Merlin (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} merlinus) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} seasidecafe,@ 2008-12-08 21:47:00 |
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Merlin watches people get up and speak about all sorts of things, some very interesting--and most very confusing. So much he doesn't understand about this place! But being here--in the future--is the most amazing spell he's ever experienced. He isn't sure this is what Gaius intended, but while he was here he planned to learn as much as he could.
So he sits, enraptured, listening to speeches about things he doesn't understand but plans to eventually. Soon everything begins to jumble in his mind despite his best efforts to keep it all straight. One person's speech in particular though stays with him throughout the night.
Trying not to attract any undue attention, Merlin leaves the cafe, and steps around the side of the building. This spell is one he's practiced many times, the first he ever learned actually, so he is confident he'll be able to make it work right. At least, he better.
Five minutes pass...
Merlin steps back into the cafe, a white box tucked under his arm. His timing is fortuitous...the stage is empty. His face heating, he drops his chin and shoves his way, carefully, toward it. With a deep breath, he climbs up and stands nervously in the center of the stage.
"Um, well. Hi. I'm Merlin, new here. I don't have anything to say about Christmas or presents, really, except I do have something to say about giving."
He shifts a little, looking around at the audience. There are only two familiar faces as he's only met two people. He just hopes the one isn't upset that he has nothing for him.
"I've never had much, growing up, my mum being poor. But she always tried to do her best, no matter what time of year it was. Once she gave me a sword, because I wanted to learn how to slay dragons. Except then," he says, grinning, "she told me that it would be pretty stupid to slay a dragon because one can learn so much from them." He pauses, glances at the Doctor, remembers what he told him about wizards. He takes a deep breath.
"And she was right," he says softly. "Dragons are brilliant."
He smiles. "She gave me my first books, and my, um, first spell book too, even though I burned it the next week because the King's soldiers were coming through our village and I didn't want her to get into trouble. In Camelot, doing magic is illegal, and, well, the King..." He gulps, remembering his first day in Camelot, seeing for himself exactly what the King did to those who knew magic.
"Anyway. She risked a lot, her life, by giving me that book. I read it every chance I could, except I had to read it in secret because it was a dangerous book to have. One of the things I learned, um, I have... Well. I'll show you."
He holds the box out in front of himself, blinks, his gaze resting on Data. "I can't help you with your ambient metaphasic impulse conduit. But I can help you with the other thing you were wanting. I guess this is a present, then."
Stepping off the stage, he stands in front of Data with the box. It wiggles.
"I hope you like her," he says, holding the box out.
