How Long Is Forever? - Merthur

shouldn't fiddle with trust

"We are leaving, now Merlin." Arthur grabbed Merlin by the arm and started to drag him out of the room.

"Wait Arthur," he tried to pry his fingers off his arm.

"No, I'm not doing this again, I'm never going to trust her again and however in hell she got here, I don't care!" Arthur shouted and looked like he was going to burst the second he looked at Morgana's sleeping face.

"Arthur-"

"Too many people have already betrayed me. I won't give her the chance to do it again."

Merlin stilled and looked away. Before Merlin could think of what to say next, Cerdan interrupts.

"I know this is very hard for you Arthur, but please understand. There is a reason you are here and she is here and breathing at the same time." Cerdan looked like he was trying to find the right words to say, like trying to friend a stray cat. "This is what your destiny has led you too. Don't forget it."

Arthur still had a stone expression.

"We know why you are here, but we don't know why she's here. Who knows if she will be the same, or even recognize us. If she'll ever wake up."

Arthur looked at Merlin for what to do next.

"Arthur...we came all the way here. I know the things she's done is unforgivable, but even after thousands of years later, I still remember when she had a kind heart. And who knows if she will ever wake up."

Arthur still looked how he felt, but he released his hand from his arm, and looked at Cerdan. "What do we have to do?"

Cerdan looked very eager to wake Morgana. After all, she was the one to shelter his son. "To wake her up, we have tried and tried every spell and potion. Nothing has been working." He looked towards Merlin.

"Emrys. I've gathered you've read those books?"

"What books?"

"Those fantasy ones, I read them to my great-grandchildren. About the girl who has fallen asleep and can only be woken by true loves first kiss." Cerdan seemed unaffected to how silly it sounds.

Merlin stared blankly for a second. "Really? Aren't those a bit...cheesy? It's snow white. And it's a fantasy book."

"Out of all people, I thought you would know that books aren't 'just' fantasy books."

Arthur looked confused, "what book?"

But they kept going on, "This is different Cerdan. I'm pretty sure whoever wrote the book was when people with magic wasn't common or not even around anymore." Merlin paused. "And anyway, I don't think Morgana has even loved someone since she betrayed us."

Cerdan breathed out a breath, and brushed a curl out of Morgana's face. Her chest rose up and down in rhythm. "I don't know, but I can't shake the feeling that you two are the ones who figure it out."

-------

They were lead out of the antique shop and three of them back on the streets. Still, everyone looked at them and the whispers still filled Merlin's head.

They all sounded so lost and alone. He didn't want to disappoint any of them, so when he turned to Cerdan, he put on his best smile he could muster.

"What next?"

"You boys just got here, and I'm sure the trip down here was very draining. We have some motels down the block."

He pointed to the direction of it and started walking towards it as a cue for us to follow.

"Wait." Arthur stopped walking. "Aren't you going to explain everything, on, on," he started stuttering. "On how this whole town is...underwater?"

Cerdan let out a loud hearty laugh. He waved his hand to let us walk with him to the motels. "Well first thing, it isn't underwater."

Even Merlin turned his head in confusion. "But we went underwater."

"We needed a place to hide, the future can be a scary thing. Then we made this, the illusion that's underwater to keep it hidden." He turned around and looked at them, "How do you think you guys are just randomly dry? It's almost like you have forgotten magic, Emrys."

-----

They arrived at the motel and said their farewells to Cerdan.

As they got settled onto their two beds, Merlin wanted to say something but didn't know how. He started to reach for the switch to turn the lamp off until Arthur spoke.

"How do we know we can trust them, Merlin?" He said through a rough tone. "What if they are just like Morgana?"

Merlin stilled for a moment. "We don't know. What we do know is that they built this whole town and waited for us for thousands of years. We don't know what'll happen, but we can be beware." He paused. "They are lost. We are right back where we were, but now people may not know that magic even exists."

Arthur sighed. "I just don't want to be betrayed again."

Arthur rolled over and turned off the lamp. "Goodnight Merlin."