3-
Gaius and Hunith were right about the storm; the rain fell in droplets the size of a gold coin and continued to pound on the castle all through the night.
Once Merlin had returned to Gaius' lab at dusk, like his mother had told him, he almost automatically became bored. He had a grand time playing Prince and Warlock with Arthur; unfortunately, they both had to leave once the day threatened night and pouted as they threw their dirty clothes in the trunk and parted ways.
Merlin sighed a long sigh that was much too big for a boy his age and starred at the pouring rain through the window.
"What's the matter pumpkin? You wanting to play outside?" Hunith placed a warm hand on Merlin's shoulder and massaged it a bit.
"No just wanting to play. Adults are no good at that kind of stuff." He added puffing his cheeks and Hunith just laughed.
"Wow you must really like this boy huh?
"Yeah…he was fun…Mama?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I call him my best friend?"
"You may not! You've only known him a day!"
Merlin hanged his head low. He knew he had just met the boy but he did truly believe that he was his best friend. Along with Will of course. Merlin's face brightened at the thought that someday maybe Will and Arthur could meet and they would all become best friends together. Like the three musketeers. He smiled to himself remembering the story that his mom would read him whenever there was a thunder storm. Odd that a rain storm this bad didn't bring thun-
BOOM.
Merlin jolted and hid into his mother's chest. Merlin didn't like thunder storms. He didn't like them at all. Loud noises and surprises scared him. And Thunder was loud and happened at random intervals. He hated it.
"Read me the story mama! Read me the story!" he yelled refusing to let go of his mother.
"Baby I don't have that story with me. We are not at home. I can't."
Merlin loved his mother but right now it kind of sounded like she was listing off excuse after excuse as to why she couldn't cheer him up. His thoughts always turned sour when he was afraid. His mind always tricked him into believing everyone was his enemy, even people like his mother. His mind possessed his body and caused him to throw one of his rare tantrums that caused his mother turmoil.
"You're not even trying! W-we're in Camelot! Maybe they have a library! Yeah…." Merlin stopped his whining and pondered a solution to cure his fear. He always became quite clever when he was scared. "Maybe they have the Three Musketeers!" He shouted with excitement and burst out of the guest room to tug on Gaius' sleeve. "Excuse me, does Camelot have a library?"
"Why yes she does. My dear friend Georg is the keeper of the books there. Old, but a nice man, why do you ask?"
"Where is it?" Merlin did not have time for formal manners. All he wanted to do was to get that book and settle his nerves, so he could fall asleep and finally get to tomorrow, where maybe he'll get to play with Arthur again. Arthur, he thought, maybe I'll run into him on my way to the library and share my favorite book with him.
"In the basement of the west wing?" Gaius lifted a brow at the child's eagerness.
"Thanks Gaius!" Merlin ran off out the door and Gaius looked to Hunith for some sort of answer. She sat of the steep stair steps leading up to the guest room with her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Children" she finally muttered and she and Gaius both laughed in unison.
XXX
Merlin rushed to the west wing of the castle and climbed down a set of stairs that would have to have led to the library if Gaius gave him the right directions. He stopped in his tracks and looked around at the dusty books with a wide smile. There are so many books here! He thought and started searching through the books on the nearest shelf. Behind him he heard someone clear his throat and Merlin slowly turned around to face the old man who must have been Gaius' friend, Georg.
"Can I help you young sir"
Merlin flushed nervously "I'm looking for The Three Musketeers….do you have it?"
Georg answered in a shaky old voice that almost sounded bored "Why yes we do. It is in the third row somewhere"
"Thank you…" Merlin walked off quietly. Usually he was a little friendlier and louder around adults but Georg was kind of judgmental looking and Merlin always felt the need to make some sort of a good impression on people, especially adults. He was also in a library too, and his mother had always told him that it was mandatory to be quiet in these places, or else. He made his way over to the third row of bookshelves and started searching for his favorite book. He searched for a good five minutes until he remembered that he didn't know how to read yet. His mother always read it to him, so how would he find his book if he couldn't read the title? He could ask Georg, but frankly the old man scared him. But then he heard a pouty and arrogant voice that sounded familiar.
"Stupid freakin' Georg. I know how to write. Why do I have to practice? Blah."
Merlin smiled big and made his way around the corner of the bookshelf into a small clearing in the library with a huge desk planted in the middle. The blonde boy accompanying the desk looked much smaller sitting in the dark wood of the large desk.
He snuck up to the desk and popped his head over the edge and cried "BOO!"
Arthur nearly jumped out of skin and was ready to run off, but instead of running he decided to throw his pen at Merlin in defense.
"Owie" Merlin stood up rubbing his nose where the pen had hit him. "That hurt meanie head"
"Then don't scare me like that idiot!" Arthur shouted and in the distance the two boys could hear Georg spit a loud SHH.
Merlin and Arthur both silenced and declined their voices into whispers.
"What are you doing here Merlin? I thought you had to go home?"
"I did but…" He paused thinking of what to say next. He didn't want to tell Arthur that he was afraid of thunder and that only his mom reading the Three Musketeers could put him to sleep. "My mom asked me to find her a book…." Yeah good one Merlin. He tried to hide his delight that he was able to come up with a half lie that didn't make him sound like a weakling. He was usually really bad at lying to his friends, so he covered up his happiness with a question "what about you? Didn't you have to leave too?"
Arthur tapped his index finger on the page in front of him "This was what I had to leave for. I have lessons every other day at dusk"
Merlin looked at the page. It was covered in words. Words? Wait, Arthur could read?!
"Whoa! You can read that?!" Merlin jumped excitedly. His new friend was a genius. He stopped jumping when he heard Georg shush him again.
"Of course I can read it. I wrote it" Arthur boasted seeing how impressed the raven haired boy was of him.
Merlin's eyes sparkled in astonishment and he pointed at a word at the bottom of the page "What does that say?"
"That's my name. Arthur P-" he was abruptly interrupted with an electrified response from Merlin.
"Wow you can write your own name? That's so cool!" He whispered loudly while looking up at Arthur, and Arthur flushed. "Can you write my name too?" He asked with a polite smile.
"Uhm…sure" Arthur gave him a nervous smile and picked up his pen and carefully wrote out Merlin's name in his best calligraphy while sounding out the letters "Mm, ee, er, l, in. Merlin" he tore out the strip of paper with Merlin's name on it and gave it to him and Merlin's eyes glowed.
"Thank you Arthur! You are so smart! I'll keep this forever! This is so cool thank you!" He hugged the paper to his chest and Arthur rubbed the back of his head, his face pink.
"Seriously it is no big deal…" Suddenly Georg appeared from around the corner.
"Young man, you have shouted in my library for the last time please leave"
Merlin looked at Arthur one last time with a thankful smile and disappeared behind the selves with Georg. Arthur sat down, sighed, and continued with his studies, already excited to play with Merlin tomorrow. He truly was starting to believe that Merlin was his best friend.
XXX
Merlin returned to Gaius' lab, bookless, but hugging the piece of paper to his chest with a big smile on his face.
"Hey! Did you find the book?" His mother asked, glad her boy was finally back, dusting off his shoulders.
"Wha?" Merlin looked at his mom and stood there astonished. He forgot to get the book and now he'll be forced to tell her why.
"What's that in your hand?" Hunith grabbed the slip of paper out of Merlin's hands and read it.
"I met Arthur while I was in the library. He was studying how to read and write and wrote my name for me! Isn't it cool?!" He asked shaking his head up and down hoping his mother would agree with him, but her face never changed from that thin line.
"Merlin honey, it's getting late why don't you head up to bed?" she stood up slowly and gently pushed her son in the direction of the guest room by the small of his back. She watched Merlin until he eventually made his way to the guest room and closed the door with a soft creak, and then turned to Gaius holding up the slip of paper.
"He is educated Gaius. Arthur is educated enough to read and write at his age. Why is he educated Gaius? What are you not telling me?" Hunith glared at Gaius. Usually if a child was educated enough by the age of 12 to read and write, they were of noble decent. Which didn't bother Hunith as long as they weren't snobbish and didn't harm her son in anyway. But Arthur, Arthur was only about Merlin's age and could already read and write. That was not normal.
Gaius sighed and leaned against a nearby table. "Are you sure you want to know the truth?" He starred hard at Hunith watching her heart and mind battle it out on her expressions.
She put the piece of paper down on a counter and plopped herself down on a bench. Once she finally settled she murmured out the word "Yes."
Gaius swallowed and started to feel a little guilty. "The boy's full name is Arthur Pendragon."
Hunith's eyes shot up to Gaius to make sure he wasn't toying with her and he gently nodded to confirm he wasn't.
"The boy my Merlin is playing with is the prince of Camelot….that's not good"
A/N: The second chapter was a hit! Thank you so much you guys! I got so many reviews and it made me so happy I wanted to cry! I wanted to update the story yesterday for a Valentine's Day present from me to you, but I had no idea where I wanted to go with this chapter. I finally figured it out after worrying about how I needed to continue to please you guys! This chapter is also a bit longer then the first two so please tell me if you like it! Please continue to read and review!
Disclaimer: Still don't own Merlin, also I'm not actually sure if The Three Musketeers was a book in the time of Camelot, just thought it'd be cute.
