WHO: Isabelle Lightwood and Merlin WHAT: Random encounter WHEN: Recently WHY?: Magic! WARNINGS: None STATUS: Closed and Completed GDoc
Now the danger had passed and she had made sure her brother was okay Izzy felt able to take baby Max out and about again. He was only a month old but she truly believed being out and about helped them both rather than being cooped up inside all the time.
Walking through the park she stopped and put the brake on the pram, taking Max out wrapped up in his warm clothes and blanket and started telling him all about the people she could see at the park, promising him that one day he’d be big enough to play on the swings and slide.
***
Merlin was glad things had gone somewhat back to normal, as normal as things got for Madison, anyway. He was, as was his want when not with Phryne or working, out wandering. He tended to shift from one shape to another, but for once he was just in his normal for Madison base form. Seeing the two out and about, two who he recognized from the network one by face, and the other by name, he smiled and headed for them, glad to see mother and child happy and well.
“Greetings and salutations, Milady Izzy and Max. I hope this day is giving you joy!”
***
Looking up at the sound of her name Izzy smiled, “Merlin, right?” she said recognising him from the network too. It was amazing how many people Izzy knew or kind of knew just from that one place. But then everybody here was connected because of the situation they were in so the sense of community was a good one.
“I’m out of the house so that is definitely a cause for joy” she grinned, “Are you having a good day?” she asked, he certainly looked cheerful.
***
“Aye, milady. That is me.” He smiled to her and bowed to her. Then nodded. He canted his head, smiling as he watched her and her child.
“Good! It is glad tidings to see you both well, and hearty.” He grinned wider. “I am, and better now, yet, to see a mother and child so joyful.”
The air itself brightened around him, and plants straightened up, growing brighter, warmth spreading a little. When Merlin was happy, magic happened.
***
Izzy smiled, glad she’d gotten that right. “Thank you, today is a good day, I’m not feeling too overwhelmed” she winked, though it was true she wasn’t always quite as calm as she appeared right now.
“Oh” she said noticing the changes, her senses a little sharper than most, “Did you do that?” she asked looking at the plants with admittedly a little bit of awe. That was a nifty power.
***
“Good!” He smiled to her wink, and chuckled. She seemed a good person and he was glad he had run into them.
He glanced around, then chuckled. “My magic does. When i am happy, the world tends to reflect it. The magic is a part of me, and a part of all that is around us, as well. So when something affects me, it affects what is around me, too.”
***
“How amazing” Izzy said , “You’re definitely someone we need to keep happy then” she told him with a grin. She shifted Max in her arms, he was too young to focus on anything yet but she liked to make sure he could see anyway. There was no harm in it after all.
***
Merlin shook his head. “I mostly do that on my own, madame. And my lady aids me.” his grin then was warm and silly, as such grins did tend to be.
“With her at my side, all is always well.” even in the worst times, Phryne had a way of making Merlin smile.
“And you? Are you happy here?”
He looked at the child and smiled softly, eyes glowing. The air warmed a touch and cool breezes avoided the child for the moment.
***
Izzy laughed a little, “Well I am glad to hear that” she said, knowing what Merlin meant. Having Johnny around always made her happy too, even when he was driving her crazy.
“Very” she nodded, “My brother is here now, I have the best boyfriend in the world and of course I have Max” she pressed a kiss to the top of the baby’s head, “He’s the best surprise I’ve ever had” she added honestly. There would still be moments, quite a lot, where she and Johnny were unsure but they’d do okay. She was sure of it.
***
Merlin smiled to see her laugh and smile, and nodded, knowing that look. Good. He smirked at her as she spoke.
“Good. All good things, I think. I am glad you have family. I could do with a little less, myself, but I know that most family is better than mine.” he waved a hand, waving that away.
“How old is Max?” Merlin smiled down at Max, nodding gently. There was potential there, as there was in all people, all humanity, in all its forms. Perhaps, someday, Merlin would get involved, and blow on those embers. Perhaps not. He rarely planned such things ahead of time.
***
“There are good and bad in most families I think” Izzy said, after all her own dad wasn’t exactly the greatest role model in the world. He could be a pretty awful man sometimes. Izzy chose to focus on the good in her family, namely her brother.
“One month” Izzy said, “And so far I’ve been really lucky. He’s been really good about sleeping and eating, though I’ve been warned it probably won’t last” she smiled, she didn’t mind, even if he did start crying through the night she’d deal with it. She loved him after all, more than anything.
***
Merlin nodded, smiling ruefully. “That is true.” Explaining that his dad was the devil was… complicated. And was neither here nor there. Despite Lucifer’s presence in town. Merlin stifled a sigh, then nodded again.
“Some children do stay calm, they find an inner peace, and an outer one.” Merlin smiled at her and Max both, and nodded. Yes. “Sometimes, despite people’s doubts, love really is enough to make a child feel safe.”
***
Considering who his parents were the idea of Max finding inner peace was an amusing one but Izzy didn’t mind as long as it meant he’d continue sleeping well.
“That’s a nice thought” she said with a smile as she looked at Max, the idea that the love he felt was making him feel safe was a pretty nice one. “Thanks” she added to Merlin.
***
“You are welcome, milady. Babies are quite eloquent about how they feel, and what they want. Itis the rest of the world that does not understand them. Many babies simply want to have a moment of reassurance, Others are hurting in ways they cannot explain, sometimes as simple as an itch.”
He waved a hand. “Itr is one of the most painful truths that the ones we wish to communicate with the most intensely, we often cannot speak the same language as.” he shrugged one shoulder.
“Or so it seems to me.”
***
Izzy nodded, “Yeah, I remember when my younger brother was a baby and I always thought then that it would be much easier if he could just tell us what he needed” she said, she remembered thinking it most when he was crying and she really wanted to know how she could help.
“You’re a pretty wise man huh?” Izzy said, “Careful or I may seek you out next time I need an answer to something” she teased.
***
“Me? No, just a very long lived one, my dear lady. When you live long enough, if you are willing to learn, you eventually learn a few tricks.” he chuckled, and nodded to her.
“Do so an you wish it. But know I am a wizard. Seeking me might involve a quest.” his eyes sparkled, mostly in humor, but there was a certain amount of seriousness in his tone and eyes. And something else.
For all,he was a kind man, and a bold one, no one ever rightly said Merlin was a sane man.
***
Izzy laughed, he sounded a little like Magnus she couldn’t help thinking. Perhaps that was how you ended up sounding after living for a long time, immortality had its ups and downs from what she had seen.
“The last Warlock I knew just wanted paying, I think a quest sounds like a lot of fun” Izzy replied, she’d dealt with insane people before and from what she could tell at least Merlin was a nice insane man. Much better than a nasty one.
***
“I am a wizard, not a warlock, but I take your point. Most who do magic are just normal people. Magic can be a tool, for most.” For him,it was life, literally, but he understood the idea.
“Quests can be fun, sometimes. But never boring.”
***
“Sorry, no offence was meant” Izzy said, too used to the term warlock than wizard. Magic users where she was from were all warlocks after all.
“Exactly, it’d definitely have to be a fun quest. When I’m back in shape for one” Considering she had given birth not too long ago Izzy looked really good but for her she wasn’t quite back to peak condition yet. But she’d get there.
***
“No worries, milady. That word has dark connotations on my world, very dark.’ He smiled, though and nodded to her. He meant no harm, nor offense, and he believed her that she meant none either.
Merlin grinned and nodded to her. “I think it likely you will be ready far sooner than most. And perhaps a quest will come along before you know it.”
*** “I’ll make sure to remember that” she promised, she could understand there were differences and she respected that.
“Thank you, I’m hoping so and I’ll try to be prepared for any quests that come my way” she added with a grin.
***
Merlin grinned. “I am sure you will do marvelously. And I hope you, and your little one, will have a very good day…” As he spoke, his voice, and he, faded, and with a final ripple, he vanished from view, his warm laughter lingering a short while longer.