WHO: Susan Pevensie and Merlin WHAT: A meeting, and a discussion of magic WHEN: Recently WHY?: Because magic is fun! WARNINGS: None STATUS: Closed and Completed GDoc
Merlin was wandering the library, a cart following him at his beckoning, holding several books, some open, and avoiding running into anyone. It paused anytime someone cut it off and waited patiently, then followed Merlin again. Merlin was just wandering, enjoying browsing the library, and he would sometimes float up to top shelves to examine a book and either add it to his growing collection or put it back.
He was dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, his hair cut close for once, and he smiled as he wandered, enjoying himself.
He glanced at a young woman as he passed her to get to a shelf, and nodded, and the cart wobbled at her as well as it passed her.
“Good day, milady.”
***
After discovering the library, Susan had frankly lost track of time. She had studied over several books and skimmed others, and had been there for hours. She wore a simple pale lavender sweater with a long gray skirt and plain black boots, all of which she had picked up a few days earlier, glad to find clothing that suited her more conservative style. Long dark hair that reached her waist was pulled back into a braid to keep it out of her way, and she pushed it over one shoulder even as she stood with one of the books she’d been studying, moving to an aisle to return it.
Stepping to one side as a man passed, she looked at him and returned the nod along with a smile - though it faded in surprise when the cart followed him, distinctly moving on its own. A faint gasp escaped her as she realized that he wasn’t pulling it and no one was pushing it.
“Oh!”
***
At her gasp, Merlin turned, and blinked, then eyed the cart and her. “Are you well, milady?” He eyd the cart. “Did you run her over, Percy? You know what I told you about that.”: He waggled a finger at the cart, which shook as if shaking a head.
Hmmm. He turned his look to her, examining her. “What is the problem, milady?”
***
“I’m sorry, I was just...surprised.” She blinked, her bright blue eyes widening a little when the cart moved again. “Percy? Who’s...Percy?” She took a slight step back from the cart and the man before she met his gaze again.
“Does...it have some sort of motor? That you’re controlling it with?” Her British accent and proper speech were both signs that she was certainly far from Madison and out of her depth in general.
***
“No problem.” He smiled to her. “Percy is the cart.Normally, he is a dog, but he consented to be a cart for this little while as I hunt for some books to work with.” He smiled to her.
He was amused, but not showing it. “I am a wizard, and Percival is my dog. I will introduce him to you later, if you like.”
***
“I...what?” Susan frowned in confusion, and when he went on to explain about being a wizard and the cart somehow being his dog, she shook her head a little. This place, as non-magical as it was, was far too much like Narnia for comfort, and it took some adjusting for her to be able to process it completely.
“I see,” she said at last, then gave a slow nod, though she wasn’t entirely sure she believed him at the moment. “I suppose I would.”
***
“Let me guess… no or little magic in your world?” He smiled softly. “Forgive me, then, for so shocking you, I pray. Jehovah did not give me these talents to hurt any.” he nodded to her.
Merlin smiled wider then. “I know Percy likes people, and loves books. I taught him to use a mouthguard and light pressure to carry books so as to not harm them. I think you will like him.” The cart’s back end wagged a little. You can make a dog a cart, but you cannot take the dogginess out of it.
***
“Not in England, no.” It was a careful answer, and it wasn’t a lie. She had two worlds, technically, and the one in which she’d been born had no magic at all.
Susan glanced down at the cart again as it moved, then back up at the man. “I’ll have to take your word for it until later, I suppose. I’m sorry, I’m not used to this,” not anymore, at least.
***
“A shame. Once that land, or the land that was there before England rose, was the heart of magic, and the shining center of hope for the world.” he spoke softly, sadly, remembering…
Then he shook his head. “But, nay, milady, I apologize. Do not let this old man’s twitterings bother you.” he chuckled.
He waved a hand around them. “What brings you here, today?”
***
“I think we’re from two very different Englands. What you’re referring to is nothing more than children’s stories,” she told him, because that much she was at least certain of.
A slight look of confusion entered her eyes when he called himself an old man, but she didn’t comment, only nodding a little as she focused on his question. “I wanted to learn more about this world and time,” she admitted. “And I enjoy books very much. I’m considering seeking employment here.”
***
“Are you so sure? Magic is, most of the time, very much hidden in more modern ages. And the Church, in its infinite wisdom, does not often tell all truthfully as Jehovah intended.”
He nodded at her words. “A worthy goal, milady. Knowledge and seeking it is never a bad thing. And this place could use smart and open minded people working at it.” Whether she was the latter or not, she seemed to be the former.
***
“As far as I am aware, quite sure.” Lucy, at the very least, would have likely been able to tell if there had been something, given how she was the first to adapt so well to Narnia. The thought of her sister caused a pang of sorrow, and she looked away from the man again.
“I’m approximately 70 years outside of my time, so there seems to be a great deal of history and cultural innovations to catch up on. And I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of skills otherwise that would be marketable for employment.”
***
Merlin nodded. “It may well be so, then, on your world.” He had seen many unaware, but commented no more on that and instead, listened to her.
“What did you do back home? If you do not mind me asking, milady?” If she did, he would simply bother her no more.
***
“I don’t mind,” she replied. “I hadn’t yet found employment. I was finishing up my final year at university and, well, my family’s estate was paying for my expenses.” Her eyes fell at that, and she looked down at the book she still held, then turned to place it back on the shelf where it belonged.
“I primarily studied literature while I was there, and participated in swimming and archery competitions. I suppose if the library doesn’t have a place for me, I could look into teaching one of those.”
***
“That was my own suggestion. Perhaps even at the Fight science academy. It is a place to help people learn different kinds of fighting. I do not know if they have an archery instructor yet.” He smiled to her.
“Nonetheless, I hope you will find something of your choosing here. It is a good place, filled with good people. And I hope you will not find it poor. “ he nodded to her.
***
“Fight science academy?” She tilted her head curiously as she lifted her gaze to him again. “I haven’t heard of that. Where is it?”
She smiled a little at his words and gave a soft nod in return. “I hope so as well. And forgive, I realise now that I’ve been remiss in my manners.” She held out her hand to him. “I’m Susan Pevensie.”
***
“It is at [address]. Here, I can show you.” He held out a hand and swept it across the air, and out of it, just below their arm levels, as if sitting on a table, a map appeared. It showed the streets and trees and houses of Madison. And also cars and people moving on those streets.
“We are over here,” and he pointed to the library on the map, then drew his finger a few miles away to another spot as he spoke, “And the academy is there.”
***
Susan bit back her gasp this time, swallowing hard as she forced herself to not step back, but she was clearly amazed by the display. It had been several years since she’d seen anything even close to like this, and magic in Narnia hadn’t been exactly the same.
After a moment, the tall brunette lowered her hand and stepped closer as he indicated the route to take to reach the academy, and Su memorized it as she studied the map. “Thank you for showing me,” she said quietly after a couple of minutes.
***
He turned to her and nodded. “You are welcome.” he let the map fade, then extended his hand.
“Forgive me for not shaking your hand, once the spell was cast, concentration was necessary. I am Merlin, merry wanderer, seeker of hope.” he swept her a bow. . “And it is my very dear pleasure to meet you, milady Pevensie.”
***
Susan shook his hand, then froze as he introduced himself, staring at him for a long moment as she attempted to find her voice When she finally spoke, her eyes were full of confusion, and a small bit of awe.
“...Merlin? As in - from the Arthurian legends?” This simply wasn’t possible.
***
“Aye, milady. Those much of those stories are wrong, I am he who is known in them.” He smiled softly. “Do you need to sit? Or some water?” There was a chair behind her, now, and a glass of water in his hand. Which… where did either come from?
Merlin was not mean… but he was somewhat mischievous.
***
“Perhaps I do…” Susan was startled when she felt the chair at the back of her knees and glanced behind her in surprise. After a moment, she sat down, before looking up at him again. The water was ignored as it wasn’t needed, but she was still staring at him.
“I’m sorry and I don’t mean to offend you, but...How could you possibly exist?”
***
He made the water vanish and cocked his head to the side. “How could I… because it is all real, milady.” He knelt before her, and smiled. “Magic, dragons, the stories, through sometimes not exactly, the way they were told, it is all real. It all happened.”
He smiled sadly. “And then mankind decided to stop believing, to start fearing. It chased away miracles, and put away magic. It hid itself from the bad, and from the good. And so most magic left, or simply went into hiding. For all things, all people, need belief. Some, anyway. Without it, we wither.”
He spoke softly, but his voice was strong, and told of a life of much happening. “I have watched the world change for many centuries, and it has saddened me to see people lose so much.” Sorrow hung on him like a cloak, and for a moment, he was very much an old man.
***
She hesitated for a long moment, debating with herself on whether or not she believed him - but how could she deny what she’d seen with her own two eyes just then. Her eyes grew sad as he spoke, and Susan nodded her understanding, clasping her hands in her lap as she listened to him speak.
When he finished, she stayed quiet for a few seconds longer, before finally speaking quietly. “That also happens in other worlds aside from this one, I’m afraid.”
***
And his head came up, a small smile on it, a thankful one, that slowly grew as he took hold of himself again. “Aye milady. I fear it does. And that is why I like this place we are in. Inside this dome, magic lives again. For good and for ill, magics of all kinds fill this place. And hope. For while there are divisions and problems, there is also a unity such as is seen rarely in the worlds.”
His smile grew radiant, eyes gleaming. “As was said, and is done. There is yet hope in the world.”
***
“I...hope very much that that is true,” Susan said softly as she looked up again, then gave him a faint smile. “I’m too new here to know for sure myself, so I’ll have to take your word for it in regards to Madison Valley, sir.”
***
“Nay, milady. Do not take my word. Find out for yourself. Each of us must choose to believe, or not believe.” he smiled warmly. “Experience this world. You may hate it, you may love it, or you may just… live in it. Either way, if you ever need my aid, all you need do is call me, and I will come.”
He nodded to her again.
***
“You sound very much like someone I knew a long time ago,” she told him, and damn if that didn’t bring up too many memories and emotions for her to consider right now. Pushing them aside, she stood, seeming almost regal for a moment as she gave him a nod.
“Thank you, Merlin. I’ll remember that.”
***
He saw that and he swept her a bow again, a full court bow, and then rose smiling. “Good. I hope you will find all you wish here, milady, and that you will find joy, as well.” he winked at her, and then, with a mischievous smirk, he snapped his fingers, and his books rose, and slipped into a bag, his tray became a dog, and he nodded to her. “Fare thee well, and be well.” And he vanished, just like that.
Should she look around, she might spot him at the check out desk, handing over the books one by one. He respected the place.
***
She blinked as Merlin disappeared along with, as he said, a dog, and then after a moment she left the aisle and glanced down the length of the room towards the main desk. For a moment, Susan watched him, a thoughtful look on her face, before she finally returned to the table where the other books were that she had been reading. She had a great deal to think about, thanks to him.