Chapter Text
“No man, no matter how great, can know his destiny. He cannot glimpse his part in the great story, that is about to unfold. Like everyone he must live and learn.” This story certainly gives a different meaning when you, the reader, know the story is being rewritten, and our young warlock truly does not know what others know.
As Merlin, the young warlock, enters the citadel, out of sync and off tune trumpets play. Guards bring a man to the center where a chopping block and executioner wait for him. They toss the man to where the chopping block. “What- Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man is adjudged guilty of conspiring to use enchantment and magic.” Suddenly Merlin is locking eyes with the King, but the king keeps going. “-And per want to the laws of camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decree that such practices are banned under penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass.”
Merlin pretends to notice the king's eyes and looks away, anything that isn’t the king or the execution. Even though he has the power to stop the king from getting to him, he can feel it it somehow changed when he entered the castle gates. He would not be able to do it, he is far too scared, he is not scared of a king. He is scared of the monster that wore a crown, stories told to him by his mother. He is scared of the monster that his mother warned him about every time his mother caught him doing magic out in the open. He is not scared of King Uther, he is scared of Uther Pendragon. The man under the crown. The man who his mother warned him about.
He decided that the castle walls are more interesting than the mad king who is executing someone. That is when he spots her, a woman watching the king in anger and loathing. Just as quickly as he spots her, she locks eyes with him. This is the first time he is confused since entering Camelot, her face changed from many emotions and expressions in such a quick moment. And all of them were not positive things you should see on someone when you first lock eyes with someone. She stopped on an emotion that showed she was uneasy and scared of merlin.
Merlin has never seen nor met this woman in life, why is she looking at him this way. He doesn’t think he is all that menacing looking or threatening to get this sort of reaction.
He looks away from her, not wanting to freak her out anymore. Luckily he didn’t see the beheading of the poor Thomas Collins. Unlucky he started paying attention to the execution when the king declared a festival for the 20th anniversary the capture of the great dragon. When a older woman starts crying, catching the attention of everyone around her stepped far from her when they realized who she is, or rather who she was.
“There is only one evil in this land and it is not magic! It is you. With your hatred and your ignorance. You took my son. I promise you again before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth… a son for a son!”
“Seize her!” Uther says pointing to the poor mother, who merlin thinks who has lost more than son to the tyrant king.
But sadly he is wrong.
Up until this moment king uther along with everyone, else in the courtyard has thought thonly them have lived through this moment already. Though most are confused, but the people standing around merlin and recognize him know that he something to do with it. They don’t know how he is part of this, but they do know he was the last known person to be with the king before he was declared dead. And he was something to do with this, the truth on how this happen will eventually will make its way to the people of camelot some way or another. They have learned in their past timeline, Whatever happens in the castle will eventually get out to the people.
Mary Collins left in a tornado of wind everyone dispersed, but they all eyed the future manservant of the future king. Merlin who was more focused on finding his uncle gaius to feel the eyes of the people of camelot.
“Where would I find gaius, the court physician?” The guard looks at merlin in confusion but pointed towards the physician tower. “There.” With a smile on his face he walks up the stairs knocks gently on the door, “hello”. No answer, he walk more into the physician’s chambers, “Hello?” “Gaius?” The man in question was up on his little balcony looking through his books, looking for an answer on why he was suddenly teleported to his chambers and felt years younger. He heard someone call his name and clear their throat. He falls backwards, breaking the railing.
When he falls he lands on his bed. “How many times-” Gaius stops his warning, when he sees merlin.
At this moment Gaius realizes what has caused him to be teleported and younger appearance. Just by looking at the young man in front of him, he sees the boy who came into his chambers all those years ago. Before, all the killing and deaths and the burden of destiny. His eyes don’t belong to man who lost his best friend. His other half. This Merlin doesn’t know that all of albion has reversed time, and knowing the way magic works, Merlin has given up his memories to reverse time.
“How did you do that? Tell me.”
“Well, I-I have no idea what happened,-”
“If anyone had seen that-”
“Oh, no, that - that was nothing to do with me.”
“That-”
“So how is it you know magic?”
“I don’t!”
“Where did you study?”
“I-i’ve never studied magic or been taught,”
“Are you lying to me boy?”
“What do you want me to say?”
To please prove me my theory wrong, that you did not pay the price to make this happen.
“The truth.”
“I was born like this.”
“No…that's impossible. Who are you?”
“Oh, um… I have this letter.” Merlin hands gaius the letter. “There.”
“I-I don't have my glasses.” He already knows what the letter contains. He read it every time he thought the merlin that came into his chambers all those years ago was getting further and further away.
“I'm Merlin.”
“Hunith's son.” “Yes.” “But you're not meant to to be here till Wednesday.” This was not meant to happening again. “It is Wednesday.” “ah alright then, you'd better put your bag in there. It will be your room.” Merlin heads towards the room, but stops midway. “You won't say anything about-”
“No. Although, merlin… I should say thank you.” Again.
As the young Merlin settles into his new room. His new home. Something else happening in the other side of the castle.
Although king Arthur, or now prince Arthur, knew he died and woke up in his chambers with no pain or soreness. He felt ten years younger.
He had thought that merlin had managed to bring him back to life. He looked everywhere until spotted his father, in the balcony over the courtyard, executing a man. He was first confused that his father was alive, but that was the least confusing part since he has seen father's ghost roaming around the castle once before. He was more confused about the man he was sure was already executed be currently executed. That is when he got an idea on what has happened.
He got suspicious when he spotted Morgana at her window sill. He spent most of the day sneaking around the castle observing the people, morgana, (though she never left her room, nor saw gwen go into her room.) When arthur spotted gwen he wanted to pull her into a hug and tell her that he is alive and she won't have to deal with the responsibility of ruling a kingdom alone. But he could not, he needs to figure out what is happening. He needs to figure out what merlin has done.
He has heard his father sending servants to find him, but has evaded said servants. He has seen merlin walk towards gauis’ tower, but only took that moment to analyze him. He looks different. He never noticed how much his best friend has changed… or how much he has aged.
As a knight he is trained to read body language, he never noticed how stiff and tense merlin has grown. If you were to put the two versions of merlin side by side, you would think they are two different men.
When he got back to his chambers, he finds his father, Morgana and gaius. He suspected this would happen, they were going to have to talk about this at some point.