Endora buys a bicycle

[endorathewitch]

Who: Endora and Open
What: Endora buys a bicycle but refuses to ride it
When: Today, mid-afternoon
Where: The park
Rating: Low, I expect
Status: Open and incomplete

Comments

[secretsorcerer]

"Wow," Merlin breathed as he passed by the lady by the strange contraption in the park. He'd made it a point to try and take a walk every day since the weather had started to turn warm, and Arthur was busy with his family back at the castle today.

But Merlin was able to find enough to entertain him on his own. Like whatever this was. "What is that thing?" he asked perplexedly, approaching the woman. Who didn't seem very pleased with the "thing," whatever she was trying to do with it.

[endorathewitch]

Endora smiled slightly at the young man's reaction to the bicycle, wondering what era or what universe he was from. She followed his gaze to the bicycle and then back to him.

"That thing," Endora said, "is a bicycle. Supposedly you sit on the seat--that wedge there--and pedal to turn the wheels properly. Although I find myself quite incapable of operating it. You're welcome to try it, if you like, but I must warn you, it's very different from a broom."

[secretsorcerer]

Merlin furrowed his brow. "You're supposed to ride on it, then? Like... like a horse?"

Huh. How very odd. Nearly as odd was what the woman had said next. "And do you mean you usually ride a broom? Em, I'm Merlin, by the way!" he stuck out his hand, grinning sheepishly at having forgotten his manners.

[endorathewitch]

"That's the idea," Endora said. "Something mechanical to replace the horse. It was very popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries." She should know; she'd been there.

"Only when I want to look impressive," Endora said, answering the young man's question. "I can fly without one if the situation demands it." She smiled at the young man, taking his hand and giving him a firm handshake. "Charmed. I'm Endora." Her eyes sharpened at the name. He was not THE Merlin, surely. She wasn't sure if she should ask--after all, he was a young man, and revealing his destiny, or possible destiny, was not the done thing.

[secretsorcerer]

"Oh!" Merlin's grin turned more pleased than sheepish when he realized. "You have magic, then! I didn't realize people flew on brooms. I actually just managed to get the flying spell to work right myself!" His cheeks might have tinged at the memory, but he took no mind.

"Nice to meet you, Endora."

[endorathewitch]

"Yes, I do," Endora said, smiling a little more freely when she saw how pleased Merlin seemed with the knowledge that she had magic. Her eyes nearly glowed with delight at Merlin's words, and she clasped her hands together. "And you have magic as well! How marvelous, dear boy! I'd heard there were others of us here, but I haven't met any yet." She tsk-tsked at Merlin's words. "Flying is a tricky one. It takes time and practice. I'm very pleased you succeeded."

Endora smiled and nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, young Merlin."

[secretsorcerer]

Well now he was definitely blushing. He'd met Moira here, of course, and a few of the other people of magic as well. And back home he'd had Gaius, but never had anyone so much older and clearly more magically practiced than him seemed so enthusiastic or proud about his magical endeavors. It was nice. "Thank you. So em... where are you from, if you don't mind my asking?"

[endorathewitch]

Endora saw Merlin blush and smiled inwardly. The poor boy must not have had much in the way of magical training or encouragement if he responded so to her. Or perhaps he was merely shy.

"You're welcome," she said with a smile. "Of course I don't mind. I am from roughly forty years ago, though I've visited other times as well." She looked at him, trying to assess when he was from. His dress was too different to be Renaissance-era. "You wouldn't happen to be from medieval times, would you?"

[secretsorcerer]

"Medieval?" he repeated, blinking. Was he from...?

The word did sound familiar, once he thought about it. Like something he'd seen somewhere... maybe... read. That was it! He'd seen it in the books he'd read about Camelot, and its legends. "Yes! Yes, I am. Em, the year 577, actually."

[endorathewitch]

Endora made a 'tch' sound, disparaging herself. "Of course it wouldn't be medieval to you. Excuse me. I believe that's what we call your time period in the present."

"Ah!" Endora nodded decisively at Merlin's reaction. "Not a bad year. I visited once, though not your neighborhood, I'm afraid." She gave Merlin a slight smirk. "Wait until you get to time traveling. That spell will really open doors for you."

[secretsorcerer]

Merlin's eyes widened almost involuntarily. "You can do that?" He could slow down time, but he'd never considered an actual spell to travel through it.

And suddenly, the possibility the idea brought struck him like one of Nimueh's fireballs. "Do you think... could I use it to get back home?"

[endorathewitch]

"Certainly!" Endora said. "I don't say it's the easiest spell in the world--it takes time and practice. But no doubt you could learn." Oh, she had missed speaking to other witches/warlocks/whatever they called themselves here. Talking to Merlin was like returning to the world she knew best, even if only for a little while.

Endora smiled slightly, though the thought of others being able to get back home caused a bit of a pang within her. "If you train and are careful, I see no reason why you couldn't. If you wanted to. It might even be possible to go back and forth at will."

[secretsorcerer]

"Oh my God," Merlin gasped, all the air rushing out of his chest. He could go home. They could all go home, back to Camelot! Just like he'd said they could! (Arthur didn't need to know that he'd begun to stop believing it.)

They could go back. Fulfill their destinies. He glanced up, hesitantly, hopefully. Endora seemed nice, but he'd only just met her... and he was about to ask a lot. But this, this was his only hope. Arthur's only hope. "Could... could you teach me? Please? I can learn. I'm a fast learner, and I will practice all the time and be out of your hair as quickly as I can. But you see, I don't have my spellbook here, and you're the only one I've talked to who has mentioned the spell, and... please."

[endorathewitch]

Endora could see how much Merlin wanted to go home, and she could certainly sympathize with that. If she were able to go home, she certainly would, without hesitation.

And there it was, the question that meant she had to admit to powerlessness. Endora thought for a moment before she answered. "Dear boy...I will do my best to teach you, and you wouldn't be bothering me to ask. I can try. Ordinarily, I would say yes instantly, and I would even use the spell to transport us, to show you how it works when it's done properly. But I can no longer do the latter." She paused. "This is very embarrassing for me to admit, but...I seem to have lost my powers since I arrived here."

[secretsorcerer]

Merlin gasped again, softly, and this time it was nothing to do with happiness or excitement. He bit his lip, blood running cold. Lost her powers? Even having to hide his powers had been bad enough. Not to have them at all? To Merlin, there could be no worse fate. His powers were so deeply ingrained within him... he would be nothing without his magic.

"I... I'm so sorry," he said quietly. "I can't imagine how hard that must be. And the last thing you need would be some kid flaunting his powers in front of you while you don't have yours."

[endorathewitch]

Endora was a little surprised by Merlin's shock, but grateful for it too, especially when he spoke. It was such a relief to have someone who understood how integral her magic had been, and how devastating it was to lose it.

"Thank you," Endora said with great dignity. "I think you're the first person I've met who understands exactly how difficult this is. Others mean well, but." She didn't need to finish the sentence. "It's not your fault, Merlin, and I think it might even make me feel better to be able to help you with your magic. I do wonder how useful I'll be if I can't demonstrate the spells to you myself, but if you want me to teach you regardless of that, I will."