Chapter Text
The chairs outside the Jedi Council Room burned into Merlin’s touch. He hunched over himself, letting go of the chair’s metal arms and pulled his robes tight around his lanky body. His eyes drifted past the windows in means of distraction as the busy Coruscant traffic flowed to and from in the vibrant light of the setting sun. Any second now, Master Gaius would emerge from his meeting with the Jedi Council and any second now, Merlin would know if he was to undergo the trials to become a Jedi Knight. As usual, Merlin’s impatience drove his feet into a frenzy of constant motion, tapping against the durasteel floor, and he caught himself chewing sores into his lips.
Need to stop that. Gaius will fuss.
A loud swish announced the opening of the Council Room doors and Merlin jerked upright, large eyes snapping to attention. Master Gaius’ face remained unreadable, his lips pursed tightly, one eye open critically while the other–damaged from battle many years ago–twitched and folded over on itself. He watched Merlin and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Well?” Merlin stood up immediately, his robes falling around his ankles. “What’d they say?” His heart raced like if it beat fast enough, somehow he could bypass the next few seconds of silence. “Gaius, come on. You can’t leave me hanging like this!”
Gaius sighed. “Master Gaius.”
“Yes, yes. Just tell me, please!” Merlin pleaded. He didn’t appreciate Gaius’ hesitation, and it only succeeded in drawing out a gnawing in his stomach that could only be brought on by doubts and fears.
“Merlin, you really must learn to temper your emotions,” Gaius instructed, his critical eyes still resting on Merlin’s restless form.
“Is that what they said?”
“No. Well, yes, in a way. But that bit of advice is coming from me.”
“So I’m not going to take the trials?” Merlin’s heart sank. After all this time, all this work, all his hopes and dreams, he was to become a farmer or miner on some god-forsaken planet, where the temple shipped padawan learners if a master never chose them and where apprentices who never made it to Knight status were sent to be watched under careful supervision. The anticipation of Gaius’ response was squeezing the feeling out of Merlin’s fingers and toes (or was that the near freezing temperature that the upper levels of the temple always seemed to be set at?) and his breath strained for freedom from the tightening binds in his chest. “After all this time?” Grief washed over him like a storm and he sank helplessly into his chair.
“Merlin, you really must learn to temper your emotions,” Gaius reiterated with a sigh.
“I’ll work on that! I swear I will. I can—” Merlin stopped when a smile crept across Gaius’ lips and he stared at his master in disbelief. “You—” He rose to his feet again, half glaring, half grinning, his emotions in turmoil as disappointment gave way to a downpour of relief. “You are the cruelest, wickedest master I have ever met.” Gaius chuckled and Merlin wrapped his arms around his master in a tight embrace, fighting the sheer and utter bliss that followed in the wake of his relief. “This is incredible!”
Gaius patted his apprentice’s shoulder and choked out, “Merlin, you’re suffocating me!”
“Sorry! Sorry, I just…” Merlin let go of Gaius, grinning boyishly still. “I can’t believe it! I can’t believe—I’m really going to take the trials?”
“You really are,” Gaius nodded, reclaiming his breath, smiling widely because Merlin’s joy was so contagious. “There is only one stipulation.”
Merlin’s grin faltered. “What?”
“They’ve asked us to go on one last mission together.”
“Oh! Is that all, then? What are we in for? Solving mysteries? Battling creatures? Perhaps a little bit of the old hostage rescuing?” Merlin nudged Gaius’ shoulder with a gleam in his eyes. Gaius merely shook his head.
“The Jedi have been called to help settle a domestic dispute.”
“Oh, wonderful,” Merlin rolled his eyes. “Those are always a blast.”
Gaius smiled. “Try to have a bit of enthusiasm, Merlin. This will be your final mission as my apprentice.”
“If I pass the trials.”
“I have no doubt in my mind that you will pass.”
Merlin flushed and averted his eyes, his lips crooked into an awkward smile. If Gaius believed he could pass the trials, then failure really wasn’t an option. Gaius was like the father he never knew and he resolved to make his master proud.
“So where are we going, anyways?” Merlin quickly changed the subject as he tried to calm the raging blush that extended to his ears.
“We’re off to Albion. To the capital city of Camelot.”
Merlin groaned. "No."
"Yes. Best start packing."
"I don't suppose we'll be helping the Pendragons out again?"
"That is precisely what we are doing."