Merthur One Shots

Only Time

Ok so, I nearly cried when I saw this pic and I thought why not write a whole chapter based on it?? Cause you know, who needs a heart anyways!

So here you go, hope you enjoy it!

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The afternoon sun was shining golden over the empty streets as red leaves slowly fell from the trees, coating the alleys in a beautiful red carpet that made a nice, soothing sound under people's footsteps. The clean air and specific smell of dried up vegetation would have you stop for a moment and inhale deeply the sweet aroma of autumn while the warm sun gently touched your face. It was quiet, for the hustle and bustle of the city could not be heard so far away, to the outskirts of the town. Here, the children's happy shouts echoed through the park along with the rustle of the leaves, swaying in the breeze.

Merlin was walking quietly with his hands deep in his pockets, a small smile on his face. Smile that hid an unchallenged wisdom as well as great sadness. He watched as the kids ran after one another, laughing as the chilly wind blew their hair, fondly remembering that land as it used to be all that time ago. He closed his eyes for a moment, recalling all the good old times in Camelot. The times when everybody was still around, the times when he wasn't alone. His heart always pumped with something that seemed to be a combination between pain and happiness every time he thought of the early years of his life. The memory of all the people he so loved always brought tears in the corners of his eyes as well as a bright smile on his face, his feelings struggling inside of him. Even after all this time, the events that took place so long ago still had such a strong impact on him.

A soft sob made Merlin look around, just to find a little girl, sitting on a bench all alone. The sympathy he felt made his legs move on their own, towards the girl.

"What's wrong?" he asked, catching the attention of the child.

His heart stung as a pair of big, sad eyes fixed him. The sun's light made her brown eyes melt like caramel and her blond hair shine like gold. She wiped away the almost dry tears from her cheeks before she spoke, almost whispering:

"I'm just sad."

Merlin looked at her for a few moments, a little bit surprised by how easily the girl had opened up. Well, she was only a child after all.

"Why are you sad?"

Before she could answer, the raven haired boy noticed a piece of paper in her hand. It seemed to be a photo of a very lovely woman.

"Because I miss my mom", the child answered simply.

"Is that her?" Merlin asked, pointing at the picture in the little girl's hand.

"Yeah."

"She is beautiful", the boy remarked while taking a sit on the bench.

"She was", the girl corrected him, sadness spreading on her face. "She died recently."

Merlin didn't know how to answer. He was usually good at talking to people, empathising with them and yet, this time, no words seemed to be able to come out of his mouth, so he just stood there, in silence, quietly sharing the child's grief.

After long minutes of, I wouldn't say comfortable silence, but rather one in which none of them really acknowledged each other's presence, the girl talked again:

"But, you know, this doesn't mean I'll never see her again", she said, looking up at Merlin for the first time. "Because grandma always says that she, as I and as everyone in this world, will come back some time. So I'll just wait for her."

The girl's words had a strong impact on Merlin and unburied deep, not yet healed scars.

***

Merlin took a seat on the small bench he had placed next to the lake after getting tired of always standing whenever he visited. The wood was old and rotten, covered in moss and half of one of its legs were buried deep into the mud.

He placed his elbows on his knees, letting his chin rest in the palm of his hand, staring into the almost hypnotizing blue of the lake, waiting, as he had been for the past hundreds of years. Waiting for the smallest sign that the person he lived his life for would come back to him. His heart ached at the memory of that one last kiss they shared in the opening of the forest, right before Arthur took his last breath. He'd then be looking towards the place he last saw his love and crave for the warmth of his body, for the sound of his voice, the heat of his breath, while desperately trying not to loose his sanity. It was times like these that the boy would pray with all of his heart for something, anything to help him believe, to keep him going through the years. And it was that cloudy day that his prayers finally reached.

He abruptly stood up as a bottle shone on the surface of the lake. Not caring for the rain that threatened to fall, nor for the cold wind blowing through his thin shirt, he entered the water and swam to the bottle. There was a paper inside. He quickly pulled it out and, with trembling hands, unfolded the paper. Tears started falling down his cheeks with every word he read, his heart racing like never before.

Merlin

He speaks of you often. "It's only time" he tells me. "He'll wait!" But I already know that.

Love always,
Freya.

***

"Mister? Why are you so sad?" The little girl's voice forced Merlin back to reality.

He drove one of his hands to his cheek and brushed away the tears he didn't even realize had fallen.

"Are you also waiting for someone?" she asked, placing her hand over Merlin's.

"I am", he answered, shaky voice and a failure of a smile on his face.

"The person you're waiting for, you loved them, didn't you?"

"I still do, with everything I have."

"Then, you have to stay strong until they come back to you. Even though, some days, it seems impossible, you mustn't loose your patience", she told him, with sparkly eyes.

Merlin's heart warmed as he showed a big, sincere smile. Such a young person, yet such wisdom.

"Lilly!" an old woman shouted and the girl looked her way.

She turned her head to face Merlin again.

"I must go now", she said. "Goodbye, mister!"

"Yes, goodbye!" he spoke, waving at the child as she walked away.

Soon after Lilly was out of sight, he removed an envelope from the inner pocket of his jacket. He opened it and pulled out an old sheet, that had been very good taken care of. He stared at the words written on it, words that hadn't left his mind for over 200 years. Then, with a small smile on his lips, he whispered full of hope:

"I'll wait!"