fic; the oak tree chapter 1: a fire to light

[edelweiss]

Title The Oak Tree: A fire to light
Author brightedelweiss
Words 1,774
Rating PG so far
Summary This is sort of AU in the future (or the present however you'd like to look at it), but not really, I suppose you could say it's inspired by the tv show but that it won't quite work out in the same sort of way. This is the story of Emrys Grey, who you could aquate with Merlin. Emrys means immortal and undying. Name meanings will be very important in the story.
thanks to thisissirius for the beta.

Chapter 2 Chapter 3



A fire to light

Emrys Grey woke abruptly and in a deep sweat. His sheets had been thrown into a crumpled mess on the floor along with his shirt and the pillow. The area around him was a disaster; in his sleep he had been a one man wrecking machine. The books he had been reading, the pad of paper, the pen, were strewn all about.

Not again.

There had been a dream. Emrys massaged his temples in an attempt to remember any bit of it. Nothing came. Frustrated, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and sighed. This was the third straight night, the third night that it had been like this. He shot a look at the clock sitting on his bedside table – it had somehow or another escaped the chaos – and he shook his head once he caught sight of the time. 3:13. Always the same. For three nights he had woken violently, sweating profusely, and momentarily possessed by certain madness. The first night he had passed it off as a lone nightmare. He hadn’t had any since he had been a child, and at that time they had been foolish dreams, little whispers of terror that had caught onto something solid in the day. Yet the first night, the first night it had been much worse than anything he had remembered as a child.

Emrys couldn’t quite remember what the dream had been about?, but he was quite aware that during it he had been paralyzed, frozen in fear as something horrendous had approached. Whatever it had been – whatever it had continued to have been – he couldn’t remember. That always happened. He had attempted to hold the image in his head just as he woke up, but it always slipped away much too quickly. It was always just out of grasp, sneaking around the corner as he reached out to trap it.

Sighing again, Emrys reached out for a bottle of water, unscrewed the cap and took a drink. This was too much. He thought of going back to sleep, but decided that it would be impossible. Not only was he fully awake right now, but he wasn’t prepared for the off chance that the dream might return. He’d settle for insomnia over paralyzed terror and a lack of understanding.

After some searching and smelling tests, Emrys was wearing a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. He didn’t bother taming his stark black hair and instead headed for the kitchen. If there was anything that nightmares did – or sleep in general – it was make someone famished.

The house was completely silent. It was that fact and a few others that made Emrys feel desperately alone. Not that there was anything he could do about it – or anything he really wanted to do. By nature, Emrys Grey was a rather solitary creature. It was quite unnatural for someone his age. At nineteen he was perfectly fine eating alone, reading, writing, or going for a walk. Little activities such as pursuing sexual relationships with girls that were far too interested in them to begin with, were beyond him. He had kissed and fooled around with them for sure, but it wasn’t what drove him. In fact, once could say that Emrys was a swinging point, not the pendulum sort, but similar to a compass that didn’t know which way was north. Always changing directions, and always aimlessly looking for a place to head.

His parents had died when he was young. He had been three: too young to properly remember them, and too young properly miss them. The Grey family had stretched back generations untainted by rumor or scandal, and because of it the wealth they had acquired had never diminished. The family name was old, and the line had not been broken – or at least not to Emrys’ knowledge. Because of this, he had grown up comfortably with several trustees in charge of ensuring his safety and his status as the sole Grey heir. Not to mention there was all of the money they were temporarily proprietors of.

Emrys had to years left until he was on his own. He no longer required a guardian in the house, or even someone to actively watch over him, but he was still not the sole keeper of the Grey Estate. Instead, the money was given out as if it was a trust. He was accorded an allowance as he pleased, and when necessary and after proper pleading he was given more. Indeed, though the trustees were quite active in his life, he was very much on his own and as a result Emrys was, at the very least, the guardian of his own fate. Not that he knew what his fate was, or was even concerned with what it might be. The lack of purpose had never bothered him much, but there were moments when the solitude seemed to seep. These were some of the few moments when a companionship, however broken it might have seemed, would have been helpful.

At the current moment, Emrys wasn’t sure what he wanted to change; he only knew that it was necessary. Why, he couldn’t be sure, but the fact remained that there was something unsettling about the current state of affairs – with the current state of him.

The hunger wasn’t helping in shining a guiding light, and the stomach always came first.

Soon enough the kitchen was filled with sizzling sounds and the smell of hot coffee and newly melted butter on toasted bread. Emrys brought a stack of letters and papers (that he had been told at least a week ago to open and read), and settled down in a big chair to take care of them while he ate. He took care of the big packet first. It was thick, heavy and sealed with wax. Important but undoubtedly boring, or at least that was his first impression. The seal on the wax was that of a wave crashing against a fort high up on a cliff. It was his family seal. This packet was from his trustee.

Mr. Emrys Grey:
As the trustees of the Grey Estate, we would like to impress upon you the importance of the continuation of your education. As the sole heir of the estate, we would like to remind you of your importance in the eyes of your ancestors. As an aspiring student, with remarkable scores, we stress that the opportunities before you are numerous and great. We would also like to remind you, that though at nineteen you are free to live alone in the Estate, we are still guardians to the wealth you will inherit at twenty-one. Please read the following information carefully and with great consideration.

Included is information on several universities that we highly recommend for you. Please –

He stopped there.

“Lovely,” Emrys said with disdain, whispering the words lightly to himself. “Just lovely.”

In glancing over the information packets Emrys noticed many universities that his parents or relatives had attended. They were a select few, but he caught the emphasis the trustees were pressing upon him. ‘Go on in your schooling or we will dispense your money as we please.’ The sense of being alone returned and Emrys sighed, lightly tossing the heavy packet onto the coffee table.

He recognized the need to go on in higher education, but he detested being reminded of it, or being threatened on the subject of it. He knew very well which of his relatives had received firsts where and in what, but he didn’t need constant reminders of it. They were not him.

In truth he had already received letters of acceptance from several of the universities that were being ‘recommended’ to him. He had also decided to take a year off. It was completely normal, everyone did it. At least one of his ancestors had done it, and he was going to do so as well.

Emrys liked learning as much as any scholar, but he’d gotten tired of looking at books and listening to lectures related to philosophy, literature, and history. He was feeling particularly lackluster about continuing them when the practical application for the subjects was missing. They were subjects built for professors who in turn taught others to be professors, nothing less and nothing more. Interesting, but in the grand scheme not particularly affective.

So in his year off, Emrys hoped to travel – to be a wanderer. Perhaps there would be a practical application for all of the history, the literature, philosophy, economics, all of the stuff.

Then again, perhaps not.

Emrys flicked through the remainder of the letters easily. The majority were trash, useless advertising attempting to scam people or get money that ought not to be given. He’d burn them later when the autumn chill descended. There were a few letters from acquaintances that Emrys’ eyes briefly flicked over. There was nothing more important.

Taking a bite of his toast and a sip of his coffee, Emrys stretched and rubbed his forehead. What now? It was just past 4:30, a time that was much too early, but too late for him to return to bed – especially with the prospects of that horrid dream.

It seemed like there was little left to do. Emrys set himself to the task of finishing his food as he thought. He didn’t feel like reading – especially not when he presently felt it was useless. There was no more mail to look for. It was much too early to go outside for a walk, and Emrys was not particularly in the mood for anything physically strenuous. So what was there to do??

“I should plan.” He stood up and placed his hands on his hips, still thinking. He was going to travel wasn’t he? Yes, so he ought to make plans for it. Or at least something visible, something initial to start him out. There was no doubt in Emrys’ mind that he would not be following any itineraries, but his trustees would want to believe he would – especially after that quasi-threatening letter. He smiled, staring off into the distance, taking notice of a fire just recently dead in the fireplace. He had made it last night – only a few hours ago really – but it had died down, the embers cooling over time.

If he was going to do anything at all he would have to be decently warm. Fire first. “Then the maps.” He was determined now, his inner compass finding some correct direction to go in. He had been magnetized. An old fire had died and now there was a new one to light.

Chapter 2

Comments

[kuhekabir.livejournal.com]

interesting start, got no idea where you are going to take this but i guess that is the beauty of it...more?

[brightedelweiss.livejournal.com]

I'm vaguely aware of where I have it headed too, but then I NEVER know where I'm going (direct path and all) when I write

[fatchickengirl.livejournal.com]

Very promsing, please continue you've hooked me in for sure!

[brightedelweiss.livejournal.com]

thank you, glad to know I did so!

[oximore.livejournal.com]

Interesting! :) I would love to see more in the show and in fanfictions about the whole Emry/immortal thing because it's one of the most interesting side of Merlin (well, in my opinion).

Great start! :)

[brightedelweiss.livejournal.com]

It's really interesting. I wasn't aware of the meaning at all until I looked at it.

Merlin means sea fort, it's not nearly as exciting as Emrys.

[oximore.livejournal.com]

"Merlin means sea fort, it's not nearly as exciting as Emrys."

Yeah I know! But it kinda made sense (I mean, I don't really imagine Hunith calling her son Emrys... it's more like his name among the people of magic! :D).

[brightedelweiss.livejournal.com]

That's a good point I don't imagine her doing that either!

[thisissirius.livejournal.com]

akdfjskafkl. i still love this! even now ♥

the language is amazing.

[brightedelweiss.livejournal.com]

ily, thank you! in between studying I'm trying to come up with what I'll call everyone else. Arthur and Merlin were easy but Morgana's so much more difficult. (I really don't like Morgan as a name...I just don't...). I've decided I'm only changing the spelling of Guinevere to the welsh version: Gwenhwyfar.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

That sounds very promising. :-)

[brightedelweiss.livejournal.com]

thank you!

[paperspades.livejournal.com]

Very intriguing. I like the tone of the writing, very somber and almost fatalistic, and your choice for names and titles keep well with said tone.

I can't wait for more. Keep having fun with it!

[brightedelweiss.livejournal.com]

Aw thank you. I hope it's not too somber, but I am definitely having fun with writing it...which is actually bad when I ought to be studying for exams.

[firstillusion.livejournal.com]

A very interesting start, I'm definitely curious for more.

[brightedelweiss.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Interesting is what I go for!