The soft patter of rain on the windows made Merlin's heart ache. He stood at the window of his little room, looked out across the field to the tree where he and Will had sat just the evening before, and fidgeted with the red scarf his friend had given him. His bed was neatly made, his desk and shelf of books were straightened up, and a cozy looking chair sat in the corner, a quilt folded over its back-a quilt his mother had made him when he was five. He'd dragged it around the house nearly all the time-almost insisted on taking it with him to primary school. Merlin turned his eyes to the mottled pale brown carpet. His insides squeezed uncomfortably. How long would it be before he saw this place again?
"Merlin?" Hunith's voice called from down the hall. Merlin bit his lip.
"Coming, mum," he answered, but he didn't move. The rain trickled across his window in glistening rivulets. The room seemed empty. It seemed lonely.
"Merlin, we're going to be late if you don't hurry." Merlin tore his gaze away from the window and trudged down the hall, letting his rolling suitcase bump against his heels at every step. "Are you ready?" Hunith asked. He nodded, not meeting her eyes. She seemed to understand and said nothing more as they made their way out to the car.
Merlin kept his eyes fixed on the window while they drove. Hunith was quiet too, and for that he was grateful. He could feel a lump rising ever higher in his throat, and he didn't trust his voice. The gray skies seemed to mourn with him. Each house they passed on the way down the road reminded him of another person, another thing he was leaving behind: The neighborhood hot chocolate on Yule's Eve, setting of fireworks out in the field on Guy Fawkes day... Will. His friend had said good bye the night before and given him a quick, one armed hug before darting off down the street. Merlin had sat for hours after that, toying with the ends of his new red scarf and battling the fierce burning in his eyes. Thinking about Will made the lump in his throat start to hurt, so he pressed his forehead against the glass window and watched other cars pass by, looking at the occupants and wondering wether he was really alone... wether anyone else had his gift, wether they were as afraid as he was.
It took several minutes to park and even longer to navigate the airport and find Merlin's gate. Hunith began talking at length as she pressed Merlin's ticket into his hand and explained for the dozenth time where he was to go, what papers he would show security, where Gaius' house was, how to hail a cab, that Merlin was to give Gaius her letter.
"I'll be alright, mum," Merlin said when she finished. Hunith blinked at him, and for one alarming moment, Merlin thought she was going to cry.
"Oh, Merlin," she said softly, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close. Merlin felt as if his throat was going to completely close up and he'd never be able to speak again. He pulled back after a moment and scrubbed an arm fiercely across his eyes. "I know you will." Hunith murmured. She brushed a lock of hair back from his face. "I'm proud of you. I always have been." Merlin bit down hard on his tongue and nodded. A voice over the speakers was announcing his flight number. Other passengers were already forming a line at the gate. Hunith squeezed his shoulders gently. "I love you, Merlin."
"Love you too, mum." Merlin heard his voice tremble. He let go of his suitcase and hugged Hunith one last time, burying his face in the soft fabric of her jacket.
"I'll see you at Christmas," his mother promised, giving him a last quick squeeze before pushing him away. "Don't give Gaius any trouble." Merlin could only nod. He gripped his suitcase handle tightly and marched towards the gate. As he handed his ticket to the airline serviceman, he cast a last look over his shoulder and saw Hunith smiling at him from the waiting area. He managed a weak smile in return. The man was handing his ticket back, and he took it quickly. If he didn't go now he'd never be able to do it. He lifted his head and hurried down the tunnel to the plane, not daring to look back again.
"Papers!" Merlin was startled out of his doze by a sharp-toned man. He sat up and blinked. The man was a row down, inspecting a little green booklet. "Papers out," the man snapped, handing the booklet back and moving to the next row of airplane seats. Merlin dug his own Viaticus out of his pocket. Breathe. No one can tell. No one can tell. The young warlock steadied his breathing and sat up. He couldn't afford to look suspicious. The man had handed Merlin's neighbor his booklet back, and he held out a hand for Merlin's, regarding Merlin with narrowed eyes. Merlin lifted his head and met the man's eyes fearlessly. Merlin tucked his ticket into the book and handed it over. "Hmm." the man hummed, scanning Merlin's Viaticus. Merlin watched with a pounding heart. "Never been away from home before, boy?"
"No, sir," Merlin said. The man looked at it for a moment longer then handed it back.
"London, eh?" Merlin nodded.
"Yes, sir."
"Safe travels, then."
"Thank you." Merlin managed a shaky smile and tucked his Viaticus back into his coat pocket, letting out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. He would have to get used to Patroni if he was to live in London. The Patroni were specially trained to discover and arrest sorcerers and sorceresses. They'd been to Armagh before. He'd just never been so close to one before.
"Please remain seated and fasten your seat belts. Descent will begin in five minutes." Merlin slid his window cover open to peer out over the city and his fingers tangled themselves in the ends of the red scarf.
The weird feeling in Merlin's stomach was starting to dissipate. Despite the Patroni mingling with Camelot's citizens, he shivered with excitement. Outside the airport cars and buses glittered in the pale sunlight. Shining buildings flashed by through the window of the car. Commuters filled the street on foot and bicycle. People flooded from stairways to the subway onto the walkways. Neon signs lit up shop windows and doorways. The city sights changed abruptly to residential streets, and Merlin's cab moved into a neighborhood wealthier than any Merlin had set foot in before. The cab pulled to a stop at a checkpoint, and Merlin subjected himself to another paper-check before the cab made its way down the winding streets to Gaius' apartment.
"Castrum Row?" the cabbie asked. Merlin nodded and handed him the fare.
"Thanks," he said distractedly and scrambled out of the cab, tugging his ungainly trunk after him. 104B... Merlin's eyes roamed over the buildings, and he might have missed the two Patroni and their captive passing through a gap in the buildings if it hadn't been for the sound of boots scuffing against the gravel. Merlin spun about, and a breath caught in his throat when he saw the man held up by both arms between the burly officers.
"On your knees, sorcerer," one of the men spat, forcing his captive to the ground. The accused man bent his head, and Merlin scooted out of sight, heart pounding. That man had magic? He pressed his back to the wall, hoping desperately that neither of the men had seen him. There was more scuffling, as if the man were trying to writhe free of his captors, then Merlin heard a sound even he, an boy from the suburbs of Armagh, had learned to recognize in this time; the soft crack of a silenced pistol. Merlin lifted his trunk wholly off the ground and fled across the grass, his heart pounding painfully in his chest.
Oh god... I'm going to die here. They'll kill me! Merlin stopped at the bottom of the stairs to building 104. He fought to steady his breathing. He could feel panic rising in his throat and clutched at the stair rail. What was I thinking? They'll find out. It won't take a day. The warlock found himself wrapping his scarf around his fingers again, worrying at its ends. He couldn't turn back now. There was a stamp on his Viaticus. Like every traveler in Great Britain, he had declared his intent before flying and filed the necessary papers. The Patroni knew he was planning to stay the year. If he went back now, they would get suspicious. If he stayed... they would find him. He felt sick.
"Merlin?" Merlin nearly jumped out of his skin. He spun around so fast he nearly stumbled and found himself facing at an older man with a kindly, lined face, searching blue eyes, and a head of shock-white hair.
"Gaius!" he gasped, staring at his uncle with wide eyes.
"I thought you weren't coming until Wednesday," Gaius said.
"I-it is Wednesday." Merlin stammered. The older man's bewilderment seemed to disappear when he took a good look at at Merlin.
"Merlin, you look like you're about to collapse. Let me take that." He reached for the trunk.
"It's fine. M'alright," Merlin muttered, clutching the handle so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He belatedly realized that his hands were shaking.
"Alright, alright. Let's get you inside," Gaius said. He put a hand on Merlin's shoulder and steered him up the stairs to the apartment.
"Sit down. I'll get you something to eat," Gaius said, ushering Merlin into his apartment and shutting the door behind them. Merlin let his trunk fall against the wall. He blinked like an owl when Gaius flicked the lights on in the kitchen and busied himself with assembling a meal for his nephew. Merlin shakily sank into an armchair and ran both hands through his already tousled dark hair. Gaius had known him since he was a baby. He didn't know. Hunith couldn't tell her brother over the internet; email and calls were often monitored. Merlin fought down the rising panic and nausea. Gaius wouldn't turn his own nephew in... would he? And yet... He was one of Uther Pendragon's own advisors...
Moments later, the older man returned with a cup of hot tea and a sandwich. He sat down across from Merlin with a reassuring smile familiar from years of video calls. Merlin took the tea with both hands in hopes of stilling their trembling, and uncle and nephew were silent for a moment. "Are you alright?" Gaius asked at length. His voice was familiar, and it calmed the teen marginally. He took a shaky breath.
"Yeah," he said. "Thanks."
"What happened?" Gaius asked. Merlin looked away uneasily. He set the tea down for a moment and fumbled for the letter in his pocket, letting the question hang.
"This is for you," he said, pushing it across the table. He could almost feel his uncle's concern. Gaius looked fixedly at him for a moment before taking the letter and opening it. Merlin sipped the tea in silence while Gaius scanned the letter. At length, Gaius set the letter down, and to Merlin's utter astonishment, the older man's eyes flashed gold briefly, and the letter became a little pile of ash. Merlin nearly dropped his cup. His mother might have left that bit out when she told him Gaius could help.
"Y-you... you just..."
"Keep your voice down." Gaius reprimanded, leaning across the table, reminding Merlin poignantly of just how precarious the situation was for... well... both of them. Gaius reached across the table and gave Merlin's shoulder a squeeze. "Listen to me. I know you're afraid, but Hunith did right to send you here." Merlin shivered and looked down.
"There was a man-behind the apartments." He swallowed. "He... The Patroni... they-"
"Merlin," Gaius's firm voice made him lift his head and meet the older man's eyes. "That man made an attempt on Uther Pendragon's life." Merlin curled his fingers tight around his cup of tea and nodded. "You will be safe here." Gaius sad quietly, giving Merlin's shoulder another brief squeeze and letting go. "I promise."
"So, how is the famous Camelot?"
"Er... big." Merlin offered weakly.
"Met any girls yet?" Will asked with a smirk. Merlin rolled his eyes.
"Will, I've been here eight hours. What d'you think?" His friend shrugged.
"Really, Merlin, I thought even you would be able to pick up one or two in Camelot. I hear they're easy in your area."
"I have a mute button, and I will use it," Merlin retorted, though there was no real annoyance in his voice. It was soothing for his frayed nerves to have so familiar a face sitting across from him, even if Will couldn't be there in person. He'd hardly been gone a day, and already he ached for little Armagh, despite the growing hostility that had recently developed towards him.
"Ohhhh, I'm scared now." Will arched a disbelieving eyebrow. The teasing glint faded from his eyes. "But really, how's Camelot? D'you like it?" There was an edge to his voice that Merlin knew all too well. The two friends knew better than to openly discuss magic over the internet.
"It's alright," he said with a shrug. Will's eyes narrowed. "Gaius knows me, of course." he added quickly with significant emphasis. "So it's not all new and weird."
"Right, your uncle." Will nodded, but Merlin didn't miss the way some of the tension eased form his friend's posture. "Isn't he some sort of secret MI5 agent or something? You're living right next to Uther Pendragon's place, yeah?" The mischievous grin returned to Will's face, and Merlin couldn't help grinning back.
"You have no idea," he said. Will opened his mouth to respond and started when a voice in the background shouted something. He cringed.
"I've got to go," he said, flicking a look over his shoulder. A chill settled over Merlin's heart again. He'd been around Will's house enough to see the way his friend behaved when his mother's boyfriend was there.
"Will," he said, seeing his friend's hand reach for the computer mouse. Will looked up at the screen. "Be careful." Merlin said, his voice low and anxious. The ghost of a smile flitted across Will's face.
"Look who's talking," he said lightly. "I'll catch you later, alright, mate?" Will flipped him a lazy two fingered salute and ended the call.
Merlin sat in front of the computer screen for several minutes after Will left, trying to tamp down the growing ache in his chest. It seemed almost unbelievable that just that morning Merlin had been saying goodbye to his mother in an Airport in Ireland. It was an incredible relief, of course that Gaius understood, but he hadn't quite calmed Merlin's fears regarding the Patroni. The dark haired teen could still hear the soft crack of a silenced pistol ringing out on the silent street.
Merlin's uncle had been calm, reassuring, and encouraging. Once Merlin had gotten over the initial shock of his introduction to Camelot, Gaius had shown his nephew around the apartment. It was a spacious and immaculately clean home with a customized consulting room for Gaius' medical practice just to the right of the door. A neat bedroom was waiting for Merlin down the hall. Once Gaius had provided his nephew with a set of towels and showed him the bathroom next door to his room, he left the teen to unpack and rest from his trip. Merlin closed his laptop lid and tucked himself up against the wall, burying his face in his pillow. Even it seemed strange. It had the unfamiliar, clean smell that everything in Gaius' home had. It's a year... only a year. I can do anything for a year, he told himself wearily. Gaius would show him how to control his magic... then he'd go home. Home to Will and his mother, to the old, creaky school in Armagh and his own room.