Week 13 Story: When Life Gives You Boulders
No matter what she did, Vivien could not wipe her hands of that annoying wizard Merlin that followed her around all day.
Ever since Sir Pellinore had dragged her to King Arthur's court (practically kicking and screaming), Vivien had not been able to shake Merlin. He often told her that the second he lay eyes on her in court, he fell in love with her immediately. He insisted that she remain by his side always. She wasn't particularly keen on this idea, so he insisted that he remain by her side instead.
He annoyed her eternally, and she thought he knew it. Maybe he just chose to ignore it.
His presence wasn't all bad, though, Vivien thought. Vivien always had a thirst for knowledge, and wanted to learn everything she possibly could. Merlin had extensive knowledge about literally everything-- he knew magic, science, and frequently boasted that he knew everything there was to know about the world. So, because he was around anyway, she soaked up all the knowledge he had to offer. Magic included.
When he would finally leave her side at nighttime to sleep, Vivien would sit in her bedchamber in the castle and practice the spells Merlin had taught her. Eventually, she practice so much that she became almost as magically-inclined as Merlin himself. She could turn a teapot into a comb with a flick of her fingers; her tea became wine with a wave of her hand. She could even move furniture around her room without so much as a push.
She enjoyed knowing so much about magic, and about the world. Her life was almost great. The only problem was the old man stuck to her like velcro.
Eventually, Merlin decided to leave King Arthur's court in search of an adventure. Of course, he dragged poor Vivien along behind him, even though all she wanted to do was stay in Camelot. They travelled all across Europe, and Vivien found herself learning more than ever before. They travelled to other kingdoms, met thousands of people, and learned so much about the world. Vivien couldn't wait to take her knowledge back to Camelot. She would certainly be heralded the smartest woman alive-- maybe King Arthur might make her his first and only female advisor.
But, Merlin never seemed to want to go back. He just wanted to wander.
This infuriated Vivien to no end. She couldn't stand the presence of the smelly old man.
One day in Cornwall, Merlin dragged Vivien to a forest on the outskirts of the city. They had walked for miles, Merlin pulling Vivien along behind him. Vivien cursed the day the wizard was born in her head. She glared at the back of his head as they walked. Why couldn't he just let her be her own person? Couldn't he see that she had no feelings for him save contempt? Was he really that dense?
Vivien realized that even with all the knowledge in the world, the one thing she wanted the most was to be free of Merlin.
After what seemed like hours to Vivien, they came across a boulder. A really large boulder.
"You dragged me all this way to show me a rock?" grumbled Vivien, jerking her hand from Merlin's grasp and crossing her arms over her chest.
"No, this isn't just a rock. Under this boulder, sweet Vivien, is all the greatest marvels of the world. There are so many strange things hidden under this boulder that it would take a lifetime to understand them all," Merlin said dreamily, staring lovingly at the rock. He sighed. "Okay, let's go back. I would enjoy a cup of wine." He reached for her hand again.
Vivien stared at him incredulously. "WHAT? We're seriously going to leave? You made me walk all the way out here to look at a rock, then told me that there's amazing things hidden under the rock, just to turn around a leave without looking at these amazing things? Crazy old bat. No, we are looking at these things. Coming out here had to be worth something."
Merlin shrugged, either not hearing the clear animosity in her voice or choosing to ignore it. "Whatever you say, my love. We can look at the treasures hidden here if you wish."
Vivien used the magic she'd learned from Merlin to lift the boulder. Underneath where the rock had sat was a dark hole. Vivien could vaguely see some shining things sitting at the bottom of the cavern. She looked to Merlin, who was leaning over the edge of the hole, staring down into the blackness as she held the boulder over his head with magic.
Suddenly, Vivien had a sinister idea.
"Merlin, why don't you go down there and bring some of the treasures back up for me to see? I'm a little busy holding this boulder up, so I can't go down there myself. I'm very excited to see what's down there," said Vivien casually.
Merlin turned back to her, delighted that she showed some interest in something he had introduced to her. He didn't often see Vivien exhibit enthusiasm, especially where he was involved.
"Of course, my dear! Let me bring you some treasure-- just relax!" Merlin exclaimed gleefully, leaping into the dark cavern and disappearing.
The second Merlin's white beard disappeared into the darkness, Vivien pulled her magic back and the boulder fell back into place with a loud thud. The dark hole was covered once again, and Merlin was trapped inside with the treasures he was so excited about. Vivien placed her hands on her hips and smiled cheerfully at her saving grace-- a rock in the middle of nowhere. She turned and skipped happily down the path they had used to get to the rock. Merlin was right earlier- a cup of wine sounded nice. And the silence that would come with it sounded even nicer.
Maybe wiping her hands of Merlin wasn't so hard after all.
Ever since Sir Pellinore had dragged her to King Arthur's court (practically kicking and screaming), Vivien had not been able to shake Merlin. He often told her that the second he lay eyes on her in court, he fell in love with her immediately. He insisted that she remain by his side always. She wasn't particularly keen on this idea, so he insisted that he remain by her side instead.
He annoyed her eternally, and she thought he knew it. Maybe he just chose to ignore it.
His presence wasn't all bad, though, Vivien thought. Vivien always had a thirst for knowledge, and wanted to learn everything she possibly could. Merlin had extensive knowledge about literally everything-- he knew magic, science, and frequently boasted that he knew everything there was to know about the world. So, because he was around anyway, she soaked up all the knowledge he had to offer. Magic included.
When he would finally leave her side at nighttime to sleep, Vivien would sit in her bedchamber in the castle and practice the spells Merlin had taught her. Eventually, she practice so much that she became almost as magically-inclined as Merlin himself. She could turn a teapot into a comb with a flick of her fingers; her tea became wine with a wave of her hand. She could even move furniture around her room without so much as a push.
She enjoyed knowing so much about magic, and about the world. Her life was almost great. The only problem was the old man stuck to her like velcro.
Eventually, Merlin decided to leave King Arthur's court in search of an adventure. Of course, he dragged poor Vivien along behind him, even though all she wanted to do was stay in Camelot. They travelled all across Europe, and Vivien found herself learning more than ever before. They travelled to other kingdoms, met thousands of people, and learned so much about the world. Vivien couldn't wait to take her knowledge back to Camelot. She would certainly be heralded the smartest woman alive-- maybe King Arthur might make her his first and only female advisor.
But, Merlin never seemed to want to go back. He just wanted to wander.
This infuriated Vivien to no end. She couldn't stand the presence of the smelly old man.
One day in Cornwall, Merlin dragged Vivien to a forest on the outskirts of the city. They had walked for miles, Merlin pulling Vivien along behind him. Vivien cursed the day the wizard was born in her head. She glared at the back of his head as they walked. Why couldn't he just let her be her own person? Couldn't he see that she had no feelings for him save contempt? Was he really that dense?
Vivien realized that even with all the knowledge in the world, the one thing she wanted the most was to be free of Merlin.
After what seemed like hours to Vivien, they came across a boulder. A really large boulder.
"You dragged me all this way to show me a rock?" grumbled Vivien, jerking her hand from Merlin's grasp and crossing her arms over her chest.
"No, this isn't just a rock. Under this boulder, sweet Vivien, is all the greatest marvels of the world. There are so many strange things hidden under this boulder that it would take a lifetime to understand them all," Merlin said dreamily, staring lovingly at the rock. He sighed. "Okay, let's go back. I would enjoy a cup of wine." He reached for her hand again.
Vivien stared at him incredulously. "WHAT? We're seriously going to leave? You made me walk all the way out here to look at a rock, then told me that there's amazing things hidden under the rock, just to turn around a leave without looking at these amazing things? Crazy old bat. No, we are looking at these things. Coming out here had to be worth something."
Merlin shrugged, either not hearing the clear animosity in her voice or choosing to ignore it. "Whatever you say, my love. We can look at the treasures hidden here if you wish."
Vivien used the magic she'd learned from Merlin to lift the boulder. Underneath where the rock had sat was a dark hole. Vivien could vaguely see some shining things sitting at the bottom of the cavern. She looked to Merlin, who was leaning over the edge of the hole, staring down into the blackness as she held the boulder over his head with magic.
Suddenly, Vivien had a sinister idea.
"Merlin, why don't you go down there and bring some of the treasures back up for me to see? I'm a little busy holding this boulder up, so I can't go down there myself. I'm very excited to see what's down there," said Vivien casually.
Merlin turned back to her, delighted that she showed some interest in something he had introduced to her. He didn't often see Vivien exhibit enthusiasm, especially where he was involved.
"Of course, my dear! Let me bring you some treasure-- just relax!" Merlin exclaimed gleefully, leaping into the dark cavern and disappearing.
The second Merlin's white beard disappeared into the darkness, Vivien pulled her magic back and the boulder fell back into place with a loud thud. The dark hole was covered once again, and Merlin was trapped inside with the treasures he was so excited about. Vivien placed her hands on her hips and smiled cheerfully at her saving grace-- a rock in the middle of nowhere. She turned and skipped happily down the path they had used to get to the rock. Merlin was right earlier- a cup of wine sounded nice. And the silence that would come with it sounded even nicer.
Maybe wiping her hands of Merlin wasn't so hard after all.
Merlin and Vivien. Source: Untextbook.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hey everybody! I hope you enjoyed my story for this week (and my last story for this semester, incidentally). This week, I read the King Arthur unit. One of the stories in this unit was called "The Passing of Merlin." In the story, Merlin falls in love with a damsel named Vivien in King Arthur's court. She never likes him, but he insists that they stay together forever, so when he leaves King Arthur's court, he takes her with him. Along the way, Vivien soaks up all of the magic and knowledge Merlin offers her, never shows any liking for him. One day, in Cornwall, Merlin shows Vivien a rock that hides the world's greatest treasures underneath it. Vivien tricks Merlin into climbing in the hole underneath the rock, so she can trap him underneath it and leave him there forever. In my story, I didn't change many details at all. I decided to tell the story from Vivien's point of view, showing her hatred and annoyance for Merlin and her motivations. I added a little bit of dialogue too, just to spice things up.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
"King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table" by Andrew Lang. Web Source: Untextbook.
Hi Abbi! I really enjoyed seeing this side of Merlin. I have never seen him portrayed with any type of flaw, only every as a wise guidance character. The way you portrayed him also was refreshing. He is a real type of man and they are the worst, but they are never written about. I was kinda therapeutic to read about him and picture people I knew like him too. Thank you! Great Job!
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your story about Merlin. It was weird seeing how clingy he was to Vivien. Makes me wonder if he ever had a romantic relationship. If not, I could totally see why. However if Vivien learned that spell from Merlin you would think that he would just do it again to free himself. Maybe if she was quick enough to run back home before he did she would get rid of him. Great job!