Chapter Five:

A faint stirring like the distant tinkling of wind chimes, random, mysterious, far off, inviting his attention but difficult to locate the source..

Glorious, like a tantalizing whiff of lilacs, wafting along on a nearly undetectable current of air, leaving one searching and hoping for more but unable to determine which direction to go to find it..

Something, something, was teasing at Merlin's magic. A brush here, a whisper there. His magic tingled in response. He straightened from his crouch in the vegetable garden, a handful of uprooted weeds dangling from his grip. He tossed the weeds into a well worn bucket and shucked off his gloves. His eyes warily raked the sky, hills, and forest. The Lake. He tilted his head, considering.

On his way along the path to the water his little companion zipped out of the trees to join him.

"Could you feel it too this time, Penn? I wonder what it is." Penn hadn't seemed to register the faint disturbance that had awakened Merlin that morning. The lovely, brief touch of magic against his senses had coaxed him into consciousness just at the cusp of dawn. It had been a very long time since he'd felt unfamiliar magic.

He studied the lake curiously, cupping the tiny dragon against his chest and stroking it absently. Penn snuggled contentedly close to Merlin's heart and stared at the dark, silent water as well. The Lake lay tranquil and undisturbed. That was no help. The ancient warlock once again raked the sky and surrounding forest with his gaze. Nothing. Not a whisper of foreign magic.

Sigh.

"Lunch? Or have you eaten."

In answer, Penn launched from his hands and headed, chirping excitedly, straight for the cottage. Merlin followed, chuckling.

—

After a day spent on edge and now unable to settle completely to his supper, Merlin darted up from the table and thrust the curtains aside. Those distant, mysterious chimes of magic that had harried him all day were quickly becoming a full symphony and the source was unquestionable.

"Something's happening, Penn. Something big. I'm not sure what.. but stay here." He ran to the door. Penn raced in a panic to get ahead of him, accidentally knocking Merlin in the head. "No, Penn. No!" The little dragon squawked and chirred and nipped at his grasping hands. Whatever was out there, he apparently wasn't about to let Merlin face it alone.

"I'm sorry, Penn. You'll be safe here." In a gust of air, he sent Penn tumbling back down the hall into depths of the bedroom and, with a quick flick of the wrist, closed and locked the bedroom door.

Anxious though he was, the warlock still remained cautious. He opened the back door to the summer twilight that was setting the surrounding greenery glowing, then closed his eyes to the beauty and tasted the air with his magic, ignoring the small banging and thudding coming from his bedroom window where Penn was repeatedly throwing himself against the glass.

Powerful waves of magic undeniably pulled at him as the first evening stars began to sing. Terrified of his hope, he sped lightly down the garden path toward the lake, the flat stones beneath his bare feet smoothed by centuries of this same pilgrimage. His soul now reverberated with the deep, glorious connection that he'd been missing since the halcyon days of Camelot. He approached the shoreline, trembling violently, afraid that it wouldn't be real, that this moment would be ripped away from him as well. His heart screamed as the water began to bubble and Arthur, majestic and shining, not a golden hair out of place, rose from the lake. In a frenzy of desperate joy and with an inarticulate shout, Merlin rushed into the water, slipped on a mossy rock, and tackled his king in a splashy hug that sent them both bodily tumbling into the lake.

From afar, the Lady Of The Lake shook her head affectionately and laughed through her glad tears. So much for the solemn majesty of Destiny's long awaited moment.

They struggled up, gripping each other's shoulders and laughing, unable to contain their sheer joy. The pure shock of it all threatened to unravel Merlin as he felt his King wrap his arms around him and press him to his chest. "Arthur," he sobbed over and over and over into the king's neck and heard his own name murmured in return. Tears mingled with lake water.

Arthur held his shaking friend fast until Merlin finally pulled back and drank him in with his eyes. Arthur noted the mud and water dripping from him with the comment, "Your clumsiness hasn't improved, has it, Merlin."

Merlin grinned through his continuing tears, "You told me not to change, Sire."

The king smiled fondly back at him. "If you could only ever follow one command, old friend, I'm glad you chose that one."

Merlin glanced shyly away. "Come on."

He gripped his King's arm and refused to let go as he led him out of the water and up the mossy path from the dark lake toward his overgrown cottage.

"What are you wearing?"

"Oh, um…" Merlin glanced down at his soaked t-shirt and sweatpants. "These are just my paj..um, my sleep clothes."

Arthur reached out to finger the edge of the dripping t-shirt that was glued to Merlin's thin frame. "Strange, flimsy fabric."

Merlin froze. Arthur had no idea of the world awaiting him. He'd thought many times of how he would introduce Arthur to the modern world but now that the moment was really here all his good ideas and well thought out plans vanished in the panic that surged through his brain. Merlin's protectiveness kicked into high gear.

"Wait a minute." He bent down a little, pretending to rid himself of some mud, briefly closed his eyes and extended his hand slightly toward the cottage, unaware of his friend's close scrutiny. Arthur caught a tell-tale flash of gold. His brows furrowed momentarily.

Finally Merlin pulled Arthur into the warmth of the cottage and the door locked itself behind them.

"So, how long has it been Merlin?"

Arthur stood dripping on the floor taking in his first glance around Merlin's home. It was small, but surprisingly comfortable and bright. Merlin smiled nervously as his friend looked around confidently. The candles and lit sconces showed a small homey space. In the next room on the scrubbed wooden table beside the fireplace were the remains of a meal.

"Fifteen hundred years, give or take a decade." Merlin replied in a quiet voice.

Fifteen hundred! Arthur looked about in surprise. " 'Doesn't look like much has changed."

"No, it doesn't look that way."

Merlin turned to see his King fixing him with a steely look. "What did you do, Merlin?"

"When? It's been a long time, Sire, you'll have to be more specific."

He faltered under Arthur's penetrating gaze.

"You're hiding something. I can tell by your manner and I know you did magic before we came in." Merlin's heart stumbled as Arthur's steely gaze turned to hurt. "I thought we were past the secrets and the lies."

Merlin looked down and swallowed. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to… I didn't .." He stopped and took a deep breath. "Everything has changed so much, Arthur. I didn't want your first hours back to be so strange that you would wish you'd never..."

Arthur's strong hand gripped his arm comfortingly and he looked up to meet the sky blue eyes he'd missed for so long.

"I accept that things will be strange and unfamiliar, but Merlin, regardless of the difficulty, I never want to leave you alone again." He gently squeezed his friend's arm. "I am ready for this and I trust you to help me see it through."

Merlin nodded, took another deep breath and flooded his eyes with gold. The glamour he'd cast over his home melted away.

Light poured through the rooms. It didn't flicker like the light of a torch or candle. All surfaces were smooth and sparkling clean. Beautiful wooden shelves were full of books and exotic curios. Beneath their feet, a thick rug stretched from wall to wall. The furnishings looked built for comfort. Arthur gaped in utter astonishment as he walked around touching various strange objects in awe. He looked at a mirror and at the lights in wonder.

"Your magic is very impressive, Merlin. You live like a king! Better than a king!"

Merlin replied carefully, "This is actually normal for most people in Albion now."

"My people, -even the peasants?- live in homes such as this?" the king asked hopefully.

Merlin smiled at his friend's love for his people. "Yes, Arthur. There is still poverty and too many are homeless, but the vast majority enjoy comforts kings of the past could only have dreamt of."

As the moment broke, reality set in. His beloved friend was still soaked and somewhat muddy.

"Come on. Let's get you clean and dry."

Merlin moved to face the king and regarded the straps on his armor and the fastening on his cloak as though he were seeing old friends again.

"It's been so long…"

Things seemed to click right into place as he reverently removed Arthur's crown, cloak and armor under his friend's fond gaze and stacked it on a small sofa.

The king followed the warlock down a short hallway until they came to a room covered in tile and glass. A couple of exceedingly fluffy towels hung from hooks on the wall.

"You can shower and I'll bring you some dry clothing."

"Shower?"

"Oh, sorry, it's like bathing." He brandished a greenish bar that smelled strongly, but not unpleasantly. "This is soap." He showed Arthur a container. "This is for cleaning your hair. Only put a bit the size of a coin in your hand and rub it in your hair. Make sure you rinse it out well afterward. Here is a robe, there are the towels. Erm...I think that's it."

"Merlin. Where is the tub?"

"Oh! Sorry, I don't have a tub, I just have a shower. It's like washing off in the rain. You turn on the water here and this adjusts the temperature, see, hotter or colder."

As water began sprinkling from a fixture on the wall, Arthur backed away.

"Merlin, the world may age as it will, but some things will not change. This is one of those things. Bring back the tub."

"No, Arthur. Really, you're going to love this! It feels amazing and the water can be as hot as you want. You get so much cleaner this way. Trust me."

Arthur regarded the shower fixture warily.

"I'll leave you to it, then." Merlin ducked out the door and was relieved to hear the shower start up a few minutes later. He started back down the hallway to go fix a cold plate in case Arthur was hungry. He frowned and hesitated then started again. Is this real? It must be. It HAS to be! The shower was going and he himself was wet and muddy. He thought to dry himself with magic but resisted the idea, needing the feel of soggy, clingy material against his goose-pimpled skin to convince himself it was all real. If not for the physical discomfort he thought he would float away into a confused dreamworld. He stopped along the way to finger the armor stacked on the sofa. He's here. He's here! He's here.

Fifteen minutes later he returned and knocked at the bathroom door, calling loudly enough to be heard over the pounding water, "Is everything alright, Sire?"

"Fine, Merlin!"

He retreated once again.

After setting the tea to steep, he checked again.

"You've been in for quite a while, Sire. Almost done?"

"No! I'm still in the magical rain shower!"

He raised his voice, "Arthur, could you please wrap it up? I've got clothes and food for you."

"I'm the king, Merlin. I'll be done when I'm done," was shouted back.

"Hey, Your Majesty, hurry up! I need a quick shower too."

"Go away, Merlin!"

"Prat," thought Merlin happily. His eyes flashed gold and he laughed as he heard the king yelp and scramble about the moment the water completely lost its heat. Apparently his laughter could be heard through the door.

"MERLIN!" bellowed the king.

Merlin squawked in surprise as Arthur, wrapped firmly in a robe, hair dripping, ripped the door open and chased him through the house.

This was definitely not how he'd pictured his king's return. It was much better. He laughed gleefully as Arthur lunged after him, finally pinned him and rubbed his knuckles mercilessly over the mighty warlock's scalp.

The king hesitated in his ministrations and looked over his shoulder. "What's that?" he asked, alerting Merlin to the sound.

A muffled, irregular knocking and scratching came from down the hall.

"Oh! Penn!"

The king turned back to the warlock in time to catch another flash of gold fading from his eyes and heard a door click open down the hall.

He looked back around just in time to shout and throw his arms up to protect his face from flames that were heading directly for him.

"Aack!" he yelped, falling over, still tangled up with Merlin on the floor.

"Penn! No!" Merlin shouted.

Needle-like claws raked the king's scalp, like he was being attacked by a furious, airborne kitten. He batted at the leathery wings that were now smacking his face, confusing and blinding him. His flailing hand forcefully struck a hot little body just as a warm rush of magic froze everything momentarily.

The resulting silence was broken by Merlin's hushed crooning.

"It's all right, Penn, it's all right. He wasn't hurting me. He's a friend. We were just playing. It's okay, it's okay. Calm down now."

Arthur chanced a guarded look between his upraised arms to see Merlin trying to cage what looked to be a tiny green dragon in his hands.

"Merlin! What the.. Is that a dragon? A real dragon?"

"Arthur, meet Penn."

"Penn? You have a dragon for a pet?"

"Yeah."

Penn the dragon. Penn ..dragon.

Merlin smirked when he saw it click. " A regular little clotpole, he is. It didn't take long to find the right name for him."

Arthur took a good natured swipe at Merlin's head but as the warlock ducked away the little dragon launched himself forward spitting more white hot flames.

"Woah!" Arthur fell back, protecting his face, as Merlin was once again forced to magically retrieve his raging pet.

"Penn! Stop it! I told you we're only playing!"

Arthur patted his hair, grateful that it was still damp and therefore somewhat flame resistant.

The dragon growled, the long spines along the back of its head and neck raised, like a guard dog with his hackles up.

"Penn, stop it! This is Arthur. The Once and Future King, semi-reformed prat and my best friend. You're not to harm him!"

At the words "best friend" Penn gave a peculiar cry and nipped at Merlin's fingers for release then sailed straight for the kitchen. After a moment the clinking and clunking of glass hitting the floor met their ears.

"Oh great. His feelings are hurt."

The two men caught up just as the rampaging miniature menace sent the last spice bottle toppling from the shelf.

Arthur watched in amusement as the warlock, once again, caught and tried to soothe his pet who was having none of it. The little dragon kept escaping Merlin's hands to go scrabbling at the door of a great metal box.

"Alright, alright," sighed Merlin. He twisted a knob, commenting "Only setting it to warm, though, okay?" He opened the door and the little dragon slunk inside with a huff.

Merlin shut the door.

"He likes to do his sulking in the oven. He thinks of it as his cave."

He surveyed the mess on the floor. His eyes filled with gold again and Arthur flinched and dodged small bottles shooting past from where they had rolled under the chairs and table to fly back to the shelf. Merlin picked up on Arthur's startlement at the unanticipated magic and panicked, "Sorry! I'm sorry. So sorry...I'll just, I -I" He'd gone from fine to borderline hysterical again in the space of a heartbeat.

Arthur frowned at his skittish friend and grasped his shoulders to steady him.

"It's fine. You're fine. The magic is fine. I'm fine with it, remember? Just give me a minute to get used to it again."

Merlin let out an hysterically pitched laugh. "I can't believe you're here. It's really you. You took a shower. You're wearing my robe. Penn attacked you. Look at you!" He pressed a shaking hand to his forehead. "You're handling it all so much better than I am. This is so.. so.. I mean, I can't... It's so surreal."

"Yes, it's strange. But it's real, Merlin. I'm here." He wrapped his arms around him firmly to drive that message home, noting Merlin's trembling. "Ugh, you're still wet, and you must be cold."

Merlin began babbling, "I -I've got some dry clothes for you, Sire. There's tea and I made you some food." He gestured toward the table. "Are you hungry? I'll bet you're hungry. You always used to be hungry, didn't you?"

Arthur didn't let go of him.

"Merlin."

The warlock looked around with a wild look in his eye. The king gave him a little shake.

"Slow down. It looks like we both need to get used to new things. For me, seeing your magic again, your pet, and the wonders of this age. For you, the fact that I am your friend and not your master. Thank you for your generous hospitality but remember you're no longer my servant."

"You're still my king! I can't! I don't think I can.."

"Work on it. You're no longer my servant. You're my friend and equal." He clapped him on the shoulder. "Show me where the tea and the clothes are and I'll take care of myself while you get clean and dry."

Merlin's smile trembled. "Okay, but maybe best not to open the oven while I'm not here."

..*oOo*..