The musician and the warlock

The Music Store

Arthur kept adjusting his guitar as it kept sliding down his shoulder, because of the absurd amount of clothes he was wearing.

It was a particularly cold day in the little town of Camelot. All the trees were naked of leaves and there wasn't a soul outside. Only a few shoppers preparing for the day.

Arthur was the president's son but he wasn't a very political person he would like to make Camelot a more liberal place but music was more interesting to him.

He pedalled down the street heading to his tiny music store. He had opened it the year before, it was the only music store in Camelot because most people there only really cared about typical small town hobbies like sewing, agriculture and watching people pass by. No one really did anything that the younger generations liked. That's why Arthur decided to open the music store. He didn't have a lot of costumers but he had regulars and a few kids he taught how to play guitar or piano.

Arthur tightened his grip on the brakes and his bike's wheels squeaked against the ground stopping just before he hit the wall. He opened his bag and looked for the chain. He locked his bike to a post and rested it against the wall reaching down to his pocket looking for the key to open the door.

The inside was dark because the windows were all still closed but as soon as he slammed on the light switch the store became alive all the neon lights he had collected the years he went to university started blinking and the tiny gadget on top of his door sang "customeeer!"

He sighed with content opening the store always made him feel happy and excited for the day. He opened the blinds and just stood there watching the little boys and girls playing knights with sticks before going to school. He smiled he remembered being the one playing like that with Leon, Elyan and the other guys.

He took off two of his coats as the heating started working and sat on the old armchair in the corner of the room legs over the armrest and looking upside down at the door grabbing his guitar. He strummed happily waiting for the customers to come get new guitar picks or strings. He loved working in his little store it was so peaceful unless Gwaine decided to visit and play "hard metal". He was actually just slamming the drum sticks on the drums, screaming on top of his lungs and head banging. His friend was a bit too much sometimes but he loved him anyway but at this time of the morning when Gwaine was still probably sprawled on his bed snoring like a pig he could just enjoy the soft happy music he could played.

"Customeeer!" His door sang again making Arthur shift his focus from his guitar to the door.

In front of him a dark haired skinny boy stood on the door with his head leaning to the side with a confused look on his face as he alterned from looking at him and to the top of his door

"Hi" the boy finally said breathless, now that Arthur was standing the right way up he could see his costumer looked like he had been running or at least had walked a long way. His hair was all messy and his boot brown with mud. He carried a huge backpack with a sleeping mat on top.

"Good morning" Arthur greeted setting down his guitar on the armchair "Can I help you?" He questioned looking at the stranger

"Hum, maybe, do you happen to know a man named Gaius?" He asked stretching his back a bit, probably sore from the weight of his huge bag.

"The doctor? Yeah, he's the only doctor in town. I'm guessing you're the apprentice he has been talking about for a few days now" Arthur wondered moving to help the boy with his bag.

"Yeah, you could say that. Can you tell me where he lives?" The dark haired boy asked as he shrugged happily thankful for getting rid of the weight of his belongings for a while "thank you"

"You're welcome and yeah I'll take you there if you want" Arthur smiled politely, he tried to be nice with people he wasn't close with him since Gwaine kicked him in his manly parts for being an "egocentric arrogant dick" when they met. Let's just say they weren't the best of friends in the beginning.

"No it's okay you're working, just tell me where he lives and I'll find my way" The boy insisted

Arthur looked around playfully.

"I don't see any costumers, do you?" One of the sides of his full lips turned up making a light blush appear on the other boy's cheeks as he smiled back shyly.

"Not now, but someone might appear" he said a bit more quiet than before making Arthur smile.

"Probably not, most of my clients are students so they only appear at the end of the day or during lunch break, mornings are usually quiet." Arthur explained hoping to spend a little more time with this stranger with eyes that looked like ice.

"Okay, fine" the boy sighed playfully defeated. "Can you at least tell me your name though?" He smiled his eyes shining a bit brighter.

"I'm Arthur, Arthur Pendragon." He grinned with the excitement.

"Merlin "Emrys"" The boy, Merlin, said

"Emrys?" Arthur asked confused.

"It's not really my name my last name is Balinor but I don't really use it and a lot of people know me as Emrys."  Merlin explained.

"Ah okay, Merlin Emrys Balinor" Arthur chuckled making Merlin blush again.