Merlin pushed the young lad toward the large boulder. The sword Excalibur jutted out of the stone that rested at the very center of an enclosed courtyard of finely kept grass. Excalibur taunted Merlin, but he knew it was the boy's destiny to claim it.
Out of exasperation, the wizard kicked the boy in the rump. Little Arthur fell face first inches from the protruding stone.
The sky above them sparkled with millions of tiny stars. Chilled winds whipped through the little village's narrow streets. Merlin wrapped his heavy brocade cloak around his thin body to keep warm.
Arthur rolled onto his back and coughed up a clump of dirt and bits of grass that had lodged itself in his small mouth. "Why did you have to do that Merlin?" Arthur complained. "I won't be able to sit for days no thanks to you. And I'm freezing, can we just go home?"
"Just get up off your lazy arse and pull the sword from the stone like we talked about," croaked Merlin.
Arthur stuck out his lower lip, "Why do I have to do it? It was your blasted idea."
"Because," Merlin sighed, "it is your destiny."
"Destiny, shmeshtiny," Arthur waved the notion away. He wasn't about to believe Merlin just yet.
"Fine," huffed Merlin, "I'll pull the damn sword out off the damn stone."
Merlin climbed onto the boulder with exceptional ease for such an old man. He placed his booted feet on either side of Excalibur, cracked his knuckles, and prepared himself to pull the blade out of the stone.
He grabbed the polished handle and began to tug at the sword that was securely embedded into the rock. It wouldn't budge. There had to be another way around his predicament. Merlin thought to himself and took in a deep breath. He would pray to the Goddess. Merlin let his eyelids fall, and began to chant. Arthur looked up at him strangely and with awe.
The sword started to glow a magnificent blue that flowed around the pair and into the streets which caught people's attention. Merlin ended his chant and pulled the sword free, making a sharp scraping sound as it escaped the rock.
The wizard gave a wild laugh and whirled Excalibur around his head, "I did it, I did it!" Merlin chuckled.
"Good for you, Merlin, just splendid," Arthur replied, arms crossed, shivering, "Now can we get out of here?"
Whoever pulled Excalibur free from its incarceration, according to legend, would become the new King of England. To rule over the land and bring unity and justice to its people. So seeing Merlin with Excalibur, crowds of people naturally began surrounding the two, whispering, "Merlin is king, Merlin is king."
"No, no, everyone, the boy pulled the sword free, not I," Merlin explained frantically. Arthur looked to Merlin and shook his head and fists fiercely.
"Yes, villagers, this is your new king. Long live King Arthur!"
Merlin jumped from the stone and shoved Excalibur into Arthur's grasp and then lifted the lad's hands high above his head.
The boy glanced at the wizard, "Damn you, Merlin, I'm going to hate you for this," and then looked to the assembly of village folk smiling.
"Long live King Arthur!" *L.B. 2007*
