Memory Jar

Chapter 1

Arthur frowned. 'Didn't I just ask him, if we knew each other?'

"So do you.", Arthur gave back, while the girl in his arms grew heavier with every second. Ten year old's... heavier than you think.

The man frowned.

"I suppose - you are Emrys. The shadow everyone keeps speaking of?", Arthur asked and wondered how this man could defy his expectations so vastly. This man was too young to be the shadow. He was younger than Arthur. Maybe a bit taller, if he wasn't slouching so much.
He was also skinnier. More tired. Maybe they called him the shadow because of that.
Because he was so tired and looked so starved, he was merely a shadow of himself. He looked strangely small and weak. No pride, no honor guiding him. Just loyalty. And maybe that was all there was to him.

The man nodded.
But it still felt wrong. It felt wrong to think of him as Emrys. As the murderer of a king. This man was merely a boy. A child. Too young for any of his reputation.
Arthur thought that - knowing that this man was supposed to be powerful. But he magicked Katie a flower.
How evil could this man be? Magic didn't equal evil. Arthur knew that. Had known that since the day he met Katie. And she hadn't been the only sorcerer who had taught him that.

He bit his lip. "Would you like to come in?", Arthur asked despite himself. "You look hungry."
The shadow looked up at him in surprise.
"I -", he began.

If he was a knight he would have accepted right away, Arthur knew that.
"I should probably stay with my king's men. Make sure they don't - wreck the place.", he smiled uncertainly.

Arthur felt a pang in his heart. This boy was taking responsibility! Who would have thought.
There was respect growing in Arthur for this boy. The kind of respect the powerful vision Arthur initially had of the shadow could never have reached.
Arthur knew that he should know better than to trust him. But something told him he could. And that he always would. Never mind the circumstances.

"Then -", Arthur wondered what he could do. The man could have hurt Katie. But he didn't.
He knew that wasn't necessarily a behavior that demanded a reward. But compared to all the raids Arthur had lived through - all the children he had seen hurt during such patrols ...

"Wait a second.", he said and turned to walk toward his home in fast strides.
Gwen was waiting at the door. Her hands clasped upon her mouth, as Arthur finally put down the girl, so Gwen could make sure she was really alright.
Arthur went for the breakfast Gwen had made him. Despite knowing he usually didn't eat in the morning. And wrapped it up in a small basket.
Then he went out once more, glad that the man hadn't run off yet. Instead he was watching Arthur curiously, as he went back outside. The basket in his hand.

"Here.", Arthur said and pushed it into the other man's arms. The man blinked in surprise.
Nervously he opened the basket.
"The king isn't with us.", he said and frowned. "And if it's poisoned, I can assure you -"

"It's for you.", Arthur said and took a deep breath. He knew he was making a show of this. Kind of. At least a lot of people were watching. The knights for example. Or Arthur's neighbors.

The man stared up and tilted his head in confusion. He seemed to be doing that a lot.
"Why?", he asked.

Arthur frowned. "You look hungry.", he said. Hadn't he said that before? Or had he just thought it?
The man nodded. Then flashed his eyes again. "It's not poisoned, is it?"
Arthur smiled. "Not unless my landlady secretly hates me."

The man nodded and looked inside the basket. And then he smiled. An actual crooked smile, as he looked up. "Thank you.", he said earnestly. And beamed.
His name wasn't Emrys. Someone with that smiled couldn't be named the shadow. He was too bright for that.
'Merlin.', his head offered. It sounded right. It sounded incredibly right. But Arthur couldn't place why. Or where his head had gotten that idea from.

"No problem.", Arthur gasped. A bit taken aback by the sincerity of this man's gratitude.

"If you need anything. Or found the prince. Our camp for the night will be in the forest.", the shadow said and kept smiling. It made him look younger. Less burdened.
He pointed into the direction where you could barely see the tops of the trees over the small houses.

Arthur nodded slowly. He kind of wanted to go with them.
No idea where that thought came from.

The man seemed to recognize something, as he tilted his head once more.
"Or, maybe if you just want to say hello."

Arthur nodded again, biting his bottom lip. What an odd invitation. Was this boy flirting with him or was he trying to gather information through him?
Something told Arthur that it was neither. At least not yet. Maybe if he visited he would know.

After that, the shadow waved for the knights to move forward. And ordered them to politely knock on the doors, if anyone had seen Arthur Pendragon.
Arthur himself was left standing on the road. Watching silently, as the boy took a sandwich from his basket and bit hungrily into it.

Arthur couldn't help but smile.

This was probably the first time the town hadn't been robbed of all their possessions, just because a group of knights had passed through.

"Merlin.", Arthur whispered to himself and went back inside. It was strange. Even the name tasted familiar on his lips.