Present time at Dragon Corporation
On the executive floor of Dragon Corporations Balinor Emrys was at his wits end. He and his wife were seriously worried about their son Merlin, he was without doubt a very clever man, and he had finished his degree in business early, having started at Oxford two years before his contemporaries. Passing with flying colours at the top of his class he had insisted on starting work if not at the bottom of the company then not at the place his father had wanted him to. Merlin said he wanted to prove he got his job on ability alone and not because he was the boss's son. Merlin had worked for the company for two years now and six months ago when Balinor's Vice President had a heart attack, Merlin had taken the post, albeit reluctantly.
At twenty one he was young for the job but more than capable. Merlin had always been interested in the company, spending all his holidays working in one department or another. It was all he had ever wanted to do. But he still seemed to think he had to work harder and longer hours than anyone else, just to prove he hadn't got his position through nepotism. He was blind to the fact that no one thought he had.
It was nothing unusual for him to be at his desk a full hour and a half before his father and still there when Balinor left. Merlin didn't live at home anymore, he had moved into his paternal grandparent's flat when his grandfather had died and left it to him. Balinor had threatened, cajoled and even tried to bribe his son to work less hours. However, not only that, but the boy seemed to have little or no interest in food and after forgot to stop for lunch. His mother insisted he come to Sunday lunch every week but the boy still remained as skinny as ever. He couldn't even get the boy to have a P.A, instead he relied on the typing pool. Well enough was enough. Balinor went to the door and called for his PA.
"GWEN?"
His P.A came into the office, she was a pretty and cheerful woman who had been with him since his last P.A George had left two years before. She had been like a breath of fresh air as George had been efficient but as dull as ditch water. Gwen had come straight from University and had proved her worth over and over, they were friends as well as boss and employee. Gwen sat down as her boss gestured at the chair by his desk.
"I have had enough! Like it or not Merlin is going to have a P.A. I want you to place an advertisement. Also, short list the applicants, you know the job and what we require. We will interview together, no point in involving Merlin as he won't like it but he needs someone to at least make sure he eats! I will not have a repeat of what happened at University," Balinor explained, a note of regret in his voice.
Gwen knew, that in the run up to his finals, Merlin Emrys had collapsed from exhaustion after forgetting to eat or sleep for days as he revised for his exams. She smiled at her boss, they made a strange pair him being over six foot high and built like a bear with long hair in a ponytail and a beard. Many people who did not know him were surprised when they met the CEO for the first time. Gwen however was petite and barely five foot four, but she ran his office with a rod of iron whilst still appearing sweet and soft.
She smiled at her boss, "I do know someone who might be just the person for the job, Sir."
Try as he might, Gwen would not call Balinor by his Christian name in the office, even if she was perfectly willing to do so out of office hours. Balinor waited and arched an eyebrow when she stayed silent.
"Who?" he demanded.
"Someone I went to uni with, he was top of the class and a great organiser," Gwen grinned, "I think they would get on together."
"If he's that good can we get him and will he work as a P.A?" Balinor asked, confused how anyone that good could still be free and while many graduates worked as P.A's they often moved on to other things.
Gwen looked slightly uncomfortable. "He's doing whatever work he can get at the moment, but he is ever so good, and he would love the chance. I'm not just saying that because he is a friend," she started to waffle as Balinor knew she only did if she was worried.
"Out with it girl. What is he a serial killer or something?" Balinor grinned, "I trust your judgement but I need more information."
"Oh no, it's just… his-name-is-Pendragon-and-no-one-will-give-him-a-chance!" Gwen mumbled, the words spilling out of her mouth to fast for Balinor to understand.
Balinor chuckled, "Slow down and tell me again."
"I said, his name is Pendragon and no one will give him a chance," Gwen said blushing.
That surprised Balinor, "Pendragon as in.."
"Yes, it's the son, but it wasn't his fault he doesn't have a job. In fact he was the one that reported his father. He's a good man," Gwen said blushing even more furiously.
"I know the story Gwen, it took guts what the boy did. Not only that, but to hand over the assets of the company to help compensate the victims, was very admirable." Balinor did indeed know the story, not many didn't, it had been in the news for weeks.
Uther Pendragon had been using his employees' pension fund to invest heavily in the stock markets and to keep his company afloat. However, it got worse still with his tax avoidance measures being less than legal. It all come to light when his son, the company's Vice President, handed Morgause Gorlois of the Inland Revenue the secret files. Uther had fled before he was arrested and later found dead in unexplained circumstances on his luxury yacht in the Caribbean. Arthur Pendragon had been left to try to pick up the pieces.
"Then you can see why no one wants to give him a chance. He was going to change his name by deed poll but decided his face was too well known. He did nothing wrong but has been punished for it," Gwen said passionately.
"Alright, fit an interview up in the next couple of days as soon as you can, I'll interview him but alone. I make no promises mind, but if he as good as you say, I'll give him the chance." Balinor liked to help people down on their luck, as long as they were willing to work hard. And, as he said, he knew the story he just hadn't given a thought to what happened after the fuss had died down.
"Thank you Sir, you won't regret it."
…..
The minute Gwen finished work she rushed round to see Arthur. Since the scandal, Arthur and his sister Morgana lived in a flat that had been left to Arthur by his mother. Gwen had been friends with Morgana since university and often spent time at the flat. Morgana had managed to get work, she was helped by the fact she had not worked at Pendragons and used her mother's name La Fey. She was Uther's illegitimate daughter, but even so, she had also found it hard after all the fuss. The siblings had stuck together ever since. Arthur had felt guilty when it was believed his father had committed suicide rather than face the courts. He didn't regret making the scandal public, but wondered if he should have confronted his father first, giving him the chance to admit what he had done. His sister and friends all knew that Uther would never have accepted he was wrong and the result would have been the same.
Gwen rang the doorbell and waited, it was Arthur who opened the door. He looked tired and sad, much as he did most times lately, not being able to get a job that used his abilities was grinding him down. He had never been out of work since the whole episode but instead had done a series of temporary jobs each ending when his employers decided he wasn't worth the risk. No one was willing to give him a permanent job. His latest was as a barista covering for maternity leave, if he hadn't owned his own flat he would have been in real trouble. His sister paid him rent, against his wishes, but it paid the rates and some of the electric so he had no choice.
"Hello Gwen, sorry Morgs isn't back from work yet. She should be here soon though, do you want to wait?" The blonde said, "I am just making cup of tea, I'm sick of the smell of coffee."
Gwen went on and grinned said "Actually, it's you I have come to see. There is a job going at work and you can have an interview if you want one."
"Nice try Gwen, but you know it's no point, just wasting my time and theirs," Arthur told his friend despondently
"No, honestly I spoke to my boss, he knows who you are and is happy to interview you, it's yours if he's happy," Gwen said, "Please try."
Arthur looked at his sister's friend, she had been a rock over the past couple of years and had with her boyfriend become a big part of their lives. "You haven't stuck your neck out I hope."
"No, I was asked to put out an advert and as soon as I knew what the job was, I knew it was for you. I asked Balinor if he would consider you and he said yes to arrange an interview. He is a fair man, Arthur, he knows you weren't to blame for what your father did," Gwen said earnestly. She really wanted Arthur to try, it could make a real difference to both the sibling's lives.
At that moment Morgana walked in, "Hi Gwen you're here early, what up?"
"I have come to tell Arthur he has an interview for a job," Gwen told her friend excitedly.
Morgana was suddenly all questions, "Where? What doing? When?"
"You've already asked more than Arthur," Gwen said in mock disgust. She knew how hard Arthur was finding life and how many jobs he had had over the past couple of years. "Look it's a three month trial but you have to cock it up not to keep it. It's for Dragon Corp so even if you don't decide to stay there it's a step back into the corporate world. It's working for a great man as a P.A"
"So what's the catch?" Arthur asked bluntly.
"No catch, it's for Merlin Emrys the VP. Balinor's son. He has refused a P.A but his father has decided that he has to have one," Gwen said.
"So…. a job where I'm not wanted and for a man younger than me, some sort of whiz kid from what you have said in the past," Arthur said bitterly. "Why does his father want to force someone on him?"
"Arthur! Don't be so negative," Morgana snorted, "Hear Gwen out."
"Merlin had the opposite problem to what you had with your father. Merlin genuinely feels he has to be better than everyone else, to prove his worth. At his own request, he has been working in various departments learning the company from top to bottom. The last VP left after a heart attack and Balinor promoted Merlin. Balinor is very supportive and really wants to help his son, and yes Merlin is a very clever man, but really sweet with it. But he tends to work so hard he forgets to eat, drink and sleep. His parent's worry about him. So as P.A you will do all the usual and make sure he eats and drinks and encourage him to go home at night. He needs to accept that he needs to delegate basically. The job will include overseas travel but the wages more than make up for that." Gwen had mentioned Merlin in passing but only because she had hoped to get Merlin to come out with their group sometimes, she never gossiped about her work.
"You could do that Arthur, come on you have to give it a try. P.A to a Vice President in a company like Dragon could be just the break you have been looking for." Morgana knew her brother, if he felt it was charity he wouldn't even go for an interview. "I bet it will help Gwen. I suppose you have been trying to look after both father and son?" she asked her friend
"Oh no, Merlin tries to do it all, the typing pool does his typing up, they all love him. The rest he does himself but he is burning himself out," she looked at Arthur, "Just go and speak to Mr Emrys what do you have to lose? He won't take you on, on my say so alone, you will have to have an interview with him and he's no one's fool. Please Arthur, if Balinor is happy it will make my life easier and he is really worried about his son."
Morgana knew from the look on her brother's face he was tempted, "Look Gwen stay to tea, which will give Arthur time to think. I know Lance is on a late shift, I saw him earlier."
Morgana worked in behind the information desk at the local police station and Lance was a copper. In fact it was him that had suggested she go for the job when she also lost her job at Pendragons. Gwen agreed and soon they were all in the kitchen helping each other cook. As they ate Arthur asked, "So what's Merlin Emrys really like?"
Gwen smiled, "He's a few years younger than you, he went to Oxford early and graduated with a PhD in Business Management, best in year, two years early. He is a very hard worker and very well liked in the company. He has a tendency to forget the time and not stop to drink or eat. He is daft enough to think he only has his job because of who he is. When in truth he could get a job anywhere. I don't know anyone who doesn't love him. What more do you want to know?"
"Why doesn't he already have a P.A" Arthur continued.
"Well the last VP's P.A retired when his boss did. Merlin said he didn't want one. He said it was pretentious and unnecessary. I think in truth he has one major flaw…delegation. He seems to think he needs to do everything himself, not because he thinks he is the only one that can, but because he thinks everyone else is busier than him. Which is nonsense. His dad has found him at his desk at eleven at night before and he was always in by seven thirty. Until Balinor told the security not to allow him in until at least eight thirty. Look Arthur you would be doing me a favour, his father is getting worried and I like my boss chilled. I really think you two would get on well, balance each other. And Dragons is a great firm to work for." The P.A was keeping her fingers crossed.
Arthur looked at his sister.
"Go and talk to them Arthur what do you have to lose?" Morgana said simply. "It sounds right up your street, you will soon have him organised and, once you have got some time under your belt, you might be able to move sideways into management properly."
Arthur thought for a moment, "Alright, no promises mind!" he paused, "When is the interview?"
"I can organise it around you. Balinor will interview you himself and he only has a few things that can't be moved so, when can you make it? Tomorrow at ten is free," Gwen wanted to strike while the iron was hot and not give Arthur time to change his mind.
"I suppose I could, I have a CV ready and I don't need to be at the coffee shop until two" Arthur said cautiously.