Merlin: Fate Be Changed

The Eye of the Phoenix, Part 1

  "In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy. His name: Merlin!"

  The time was now. The moment he's been training for has arrived. The quest to decide if he is worthy to be king has come upon Arthur Pendragon.

  Arthur splashed water in his face and, with the help of Merlin, was getting ready to take on his quest. Merlin took a steady breath as he clasped the white cloak around Arthur's neck. Now they stood near the spiraling staircase, Merlin hanging back as Arthur slowly entered the throne room. He went to stand in the center of the room, cape billowing lightly behind him. There, in the middle of the room, he lowered himself onto his knees and began to let his mind transcend his body.

  Merlin watched him from the small crack in the somewhat open door curiously. He was too busy focusing on Arthur to notice Gwen squeeze in next to Merlin to peek in at the young prince. "What's he actually doing?" she asked softly. "Thinking," Merlin answered back. "About?" Gwen continued. "You," he joked. She gave him a look and punched him lightly on the arm, causing Merlin to inch forward and accidentally move the door with him.

  They quickly closed both doors as quietly as possible without disrupting Arthur's meditation and turned to look at each other. "He has to decide upon a quest," Merlin gave her a full answer. She tilted her head in confusion. "And crouching on his knees all night's gonna help?"

  "Yes," Merlin explained, "he has to transcend his body so that the quest is revealed to him in a vision." "And you're gonna stay here and watch?" she smirked. Merlin exhaled sharply, "Gwen, this is one of the most important days in a prince's life." Gwen nodded slowly and pulled her lips together tightly.

***

  The next day, Merlin was collapsed on the floor snoring as footsteps neared the doors to the throne room. Merlin woke up to robes brushing against his face as elders and Council members filed into the large chambers. The young warlock groggily got to his feet and trudged in after them.

  Uther approached his son, who was still kneeling on the floor, and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "It is time," the king said. Arthur rose to his feet and stood before the king and the elders, taking a deep breath. "What is the quest you have chosen?" he inquired coolly. "I can see but one path, sire," he began. "I am to enter the Realm of the Fisher King and find the Golden Trident spoken of in the Legend of the Fallen Kings." Uther took a shaky breath and said, "You do know that if you are to prove yourself worthy of the throne, you must complete this task alone and unaided?"

  Merlin stood in the back of the room and shifted his gaze from the king to Arthur with slight concern. The tension hung thickly in the air for a long while, before Arthur said, "I do."

(Opening Theme)

  Back in Gaius's chambers, Merlin was shoving food down his throat at a rapid pace and his mentor sat across from him watching him with awe and concern. "You'll get hiccups," Gaius said finally. "Who's the Fisher King?" Merlin changed the subject. "He was a sorcerer who lived many years ago," Gaius answered simply. Merlin nodded for him to continue. "And?" "Legend has it he was wounded in battle. The wound festered and the infection spread not just through his body, but through his lands as well.

  "His mighty kingdom was reduced to a wasteland and has remained that way to this very day," Gaius explained. The young warlock shrugged, "I don't understand. Why is Uther so worried?" "Some believe the Fisher King is still alive... Kept from death by his magic," Gaius replied. Merlin grinned jokingly, "Do you?" "Perhaps, perhaps not. But the people of the north call the area "The Perilous Lands." Few who have ever been there have lived to tell the tale," the physician answered vaguely.

***

  Merlin was in Arthur's chambers making up his bed while Arthur was studying over some maps for his journey. Merlin was tucking in the covers when he suddenly hiccuped, making Arthur look up at him. "I ate too quickly," Merlin explained. Arthur returned to studying his maps and Merlin continued fixing up the bed and then he hiccuped again. "Merlin," Arthur sighed, eyes still trained on the map he was reading. "I can't help it," Merlin said.

  "I need to concentrate."

  There was silence once more and the two men went back to what they were doing. Just as soon as Merlin finished making the bed, he hiccuped louder than the first two times. Arthur lifted his head, with increasing annoyance towards his servant. "I am trying to prepare for one of the most important moments in my life." Merlin nodded and Arthur breathed calmly.

  However, before he could get back to work Merlin interrupted him again and he just dropped his writing utensil and map as a signal that he'd given up. Merlin walked up to his desk and looked at all the papers he had scattered about. "All these maps-- *hiccups* none of them are the same," he pointed out, picking up two different maps. Arthur leaned back in his chair, annoyance clearly written on his face and by the way he was postured.

  "Well done, Merlin. Do you know why?" Arthur asked snarkily.

  "No."

  "Because hardly anyone's ever been there," the prince replied.

  The warlock rolled his eyes. "Couldn't you have chosen something a bit easier?" "I'm meant to be proving my worth to the people. A quick trip to the lower town to collect a bundle of herbs probably won't cut it," Arthur answered as if it were obvious. "But the Perilous Lands are perilous," Merlin stayed the obvious.

  'Oh, you think, Merlin? Idiot!' Arthur thought.

  "Maybe I should come with you," Merlin decided. Arthur looked as if he wanted to throw something at the young man in front of him. "What for?" he scoffed. "To help out," Merlin said. "You really don't get it, do you? The task must be completely alone and unaided," Arthur grabbed the maps from Merlin. "That's the way it's been for hundreds of years. It's not about to change for you. Now if you don't mind, I have some important preparation to do."

  Merlin smiled tightly then left him to do his work as the prince once again started scribbling away on the maps and planning his journey. As Merlin was nearing the door, he hiccuped once again and this time Arthur threw down the maps in exasperation.

  'I'm going to kill him!' he yelled in his brain.

To Be Continued...