CHAPTER 4 : EARLY DAYS

Once, everyone and all luggage was loaded, the trip commenced. The students had been allowed to choose their own seats once they had been checked off the all important list. It was understandable that the boys having spent one night together felt more comfortable in the same groups.

Merlin had met a 'green and white' Jacob and a 'blue and yellow' Sam at breakfast and he nodded at them as they got on the bus. He was trying to see if he was getting any particular vibes from any of the boys. After all one of them once going to be a real friend according to Leon.

Gawaine was the leader of their group of three and he opted to sit next to Lance. There was a little shuffling to do to make sure that everyone was happily settled and Merlin being by himself landed up in the front seat across from the bus driver. He was thrilled this was his favourite seat when he went to school from Ealdor. There the bus drivers knew him by name. He was always pleasant and could be counted upon to give up his seat should the bus become crowded. The Institute's bus driver Jacques, was also the assistant custodian.

Leaving Paris, Merlin recognised some of the sights from the previous day. Outside the city, he was completely enthralled with the countryside. It was so like home that he recognised birds and trees even some with mistletoe in them. He wondered if the bird songs were identical to those at home. The houses did look slightly different but they had lovely gardens and each little village had a big church. Soon the houses became more numerous and then a few factories and they were in Compèigne.

The train station was not huge and outside he could see some boys waiting. They started cheering as the bus pulled up and happily scrambled aboard without any prompting. The bus pulled away and drove across the river and past lots of little shops and rather narrow roads. Merlin felt for sure that he could have reached out and touched the buildings. On the edge of the town there were some very large older houses and then they entered the forest for the rest of the drive.

Merlin was still sitting alone and quite happy but he noticed that someone had put a cap on the seat beside him but he hadn't noticed who. They drove along winding forest roads and roundabouts with war memorials in the centre. This was very interesting and he kept hoping to see some wild life maybe a deer or two, but nothing.

Soon the older students started to make more noise and Leon slipped into the seat beside him, "Merlin! Watch over there…"

Merlin almost jumped out of his skin as between the houses he suddenly saw the Château de Pierrefonds. His breath was taken away from him and he gasped standing up as Leon gripped his jacket to stop him from toppling into the stairwell. The chateau was then hidden by the houses and he turned to Leon and said in awe, "The castle! Leon, I saw a castle." He heard a laugh behind him and grinned at Rupert.

"Leon, no one told me there was a castle here." His eyes were wide with a suspicion of tears. "Does royalty come to visit?"

"No, but you will be having some of your classes there over the summer." Leon grinned at the incredulous look on the kid's face and for a second remembered the effect the chateau had had on him when his parents had driven him to Pierrefonds for his first summer course.

The bus turned left and everyone had a wonderful view of the building as they drove the length of it before turning right to climb up to their new home for the next month, L'Institut Thierry Quentin. Merlin almost twisted his neck off trying to see the castle. It was a real castle with turrets and towers and huge walls perched on a hill almost in the middle of the village. It was going to be there every time he wanted to look at it. All he had to do was open his eyes and take it in.

Looked down, he realised that he was hanging onto Leon's hand and suddenly he felt embarrassed for being such a baby. He hoped that no one else had seen it.

Leon looked at him and said kindly, "It's alright that is the way it hit me the first time I saw it and every time that I see it again after months away from it. But, I'd better get to work as we have a lot of organising to do." He stood up and taking the microphone told the new pupils to stay seated and for the others to go to the main hall and check on the board for their accommodation taking with them their baggage once it had been unloaded in the parking lot.

Merlin looked around. The building facing him was very attractive. It was red brick and yellow stone, a big square four storied building with two solid ends which possibly had attic rooms. The roof was grey slate and there were bay windows on two floors in the centre of the building. The property was surrounded by huge gardens and a high stone wall.

Once again, they came off the bus according to their colours and stood beside their luggage. Gawaine had lost his phone and Jacques did a quick check of the bus and handed it to him for which he received a smart, "Merci, Monsieur!" from Gawaine. He'd made another fan…

The new students were escorted into a small room off the main entry hall and told to sit as the Directeur would like to have a word with them.

M. Charles Dûperrex welcomed them in English saying, "It is an honour to have you with us for the next month. Your parents and guardians have entrusted you to the school and therefore, there will be certain rules to follow for your own safety and well-being.

"All student rooms are doubles with an ensuite. Each night you will sleep in the bed assigned to you. You may not change your room without the permission of the school matron. Every four students will have a former pupil as their contact person." Merlin took a minute to cross his fingers that theirs would be Leon. "I will now hand you over to your supervisor. He is my representative in the daily running of the school. Should you have problems, regardless of how insignificant, speak with him. He has had five years of summers with us and was specially chosen as an honourable and trustworthy person. You should feel free to approach any member of the staff if necessary or another supervisor if yours is busy at the moment.

"Bienvenue à L'Institut Thierry Quentin." Mr Dûperrex said.

There was a smattering of applause and the boys lined up to receive copies of the Rules and Regulations, a map of the building and the numbers of their rooms. Lance said, "I hope we're together, do you think they could put a cot in our room for Merlin?"

"I don't see why not said," said Gawaine, "They do in hotels."

Merlin breathed a sigh of relief. He'd rather share with them than with a stranger but it was not to be as he was given his own room but when he looked out the window, all thoughts of being alone disappeared as straight in front of him across the garden and the village was the castle…his castle!

He finally looked around the room. There were two beds, two desks and chairs, two dressers, a little table with a television and a closet. Opening another door he found the bathroom, a shower, toilet and two sinks. He sat on the bed closest to the window and looked at his information packet. Lunch in the dining room was at one thirty today. He was hungry. He washed up, tried to make his mop of hair look less unruly and back-tracked to Gawaine and Lance's room.

The two of them look hot and bothered and he noticed that the room looked like a hurricane had hit it. "What happened?" he said.

Lance answered, "I was in the room first and I chose the bed near the window and then Gawaine said that he wanted it and I pushed him and…"

"Well, you'd better get tidied up as lunch starts in fifteen minutes. For heaven's sake, shake hands and get on with it!" He though, 'Well, at least I didn't have to fight for a bed!'

With minutes to spare, the three of them came down to the dining room. It was formal but they learned that it was only used for supper for the older students and they were shown a modern cafeteria in the basement. It was large and airy and the smells emanating from the kitchen had the three of them drooling. It was serve-yourself and seats were assigned on a table where Leon was eating with all the other red and gold boys. They had to introduce themselves and Merlin was so embarrassed when as he called out his name, someone said, "…and his roommate is King Arthur!" There were a few titters.

He saw Gawaine clench his fists and felt gratitude for that little show of friendship. But it was all right after that as Leon had walked over and said something to the older boy and he had blushed then later caught Merlin's eye, shrugged apologetically and gave him a little smile, mouthing 'Sorry! I'm Chas." Merlin nodded.

Lunch over, they again joined up with all the newbies and sat in a lecture hall waiting for staff introductions.

The professors were equally divided between men and women and the sports director looked like a football striker. Merlin was impressed, the tennis coach looked rather strict but the riding master had an open face and seemed a happy individual. The weapons instructor had yet to arrive. There was another older man at the head table and he introduced himself in perfect English as Dr. Gaius from Oxford.

Merlin thought, 'Oh shit!' He had a letter to deliver to him from his mother. He could have brought it to lunch with him.

The boys stood up and the staff mixed with them asking questions about their interests. Leon walked over with Dr. Gaius and said, "Sir, this is Merlin…"

Merlin looked up and was greeting with a warm smile, "So, you are Hunith's boy!" He shook Merlin's hand formally and then put his hand on his shoulder in a comforting way. "Have you met your roommate yet?"

"No, Sir, I don't even know if I will be having one."

"Oh, you will…" said Dr, Gaius as he thought, '…and then the fun and games will begin!'