Vivian searched his face. Had he noticed that there was something a bit different about her? Did she stick out? Or worse: was there something stuck in her teeth? Vivian pushed back her worries; since there was no way Michael was Emrys, there was no way he could suspect her of being anybody from a distant time period or anything else. Vivian caught herself staring into his shining eyes. They were a distinct, beautiful mix of blue, green, and grey. In different lightings they even resembled the gold she associated with magic. He also smelled good, in a natural way. There was no trace of the disgusting, overpowering cologne Marin's brothers wore, and she even detected a whiff of the forest on him. All in all, Michael reminded Vivian of home. She was really starting to like him, despite the fact they had only just met. Not only that, but she could use him to help her navigate this new world. The Bernes weren't a bad family, however it was always good to have an outside source or someone who could help her relax and take a break from her duties of finding Emrys.
"I'm starting to get thirsty. Why don't we get something to drink?" Vivian offered.
"Sure… whatever you want," Michael said. Vivian grabbed his wrist and led him toward the bar.
"How old are you?" Michael asked. Vivian spun around while trying to mask her worried expression.
"Nineteen. Why do you ask…?" she questioned him cautiously.
"No reason. Well, actually, I just wanted to make sure you weren't going get us both arrested when the cops blew your fake ID," Michael laughed. Vivian let out a small breath of relief. She found herself afraid that he would figure out she was hiding something. Michael was different. On a subconscious level, Vivian was worried he would guess who she really was. It was stupid, but somehow she could see him believing in magic. Besides, people are always more prone to believing things they find out themselves instead of what you tell them. She also wondered what an ID was.
"What would you like?" Michael asked.
"Oh, that's all right; I'll get my own drink," Vivian said.
"No, I insist. It's only proper for a gentleman to buy a drink for his lady," he replied. Vivian blushed.
"Hey Vivian!" Marin yelled from across the room. Vivian's head whipped around. "Isn't this great? So much fuuuuuun…" Marin was still hanging on poor Keith's arm and was swaying a bit. She seemed completely wasted.
"Are you…drunk, Marin?" Vivian asked.
"What? No, I just sleepy… Keith and I are having sooo much fun…" Marin crooned just as she stumbled forward.
"Wow, I mean it's not even that late yet. She is one hard-core partier," Michael commented.
"I suppose so," Vivian said as she took Marin's weight from Keith. "Might you be able to help me find her brothers? You know what Cormac and Alister look like, don't you?"
"Of course. Anything I can do to help," Michael replied kindly. After a quarter of an hour of searching, the drunken Marin had been turned into the care of her brothers. Keith had bolted at the first opportunity.
"Are you ready to leave, or do you want to stay a little longer?" Alister asked her.
"I'm fine. You can head home and I'll find my way back later," she replied.
Merlin and Vivian chatted for quite while. They'd already covered the basics: he knew her favorite color, what she liked to eat, her favorite places to be, and her hobbies.
"So are you planning in enrolling at the community college this upcoming autumn?" Merlin asked her. In order to support her story, Vivian had to say yes.
"Of course! That is what education would mean right?" Vivian laughed. He thought he detected a nervous tint to the sound.
"Gah, school is closing in so quickly! The time really has flown… I guess that's what happens during the summer… What is today's date anyway?" Merlin questioned slyly yet casually.
"Oh, the date? You're right; time really has flown! I really have no idea," Vivian replied. Merlin nodded to himself. His theory was solidifying by the minute. The sad part was, he really was beginning to like Vivian.
"What year will you be in?" he continued.
"Year?" Vivian asked.
"Yes, you know, like in school," Merlin said.
"Well, first I suppose."
"Pity. I'm in second, so I doubt we'll have any classes together," Merlin said. The conversation wore on, and the two strayed to other topics.
"So I know you've said you really enjoy the outdoors," Merlin remarked.
"Yes! I was always so cooped up as a child; I rarely got to roam free. But you know what I really love?" Vivian exclaimed.
"What," Merlin replied. He really loved the way Vivian's eyes sparkled when she was excited. They looked like gemstones in the light.
"Sunrises and sunsets! And climbing trees, but mostly sunrises and sunsets! The colors are just lovely! The way they play on water too… you know if you happen to be near a lake at the time…" Vivian trailed off and looked up at Merlin, as if awaiting a reaction. Merlin had been caught up staring at Vivian. He found he loved the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled, the way her freckles dotted her button nose, and especially the way her eyes shone when she talked about something with passion. There was only one other person Merlin had felt as close to the way he he'd felt close to Vivian. But Freya had been gone for a long, long time. In his heart, he knew she would have wanted him to be happy. He felt that he trusted Vivian, and, if he wasn't deluding himself, she trusted him too.
"Michael?" Vivian asked, waving her hand in front of his eyes.
"Sorry, I was caught up admiring how stunning you look," Merlin replied teasingly. Vivian laughed again. The sound brought joy to Merlin's heart. It was getting late, and Merlin could tell Vivian was tiring out.
"Why don't we call it a night," he said kindly. "I can walk you home." A memory flashed through Merlin's mind; he was reminded of a time when he had been so vulnerable, so awkward and unguarded. Vivian reminded him of how he used to be. But one cannot simply live through hundreds of years without being changed by them. Even though that wasn't what Arthur would have wanted… There is no way to escape time.
"Right here," Vivian said as they passed in front of the Bernes' house. The two of them walked up to the door. "Well, I've had a lovely time, getting to know you and all," she continued.
"So have I," Merlin replied. "What do you say about meeting me again tomorrow?"
"Oh, I would love that!" she exclaimed. "I mean, yes, that would be nice." Merlin laughed.
"Great, then. We could meet up at the Camelot Pot; it's a coffeehouse with a medieval theme. Quite cool, really. At around five?" he suggested. "Perhaps afterwards we could go on a hike, since you love the outdoors so much."
"Sounds perfect," Vivian said.
As Merlin walked back to his cabin in the woods, he started to reflect on recent events. Even though he had only approached Vivian to determine her purpose in Glastonbury, he realized he had truly enjoyed her company. He had actually gotten to know her quite well in the short time they'd spent together. She was a bright girl, and it was nice to have a change in company now and again.
It was such a small town, and everyone had grown up together. There were only a handful of schools, so newcomers stuck out like sore thumbs. Merlin only been back for a couple of years; the last twenty he had spent in the States. It had been his first visit to the US since the War of Southern Aggression. No one ever remembered the indistinct old man he became under the aging spell. But now, he had to start reintroducing himself to everyone again. He'd already made his choice by meeting Vivian as his younger self, so now he had to stick with it.
It was getting late, or early really, depending on how it was looked at. As Merlin walked her home, he saw for the first time just how quaint and old Glastonbury was. The small houses were never more than two stories, and the biggest building was the courthouse. The pastel paint flaked off most homes that lined the narrow streets. There wasn't a family in Glastonbury that owned more than one car, and barely anyone in Glastonbury had ever been outside England. In fact, the farthest most anyone in the town had been was probably Ireland. Merlin was almost certain he was the only one who had ever been more than two hundred miles away from the tiny community he wasn't actually a part of. He thought of how much more beautiful it had been before most of the forest was bulldozed to make way for the sprinkling buildings that were now the main street. The stone in which he Arthur had once pulled Excalibur from still stood, but for Merlin it held too many happy memories. For some reason, the most joyous memories made him the saddest; they reminded him of all he had lost.