Waiting For You

• Claire Wurster, Grade 12
• Short Story
• 2016

It had been centuries, centuries since Merlin had sent Arthur away at the Lake of Albion, his best friend, his companion and brother had Mordred’s sword driven through his chest and Merlin tried to save him. Kilgharrah the great dragon was weak and was soon to pass, with his help upon Merlin’s command he could have made it to the lake earlier to save him. But Arthur slipped away from his life and died in Merlin’s arms before he could.
He wished he could have. He thought that he could stop his death from happening, but he couldn’t change his destiny, Arthur died and there was nothing he could do.
Merlin lived on, he soon realised that he wasn’t aging and was forced to watch all of his friends die. Gaius his uncle, the court physician of Camelot, his mother Hunith, the knights that followed Arthur, Percival, Leon, Gwaine, then many years later, Queen Gwenivere and Camelot fell apart without a ruler.
But still he lived on as the name Emrys meant immortal.
And he waited, watching the world move on.

He watched diseases spread.
He watched the wars that clashed against each other.
He watched the religions gaining popularity.
He watched the increasing popularity of the human race.
He watched the industrial revolution, and the increasing cutting edge of technology.
He watched on the democracy and England discovering new countries.
He watched on, yet

He waited.