Thanks to Ailena for help with naming the teddy bear!
Uther pulled Merlin from the school, and looked for other options. For the time being they could use all manner of reasons for keeping Merlin out of school, but he needed to be taught. Hunith offered to sit with him and read, and see if Merlin would write. His two days at school, Uther found out, had produced nothing. Merlin had not been happy. Everyone agreed when they sat in conference, with Merlin playing in the sandpit to distract him, he hadn't liked or trusted anyone there. It was an institution, Uther had eventually said, Merlin was intelligent enough not to trust them.
For the time being, they would have to look at what Merlin was capable of, and find a way to teach him. In the interim they could divide child-minding duties.
Which was why, on Tuesday, Merlin accompanied Hunith to the supermarket to get some shopping, since a few items had been missing from the delivery a few days previously. Teddylot, as the teddy bear had been dubbed by Arthur, had been taken along but Hunith managed to persuade Merlin to leave him in the car. She did not particularly fancy trying to manage Merlin and his fluffy purple friend while negotiating the aisles.
As Arthur had when they had gone to Macdonald's, Hunith wondered if Merlin had ever seen a supermarket as he gawped, wide-eyed at the sight of the stacks of fruit and vegetables and the people bustling around putting things into trolleys and baskets. Uther had told them, Arthur bullying him into revealing more information, that there was no record of when Merlin had been admitted to the home, or anything relating to his parents. There had been older children living there, but at the time Uther investigated no girls had been listed to have attended at the time Merlin had been born. That was the only bit of information Uther had been able to find aside from Merlin's name, there had been a date, an assumed birth date. But considering Merlin's size and development, none of them could be certain of that.
It just made them very aware that the only place Merlin had ever seen had been the home, until Uther removed him.
Merlin gawped, hung onto the trolley and stared avidly at the items Hunith gathered, helping her pick some things off shelves. Which convinced her Merlin had been given some minimal education. She easily ascertained that he knew colours, but he hesitated when asked to pick up a tin of peas looking at the shelves uncertainly. Then his little fingers touched one can, and then shuffled to point at another. He had picked the right item, but noticed there were processed and garden peas. Sticking out his lower lip he glanced at her questioningly.
"One of each," Hunith said.
With immense care Merlin picked up one can and handed it to her, then the other.
As a consequence of her investigation into Merlin's skills they took almost twice as long, and looking at the time Hunith knew she needed to get back. She stuffed the items of shopping onto the belt a little haphazardly and turned as one of the tins caught up on the edge. A moment later it toppled over. She tried to catch it even though she wouldn't reach. Merlin stood close to her and she didn't want to knock him over. Then she froze giving a sharp gasp, staring in shock as the tin paused halfway to the ground. The woman unloading her shopping in the queue behind her saw the can and yelped. Hunith glanced at Merlin, the gold flickering in his eyes.
"Merlin!" Hunith warned. The little boy blinked and the can toppled to the floor. The sound caused a few more people to look in their direction. From the epi-centre of the people that had witnessed the event; the woman in the queue, the checkout girl, the customers in the neighbouring queue, the information rippled outwards, and more eyes turned to Merlin, regarding him with curiosity, hostility and anger.
The more the word magic was heard the more people turned. Realising they were all staring at him Merlin shuffled backwards, pressing himself against Hunith, turning his face away. The fearful reaction of a small child did nothing to garner any sympathy. Hunith put a hand on his head.
"It's all right Merlin."
"Is the freak hers?" she heard one voice asked. She looked up in anger.
"You can't do that!" she snapped as she caught the boy on the next checkout trying to photograph Merlin with his phone.
"It's a public place," the spotty youth announced rudely, and Hunith's eyes widened as she saw a few more people reaching into their pockets, presumably to do the same thing. She pulled Merlin tighter to her, making sure she concealed his face.
"Hey!" the checkout boy yelped as the person in the queue beyond his reached over to remove the phone from his grip. The boy turned and then leant back in his chair slightly as the tall broad-shouldered man looked down at him, while carefully deleting the pictures.
"I think you'll find that photographing children is a bit of a sticky legal area. I mean," he drawled. "You wouldn't want people getting the wrong impression."
At his intonation the phones being produced disappeared back into pockets and the entire crowd glared at each other in suspicion. As they did so the muttering ceased and Merlin gave another whimper. The sound did nothing more than focus the attention back on him. Looking around Hunith realised there was too much for her to deal with, so many people staring at Merlin, at her and she could see one of the security guards heading over to see what the fuss was about. Hunith glanced at the checkout girl who had been scanning through her order.
"Sorry," she said. "Sorry."
With that Hunith grabbed Merlin's hand and pulled him around the checkout and walked swiftly down the front of the shop towards the exit, abandoning her shopping, with her only thought to get Merlin away from the hostile environment. Trotting next to her Merlin seemed to have exactly the same intention.
Left behind, the checkout girl stared at the half scanned shopping and sighed dramatically. And the tall man two tills down clenched his jaw slightly.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
"I'm sorry Merlin," Hunith said as she secured him in the backseat of her car. "I didn't handle that very well for you."
Merlin's little face, partially hidden in Teddylot, looked somewhat understanding but she could see something else that she couldn't entirely define. She hadn't done it very well. Arthur had developed a hero status for his actions at the school, and she didn't doubt that if it had been Arthur this time, or Uther, or even Morgana, they would have fronted the whole thing out. But they were more used to it. Journalists, photographers and the like were always harassing them. As just the housekeeper she didn't get that much interest, and usually if anyone tried to gain access to the house Balinor was there to handle it.
This time they unfortunately had to retreat with their tails slightly between their legs. Once she was sure Merlin was secured she turned and stood up, jumping a mile and yelping as she turned and realised a tall man had stopped by the rear of the car. As she yelped he took a startled step back.
"Sorry," he said, lifting a hand, the arm of which was burdened with a shopping bag. "Didn't mean to make you jump there."
He backed up a step, looking as wide eyed as she did. After a few seconds pause, while she caught her breath she recognised the man who had prevented them from being photographed.
"Sorry," he said again. "I erm... just brought you these."
He fiddled clumsily for a moment, trying to organise and separate the four uncooperative shopping bags he carried. Dropping one at his feet he held out the other, very full, three bags.
"You left it all in the shop so I..."
"Oh," Hunith took the bags, peering in to recognise the shopping that she herself had chosen. "Oh, well thank you... I..."
She looked up at him again in shock. He had retrieved his own bag, that didn't look to have too much in it, but he rummaged anyway and picked out a small chocolate bar that he had, by impulse, taken from the little rack by the tills. Leaning down into the back of the car he offered it to Merlin.
"There you go little guy."
Merlin looked at it, then up at him, and then to Hunith, his blue eyes uncertain.
"That was nice of him, wasn't it Merlin."
The words were enough of a hint for Merlin to release one of his arms from around Teddylot to reach out and take the chocolate with a tentative smile.
"Sorry, I don't even know your name," Hunith said.
"Percival," he said. "I felt bad, so..."
"You didn't have to buy the shopping, I don't think I have any money to cover it. I was going to pay by card," Hunith said. She put the shopping down to rummage in her handbag, and pulling out her purse glanced in with knowing despair. She had planned to pay with the credit card she carried to pay for housekeeping items. Giving Percival the three pounds that sat within a feeble amount of change just appeared insulting.
"It really doesn't matter," the man said again, and she realised she had heard him say that three times. Glancing up they met each others eyes both feeling rather awkward and embarrassed. At least they had the vague comfort of the knowledge that they both knew they felt the same.
"I could, my employer, he could get the money to you. I'm his housekeeper..." she tailed off, why was she telling him that; he didn't need to know her life story. Pulling herself together slightly she added.
"I should at least make sure that you get the money for that, it was a very kind gesture, but I don't think you really need to pay for our shopping. If you give me a name and address…."
Despite the fact he had said it didn't matter, and he didn't mind paying for it, the shopping was a little more than he could afford, as friendly gestures went. He wasn't entirely sure why the impulse had come upon him. Well, he did; it was the expressions of the people around him, all staring at the poor little boy who had looked so frightened.
Feeling even more awkward Percival rummaged in his pocket.
"I've got a card from work, I could put my name and a number on that, we can sort it out… later."
He rummaged further.
"Do you have a pen?"
For the next few minutes Merlin watched intently as Hunith and Percival shuffled about awkwardly. Hunith found a pen in the glove compartment, while she did that Percival opened the chocolate bar for Merlin before he noted his name and his mobile number on the back of the card informing people where he worked. Both adults shuffled about trying not to look at each other while they sorted out what they were doing and Percival placed the shopping in the boot of Hunith's car.
"Well… erm…" Percival stammered.
With at the awkwardness out of the way he backed up a little, not entirely sure how to extract himself from the situation in a way that was polite and final. Hunith smiled again, and Percival returned it.
"Thank you," Hunith said regaining a fraction of her composure and Merlin, who had kept his blue eyes steadily on the unfolding scene while he idly gnawed on his chocolate bar, lifted Teddylot's arm and waved it at Percival. Percival grinned at him.
"Bye little guy."
That seemed a reasonable moment to escape, with one last wave he turned and hurried across the car park.
He'd only gone in to the supermarket to pick up something for lunch for heaven's sake.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Guinevere glanced at her directions again and then up to the open gates, behind which sat a rather impressive house. She hadn't got it wrong, this was the right place, it just took her by surprise that the gates had been left open. Her mind had been set up ready for battling her way into the private grounds of the house by some horrible intercom system. Instead of that she just turned her car and eased it up the gravel driveway, parking it on a spot by a large rockery. She looked at the huge buddleia bush at the back, on which droned several large, fat bumblebees. As she stepped out of the car she peered at them, seeing if she could identify the species. She had done a little of that during one of her teaching stints, this one a little longer than her usual temping, filling in for a teacher on maternity leave.
Without clambering up into the garden she wasn't going to get close enough to find out so instead she glanced at her watch. It told her five to two, and it ran a couple of minutes fast, so she was early for her appointment. She hadn't really been sure she was going to keep it until the last minute. But then she balanced it with the fact her other interview that day was for part time bar work. That wasn't something she really wanted to be doing, but bills needed to be paid. And Mary, who ran the teacher's agency, did tell her that the pay offered on this job was more than generous, in fact she would be receiving a proper salary, rather than just odd bits from random jobs.
Opening the passenger door she took out the file with her CV, certificates and everything else she generally thought she needed for interviews. It felt comfortably bulky in her hand, not that that had done her much good in her attempts to get a full time teaching job.
She wasn't sure if this counted but considering the details of the email that Mary had given her she supposed it didn't hurt to look. Smoothing down the front of her dress and straightening the light cardigan she had matched with it she walked towards the front door, her heels annoyingly sliding into the gravel of the driveway so she stumbled a little as she made her way to the door.
It opened before she even reached it and looking up she immediately recognised Uther Pendragon. Taking a deep breath as she reached the steps she took two and then held out her hand to meet Uther's as she reached the top step.
"Mr Pendragon, I'm Guinevere Leodegrance."
Uther looked mildly surprised and impressed by her forwardness but Guinevere had been doing interviews on and off for the last two years. She met his gaze, looking up further than she needed to, he had the advantage of the higher step as he blocked the doorway. However she didn't let that bother her, she met his gaze squarely with a smile on her face.
"Miss Leodegrance," he answered politely, stepping back to let her walk over the threshold.
Walking into the hallway she looked around, but kept the surprise off her face. Although large and somewhat imposing the hallway also had an airy feel, the walls light in colour and the tall window on the half landing let in the sunlight, reflecting it off the glass of the hundreds of framed photographs that littered the place. There were no posh, expensive looking paintings. Family life lay depicted on the walls, people, children and one huge picture of a blonde woman, her hair around her shoulders in a loose summer dress, trying to hold a sun hat on her head. The bulge of her stomach made it obvious she was pregnant. Guinevere looked at the picture for a few seconds. You couldn't not view it, as it had been placed prominently so that anyone arriving, or heading down the curving staircase. In fact anyone coming from any area of the house into the hallway would at some point catch it in their line of sight.
"Come through to my study," Uther said. "My housekeeper will bring refreshments, do you prefer tea or coffee, we have herbal tea, or a cold drink if you prefer."
That off-footed Gwen slightly. It wasn't something that often turned up in normal interviews, but with the warm weather she felt a little hot.
"Something cold would be nice."
Uther nodded and turned his head slightly, his gaze moving to the short corridor that ran past the ornate oak staircase.
"Hunith, could you bring some more lemonade, and a second glass!" Uther yelled. Hunith answered a moment later, yelling back.
"In a moment!"
Gwen felt slightly bemused, but settled. What she knew of Uther Pendragon came from papers. He owned a multi-million pound chain of businesses, picking others up along the way, selling parts off. His illicit investigation into the Blessed Care Home had dominated the front pages for weeks as he refused to allow information to be hidden. Names were changed and some things toned down but he fought against the government's gagging order, and for the most part he won. When she had read about it Gwen had felt a surge of respect for the man. Now she was here seeing him in his house, and he really didn't meet expectations.
"Please sit down," he said politely, gesturing to a chair by the desk.
"Thank you," she said taking the seat and placing her file on a corner of the desk. The huge wooden structure seemed covered in files, photographs and a computer complete with printer, fax and phone. The room's walls were filled with bookcases and filing cabinets. This was a man who was serious about his work. Although again there were photographs of his family, making it seem he was just as serious about his home life.
He resumed his seat and glanced down at the paper on his desk before looking back up at her.
"I did explain to the manager of the agency, I was looking for someone older, with perhaps more experience."
"I've been working for two years, in various different places," Guinevere informed him. "I have gained good experience in that time."
"Yes, but you haven't really worked anywhere for more than a few months."
"It's meant that I have to be fairly adaptable, and also highly familiar with the curriculum so whatever topics I need to pick up I can do so easily. I have also developed lesson plans for youth projects, and worked in homework clubs, and helped run school activities for all ages, and abilities."
Uther raised his eyebrows. "To be perfectly honesty we are not sure what ability Merlin is at. The first part of your job will be to assess that."
Guinevere reached for her folder, flipping it open and turning the pages to find the relevant section.
"I also spent sometime on one placement in a special school working out lesson plans. I made them adaptable for all ages and ability."
She pulled out the relevant papers and handed them over the desk. Uther took them and flipped through them. Guinevere sat back and waited. It didn't feel like an interview but more of a mental jousting match. Whether or not he now offered her the job she didn't care, she just wanted to beat him, or at least impress him.
From the look on his face as he flicked through her carefully constructed lesson plans she appeared to be doing that. Although they both became distracted as Hunith knocked before opening the door, carrying a tray with a jug of homemade lemonade and a glass filled with ice. She smiled at Guinevere.
"Here you go dear," Hunith said pouring out the drink and handing a glass to Gwen.
"Thank you," Gwen said politely. Hunith poured some more liquid into the glass by Uther's elbow. He glanced up briefly.
"Thanks."
With that Hunith made a discreet exit and Gwen sipped her lemonade. Uther put the papers down.
"This is good," he spoke almost in passing, although he clearly meant it. "I noticed you are currently taking a psychology degree."
"Yes, focusing on child psychology, it's an area that does interest me, and I did want to perhaps focus my career on dealing with children with needs."
"The manager of the agency put you forward on the basis of that. Is there a particular reason you chose a career in teaching?"
Guinevere shrugged. "That was probably down to my brother. He used to have problems in school, dyslexia being one of them. There just wasn't trained staff to be able to deal with him. I used to help him with his homework, when he struggled."
"He's younger than you?"
"Three years older," Guinevere said. "I was helping him from when I was about eight. It seemed to work and I found I liked it, and that I was good at it. He had some behaviour issues while he went through high school, but I think that was more no one bothered to help him rather than anything psychological."
"And out of interest, what does your brother do now?"
"Oh, he's a mechanic, like our father. It's a family business."
"But you're not part of it?"
"I help with the accounts, and I'm not that bad with an engine either," Guinevere said, causing Uther to smile.
"Always useful. You would have use of a car, and also considering the distance you would need to travel I would cover expenses for that, on top of your salary. I wouldn't really be inclined to work around term times and holidays, but rather keep the routine steady. I'm not sure how much catching up Merlin needs to do, or even what he really knows. It's not that he is difficult, but you will be dealing with someone who doesn't speak, or at least he hasn't yet."
Guinevere raised her eyebrows. "I really don't think we should talk about things like that unless you are preparing to offer me the job."
Uther looked at her, quite surprised by the barbed comment. Although Guinevere supposed he wasn't used to people refusing to work for him.
"The agency manager did warn me that perhaps despite the advantages of the post that some may not consider it given that Merlin has magic."
"How many have on that basis?"
"Three," Uther said without hesitating, or without rancour. "If you think it may have a detrimental effect on your career then you are under no obligation to take it."
"I hadn't really thought about it on that basis," Guinevere said truthfully. "it's just home schooling is not the same as working in a classroom."
"There are others that are probably in a similar position with their children. It leaves a possibility for expansion. I tried Merlin in a schooling environment, his social skills are a little limited, and this is not just limited to teaching him facts. I want to find a way to completely introduce him into the world."
Guinevere nodded.
"Maybe perhaps meeting Merlin will help you make up your mind."
Uther slowly stood and Guinevere smoothly rose to her feet. He led the way out of his study and through the austere dining room to the large patio, where Merlin sat in his, and formally Arthur and Morgana's, sandpit.
"Merlin?"
Merlin's head rose, giving them the benefit of his bright blue eyes. He occupied the centre of the sandpit, with Arthur's action toy and jeep. Teddylot sat to one side, out of the sand and Merlin had been studiously building sand dunes to run the jeep down. He paused as Uther called his name.
"This is Guinevere, she's going to come and be your teacher."
Merlin blinked and stared at her. Guinevere smiled at him.
"Hello, Merlin."
He continued to stare at her, only turning his gaze away as a phone rang. Uther pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the display.
"Sorry, I must take this, I won't be a moment."
He moved away, looking and sounding as if he was answering a call, however, it seemed very significant it happened at that moment, leaving her with Merlin. Uther stayed near enough to watch them, and he glanced in their direction occasionally. Guinevere smiled again and crouching down perched on the edge of the sandpit. She looked at the huge purple teddy.
"He's nice, I like purple, it's a good colour."
Merlin nodded at her, his eyes wide.
"Mr Pendragon said you didn't like school."
Merlin shook his head with great vehemence.
"Learning with me won't be the same," she said. "It will just be me and you and... hello."
She paused as they were interrupted by a droning tone. Merlin's eyes widened, and he leant back as the bumblebee, that Guinevere presumed had been one of those flying around the bush out front came past them and came to rest on the teddy. Merlin looked horrified, and slightly frightened.
"It's all right," Guinevere said. "She's just a bumblebee, she won't hurt him. It's because he's bright, she thinks he's a flower."
Leaning forward Guinevere gently nudged the bee so it wandered off the teddy onto the edge of the sandpit. Merlin gawped, looking less frightened, although he still inclined away. Guinevere peered at the bee, looking at the red stripe.
"She's a red-tailed bumblebee, there are lots of different kinds," Guinevere informed Merlin. He blinked, glancing at her and then at the insect. "You can tell because she's got a red stripe here."
Very carefully Merlin inched forward, peering at the bee warily. Guinevere indicated to the red stripe at the end of the bee's abdomen.
"All her friends are hanging out around the big bush out front. She's looking for more flowers. Let's help her. Bees help flowers."
Merlin pouted, looking unconvinced, but he blinked as Guinevere carefully eased the bee onto her hand and then getting up went over to the nearby flower bed, where a large white rosebush dominated one corner. She coaxed the bee off her hand onto the flower, where it gave a satisfied sounding buzz and went rummaging in the centre of the flower.
"There you are," Gwen said brightly. "She'll help the rose pollinate, and grow."
Merlin blinked again and then suddenly, after watching the bee fly to another flower to forage turned back to look at Guinevere, giving a shy, but bright, smile.
It didn't seem to matter about her experience or well laid out lesson plans. She got the feeling that Uther only offered her the job because Merlin smiled at her.
Later on that day she got the feeling that she only accepted because of the exact same thing.