Incoming Darkness

 

Tristan wasn’t looking at him. In fact, the man was pointedly focusing on his work, shuffling papers around and looking dispassionately at his computer every once and awhile. Despite allowing his secretary to allow Uther into his office, he had yet to acknowledge him.

 

“Are you going to just stand there all day or are you going to tell me what you came to see me about, Uther?” Tristan asked, voice neutral.

 

Uther took a deep breath and pushed away the unreasonable guilt he always felt whenever he was around his brother-in-law. This was about Merlin. He had to keep focus and forget about the problems between him and Tristan, and think about Merlin.

 

“I wanted to talk to you about Merlin.”

 

He could see Tristan visibly freeze up, before he turned and finally looked straight at Uther, face both furious and confused.

 

“How do you know about her?” Tristan demanded.

 

Uther steeled himself. Right now, he had to not be the hesitant and repentant brother-in-law, but look out for Merlin’s best interests and protect her. He couldn’t shirk away like he usually did with Tristan, but be as demanding and exacting as he was with everyone else.

 

“She’s Morgana and Gwen’s friend, and overall an important and close family friend,” Uther answered. “But that’s not important. What is is that you are dating her, and I’m not exactly comfortable with that. I know you’re a good man, but she’s still in high school, she’s 17, and she’s never really been with someone before and I’m not so sure she’s ready for something like this or being with someone like you.”

 

Tristan stared, dealing with the bombshell he’d just been dealt. Honestly, he hadn’t expected his new girlfriend to know and be on close terms with part of his family. It made things slightly easier in that when introducing her to them, but made things also odd and awkward as she was already part of the family, and he hadn’t really known or had met her before his separate and rather intimate meeting with her individually. And also that they seem already very close to her…

 

“I…I’m not looking to hurt her or rush her into anything,” he finally said, and he was looking straight into Uther’s eyes and his tone had become less unfriendly and guarded, and a little more open. “I really like her. I honestly care for Merlin, Uther.”

 

Hearing it made Uther feel so much more relaxed and relieved about this odd setup. And the fact that his brother-in-law was actually acting less passively hostile towards him seemed a miracle and a good surprise, and it was all over Merlin (who seemed to be the cause for everything that seemed to be going right in his world).

 

“I swear I’m very serious about her, Uther,” Tristan said quietly, voice very firm and determined.

 

Uther nodded hesitantly. “That’s good to hear. I just…I know I’m not her actual father, but I really care for her as well and I just want her to be happy. She’s…very important to the family. Please take care of her, Tristan.”

 

“I will,” Tristan promised. “Although, I’m just wondering now…Arthur wouldn’t happen to be the one that stood Merlin up, did he?” his tone darkened at the end. “Because if he is, you’re going to have to keep my nephew away from me for a very long time.”

 

Uther winced. “Trust me, he’s not on anyone’s good list right now. He’s in very hot water and he won’t be getting out of it any time soon. He knows he did something very stupid and moronic, sort of.”

 

“I don’t even want to ask about that ‘sort of,’” Tristan scowled. “And you weren’t there. I was. She was really hurt.”

 

“God, I know. She told me. And it’s probably worse, seeing her like that, like you had,” Uther muttered. “I wasn’t there, but you were. And I admit, it’s a…good thing you were,” he reluctantly said, as that truth was at the cost of Merlin getting hurt and Arthur’s chances with her.

 

“The family reunion is coming up soon,” Tristan said warily, watching Uther carefully. “I had been hoping to bring Merlin along with me as a date, and was planning on introducing her to everyone there as my girlfriend…”

 

Uther sighed and halfheartedly shrug. “Go ahead. Better sooner than later, when the truth’ll come out either way. And you’re not ashamed of her, right?” At Tristan’s raised eyebrow that clearly said ‘are you kidding?’, he continued. “I do think there should be a small family dinner beforehand, just to have Arthur and Morgana know the truth ahead of time. Better for Arthur to blow up then, than make a scene at the reunion. I can’t predict Morgana’s reaction, but I’m pretty sure she’ll be alright or eventually be.”

 

“Morgana always did have a good head on her shoulders,” Tristan commented. At Uther’s look, he went on. “Minus her lovely temper, of course,” he added sarcastically.

 

“Well, since that’s settled…” Uther said awkwardly, thinking it was best to retreat finally.

 

“I’ve got a lunch break coming up. Do you want to go get coffee? It’d be nice if you could tell me about Merlin from how you’ve known her,” Tristan offered and though Uther was surprised, he accepted happily.

 

At least Tristan finally got to meet someone close to Merlin, and that he probably knew what exactly it was that she’d wanted to tell him.

 

He text ‘I love you’ absentmindedly to Merlin, not realizing the exact words he automatically sent over.

 

Meanwhile, back in school, it was the second to last period for the day. Merlin was eagerly waiting for school to be over so that she could meet up with Tristan, feeling on a high after the text he’d sent her. She hadn’t expected that, for him to say those words. Although technically he didn’t say them –but it still counted to her.

 

“Hello, class. I’m your new teacher,” a new voice popped Merlin out of her happy daydream, and she sucked in a sharp breath at their new teacher.

 

It was her. It was that woman.

 

The one she thought she’d imagined, who she thought had been hit by a car.

 

But it couldn’t be. She’d finally come to the conclusion she imagined the whole thing, and had just been in a lot of stress back then. And yet, here she was now, electric blue eyes, secretive smile, and a mesmerizing stare. For some reason she seemed to look at Merlin a lot. It was disturbing and she was hard pressed to say it was all coincidence.

 

The class went by and seemed deceivingly normal, but Merlin wasn’t fooled. There was something different in the air, something had changed. She felt on edge the whole time in class, and though she couldn’t see it or catch it, she just knew that Miss Nimueh was somehow watching her the entire time.

 

When she left that class, she was in an unreasonably bad mood and had gone to Edwin’s class completely tense and angry. She sat in her usual seat, scowling and glaring at nothing and everything, and she gave off a furious air that had people avoiding coming near and defined a space around her.

 

Edwin glanced at her with furrowed eyebrows, and yet he wasn’t surprised. He could even guess what the matter was somewhat. He began the class and taught in his usual manner, before he left them to do bookwork.

 

Merlin got started on hers, before being surprised with writing suddenly appearing on her desk.

 

Merlin, calm the hell down.

 

Startled and freaked out, her head shot up and she stared at Edwin (because she so recognized that tone as his). He wasn’t looking at her, but was writing down on some notebook. It wasn’t his usual one though, the one he was always reading and writing in.

 

She looked back down and saw more words appearing.

 

Don’t look so freaked out. You’ll draw attention.

 

Biting her lip, she forced herself to look normal and tentatively wrote on her desk.

 

Is that you, Edwin?

 

Yes. Now let me guess, Nimueh has your hair standing on end, doesn’t she.

 

It was a statement, not a question, and she was surprised that he’d known without her saying anything.

 

Doesn’t matter. Don’t bother with her right now. I need you to take deep breaths. Follow after me, alright? Breathe in. And out.

 

And he really needed to get her to calm down, because the sky was darkening rapidly outside and it was all the cause of this little sorceress who didn’t even know she was the cause.

 

He coaxed her through the breathing exercise and she finally felt better and in more control of what she was feeling, than she had before. Edwin glanced outside and inwardly sighed in relief at the normal weather.

 

Get to work and then come see me after class.

 

She apprehensively did so, uncertain about what was going on and still alarmed about the communication. Class ended much quicker, it seemed, than it had for Nimueh’s class (which had seemed to drag on). She slowly put her stuff away, stalling as much as she could, before the room emptied and then it was just her and Edwin. She approached him cautiously, not sure what she should expect. He was staring back at her intensely.

 

“How far along are you on that formula I gave you in the beginning of the year?” he asked after a tense moment.

 

She winced. “I kind of forgot about it,” she muttered.

 

He sighed. “Now, more than ever, you must solve it. And quickly. She won’t let you get away a second time again, Merlin. She won’t.”

 

Why did she get the feeling he was talking about Miss Nimueh?

 

“Be careful, will you?” he murmured, frowning.

 

“I will,” she unsurely promised, feeling on guard and worried.

 

“I mean it, Merlin,” he insisted, looking deep into her eyes. “You mustn’t take this lightly. Solve it quickly and be vigilant. This time around, the whole world may be at stake –and not just a kingdom and your precious King.”

 

She stared at him. She had no idea what he was talking about, but what he was saying was alarming and upsetting her.

 

“O-okay!” she said before cowardly running away.

 

She’d made it outside of the school before she finally slowed down. She couldn’t help looking around her frequently, as she headed home. She wasn’t sure what she was keeping watch for, but she was unable to help feeling trepidation and wary of her surroundings. When she was home, she made sure all the doors and windows were locked, before she headed to her room and began rapidly rummaging through it, trying to find that piece of paper Edwin had given to her in the beginning of the school year.

 

She let out a sigh of relief when she finally found it, glad that she hadn’t accidentally thrown it away and that it was still intact and in perfect shape.

 

“Now how the hell am I going to solve you?” she muttered to the thing, frowning to herself.

 

Her phone suddenly rang, making her jump as it scared the hell out of her. She answered it quickly when she saw it was Tristan, automatically relaxing and feeling relieved to be able to hear him. When she found out he was coming over, she was ecstatic and even invited him to stay for dinner and to meet her mother. He sounded really happy about that.

 

Soon enough, he was there and smiling warmly at her.

 

“Hey,” she greeted him happily, letting him into her home.

 

“Hey yourself,” he kissed her lightly. “You wanted to tell me something earlier?”

 

“Oh! Right. Come in and sit in the kitchen,” she led him there. Once seated, she began. “Um, I hadn’t known until recently but…um…yourbrotherinlawislikemypseudodadand –”

 

“Woah, wait a second. Slow down and don’t panic. It’s fine. Whatever you have to tell me, I’ll be okay,” he gave a reassuring smile.

 

She took a deep breath. “Your…your brother-in-law, Uther? He’s like pseudo-dad to me. And his son was the one I was supposed to be on a date with that day, and Morgana is my best friend.”

 

Tristan nodded, surprisingly not looking surprised.

 

“I know,” he told her.

 

She blinked at him. “What?”
 

“I found out this morning that you knew part of my family. Uther came to my office this morning to warn me and we talked,” he explained to her, and she couldn’t help rolling her eyes fondly. Typical Uther. And it was so like him to be so protective.

 

“Anyways, that was all I wanted to tell you. I just wanted you to know and I didn’t want to seem like I was keeping it from you or anything. I swear I just found out literally yesterday.”

 

“Really, it’s okay,” he squeezed her hand. “I’m glad you told me. And I’m really happy you’re letting me in more, particularly letting me meet people close to you, like Uther –though I know him already –and your mother. I’m very looking forward to meeting her tonight, especially as your boyfriend. That is, if you’re introducing me to her as that?”

 

She nodded and gave him a look, but he just grinned sheepishly shrugged.

 

“Just making sure,” and he was very happy about it too. “I do have something to add though.” With her questioning look, he continued on. “Uther suggested we have a family dinner, to let Arthur and Morgana know about the two of us. We have a family reunion coming up soon, and I’d been planning on asking you to come with me then. However, to avoid the two finding out then and making some kind of scene, we thought it best if maybe we could have something small and private to get it out of the way?”

 

Merlin frowned, but she leaned on him and held onto his arm as she thought about it.

 

“I’ll go to the reunion, but…can I let you know by the end of tonight about the dinner? I really don’t want to deal with Arthur and his reaction,” she reflexively tightened her arms around him.

 

“I won’t let you deal with him, if you don’t want to,” he promised. “I’ll make sure to be nice and polite, and if things get too bad, I swear I’ll take you away.”

 

“Thanks, Tristan. I still want to think it over, but I guess it doesn’t sound too bad,” though she still sounded a little dubious about it.

 

“Okay. Whatever you want,” he murmured, hugging her comfortingly.

 

When Hunith came home, Merlin smoothly and proudly introduced Tristan to her mother, who was only minutely surprised before openly embracing and welcoming Tristan to her home and family. That and that Merlin hadn’t stuttered or hesitated about him, made Tristan reassured and pleased about their progress together, and leave out any doubts about their relationship. When dinner was over (and it was a very lovely and warm dinner), it was about time for Tristan to head home.

 

On the footsteps of her porch, the two kissed and Tristan brought up the text he hadn’t meant to sent and had only seen what he had typed only later.

 

“Merlin…you know, earlier, I sent you a text that had some really heavy words,” he murmured.

 

She felt anticipation build up in her and she looked at him questioningly, though inwardly worried about what he had to say about it.

 

“I hadn’t meant to send that text,” he admitted, and she tried to keep her disappointment to herself. “But I don’t take them back.”

 

Merlin was surprised, but extremely happy and relieved to hear that. And when she let him kiss her deeply, she thought to herself that maybe she was falling a little in love with him herself.