The Return of Arthur

Chapter 2

                  Long after the tea that Wendy had made went cold Merlin sat on the sofa, flipping through his old book of magic. It was the first magic book he'd ever had the joy of reading; the book was dusty, terribly worn with age and smelled unlike most old books do. It smells like magic. Magic, hidden knowledge and rosemary, he smiled to himself. It still smelled exactly the same way as when Gaius first gave it to him all those years ago in the small physician’s chambers in Camelot.

                 Merlin caught sight of his aged hands holding the tattered book open and felt pure magic crawling beneath his skin, this magic gave memory to his desperate journey to the Crystal Caves; he felt the strength he'd once felt, the immense power that burned to touch but he still he held on feverishly like a child that was afraid of the dark. It was a magic that Merlin had thought he'd lost when Arthur had died.

                What if, he thought, the reason my magic has returned is because Arthur really is coming back? It takes only one small leak to break the dam, and it was that one small question that erupted into a thousand of worried what if's, desperate oh no's and frantic curses.

                He set his head back on the sofa and rested his eyes. I can’t fulfill the prophecy if I lose my breath whilst walking up the stairs. I need to be young. Arthur needs me to be young again.

                When both Kilgharrah and a cold blast of wind coming off the lake blasted through the front door Merlin jolted upright. “I bought some bagels for us Emrys,” He plopped the brown bag onto the coffee table and sat down beside the old warlock.

                Before Kilgharrah could disrupt his train of thought any further Merlin said, “I must be young again Kilgharrah. Arthur needs me to be young again.” Kilgharrah smiled approvingly at the old man and lightly clapped him on the shoulder, “There’s the Merlin I remember.”

                “What must I do Kilgharrah? A spell? An enchantment?” He flipped frantically through his newer books before Kilgharrah caught his arm.

                “Wish to be young warlock, and so it shall be.” He dropped the warlock's stare and reached for a bagel.

                “So I wish to be young again and it just happens?” Merlin was weary of Kilgharrah’s instructions, I can’t simply wish youth to befall me, he sat back down on the couch and sighed. He knew resurrecting the Once and Future King of Albion would be difficult, he just wished that it didn’t have to be this difficult.

                Kilgharrah didn’t have a chance to respond before Merlin began again. “It doesn’t make any sense Kilgharrah. There have been plenty of times that I’ve wished to be young but I have remained my age. It simply cannot –”

                “Emrys,” Kilgharrah bit out. “Why would magic grant you such a wish if you have spent the last millennium and a half doing nothing but watching a lake?”

                Anger coursed through Merlin, I was waiting for my very best friend to return, but he said nothing, instead he turned to the lake and stared over the cold water.

                “Emrys,” He prodded him lightly and spoke softly, “Merlin, he cannot return without you. He must return from that which he was born, and only you can provide him with that.”

                “And yet you have told me nothing of how he must return. You and your riddles Kilgharrah!" And then came the flood of questions that were weighing heavily upon Merlin, "How must he return from that which he was born? Will he be born again as an infant? If Arthur is coming back does that mean that Morgana and Mordred will follow? I cannot face this as an old man Kilgharrah, you know that! I must be young again and you are telling me to wish on stars and believe in fairy dust!" 

        A long silence passed thereafter. And in this silence Merlin noticed two very important things; the first, that Kilgharrah was beaming at him, and the second, that it was 9 in the morning, and Wendy was standing in the doorway slackjawed and had no doubt witnessed the entire episode.

        "Wendy, I – "

        "What... just happened?" Wendy stared between Kilgharrah and Merlin, the groceries craddled in her arms tumbled and spilled onto the floor . Before either man could rush forward to catch her Wendy collapsed among the dropped groceries. 

        "Well Emrys, it seems you've regained your boyish charm." Kilgharrah smiled and moved to lift the collapsed damsel onto the couch.

        Merlin felt like couldn't move, as if he'd stepped into cement and was grounded there. His hands, his familiar winkly hands were smooth and young. He'd done it, he was young again.