So this be my first chapter of this little story, hope you enjoy.
"Merlinnnn Time to wake up!" Merlin moaned trying to block out his friends voice. "Merlin" He rolled over and used half the pillow to cover the ear not pressed against the bed. "Get up you pillock!" When merlin made no sign of moving the voice stopped making Merlin stupidly believed he had won. Relaxing slightly he sighed contently into his pillow, before the cosy warmth of the quilt was ripped off him. A girlish yelp escaped his mouth
"Piss off will, I'm tired" He moaned into his pillow curling his body up hugging his legs trying to keep some heat
"Wish I could mate, but your going to your going to miss your train if you don't get up now" Wills voice replied rather reluctantly, looking down to his best friend who would soon be leaving. Suddenly remembering how significant today was merlin sat bolt upright. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"what's the time?"
"5am"
"You can piss right off!" Merlin growled falling back down. 5Am what the hell did will take him for ? A bat?
"Get up you oaf!" Merlin found himself being forcefully dragged from his bed letting out a shriek. he fell to the floor, his backside aching from the fall.. Glaring at his friend he finally stood up stretching out in a rather cat like manner"Get ready, your mum wants us to be having breakfast at half past and then at the station by 7:00" Doing a small nod merlin slowly walked over to the chair placed in the room. He grabbed his clothes he had laid out. "Hurry up merlin!"
"alright alright, don't get your knickers in a twist!" With that merlin reluctantly went into the bathroom dreading the feel of water on his cold, morning skin. The water lashed cruelly onto his skin, forgetting that the hotel shower needed a minute to warm up. The boy sighed as It slowly got hotter. His mind reeling about what laid ahead of him. He tried telling himself he wasn't nervous but it was pointless, he felt sick with nerves. Never being anywhere without Will since he was 4 meant even if they didn't fit in where they were he still had someone to talk to. When they got older they grew apart, not in the sense of no longer friends obviously since they still follow each other around like ferrets in love and to be honest constantly cuddle like cats that have been dropped on there heads at least 5 times a day. Will loved the small town they lived in, and in some ways so did Merlin but he had outgrown it quickly, people in the town realising he was different. The only people who really knew the extent of how different he was where his mother and will. The thing is Merlin wanted to go to university, to get a job and get out of Ealdor where as Will was perfectly content staying in Ealdor for the rest of his days sleeping with everything that past through the town until he would reach an early death from the excessive drinking and smoking. Truth is, they had grown up a lot from wanting to be Dragon tamers and Fire fighters.
"BOY WONDER! Hurry up!" Wills voice screamed through the door and Merlin couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness knowing it would be the last time in at least a while that he would be screamed at by Will for
taking to long in the shower
using most of the time in the shower singing to himself or thinking then spending the last two minutes in a mad dash to actually get himself clean.
It's true he thought a lot, most of the time about ridiculous things because that's what Merlin's life was..Ridiculous. But no amount of ridiculous could prepare him for the next 24 hours. He would make 2 new friends, he would fall over at least 4 times, get hit in the head by a bag, be walked over by a rich pompous idiot, get completely sloshed, miss 9 calls from his best friend, pass out in the rain, wake up with a hangover that would even make Lindsay Lohan cringe and most importantly meet and insult the Prince of Wales. Of course he had no idea of any of these things yet as he still had 24 hours to do them, although most would be done in the latter of 18 hours. To say Merlin had under estimated the first day he would have would be a pretty drastic understatement.
Stepping out of the cab merlin dragged his suitcase behind him. Entering the busy station he looked round to his mum and will. His mum engulfing him in a bone crushing hug as tears started to run down her face
"Have a safe journey, I know you must be nervous but you'll make lots of new friends quickly I promise." He couldn't help but remember back to when he was 5 entering school for the first time, clinging to his mums leg as she tried to shake him off to his new teacher, luckily will had been there on the other leg or he would have felt like a right idiot. Will pushed merlin's mother out the way giving her a little smirk as he did so before giving him a tight hug.
"Good luck mate. I'll call you in 5 hours when your meant to be there. Don't get to distracted by all the fit blokes" Merlin gave an awkward chuckle when Will said this, he'd only resonantly found out that merlin 'liked it hard rough and up the arse' as Will had so delicately put it and thank god taken it well, unlike the rest of the people merlin knew who immediately took to calling him faggot and giving him a hard time. Morons
"See you later Will, Make sure my mums happy alright?" Will nodded and merlin quickly took his ticket out giving both one last hug and a small goodbye he slid his ticket into the slit grabbing it as it came out seconds later and walked through the barrier.
"DON'T GET TO DRUNK!" Merlin turned to his friend laughing as his mum rolled her eyes but had a small smile on her face through the tears and Merlin swore he could hear her sobbing about one of her boys being all grown up before she grabbed Will and pulled him into a hug, him flailing awkwardly. He had tried to tell them he didn't need them to come down to London with him, that they couldn't afford it but neither listened and both had decided it was better to get a plane to London and stay in a cheep hotel for the night. Which, although he appreciated, he felt bad making them spend money they didn't have to see him off.
Merlin never went anywhere back home without his ipod and headphones, so it only seemed natural to him that he should bring them to uni with him and once he was away from his mum and basically adopted brother he put them on and turned it to full volume.
So there he was, running through the station. Plastic coffee cup in one hand. Bag in the other his others bags swinging around his shoulders. Headphones around his neck Ipod wire swinging around in front of him, slowly coming further and further out his pocket. He managed to jump through one of the closing doors dragging his stuff after him, stumbling over as the train jogged into action he laid panting in a pile of his stuff watching as an old woman tutted at a couple across the aisle kissing. He could hear "in too deep" Playing from his headphones so quickly pulled his ipod out and flicked it off. Shoving his bags in a small space in the luggage rack he began to search for a seat. After almost tripping 3 times he decided it was safer to just sit down. A girl with wavy black hair was stood struggling to get her bag into the overhead space, rocking slowly with the train. so merlin quickly marched forward
"Need a hand?"She spun round her hair whipping him in the face. Giving him a once over she gave a small nod
"Yes please" The girl replied floating down into her seat. after easily pushing the bag above there heads he smiled at her when another bag smashed him round the head making him trip over. Looking up clutching his head he saw a middle aged man grumpily standing over him muttering about him being in the way before the took a long stride,hurdling over Merlin.
"Are you okay?" The girl had stood once again and was holding out her hand. Merlin quickly grabbed it and she helped him up
"yeah, fine, I'm always falling over and hitting my head and breaking stuff...Mind if I take this seat?" He asked motioning to the one next to hers. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to do a clumsy rant before asking for a seat.
"Go ahead." Merlin quickly pulled himself into the seat next to her "He was a grumpy git wasn't he?" She said tentatively, nodding the direction the old man had went. Merlin did a small laugh and nodded. There was a short awkward silence to which merlin wondered whether or not to start talking to the girl.
"so..Where are you headed ?"
"To my new uni..it's orientation week" She had a dopey smile on her face. "you?"
"Same...this is probably wrong but..Albion?" Merlin questioned, a hopeful look deep in his eyes.
"Are you stalking me?" She replied in a light tone making Merlin laugh
"Wouldn't you like to know" He replied give a little wink with one of his ridiculously blue eyes "I'll take that as a yes to Albion. I'm going there too" He finished, The girl looked to him face suddenly lighting up
"Really ? That's so cool ? Where bout's are you going to be staying, I'm staying in Sidhes hall. It's a shared room are you in a shared room. Or are you in a single room. Do you have your own apartment up there? Are you rich is that why you have an apartment? Can I move in? I don't really want a shared room I'd pay rent. What course are you taking ? I'm taking art history, it looks like so much fun I can't wait" she spoke fast without breathing.
"uhh..I'm staying in Kilgharrah's Hall. it's gunna be a shared room. I kinda wanted a single I'm a bit of a weird sleeper so it would be less awkward when I started talking or something but we couldn't even afford a shared so there was no way a single was an option. So that's a no to your next few questions, sorry and I'm taking biology, it looks like an amazing course" A shy smile was now on her face realising how much she had asked through Merlin's answers
"I'm Guinevere by the way..But my friends call me Gwen" She said whilst holding out a hand
"I'm Merlin" Merlin said quickly taking her hand and giving it a fast shake
"Very funny" She snapped, obviously not impressed "I know,I know my names from the whole king Arthur and Merlin story but seriously..I'm Gwen"
"And seriously I'm Merlin" He said with a laugh, After a few minutes of trying to convince Gwen that he wasn't joking about his name, he rolled his eyes and dismissed the subject.
"So Gwen...Art history? What's that all about ?" Gwen opened her mouth to start explaining art history when the train lurched slightly as they turned a corner and one of the last stragglers trying to find a seat fell over, his body sprawled across Merlin and Gwen's laps
"sorry mate" He said quickly trying to pull himself back up.
"Are you okay?" Gwen asked quickly looking at him worried as he gave another stumble. Merlin couldn't help but notice she seemed like a very sweet and caring person.
"Yeah fine thanks, neither of you are hurt are you ? I don't suppose having a man fall on you can be a particularly nice thing to happen" Merlin thought he phrased that the wrong way and a small smile formed on his face. His eyes tracing the man in front of him. He looked like he would be an inch or so shorter than merlin but was obviously more muscular, 'isn't everyone' came Wills mocking voice in the back of Merlins mind. Clean dark brown hair fell to just above his shoulders, he gave It occasional flicks whilst talking or looking for somewhere to sit that made him look like he was in a l'oreal advert. He wore faded grey jeans and a red bowling for soup top, a leather looking jacket over that. Over all,he looked good.
"You can sit here if you want" Merlin piped up as he was still peering round looking for a free seat
"love to , but there is only two seat's and there full genius" The man said with a playful smile.
"We can squish up and you can sit on the end..or in the middle. I can't see you finding a seat at the moment" Merlin stated
"I'm not going to sit on the edge of a seat" He said with a small snort, but he had a look that made Merlin think he was only saying it for the fear of tumbling off.
"well You could always sit on my lap" Merlin joked, not expecting what happened next. The guy quickly sat down on his lap
"Cheers mate. When your legs get tired just say and I'll move onto the ladies. I'm Gwaine by the way" Gwen and merlin laughed quickly introducing there names
"Guinevere and merlin ? What is this ? That sword in the stone ?"
"shut it"
"Your legs hurting yet buddy?" He asked turning slightly to look at Merlin
"nope"
"you just saying that so I don't sit on your girlfriend ?"
"he's not my boyfriend..We just met" Gwen corrected quickly
"Yeah.. I mean there's no way I'd go out with someone called Gwen."
"what's wrong with the name Gwen?" She gasped looking hurt
"Nothing! I just..people joke about that name merlin enough..they find out I'm going out with a Guinevere and I'll never live it down 'oi merlin how could you steal Arthur's woman' blah blah blah.. it'd just be annoying"
"Come on..your name's not seriously merlin" She scolded
"it is, I swear..I promise! if you come in with me to find my room when I'm getting my key. I'll have to announce my real name then which is merlin... Merlin Emrys" Gwen gave merlin a sceptical look
"If you just met..how come your inviting her to see your bedroom ?" Gwaine asked laughing when Merlin tried to stutter that wasn't what he had meant and Gwen flushed a brilliant red"merlin,mate I'm joking. Where you going then ? how come you need to collect a key to your room?"
"We're both going to Albion uni" Gwen answered smiling
"Same. Staying in Killy's building, have to share a room." A huge smile formed on merlin's face
"Killys?..as in Kilgharrah's?" Gwaine nodded "same. Maybe we'll be sharing a room" A smile formed on Gwaine's face at this thought.
"Even if not it'll be cool to at least know one person in the building when my room-mate turns out to be a dick..
"You don't know that! you could have a great room-mate" Gwen suggested
"Well..if I don't, would you object to me sleeping in your room? I'm sure I could give you something in return" Gwaine muttered to Gwen with a wink. She flushed a violent red and mumbled something about how she doesn't think her room-mate would appreciate it making Merlin and Gwaine laugh. They ended up talking most of the way, after a few hours they had switched to a four seater. Finally 5 hours many small arguments, badly sung nursery rhymes, yellow cars, spilt cups of coffee, squashed sandwiches, pees and stops later they arrived at Albion train station.
"Should we share a cab ? We can drop Gwen of at Sidhe' then go to carry on to Kilgharrah's?"
"Sure" Gwaine said with a shrug. Gwaine tried to get a taxi whilst Merlin and Gwen traded numbers.
Albion university was large, and somewhere up north all though Merlin didn't really know where except up north. It was placed in the centre of a relatively Large town called Camelot and was about a 10 minute walk from the beach. Along the promenade next to the beach where many clubs, bars and fish and chip shops open at night where as during the day it was a place for family's and university students. Small café's, sweet shops and pound stores all selling beach things like little boats and arm bands. These all faced the sea where some small stalls would occasionally be put up selling fresh fish or ice-cream. A little play ground laid next to the beach with a large paddling pool and a volleyball court next to that. Between the lovely picturesque view of the seafront there where small lanes, shops lining either side selling clothes, jewellery, antiques and even a little game shop which sold action figures and games like war hammer. The university was closed in by a wall. Just tall enough to make it extremely important with out the prison look. The building looked old but majestic and a little bit like Hogwarts from certain angles. Inside where twists turns, dark corridors no one had used in centuries, secret passages (although none had found them yet but it was only a matter of time) beautiful curving staircases. Intracutlly designed curling ceilings, cobble stoned floors that echoed when you walked on them. Large lecture halls as well as smaller classrooms and extended labs. As well as a huge library, thousands upon thousands of books filled into shelves, some to high to reach. Some untouched for years and have a thick layer of dust over them. Over all everything about the town was grand to people like Merlin who came from places with only 2 or 3 pubs and a junior school then a joint secondary school and sixth form.
Merlin looked down to his key. Headphones in once more '1985' playing loudly as Gwaine babbled on about something not really caring that Merlin wasn't listening at all. Merlin peered from his key saying 27 EW to Gwaine's which held 30EW on it. He smiled and followed the long haired man around as he searched for his room. Merlin found his and waved Gwaine a short goodbye before pushing the key into the door and throwing it open. A man he guessed would be his room-mate stood by one bed looking as if he was ordering two others around, another was sitting on a bean bag chair. The one ordering had blonde hair, which as cliché as it sounded, was glistening beautifully in the sunlight that streamed through the large windows. One of the ones who was being ordered around was around 6"3, had bulging muscles, short hair obviously shaved of a lot to be kept at a few millimetres long. A man with medium length wavy hair was helping move stuff whilst being ordered around. He was very professional in the way he kept a straight face, nodding as orders shot at him, unlike the other one he wasn't particularly muscular but considering Merlins small frame he was sure that if he didn't have magic if they got in a fight merlin would lose. The other man sitting on the chair looked more approachable, laughing loudly. He had a friendly smile that fitted him. He also had short hair like the body builder and tanned skin.
"Oi Arthur" The man ordering turned to him and Merlin quickly pulled his headphones of pausing the music.
"Room-mate" Merlin grunted dumbly. The others had stopped to watch Merlin interact with the blond one. After a second Of silence he supposed he should introduce himself "I'm Merlin" He said holding out a hand. The man shook it quickly before whipping his hands on his obviously designer jeans
"This is Percy, Leon and Elyan" Merlin gave each one a nod as the man pointed. "that one can be your bed" Merlin nodded dragged his stuff towards the bed nothing was on and threw his bags on it. After gulping he turned round to see them all still staring at him.
"You never said your name" Merlin said awkwardly, the blond man's lips curved upwards and the four men began laughing as if Merlin had said the best joke they had ever heard.
"good one" He said finally stopping laughing smiling gleefully
"I..Don't get it" Merlin couldn't help but feel he was missing something pretty major right now. Four eye brows shot up at him and merlin gave an awkward smile "so..what's your name?"
"You don't know who I am?" The blond sneered
"no..should I?" This was obviously the wrong thing to say. As his face contorted.
"Have you lived under a rock for your entire life or are you just stupid" He snapped
"Listen Prat, stop act like your the king you arrogant clot-pole!" Merlin spat back. Percy clenched his fists, his arms bulging and Leon stood up straighter. Looking slightly like he was about to pull out a gun and shot Merlin. Elyan however raised an eyebrow and looked like he was about to laugh
"So you're an idiot" Merlin opened his mouth to talk but was cut of by the blonde douche "Do you have any idea what I could do to you for calling me a..a clot-pole Whatever that is!"
"Look who's an idiot now. You don't even know what clot-pole means ! Everyone knows clot pole" Okay that may be a lie I made it up, but he doesn't need to know that Merlin though angrily
"I'm sure in your council estate they do"
"I live in a village you posh sod" The man tensed up.
"Stop insulting me!"
"Stop making me insult you by being an arrogant twat!" He opened his mouth, red looking like he was about to scream when Gwaine swaggered into the room.
"Merlin let's hit the pub! oh.. Hello princess" Gwaine said with a mock bow. Throwing Merlin a wink.
"Who the hell are you and why are you in my room!" blondie seethed.
"I'm coming for Merlin. Don't get your royal knickers in a twist" For a second Merlin was sure that blondie was going to punch Gwaine before he let out an actual growl
"Were going" He barked at his friends before they all started leaving the room.
"good bye your highness" Gwaine mocked doing a small curtsey.
"Wait, I still don't know your name!"
"Arthur..Prince Arthur of Wales" Merlin's mouth fell open as interviews, Christmas day kings speeches and photo shoot shot through his head all of blondie standing next to the King with headings of Prince Arthur. He began to leave Gwaine jumping on his bed and picking up a signed rugby ball that was on his bed side table when he popped back in
"Now there are rules.
you sell no stories to the press you do I'll have you hanged
You don't eaves drop you do I'll have you drawn
You do not touch my stuff You do I'll have you quartered (He gave a sharp look to Gwaine who threw the ball back on the table
You never call me a Prat or Clot-pole again you do and it'll be all of the above"
Merlin gave a small nod. Trying not to break down his heart thumping. Of course he didn't know that he would call Arthur a prat and clot-pole at least 4 times a day in the near future and it would be seen as a term of endearment with Arthur responding with his own terms such as idiot.
"what a twat" Gwaine said loudly when the door was closed, so loudly in fact merlin was expecting Gwaine to get a letter the next day saying when his execution would be "when I heard he was coming I'd hope I'd never have to see him. Hate authority figure's all such arrogant tossers. You really drew short straw with the room-mate, even if mines a boring sod, should've seen him, already doing work. I mean classes haven't even started!" Gwaine informed merlin sounding exasperated.
"oh no no no no. I just.. I called the PRINCE a PRAT! I'm going to be murdered
"Maybe, text Gwen lets go check out the pubs" Merlin looked to Gwaine thinking he might be joking but seeing the look on his face meant he was obviously serious. Luckily he was use to Will who, like Gwaine shoved away topics he didn't want to talk about very unsubtly saying they should go get baked. Which usually worked quite well. Merlin pulled out his phone and texted Gwen. Who quickly responded.
"that smells foul" Gwen mumbled looking down at her jager shot in disgust.
"On the count of three then ?" Gwen and Gwaine nodded at Merlin suggestion "1, 2, 3"
"To uni!" Gwaine yelled cheerfully downing his shot and smiling. Merlin and Gwen followed his lead with a mumble of 'to uni' before downing there shots. Gwen pulling ridiculous faces at the taste and merlin looking around for more shots.
"Let's go mingle with some people ! You know..Act like real students" Gwen urged excitedly.
"If you want to act like real student's I believe about 40 more shots are needed" Gwaine joked and Gwen did a little sigh but told Gwaine to go buy some more, Merlin went instead tripping over on his way back and apologising to people awkwardly before running and buying 2 shots for himself downing one quickly then bringing the other's over there's downing his second hoping the embarrassment would drown in the alcohol. After at least 5 more shots and a few beers each Gwen grabbed Merlin and Gwaine's hands
"LET'S DANCE!" She screamed ecstatically before trying to drag them to the dance floor. They were about to awkwardly decline when another drunk girl came and pulled Gwen to the dance floor without them.
"I don't think the little lady can handle her liquor"
"She did alright"
"I dunno, maybe I'm just immune to drink now..I can drink anyone back in Ireland under the table" He mused happily making merlin smirk
"Bet you couldn't drink me under the table" Merlin said arrogantly. Ignoring an excited scream of woo coming from Gwen who was dancing crazily, curly hair flying.
"challenge accepted"
Merlin would never know why he thought it was a good idea to get into a drinking competition with someone who wasn't even slightly rosy cheeked after 6 shots and 3 beers. Nor why he refused to back down. That was how he ended up spending his first night at Albion lying on a bar table random drinks being poured into the beer bong as he chugged them down,laughing as he got a horribly drunk Gwen to do a suicide shot, ignoring his phone vibrating madly, almost staring a bar fight with Gwaine against two 6'5 blokes, dancing shirtless covered in glitter and glow in the dark jewellery to I gotta feeling whilst trying to teach people how to break dance. Which is one of the many things merlin isn't very good at...at all and finally trying to stumble back to his dorm, interrupting a drug deal in the lanes and passing out in the rain on the way back, Gwaine picking him up and stumbling back, walking into lots of walls and lamppost on the way. All the time he didn't know his new room-mate and the man who would one day be his king was watching the large eared buffoon the whole time a grimace trying to stay on his face but the corners of his mouth would turn up occasionally when he was sure no one was looking. Leaving merlin only one thing left to do on his first 24 hours of uni list and that was wake up stupidly hungover...To say his first day was an interesting one would be a pretty major understatement.
Camelot is kind of set on a place i visited last summer called Brighton. It's in the south of england and was kind of cute just with pebbly beaches and drunk old men but yeah. I just liked the seaside town with pubs and fish and chips in the night then little sweet shops at day time you know.
Anyway hope you enjoyed more up soon