But as Gwen got closer, she knew without a doubt that he wasn't dead, in fact.. he was breathing. He seemed fine, in fact, not a scratch upon his body. He was wearing chainmail, as if he were a knight, and he had a sword attached to his belt. His chainmail seemed in perfect condition besides the fact that there was a hole right in the abdomen area.
Gwen knelt beside the man who seemed to simply be sleeping. He was impossible, he was a miracle in himself. No man could have withstood seven lightning strikes, yet he most certainly had and he seemed perfectly fine.
The man stirred, causing the young girl to jump away from him and fall on her bottom as she tried to move further away. His eyelids fluttered open, revealing the most startling pair of electric blue eyes Gwen had ever seen. Her breath caught in throat as he stared at her, his eyes filled with an almost painful knowing.
"Gwen..." He spoke, his lips trembling as he rolled onto his stomach before forcing his knees underneath him. His eyes never left hers. "Guinevere..."
Arthur and Gwen's eyes were so focused on each other that they didn't notice the old man who had just stepped off a boat and on to the island with them. Merlin's aged eyes filled with tears as he stared at the two people before him.
It was unbelievable, yet here they both were. Queen Guinevere and King Arthur, alive and in front of him. It had been so long... Merlin's knees felt weak and tears fell down his face as he simply stared at the two of them as they reunited.
"How do you know my name.. How are you even alive? I saw it! I saw the lightening strike right there where you lay, not once! Not twice! Seven times I saw it! How are you alive? Who are you?" Gwen's brown eyes flared with curiosity and fear-induced anger as she eyed the man who struggled to stand in front of her.
"It's me, Gwen.. Arthur.." The King of Camelot finally managed to stand, though he felt dizzy and weak, his legs shook underneath him but he stood straight despite it. His eyes searched over the woman he loved, his Gwen, his queen. "What're you wearing?"
At his look of what seemed like disgust, Gwen became affronted. She was wearing her favourite dress, after all, and it certainly didn't deserve any person's disgust, especially not some chainmail wearing-freak's!
A sudden movement caught both their attention, and Gwen was startled to see the old man she'd just been photographing not more than twenty minutes ago standing barely fifteen feet away.
"Arthur," The old man stumbled further up the hill, closer to Arthur. "You're back.. you're back!" The old man mumbled a few words and Arthur watched as the old man's eyes glowed yellow before he seemed to change.
Merlin the OId changed to Merlin the Young right before Arthur and Gwen's eyes. His ears became to large for his head, and his eyes which had been so hard and cold just that morning suddenly glowed with happiness.
"Merlin!" Despite Arthur's uneasiness with what was clearly magic, he tackled the warlock in a hug. "Merlin, can you please tell me what is wrong with Guinevere? She doesn't remember me, has she had a blow to the head? Is she all right? How long has she been that way? Why is she wearing that dress?"
"What is wrong with my dress?! My mum got it for me, it happens to be my favourite!" Gwen had seen plenty of magic in her life, her best friend Morganna was a witch as a matter of fact, and nothing to do with it really seemed to startle her anymore. Anyone else would be running for the hills, running to contact police or perhaps a mental institution, but not Gwen. She was fine with it.
"Merlin, her mum's been dead for years, what's she going on about?"
"Arthur.. you died. Years ago, in the batlle with Morganna, Mordred killed you.. I brought you here the night you died, with the promise that when Albion needed you most.. you'd return. It's been centuries Arthur. This Guinevere, though she looks the same as ours, though she sounds the same as our Gwen, she isn't our Gwen."
Arthur's eyes flashed with memories and as he turned his gaze towards Guinevere, he knew she was different. She didn't stand the same, her eyes weren't as honest or loving as his Queen's were.
"They're dead then... they're all dead?"
Merlin nodded, not able to speak to the man whose heart was breaking right before his eyes.
"I'm sorry but.. what are you all talking about?" Gwen's head spun as she heard them speaking, as they mentioned the name of her best friend and her best friend's brother. Morganna and Mordred hadn't been in any 'battles', Mordred couldn't even kill a fly if his life depended on it, as a matter of fact, much less a man as this 'Merlin' was saying he had.
But then he had said it'd been years ago, centuries ago.
'How was that possible?' Gwen wondered to herself as both men turned to face her once again.
"I am Merlin, warlock and servant to Arthur, King of Camelot; and I'm sorry Guinevere, so sorry, but.. you've got to come with us."
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[A/N: OKAY! Thus concludes my one-shot on how it would come about that Arthur came back to rule as he should. I hope you all like it :) Please vote/comment and tell me what you seriously think about this! Thank you!
Peace and Love,
iJay]
The Once and Future King (One-Shot)
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