Yay, this is my first entry to FF!

First off I'm just going to say that there is a severelack of music!Merlin fics out there. And it's driving me nuts, 'cause they're just so good.

Here is my contribution. :) Though it would be beneficial when reading if you play violin or at least have some knowledge of music, I hope this can be read by non-musical people without much difficulty.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not have the great honor of owning Merlin. :(

Memories/thoughts marked like this

Merlin's POV

Arthur and I walked into the nobleman's household, leaving the rest of the traveling party outside. We followed the man to a room where he and the king could talk without being heard.

"My liege," the man began, "I mean no disrespect and I'm sure your servant is a very wonderful person, but this is a very private matter, and I would appreciate it if he left the room."

Arthur seemed slightly offended but he didn't let it show, though I, having known him for close to a decade now, could see it very clearly on his face. "I completely trust Mer-"

"Sire," I interrupted, and then turned to the nobleman. "Milord, if it pleases you for me to leave, then I will be waiting just outside."

I turned to leave, but my best friend's voice stopped me. "Merlin, you don't have to."

I walked up to him and whispered in a low voice, "Arthur. No. Clearly this man is more comfortable talking to you if I'm not around. I'm fine with that. I'll just wait in another room, and if you want to you can tell me everything later."

Arthur sighed. "Fine"

I quickly walked out the door and turned into the next room in the corridor, stopping suddenly to wonder what on earth I was going to do. These meetings sometimes take hours.

I turned around, hoping to find something that would help me pass the time. My eyes landed on a violin lying on a worn piece of cloth on a table in the corner, and memories flashed through my mind.

"Mother?"

"Yes?"

"What is it?"

"It's a violin, darling."

"It's very beautiful… what does it do?"

"I'll show you."

I walked over and lifted it up as gently as if it was a little babe, my eyes darting over its fragile frame and seeing that is was covered with dust. After running my fingers over the strings, I heard that they were quite out of tune, and all of the sudden I had a strong desire to remedy that. But I shouldn't… it's someone else's.

But if they really cared, wouldn't they at least play it once and awhile? It hurt me to see such a beautiful instrument just sitting alone in an empty room. It had clearly been played by someone quite often in the past; a few things gave that away. The strings were worn down a little, but not quite enough to have to replace. There was a heavy dusting of rosin in between the bridge and where the fingerboard ended, and the wood had faded where hands must have frequently held it long ago.

I plucked the first string tentatively, and as I adjusted its tuning peg another memory rushed into my head.

My mother sat and played a simple melody. It was a crisp and merry little village tune, one that the men would often sing when they were at work. When she finished her song, I applauded, completely in awe.

"Mother, dear? Could you teach me how to play too?"

"Why yes, I do think I will."

Satisfied with the tone of the first string, I moved to the second, and then the third and fourth. When I finished I brushed my fingers over them and smiled. Perfect. The sound rang out clearly.

The next day I ran out of the house, sobbing. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"It's alright, Merlin. You just need to try it again."

"But Mom, I sounded terrible! I'll never sound as good as you; I can't even play one decent note!"

My original plan was to just tune it and set it back down, but something in me couldn't let go. I searched for the bow and found it next to where the violin had lain. After tightening it, I gently pulled some of the broken strands of horsehair out.

"Merlin. Listen to me. Most great violinists' first notes sound exactly like yours just did. Playing an instrument requires time and discipline, and it won't be until you've practiced a very long time when you'll be able to play the melodies I can."

I dried my eyes and lifted my head. "Mother? How long did you have to practice?"

"Many days and nights worth of time, my dear." I thought about it for a minute, and then Mother continued. "Merlin, I'm not going to force you to learn to play, but if you want to try again it would make me very proud."

Putting the violin up onto my shoulder, I lightly drew the bow across one of the strings and a quiet, tender, wavering note rang out.

"Mom? I… I think I'll do it, if you'll help me."

"Of course I'll help you Merlin! Now let's go back inside and try again."

Pressing my fingers down on the strings, the same tune from long ago sang from the instrument.

"Merlin!"

"I'm so sorry Mom, I didn't mean to drop it!"

She took a deep breath. "It's fine, it's just… this violin is very special to me."

"Why, Mother?"

"It was your father's." She wouldn't say any more than that.

With each note, I remembered more and more of the things my mother had taught me long ago.

"Listen, Mommy! I did it! I can do it now, see? Just like you told me."

"Yes! But remember, wrist down, back straight- there you go!"

As I continued to play, I closed my eyes and lost myself in the music. The violin felt so comfortable on my shoulder, even though it had been years since I had last touched mine.

I shivered, remembering what had happened a few years after.

"I told you already, we don't have enough to pay the taxes!"

"Well if you can't give me money, I'll just have to find something else." The man strode towards me, now a young man of fourteen. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. "You know how to work, boy?"

"No, please! Don't take him." My mother begged.

The man flashed her an evil grin and let me go, searching for something else to steal. His eyes landed on the violin lying on the table across the room.

"No…" I whispered. The instrument had become one of my only friends over the years. It had been something that was always waiting for me at home after a long and hard day.

I changed the tune to a minor key, and something inside me broke as I remembered that day.

He strode out of the house, his rough, dirty, undeserving hands clutching the instrument. My mother cried into my shoulder as I watched him leave.

"It was the only thing I had left of your father…" she said.

"You have me."

She slowly looked up from my shoulder and smiled weakly. "That I do, Merlin. That I do."

I don't know how long I stood there; playing with everything I had in my heart. I could have stood there forever, I was so enraptured. But all good things come to an end, and this was no exception.

I was broken out of my reverie by the sound of whimpering across the room, and I opened my eyes to see the nobleman, hunched over and crying. Behind him was a very shocked looking Arthur.

"Merlin?!"

Immediately I took the violin off my shoulder. I didn't know if I should be embarrassed, afraid, confused…. "I'm sorry milord. That was out of line." I moved to put the violin back, but the man held up a hand.

"Wait. Keep playing."

Now I was very confused, but I obediently lifted the instrument back into position. Before I started playing I snuck a quick glance at Arthur, who was staring open-mouthed at me. Trying to forget the discomfort, I started to play the same song as before. When I finished, the noble smiled sadly.

"My son used to play that song."

Used to. Suddenly I understood. "And oh, no… this was his violin, wasn't it? I'm so extremely sorry! I didn't mean to play it, it just sort of… happened?" I shrugged tentatively.

Arthur briefly rolled his eyes, and then his expression turned back into that of a fish out of water.

"No, please. My son would have wanted someone to play it. It's just been sitting here all these years since he died."

"Thank you for not getting angry then, sir. It's a beautiful instrument." I moved to set it down once more.

"What's your name, boy?"

The question surprised me, but I answered anyways. "Merlin, sir."

"Well then, Merlin. I've been meaning to find some way to put this violin to use. What would you say if I asked you to take care of it for me?"

My pulse quickened with excitement. "I'd say yes, sir! Yes with all my heart."

"Then it is yours."

I grinned. "Really?"

"Really. Only, come play it for me sometime, would you? I miss hearing it."

"Of course. Milord, you have no idea what this means to me! Thank you very, very much."

He smiled at my reaction. "You're very welcome, Merlin. One question though. Who taught you to play?"

"My mother. She taught me when I was younger, but a man took our violin after I'd only had it five years. It had been my fathers."

The man's jaw dropped. "You mean to say that you'd only played for five years? And you haven't touched an instrument since when, exactly?"

"It's been a little over a decade, sir."

"Well, young man, it turns out you are very talented!" He smiled at me and I swore that Arthur could have fainted. "Oh! You won't be able to bring it all the way back to Camelot like that… Here, I'll get you the case."

"Why was it sitting out?"

"I couldn't bear to put it away, I suppose. It holds a special place in my heart." He helped me put the violin in the case and stroked it one last time. "Take care of it, would you?"

"Yes, sir." I said through a grin.

Arthur didn't say a word until we were halfway to Camelot.

"You were pretty good."

That caught me off guard. "Hmm?"

"You sounded pretty good back there. I mean, I don't really know anything about music, but…"

"Thanks."

"Why didn't you ever tell me you used to play?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I didn't think it was real important, I guess."

He snorted. "You held that thing as comfortably as I a sword, yet you didn't think it was important?"

I grinned. "Finally, to have a talent compared to your swordsmanship… I've been waiting a long time for that!" Arthur was about to retort when I continued. "It's music, though. It doesn't save lives, or win battles, or anything really significant like a sword."

He shrugged. "I thought it was beautiful." Chuckling, he continued. "Hey Merlin? Next time we ride into battle you could motivate us with your touching music. I can just see you, standing up high on a rock in the middle of the battlefield, boosting our morale." He made a very sloppy impression of moving a bow across a violin.

I laughed with him. "Nah, I think I'll just stick to playing to empty rooms."

"Merlin? There is no way that is going to happen."

"Fine… I might play for someone once and awhile."

"Deal." He stuck out his hand and I reached over to shake it, but not without sliding painfully off my horse.

"Ow!"

Arthur just rolled his eyes and held my horse's reins as I got back on.

All the way home I had to listen to Arthur's incessant "plans".

"You know, listening to you play is going to be a very pleasurable way to wake up every morning."

"Hey, I distinctly remember saying that I'd play for you 'once and awhile'."

"I am your king, Merlin! I can order you to play for me every morning." He had a very triumphant look on his face.

"Like I've never ignored your orders before."

His face fell, but soon more questions were being asked.

"So… Do you know any holiday songs?"

"Yes."

"What's the hardest song you've ever played?"

"Mom never taught me the names of many of the tunes I know."

"Do you know the names of the holiday songs at least?"

"Yes, most of them. Now please, Arthur-"

"Do you know how to play 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia?"

I just rolled my eyes and spurred my horse to go a little faster; resulting in a race that Arthur won. (surprise!)

"Rematch?" he asked, his ego getting bigger by the second.

"Sure. I'll meet you up in your chambers in a half an hour- you'll need to bring your violin- and we'll see who is better."

He frowned. "I meant another race, clotpole."

"Hey! That's my word!"

"Just… go take care of the horses, will you?"

I smiled and grabbed the reins, pulling the horses in the direction of the stables. Things are about to get a little more interesting around here.

Sorry, I never really explained why exactly Arthur was at the nobleman's house… consider it laziness, not a plot hole XD. And with The Devil Went Down to Georgia,I just couldn't help putting it in there even considering that the song wasn't written yet. I can't help but wonder if I'm the only violinist who's been asked whether they can play it or not multiple times... Please be kind in your reviews-I'm only thirteen- but I'd love some constructive criticism!