Those Who Waited (BBC Merlin)

Chapter 6: Like the Sun

They were only certain it had been a couple hours because the sky was rapidly darkening, but later on, the child woke up to find Merlin against the wall, eyes open but glazed as he thought. So deep in thought, he didn't even notice her wake—or climb off the bed altogether. He only snapped out of it when she was sitting cross-legged in front of him and had nudged his knee. He almost fell. Almost. Swallowing, he readjusted to match her and looked into her little, round face.

"Well, uh," he started, trying not to be unnerved as those eyes, as large and as innocent as a doe's, stared at him. As scared as any animal. Her arms were bundled around her chest, fingers tangling in the loose edges of the long sleeves and pulling them further over her hands. Her face was pale, and her eyes slightly sunken.

"Do you remember what happened?" Her hair fell into her face, even though she only slightly inclined her chin.

"Right," he resisted the urge to shuffle—much—and to rub his hands together. Words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't move his mouth around any of them individually, much less in a full sentence. The longer they looked at each other, the more that feeling came back. His skin tightening on his back and shoulders, rope tugging on the nape of his neck and the back of his mind. She looked familiar...but he'd been alive for over one hundred years, he'd seen a lot of people. A lot of dark haired, dark blue eyed little girls existed in that time.

"I am Romany," she whispered, her shoulders rising in a delicate shrug as she offered a continuation in the awkward, yet inescapable, conversation. Merlin nodded. She wasn't from anywhere, really, didn't have a home or origin he could easily return her to.

"What is your age?" he asked, both wanting to know and hoping she wouldn't answer.

"I'm six summers." It was not a very light situation, and she'd just been through perhaps the most horrifying experience any child could. And yet, her voice and lips rose just a tad, the pride hard to completely erase. Merlin felt his own mouth twist, the smile not reaching his eyes but at least encouraging her to try to find positivity.

"My name is Susetthe."

At that, Merlin froze. His spine straightened and he felt his own eyes burn as he stared unblinking. She had seemed familiar...but it was impossible, she'd died. Only ten years ago. Reincarnation itself was far from impossible—his life could be proof enough—but this soon? It had to be coincidence. It wasn't exactly a unique name, anyway. But if it really was her, and this fast, then perhaps that meant something more. Merlin's mind continued to run in circles even as his mouth moved again.

"Are you all by yourself here?" she asked, overcome with innocent sympathy as her eyes traced his hut's tight, cluttered walls. Her shoulders moved back, her chest puffed as if trying to take up more physical space. Merlin found her concern for him, with little regard to her own far more pressing situation, both sweet and alarming.

"How are y—" No, stupid question. "Are you alright?" Not really much better. Her face was smooth, and her eyes did hold sadness as he looked at her but also curiosity, wariness. The child seemed incredibly calm for having just lost her family. The Romany were especially serious about family and companions, considering their nomadic nature gave them little else to really hold onto long term.

Her eyes sparked with intuition uncanny for her young age. "Papa always said that the sun rises and sets every day, no matter what. We are like the sun. And if the sun doesn't stop no matter what, then why should we?" Her words were carefully recited, but the solid voice and blue steel of her eyes told Merlin that she believed the words and intended on sticking to them.

This time, his smile was stronger and of admiration, as he watched a very familiar fire burn in very familiar eyes.