The Return of Arthur

Chapter 1

A heavy pounding at the door jolted Merlin awake, Wendy has the key, what need for knocking does she have?, Merlin though as he shakily rose from his place before the window. “Just a minute Wendy!” He called as he made his way to the door, opening them and allowing the cold autumn air into the house.

“I’m not Wendy, now am I?” The man standing in front of him greatly reminded him of himself in his youth. Tall and raven haired, though this man was not lanky as Merlin once been.

“Who are you?” Looking past the resemblances Merlin could not put his finger on who the man was, though something about his strange and nearly yellow eyes seemed rather familiar.

“Emrys, after all this time it is not surprising that you have forgotten me.” Merlin felt a strange recognition, that voice, I know that voice, but to no avail could he remember this man.

Merlin was about to ask the same question twice when he realized that it was entirely the wrong question to be asking. “What are you?” The familiar man smiled and ran a hand through his matted hair, “You knew me once young warlock, for I helped you fulfill a great destiny with Arthur, but Emrys I have returned, for another great destiny shall come to pass.”

Merlin’s heart could have stopped from shock, No, it can’t be. “Kilgharrah?” The ancient name fell from Merlin’s mouth before he could stop himself.

Kilgharrah nodded, “Perhaps I was wrong, perhaps you haven’t forgotten me young warlock.” He chuckled to himself as if a silent joke had been whispered into his ear. “May I come in, old friend?”

Merlin stepped aside to let him pass, feeling restless and itchy – something he thought had abandoned him along with his youth. Magic churned beneath his old fingertips as Kilgharrah moved past him. He ushered him to the sparse living room and they sat at opposite ends of the same couch, for a long moment not saying anything.

Kilgharrah had just opened his mouth when the door burst open. “It’s so terribly cold outside! Wind must be coming off of that lake again. No walk tonight Merlin, no way I’ll be going back out into that –” After Wendy rounded the corner into the living room, she stopped as if she’d run into a brick wall. Merlin never, never had visitors.

Still shocked, the large sac of flour fumbled from her hands, and she would have thrown it across the room had it not been for Merlin. With the slightest twitch of his wrinkly forefinger, he tipped the bag back towards the girl and, whether the spell was too strong or she was too clumsy, the flour poured out anyways, depositing itself messily onto the floor in a white heap.

Wendy stood slack jawed and embarrassed with the empty flour sac still clutched tightly in her hands. She struggled to find words, and found herself staring helplessly between Merlin and his young visitor.

“Hello, I’m Wendy, Merlin’s personal slave – I mean! No! Merlin, that’s not what I meant! What I mean is I’m Merlin’s caretaker! And my name is Wendy.” She threw her hand out into Kilgharrah’s general direction, to which he gently shook. “Yes. So I’ll just tidy this up now. Just need to grab a broom! Oh, and a pan! Can’t forget the pan! Alright, so good bye! No, not good bye. I’ll see you in just a moment. I just need to grab –”

“Wendy." She abruptly stopped her nervous chattering and cluthed the empty bag to her chest.

“Ah, yes, Merlin?” 

“Just go get the broom.” With that Wendy spun on her heel and stormed down the hall to the broom cupboard. The moment she was out of sight Merlin turned to Kilgharrah, “Why have you come now? I am old and frail. If this destiny entails any of the physical challenges my last did then I’m afraid I won’t be of much use to you.”

Wendy bounded back with broom in hand and began hastily sweeping flour into the pan.

“Merlin,” Kilgharrah whispered, “You are only old because you have let yourself become this way, imagine yourself young and so you shall be.”

“You can’t simply just want to be young, there must be a spell, an enchantment, something.” Merlin moved to rise from his place in search of a spell book when Kilgharrah placed his hand on Merlin’s arm.

“You are a powerful creature of the Old Religion, magic courses through you stronger and louder than blood. Merlin, there are very few boundaries you cannot cross; age is crossable, one that you have always controlled for yourself and there is no reason to be so old when you can be young again!”

“It cannot be that simple Kilgharrah. Even a high priestess will die of age eventually. Immortality is not a gift I was granted.” Merlin huffed, how am I to save Arthur if I am just a wrinkly, old clotpole?

“Immortality is no gift, it’s a curse that was bestowed upon you long before you were born. Long before Albion ever came to be.”

“No, Kilgharrah it cannot be.”

“Emrys, listen to yourself!” He shouted, Wendy froze in the doorway behind him, she was about to announce that tea was ready, “Is something wrong here Merlin?”

Merlin shook his head, and eyed Kilgharrah, “You can go Wendy, I don’t need you here any longer.”

“But Merlin –”

“Wendy. Leave us.” Merlin spit out. So Wendy did as she was told, she gathered up her things, and left the two men in solitude.