The room was plain. Four walls a bed, a bookcase, a table and a chair. It wasn't colour coded or matched at all. The bed was covered with o flower patterned comforter, red and blue pillows, with grey and purple curtains. The table was empty except for an old flower vase. The book case was the only thing in the room that seemed used. It was filled with books, books of all sizes. The young woman in the doorway looked at it with disgust.
"My parents hate me." She said aloud as she entered the room. A young man with dark brown hair, grey sapphire coloured eyes, and a red shirt entered behind her carrying two black oversized suitcases. He let them fall to the ground next to the bed.
"I wonder why." He murmured.
The woman twirled away from the window, "What?"
"Nothing. I have to go back to work. Please make yourself at home. I'll probably be back around five." With that he turned around and disappeared out the door. The woman turned back to the window and opened the curtains. Light streamed into the room, making it look much brighter than before. She then walked to the closet against the wall and opened it. Inside was a full length mirror covered in a thin layer of dust. The woman turned sideways and looked at her reflection. She lifted her left hand and cradled her still flat tummy.
"Don't worry little one. We will be safe her and I promise that no one will hurt you or take you away from me." She turned back to face the mirror. Her black hair flowed down behind her back in curls, her green eyes stood out against her pale skin; she was wearing a black silk shirt with jeans ripped at the left ankle and dark combat boots.
The fridge only contained left over pepperoni pizza and a half empty bottle of milk. Locating a plate in one of the cupboards she took a slice of the pizza and heated it in the microwave. She pulled her face in disgust as she slowly started picking of the pepperoni. When the pizza was cleared she took a small bite but almost immediately spat it out. She took the plate and dumped it in the sink.
"Great, guess they want us to starve here in the middle of nowhere." She decided to head back to her room to finish unpacking.
"What are in these?" Merlin asked as he put the large paper bags down with a huff. Gaius looked up from the papers he was reading.
"Oh they finally came!" he grabbed one of the bags, opened it and took out a large brown covered book, "This, my dear boy, is history. Myths and legends of old times."
Merlin shook his head, "I should have known. While you're enjoying your history, I need to speak to Dion. I'll be back in a few."
Gaius waved a hand and Merlin left the office heading to the psych ward of the medical centre. Most people would have called this place a hospital or something, but it was so much more. It had a hospital section, but it also had a research facility regarding medicine, the psych ward was for people with mental problems. There was psychologist, social workers, a research centre for psychiatric illnesses and a small rehab centre. The only entrance for the whole complex was right in the middle. If you enter the grounds and went straight forward you will walk right into the Hospital. On the left was the psych ward and on the right the medical research centre. The tree sections were only connected by a passage way at the back of the three buildings and only personal were allowed to use it. The door in front of which Merlin stopped had a golden plaque in the middle. It read 'Doctor Deon King, clinical psychologist'. Merlin knocked once, and almost instantly the door was thrown open.
"Merlin, come in! How are you? Is Gaius treating you well? Or have you decided to change careers? A doctor can be so boring!" Dion said with a bright smile. He pulled Merlin toward his table where he pushed a large heap of papers into his hand. Merlin followed him to his filling cabinet.
"No thank you, I'll stay with the boring doctors. I actually came to ask a favour. But it's kind of...personal?"
"Don't tell me you're having cold feet?" Dion said as he arranged the files Merlin was handing him.
"No! My feet are very warm. My cousin is staying with me, and although I don't know her, at all. I was hoping you could maybe have a talk with her or something."
Dion stopped what he was doing and looked at Merlin, "Why?"
"She has had a kind of weird and difficult life. Her mother died a few years ago, but even before that she had spent six months at an asylum. Her father had tried to look after her but now that she's out of school, she refuses to do anything. So they sent her to me, hoping that a small, quiet town might do the trick. And she's about two months pregnant. She has no money, no job, we have no idea who the father is and she refuses to give the baby away for adoption."
"And you want me to talk her into it?" He sounded aghast.
"No! Just try to find out if she has a plan. I mean she can't stay with me forever. Her father has pretty much disinherited her."
"I'm not happy with this, but okay."
Merlin lit up in a smile, "Thank you!"
"I assume she will be at your house?" Merlin nodded and Dion continued. "My appointments only start at twelve. I'll head over and go welcome her to our dainty old town."
"Brilliant. I had my mother email her files to you. You should have it by now."
Dion shook his head and went over to his laptop. He pressed a few buttons before the printer started whirring. As it printed he started reading.
"Morgana Ward. Interesting name."
Merlin gave a sigh and fell into one of the empty chairs in the room, "Please don't start with your Arthurian myths again. We are not Arthurian legend reincarnated."
"You young people have no imagination."
"Haha."
"What I say is the truth. And I mean, just last night our king returned."
Merlin opened his eyes and looked at the doctor.
"You should start paying more attention to what happens in this town. Last night a young man was found in the lake. Almost drowned. Seems like he was in a car accident and had a few sips before driving. Can't remember a thing. No idea who he is or what he's doing here. Only knows one thing. His name; Arthur Pendra."
Merlin got up from his chair. "Well that is just wonderful now isn't it? Now we can have a play and we can just play our namesakes. I should get back to Gaius. Thanks again for Morgana." With that he left the room. Dion looked at the file again before grabbing his keys from the table.
Morgana had made herself comfortable on one of the sofas. Her cousin didn't seem to care much for sunlight. So had gone through the trouble of opening all the windows and curtains. She had moved the sofa right in front of the window. The sunlight shone directly on her exposed tummy, on which she was drawing patterns with her fingers. Dion had knocked but no one had entered. He took a chance and to his luck the door wasn't locked. She looked up as he entered the room.
"Morgana." Her name sounded like a statement.
"Who are you and what do you want."
"Excuse my manners. I'm Dion king, a colleague of Merlin."
"You're a doctor." She went back to drawing on her tummy.
"Yes." He hesitated. "Kind of."
She looked back at him. "Social worker?"
"No, Psychologist."
"What a surprise. Let me guess you're checking up on us?"
Dion pulled one of the armchairs toward Morgana. "That is why I was sent but I came with other intentions."
"Oh and what are they?"
"I read your file. You previous doctor made a note here that you already have name for your child."
"Yes I do but that is none of your businesses. But please do inform me to you true intentions of this wonderful visit."
"I came to inform you that my loyalty still lies with you, Lady Morgana."
Morgana went rigid, and possibly even paler. "Excuse me?"
"I know who we truly are, my Lady. Arthurian legends"
"That's bulshit."
"Really?"
She kept quite a few seconds. "So we are Arthurian legends, well I certainly remember my name in the stories, but I don't remember any 'Dion's' around." She said with a smile.
"No but there was an Odin."
She looked him in the eye's but couldn't see any lies so she turned back to face the window. "Does Merlin know?"
"Oh defiantly not. I don't even think he knows who he truly is."
"He doesn't?" he voice was full of surprise. "Are you sure?"
"Fairly certain. To be honest I actually think we are the only ones who know."
"How? How can you be certain?"
"Well mostly because of Merlin's relationship with the reincarnation of Guinevere. And the fact that the man I believe to be Arthur arrived, and Merlin showed no signs of relief of any kind."
"Arthur is here?"
"Yes, came last night. Merlin trusts me. Let me help you. And we can both get the revenge we deserve."
"Fine. But don't do anything. Not now."
"Why not?"
"I thought your loyalty was with me. So do not question me. Understand? Tell me does Merlin show signs of magic?"
"I have tried to make him use it but I don't think so."
"Good. We're still save for now."
"Merlin?" Gaius came into the office to see his intern lying on his back, surrounded by stationary and blank papers.
"I slipped."
"I already regret my decision."
"Decision?" Merlin asked as he was pulled to his feet.
"Yes the one where I was planning on giving you your own patient."
"Really?" he stopped trying to pick up the stationary, "Thank you!"
Gaius shook his head. "Here is his file. Go do a check up, and then have him return at least ones before he leaves town. Ensure that he has no brain or damage to his lungs. Drowning can do weird things."
"Drowning? Great my first patient is a drunken guy who drove into the lake. Yeah."
"It is serious. He has no idea who he is or where he comes from. We know his name, and that is it. Check for previous injuries. He needs to stay at least one more night but after that he should either be moved to the psych ward or get released. I want you to consider the possibilities, circumstances, his mental and physical conditions, and come to a conclusion. Bring it to me, tomorrow morning, and if I agree you can continue to get more patients."
"Thank you Gaius. You are the best!" he grabbed the file and after looking at the room number, left the office. The patient was in ICU, mostly for observation. Merlin started reading the incident report, when he entered the room he noticed the man was still sleeping, so he continued reading. After a few seconds he heard a soft groan, but intrigued by the report of how Arthur was resurrected he didn't look up immediately. When he finished he looked up straight into shocking blue eyes, partially covered by bangs of dirty blond hair. Arthur had a light skin tone and a small cut at the side of his cheek, right next to his ear; it had brand new stitches and still red at the sides. He noticed this all in the same moment, but his eyes locked Merlin. For a second he saw those exact same eyes, looking up at him, whispering "thank You".
He stepped back and took a deep breath. Arthur looked at him for a few seconds.
"Well are you going to help me or not?"
Merlin rushed forward to help Arthur to get up and out of his bed. He had bandages around his torso and another cut with stitches on his upper left arm. The moment he touched him, shockwaves spread through his hands to the rest of his body. He stepped back once again letting go of Arthur's arm. Arthur, not expecting this lost his balance and had to grab onto the bed to prevent himself from falling.
"What is wrong with you?" Arthur yelled in surprise.
"Sorry, I'm... I'm your uhm doctor. Merlin. Merlin Emrys. I'm still actually an intern but I am qualified to take care of you."
"Well you are doing a terrible job at it. You almost made me fell, don't you think I'm in enough pain?"
"Sorry. It won't happen again. You say you're in pain? Where exactly?"
"My whole body, Idiot!"
Merlin ignored the insult and looked at the X-rays in the file. He had two broken ribs and three fractures.
"I'll increase your pain medication. Can you please sit down?"
"If I don't want to?"
"I just want to do a check up."
Arthur looked at him a few seconds before falling back onto the bed. Merlin did his check up, careful not the touch the other man.
"You seem fine but you have to stay one more night. I'll come back tomorrow morning, to make sure nothing has changed."
"Fine, but I want food and not that crappy porridge stuff they gave me earlier. And I need some new clothes. I can't stay in this pathetic gown thing, for goodness sake."
Merlin again stood open mouth and stared at the man. "I'll see what I can do."
"Good, burgers and fries will do, maybe some cola too and don't forget the ketchup." With that he lied back on the bed and closed his eyes. "I'm starving here,"
"Oh, of course." He left the room still in a daze. Gaius wasn't in his office. So not really sure what to do he went down to cafe, at the front of the hospital. His mind going in circles up until a point where he started arguing with himself, out loud. Maybe he's tired, he knows he's been working late and the added stress of Morgana wasn't helping. Arthur eyes were probably just really pretty or something. O great now it sounds like he has a crush on the guy. He let out a loud grown and entered the room. Arthur was sitting up straight. "What took you so long? I must say you are a terrible doctor."
Merlin handed him his food. He opened it and looked at it with a sneer.
"This looks terrible." But he took a big bite.
Merlin left the room.
He finished all his rounds, all of his reports, went over Arthurs file, twice, and helped Gaius with some of his patients so when he finally left it was way past 11. He headed straight home. To his utter surprise all the windows and curtains where open. The lights were shining in every room and Morgana was lying on one of his sofas, which has also been moved. There was a vase he'd never seen before on his kitchen table with garden flowers in. Morgana didn't acknowledge him.
"So is everything fine?"
She gave him a smile, "Oh yes. Perfect. I'm pregnant, had a twelfth hour journey to the middle of nowhere, apparently sleep in a house that doesn't know the definition of hunger, eating or food and had a surprise visit by a psychologist. My father refuses to speak with me, I have no money and I'm stuck with you. See, all is perfect." Her voice was filled with sarcasm and disgust.
"Oh, sorry. I don't spent much time at home. I'll take of tomorrow then I can take you into town to buy some stuff and show you around. If you want."
She agreed and he went to bed. As soon as his head touched the pillow he was gone. Morgana also went to her room; in her bed she softly rubbed her tummy. "I'll take care of him, baby. He will not stand in our way again. We will rule the world. Morgana and Mordred." She whispered into the darkness that came with the night.