Thanks to Ikchen, Glittery-excuse-for-a Fae, Lady Clark-Weasley of Books, Lozrii, xXStephRheaXx and Siany-T for their kind comments and encouragement. This chapter is for you guys!

Elsu sped through the air like an arrow, his body sleek and streamlined. He changed direction suddenly, whistling up towards the clouds until his outline was so small it looked no bigger than a pinprick. Merlin squinted after him, shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun. He felt like a worried parent; he didn't want Elsu travelling that high in case he fell prey to a bigger bird and Merlin could do nothing about it. He willed the falcon to come back down.

At the same time as this anxiety the boy was itching to try sharing Elsu's body once more. The image he had of Camelot from a bird's eye view was fading fast and he didn't want to lose the vividness and accuracy – he wanted to remember every single detail from the colour of the horses in the farthest field to the flowers growing outside the front door of a peasant's house. He could barely recall what fruit a trader had been selling on his stall at the market: was it apples or pears?

But before he could even think about the things he would see again he would have to work out how to transfer his mind into the animal. Last time it had just happened, he hadn't said anything but he'd just moved into the merlin's body. Merlin tried to think back to that day, focussing on every little detail. He had wanted to see what Elsu saw, he remembered that, but could merely wanting to do something make it happen? It didn't seem likely. Still, it was worth a try.

The warlock concentrated on wanting to see what Elsu was viewing, he willed himself to once again observe the world through a falcon's eyes. Nothing happened. He concentrated further, closing his eyes.

"Why have you got your face screwed up as if you can't pass wind?"

Merlin's eyes snapped open. In front of him stood an amused looking boy, his lips curled in a crooked smile. His bronze hair ruffled in the light breeze, glinting with coppery tints.

"I-I was concentrating!" The sorcerer defended himself.

"On what? Alchemy?"

"No," Merlin said but revealed no more preferring to change subject - quickly. "How are your lodgings?"

"Better than we've ever had before." The boy slumped down on a low stone wall; his legs sprawled out before him. "I mean, in this place our closet is practically as big as my old room."

"I thought you travelled?" Merlin queried, dropping down beside Bedivere and running a hand through his hair.

"Not always. When I was a very little baby my mother insisted that they stopped travelling and find a cottage. So Father sold the majority of his wares to buy this house. I don't remember much of it except my room and the fact it was made of this yellow stone, it was beautiful – used to sparkle in the sun. We lived there until I was about five but then my mother died and Father decided it was time to move on."

"How did your mother die? If you don't mind me asking?"

"I don't remember," the youth shrugged, "One day she was there and the next my father told me she'd gone to heaven."

"Oh."

"He hates talking about her, it hurts him." Bedivere kicked the wall with his heel, scattering shards of grey stone everywhere. Merlin looked sadly at the boy, it sounded like Bedi was still mourning even now because his mother's death had never been properly explained to him. If his father wouldn't even talk about her that must be hard. Merlin loved his own mother dearly, he didn't know what he would do if she ever died. He may have left her to come here but that was her choice and he'd do anything for her.

"Argh!" Bedivere yelped loudly as there was a flurry of movement. He waved his arms in the air and jerked his legs which caused him to lose his balance and fall backwards off the wall. He hit the ground with a heavy thud. Merlin grabbed the thing that was causing the chaos straight out of the air and scolded him before diving to Bedi's aid.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just a bit bruised," the boy said sitting up and rubbing his back, "What was that?!"

"You mean this?" Merlin looked sheepish as he held the thing in his hands up. A beady eye regarded Bedivere with contempt – in Elsu's mind the boy had caused all the trouble, flapping around like an infantile bird that couldn't fly. Ridiculous.

"Is that a falcon?" Standing up, the adolescent inspected the animal more closely, taking in the smooth slate blue wings and the patterned face. It had a creamy chest speckled with brown smudges and amber eyes that seemed to see right through him.

"He's a merlin which is a type of falcon. His name is Elsu."

"You named him?" The boy sounded incredulous.

"I know, it's a bit strange naming a bird but Gwen insisted and…"

"But he's yours! You own a bird!" Bedivere was in awe of the dark haired man in front of him.

"Hardly. He does what he wants; I just feed him and give him shelter." At that moment Elsu wriggled free of Merlin's grip and as if to contradict what the boy had just said fluttered up his arm and landed delicately on his shoulder. Then he nibbled his ear gently. The sorcerer's eyebrows shot up in amazement – Elsu had never displayed such affection. However, Bedivere was convinced by the action that Merlin could control the falcon.

"Wow. That is so brilliant!"

"He's never done that before…."

"Wait until I tell Father! He loves seeing things like this! He used to collect animals that were unique." With that the boy ran off. Merlin gawked after him, the youth's words only just registering what Bedivere had suggested. He wanted his father to buy Elsu off him. There was no way that was going to happen.

Merlin went to bed that night feeling rather apprehensive – he was so edgy that he couldn't even sleep. He kept thinking that the enigmatic tradesman would come and steal Elsu whilst he snoozed. It was a ridiculous idea: why would Fabien ever want to take a bird? But even so Merlin was still wary, he didn't really trust the man, there was something wrong about him. When they'd met in the dining hall this evening the man had given Merlin such a strange look, it looked as if he wanted to kill him with his bare hands. Then it passed. Still, it had unnerved the young magician.

The said falcon was currently roosting, perched on a shelf to Merlin's right – nearer the window. His eyes were closed and his feathers shimmered in the bluish glow cast by the half moon outside. The beams of ghostly light caressed all his contours, picking out the lighter shades of his feathers from the dark and outlining his small hooked beak. Despite its shape, in the soft illumination, the beak did not look cruel; it did not look like it was capable of ripping the guts from another living creature. A barely visible tremor ran from the top of Elsu's head to his tail; his foot twitched involuntarily. Merlin smiled slightly, wondering what he was dreaming of – if birds could dream.

Finally at peace with himself, knowing that his merlin was in no danger and enjoying an undisturbed kip, the warlock fell into a deep slumber.

"Merlin? Merlin! Merlin come quickly!"

The young man shifted beneath his covers, aware that someone was calling him but not wanting to move from the warm nest that was his bed. However, the calling grew more insistent and louder, suggesting the speaker was coming closer. Suddenly the door burst open and a messenger boy barrelled in.

"Merlin! Wake up! The Prince is missing!"