An Unlikely Visitor
Eilwen
Eliwen pranced around the room in her new clothes. It was a lovely blue form fitting dress with a drape across the shoulders and long white sleeves. The sleeves floated around the girl’s tiny frame as she spun around.
Gaius had excused himself to fetch the girl some food. Merlin sat on a stool at the small table in near the center of the room, playing babysitter. He read and reread the passage about the mermyds in the book Gaius had given him. He read the words so many times, his eyes started to become blurry. Merlin looked up from the book and saw Eilwen admiring herself in a window.
“You must really like that dress.” He said after a few moments.
Eilwen spun around to face him. “Oh yes, very much so.”
She said it with such a joyous tone that Merlin couldn’t help but smile. “I’m glad. It does look very lovely on you.”
Eilwen returned the smile. “Thank you.” She moved away from the window and sat across from Merlin at the table.
“Now that you’ve asked me questions, I want to ask some.”
“Haven’t you already asked questions? Does trees and birds ring a bell?” Merlin asked playfully.
“Those were just simple questions. I want to know some more intricate information.”
Merlin closed the book and crossed his arms on the table. “Ok, I’ll try to answer them as best as I can.”
Eilwen thought for a moment. “Where exactly am I?”
“You’re in Camelot.”
Eliwen paused again. “I’ve heard of that place. Who is the king?”
“King Uther Pendragon.”
Eilwen nodded. “Thought as much. And his son?”
“Arthur.”
“Right.” Eilwen collected her thoughts once again. “So, my lessons were all correct.”
“Lessons?” Merlin inquired.
Eilwen nodded. “Mermyds are educated in many fields of study. Human Anthropology is my favorite.”
“Human Anthropology? You actually learn about us?” Merlin asked a little amazed.
“Of course. We learn about as many human cultures as we are able to.”
“How do you acquire such information if your people never come to the surface?”
“We take the books and logs from sunken ships. You wouldn’t believe how many ships sink every year or so, it’s unbelievable!”
“So you knew about Camelot, the King, and Arthur before you arrived here?” Merlin asked.
“Yes. But the records said absolutely nothing about you.” Eilwen said tilting her head again.
Merlin shifted in his chair. “I’m not all that important.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that.” Eilwen said.
“What?” Merlin said, a tad dumbfounded.
But before he could get a clearer answer out of Eilwen, the door swung open.
“Dinner time, my lady!” Gaius cried as he set a plate down on the table. A strong, pungent odor quickly filled the room.
“Ugh! What is that?” Merlin exclaimed as he used his hand to try and wave away the smell.
“Ah! Raw fish; how lovely!” Eilwen said enthusiastically clapping her hands together.
Gaius beamed. “Only the very best for such an honored guest.”
Merlin looked at Gaius, shocked. “You can’t feed her that, she’ll get sick!”
“I don’t think she minds.” Gaius returned, looking at Eilwen. Merlin turned his attention to the girl and the now empty plate.
Gaius had excused himself to fetch the girl some food. Merlin sat on a stool at the small table in near the center of the room, playing babysitter. He read and reread the passage about the mermyds in the book Gaius had given him. He read the words so many times, his eyes started to become blurry. Merlin looked up from the book and saw Eilwen admiring herself in a window.
“You must really like that dress.” He said after a few moments.
Eilwen spun around to face him. “Oh yes, very much so.”
She said it with such a joyous tone that Merlin couldn’t help but smile. “I’m glad. It does look very lovely on you.”
Eilwen returned the smile. “Thank you.” She moved away from the window and sat across from Merlin at the table.
“Now that you’ve asked me questions, I want to ask some.”
“Haven’t you already asked questions? Does trees and birds ring a bell?” Merlin asked playfully.
“Those were just simple questions. I want to know some more intricate information.”
Merlin closed the book and crossed his arms on the table. “Ok, I’ll try to answer them as best as I can.”
Eilwen thought for a moment. “Where exactly am I?”
“You’re in Camelot.”
Eliwen paused again. “I’ve heard of that place. Who is the king?”
“King Uther Pendragon.”
Eilwen nodded. “Thought as much. And his son?”
“Arthur.”
“Right.” Eilwen collected her thoughts once again. “So, my lessons were all correct.”
“Lessons?” Merlin inquired.
Eilwen nodded. “Mermyds are educated in many fields of study. Human Anthropology is my favorite.”
“Human Anthropology? You actually learn about us?” Merlin asked a little amazed.
“Of course. We learn about as many human cultures as we are able to.”
“How do you acquire such information if your people never come to the surface?”
“We take the books and logs from sunken ships. You wouldn’t believe how many ships sink every year or so, it’s unbelievable!”
“So you knew about Camelot, the King, and Arthur before you arrived here?” Merlin asked.
“Yes. But the records said absolutely nothing about you.” Eilwen said tilting her head again.
Merlin shifted in his chair. “I’m not all that important.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that.” Eilwen said.
“What?” Merlin said, a tad dumbfounded.
But before he could get a clearer answer out of Eilwen, the door swung open.
“Dinner time, my lady!” Gaius cried as he set a plate down on the table. A strong, pungent odor quickly filled the room.
“Ugh! What is that?” Merlin exclaimed as he used his hand to try and wave away the smell.
“Ah! Raw fish; how lovely!” Eilwen said enthusiastically clapping her hands together.
Gaius beamed. “Only the very best for such an honored guest.”
Merlin looked at Gaius, shocked. “You can’t feed her that, she’ll get sick!”
“I don’t think she minds.” Gaius returned, looking at Eilwen. Merlin turned his attention to the girl and the now empty plate.