Viviane and Merlin (1)

Sam sat beside Tyson on the loveseat while Lynn sat alone in the armchair that was in front of Viviane's.

The night was chilly, so before Viviane's story, Lynn and Tyson went out to the shed for some wood to put on the fireplace.

Of the four of them, the only one who looked excited about Viviane's story was Tyson. He was really treating it as a bedtime story.

"So, you kids have heard about the Legend of King Arthur, right? How a kid got out the Excalibur and Merlin was his mentor and all that shit."

"Everyone knows that story, but it doesn't explain any of this or you," Lynn replied.

"Well, here is the untold version of the story."

Viviane then started telling back her story on how she met Merlin.

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"Sheesh, why couldn't Father send my brothers to pick up the herbs. Oh, right, they are completely useless. The only thing they do well is punching with their fists." Viviane continued ranting while rolling her eyes as she went deeper into the forest to gather the herbs her father used to create the concoction that he sold to the villagers.

This was not the first time Viviane went herb gathering. Her father was getting older with each passing day, and recently, he finally admitted to himself that the only one capable of inheriting his knowledge in medicine would be Viviane. So, he began training her. When Viviane was younger, her father had hoped one of her elder brothers would be the next town's physician, but with the passing of the years, it was clear as water that her brothers had not inherited a smart brain.

Viviane was one of the prettiest girls in town, but since she had a foul-mouth and smart-wit attitude she drove off any suitor. Also, because of that she had few friends.

Viviane continued kicking the small rocks she found in the road while walking. In one of her kicking, she kicked too hard and sent the rock flying to a bush near her.

"Ouch! Who is the one who dares to attack me?" A male voice came out of the bush.

Viviane grabbed her basket in front of her as if it was a shield. A young, slim man came stood up from the bush. Twigs and leaves tangled up in his hair.

"Are… are you alright?" Viviane asked still using her basket as a shield.

The mysterious young man then looked up. He had dark brown hair and brown eyes. His skin was as pale as snow.

"Why are you the one scared when I was the one who had been attacked and by a…" the young man went looking around at the weapon used, "… a rock?"

Viviane then lowered her basket and said in almost an inaudible voice, "So… sorry. It was me. I thought I was alone. I didn't mean to hit you."

"Aren't you the daughter of the town's physician?"

Viviane nodded. "And who are you?"

"I'm Merlin, um… I'm…"

That is when Viviane remembered Merlin was the town's outcast. From what Viviane had heard from her brothers, Merlin was a young orphan teenager, who believed in magic. After failing many times and almost burning the room where he was living, the town people sent him to live in the forest.

"You are the town's outcast. The one people call weirdo!" Viviane said as a matter of fact.

"I'm not a weirdo!" Merlin said while trying to remove the twigs and leaves from his hair. Viviane seeing that the young man was struggling with it, got close to him and tiptoed to reach to his head and remove the twigs and leaves.

"Here, all done."

"Thank you, but I'm not a weirdo. Magic really exists!"

Viviane rolled her eyes, "Merlin, no one has said that magic doesn't exist, but we, humans cannot channel it."

"We can! I know we can! I'm close on making it possible."

Viviane was tired of arguing with Merlin. The townspeople had tried to stop his fascination with magic and failed tragically.

"Okay, okay."

Merlin then said in a low voice while scratching his nape. "Want to see it with your own eyes the next week?"

"Ah?"

"Is that a yes or no?"

"Um... okay... I still need to come back next week to gather more herbs so, I can take out some time for you to prove whatever you want to prove."

"Great!" Merlin's face radiated with happiness.

"There's no need to be so happy. Well, see you in a few days," Viviane waved goodbye as she disappeared through the trees of the forest. From afar, she could hear Merlin shout, "There is! You are the first willing to see me prove my theory!"

Viviane could only laugh. Everyone in town spoke ill of Merlin, but Viviane considered him brave. At least, he was not scared of saying out loud what he wanted.

"Such a foolish one..." Viviane thought as she smiled while starting her job again to gather the herbs her father has asked her.