An infant cried out his hunger as Merlin held him close, knowing milk awaited in the next town. Only a few weeks old, the infant boy was stronger than Merlin had hoped. Uther had no choice but to hand his infant son over to Merlin, for without his magical disguise, Uther would never have had that first night with Lady Igraine. Potion making was never one of Merlin’s strengths, but the Polyjuice Potion had worked. Uther had even remembered to keep sipping a bit every hour until he had returned from the castle.
Merlin’s hopes and dreams lay in the infant who rode with him towards Sir Ector’s house to be raised in a house of wizards and witches. He would be surrounded by them his whole life and would not fear the magic that could be done by his “family”. This would allow Merlin to educate him and show Arthur his dream of those who could perform magic and those who could not living side by side, with no fear of each other.
The prophecy still stood out clearly in Merlin’s mind:
An infant born in secret tryst,
Son of Dragon King and Grail Keeper’s Daughter.
Peace and union will this babe bring.
Beauty of the lady enticed,
King’s love will bring about husband’s slaughter.
Peace after the war will surely ring!
Magician will make a promised heist,
The lad will be raised away from the water.
From the lad, peace between Muggle and magician will spring.
Sir Ector knew not magic, but his wife, a witch from the Isle of Avalon, came from a long line of magicians. She had promised to turn her own son over to a wet nurse in order to feed Arthur herself. She shared Merlin’s dream that a day would come when magicians would not longer need to hide themselves from the close-minded Muggles of the world.
Neither Sir Ector nor his wife knew Arthur’s bloodline, but both had been present when the prophecy came from Merlin’s mouth. When told that Arthur was the boy of the prophecy, both believed without proof.
Sir Ector met Merlin at the door. Merlin was draped in a dark cloak, hiding his appearance from any who might see him.
“Sir Ector, I will return when the time comes to start young Arthur’s education and I will become his tutor. Raise him as your own, that our dreams may become reality!”
“That I will, Sir Merlin. You are welcome here when e’er ye pass our door. The lad will be raised as my own; brother to my own Kay. Will ye not stay the night? It is dark already.”
“No, I have further business to attend to, but I shall return when e’er the time is right. Good night, Sir Ector,” Merlin replied, as he turned back into the night.
Merlin spent the next few years preparing to teach Arthur the history of Muggles and Magicians. He would show him what magic could do, as well as its limitations. Arthur needed to understand the two cultures so that he could meld them together when the time came for him to assume his father’s throne. Being raised without that stress would keep his mind clear - a slate to be written upon without bias against the unknown world of magic.
Merlin would take a few trips past Sir Ector’s to see the lad as he grew each year. When Arthur was about five years old, Merlin decided it was time to start his education. He started by simply showing the boy the natural world around him. They explored the forest that surrounded Sir Ector’s home and Merlin taught Arthur about the animals and plants they came upon.
Once Arthur knew the names and traits of all the animals and plants close to home, Merlin brought him books that contained information about distant lands. The pictures intrigued the young boy. He wanted to learn the meaning of the symbols in the books, so that he might obtain the book’s information for himself. So, Merlin taught him how to read.
Arthur’s natural curiosity assisted Merlin in many of his lessons, for once Arthur began reading, Merlin started to add books about history and astrology to the table. Ever the curious one, Arthur took up these books and read those, too. Merlin answered Arthur’s questions and together they discussed the books. Arthur learned quickly.
Merlin taught Arthur the history of Magicians and Muggles by telling him stories in the forest glades. Once, when Arthur was leading them through the forest, he became lost and disoriented. He begged Merlin to show him the way home, so Merlin started to instruct him in navigation and how to find his way with guides he could use to know in which direction he was headed. As the sky darkened, he began to teach Arthur about the constellations and astrology.
Merlin left the fiercer side of Arthur’s education to Sir Ector. At the side of his foster brother, he learned swordsmanship and other battle techniques. After these sessions with Kay, Merlin often taught Arthur about history, to teach him battle strategies and of the wars that had taken place over the centuries. By teaching history as stories, Arthur paid attention, and sometimes even brought his brother Kay to a few of the lessons.
Then it was time. Arthur was a teenager and King Uther was dead. It was time for Arthur to assume the throne. Merlin had been called to court when Uther had gotten ill and, upon his death, Merlin arranged for a sword to be placed in stone stating that the one who could pull it out was the rightful king. Though many tried, none were successful; Merlin had cast his spells well! Only when young Arthur touched it would the metal be released from the stone.
The throne remained empty. None could pull the sword from the stone, so a contest was to be held. The winner of the contest would be given the throne. Arthur attended the contest as the squire of Sir Kay along with Merlin, who was disguised from all as a servant.
Before the swordsman competition, Merlin cast a spell that shattered Sir Kay’s sword. In despair, young Arthur went in search of a sword for Kay to use. He found the sword in the stone and the sword lifted at his touch. Kay tried to lie about who had drawn out the sword, but his father knew the truth. That day, Arthur became King.
At first, Arthur was lost. He knew not court life and Merlin was soon at his side as an advisor. Arthur never realized that he was always being groomed to be king. Together, they set the foundation to integrate the magical world with the non-magical. Magic was no longer taboo; it was readily accepted. Merlin’s dream was becoming a reality.
It did not take long for Arthur to begin asking questions of his foster father, Sir Ector. Now that Arthur was King, Sir Ector spoke of the night that Merlin delivered the young infant to his door. He was honest with the young man and told him that he was not truly his son.
Arthur was angry. Who was he, really, and why was he taken from his true family? He went in search of Merlin, but it would be a few years before his questions were answered by his mentor as Merlin was not at the castle.
Merlin had left for the woods of his youth in search of peace. During his journey, he came upon a young witch from the Isle of Avalon. Her name was Nimue, and she was young and beautiful. She begged Merlin to share with her his knowledge of magic.
Merlin quickly fell in love with her and, because of his love, he gave in to the young woman‘s wishes. He became her teacher, and instructed her in all things magical. During the next few years, they lived in his cave while he educated her and shared with her his dream of a united world.
Merlin taught Nimue most of his knowledge of magic, then prepared to return to Camelot which Arthur had built during Merlin’s absence. The little news Merlin had received reported Camelot was everything he dreamed it would be - a refuge for Magician and Muggle alike. It was time for him to go and see his young student.
The night before his departure, a new prophecy sprang from Merlin’s lips. This time the prophecy was about the destruction of all his hard work. Nimue was the only one present to hear the prophecy:
A son conceived in sin this night;
A sister with her brother lay.
A leader in a circle of hope, of power, and of might
Holds the darkness at bay.
Hidden in shadows all his life,
The lad is filled with hate,
Hatred that will just lead to strife.
To murder his father is his fate.
Power from a king to steal,
A father’s heart to pierce.
Lies and treachery the deal,
His mother made him fierce.
A stolen weapon to pierce the chest,
Of his father brave and true.
The murder will defeat the best
Of the noble knights, the king’s honored crew.
The kingdom, in ruin, will be no more,
But its legend will not be forgotten.
King, wizard, and knights forevermore
Remembered in history by men.
Ever skeptical of Merlin’s dream, Nimue chose to act to prevent Merlin from trying to stop the prophecy from occurring. She used the magic he had taught her to seal him in his cave.
Thus was the downfall of his dream.
