[Fic] The Pentagram Sacrifices [Part 4]
| Masterpost | Part Three | Part Five |
::::
When Uncle Gaius had asked him about helping the Scotland Yard with some clues on early Celtic writing, Merlin had been confused but intrigued enough to say yes. In retrospect, he should have known better.
All Merlin ever wanted was a quiet life. Maybe get a few students interested in Welsh lit. Finish that book he’s been working on. Find an interesting, nice bloke and settle down somewhere quaint and properly rural. Be able to use his magic for little things now and again without having to deal with the Council's politics. Instead he found himself in middle of a serial murder mystery with an arrogant prat who also just happened to look like a Greek god.
So really he should have known better. Uncle Gaius would never have asked him in the first place if it had been something easy. And really Merlin should've been on guard when he wasn't told anything other than the basic details regarding the case. Knowing that he would be working with Uther Pendragon’s son would’ve been nice as well.
And he could understand why his uncle didn't tell him that he was working with Uther Pendragon's son. No one in the magical community wanted to do anything with the Pendragons. And from what Merlin had heard, he was pretty sure he didn’t want to either.
He had heard rumors about something had happened at the time of Uther Pendragon's wife's death, which eventually led to Pendragon arguing several cases against various members of the magical community. Uther Pendragon had been able to persecute people who had ties to the magical community on indictable charges related to arson and theft. All of the people that had been charged were innocent. But there wasn't much the Druid Council could've done without violating the agreements that were in place. Finally, years later some sort of compromise had been reached with the man, nonetheless even now the fear of that man still permeated within the community.
Merlin followed DI Pendragon around the office the rest of the day, trying to familiarize himself with the place and people as much as he could as he listened to the inspector tersely explain things.
“Since you passed the security clearance, you'll be given a card so you are allowed access,” DI Pendragon said startling Merlin out of his musing.
Merlin frowned at the man's irritated tone. He wasn't sure how he had gotten on the wrong foot with the inspector. Maybe he's just a prat.
They were interrupted several times with other constables with a quick “sir” and Merlin watch the inspector listen quietly before giving orders.
And Merlin couldn't deny the man was attractive with broad shoulders, emphasized by that navy police vest and tapered down to narrow hips. And his eyes. The man really had some pretty blue eyes. Nor he could deny the way the sheer attraction he felt for the man when he had come up to Merlin by the elevators.
His furtively checking out was interrupted when he almost banged in behind DI Pendragon, who stopped all of a sudden.
"Leon," DI Pendragon said
"Arthur," said the harried looking constable, "I've been looking for you. The young lad’s flatmate came back from his vacation last night and is willing to talk to us."
"Do you have the address on you?"
"Yeah. We can go now if you'd like unless you have things you need to care of here." the inspector said tilting his head in question in Merlin’s direction.
DI Pendragon glanced back at Merlin and Merlin tried not to look too interested, but the way the detective sighed meant that he probably failed.
"Leon, you've met Professor Emrys earlier right? He will be coming with us."
"Yes. Hello Professor, I'm DI Leon Whitstead."
"It's a pleasure DI Whitstead. And it's Merlin."
DI Whitstead gave him a congenial grin, "And Leon if you'd please."
"If we're done here, we have a case to solve," DI Pendragon said irritatedly. DI Whitstead gave Merlin an amused look, when Merlin muttered to him, "Is he always like this?"
"More or less. On some days, it's even worse."
"I heard that," DI Pendragon grumbled back at them as he led the way out of the building to the car park.
“We aren’t taking a panda car?” Merlin asked as they passed over rows of Ford Taurus and Vauxhall Vectras with neon yellow and “police” written on each side.
“Don’t tell me riding in one was a childhood dream of yours,” DI Pendragon said smirking, as they walked up to an unmarked, battered grey BMW.
“What-no,” Merlin replied, not meeting DI Pendragon’s gaze, lest he be found out, “I just thought since we are on official business…” Merlin trailed off. It had been a childhood dream and surprising that it never happened since he and Will had gotten more scrapes than possible.
“What are you teasing him for Arthur? I remember a young constable who was pretty devastated when he found out that the CID didn’t regularly use the labeled police cars.”
Merlin watched, amused as DI Pendragon glared at DI Whitstead and muttered something about getting him back.
The drive had been mostly him and DI Whitstead talking. Every few minutes Merlin would catch DI Pendragon's eyes in the the rear view mirror but the man would glance away and Merlin wondered what that was about.
It wasn't too long before they arrived to the flat, but just as Merlin turned to follow them, he found himself pinned by DI Pendragon's gaze.
“You're here to watch and listen. No questions unless you ask either me or DI Whitstead first. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Unfortunately, the flatmate was a mess of grief and anger. The victim, Keenan Gordon had been loved and one could see it in the pictures on the walls and the way his flatmate tried to hold back choking sobs.
Merlin watched as both of the DIs tried to console him, while simultaneously deal with the accusations the man was throwing at them.
“I can’t believe he’s gone. We grew up together you know? Best mates since we were kids.”
That made Merlin pause from where he stood looking around the flat. It immediately made him think of Will. He wasn’t sure what he would do if the same thing had happened to him. Something must’ve shown on his face because while Leon continue to question the flatmate, DI Pendragon had pulled him to the side.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” Merlin said waving him off, “I’m fine.”
DI Pendragon looked at him for a moment, his gaze assessing as if he could read what was written under Merlin’s skin.
“Okay.”
He glanced at Leon before looking back at Merlin, “Anything out of the ordinary?”
Merlin quirked an eyebrow, “Um, I thought I was just going to translate some Celtic writing?”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t be a good observer. I was hoping there would be some paper in the flat that might have matched the markings…” DI Pendragon trailed off.
“Or something,” Merlin added a bit cheekily.
“Right,” DI Pendragon admitted ruefully, a small smile curving around his mouth as he looked at Merlin.
That was when Merlin realized he was in trouble as he shakily let out the breath he had been holding. “No I didn’t see anything out of place.”
Arthur looked at him strangely, but then his phone rang and he turned away to take it.
By the time, he told himself to stop being an idiot, convinced himself that it was thrill of the mystery, and looked around the flat like he was told to, they had wrapped up the interview.
But as he caught Arthur’s eyes on the mirror on the ride back to Scotland Yard, he wonder how long he would be able to convince himself that it was the mystery and not something else that had caused his heart to stutter earlier.
Later that evening, Merlin stopped by his uncle's office. Gaius had been waiting for him, his glasses firmly in place as he looked over some paperwork. Merlin leaned against the door jamb as he watched.
“Well aren't you going to sit?” Gaius said after a few minutes.
“You left out the part that I would be working with DI Arthur Pendragon,” Merlin said keeping his face blank as he stared at his uncle.
Gaius stared calmly back at his nephew, “And that is important?”
Merlin shot his uncle an irritated look, “You did hear that I said Arthur Pendragon.”
Gaius poured them both tea and ignoring him as Merlin sat down moodily onto the chair.
After settling down and take a few sips, Gaius said, “He is not his father Merlin. Once you get to know Arthur you’ll realize that as well.”
Something told Merlin that his uncle was probably right. Touring the office earlier with DI Pendragon had shown Merlin that while the man could be condescending and had a temper, his colleagues seemed to respect him. But still, with all the history that the senior Pendragon had with the magical community and the fact that Merlin himself was a sorcerer, Merlin wasn’t sure how this could end well.
“Will you take this job? I'm not going to force you into doing something you don't want to do Merlin.”
“Then you could’ve gotten someone else. There are plenty of people who are better versed in Celtic runes than me. You could’ve gone to the Council.”
Gaius gave him a look, “And as you can see there’s a queue out the door of people who are knowledgeable in runes.”
“You know how the Council feels about Pendragons in general. They would rather see a serial killer on the loose than work with someone with the last name Pendragon.” Merlin was surprised at the anger on Gaius's voice.
“I know you’ve heard the stories Merlin. What Uther did, well there is no forgiving that. Uther did change over the years for the worse and made some terrible mistakes. Some which I have yet not forgiven him for,” Gaius said, and Merlin felt guilty as he took in the weariness that seem to overtake his uncle. He had forgotten that Gaius had been good friends with Uther Pendragon once upon a time.
“But Arthur is nothing like his father. He is a good lad with a intelligent head on his shoulder. Once you start working with him, you’ll see that too.”
“My magic reacts strangely whenever I'm around him.”
“Oh?”
“It kind of reacts strongly. Or I can't control it as well when I’m around him?” Merlin wasn’t sure how to describe it, “ I don't know...maybe if it's not really a good idea for me to be around him.”
“Maybe it's a reason why you should be around him. What happens if you meet someone else and the same thing happens? You can’t run away from things because you don’t understand them.”
Merlin frowned. There was something off in his uncle's voice. And Merlin knew almost as instinctively that Gaius was wrong. He didn't think anybody else would make his magic react that way.
“One would think you were trying to match me up with DI Pendragon rather than just work with him,” Merlin grumbled caving in and shot Gaius an irritated look when his uncle smiled fondly at him.
“Thank you Merlin. You don’t know how much I appreciate this.”
“Enough to lend me that book on the Treatise of Defensive Magic?”
“I’m grateful Merlin not crazy. And I don’t need you getting ideas. I still remember what happened last time”
“Come on Gaius, me and Will were only fourteen when that happened.”
“We’ll see how this case goes first, hmm?”
Merlin wisely didn’t say anything when Gaius gave him a look.
::::
In the next week Merlin was caught up on most of the evidence that had been collected and while both of the bodies had either been cremated or had been interred in the time period, he spent days trying to figure out the markings from the photographs.
The symbols were runes, not very commonly known ones but they had been easy to translate. The first victim had been marked with what loosely translated to “gate” or “barrier” and the second victim had been marked with something that was more difficult to translate but Merlin decided on was “potential.” But the word could also mean “the unknown” in a different context and that was the problem. He didn’t know what context the runes were being used.
Outside of that though, he was stuck. After the first few rocky days where Arthur hadn’t believed Merlin would be able to translate anything from the frowns he gave, Merlin knew he had surprised Arthur with the progress he made in the translation. But it didn’t help when Arthur had started looking at him with expectant blue eyes as if he expected Merlin to have all the answers.
“I don’t the context so I can’t tell you anything more than the rough translations” Merlin said one late evening frustrated. “For all we know, it could just be someone going to Google and copying whatever they found on the internet.”
Leon looked at him in concern but Arthur’s face had been impassive, “You were the one who said that the runic alphabet the killer used wasn’t widely known. So it can’t be random.”
“Then it’s the context. I don’t know what he’s thinking so I can’t figure out what the words mean in a larger context.” Merlin was irritated. There was something off about this case and he couldn’t quite figure it out. The markings almost read like a spell but if it was a spell it was a spell Merlin never had encountered before.
“You’ll figure it out,” Leon had said, his face earnest as if he really believed it and Merlin had given him a wan smile. Arthur hadn’t said anything and Merlin couldn’t help but feel a little bit like he had let the man down somehow.
A few days later Merlin received a call from Arthur to meet up to interview one of the first victims’ close mates. Arthur had mumbled something about “Pagans and Professor Emrys being an expert” before hanging up. A few minutes later he had gotten a text with an address with directions on which train to take. Figures Arthur would tell him to come via the tube.
A building with St. Peter’s Primary School on it’s side and bright laughter of children playing greeted Merlin when he walked up. Merlin wasn’t sure why he was told to come to a primary school of all places and tried to look too out of place. One of the teachers, dressed in a yellow cardigan and hair pulled back stopped and asked if she could help.
“I’m looking for a colleague of mine. He said he would meet me here.”
“I can help you look for him?” she said uncertainly, her eyes narrowing in suspicion and Merlin decided that he would pull an awful prank on DI Prat the next chance he got.
“He’s blond with blue eyes and he’s a detective working with the CID?” Merlin said unsure if that description made him seem less suspicious or more.
The woman’s face cleared, “Oh yes, I know who you are talking about. He’s waiting for you in the lobby.”
Now that it seemed that Merlin was no longer suspicious, the woman whose name was Rebeccah chatted animatedly once she learned Merlin was an university professor.
When they finally reached the lobby, Rebeccah gestured towards the far end. And there, Merlin could see was Arthur talking to an older woman. She looked like she was the headmistress of the school and was nodding, a sympathetic look on her face.
The conversation was wrapping up when Merlin walked up.
“Thank you for your time Headmistress Ames.”
“Not at all Inspector. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.”
He tilted her head to her in a nod as she passed by and turned to see Arthur looking at him.
“Why are we at a primary school.”
“One of Ceirydwen Rhys close mates is doing her student teaching here.”
“Oh.”
Arthur gestured towards the bench, “We’re going to be here awhile. She doesn’t finish up for another thirty minutes.”
Merlin listened to the unsaid order, sitting down, the wood rough against his fingertips. He briefly wondered how many people must’ve gotten splinters just from sitting here.
Merlin looked up at Arthur, taking in the dark shadows under his eyes and the pale skin, felt a wave of empathy for him. Leon had said privately to Merlin in a quiet moment when Arthur was busy taking notes that Arthur hadn't been sleeping well since the body of the first victim had been found. Unexpectedly Merlin found himself worrying over the stubborn DI.
“Have you been sleeping?” Merlin found himself asking.
Arthur frowned, a retort plainly evident on his face, but instead he leaned back against the wall and slumped, “Some.”
Merlin nodded, hearing the lie and doesn't say anything else, half-hoping Arthur would continue. After almost a minute of silence and he's trying to think of something to say, Arthur said, his voice oddly fragile, “The first vic looked a lot like my sister.”
Something warm wrapped around his heart and Merlin wish that he could lean up and hold Arthur. To give him some sort of comfort. To chase away the shadows on his face and maybe help him with whatever that was burdening him.
“I didn't know you had a sister.”
“Half-sister, but we grew up together. She drives me crazy half the time,” Arthur said, a fond look on his face, “but we get along all right.”
“In that first interview, when you asked me if I was okay. I wasn’t,” the words tumbled out. And Merlin wasn’t sure what made him confess that, “It reminded me of my best mate.”
Arthur looked down at him and again, Merlin felt as if he was being stripped bare under his gaze. “Your best mate?”
“Yeah, we had known each other since we were in our nappies literally.”
“I have a hard time imagining you as a troublemaker.”
“I have a hard time imagining you as not of one.”
“Who said I wasn’t?” Arthur asked his voice low. There’s a quality to that causes heat to pool low in his gut. Merlin licks his lips nervously, breath catching as Arthur’s eyes seemed drawn to his mouth.
A loud clatter startles them both. They both look away and Merlin fervently hoped he didn’t look as flushed as he felt.
A moment later, “Look, I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot. I was being stupid.”
“Yeah, you were being a prat,” Merlin said agreeing.
Arthur glares at him halfheartedly, dropping down next to him on the bench, before agreeing as well, “Yeah I was.”
They sat in companionable silence as Merlin idly traced the grooves on hard wooden bench. The bench is small and Arthur’s warmth spills over into his space. He could catch the scent of a spicy aftershave and something else.
“It’s Arthur.”
“And it’s--”
“Yes I know, Merlin.”
Merlin wants to look at him, but he was sure that he wouldn’t be able to stop the grin that was tugging against his lips if he did.
:::::
| Masterpost | Part Three | Part Five |
::::
When Uncle Gaius had asked him about helping the Scotland Yard with some clues on early Celtic writing, Merlin had been confused but intrigued enough to say yes. In retrospect, he should have known better.
All Merlin ever wanted was a quiet life. Maybe get a few students interested in Welsh lit. Finish that book he’s been working on. Find an interesting, nice bloke and settle down somewhere quaint and properly rural. Be able to use his magic for little things now and again without having to deal with the Council's politics. Instead he found himself in middle of a serial murder mystery with an arrogant prat who also just happened to look like a Greek god.
So really he should have known better. Uncle Gaius would never have asked him in the first place if it had been something easy. And really Merlin should've been on guard when he wasn't told anything other than the basic details regarding the case. Knowing that he would be working with Uther Pendragon’s son would’ve been nice as well.
And he could understand why his uncle didn't tell him that he was working with Uther Pendragon's son. No one in the magical community wanted to do anything with the Pendragons. And from what Merlin had heard, he was pretty sure he didn’t want to either.
He had heard rumors about something had happened at the time of Uther Pendragon's wife's death, which eventually led to Pendragon arguing several cases against various members of the magical community. Uther Pendragon had been able to persecute people who had ties to the magical community on indictable charges related to arson and theft. All of the people that had been charged were innocent. But there wasn't much the Druid Council could've done without violating the agreements that were in place. Finally, years later some sort of compromise had been reached with the man, nonetheless even now the fear of that man still permeated within the community.
Merlin followed DI Pendragon around the office the rest of the day, trying to familiarize himself with the place and people as much as he could as he listened to the inspector tersely explain things.
“Since you passed the security clearance, you'll be given a card so you are allowed access,” DI Pendragon said startling Merlin out of his musing.
Merlin frowned at the man's irritated tone. He wasn't sure how he had gotten on the wrong foot with the inspector. Maybe he's just a prat.
They were interrupted several times with other constables with a quick “sir” and Merlin watch the inspector listen quietly before giving orders.
And Merlin couldn't deny the man was attractive with broad shoulders, emphasized by that navy police vest and tapered down to narrow hips. And his eyes. The man really had some pretty blue eyes. Nor he could deny the way the sheer attraction he felt for the man when he had come up to Merlin by the elevators.
His furtively checking out was interrupted when he almost banged in behind DI Pendragon, who stopped all of a sudden.
"Leon," DI Pendragon said
"Arthur," said the harried looking constable, "I've been looking for you. The young lad’s flatmate came back from his vacation last night and is willing to talk to us."
"Do you have the address on you?"
"Yeah. We can go now if you'd like unless you have things you need to care of here." the inspector said tilting his head in question in Merlin’s direction.
DI Pendragon glanced back at Merlin and Merlin tried not to look too interested, but the way the detective sighed meant that he probably failed.
"Leon, you've met Professor Emrys earlier right? He will be coming with us."
"Yes. Hello Professor, I'm DI Leon Whitstead."
"It's a pleasure DI Whitstead. And it's Merlin."
DI Whitstead gave him a congenial grin, "And Leon if you'd please."
"If we're done here, we have a case to solve," DI Pendragon said irritatedly. DI Whitstead gave Merlin an amused look, when Merlin muttered to him, "Is he always like this?"
"More or less. On some days, it's even worse."
"I heard that," DI Pendragon grumbled back at them as he led the way out of the building to the car park.
“We aren’t taking a panda car?” Merlin asked as they passed over rows of Ford Taurus and Vauxhall Vectras with neon yellow and “police” written on each side.
“Don’t tell me riding in one was a childhood dream of yours,” DI Pendragon said smirking, as they walked up to an unmarked, battered grey BMW.
“What-no,” Merlin replied, not meeting DI Pendragon’s gaze, lest he be found out, “I just thought since we are on official business…” Merlin trailed off. It had been a childhood dream and surprising that it never happened since he and Will had gotten more scrapes than possible.
“What are you teasing him for Arthur? I remember a young constable who was pretty devastated when he found out that the CID didn’t regularly use the labeled police cars.”
Merlin watched, amused as DI Pendragon glared at DI Whitstead and muttered something about getting him back.
The drive had been mostly him and DI Whitstead talking. Every few minutes Merlin would catch DI Pendragon's eyes in the the rear view mirror but the man would glance away and Merlin wondered what that was about.
It wasn't too long before they arrived to the flat, but just as Merlin turned to follow them, he found himself pinned by DI Pendragon's gaze.
“You're here to watch and listen. No questions unless you ask either me or DI Whitstead first. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Unfortunately, the flatmate was a mess of grief and anger. The victim, Keenan Gordon had been loved and one could see it in the pictures on the walls and the way his flatmate tried to hold back choking sobs.
Merlin watched as both of the DIs tried to console him, while simultaneously deal with the accusations the man was throwing at them.
“I can’t believe he’s gone. We grew up together you know? Best mates since we were kids.”
That made Merlin pause from where he stood looking around the flat. It immediately made him think of Will. He wasn’t sure what he would do if the same thing had happened to him. Something must’ve shown on his face because while Leon continue to question the flatmate, DI Pendragon had pulled him to the side.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” Merlin said waving him off, “I’m fine.”
DI Pendragon looked at him for a moment, his gaze assessing as if he could read what was written under Merlin’s skin.
“Okay.”
He glanced at Leon before looking back at Merlin, “Anything out of the ordinary?”
Merlin quirked an eyebrow, “Um, I thought I was just going to translate some Celtic writing?”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t be a good observer. I was hoping there would be some paper in the flat that might have matched the markings…” DI Pendragon trailed off.
“Or something,” Merlin added a bit cheekily.
“Right,” DI Pendragon admitted ruefully, a small smile curving around his mouth as he looked at Merlin.
That was when Merlin realized he was in trouble as he shakily let out the breath he had been holding. “No I didn’t see anything out of place.”
Arthur looked at him strangely, but then his phone rang and he turned away to take it.
By the time, he told himself to stop being an idiot, convinced himself that it was thrill of the mystery, and looked around the flat like he was told to, they had wrapped up the interview.
But as he caught Arthur’s eyes on the mirror on the ride back to Scotland Yard, he wonder how long he would be able to convince himself that it was the mystery and not something else that had caused his heart to stutter earlier.
Later that evening, Merlin stopped by his uncle's office. Gaius had been waiting for him, his glasses firmly in place as he looked over some paperwork. Merlin leaned against the door jamb as he watched.
“Well aren't you going to sit?” Gaius said after a few minutes.
“You left out the part that I would be working with DI Arthur Pendragon,” Merlin said keeping his face blank as he stared at his uncle.
Gaius stared calmly back at his nephew, “And that is important?”
Merlin shot his uncle an irritated look, “You did hear that I said Arthur Pendragon.”
Gaius poured them both tea and ignoring him as Merlin sat down moodily onto the chair.
After settling down and take a few sips, Gaius said, “He is not his father Merlin. Once you get to know Arthur you’ll realize that as well.”
Something told Merlin that his uncle was probably right. Touring the office earlier with DI Pendragon had shown Merlin that while the man could be condescending and had a temper, his colleagues seemed to respect him. But still, with all the history that the senior Pendragon had with the magical community and the fact that Merlin himself was a sorcerer, Merlin wasn’t sure how this could end well.
“Will you take this job? I'm not going to force you into doing something you don't want to do Merlin.”
“Then you could’ve gotten someone else. There are plenty of people who are better versed in Celtic runes than me. You could’ve gone to the Council.”
Gaius gave him a look, “And as you can see there’s a queue out the door of people who are knowledgeable in runes.”
“You know how the Council feels about Pendragons in general. They would rather see a serial killer on the loose than work with someone with the last name Pendragon.” Merlin was surprised at the anger on Gaius's voice.
“I know you’ve heard the stories Merlin. What Uther did, well there is no forgiving that. Uther did change over the years for the worse and made some terrible mistakes. Some which I have yet not forgiven him for,” Gaius said, and Merlin felt guilty as he took in the weariness that seem to overtake his uncle. He had forgotten that Gaius had been good friends with Uther Pendragon once upon a time.
“But Arthur is nothing like his father. He is a good lad with a intelligent head on his shoulder. Once you start working with him, you’ll see that too.”
“My magic reacts strangely whenever I'm around him.”
“Oh?”
“It kind of reacts strongly. Or I can't control it as well when I’m around him?” Merlin wasn’t sure how to describe it, “ I don't know...maybe if it's not really a good idea for me to be around him.”
“Maybe it's a reason why you should be around him. What happens if you meet someone else and the same thing happens? You can’t run away from things because you don’t understand them.”
Merlin frowned. There was something off in his uncle's voice. And Merlin knew almost as instinctively that Gaius was wrong. He didn't think anybody else would make his magic react that way.
“One would think you were trying to match me up with DI Pendragon rather than just work with him,” Merlin grumbled caving in and shot Gaius an irritated look when his uncle smiled fondly at him.
“Thank you Merlin. You don’t know how much I appreciate this.”
“Enough to lend me that book on the Treatise of Defensive Magic?”
“I’m grateful Merlin not crazy. And I don’t need you getting ideas. I still remember what happened last time”
“Come on Gaius, me and Will were only fourteen when that happened.”
“We’ll see how this case goes first, hmm?”
Merlin wisely didn’t say anything when Gaius gave him a look.
::::
In the next week Merlin was caught up on most of the evidence that had been collected and while both of the bodies had either been cremated or had been interred in the time period, he spent days trying to figure out the markings from the photographs.
The symbols were runes, not very commonly known ones but they had been easy to translate. The first victim had been marked with what loosely translated to “gate” or “barrier” and the second victim had been marked with something that was more difficult to translate but Merlin decided on was “potential.” But the word could also mean “the unknown” in a different context and that was the problem. He didn’t know what context the runes were being used.
Outside of that though, he was stuck. After the first few rocky days where Arthur hadn’t believed Merlin would be able to translate anything from the frowns he gave, Merlin knew he had surprised Arthur with the progress he made in the translation. But it didn’t help when Arthur had started looking at him with expectant blue eyes as if he expected Merlin to have all the answers.
“I don’t the context so I can’t tell you anything more than the rough translations” Merlin said one late evening frustrated. “For all we know, it could just be someone going to Google and copying whatever they found on the internet.”
Leon looked at him in concern but Arthur’s face had been impassive, “You were the one who said that the runic alphabet the killer used wasn’t widely known. So it can’t be random.”
“Then it’s the context. I don’t know what he’s thinking so I can’t figure out what the words mean in a larger context.” Merlin was irritated. There was something off about this case and he couldn’t quite figure it out. The markings almost read like a spell but if it was a spell it was a spell Merlin never had encountered before.
“You’ll figure it out,” Leon had said, his face earnest as if he really believed it and Merlin had given him a wan smile. Arthur hadn’t said anything and Merlin couldn’t help but feel a little bit like he had let the man down somehow.
A few days later Merlin received a call from Arthur to meet up to interview one of the first victims’ close mates. Arthur had mumbled something about “Pagans and Professor Emrys being an expert” before hanging up. A few minutes later he had gotten a text with an address with directions on which train to take. Figures Arthur would tell him to come via the tube.
A building with St. Peter’s Primary School on it’s side and bright laughter of children playing greeted Merlin when he walked up. Merlin wasn’t sure why he was told to come to a primary school of all places and tried to look too out of place. One of the teachers, dressed in a yellow cardigan and hair pulled back stopped and asked if she could help.
“I’m looking for a colleague of mine. He said he would meet me here.”
“I can help you look for him?” she said uncertainly, her eyes narrowing in suspicion and Merlin decided that he would pull an awful prank on DI Prat the next chance he got.
“He’s blond with blue eyes and he’s a detective working with the CID?” Merlin said unsure if that description made him seem less suspicious or more.
The woman’s face cleared, “Oh yes, I know who you are talking about. He’s waiting for you in the lobby.”
Now that it seemed that Merlin was no longer suspicious, the woman whose name was Rebeccah chatted animatedly once she learned Merlin was an university professor.
When they finally reached the lobby, Rebeccah gestured towards the far end. And there, Merlin could see was Arthur talking to an older woman. She looked like she was the headmistress of the school and was nodding, a sympathetic look on her face.
The conversation was wrapping up when Merlin walked up.
“Thank you for your time Headmistress Ames.”
“Not at all Inspector. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.”
He tilted her head to her in a nod as she passed by and turned to see Arthur looking at him.
“Why are we at a primary school.”
“One of Ceirydwen Rhys close mates is doing her student teaching here.”
“Oh.”
Arthur gestured towards the bench, “We’re going to be here awhile. She doesn’t finish up for another thirty minutes.”
Merlin listened to the unsaid order, sitting down, the wood rough against his fingertips. He briefly wondered how many people must’ve gotten splinters just from sitting here.
Merlin looked up at Arthur, taking in the dark shadows under his eyes and the pale skin, felt a wave of empathy for him. Leon had said privately to Merlin in a quiet moment when Arthur was busy taking notes that Arthur hadn't been sleeping well since the body of the first victim had been found. Unexpectedly Merlin found himself worrying over the stubborn DI.
“Have you been sleeping?” Merlin found himself asking.
Arthur frowned, a retort plainly evident on his face, but instead he leaned back against the wall and slumped, “Some.”
Merlin nodded, hearing the lie and doesn't say anything else, half-hoping Arthur would continue. After almost a minute of silence and he's trying to think of something to say, Arthur said, his voice oddly fragile, “The first vic looked a lot like my sister.”
Something warm wrapped around his heart and Merlin wish that he could lean up and hold Arthur. To give him some sort of comfort. To chase away the shadows on his face and maybe help him with whatever that was burdening him.
“I didn't know you had a sister.”
“Half-sister, but we grew up together. She drives me crazy half the time,” Arthur said, a fond look on his face, “but we get along all right.”
“In that first interview, when you asked me if I was okay. I wasn’t,” the words tumbled out. And Merlin wasn’t sure what made him confess that, “It reminded me of my best mate.”
Arthur looked down at him and again, Merlin felt as if he was being stripped bare under his gaze. “Your best mate?”
“Yeah, we had known each other since we were in our nappies literally.”
“I have a hard time imagining you as a troublemaker.”
“I have a hard time imagining you as not of one.”
“Who said I wasn’t?” Arthur asked his voice low. There’s a quality to that causes heat to pool low in his gut. Merlin licks his lips nervously, breath catching as Arthur’s eyes seemed drawn to his mouth.
A loud clatter startles them both. They both look away and Merlin fervently hoped he didn’t look as flushed as he felt.
A moment later, “Look, I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot. I was being stupid.”
“Yeah, you were being a prat,” Merlin said agreeing.
Arthur glares at him halfheartedly, dropping down next to him on the bench, before agreeing as well, “Yeah I was.”
They sat in companionable silence as Merlin idly traced the grooves on hard wooden bench. The bench is small and Arthur’s warmth spills over into his space. He could catch the scent of a spicy aftershave and something else.
“It’s Arthur.”
“And it’s--”
“Yes I know, Merlin.”
Merlin wants to look at him, but he was sure that he wouldn’t be able to stop the grin that was tugging against his lips if he did.
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