A black haired boy made his way through the throng of students. He had a large red rucksack on his back, which matched his scarf. His mother followed him, carrying his blue suitcase. They finally reached the large wooden doors. Merlin pushed one open with difficulty. The large foyer of Camelot Upper School was packed with students calling to each other, first years in groups clutching maps and school prefects marching about looking important. One prefect approached them.
"Hi." She said. "I'm Gwen, I'm a fourth year. Do you need any help?" She was about the same size as Merlin, with soft, brown curly hair and a nice smile. Her blazer had been rolled up at the sleeves, her shoes had a slight heel, so she clacked when she walked and her skirt was pulled up so only a few inches could be seen. On her wrist jangled a number of bracelets, Merlin could see at least three festival bands of varying ages. She was wearing light makeup which made her pale auburn skin glow. She was quite pretty, Merlin thought.
"Er… Yes please." Merlin said, rather nervously. Gwen smiled at him encouragingly. Emboldened, he continued. "I'm starting new this year. Fourth year, same as you. I transferred from Ealdor Secondary School and College." He waved a sheaf of papers at her. "I'm Merlin by the way." He offered her his hand, forgetting that it was full of papers. Gwen laughed.
"It's nice to meet you Merlin. You'll need to register." She told him. "I'll show you where. Are you a magic or non-magic student?"
"Magic." Merlin replied. Gwen led him to a desk with a small line of students in front of it. Merlin stood at the back with Gwen and his mother. While his mother chatted to Gwen, Merlin listened in to a conversation that three students were having in the line in front of him.
"Have you heard?" One girl said excitedly. "We've got a new teacher this year!" Another girl laughed scornfully.
"Of course I've heard Sophia!" She said. "Don't you know who it is?"
"Good old Nimueh, up with the gossip as usual!" Said the third, a boy with short blond curly hair. He looked a bit older than Merlin, though Merlin could only see his profile. "So tell us!" He pushed.
Nimueh smiled, obviously enjoying the attention. Her lips were encased in a violent purple lipstick and her hair was caught up in a blue turban, but a few hairs had escaped and Merlin could see from these that she was a brunette. She looked quite old for a student, in her final years at school Merlin guessed. She wore fishnet tights, slightly ripped for effect and had a short skirt on. Her blouse was fitted with the top buttons undone, revealing her cleavage and she wore her tie loose so it hung at chest height. She wore black military boots, she chewed gum and she had a scarlet satchel flung over one shoulder.
"Come on Nimueh, tell us!" said the younger girl, Sophia, who didn't seem to mind being put down by Nimueh. She wore her light brown hair down with braids and had a gold band across her forehead. She had rolled up her skirt and undone her top buttons on her blouse in an attempt to copy Nimueh, but Merlin could see that this would never be the case because she was much younger, in her second year or roundabouts and her buttery flight bag was stuffed with papers and books.
"Morgause." Said Nimueh finally. The boy gasped, but Sophia looked puzzled. "Yeah." Said Nimueh ignoring Sophia and evidently pleased by the boy's reaction. She did her training last year and now she's back! Head of magic too!" She blew a bubble with her gum nonchalantly.
"Who's Morgause?" Sophia asked. Nimueh looked away bored, so the blonde boy answered her. "She wasn't here last year, as Nimueh said, so you wouldn't know her. She was the best magic student in the school, and she's Morgana's half-sister… He trailed off. Nimueh was staring curiously at something. It took Merlin a couple of seconds to realise it was him.
"Well, well, well." Said Nimueh. "What do we have here? A newbie? What's your name?"
"Merlin." Merlin replied. The other two pupils who had been talking to Nimueh turned to face him and Merlin saw the other side of the boy's face. It was horribly scarred; lines like cobwebs ran across it in rivulets. The bumpy, calloused, slightly discoloured skin continued down his neck too and vanished beneath his collar. "What on earth happened to your face?" Merlin cried and then immediately clamped a hand over his mouth. How could he have been so rude? Gwen and his mother instantly turned round, Sophia's mouth opened in a wide 'O' and the boy's face turned hard. Nimueh however seemed rather amused.
"Merlin." Gwen took his arm and led him a little way from the queue. "That's Edwin. He got those scars when he was a child, in the fire that killed his parents. So be nice about it, and for goodness sake don't mention it to his face!" Merlin nodded vigorously and Gwen took him back to the line. "He didn't mean it." She told Edwin. "He's sorry, aren't you, Merlin?" she dug an elbow into his ribs.
"Ow! I'm sorry." Said Merlin. Edwin didn't look as though he believed him for a second, but luckily he was called to the front of the line and no more was said. Merlin sighed. It didn't look good, making enemies on his first day.
When he got to the front of the queue he handed in his papers and the woman called over a prefect to show him around. "This is Lancelot." She said. "He's a non-magic student, but he's in your year, and you will be having some normal classes, so it's possible you may have a class or two together. Don't forget: all parents and visitors off the premises by six. Dinner is at half past and lights out by ten. You'll get your timetable tomorrow at breakfast. Lessons start at nine." And with that she shooed him on his way. "Off you go too, Gwen." She said. "Look after more lost students." Gwen gave him a smile and a wave and vanished into the crowd.
Lancelot clapped him on the back. "Welcome to Camelot." He said. He looked at Merlin's mother with his suitcase. "Shall I show you to your dorm first?"
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Lancelot was ever so polite. He insisted on taking Merlin's suitcase from his long-suffering mother and he carried it up all six flights of stairs to the top landing. "Which room did you say you were in?" He asked.
"537" Merlin panted. He leant against a wall, breathing heavily. Lancelot hadn't even broken a sweat and he was carrying Merlin's heavy suitcase! His mother looked at him amused while Lancelot stared at him disbelievingly.
"Are you sure?" He asked. He checked Merlin's key. There it was, written clear as day. 537.
"Why?" asked Merlin. "What's wrong with that room?"
"Nothing's wrong with it!" Lancelot said hurriedly. "It's just that no one else has ever had that room."
"No one else?" prompted Merlin, but Lancelot refused to say another word on the matter.
Lancelot put Merlin's suitcase down in his room and gently but firmly led him out. After a tearful (on her part) farewell with his mother, Merlin left for his tour of the school with Lancelot. He was shown the gym, the dining hall, the library- "That's Mr Monmouth." Lancelot said in a whisper. "We call him old Geoffrey. But not to his face." –the classrooms, the caretaker's apartments, the headmaster's office, the staff room, the first aid room, the music and drama studios and finally led him outside to see the sports facilities. "I love sport." Announced Lancelot, as though it was news to Merlin. "Do you like sport, Merlin?" he asked.
"Erm… No." said Merlin, eyeing the javelins with apprehension.
"Shame." Said Lancelot, doing keepy uppys with a spare football he found in the shed.
"Where's the target?" Came a drawling voice from the other side of the shed.
"Uh oh." Said Lancelot in a low voice. He and Merlin crept quietly round to the other side to the shed to see what was going on. With their backs to them stood a crowd of boys. Their leader was a blond boy who was holding a bow and some arrows and was ordering a younger boy around.
"There?" suggested the small boy, holding up an archery target.
"Oh Morris." Said Lancelot sadly.
"It's into the sun." Said the blond boy.
"It's not that bright." Protested Morris.
"A bit like you then." Replied the blond boy. Laughter came from the other boys surrounding the blond one.
"Not his usual crowd." Commented Lancelot.
Morris sighed. "I'll move the target to the other end, shall I?" He said, picking up the target and walking across the field with it.
"Teach him a lesson!" One of the other boys cried.
"This'll teach him." Said the blond boy with satisfaction. He put an arrow in his bow and drew it back. Merlin gasped. Surely he wasn't going to… THWACK! The arrow hit the target, missing Morris.
"Hey!" Morris protested. "Hang on!"
"Don't stop!" The blond boy ordered. Morris moved the target a bit further away.
"Here?" He suggested.
"I told you to keep moving!" The blond boy repeated. He put another arrow in his bow. Morris gave a whimper and pulled the target up so it covered his face. THWACK! The arrow landed in the centre of the target. Merlin frowned. The boy had a good aim, but Morris' life was in danger. He had to do something. He moved out from behind the shed.
"Merlin! No!" Lancelot hissed and made a grab for him, but missed so he ducked back behind the shed. The boys were so preoccupied with their game they didn't notice Merlin.
"Come on!" The bond boy laughed. "Run!" Morris ran. "We want some moving target practice!" By now a crowd had gathered on the other side of the field. Merlin saw Gwen among them, looking disapproving. The blond boy kept shooting arrows at the target, hitting it every time, to gales of laughter from the boys with him.
Then Morris dropped the target. It rolled towards Merlin, who stopped it with his foot. Morris looked up at him.
"Hey." Merlin said the blond boy. "Come on, that's enough."
"What?" The blond boy replied.
"You've had your fun, my friend." Said Merlin.
The blond boy walked over to him. "Do I know you?" He asked.
"Er… I'm Merlin." Merlin said, holding out a hand for the blond boy to shake. The boy ignored it.
"So I don't know you?" He said. Merlin withdrew his hand.
"No." he replied.
"Yet you called me friend." The blond boy pointed out.
"That was my mistake." Merlin said coolly.
"Yeah, I think so." The blond boy said.
"Yeah…" Merlin agreed, shrugging. "I'd never have a friend who could be such an ass." He walked off. The blond boy laughed.
"Or I one who could be so stupid." He countered. Merlin stopped.
"Tell me Merlin." Said the blond boy, walking up behind him. "Do you know how to walk on your knees?"
Merlin turned to face him. "Nope." He replied.
"Would you like me to help you?" The blond boy offered.
"I wouldn't if I were you." Merlin warned.
"Why?" The blond boy asked. "What're you gonna do to me?"
"You have no idea." Merlin said levelly.
"Be my guest!" The blond boy challenged, opening his arms wide in a mock welcoming gesture. "Come on!" Merlin didn't react. "Come on!" The blond boy called again, looking around at the crowd. Merlin still didn't react. "Come on!" He teased, leaning slightly towards Merlin.
Merlin snapped. He drew his arm back and went for a punch but the blond boy caught his wrist with strong arms and pinned it behind his back. "I could put you in detention for that." He told Merlin.
"Who do you think you are?" Merlin cried. "The headmaster?"
"No." replied the boy. "I'm his son, Arthur." And with that he kicked Merlin in the back of the knees so he went down and walked off laughing.
A/N: Please review! It really makes me smile :) I started to write this story ages ago and then ran out of ideas. I do have a few more chapters in the pipeline and if people like this story, I'll post another one. I have no idea what pairings I want to do in this story, so vote for your favourite, and I might just make it happen ;)