Happy Merlin Holidays, canningtonclose! [2/2]

[merlin-hols.livejournal.com]

Part 2

Merlin juggled the bags of groceries, trying to fish his key out of his coat pocket. Just as his fingers closed around the small piece of metal, one of the bags started to tip, items set to spill. “I’ve got it,” someone called, hand reaching out to grab the bag.

“Oh, thank you very much,” Merlin said in relief, finishing pulling his key out. Unlocking the door, he opened it, letting the man step through. “On the counter please.” They both headed over to set the bags down. Turning, Merlin smiled at his rescuer. “I’m Merlin, Merlin Charset.” He held out a hand.

“Edwin Muirden, I live down the hall in 3b. I haven’t had the chance to meet you and your partner yet,” Edwin replied, taking his hand in a firm shake. It took a second for Merlin to notice the side of Edwin’s face. Although mostly gone, he could still see the marks of scar tissue marring his features.

They both jumped a little at a knock on the door. Arthur was standing there, watching them. “Oh, Arthur, you’re back early.” Arthur nodded, stalking into the room. “Arthur, this is Edwin Muirden, from 3b. He was helping me with the bags.” Merlin turned to Edwin. “This is my partner Arthur Charset.”

“Nice to meet you; I was just telling Merlin that I’ve been meaning to introduce myself. If my own partner were here at the moment, I would have called her over to say hello,” Edwin said with a smile.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Arthur shook his hand, eyes still sharply observing the man.

“Well, I need to be off. It was nice to have finally met you.” Nodding one last time, the man left, shutting the door behind him.

Arthur turned to Merlin, pulling him into a tight embrace, lips pressed near his ear. “You know who that was?” he whispered. Merlin nodded. “We have to assume he’s planted a bug somewhere. Remember our cover.”

Merlin nodded again and pulled back. “If I had known you were coming home early, I would have waited and we could have gotten the shopping together.”

“The meeting was cut short. Two of the others got into an argument and ended up in a fight. We convene tomorrow to finish,” Arthur let out a heavy sigh, “Those idiots don’t even know what they’re talking about. They are thinking about imposing stricter policies on partners to where someone can’t even be paired with someone they might know. If they do let that pass, so many others are going to suffer and the Family Continuance Centers are going to become overcrowded.”

Arthur actually appeared to be angry at this decision. Merlin could feel a little bubble of anger rising in his gut as well. If that law had been passed before they were partnered, they would never have been allowed to be together. “You don’t think they’ll let it pass? They must realize how big of a mistake this is.”

“I don’t know what the Empire’s capable of anymore, Merlin.” Merlin believed him.

~*~

“Report,” Kilgharrah’s voice hissed through the headset. Outside, the rain was coming down, drowning out the everyday sounds of city life. Arthur was off to finish the meeting, hoping to curb the idiots with power from passing the bill. They may be undercover, but they both knew what would come about with the passing of that law.

“First contact made, Edwin Muirden. We are assuming the place is bugged and playing our roles to the T,” Merlin answered, keeping quiet. The soft music in the back ground covering his voice.

“Good. Keep me updated.” The line went dead and Merlin put it away in the secret compartment. Turning, he stared out the window. Water ran down in waves, rippling the light as it passed through. For a second, the image of another rain-drenched day flashed in front of his eyes before it faded. Shaking his head, Merlin got up to get dinner ready. Arthur would be home soon and dealing with idiots always made him hungry.

~*~

Second contact came about on a night out, the two of them keeping up the guise of Arthur and Merlin Charset, partners for a few years now and madly in love with each other. Of course this was true, but no one needed to know that.

On his way back from the bar with drinks for Arthur and himself, Merlin bumped into someone, barely keeping the beer from spilling over him and the one he had run into. Looking up, he stared at Edwin. “Merlin, surprise seeing you here.”

“Oh, Edwin, hello.” The other man followed him as Merlin wove his way through the crowded club towards their table. Arthur looked up just as he neared. “Look who I bumped into,” he said, in lieu of a greeting.

“Hello again,” Arthur said with a nod, accepting the drink from Merlin. Merlin sat, nodding for Edwin to take a seat as well.

“How have you been?” Merlin asked, having to raise his voice to be heard over the music.

“Good, good. My partner is here, if you’d like to meet her. She just came back from a business conference and we’re spending the night out.” They both nodded and Edwin stood, disappearing into the crowd.

Arthur and Merlin shared a look, but didn’t say anything until Edwin returned, a pale brunette woman trailing behind him. Her eyes were an electric blue, her lips painted a crimson red. The dress she wore was a small, simple affair, but was a bright red that was sure to draw attention to her curves.

“Merlin, Arthur, this is my partner Nimueh Isle. Nimueh, this is Arthur and Merlin Charset. They’re the ones who moved into 3a,” Edwin introduced them.

“Oh, hello, it’s so nice to finally meet you.” Her lips curled into a smile, the red accenting them.

“Nice to meet you as well.” She shook each of their hands in turn.

“Hey, why don’t we go somewhere a little quieter to talk?” Edwin suggested innocently.

Merlin looked at Arthur who nodded. Shrugging, Merlin nodded as well. “We were about done here anyway. Why don’t we head back to our building, maybe have some coffee?” Merlin suggested back.

Nimueh and Edwin nodded and Arthur and Merlin stood, paying for their drinks hastily before following the other two out of the club. The group was quiet as they walked the short distance to their building.

Once ensconced in apartment 3a, Merlin set about making the coffee, Arthur trading words for the few minutes it took to set the coffee pot up. “Coffee should be ready soon,” Merlin said, coming back into the room.

As Merlin walked past to sit on the couch Arthur was on, he snagged his arm, pulling Merlin down flush next to him. “Arthur,” Merlin said quietly, a flush spreading pinkly across his cheeks.

“What, I can’t sit next to you?” Arthur asked with a smirk and a wicked glint in his eyes.

“Well, yes, but we have guests.” Merlin flicked his eyes over to the other couch where Nimueh and Edwin were sitting.

“I’m sure they understand the feeling,” Arthur said aloud, planting a small kiss on Merlin’s cheek before straightening, arm still around Merlin’s shoulders. Merlin glanced at the other two and doubted they did understand. They were seated on opposite ends of the couch, as far as they could without seeming to be distancing themselves.

“So Arthur, how did you two meet?” Nimueh asked, smiling almost serenely at them, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Well, it’s a bit of a story. You see I was in a coffee shop, waiting for my coffee when this idiot,” he said the word with a fond twist, “stumbled into me, spilling his coffee all over me.” He grinned at Merlin. They had gone over cover stories beforehand and Arthur had enjoyed coming up with first meeting scenarios.

“He then gave me some money to compensate my ruined suit and left in a hurry, stammering apologies the whole way. A week later, my computer went and crashed with all my important documents needed for a meeting that I was having that afternoon. So I get my secretary to phone a tech to come get it back up and low and behold, it’s him.”

“Arthur, being the prat he is, told me if I was coming anywhere near his computer, I must be liquid free.” Merlin elbowed him in his ribs as Arthur snorted.

“He then proceeded to work his magic, had the whole system back up, found my problem, and backed everything up for me in time for my meeting. Of course I was so grateful for his help, I asked him for lunch as repayment, forgetting I was paying him for his service,” they shared an amused grin, “and we just hit it off from there. We got lucky and were paired together. We’ve been together ever since.”

Merlin shifted uncomfortably, reliving an entirely different scene, but with the exact same feelings. He had been lucky to be paired with Arthur, so lucky as to be almost a miracle.

Nimueh and Edwin shared a glance, a small smirk tugging at Nimueh’s lips. “What is your line of work?” Edwin asked to fill the awkward silence.

“I use to work for a tech company for a while after we were paired, but left and went freelance soon after. I mostly work by commission now and some stuff on the side,” Merlin answered, leaning into Arthur’s side, feeling the muscles in Arthur’s arm pull, tightening his hold on Merlin.

Edwin looked at Arthur. “I mediate, mostly between major corporations. Lately, it has been with the government debates. I’m there to keep the hot headed politicians from killing each other, mostly, maybe give a suggestion or two when they come to an impasse to help things along.”

“Is there anything interesting coming our way?” Nimueh asked, trying to play the uninterested innocent while her eyes watched them keenly.

“Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to say. Client confidentiality and all,” Arthur said, smiling apologetically.

“I’ll get the coffee.” Merlin stood from the couch.

“I’ll help you out,” Edwin said, following Merlin into the kitchen. As Merlin got the cups down, Edwin leaned against the counter. “So, who’s the Dom in the relationship?” he asked with a knowing grin.

Merlin flushed, eyes flicking out to the sitting room where Arthur and Nimueh continued to chat. “Oh, don’t worry; you’re not the only one.” His smirk was wicked as he also nodded out to the sitting room. “What can I say, I like strong women.”

Merlin snorted softly, handing him two cups and grabbing the other two. They walked out to the tail end of some discussion between the other two. “Thank you,” Arthur said, taking a cup from Merlin. Settling back against Arthur, he took a sip.

“I’ve a hypothetical question,” Nimueh started, eyeing them over the edge of her cup as she took a sip. Arthur nodded for her to continue. “All right, hypothetically, if the Empire hadn’t allowed you two to be paired, what would you have done?” For the first time since meeting her, Nimueh looked genuinely curious, her gaze thoughtful as she waited for an answer.

Merlin looked at Arthur, his heart squeezing painfully as he tried to picture himself with someone other than Arthur. He couldn’t and yet it had come so close. Could he have docilely gone with someone else? At the time, it seemed he had resigned himself to it, but for how long would he have borne it before it had become too much?

Would he have been willing to defy not only the military, but the Empire as well? To make a run for it and hide away with Arthur, always on the run, always moving from city to city, never allowed to live in peace? It dawned on him then that yes, he would have been able to live that kind of life, so long as Arthur was there to remind him why he would have been doing it.

Arthur seemed to have come to that conclusion as well, his eyes staring into Merlin’s with an intensity that would have scared anyone else off, but only made Merlin love him more. Merlin turned to look at Nimueh, eyes hard. “Anything,” he answered honestly. Her smile was full of approval at his answer.

~*~

“Report.” Kilgharrah hissed over the line.

“Second contact made. Nimueh Isle. I think they bought our story.” He refrained from mentioning the hypothetical question she had asked them. He knew it had been a test, to see if they were truly what they seemed to be, but he knew Kilgharrah would write their answer down in the report. He wouldn’t risk him and Arthur for this mission.

“Excellent. Keep up the good work and keep me updated.” The line went dead as per usual and Merlin tucked the communicator away, Arthur standing in the doorway watching him. He made no comment on the test being withheld and Merlin didn’t feel inclined to bring it up either. Arthur just sat next to Merlin, pulling him close as Merlin held onto him with an iron grip.

~*~

They continued to see Edwin and Nimueh, often going out as a group and ending up back in one apartment or another, usually just talking about everyday things, but sometimes, one or the other would say something, often in passing. It would have seemed like nothing to anyone else, but Merlin and Arthur could see the truth behind their words. Each time they left these little talks, a little more doubt had wormed its way into their minds, just a small voice in the back of their minds.

Merlin reported every couple of days and as time went on, each report had less and less in it. He tried to reason with himself, saying there wasn’t anything new to give. They weren’t any closer than they had been when they started this mission. That he was just being cautious in case the line was being tapped, or someone was listening.

Deep down though, in a dark corner he refused to examine, he knew why this was. Nimueh was getting to him. Just little things, but he could place them somewhere in his life and he was starting to feel torn between his loyalty to the Empire and his loyalty to Arthur. In the end, he would always choose Arthur, but would Arthur choose him? He was starting to lose sleep on this, tossing and turning as his thoughts ran in circles. Through it all, Arthur just continued to watch him.

Then one afternoon, Arthur came home early with his face ashen, hands shaking as he hastily shut the door, leaning back against it. “Arthur?” Merlin asked, stepping closer; worry knotting his stomach queasily.

Arthur pushed off the door, crossing the room in four large steps, pulling Merlin into a tight hold, body shaking with shivers as he pressed trembling lips against Merlin’s hair. “Arthur, what’s happened?”

“I can’t lose you, I can’t,” Arthur mumbled into his hair.

“You won’t lose me, Arthur please, tell me what’s wrong.” Arthur pulled him into the sitting room, tugging him onto his lap as they sat on the couch.

“They finally passed it. Oh God, they passed it, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it,” he was babbling now.

“What, what have they passed?” Merlin pulled back, cupping Arthur’s face in his palms, turning Arthur’s face up to look at him. “Breathe, Arthur.” Arthur took a large gulp of air. “Good, now tell me, what has been passed?”

“Do you remember that law they were trying to pass, about further restrictions on pairings?” Merlin nodded. “They got it passed, but they’ve added more to it. I didn’t know about it until it was too late to try and convince them not to, oh God.”

“What was added on?” Merlin asked, feeling dread seep into his gut like a he’d just swallowed a bunch of ice, the chill creeping up his back.

“They plan on separating already paired partners who knew each other before the pairing.” Arthur pressed his face into Merlin’s chest and Merlin wrapped his arms around his shoulders.

“How far back are they going?” Merlin asked as his ears started to ring as Arthur’s word sank in.

“Ten years.” For a second, the two words refused to make sense to him and then they sank in and all he could do was breathe heavily as fear reared its head inside him, making him tremble.

It took him a second to notice he was babbling, “No, no, no, no, they wouldn’t, they couldn’t. They can’t Arthur. Do they realize how stupid this is? Do they think people will just take it? They’re just adding fuel to an already blazing fire and expecting it to put the fire out.”

“I won’t lose you Merlin, I can’t. Not after only just getting you.” Arthur stood abruptly, dragging Merlin to his feet as well. “We’ll leave. Go into hiding, they can’t search for us forever…” Arthur trailed off as Merlin shook his head dejectedly.

“We can’t, Arthur; they’re watching us, have been from the beginning. The moment they see us running, they’ll come after us. We can’t run fast enough to get away from them,” Merlin said as he tried to blink away the tears coming unbidden to his eyes.

“There’s a way, Merlin. There’s always been a way right in front of us this whole time.” Arthur grabbed his hand and headed for the door.

~*~

Nimueh opened the door with a smile. “How long have you known?” Arthur growled as he and Merlin sat on the couch in their sitting room.

“Since before you even knew about it,” she said smoothly. “I have people everywhere, Arthur Pendragon. Your government and military think they can take TOR down. The Old Religion has been around since the very beginning of the Empire. It will take more than a few well-placed soldiers to bring us down.”

“Why did you never say anything, try to convert us or whatever it is you do?” Arthur demanded with a growl, never once letting go of Merlin’s hand.

“You had to find out for yourself, before you would ever believe anything I have to say. Until the glamour of the Empire was broken, you would have never come to realize the rotting, corrupt thing the Empire really is.” Her eyes blazed as she spoke.

“Can you help?” Merlin asked, speaking for the first time since entering the room. “Please, I’ve seen what happens when people lose the one they love, I can’t lose Arthur like that, and I don’t think I could live like that.” The images of his mother and Gaius came to the forefront of his mind. He loved them, but they had never been the same after Balinor and Alice had passed on. They had seemed to only be half here, as if something had died with their partners.

Nimueh looked him straight in the eye, gaze seeming to pierce right through him. “I will help you.”

~*~

It was night when Nimueh came to the door. Edwin stood behind her, keeping an eye out. Arthur and Merlin had only packed the essentials and a few personal belongings. Around his neck, Merlin’s necklace gleamed in the dull hallway lighting. “I remember when I gave this to you,” Arthur mused aloud, running a finger over it.

“It’s time. The car will take you out of the city. You need to catch this train,” she handed them an envelope with train tickets inside as well as an address and directions on how to get to it from their stop. “It’s one of our safe houses. You’ll be fine there for a few days. I’ll be in contact as soon as I can. There will be others there, so don’t be surprised at who you meet.”

Nodding, Arthur took the envelope, tucking it into his jacket pocket. “Thank you,” Arthur said, lifting his suitcase.

“Don’t thank me yet. You still have to get out of the city without being seen.” She turned and left, leaving them alone with Edwin.

“This way.” Edwin led them to the maintenance stairwell, a car idling behind the building out of sight in a dirty, dark alley. They loaded their bags in the boot, and sliding in, sat in the back of the car, the windows tinted dark enough that even they were having trouble seeing out of them. “Until we clear the city, stay down. It will be hard for them to see through the tint, but just in case, don’t let them see you.”

Nodding, Arthur positioned himself onto the base of the car, pulling Merlin to lay over him, his head on Arthur’s shoulder. “Ready?” Arthur nodded and the car lurched forward, the headlights off to keep them from being spotted until they were far enough away from the building.

Merlin trembled against him, hands clutching at Arthur’s arms as the seconds turned to minutes, the anxiety and anticipation of being caught leaving him taut. Arthur turned, pressing a soft kiss to Merlin’s trembling lips. “We’ll be all right.” Nodding, Merlin pressed his face into Arthur’s neck, waiting for the car to stop.

Thirty minutes later, the car glided to a stop, the engine shutting off and leaving them in silence. “We’re here,” Edwin said, opening the door. Getting out of their cramped space, Arthur and Merlin blinked, taking in the train station. It was mostly empty, a few late night travelers waiting for the train. “Your train arrives in ten minutes. If you miss it, you’re on your own.” He slid back into the car, revved it and drove away into the night, leaving them staring after him.

“Come on,” Arthur said, picking up his case with one hand and grabbing Merlin’s hand with the other, walking up the incline to the station. The station proper was well lit and clean. A sleepy-looking girl behind the counter took their tickets, giving them the stubs back and pointing to where they needed to wait for their train.

As they waited, Arthur walked over to the vending machine, feeding it some change for a couple cups of coffee. Taking a sip, he grimaced, but kept on drinking it. They would need the caffeine if they were going to stay awake on the long train ride.

Merlin took his with a nod, sipping it as if he didn’t taste it, leaning against Arthur. They had just finished their coffee when their train pulled in, the announcer calling the number and destination. Chucking the paper cups, they boarded quickly, finding an empty seat easily.

The train and station were mostly empty, and ten minutes later it was pulling away from the station, only a few having boarded or gotten off. Sitting by the window, Arthur stared out at the landscape, watching as the city lights slowly faded into rural lights, fading into the darkness of the countryside. He finally let himself relax back into the seat, turning to look at Merlin.

The other man was asleep, his jacket pillowed into a ball under his head. Smiling softly down at him, Arthur gently shifted Merlin around until his head was in Arthur’s lap, jacket covering his shoulders. Merlin stirred a little, blinking sleepily up at him. “Go back to sleep, Merlin,” Arthur said gently, running his fingers through Merlin’s hair. Mumbling contentedly, Merlin settled back into sleep, for the moment, free of the stress and weight of the world. Outside the window, the landscape and darkness went on for miles.

~*~

As the train slowed to a stop at a small, shabby station, Arthur roused Merlin. He stretched, rubbing at his eyes sleepily, making Arthur smile at the image he made. Tugging Merlin to his feet, Arthur grabbed their bags and they disengaged. A few minutes later, the train was pulling away.

In the distance, the sky was just starting to lighten a little, dawn approaching. Standing under the yellow lighting of the station, Arthur studied the directions, looking out at the dirt road that led away from the station, the only road to be seen. Grabbing his case in one hand and Merlin in the other, he set off down the uneven track.

It took another thirty minutes of walking before the large house they were looking for appeared on the horizon. Around them, the sky steadily lightened, the sun closer to cresting the horizon. The building was huge, an old mansion that looked to have been built at least a century ago, the brick and mortar well-kept and maintained. The plants around it had been left to grow as they please, giving the appearance of being abandoned.

They hesitated on the path up to the main door, the cast-iron gate rusted and fallen to the side. Sharing a look, they slowly stepped up the path, keeping their eyes and ears open for any sounds of approach.

Merlin was the one who knocked on the door, the metal knocker shaped like a dragon, the handle gripped in its mouth, eyes glaring back at them. For a few minutes, the only sound was the wind through the trees and tall grass, snatching at their hair. Then a floor board creaked behind the door and the sound of the lock disengaging announced the arrival of someone.

The door opened and both stood there blinking at the woman in the doorway. Her blonde ringlets were pulled up in a harsh ponytail, a few strands having escaped to frame her face. A robe had been hastily thrown over her shoulders against the chill of the morning. “Morgause,” Arthur finally choked out.

Sharp grey eyes studied them intently before blinking. Morgause was Morgana’s half-sister, who had disappeared some years back. They had thought she had moved to some distant part of the Empire. It seemed not. “Come in,” she said, jerking her head inward.

They shuffled uneasily through the door, looking around for any sign of attack. No one else was around, though it felt like more than one pair of eyes were on them. “Nimueh called ahead saying someone new was coming. She didn’t say it would be you two, though I’m not surprised.”

She motioned for them to follow her and she led them into the sitting room. They sat stiffly on a sofa, just on the edge, ready just in case. Too much could happen if they were betrayed and they weren’t taking any chances. “How long have you been here?” Arthur asked finally after a long drawn out silence.

“I maintain the house and keep it ready for anyone coming. I have for years now. I met Nimueh a few months after I left and she helped me out. I take it something drastic has happened for you two to be on the run.” She shifted her gaze between them, waiting for some answers.

Arthur explained in as few words as possible what had happened. By the time he was finished, Morgause was pale, eyes wide, making her look so much younger. “Are they asking for trouble? No one is going to sit for this, no matter how cowed the populace might seem. How long before they start going further back? Five years? Ten?” she asked with her eyes distant as she imagined all the trouble that was coming her way.

Finally, she let out a tired sigh. “Well, we won’t know until they go public, which should be soon. Until then, you two should rest. More will start arriving soon.” She stood and led the numb pair up a staircase. She left them in front of a random door, telling them to ‘sleep as long as they needed’ before she walked further down the hall and disappeared into another identical door.

Arthur opened the door to the room, taking in the simple but well-kept furnishings. The windows were shut and the curtains drawn against the chill and approaching dawn. The bed was large enough for the two of them, pushed against the wall. Setting his case down, Merlin sat on the bed, glancing around with a detached interest, eyes glazed and red rimmed from tears and only a little sleep.

Following his example, Arthur set his own case down, tugging his jacket off, toeing off his shoes. Helping Merlin with his shoes, they were soon both curled under the covers, holding on to each other, listening to the noises of the old house as it roused to the new dawn.

Eventually, they dozed off into a fretful sleep. Every so often Arthur would jerk awake, blinking up at the strange room, and would pull Merlin closer, holding on tighter, before letting sleep pull him under.

~*~

The sound of their door slamming open jerked them into wakefulness, Arthur reaching for a gun he didn’t have. To keep up their cover they had both left their guns on base, in their apartment. An apartment they would never get to see again.

“So it’s true,” a woman whispered, drawing their gaze. They both stared at the woman standing in the door way, her light brown skin accented by her yellow sweater.

Gwen du Lac stood there with her hand pressed to her mouth, tears swimming in her eyes as she stared at her two best friends. Behind her, Lance du Lac watched his partner with a bit of sadness, as if her sadness affected him just as much.

A second later, she threw herself at them, pulling them close in a hug, the two men holding their childhood friend. “I thought it was true, and then Morgause called us and I had to see for myself.”

“Gwen, what are you talking about?” Merlin asked, pulling back enough to look down at her.

“You mean you haven’t seen it?” she asked, understanding blossoming on her face as she watched them.

“We’ve been traveling since,” Arthur glanced at the clock on the side table, “yesterday afternoon. We haven’t done anything but sleep since we got here this morning.”

“It’s all over the news. They’ve declared you two traitors of the Empire. They’ve put a bounty on your heads.” The room was silent as the two took in the news.

“Gwen, why are you here?” Merlin asked the question that had been hanging in the air between them.

“To make sure you two were okay.”

“No, I mean, why are you in this house? This is a TOR safe house.” Merlin elaborated. She just arched a brow at him. “Wha–, oh, oh, wait, how long have you been a part of TOR?”

“You remember when I first met Lance?” They nodded. “At the time, I didn’t know he was part of The Old Religion. We tried applying for partnership, but every time, we were denied. Finally, he came to me and told me there was another way for us to be together. Since then, I’ve been a part of TOR.”

“Are there any more surprises we should know about?” Arthur asked, pushing the blankets off of his legs.

“I’m pregnant,” Gwen said calmly, her voice even as she spoke.

Arthur jerked his head up to look at her just as he went to step out of the bed and ended up falling onto his arse. “What?”

“Gwen, you really must pick better time to tell people this,” Lance finally spoke up, smiling proudly even as he scolded his partner. Gwen just smiled at him, uncaring as she glowed with joy.

~*~

They were seated around a large, round table, a TV playing quietly on the counter nearby. Their pictures flashed across it, giving their names, age, even the names of friends and family they might contact. “Why go after us with so much force?” Merlin whispered, mouth drawn into a thin line as he watched.

“They need a scapegoat for the new law,” Nimueh said, stepping into the room, Edwin behind her. Setting her overnight bag down, she walked over to take a vacant seat. “They know that this new law will cause anger, outrage, even rebellion and riots. They’re using your defection from not only the military but the Empire as a means to lessen the blow this will have. They hope it will keep the rebellions down long enough for them to get a grip on them. They have no idea what they’re doing.” She smirked, crimson lips a cruel curl as she watched the Emperor himself give a brief comment about remaining loyal to the Empire.

The TV clicked off and the room went silent as they stared at each other. “For now, you will stay here out of sight until some of the heat is off.”

“And after, what do we do then? We can’t stay here forever, and our faces are all over the Empire. We’d never have any peace.” Arthur’s brows were drawn in a V as he glared at Nimueh.

“Whatever you want to do, you can. I am not your keeper. You can go somewhere isolated. We have places like that stashed away. You can stay here if you wish, helping Morgause with the others that arrive, or you can help. Your faces are all across the Empire, yes, but how many see you as traitors? How many will see your actions and will find the strength to do so as well? How many will sympathize, how many will emphasize with your plight, they themselves having been through similar ordeals by a corrupt Empire?” She took a breath, staring at them.

“Millions will be affected by this new law passed and will turn to your example to follow. So the question is— do you hide away, hoping the Empire never finds you, or do you take it head on?”

~*~

After seeing Gwen and Lance, Arthur wasn’t surprised by the faces seated around the room. Gwen and Lance were in the loveseat, her stomach starting to show. Morgause sat on the floor, back against the sofa. Morgana sat to her right, blue eyes proudly staring back, Leon next to her.

Gwaine and Elena, his partner, stood near the door, talking softly. Percival stood behind a chair, Elyan seated in front of him. There were a few additions he didn’t know, but Merlin did, childhood friends from before he had arrived at the Family Continuance Center. Freya and Will were talking with Merlin off to the side. From Merlin’s few words, it had been a few years since he had last seen the two, let alone talked with them.

He felt no surprise that all of their friends and family had been a part of The Old Religion long before him and Merlin. Instead, he felt satisfaction in knowing that they all had support in this scheme. Smiling, Arthur sipped at his tea, watching the small groups talk.

The TV was on as background noise. Suddenly, the room fell silent, all eyes on the screen as clips of riots all across the Empire aired. The new law had been made public the week before. Five days, fifteen riots and thirty dead, and still the Empire was no closer to getting any control.

“This is our time. We strike at the heart of the Empire and we’ll bring the diseased beast down once and for all.” Nimueh was standing in the doorway, electric blue eyes blazing. “Send out word to everyone. It’s time to gather our troops.”

~*~

Around them, the war camp buzzed with activity, even at such a late hour. Arthur could only stare out across it in amazement. They had had no idea how many were actually a part of The Old Religion. And this was only one camp. There were hundreds of others, spread around the globe, ready for the signal to attack, to strike at the hearts of the Empire, to tear down the walls that had been built so many hundreds of years prior.

Above, the clouds scuttled over the starry sky. He knew there were planes up there, tracking their approach, studying their weapons. Arthur didn’t care. It was now, finally, that they could be free. The scent of the upcoming battle was on the breeze, making people’s blood simmer.

Footsteps behind him announced Merlin’s approach. “When we first met as children, did you ever think something like this would ever have happened?” he asked, leaning into Arthur’s side.

“No,” Arthur tugged him around until Merlin was standing in front of him, his face highlighted by the lights behind Arthur, “but I wouldn’t change it.”

“Me neither.” They were silent for a few seconds. “And now, you will be leading these people into battle for freedom. I think your mother would have been proud right now.”

Arthur swallowed as his throat grew tight with emotion. Leaning forward, he kissed Merlin, pulling them tight together until nothing could separate them. Pulling back, he panted, arms tight around the man he loved. “Right now, all I want to know is if you are proud of me?”

“I am, Arthur, I am.” Merlin smiled at him with his brightest smile and Arthur felt his resolve click into place. He would fight for a world where he could love this man without fear of being separated. Around them, the camp readied for battle.

~*~

Epilogue

Standing in the pale winter sunshine, he breathes deeply, enjoying the crisp air. Winter has finally arrived and with it the snow, coating everything in white. Brushing icy flakes from his coat, Merlin looks around. He’s supposed to be waiting for Arthur here, a meeting point for afterwards if they had survived this revolution.

He can’t remember the exact point when they had become separated, but he can remember the moment he had realized it, a sudden dawning that Arthur was somewhere he couldn’t protect him. It had now been months since he had last seen him, though brief messages passed by word of mouth kept him in the loop and told him that Arthur was still alive.

He’d traveled all over the Empire in these last few months, ferried secretly by any means to get him to important meeting points. He knew the systems running the Empire like the back of his hand, had even encoded a few of them, and The Old Religion had used him to get through, to take the Empire down from all sides.

The Golden Age, as most had started calling it, still wasn’t steady. There were still pockets of the Empire that needed to be routed out; the Emperor had escaped in the chaos and was still at large. A new system needed to be created, lands that the Empire had taken given back to the rightful descendants.

From what he’d been hearing, many had started calling Arthur their Golden Leader. Images circulating of him in battle, leading their troops, had been shown all over the world. Merlin secretly agreed with them. His partner seemed to shine in the images, finally in his element.

Shivering, Merlin shuffled his feet, peering around for anyone who might be coming his way. The park was still deserted. The buildings surrounding it were pock marketed from fires and explosions, the fight here having been long and hard, but he could still see his old home where he and his mother had lived with Gaius.

They were safe as well, taken to a safe house right before the battle had hit the base. Shockingly, by Major Kilgharrah – and hadn’t that been a surprise – who had been in league with Nimueh since almost the beginning.

An armored truck rumbled down the road nearby and Merlin’s heart sped up, but it kept on by, not stopping. The phone in his pocket buzzed, a call coming in. Juggling it in his gloved hands, he finally pressed the button on it and brought it to his ear. “Hello.”

“Turn around,” Arthur’s voice said over the small speaker. Whirling around, Merlin stared as Arthur emerged from the copse of trees that lined the other side of the park. His blond hair shone brightly under the pale sunlight, dark coat flapping in the cold wind that blew swirls of snow around them.

Merlin dropped the phone, uncaring as he took off, running full pelt towards Arthur. Arthur just grunted as he slammed into him, his arms wrapping around Merlin, holding him close. “Arthur,” Merlin breathed out, arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

“I’m here, Merlin, I’m here,” Arthur whispered back, pulling his partner into a kiss.

End.

Comments

[paradox18.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness. This was absolutely amazing. I loved every word of it

[miss-diverse.livejournal.com]

Beautiful!

[kianspo.livejournal.com]

Wow. What a gritty, dark, dystopian tale! All those things are good things, I'm just saying. Wow. :)

Of course even the most corrupt and inhumane pairing system in the world can't deny that Arthur and Merlin are perfect for each other, however you look at it. Glorious. ♥

The Empire really seems suicidal passing that kind of law, isn't it? I wonder though what the world would look like afterwards...

Great work!

[reni-m.livejournal.com]

Such an interesting world.
Really enjoyed reading about it.
Nice job!

[gwylliondream.livejournal.com]

This was really a fascinating little world ypu made here. Good job!

[canningtonclose.livejournal.com]

I love the world and society you build here. It's a great concept and a great translation from the canon concepts we've come to know. Military societies are a not-so-secret kink of mine, given the sign-up sheet, so both the living arrangements at the beginning, then the military training and the eventual resistance to the government fit right into that. It was lovely to see Arthur agree to resist and join the magic-equivalent movement if you will and nice to see all their friends already there just waiting for them to come around and notice what hasn't been working in their society. Watching Merlin and Arthur grow up together was a nice touch, I really enjoyed that, especially on the backdrop of that D/s society you introduced and the lack of choice when it came to partners. The final scene is probably my favourite, with Arthur just being there and this kind of happy end. This was a great story, anon, thanks very much for hitting all my story kinks here :)

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

Great job with the world building. Loved that the Empire just got more and more controlling until this grip cracked. Well done.

[lady-drose-sd.livejournal.com]

Oh, God, I love this whole thing! It was fantastic, and brilliant and the world you created is CAPTIVATING!

No, seriously, I'm so glad I gave it a go... I almost didn't read it because of the rating (I tend to read R or NC-17) but it would have been a terrible mistake!

I loved every single one of the time stamps, I just wished there were more :(

I was SOOOOOOOOOO happy when Merlin found Arthur in that room!! They were perfect for each other, I'm glad the powers that be saw it too :D

If you're thinking on revisiting this world anytime soon, please do and share!

[arcadianmaggie.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this. Thank you!

[sunny-rainfall.livejournal.com]

interesting concept. I really enjoyed it

[lamerezouille.livejournal.com]

This was great. I loved all of your world-building and seeing Arthur and Merlin's relationship evolve through time.

And it all made me think and wonder (which is always a good thing): what's Uther point of view of all this? Is he with the Empire even if he's not partnered anymore? What were the arguments/motivations of the Empire to create the partnership in the beginning? What made them want to change it?

Lastly, I want to say that I loved above all the hope you insinuated in the ending, it feels really good. ♥