The Second Day

Welcome to the Second Day, wherein Merlin spends quality time with his mother and his old friends while Arthur gets stuck advising on magical matters, gets in trouble with Guinevere and generally feels sorry for himself.

"Good morning, Mum!" Merlin kissed his mother on the cheek and wrapped her in a hug. Oh it was good to be home!

"What are your plans for the day, Sweetheart?" she asked.

"My plans are whatever your plans are," he replied cheerfully with the smile she loved most in the world.

"Are you sure? It doesn't seem much like a vacation to come all this way only to work."

"I want to." He splashed his face and vanished his whiskers while she dished up some porridge.

"Well, my plans are to work in the fields, do some laundry, make bread and work on the skeps. And I guess since you're here I'll ask you to repair the roof. We had a big storm last month and it's not been quite tight ever since."

"A wild one was it?"

"Ooh yes! 'Twas nature reminding us who's in charge. Flora and Henry's littlest one wailed half the night from fright."

He tsked sympathetically.

"Alright. I'll set to work on the roof. But it looks like the laundry wants to take care of itself."

Hunith laughed at the twinkle in his eyes as the basket of soiled rags and linens popped up from the floor and danced saucily in front of her. It was so good to see him so happy and carefree.

"Fine with me!" she responded happily. "I'll go to the fields. You meet me there when you've finished and we'll have a picnic together at the oak grove on the north side. Oh! And bring Henwen so she can forage for the acorns. The bread can wait until this afternoon and I was planning on saving the skep for this evening."

"Perfect! Sounds like a lovely day."

—m—

The king and queen waited long for the warlock to show up at breakfast. They had seen neither hide nor hair of him since the previous morning. Arthur's guilty conscience plagued him for treating his friend so poorly the day before and Guinevere picked up on it.

"Why do I get the feeling that you know why Merlin didn't come for breakfast this morning?"

The king squirmed. "I admit I was rather short with him yesterday but he understands. He'll forgive me. He's disgustingly good-natured, you know."

"Arthur," Guinevere said reprovingly, "While it's true that he's probably forgiven you, it doesn't absolve you of the responsibility of an apology."

He nodded sheepishly. "You're right. But I'm guessing that after yesterday, he's just trying to give us space."

"After breakfast, make sure you apologize and tell him that I miss him and will be expecting him for lunch in the garden."

"Certainly. I'll go talk to him before training."

—-

"Good morning," he greeted the guard in the corridor outside of Merlin's chambers. "Has the Court Sorcerer emerged yet?"

"No, Sire."

He tried the door but it wouldn't budge.

"Right." He pounded on the heavy door. "Merlin! Get up you lazy sod! You've missed breakfast!"

There was no answer.

"At least get yourself up by noon, lazybones! Guinevere wants you to have lunch with her in the garden this afternoon. Do not disappoint her!" He waited another moment in silence contemplating voicing his intended apology when the guard shifted, catching his attention. He decided to wait on the apology. He certainly wasn't going to shout that out for all to hear. He pounded on the door. "Get up, you lazy lump!" -great, more to apologize for. The king turned abruptly and left, still feeling guilty but also miffed that his warlock got to sleep in but he didn't.

—m—

Merlin circled the perimeter of his mother's snug home. Everything seemed to be in good repair. The fencing on the pens for the animals still held firm from his last visit. He scratched the sow behind her ears. "Hello, Henwen."

He pulled the ladder to the edge of the roof and began to climb. A couple of boys running past saw him and began calling excitedly, "Merlin!" "Hi, Merlin! What are you doing here?"

"I'm on holiday!" he called back.

"Doesn't look like a holiday!" one replied, laughing.

More villagers passed, greeting him cheerfully and striking up conversation as he checked the thatching.

"How's King Arthur?"

"Smashing, as usual!"

"Thanks for the new seeds you sent!"

"You're welcome! I hope they grow!"

"What's new in Camelot?"

"The queen's expecting, so there's nothing new yet but there will be in a few months!"

"Hey, Merlin! When you're finished there, my roof needs a look-see too!"

"No problem, Ed! I'll let you borrow the ladder!"

"Hi, Wehwin!" called a little girl. From atop the roof, he stopped checking the thatch to wave down to her.

"Hi, Rosi-ooaaaH!"

There were cries and gasps from the villagers as he slipped, flailed and slid off the steep roof.

His eyes glowed gold and he hung suspended in the air a mere two feet from the ground before floating like a feather to land softly on his back in the muck of the pig pen.

"Aawwite, Wehwin?" Rosie asked, peeking through the fence.

"I'm fine, Rosie," he answered. Henwen came over to snuffle at him. He patted her snout and tried fruitlessly to avoid adding muck to his hands and knees as he stood up, sheepishly reaching up to wipe some of the mud from the back of his head.

"Bit handy, that, innit?" called one of the villagers as he continued his march out to the fields. "The gods know how clumsy y'are, Merlin! That's why they gave you a way to save yourself." Everyone laughed along with Merlin. The warlock spread his arms and turned around, trying to see his back.

"Looks like I need to go swimming. Anyone with me?"

The children cheered.

—m—

Training didn't turn out to be the relief Arthur had hoped for as Gwaine felt it his duty to point out the very noticeable lack of innocent, dark haired, magical bystanders and made him pay for it. Reasserting himself through swordplay made the session run long and the king had to hustle in order to prepare for the rest of his day.

On his way back across the courtyard, he was joined by Gilli.

"Your Majesty, your Majesty!" The young man rushed to catch him up and continued trotting alongside him when Arthur refused to stop. "Have you seen Merlin today?"

"No, I haven't. Is something wrong?"

"Not really. It's just.. I need his help and I haven't been able to find him. I need his counsel. You see, the magic guild is divided over the lighting proposal. They're arguing. Several want the lights to be spelled to trigger at dark but the problem is that such spells don't last long."

Arthur felt a headache approaching and walked faster as Gilli rabbited on while trying to keep up.

"Others think we should keep control by simply selling the vessel with a required maintenance contract that would lead to better quality over time but then the others likened that to committing to a sort of servitude and becoming sort of second class citizens again."

Gods, this is tedious. Merlin is going to pay for making me have to listen to this!

"Some argued that the maintenance would provide consistent income but the others complained that they'd be run off their feet for a mere pittance. Then they began arguing over designs and haggling over prices and over whether one side would devalue the other. It got messier and more heated from there." The discouraged young man scrubbed his eyes and slowed. "I'm not as good at this as Merlin is. People don't want to listen to me. Guess I'm not cut out for this."

Despite feeling harried, the king stopped and took pity on him. "Listen. People only want to listen to Merlin because they equate power with brains. That's their mistake. You don't have to be Emrys to solve this, Gilli. And I know he would wholeheartedly agree, ..after he got done throwing a few insults in my direction." Arthur sighed. "Look, what about a partnership? Somebody creates and sells the object while another sells the service of maintenance. Both sides are happy. Simple." He clapped the young sorcerer on the shoulder.

"But what if they don't.." Gilli began.

"Diplomacy is the art of letting other people have your way, Gilli. Be persuasive! 'Works like magic."

After one more clap on the shoulder, the king resumed jogging back to the citadel grumbling under his breath, "Hang it all, Merlin! That was your job! You owe me, now."

Well, at least he was all warmed up to practice more diplomacy with the Mercians. There was just enough time for a quick wash and change and, hopefully, a late bite of lunch if he could manage it.

He thrust open the door to his chambers and was met with an armful of weeping wife.

"Merlin never came! What did you say to him! Didn't you apologize?"

He stifled a groan and did his best to soothe her. So much for lunch.

Honestly, some days just weren't worth waking up for.

—m—

At supper time, as Merlin and Hunith settled down to hot bread and lentil soup, a knock came at the door. Merlin opened it to have a warm berry pie thrust into his hands by Aleida, one of the next-door neighbors.

"Hello, Merlin," she said with a wide smile. "It's so good to have you visit. I just wanted to thank you for sending the ointment for John's skin troubles. He's much more comfortable now. It cleared right up. Anyway, thank you!"

"I'm happy to hear it. Gaius' recipes really are the best, aren't they? We were glad to help. Thanks so much for the pie!"

She nodded goodbye and left. As Merlin settled the pie on the table and resumed his seat, another knock came at the door. This time it was the village headman.

"Good evening, Merlin, Hunith."

"Hello, Michael. Is everything all right?" asked Hunith, concerned.

"Oh fine, fine. No troubles at all. It's just.. I've come on an errand to speak on behalf of the village."

Merlin quirked an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"It seems that most of us are working on building skeps and we just thought it could be an enjoyable evening together if we worked around a bonfire and heard a few stories from Camelot? It's not often we have such distinguished company as the Court Sorcerer of Camelot."

Merlin snorted. "Mike, did you really just call me distinguished?"

He looked back at his mother. Hunith smiled.

"It sounds like a lovely idea, if he's willing. Merlin? What do you say?"

"I'd say, I've got more than enough stories of all sorts to keep us up all night if need be. I'll do it."

Michael grinned, "Thanks, Merlin. I'll tell the others."

Not much later at sundown, the villagers gathered around a bonfire, skillfully weaving the long grasses while Merlin told stories, both humorous and suspenseful, of Camelot. The dancing flames painted pictures as he spun tales long into the night