Blowing in the Wind (Merlin)

[Brynn Reade]

Autumn was a wonderful time, Brynn thought idly, as she leaned against an old lime tree, a blade of grass between her lips, her feet bare as it was still warm enough to not freeze. The constant cackling of her geese was lulling her into a trance-like state, looking up at the clouds without actually seeing them.
Nature was slowly coming to a close, there were not even enough flowers around to bind the tiniest wreath, and so Brynn found herself killing time with dreaming. Which was not the worst way to spend a day, of course, all the more as she was really on her own today. Neither Gyrth nor El had accompanied her to the meadows, and however much she liked to be with them out here, it was also nice to have calm surround her instead of their constant squeeing and laughing.

Not that she was completely alone though. A friendly presence every now and again sneaked into the forefront of her attention, grazing her with teasing fingers, caressing her face, playing with her hair. Everytime it happened, Brynn smiled up into thin air, as if there really was someone watching her from above, some friend reminding her of his company. Over the years Brynn had ceased to think it odd she actually pictured the wind like a person, like a companion even, something with intentions and feelings it expressed. Of course she could never tell anyone about that, but she didn’t mind thinking about it when she felt herself being unobserved.

A gust of wind swelled up like an answer to her thoughts, tugging at her loosely fitting cap. Brynn grinned. “Someone’s in a playful mood, huh?” she called out and tried to adjust the cap again. “Search for some other things to play with, will you? What about those leaves here?”
She motioned to the few already fallen leaves on the ground, colorful speckles in the green grass. And really, the moment she had said it some of them started to move, then more until every fallen leaf eventually moved around Brynn in a graceful dance to some inaudible music the wind itself provided. Smiling blithefully, the goosemaiden watched them sway and tumble, turn and waft. What was the harm in enjoying this beautiful spectacle a bit longer. She was on her own after all, safe from prying eyes.

[pie]

Merlin had just been taking a small, quick walk outside of Camelot. It was autumn, a beautiful season except for the shift from warmth to cold. However, with all the leaves changing from green to a myriad of orange’s and gold’s, it was pretty worth it. It seemed such a magical scene, with leaves blowing off of trees and collecting in piles which one could happily jump in to hear a satisfying crunching sound. Even as he walked, purposefully stepping on any and all leaves in his path, he heard them crumbling beneath his feet.

Now, coming closer to the place where he knew Brynn herded her geese, he wondered what she was up to, of if she was at home. He mind as well go pay a friendly visit, right? Changing his course just slightly, he wandered in that direction now.

He liked taking walks, away from the Prince. They were always much more satisfying, without having to go to a certain place, or being ordered around or… many other things. He just liked to be alone with his thoughts. Thoughts he obviously couldn’t share with him. Also, he was always able to play with magic a little if no one else was around.

As he reached where she lived, he started to slow his pace, walking so that he didn’t step on any more leaves at the moment. And as he walked, he noticed something that rather… held his attention. The leaves that had fallen were moving. Not from the wind – well, not just wind itself – but they moved in more of a… magical way. Yes, magical. Were they being controlled by magic, he wondered. Curious, Merlin walked closer, and more silent then before, as he didn’t want to startle the person who was doing it.

The closer he walked, the more entranced he was by the beautiful event. By the way they moved around, twirled and danced. He also noticed, the closer he went, a person sitting amongst them by a lime tree. He recognized the person, yes, but he kept his eyes more trained on the moving leaves until he came to a stop about ten feet behind her. He didn’t realize that if Brynn noticed him, he would possible scare her from his sudden appearance.

[Brynn Reade]

Sometimes a moment was just made to last forever. And this particular moment was one of them, Brynn decided, as she lost herself in the peaceful show her friend, the wind, had just come up with. Why she was able to… communicate with an element would be forever lost to the goosemaiden, but she also didn’t really care. There was no significant magic in her family, and if so they hid it all well. Some moments also were not made for ruining them with thoughts. She would simply sit here and watch the leaves as long as she felt like it, then maybe asking the wind to drop his little act. But not yet… it was such a wonderful sight!

Calling the wind was playing with fire, nevermind the pun, but some stubborn bone in Brynn just couldn’t and wouldn’t listen to reason right now. He geese did not pay any attention to it all, they were far too occupied with their own little lifes and minor problems, and Brynn supposed they could not even think far enough to notice leaves did normally not move this gracefully if the wind was only randomly playing with them.
In moments like this Brynn felt a little special, as she had only learned during the past few years that this had to be some sort of gift, that no one she knew ever had received such a special treatment by the wind, or felt as connected to it.

“You can be quite the charmer, you know that!” she exclaimed playfully, smiling broadly. “I have no doubt that if you were a man, the women would queue up for you! You mesmerize without even being seen… how much more must it be when—“
In that very moment she thought she heard some noise from right behind the lime tree and when she whirled around, half raising to her feet, it was like an iron fist colliding with her stomach.
“M-Merlin! Oh, that’s… that’s quite a surprise!”
Get it together! She chided herself and tried to think straight, fighting down the sickening feeling of panic flaming up inside her. So she had been too reckless after all! Any moment now Merlin would turn on his heels and run back to Camelot, telling her off to the king, and then…

“Stop it, please!” she whispered under her breath in a feeble attempt to stop the damage already done. Just a second later the wind calmed down as if on its own accord, tired of playing with the leaves. However much like a person he could act, he seemingly had no idea in what kind of danger Brynn felt herself in right now.

[pie]

Merlin didn't realize that she saw herself as in danger when she whirled around to face him. He should have, but the gracefully moving leaves had been too mesmerizing, too wonderful for him to think of that. He stared at the leaves still, watching them flow through the air, obviously at her whim, as the wind couldn't play such tricks of its own accord, no matter how hard or lightly it blew. When she spoke, he looked at her, drawing his eyes away from the leaves. Which was when he noticed the shock she must be feeling at his sudden arrival.

Oh, right, this wasn't a natural occurance, he reminded himself, bringing his thoughts back to reality. Magic was outlawed in Camelot, and normally people would run back to Camelot and immediately inform the King. But he wasn't one of those people, far from it. Besides, he had magic too -- though he was sure that she didn't know that -- and so she had every right to fear what he might do. He showed no sign of moving, no sign of intending to move at all, to run, or to walk. He just stood there, staring at her, gathering his thoughts. What should he say? he wondered. He couldn't just let her think he was going to turn her in! So, when she pleaded for the wind to stop and let the leaves fall back to the ground, he made a small lunging-forward movement before stoping himself.

"No, don't stop," he said, his voice soft as he watched the leaves fall back to the ground. "That was beautiful." He wouldn't deny it, it was such wonderful magic. Things like this reminded him that not everyone was evil, that magic could be a source of good, too. And surely, such a harmless act didn't make one "evil" like the King would say. Like many in Camelot would say because of him. If anything, it made you special, and such a gift shouldn't have to be hidden. Uther was afraid of magic, and he had every right to be after what he did, but if he hadn't done that, started the Great Purge, than he wouldn't have to be. There would be no one who wanted him dead, at least for that reason.

"Don't worry," he added. "I'm your friend, remember?"

[Brynn Reade]

Any moment now, any moment Merlin would turn on his heels and run back to Camelot. He was Prince Arthur’s personal manservant, he would tell him first. Then the prince would go to his father, King Uther Pendragon and he would summon her immediatley. Everyone would find out the truth and then… should she run? Hide for the rest of her life? The few minutes Merlin would need to run through the city up into the castle might suffice to slip into the woods… But where to go? And what would happen to her family? Oh sweet heavens, what if the king decided that where one sorceror was there had to be more? The thought of what he might to do her mother and even more to her little siblings made Brynn cringe inside. They would never be able to convince the king that Brynn was the oddity, apparently the black sheep of the family. They would obtain compensation for her escape…

She had to stop Merlin, had to explain it to him somehow! As long as she kept talking, he would have to listen. He had to!!
“Merlin, please… it’s not what it seems! I didn’t incant a spell or anything, the wind does this on his own accord. He likes me, I guess, however weird that sounds, but please, please believe me I didn’t do it on purpose. I don’t want to cause any harm – to anyone!” The words came out in a rush, she barely took time to take quick and shallow breaths, fearing every pause in her barrage could be Merlin’s cue of leaving. “I don’t know how to explain that, but by some weird twist of fate, the wind follows my pleas – I never used it against anyone though, I just found out recently that it is something special, something not everyone can do…” she trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

So convinced she was of Merlin practically waiting for his chance to turn her in, she didn’t even get what he said and instinctively took a step back as he moved forward. Did he want to seize her now, so she couldn’t run away? But then… something made her repeat the words he had just exclaimed inside her mind, and she started, staring at him.
“You… you liked it?” Could it really be Merlin had seen the beauty behind it all, not just the magic that had caused it? How was that possible? She wouldn’t even trust Alex yet to be so very open-minded!
“Yes…”, she answered slowly, not quite able to wrap her head around this. “Yes, you are my friend… but…I probably just violated the first and foremost law of Camelot! How can you stand by and watch? And…” she pressed her hands against her temples, “how come I’m not running yet…”