately flew apart and the door opened on its own. Arthur stared at it and at Merlin's power in wonder.

"See? Easy?" Merlin grinned at him and didn't even wait before he stepped inside.

Arthur couldn't help but smile fondly at that, because yes - there used to be times when Arthur would be jealous or annoyed over Merlin making it seem like opening the lock was easy, especially when it hadn't been easy for Arthur when he tried. But now? After everything they'd been through, after everything Arthur had seen Merlin manage to do even without his magic before he revealed it to Arthur . . . he couldn't help but admire Merlin. Not only for his power, no, but for the person that he was.

For the person that he'd fallen in love with. Yes, it was more often love than admiration that Arthur felt, but Merlin knew that. And Arthur knew that too.

When the sound of falling raindrops became louder than his own thoughts, Arthur finally entered the tower.

It was dark, just like it was outside. But something about the place made Arthur feel almost welcome. It was nice to be between walls again after days of spending the nights outside without a proper bed, even though Arthur was sure there was no real bed in this tower either.

"Merlin?" he called out when he realized there was silence for a bit too long.

"Here."

Merlin's eyes shone bright gold in the darkness as he used his magic - Arthur could never get tired of watching that - and Merlin's palm lit up with a little orb of gentle white light.

"That's useful," Arthur remarked.

He closed the door now that they had a light to guide them, and then he looked around the place. It was a narrow tower, only about four meters in diameter, but there was still a little, even narrower, staircase that was going up.