Fall-out
Title: Fall-out
Pairings: None.
Characters: Merlin, Gaius
Rating: U/PG
Word Count: 1,140
Author's note 1: This story is from the same 'verse as my big bang story, Line of Dance, and follows on, directly, from The Alibi
You probably do need to read The Alibi to understand this.
Warnings: None, although there are warnings on Line of Dance
Summary: Merlin and Gaius, when Merlin gets back from the war.
Author's note 2: My very great thanks to sparrow2000 for being my best friend, sounding board, plot bunny wrangler and voice of calm common sense. Also, to DJ for (hopefully) catching the last few typos. If you spot any more that we all missed, feel free to let me know in comments.
Disclaimer: I write fan fic. All the characters from the Merlin series are the property of the BBC and Shine, etc. No infringement is intended and no profit is being made from this writing.
Series links - Line of Dance: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
The Alibi - Gaius and Gwen, while the army is away.
Trouble is as trouble does - A back-story snippet (best read after the main story.) Alwin watches Merlin approach. Set some time in season 1.
Just deserts - A back-story snippet. Merlin and Arthur, the morning after the first time.
Fall-out
Merlin
The day after Merlin got back from Avarldale, a chance comment from Gwen sent him to the South Tower with a question about Gaius' latest area of interest. He believed he had an idea that might help.
Gaius was sitting at his desk and he looked up when Merlin entered the workshop. "Ah, there you are, my boy," he said. He closed his book and laid it aside. "Come in. You're just in time to meet Enda, my new assistant, before he leaves for the day."
The boy Gaius was referring to was crouching on the floor, scooping dirt into a dustpan. The broom he had obviously used to gather it into a pile was propped against the table. When he scrambled to his feet, it was seen to be at least as tall as him. He looked at Merlin with wide eyes, but didn't say anything.
"Right," Merlin said, drawing the word out dubiously.
That earned him a frown from Gaius, who turned to the boy. "Thank you, Enda, that will be all for now. You'd best be off to see if your mother needs you."
Enda bent down and picked up the dustpan. Holding it in front of him with both hands and with his eyes fixed on its contents, he edged around the end of the table. His expression of concentration was similar to one Merlin had seen on the face of a tumbler, before he ventured out along a rope strung high above the courtyard at the summer fair.
When he reached the window embrasure Enda hesitated, before putting the dustpan down on the cushioned bench while he clambered up so he could reach the latch and push the window wide. Once he had emptied the dustpan over the heads of whichever unfortunates happened to be walking past that corner of the courtyard at that hour, he climbed down and placed it, with the broom, in the corner of the room.
Wiping his hands on his shirt, he turned back to Gaius who smiled and said, "Off with you, then; your mother will be waiting for you."
With a bob of his head that was half agreement and half bow, Enda slipped past Merlin and made his escape.
Once the door was safely closed behind him Merlin turned to stare at Gaius. "What possessed you to employ a boy so young?" he asked.
Returning Merlin's look with one of his own, Gaius frowned. "He's not so young," he said severely. "There are stable boys and kitchen skivvies younger."
"Can he even read?"
"I'm teaching him."
Merlin sniffed and Gaius' frown deepened. Bracing his hands against the desk top, he pushed himself to his feet. "I suppose you'll be wanting tea," he said. It was not a question. He reached over some of the mess that covered the desk top to pick up two cups which he emptied into a third. Clutching the two cups to his chest with one hand, he shuffled across to the table, set them down and picked up the kettle to place it over a flame. "Pass me that box, would you?" he said, waving his hand in the general direction of the shelves behind Merlin.
Merlin turned and scanned the jars and boxes cluttered together in typical disarray. "This one?" he asked, picking out the roasted dandelion root.
"Of course that one," Gaius said, "Pass it here."
Merlin hastened back to hand it over.
Taking it from him, Gaius opened it and carefully spooned some of its contents into each of the clean cups, followed by a large spoonful of honey from a jar next to the kettle. Looking up, he glowered at Merlin from under his brows, but his voice was curiously flat when he said, "Enda is Mary's brother."
Merlin sat down on the stool that had always been his, when he had lived with Gaius. "Oh. Oh, right," he said. "Um... Well, that's, that's kind of you."
Apparently mollified by Merlin's discomfort, Gaius' expression softened. "Well, since you've gone gallivanting off to become a courtier." A snort escaped Merlin before he could prevent it and Gaius' lips twitched. "I needed help" he said, "and Mary was a good girl." The kettle began to boil and he took it off the flame, poured hot water into the two waiting cups and handed one to Merlin. "I can't pay as much as a scullery maid would earn, of course," he said.
Setting his cup down on the table next to him, Merlin looked up. "You're paying him?" he asked. "You never paid me."
Gaius reached across and placed his own cup down on the other side of the table. He walked around the end, hitched his robes and sat down on the bench seat. Merlin swivelled on his stool and once Gaius had settled, placed his elbows on the table and picked up his cup again. He raised it to his face and breathed in the rich, sweet steam.
"Arthur paid you," Gaius said. "There was no need for me to impoverish myself. In any case, I'm not providing young Enda with room and board. He'll stay with his mother and brother." A sly smile touched his lips and was gone again. He picked up his own cup and raised it to his mouth. "You need an assistant, don't you?" he said and took a sip.
"What?" Merlin asked, all thought of herbs that might ease childbirth abruptly forgotten.
Gaius watched him and said nothing.
They stared at each other across the table, while their tea stewed.
Eventually Gaius's lips twitched. Merlin couldn't resist that expression and he smiled back. "Exactly how old is Enda?" he asked.
With a shrug, Gaius scratched at his cheek. "Exactly? Eight, maybe nine."
"And his brother?"
"Ennis. They're twins." he said, adding, "I'm not trying to foist a babe in arms on you."
"Does he know anything at all?"
"Did you, when you arrived on my doorstep and almost killed me?"
"That's hardly fair."
"Who's playing fair?" Gaius asked.
"At least I had natural talent," Merlin retorted.
That earned him a snort. "Untrained and dangerous talent," Gaius said. "Not to mention a stubborn belief in your own judgement and a reckless disregard for the safety of yourself and those around you."
"Oh, that's really not fair."
Gaius merely smiled benevolently at him.
"At least I could read," Merlin said.
"I've had Enda for less than a week and he can already spell out his name."
"And how many hours have you spent to ensure that?"
"No more than two a day. He's bright and eager to learn." Gaius looked at Merlin and Merlin pushed his cup away, allowing his head to fall forward onto the table top. He flapped his hands in the air. "Whatever," he said, caving completely.
Gaius laughed. "Drink your tea," he said.
The End
If you've enjoyed this story, please pause a moment and let me know. It is always lovely to hear that people have enjoyed what I've written. I won't write any less if you don't; it's just really nice for me. *g*
ETA: I've also written a couple of back-story snippets. Click for Trouble is as trouble does where there is also a link to the other.
Pairings: None.
Characters: Merlin, Gaius
Rating: U/PG
Word Count: 1,140
Author's note 1: This story is from the same 'verse as my big bang story, Line of Dance, and follows on, directly, from The Alibi
You probably do need to read The Alibi to understand this.
Warnings: None, although there are warnings on Line of Dance
Summary: Merlin and Gaius, when Merlin gets back from the war.
Author's note 2: My very great thanks to sparrow2000 for being my best friend, sounding board, plot bunny wrangler and voice of calm common sense. Also, to DJ for (hopefully) catching the last few typos. If you spot any more that we all missed, feel free to let me know in comments.
Disclaimer: I write fan fic. All the characters from the Merlin series are the property of the BBC and Shine, etc. No infringement is intended and no profit is being made from this writing.
Series links - Line of Dance: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
The Alibi - Gaius and Gwen, while the army is away.
Trouble is as trouble does - A back-story snippet (best read after the main story.) Alwin watches Merlin approach. Set some time in season 1.
Just deserts - A back-story snippet. Merlin and Arthur, the morning after the first time.
Fall-out
Merlin
The day after Merlin got back from Avarldale, a chance comment from Gwen sent him to the South Tower with a question about Gaius' latest area of interest. He believed he had an idea that might help.
Gaius was sitting at his desk and he looked up when Merlin entered the workshop. "Ah, there you are, my boy," he said. He closed his book and laid it aside. "Come in. You're just in time to meet Enda, my new assistant, before he leaves for the day."
The boy Gaius was referring to was crouching on the floor, scooping dirt into a dustpan. The broom he had obviously used to gather it into a pile was propped against the table. When he scrambled to his feet, it was seen to be at least as tall as him. He looked at Merlin with wide eyes, but didn't say anything.
"Right," Merlin said, drawing the word out dubiously.
That earned him a frown from Gaius, who turned to the boy. "Thank you, Enda, that will be all for now. You'd best be off to see if your mother needs you."
Enda bent down and picked up the dustpan. Holding it in front of him with both hands and with his eyes fixed on its contents, he edged around the end of the table. His expression of concentration was similar to one Merlin had seen on the face of a tumbler, before he ventured out along a rope strung high above the courtyard at the summer fair.
When he reached the window embrasure Enda hesitated, before putting the dustpan down on the cushioned bench while he clambered up so he could reach the latch and push the window wide. Once he had emptied the dustpan over the heads of whichever unfortunates happened to be walking past that corner of the courtyard at that hour, he climbed down and placed it, with the broom, in the corner of the room.
Wiping his hands on his shirt, he turned back to Gaius who smiled and said, "Off with you, then; your mother will be waiting for you."
With a bob of his head that was half agreement and half bow, Enda slipped past Merlin and made his escape.
Once the door was safely closed behind him Merlin turned to stare at Gaius. "What possessed you to employ a boy so young?" he asked.
Returning Merlin's look with one of his own, Gaius frowned. "He's not so young," he said severely. "There are stable boys and kitchen skivvies younger."
"Can he even read?"
"I'm teaching him."
Merlin sniffed and Gaius' frown deepened. Bracing his hands against the desk top, he pushed himself to his feet. "I suppose you'll be wanting tea," he said. It was not a question. He reached over some of the mess that covered the desk top to pick up two cups which he emptied into a third. Clutching the two cups to his chest with one hand, he shuffled across to the table, set them down and picked up the kettle to place it over a flame. "Pass me that box, would you?" he said, waving his hand in the general direction of the shelves behind Merlin.
Merlin turned and scanned the jars and boxes cluttered together in typical disarray. "This one?" he asked, picking out the roasted dandelion root.
"Of course that one," Gaius said, "Pass it here."
Merlin hastened back to hand it over.
Taking it from him, Gaius opened it and carefully spooned some of its contents into each of the clean cups, followed by a large spoonful of honey from a jar next to the kettle. Looking up, he glowered at Merlin from under his brows, but his voice was curiously flat when he said, "Enda is Mary's brother."
Merlin sat down on the stool that had always been his, when he had lived with Gaius. "Oh. Oh, right," he said. "Um... Well, that's, that's kind of you."
Apparently mollified by Merlin's discomfort, Gaius' expression softened. "Well, since you've gone gallivanting off to become a courtier." A snort escaped Merlin before he could prevent it and Gaius' lips twitched. "I needed help" he said, "and Mary was a good girl." The kettle began to boil and he took it off the flame, poured hot water into the two waiting cups and handed one to Merlin. "I can't pay as much as a scullery maid would earn, of course," he said.
Setting his cup down on the table next to him, Merlin looked up. "You're paying him?" he asked. "You never paid me."
Gaius reached across and placed his own cup down on the other side of the table. He walked around the end, hitched his robes and sat down on the bench seat. Merlin swivelled on his stool and once Gaius had settled, placed his elbows on the table and picked up his cup again. He raised it to his face and breathed in the rich, sweet steam.
"Arthur paid you," Gaius said. "There was no need for me to impoverish myself. In any case, I'm not providing young Enda with room and board. He'll stay with his mother and brother." A sly smile touched his lips and was gone again. He picked up his own cup and raised it to his mouth. "You need an assistant, don't you?" he said and took a sip.
"What?" Merlin asked, all thought of herbs that might ease childbirth abruptly forgotten.
Gaius watched him and said nothing.
They stared at each other across the table, while their tea stewed.
Eventually Gaius's lips twitched. Merlin couldn't resist that expression and he smiled back. "Exactly how old is Enda?" he asked.
With a shrug, Gaius scratched at his cheek. "Exactly? Eight, maybe nine."
"And his brother?"
"Ennis. They're twins." he said, adding, "I'm not trying to foist a babe in arms on you."
"Does he know anything at all?"
"Did you, when you arrived on my doorstep and almost killed me?"
"That's hardly fair."
"Who's playing fair?" Gaius asked.
"At least I had natural talent," Merlin retorted.
That earned him a snort. "Untrained and dangerous talent," Gaius said. "Not to mention a stubborn belief in your own judgement and a reckless disregard for the safety of yourself and those around you."
"Oh, that's really not fair."
Gaius merely smiled benevolently at him.
"At least I could read," Merlin said.
"I've had Enda for less than a week and he can already spell out his name."
"And how many hours have you spent to ensure that?"
"No more than two a day. He's bright and eager to learn." Gaius looked at Merlin and Merlin pushed his cup away, allowing his head to fall forward onto the table top. He flapped his hands in the air. "Whatever," he said, caving completely.
Gaius laughed. "Drink your tea," he said.
The End
If you've enjoyed this story, please pause a moment and let me know. It is always lovely to hear that people have enjoyed what I've written. I won't write any less if you don't; it's just really nice for me. *g*
ETA: I've also written a couple of back-story snippets. Click for Trouble is as trouble does where there is also a link to the other.