An Unlikely Visitor
Acceptance of the Invitation
“Absolutely not!” Gaius exclaimed when Merlin told him about Arthur’s invitation.
“But he expects her there.” Merlin replied.
Gaius shook his head. “I won’t have it. What is something happens to her? What if they find out what she is? Pandemonium will erupt! I told you to be carful with her.”
“Don’t go blaming this on me. What about you? ‘go show her around the castle, Merlin’. How did you expect something like this not to happen?” Merlin fought back.
The two continued to argue; their voices growing louder and louder.
“Enough!”
Merlin and Gaius immediately stopped arguing and looked at Eilwen who was sitting at the table.
“I will go to dinner.” She said standing up. “I will be careful, I promise you. And please stop treating me like a child; I have a right to decide on my own, don’t I?
Gaius and Merlin exchanged looks; a bit embarrassed about their argument.
Eilwen placed her hand on Gaius’ arm and smiled. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry. And besides, Merlin will be there.” She looked at Merlin who gave her a small smile.
Gaius took a deep breath. “Alright, you may go.” He patted her hand. “Have a lovely time.”
“Are you ready yet?” Merlin asked outside of his bedroom door. Eilwen had been getting ready for about an hour now. Dinner would be getting underway in less than twenty minutes and Merlin did not what to have her be fashionably late.
“Almost!” she called back. “I’m just having a bit of trouble with something.”
“Need help?” Merlin asked.
“Yeah, could you?”
Merlin opened the door. Eilwen stood in front of a full length mirror. She had exchanged her blue dress for a light green one, without the long draped sleeves. She wore a gold sash around her waist and her hair was partially done up in the back. Merlin gawked for a moment. Eilwen noticed him and bade him to come over.
“It’s this necklace.” She said. “I can’t ever seem to be able to fasten it.”
Merlin noticed her straining to fasten the necklace. He carefully took the two sides of the necklace from Eilwen’s gloved hands. After a few tries, Merlin got the clasp to fasten. He placed it carefully on the back of Eilwen’s neck, accidentally brushing up against her skin. The coolness of her skin made Merlin shiver. How could someone so small feel this cold? He hoped that Eilwen couldn’t feel his almost blazing hot fingers on her skin. She mustn’t because she continued to adjust the necklace in the mirror. Merlin gazed at the reflection the necklace made. It consisted of tree strands of silver pearls; starting close around her throat and continuing down her chest. But that’s not caught his attention; on the last strand was a giant green stone. It looked like it had been polished repeatedly because it shone so clearly.
“That’s quite a gem.” Merlin commented.
“It is isn’t it?” Eilwen replied, turning to face him. “It’s something that we mermyds call a sea stone. We are each given one to guard until we find its rightful owner.”
“Owner?” Merlin asked.
“Someone we see as important; destined for greatness.” Eilwen replied.
Merlin thought for a moment. “Arthur?”
“That’s what I’m hoping.” Eilwen said. “But we’ll see.”
“Yeah.” Merlin said, a tad bit rejected. But the feeling soon subsided when he noticed how close he actually was to Eilwen. He realized how big her eyes really were; and how more green they were than blue. Her hair was more silvery than blond; her skin wasn’t completely white; she actually had freckles across her nose and on her cheeks. And she must not be as cold as she felt, because he could feel a little bit of warmth escaping from her tiny frame.
Eilwen shifted uneasily and Merlin realized that he had been staring at her longer than he should have. He could feel his face getting hot again.
“Dinner then?” he asked.
“Dinner then.” Eilwen said, smiling.
“But he expects her there.” Merlin replied.
Gaius shook his head. “I won’t have it. What is something happens to her? What if they find out what she is? Pandemonium will erupt! I told you to be carful with her.”
“Don’t go blaming this on me. What about you? ‘go show her around the castle, Merlin’. How did you expect something like this not to happen?” Merlin fought back.
The two continued to argue; their voices growing louder and louder.
“Enough!”
Merlin and Gaius immediately stopped arguing and looked at Eilwen who was sitting at the table.
“I will go to dinner.” She said standing up. “I will be careful, I promise you. And please stop treating me like a child; I have a right to decide on my own, don’t I?
Gaius and Merlin exchanged looks; a bit embarrassed about their argument.
Eilwen placed her hand on Gaius’ arm and smiled. “I’ll be fine, don’t worry. And besides, Merlin will be there.” She looked at Merlin who gave her a small smile.
Gaius took a deep breath. “Alright, you may go.” He patted her hand. “Have a lovely time.”
“Are you ready yet?” Merlin asked outside of his bedroom door. Eilwen had been getting ready for about an hour now. Dinner would be getting underway in less than twenty minutes and Merlin did not what to have her be fashionably late.
“Almost!” she called back. “I’m just having a bit of trouble with something.”
“Need help?” Merlin asked.
“Yeah, could you?”
Merlin opened the door. Eilwen stood in front of a full length mirror. She had exchanged her blue dress for a light green one, without the long draped sleeves. She wore a gold sash around her waist and her hair was partially done up in the back. Merlin gawked for a moment. Eilwen noticed him and bade him to come over.
“It’s this necklace.” She said. “I can’t ever seem to be able to fasten it.”
Merlin noticed her straining to fasten the necklace. He carefully took the two sides of the necklace from Eilwen’s gloved hands. After a few tries, Merlin got the clasp to fasten. He placed it carefully on the back of Eilwen’s neck, accidentally brushing up against her skin. The coolness of her skin made Merlin shiver. How could someone so small feel this cold? He hoped that Eilwen couldn’t feel his almost blazing hot fingers on her skin. She mustn’t because she continued to adjust the necklace in the mirror. Merlin gazed at the reflection the necklace made. It consisted of tree strands of silver pearls; starting close around her throat and continuing down her chest. But that’s not caught his attention; on the last strand was a giant green stone. It looked like it had been polished repeatedly because it shone so clearly.
“That’s quite a gem.” Merlin commented.
“It is isn’t it?” Eilwen replied, turning to face him. “It’s something that we mermyds call a sea stone. We are each given one to guard until we find its rightful owner.”
“Owner?” Merlin asked.
“Someone we see as important; destined for greatness.” Eilwen replied.
Merlin thought for a moment. “Arthur?”
“That’s what I’m hoping.” Eilwen said. “But we’ll see.”
“Yeah.” Merlin said, a tad bit rejected. But the feeling soon subsided when he noticed how close he actually was to Eilwen. He realized how big her eyes really were; and how more green they were than blue. Her hair was more silvery than blond; her skin wasn’t completely white; she actually had freckles across her nose and on her cheeks. And she must not be as cold as she felt, because he could feel a little bit of warmth escaping from her tiny frame.
Eilwen shifted uneasily and Merlin realized that he had been staring at her longer than he should have. He could feel his face getting hot again.
“Dinner then?” he asked.
“Dinner then.” Eilwen said, smiling.