Chapter 1: The Owl and the Newt

Merlin would have liked to have said that it had all started with the letter. Or perhaps with the owl. He would very much like have something solid to blame. Something he could point to and say, 'There! That's where it went wrong! It's not my fault.' But if he was going to honest with himself, he should have seen this coming much sooner. Maybe even years ago. He deserved a good portion of the blame, if not all of the blame. It could have all been avoided if he had just learned to keep his temper and hold his tongue. All this was running through his mind as he chased a small, brown newt that was once Trey, John Marwood's son, around the floor of his prison cell.

He finally caught the little newt named Trey Marwood and stuffed the wriggling thing in one of the large pockets on his trousers. Just as he did so the door to the holding cells opened up and a few guards came in, followed by Godwin, the reeve of the village.

Godwin nodded at Merlin. "This is the boy caught in the millpond?"

"Good day, Reeve Godwin." Merlin tried beaming at Godwin and the guards but his split lip and swollen, bruised cheek made it difficult.

"And accused of giving Allan and Edbert of the Selby farm a beating?" Reeve Godwin continued in his monotone, staring down Merlin.

Merlin tried to keep the smile on his face, cursing Al and Ed as much as he dared. Those pillocks! Those damn clotpoles! Idiots, both of them. Big, dumb idiots who picked on scrawny boys like him and Will. But at the smallest bit of trouble, off they run, off to their mothers, wailing about Funny Merlin. Merlin did this! Merlin did that! One day Merlin really is going to do something, then they'll be sorry. Those snitches! If he ever saw them again, he'd-

"Bring him out and we will hear his side of the story." Reeve Godwin sighed and turned and left before the guards had even opened Merlin's small cell.

One of the guards, or rather they were deputies of the reeve, took Merlin's shoulder and firmly steered him to the meeting hall. Godwin the reeve sat on a simple chair behind a table. Beside him stood Al and Ed.

"That's him, reeve!" Allen pointed at Merlin, crying out so that anyone passing outside the meeting hall could hear.

Merlin rolled his eyes, or just one eye, since the other was pretty much swollen shut at this point. When he did, he noticed that his mother was standing by as well, towards the back of the hall. She looked worried, hands twisting and bunching her apron. She gave Merlin a smile. It didn't really make him feel better. Somehow his mother had been caught up in all this and it made his heart sick.

Before he knew it, Godwin was speaking to him.

"Merlin Hunith's son, you have been brought before me today due to a number of accusations brought against you by Allen and Edbert here." As he spoke, the two boys smirked at Merlin. Merlin kept his eyes firmly on the reeve, but he could feel their sick smiles. He kept his hand on his pocket were the wriggling boy-turned-newt sat and kept his own sick smile to himself.

Godwin continued. "And by Milda, the miller's daughter." He heaved a sigh. "First being that you spied on Milda while she was bathing in the millpond. You claim that you had…" And he paused, looking upwards for a moment, in thought. "Ah, yes, you claim that you had decided to bathe as well, not noticing her, and accidentally swam right between her legs."

The two boys, Al and Ed, snickered.

"And, these two boys have claimed that you beat them soundly and did something horrible to their friend, ah, what was his name?"

"Trey, sir." Edbert prompted. "He's made Trey disappear! He's gone!"

"Well, I very much doubt that, Edbert, however Trey has yet to be found." Reeve Godwin turned his gaze back to Merlin. "Merlin, would you please give us your account of the events. And please, let it not be said that you need tell the truth."

Merlin nodded. His mother worked for the reeve in his household and he had known the man for most of his life. Or rather, the reeve had known Hunith's son since Merlin was a babe in arms. The reeve was fair, maybe a little cold, but he wasn't the kind of man to fly into a passion. He would calmly listen and pass sensible judgement. Which is why Merlin needed to come up with the most plausible story as he could. He couldn't really tell the reeve that he had turned the village bully into a newt. Merlin took a breath, looked at his mother, and began.

At dawn, he had gone out to work in the fields of the Selby farm. Over the winter, supplies were thin and they nearly starved. Jan Selby had 'loaned' them food, and shelter when the roof had fallen in from snowfall. Merlin was to work for them for several harvests until they felt the debt was repaid. It was fine work. And Jan was a fair man. So Merlin hadn't felt compelled to complain just yet.

The sun was nearly above the treeline when he noticed some of the other farmhands pointing towards the trees edging the fields. Merlin straightened up and squinted. Something sitting in the trees, a red kite perhaps? Perhaps not, there was some white coloring on it. Maybe? There were a lot of kites around the villages and farms here. Probably a kite. He went back to work, pulling up the best beets and carefully putting back those that needed a little more time. As he was tossing another handful in his basket, he noticed a couple of the farmhands leaving. Merlin watched them go.

Edbert, Jan's nephew, was passing by. "Ed." Merlin straightened up. "Where are they going?"

Ed jerked a thumb back to the trees. "Owl is sitting in a tree. It's back luck. What?" He grinned. "Wanna go join it?"

"Why would I want to do that?" Merlin sighed.

"'Cause you're bad luck too."

Merlin leaned down and went back to work, biting his lip.

Ed kept walking, smacking Merlin's head as he went, back to his place in the field.

A couple more hours stumbled by, sluggishly dragging their feet. The sun rose and began to bake the field down below. Sweat beaded and ran into Merlin's eyes. He scrunched his face and stood up. He tossed a beet aside and began rubbing at his eyes with the hopefully least dirty part of his hand. He finally got them open again and saw that the owl was still there, sitting in the trees, facing the field. Merlin had worked himself a little closer to the tree-line by now, and watched the bird. It may have been watching him too.

But no matter. Merlin picked up his full basket of sweet beets and began walking to the Selby house. After depositing the harvest with Jan's wife, he was let off for the day and retreated into the trees for the shade and a brief walk alone. Plus, his mother needed some kindling and he'd grab whatever fallen branches he could find. If he walked back across the field, toward home, he may find Ed again, or Allen, or worse Trey.

There was a little footpath or game-trail that led down to a small valley where a trickle of stream slithered through the forest. The shade felt absolutely amazing and he gathered dry twigs as he went. Merlin gingerly touched the back of his neck and winced. The sunburn he had had there was probably little worse because of today. He had to start wearing something around his neck, to keep off the sun while he worked. A kerchief. His mother might have one he could borrow.

At the bottom of the small ravine, he tossed his bundle of sticks to the side. Merlin lowered himself beside the small stream and laid down on the bank so he could reach the small rush of water below. He flicked some of the water on his face and neck then sat up again.

"Aaah!" He screamed.

An owl was there. About a handbreadth from his face. Sitting on a rock, still as a rock, and watching him. It hadn't been there a moment ago.

Merlin sat back and away from the bird with excellent talons. He eyed it for a moment then let out a sigh. "You scared me."

Of course the owl did not apologize. It just sat there, like an owl, and yet somehow not like an owl at all.

It had a large white face, black eyes, and a brown-grey body. And after a moment or two, it extended a foot and several talons towards Merlin, as though it wanted to shake hands. Merlin frowned. The talons remained out. He inched his hand towards it, careful of quick movements. The owl did not so much as stir. Merlin took the small foot in his fingers. Strange. There was something there. He leaned over and looked at the foot.

Tied with a piece of small, brown twine, a small roll of paper was affixed to the foot of the white-faced owl.

"What?" Merlin murmured. He let go of the foot.

The owl kept the foot outward, dark eyes unblinking.

Merlin reached out again and untied the paper from the owl's foot. He unfurled it. It was barely larger than his hand and the script written there was firm but the ink had spattered in a few places, green ink. Merlin could read, his mother had made sure of that, but only just. So, it took him a couple tries to get the gist of the writing. It read:

To The Merlin Hunith's Son

The Little Shack beside the Selby farm

Ealdor

Essetir

Englalande

Merlin Hunith's Son is a known user of magik and so has a place at this school of witch and wizard crafts. He is welcomed with warm embraces into the fellowship and will be instructed in the making of spells and potions and other magikal practises. Other users of magik have found the school a safe and happy place, and Merlin Hunith's Son will too. If Merlin Hunith's Son accepts the call to fellowship he has the owl and bringer of this message as a guide. The name of the owl is Drest.

Good health to you.

Rowena the Ravenclaw

Merlin had been sitting on his thighs and his feet were thoroughly numb now. Reading had always taken him a long time, he was slow, and he may have sat there for about half an hour, or more. He winced and sat back, going over the letter one more time. Someone knew about him. Someone knew that he had magic. Instinct told him to be happy. In fact he felt a swelling in his chest, and it felt a little like pride. He wasn't alone. He wasn't some kind of monster to throw in a dungeon and toss away the key in a lake. He was wanted somewhere. But his mother's voice was there too. It must be a secret, always, Merlin. She had said many times. And that was hard to shake off. Keeping a secret for so long made the keeping a habit. So Merlin felt himself caught between indescribable happiness and a deep, wrenching fear. He was sweating. He was cold. He was hot. He was shaking. He was laughing. But why were there tears in his eyes?

A small rock flew by Merlin and Drest the owl, startling them both.

"Talkin' to the owl, Merlin?"

Merlin whipped around. Trey Marwood was there, behind him. Allen and Edbert too. Big fat grins.

"Is he crying?" Allen or Edbert said it, they were pretty much the same person. The pillocks!

Merlin tried to roll up the parchment with shaking hands, but he dropped it at Trey's feet.

"What's that?" Al-Ed-Llen-Bert pointed at the letter.

Trey snatched it up before Merlin even had the chance.

"So." The reeve stopped Merlin's story. "You worked in the Selby fields all morning, then went down to the stream for water and firewood. And you were sitting there on the bank when these boys passed by? Is that right?" He stared hard down at Merlin.

"Yes." Merlin swallowed. Trey the Newt fought hard against Merlin's hand, which was keeping the rebellious amphibian in the pocket. "It was just so hot, I had to get some water."

"He's a liar! Godwin, he was talking to an owl and casting spells when we found him!" Al pointed at Merlin, jerking the finger towards the suspected spell-caster with every word. "And then he tried to bewitch us!"

Merlin could not help but glance up at his mother. Her face was painfully white. He cast his eyes back down. "I didn't." He whispered.

"He made Trey disappear!" Edbert chimed in.

"Hush!" Reeve Godwin nodded at his two assistants. "Take them out." He then fixed his gaze on the two boys. "Back to your farm, Edbert and Allen. Back home, with you. I will call for you if I need you."

Ed and Al protested a little, but went fairly quietly.

Once the doors closed behind them, the reeve sighed. "Let us continue with your account of the events, Merlin. Make it brief."

Merlin nodded.

"What you have here, Mer-Looney?" Trey unfurled the parchment, and jerked it back when Merlin leapt for it. "Oi, I'll only have it a second."

"Give it here!" Merlin jumped for it again.

His arms grabbed from behind by Al and Ed, or Ed and Al, either way.

"What's the bastard got?" One of the other boys asked.

Drest, the white-faced owl, startled and flapped, hopping up onto the branch of a nearby tree.

Trey turned about. "It's got writing on it." He called over his shoulder. "Probably a letter from his da."

Merlin stared at the back of Trey's tunic. There was a tingling, itching heat behind his eyes.

"What's it say?" Allen or Edbert called.

Trey cleared his throat. "It says: 'Sorry Merlin, I mistook your ma for a sheep. Realized my mistake when she popped you out'." A couple laughs rang out from the boys holding Merlin back. Trey aimed a grin back at them. "It's true. It's what it says." A moment later, Trey's hand arced. And the little, now crumpled, piece of parchment plummeted down into the stream below. "Pity he didn't want you, Merlin."

Drest let out a piercing cry and Merlin twisted around, wrenching himself free, and forced his teeth into the flesh of Ed or Al or who the hell cared and bit down. Hard.

Someone screamed.

"Little shite!"

Something slammed into Merlin's cheek. He tasted blood. Was it his? And he was grabbed by the hair. Trey's face was there, snarling at him. And Merlin felt calm. He felt the calmest he'd ever felt in his life. Time moved like a slow flowing river, still and thick. He couldn't hear anything. Merlin reached out to Trey's face. Not with his hands, however, those were pinned behind his back again. He reached out into that ugly face and made it worse. He made it uglier. Merlin made Trey's eyes smaller and blacker. He made Trey's tanned skin slimy. Wet and covered in ooze. And last, Merlin made Trey as small and helpless as Merlin himself now felt.

And Trey was suddenly gone and Merlin was on the ground, breathing in leaf litter and coughing it out again. A small, brown newt wriggled in front of Merlin's face. Trey. Trey the Newt.

"Ugh! What did you do? Where did he go?" Allen screamed, scrambling back. He looked green, almost ill.

Edbert was hitting his friend on the shoulder. "Where is he?" He sobbed. "Where's Trey?"

Merlin reached out and snatched up the newt while he lay there.

A moment later, Ed and Al had tripped and sobbed their way up the footpath and were gone.

Merlin sighed, his heart jumping around and wriggling like the newt in his hand. A couple minutes later he hauled himself to his feet, swaying a little, and looked about for Drest the owl. That pale face still sat in a nearby tree, watching him. Merlin smiled. "You're still here."

If an owl could look disdainful, this one sure did it well.

Merlin smirked and held up the newt by the tail. "Lunch?"

Drest hissed a little and turned his white face away, like turning one's nose up at something particularly disgusting.

"Yeah, neither would I." Merlin took another look at the newt that was once Trey. At least, he thought it was Trey. He hoped it was. And he wouldn't have fed Trey the Newt to the owl. No. He needed to find a way to un-newt-tify Trey.

A moment later, Merlin was left holding a wriggling tail and no newt. No newt at all.

"Oh no."

"And then they ran away?"

Merlin nodded.

"But where was Trey? Allen and Ed… Ed-" Reeve Godwin frowned. "What's his name?"

"Edbert." Merlin offered.

Godwin nodded and waved a hand towards Merlin. "Yes, Edbert. Allen and Edbert have said that Trey disappeared."

Merlin shrugged. "All I know is that while I was getting water, they started picking on me." He cast his eyes to the clean dirt floor. "I got angry and I'm sorry for that. I bit Allen…or Ed, I can't remember."

One of the reeve's men snickered. The newt fighting in his pocket somehow seemed angrier than before.

"But I didn't do anything to Trey. He was the one picking on me, and the others were holding me. I couldn't do anything." Merlin did his best to shiver a little and keep his eyes lowered. "I couldn't fight back." He paused. "I don't know where Trey went."

An outright lie, but what else could he say? Here, reeve, let me introduce you to Trey Marwood, he's a newt now.

"Yes, yes." Godwin nodded and sat back in his chair. "Let's continue. You were left alone, what did you do next? I assume you went to the millpond."

Merlin had the good sense to blush. "I did. I was sweaty and wanted to wash off. I went to the millpond."

"Oh no! Trey!" Merlin squawked and fell to the ground.

The newt skittered away towards the stream.

"Trey!" Merlin scrambled after the small creature, hands scrabbling out to catch the newt.

And the chase was on.

In and out of the stream, slipping on wet, mossy stones, Merlin followed the tiny newt. Gods, it was fast!. The stream widened and the newt began to swim away. Merlin splashed out into the water. He lost sight of the small creature.

"Oh no!"

Merlin stuck his head under the water. He couldn't see anything.

"Oh no, oh no!"

Nothing! Trey was gone.

Merlin ducked under the water again. He reached out into the stream. Reached and reached and reached. He wriggled into the small rapids. The water deepened and deepened. Something brushed by him. Cloth. Merlin paid no mind. The stream was deeper and he could follow now. He spotted Trey the newt up ahead, swimming along, like a newt does. Merlin shot forward. Funny. This didn't quite feel right.

He was catching up with the newt now. The water became darker. They must had swum into the millpond. The stream fed into it. Strange. Merlin hadn't needed to come up for air yet.

I think, he felt himself ponder, I think I am a fish.

It didn't matter too much right now because Trey the newt was almost within his grasp. If he had hands. Why didn't Merlin have hands? Or legs. What was going on?

Merlin reached out for the newt. He was so close now. He swam faster and faster. He passed by two pale pillars. The newt was resting by one of the pillars. Merlin reached out, mouth open. There! Got him! The newt wriggled in his grasp. Merlin leapt up and out of the water with a whoop of glee.

He collided with something solid. Flailing legs. There was an earsplitting scream.

And while Merlin spat water and a frantic newt out of his mouth and into his hands, he stared up into the terrified face of Milda the miller's daughter. She was a bit taller than him, being about seven or so seasons older than him. And she was quite naked. And so was he. Where were his clothes?!

He had jumped up, right beneath her, right from between her legs.

Oh…and thank the gods, he had legs now too. And hands. Merlin had missed them.

Milda slapped him. Hard.

"So you didn't see Milda bathing when you went to bathe yourself?"

"It was an accident, I swear." Merlin shifted where he stood. "I just kinda hopped in, started swimming… and I had my eyes closed. And when I came up to breathe…" He covered his face with his hands. "I didn't know she was there. I'm sorry."

And he was sorry. He really hadn't meant to scare Milda… and see her naked. The memory still reddened his ears.

"I see." Reeve Godwin stood up from his chair. "And then her father brought you here, after lending you some… clothes."

"Mine went missing." Merlin mumbled. Yes, they went missing when he became a fish. "I laid them down and I lost them."

Godwin was watching him closely. "Mmhmm." He nodded. A full minute went by before the reeve spoke again. "Hunith you can take your son home. I will see that Merlin assist the miller for a few days as penance for spying on Milda. And as to Trey," He shrugged. "I'll tell John Marwood his son is missing and everyone, including you, Merlin, will help with the search. He's probably up and gone to Northantone for a few days. Just like last time."

As if to answer to that, Trey the newt wriggled in Merlin's pocket again and he put a hand to it to keep the little creature from escaping again. Who knows what he'd turn into next time if he had to catch the newt again. A cat? That might not be so bad. Cats were quite graceful and elegant. Or a bird. By the by, where was Drest the white-faced owl? Perhaps had flown off by now, Merlin worried, back to the wherever Rowena the Ravenclaw lived. Merlin may never find the school without the owl's help. Though, he may have more important problems going on right now.

Godwin watched as Hunith came forward and laid a hand on her son's shoulder. "Keep him in check, Hunith. He has caused enough trouble in ten seasons to last him a lifetime."

"Yes, thank you, reeve Godwin." Hunith answered. Merlin heard his mother's voice quiver, but her hand was steady on his shoulder. And she steering Merlin out of the meeting hall and back to their home, hand never leaving his shoulder, not once.

Hours later, when the sun was close to setting, Merlin set the small newt named Trey Marwood down on the forest floor. Around him the calls of other looking for Trey sounded out, echoing in the trees. Torches flashed by every so often like fireflies do. Popping in and out of existence. The little creature tried to scamper away again as soon as it was put down and Merlin grabbed it again.

"I've got to… I've got to figure out how to get you back, to normal, I mean." Merlin murmured. "But I don't know how I did this in the first place."

Almost in response, the newt wriggled a little more wildly in his hands.

"I know, I know." Merlin huffed.

He closed his eyes.

"Trey!" Someone called out.

Yes, Trey, what did he look like?

Another voice, again. "Trey Marwood!"

He was a tall boy, and big.

Sticks cracked and snapped underfoot, people wading through the underbrush.

Brown hair, brown eyes, freckles, tanned skin.

"Trey!" Merlin smelled the pitch of the torches.

There was that crooked smile, with one snaggletooth, and something like food was usually stuck in it. Probably why Trey was constantly picking at his teeth, all day, every day. Shoulders were rounded, he hunched when relaxed, slouched. And the way he said: "Sard off!" when he was pissed. He slurred it and dropped the 'd'. Making it "Sar'off!"

"Trey!"

"I'm here! I'm here!"

Merlin opened his eyes. And there, sitting before him, white-faced and clothes rumpled, gasping, was Trey Marwood. Relief, pure relief, flooded Merlin's body. But also, Trey kept his clothes? How did? What? Merlin had lost his clothes when he was a…a fish? Or whatever? He'd have to figure that one out. But no matter. Trey was back! He'd done it! Thank the gods! Thank everyone! Thank Trey! Merlin launched himself forward and threw his arms about the older boy, hugging him tightly.

"Get off! Get off, you witch!" Trey pushed Merlin away roughly and, scrambling to his feet, sprayed leaf litter everyone and all over Merlin.

Right, time to set the story straight.

"I've found him!" Merlin cried, leaping and latching onto Trey's leg. The older boy kicked but Merlin hung on tightly. "Over here, I've found him!"

A few of the village men, including Trey's father, and the reeve appeared from the surrounding trees. "Thank the gods." John Marwood reached down and helped his son to his feet.

"He-" Trey began, pointing at Merlin.

"Are you alright?" Reeve Godwin asked.

"Merlin-" Trey looked to be close to crying.

He had to turn this around now.

"He was sneaking back into the village from Northantone!" Merlin blurted before Trey could say much more. "He went to go see the baron's daughter. We were all lying for him. Me and Allen and Ed. We all were. I'm sorry." He hung his head and tried to look as remorseful as possible. "Please don't punish him, the baron doesn't know-"

"He's lying!" Trey shrieked, rushing at Merlin. But his father held him back by the arm. "He's lying, you see it?!"

"Well, Trey…" The Reeve eyed the two boys. "What did happen?"

Merlin bit his lip.

Trey, if possible, blanched even more. "He…He turned me into a newt!"

A beat.

And raucous laughter erupted from the men who'd been searching. Some started leaving then and there.

"A newt?" Even the Reeve was chuckling.

Trey looked around at the smiling faces, mouth agape and eyes wide. "I…" He swallowed hard, adam's apple bobbing in the stark torchlight. He looked down at the ground then back up at the Reeve. "I got better." He said in a small voice.

And that was that.

Trey's father took his son-turned newt-turned son again back home. And the Reeve dismissed Merlin with a warning that he wasn't to lie for Trey's benefit anymore. Merlin skipped back to his mother's hut.

He couldn't always take these things so lightly. But nothing like this had happened before. Sure, little strange things happened around him all the time. And most of the people in the village saw him as odd. Or bad luck. Just like an owl out in the daytime. He had to be careful. But it was hard. His mother had told him time and time again to keep a tight grip on his…talents. She had said that they might lock him up for it. Or worse. And of course Merlin was scared of these threats. Of course he tried to be as careful as he could. But it was hard. And this was just another near miss that he'd managed to dodge again. All the events lined up well enough that no one would believe Trey, or his two best friends that were obviously in cahoots with him. But little snitch Merlin, the bullied boy, had no reason to lie about Trey's misdeeds. But there was no telling whether he'd be able to brush off the accusations next time. And next time might be worse.

Merlin thought back to the strange message he'd received from the owl named Drest. The owl that had probably flown back home by now. He wouldn't be able to find the school and he wouldn't be able to leave this wretched village.

Merlin turned a corner and found himself back home. And there, sitting on the woodpile outside, was the white-faced owl, blinking slowly up at him. Merlin reached out, careful to be gentle, and brushed the feathers on the bird's neck. So soft. "You haven't left." He whispered. Drest stared up at him.

"Merlin, is that you?" Hunith called from inside the hut.

"Yes!" Merlin ducked under the doorway and hurried inside. "We found Trey. He was sneaking back from Northantone- Ow!"

Hunith had flown forward and smacked Merlin, hard, on the top of his head with her wooden spoon. "You have gone too far!" She did not yell, but her furious whispers were enough to make Merlin quail a little. "Too far, Merlin! What did you do to that boy, hmm?!"

"Nothing!" Merlin cried.

Another spoon wallop.

He lowered his voice. "Nothing, I didn't do anything."

His mother, tight-lipped, gave him a hard stare then turned back to the fire and stirred the dinner stew, her back to him. "We may have to leave. Go away. Live somewhere else."

Merlin sat down beside her. "Mam, what are you talking about? Godwin said I was free of all charges. You heard him."

"People talk!" Hunith kept her eyes on the stew. "People talk…about me…about you. If anything else, like this, happens…" She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't know if I can protect you."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not!" She was on the brink of sobbing.

Merlin's heart twisted in his chest and he wrapped an arm around his mother's shoulders. "Things always turn out okay. They will. I promise, I'll be more careful. I just…lost my temper."

Hunith, eyes shining, turned to him and stared into her son's eyes. She smiled through the tears, sighing. "What did you do to him?"

"I think…" Merlin was choosing his words. "I think I turned him into a little lizard. He was in my pocket when the Reeve was asking me questions. I turned him back, just now."

Merlin's mother raised her eyes upwards and almost laughed, hiccuping. "Really?"

"Yes- Ow!"

Hunith had smacked the back of his head, lightly, but hard enough.

"You're more trouble than you're worth, Merlin." She said it, she said those words, but she drew her son into a deep, tight hug. She rubbed his back, humming. Merlin let his eyes close. She was right. He was trouble. Trouble for everyone.

"Hungry?" Hunith pulled away and stirred the stew again.

"Yes." Merlin wiped his eyes. "Mother?"

"Mmmm?"

"Have you heard of a place where…well, there are people like me, and they…they teach the stuff I do?" He glanced at the doorway, towards where Drest was perched outside. "I found a message today, from people like me. And they have a…what do you call it? A school? Yes, a school for people that do…things."

Hunith wheeled around, two bowls in hand. "I don't think I've heard of such a place." She frowned and handed the bowl to Merlin. "You know, Merlin, there are people who want to hurt you. That message may be a trick to lure you into a trap. Don't pay it any mind."

Merlin blew on his stew to cool it. "I don't think it was a trap."

"Why?"

"The message was tied to the leg of an owl."

"Oh." Hunith stared at Merlin for a moment or so. "That's…odd."

"That's what I thought. The message, well, it's gone. But it said that I was asked to come learn with them and that they may be able to help me, keep me safe, stuff like that. I thought…" Merlin shrugged but he could feel that floating, happy sensation from hours ago starting again. That giddiness. "I thought that I would like to learn. And meet people like me."

"It doesn't sound safe." Hunith set her bowl down on the floor. "How do you know it's not a trap?" She took her son by the shoulders.

"Well," Merlin looked to the doorway of the hut again. "The owl is supposed to take me to the school, or show me the way. So I guess that might be…I don't think that people who hate people like me would train an owl to do that."

"Doesn't matter. You can't go off on your own. You're barely older than ten seasons."

"I'm eleven this summer and I'm almost a man!"

"You're just a boy!" Hunith took Merlin's face in her hands. "And you're not going anywhere with an owl!" And she sighed a moment and looked at the floor. "I can't believe I just said that. Now you're going to stay here, eat your stew, and stop making trouble in the village." She kissed his forehead. "For me, please."

Merlin nodded silently. They ate. The night drew on, the heat of the summer day dying to a cold, damp chill as the stars wheeled overhead.

Hunith's fingers strayed to Merlin's neck. "You're burnt."

"I was out in the sun all day."

"You'll need something for that tomorrow." Hunith got up and rummaged around in her small chest for a minute or so. "Here." She came back with a red kerchief. "Tie it around your neck and it'll keep off the sun." She wrapped it gently around his neck and tied it in the front.

Merlin pulled the scarf so the knot was in the back, looking at the brightly dyed material. 'Why were there tears in his eyes?', he found himself wondering. "Thanks." He swallowed hard.

And his mother smiled at him.

In the dead of night, once his mother's breathing had changed to deeper, slowing breaths, Merlin crept out of bed. He took a few things here and there, stuffing them in his bag. At the door, Merlin's hands went to the kerchief about his neck, about to untie it and leave it. It was his mother's… But then he dropped his arms to his side. He grabbed his walking stick, knuckles turning white. One last glance at the hut. One last glance at his mother. Merlin slipped out the doorway and into the cool night. He turned and looked to the white-faced owl that sat there.

"Ready?"

The owl lifted it's wings, hopped into the air, then settled on Merlin's shoulder.

Merlin smiled. "Right, let's go."