How Long Is Forever? - Merthur

Cerdan's revenge

Merlin first woke up to the sound of Arthur snoring. The blinding light made its way into the room, hitting Arthur's hair. Merlin's first instinct was to take his pillow and throw it right at Arthur's head.

So that's what he did.

_____

They both stumbled out of the motel room, crazy haired and out of breath from the not so nice pillows being thrown back and forth.

The sun was already well up and so was the town. Merlin tried to pat his head so he looked somewhat presentable while Arthur didn't even seem to notice or take care.

Merlin still heard the chaotic chatter of others in his head, and he wasn't surprised.

Merlin went to go look over at Arthur and as they started walking down the street, Arthur was wide eyed and almost out of it.

"Arthur-"

"I didn't want to bring it up last night but." He waited. "How in the world, Merlin, do lamps work?"

Merlin breathed out a laugh. "I explained this to you at my house."

"I know...but I can't, I can't wrap my head around it."

Merlin dragged Arthur along the street and explained to him once again as they made their way back to Cerdan.

As they were nearing the antique shop, Arthur turned more serious.

"I really can't trust them, Merlin. I never will."

Merlin now actually felt frightened. But for a different reason. "Well...you came around to know me and I know I lied and I should of told you the truth but I didn't. I'll never forgive myself for it but-"

"Oh no, Merlin! I don't trust them because they have magic, I don't trust them because they may be like Morgana." He looked at Merlin. "I'm just worried what they may of planned after waiting thousands of years."

Merlin smiled at him. "I don't trust Cerdan either. But what we can do is try to still lead them in the right direction."

______

Inside the antique shop, the little gold bell rang from the door as Merlin and Arthur arrived. Cerdan greeted them, and bowed to Merlin once again. Before Merlin could say anything, Cerdan explained himself.

"Emrys, you are magic itself and it is beyond my pleasure to have you here today, you deserve to be praised."

Merlin did a smile but looked for Arthur for help, which was no help. "Thank you Cerdan, really. But I have a request that no one does for me. I can't bear the thought of someone thinking they are lower then me." Merlin but his hand on his arm. "We are equals."

Cerdan responded in a slight smile and nod, then leading them again to the back room with Morgana. He set up a table for them to sit.

Cerdan gestured for them to join him. They did so.

"I know that you two just got here, but we have been waiting for so long. To bringing magic into our every day world. And Morgana is now apart of it."

Merlin opened his mouth to speak, but Arthur beat him. "Thank you for the hospitality, Cerdan. But frankly, I have to be straight. We can't trust you. Not after everything."

Merlin slammed his foot on top of Arthur's from under the table and glared at him. Arthur just shrugged.

Cerdan seemed to gape also. "Arthur. You have to realize that you are no longer king. You have executed people just like your father just because they have magic. Frankly I can't trust you either. But I am trying here. What about you, Emrys?"

Merlin didn't know what to say. He looked at Cerdan and started quietly. "Will all due respect, don't you know all the thing's Morgana has done?"

"She was alone and was abandoned and shunned by her family for having magic. She went to war for a well reason. She wanted to bring magic back."

While Cerdan was right about some of it, Merlin still wanted to rip his hair out.

"There's alot inbetween that you may not know about, Cerdan." Arthur said.

Cerdan sighed and looked at Morgana on the table. "I guess we have the time."

_____

Arthur and Merlin started from the beginning. From when Merlin first came to Camelot and met Arthur, than met Morgana. How kind she was towards Merlin even though he was just a servant. Also her maid, Gwen. How she was understanding and had a kind heart.

Then how Gaius knew of her future and knew that she had magic and would turn evil.

Cerdan interrupted. "Merlin, if you knew this whole time that she had magic, why didn't you help her? You know how hard it can be."

Merlin knew he would ask this. He still felt the shallow feeling in his gut of regret. "I listened to Gaius. And he was right. She did turn evil and against us. But I do understand that if I just showed she wasn't alone that this wouldn't of happened. Though I'm afraid that that wouldn't be enough. Her hatred for Uther was too strong."

"She was one of my sweetest friends. I blame myself for what happened to her."

"She was lost and alone, like you said. She was the ward of a king who would kill her if he found out." Merlin sighed. "Though Uther is a very cruel man, he truly loved Morgana."

He went on. "But all the lies from all of us built and she just wanted someone to love her for who she was. That's when she found her step sister."

All the memories flooded back to Merlin and he started to choke on his words. "She was someone to hold on to. Someone that wasn't us. But her sisters ways was to use magic for evil. To take Camelot for herself. She taught Morgana of those evil ways. The words that Arthur was just like Uther. That the only way to bring magic back to Camelot was to kill them."

Merlin cleared his throat and continued. "Camelot only witnessed how magic was used for bad. Like it hasn't even considered that it can be used for good. It's a sword but what makes it dangerous is who weilds it. If uther was just showed it can be used for good and that it isn't evil, I believe none of this would of happened."

Cerdan nodded for him to go on.

"She was so keen on killing camelot and my friends, I had to save them. She left me with no choice."

Arthur looked away at that.

"That's why we are so hesitant to help you, Cerdan. We don't want to go through this all over again."

"I see." Cerdan stated. "Though humanity has hated us for thousands of years. It's hard not to go for revenge."

"They don't even know we exist in today's age! We can't turn to hatred or else they will learn to hate us all over again."

Arthur turned to Merlin and gave him a smile. Merlin felt his heart flip and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Well I guess that's that." Cerdan said.

"I think I know what to do next."