AN: Hi! sorry this took so long, it was a long weekend, i was busy...again, but yes, sorry!
Ok, review replies:
Anon.: Woot! Yes, that's right, one choc-chip cookie for you, and free entry into DREC if you like? Thanks for the review!
Nightmare Naka: Haha yup, though I'm not sure I could get away with it...still glad you like it, he's so much fun to write! Thanks for the reviews!
Centra-gal86: Thanks so much, I'm so glad you like it so much!oooh tell me what you think! please, I wanna know what you thinks gonna happen! Haha, I'm glad it cheered you up, hope this isn't too late, thanks for the review!
Ok, last time we found out that Merlin has some serious psychological scars concerning Nimueh, and that he has to see her for four hours every week. Arthur plans on 'saving' him if necessary but knows Merlin won't agree to it. Also, Kay was one of the people who beat up Merlin and a little while back Gaius gave Merlin a book of spells so he can learn more about his...talents.
Enjoy!
After Arthur had left, Merlin and Gaius sat in companionable silence at the kitchen table, Gaius on his fourth cup of earl grey, and Merlin carefully holding a mug of hot cocoa.
Cautiously, Gaius took a sip of his tea- wrinkling his nose imperceptibly as he realized it had gone cold since they'd got up to see Arthur out.
"Here."
He glanced up at the sound of his ward's soft but excited voice.
Tentatively, Merlin held out a slender, pale hand, splaying his fingers as he held it about an inch from Gaius' tea. Taking a deep breath, he shut his eyes, and when he opened them they burned gold as he murmured, "baerne."
There was an imperceptible shiver in the air, like the feeling you get before lightning strikes. Gaius carefully touched the side of his mug. It was burning hot. Merlin saw the confirmation that his spell had worked in the delight and shock in his mentor's face. He grinned, and once he'd got over the plain astonishment that had blanked his mind, Gaius smiled too, shaking his head.
"You truly are something Merlin."
"Really?"
Gaius grinned at the eager, hopeful, childish tone in the boy's voice- refereshingly innocent. He shrugged a little.
"Well. Maybe you will be one day."
"Or maybe I was…" Merlin murmured.
"Do you mean…?"
Nodding at the elder man's reference to the bizarre 'coincidences' that riddled 'Camelot Hall', Merlin continued, "of course- I've been reading the book, I'm still at the basics, but I looked further; it's hard- it would take an enormous amount of power, but I think it's possible…"
Raising a remarkably agile eyebrow, Gaius decided to be the voice of reason. "Merlin, you do realize how impossible-"
Merlin interrupted with a laugh. "Gaius, look at your tea! Look at me! Fair enough, before I can see why it would be hard to believe- I thought I was a freak till I came here, and I still can't get my head around it, but don't you see Gaius? Don't you see?" Merlin's blue eyes were fevered and brilliant as he became more and more animated. "I'm the key- my magic proves this, because we know that's what it is- I can direct it using spells!"
"Merlin, you do realize that if one side is true, the other may well be."
The boy gave a short, sharp nod. "Of course, there's going to be trouble when we reach adulthood, and England is going to need Arthur to save it- and since we apparently weren't re-incarnated during the first and second world wars, obviously this is going to be huge, and," Merlin paused, dread filling his expression as his voice softened, "terrible."
Gaius nodded gravely. "Quite. Also- we're missing a few key figures, about half the knights, and of course, Guinevere. And then of course you have to take Morgana into account…"
"Morgana?" The one word was terse and packed with confused emotion.
"She's been reincarnated, if the rest of us have." Gaius' tone suggested that though he could see the logic, he still found it hard to believe. "I've treated her for odd, self fulfilling nightmares since I got here, and she's certainly beautiful enough, though as yet I can see no real malice."
"No, that came from me." Merlin glared at his hands as he wrung them in his lap, ignoring the cocoa, he knew what he said next to be true- though he couldn't say how. "I-I poisoned her last time. I didn't want to, but it was her or all of Camelot, and that, combined with the influence of her half sister and mixed emotions for Uther lead to her corruption."
The words brought a look of immeasurable sadness over Merlin's young face, suggesting the shadow of incredible age and world weariness.
"Merlin, this is Morgan le Fay we're talking about, we know she's evil, or at least that she will be."
The boy looked up, eyes piercing and far wiser than they had a right to be. "Really? Do you believe that Gaius? Because I think it's wrong. Just as I or Arthur, in spite of our reincarnation, could be evil- so could she be good. We just have to keep her away from Morgause, and never betray her."
Merlin sounded adamant about the fact, and Gaius took a moment to reflect that whilst love was one of the strongest foundation stones of Arthur's legacy, it was also one of the greatest elements of its undoing- and nothing could ever change it.
Sighing he nodded. "Very well. I think I may have an idea as to how we can at least begin to implement something along those lines; in the meantime I assume it goes without saying that you must protect Arthur, and guide him to be the man he can be."
"Change him from a prat? Gaius, it's impossible." As he said it though, in spite of the wry grin plastered over his face, Merlin's light eyes were dark with resolve. Gaius smiled a little, and then remembered something else he should probably have mentioned to Merlin before.
"Oh, and best not to mention this to anyone, even Arthur."
Merlin frowned. "Why not?"
"Uther has a certain…aversion to the legends, I expect as a result of the poor light they shed on his character. Were he to find out that you were conclusive evidence of their reality-"
"He'd get rid of me." Merlin finished, mouth settling into a flat, thin line. "But Gaius, surely Arthur, and Gwaine…"
"Arthur is certainly far more enlightened than his father, and at least curious as to the inordinate amount of unusual 'coincidences' that tend to occur here. However, in the end he is his father's son. The first person from whom he'd seek guidance is him, and even if he didn't, it would be incredibly difficult for him to keep it from Uther. It's best if he didn't know. Besides, the last thing we want is any of your new friends reacting…adversely to your abilities."
Though he could see the logic in the other man's words, Merlin was a little hurt by the thought of Gwaine or Lancelot betraying him. "They wouldn't…"
Gaius placed his hand on the younger boy's. "I'm sure- but at least while you're here, I think it's best to keep this between us, for your safety."
Smiling a little, Merlin left his hand beneath Gaius' as he glanced up to the elder man. "You know, in the legend- you're sort of my adoptive father."
"I know, and I fully intend to be, if you'll let me."
Merlin sat back, pretending to survey his new mentor, arms folded. After a few seconds, silently laughing, he nodded. "Yep, you'll do." A beam split across his face and Gaius smiled back, stepping round the table to carefully embrace the boy, who hugged him fiercely back.
After a moment, Gaius sat down again, sipping his tea which had cooled from near boiling to a perfect temperature whilst Merlin finished his chocolate. Once he'd done, Merlin got up.
"I best go get some sleep- early shift cleaning tomorrow."
Wincing in anger and sympathy, Gaius nodded, but as Merlin got to the doorway, he remembered what else tomorrow would bring.
"Merlin, this woman, Tresorce, are you comfortable with seeing her? Is there something I should know?"
For a moment, Merlin looked like he wanted to say something, he even opened his mouth a little, throat working as he tried to speak. But in the end he shut it with a shrug of his sloping shoulders.
"It's alright Gaius, don't worry."
With that he turned down the corridor to his room. It didn't escape his mentor that he'd answered neither question, and even after he'd gone, Gaius eyed the empty doorway where the boy had been with no small amount of worry.
Still, if anyone could get through whatever was going on, it was Merlin. With his bravery, intelligence, determination and of course, his magic, the boy truly was something.
Placing one hand around his still warm tea, Gaius chuckled as he brought it to his mouth.
"Remarkable."
X
"What? Kay, if you're trying to trick me, this is a pretty unbelievable attempt." Arthur treated the boy he was addressing with a withering glare and his arms folded.
Kay paled, but stood his ground. "No Arthur, I mean it, we have extra practice from 5 till 7, then obviously prep till 9. Your father told me to pass on the message."
Arthur didn't miss the subtle shudder that ran through the rest of the rugby team- if there was one man's word he couldn't override, it was his father's. But that meant he couldn't follow Merlin- he couldn't protect him or even find out what had got him so scared.
Fists clenched, he gave on short nod. "Fine,you lot warm up, I'll be right there."
With that he turned to go to Gaius' house, to pick up his kit and explain, and then just pray that Merlin would be alright.
As Arthur turned onto the path, Merlin shrugged his bag off his shoulder, quickly getting changed into jeans and a black hoodie. He glanced at the spell book on his bed, which was open at a page on what he was fairly sure was how to create shields. He felt a tremor of apprehension roll nauseatingly through his stomach and swallowed drily, wishing Gaius wasn't still teaching.
He looked around, wondering what else he could take- stepping towards the kitchen as he considered taking a knife. He quickly squashed the idea. Nearly a lifetime of foster care and living on the street had taught him you didn't take a knife out with you unless you wanted it used against you or someone else- it was way too dangerous.
He shifted a little, fidgeting and glancing at his watch. He should have left ten minutes ago. He'd be late now, and she'd be angry. He could feel a cold sweat trickling down his spine at the thought.
Merlin took the time to check his watch again, grab the phone Gaius had bought for him and check he had a home number, and then he walked out of the house, on his way to face Nimueh. Again.
Ooooh! So merlin's starting to re-learn his magic and remember the past, and don't forget the implications if these coincidences are real! Plus clearly Uther realised after his son's reaction when he found out, Arthur isn't happy about Merlin having to meet Nimueh, therefore the king is stopping him (grrrrr) and now Merlin's going alone- yikes, what's going to happen!
Hope you like it and and please do drop me a comment as you have been doing, I really appreciate it!
Thanks for reading!
Kat