fic; the oak tree chapter 2: woodrum and eades

[edelweiss]

Title The Oak Tree: Woodrum and Eades
Author brightedelweiss
Words 1, 937
Rating PG-13 (language)
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 (again)

Chapter 1
Chapter 3



Woodrum and Eades

“Mr. Grey, I just don’t see why you feel the need to travel when you’ve already been accepted to several prestigious universities.”

Emrys and his two trustees were sitting in the study of the Grey Estate. It wasn’t overly grand, but it certainly wasn’t welcoming, and he had never felt the urge to study in it. The room had an atmosphere about it that always made Emrys feel as if he was in a foreign environment. It felt cold, even though the fireplace made the study quite warm. There were bookshelves on two of the walls and, the books on them were ones that Emrys equated with the study of law. They were all the same thickness, all the same color, and despite the fact that they probably had nothing to do with attorneys or juries, they still felt rather lawyer-like.

His two trustees, Mr. Woodrum and Mr. Eades, were sitting across from Emrys – a coffee table between them. They had proposed in the beginning to sit ‘around’ the table, but it had morphed into something quite different: Grey versus Woodrum and Eades.

Woodrum and Eades in particular were wiry individuals. All the color in their hair had faded, they rarely seemed to smile and sat with such rigidness that Emrys always felt like a noodle around them. Everything about them was so unashamedly monotone that he was constantly bored in their vicinity. Even their names were dull– or at least generic – something like Harry or Lloyd. Not that the first names really mattered, Emrys always opted to use the surnames. The formality of using the family name instead of the first, made the two seem much less human. He liked it that way. Somehow it made him feel more secure – as if dealing with two people at arms length somehow made the awkwardness all the more forgettable.

Emrys currently sat in a chair, trying as hard as possible not to move every second and look extremely aggravated. The attempts were failing quite miserably. It wasn’t as if the chair was uncomfortable, but he had dressed in a suit to impress and ties did not agree whatsoever with him. He always felt as if the knot in them was suddenly going to tighten and he was going to strangle to death. But, despite the initial uncomfortable feeling of the entire meeting, he was managing to get a few of his intentions across without coming across as a lazy graduate.

“Mr. Eades, my father spent his gap year abroad, and so did many of my other relatives. I’d like to treat the experience as something shareable – connecting with people I never got the opportunity to meet.” Emrys responded, somehow managing to get out a forced smile. He felt like a cheat playing the emotional card – as if preying on the absence of his parents in his life was some sort of sacrilege. Not that it was even going to work. Emrys was losing faith in his own words even as they came out of his mouth. He didn’t believe in them, he was only hoping in the power they might have over the trustees.

Eades and Woodrum seemed to telepathically communicate their opinions. The two had a way of trading turns talking – or interrogating, and Emrys always felt as if the was talking to a singular unit and not two separate individuals. In his anxious wait for a response, Emrys changed his position.

“Look a year off would just give me some time to clear my mind, to ah…experience something outside of academia.”

He was praying on the inside, praying that desperately it would all work out. He couldn’t bear to listen to another professor lecture on Kant and wonder desperately where the practical application for examining reason was. As much as all of it was interesting, he hadn’t met anyone prominent relating philosophy, or the humanities in general, to their career. In fact anyone remotely involved in politics always found the urge to bring up economics. As much as politics might depend upon the dismal science, he really was just not interested in anything that it had to offer. The entire ‘science’ depended on money – or giving value to various things, or at least that was his opinion.

The break from academia was one reason, but another was the dreams. They still hadn’t stopped. He’d been up at three in the morning this morning and hadn’t slept since. Emrys Grey was running on such a minimum of sleep that it was a wonder he was worrying about fidgeting too much and not fidgeting enough. The fact was that until he changed something, the dreams were going to haunt him. He felt spurred by them, even if he couldn’t exactly say why. Awake, he felt electric, as if the entire world around him was humming.

Emrys was jolted back to reality by a cough. He looked up, grimaced apologetically in the direction of his two trustees who were looking at him expectantly, and sighed. They had been talking to him. “I’m sorry, really, but I would appreciate this opportunity over any other concession that anyone has made for me over the years.”

Eades and Woodrum gave each other a look again. Emrys forced himself to pay attention and not think of other things.

“Where were you planning to go first?” Woodrum asked looking across to where Emrys sat.

“Ah Cornwall – yes, uh, Cornwall sir.”

“You’ve been there before haven’t you? Isn’t the purpose of your travels to experience something new?” Woodrum again. Emrys had never felt more nervous in his life. Of all the interviews he had ever had this was by far the most stressful.

“Well the first time was to visit a family friend. For the purposes of traveling, I thought that I might want to start at least somewhere familiar. Cornwall, it ah…it seemed the right place to start.” His mouth felt extremely dry. Emrys felt the desperate urge to take a sip of the water on the table in front of him, but mentally fought the urge to do so.

“And after Cornwall, where would you go from there Mr. Grey?” Mr. Eades asked, sitting backwards in opposition to Woodrum’s lean forward.

Shit.

There it was, the question to rule over all other questions: where would he go after Cornwall. He had no clue. Emrys planned to go somewhere based on the advice of someone he met, or based on something he saw, but he didn’t necessarily anticipate what precisely that recommendation might be – or where it would be in relation to where he was starting. Instead, he planned on letting his inner compass point the way instead of walking around the country with a massive map in front of him. He hated itineraries.

“Well you see…ah, well, I wasn’t quite sure that was exactly necessary. I was sort of planning on seeing where things took me…” No chance in hell, not with the expressions on the faces in front of him.

“So you were planning on wandering around England?” Eades again.

“I wouldn’t exactly classify it as wandering. I mean, well, wandering implies that I don’t have any idea where I’m going at all – that I’m going to be lost – and, well, I do have an idea of where I’ll be going, just not the order in which I’ll get there or the time span in which I will be there. Ah…yeah, but definitely no wandering.” Emrys managed to get the words out, scratching the back of his head as he said so. At the look on his two trustees’ faces, Emrys thought he had just babbled complete nonsense.

He started to fidget, mostly because his confidence in actually getting permission had just plummeted, and for the fact that Emrys had every intention in the world to wander.

Woodrum and Eades didn’t mention anything for what felt like eternity. Emrys thought he changed positions – one leg resting on the other, hands on his thighs, scratching the back of the head – at least seventeen times before one of them uttered a syllable.

“And you plan on doing this for how long?”

“A year – just one year – and then I’ll be off to university. Promise – sir.” The words shot out in rapid succession, each of them sharp and stunted. He returned to the stiff position again, as if for some reason that would grant him some power, as if it was some version of praying. Not that he was remotely religious, but if there was any god – or multiple ones – than he was praying to each and every one of them. Emrys had never wanted anything so much in his entire life that he hardly heard the next words to come out of Woodrum’s mouth. Indeed it was the optimism – the uplift in the voice – that made Emrys stop and pause.

“Sorry, what was that?” It was the second time in the conversation that he had missed words, but this time he didn’t feel so much like a dolt. That would come later. He had missed something, and it had been important, and all he wanted to know was what exactly he had missed.

“We’d like you to keep a journal.”

“A journal for what?” Oh yes, he had definitely missed something.

“For your travels, just to insure that you’re furthering yourself.”

“So, a travel log?”

“A journal, Mr. Grey. We won’t read any of it, but we would like to make sure that by the time you go off to university, you won’t have forgotten any skills you’ve so far perfected. Analysis, reflection, self awareness.”

Right, ok then. The entire idea of being commanded to write a journal that he didn’t need to show to anyone at all, was rather baffling, but Emrys wasn’t about to point that out. As far as he was concerned, he had just received permission to travel – to, yes, wander, to be free.

“Of course, ah yes, I can do that. No problem, a journal will be simple.” He nodded, and began to stand up, but then caught a look from both Eades and Woodrum sat down again.

“We’ll be putting more money in your account for the year, but we’d like to recommend that you attempt to live at the minimum.” Said Mr. Woodrum giving him a pointed look, as if to somehow accuse Emrys of overspending in the past. He briefly wondered whether or not they would approve of youth hostels, now that was living at the minimum. Emrys made no attempt to mention them.

“That’s no problem. I’m quite rational with money.” He smiled for affect – though made it a little less broad, it was best not to look cheeky.

“We’re simply giving you a suggestion Mr. Grey.” Woodrum replied sternly.

“A strong suggestion.” Eades pitched in and gave the same look. Emrys could have sworn that they were in some way related. Though how he hadn’t exactly managed to figure out.

“Suggestion received. If that’s all am I free to leave?” He stood up without stopping this time, snatching the map he had brought with him for his pitch (not that there had been a pitch at all). “Leave the room I mean.” He added quickly, smiling nervously again.

“That’s all Mr. Grey, enjoy your traveling. The money will be transferred by Tuesday evening.”

“Thanks – you. Thank you.” Emrys added, slapping his legs, smiling once again a little bit awkwardly (it was force of habit) before leaving. Goddamn suit was annoying as hell. If there was one thing he was sure about, he would not be packing anything remotely resembling a tuxedo. Or a tie.

Chapter 3

Comments

[kuhekabir.livejournal.com]

awesome update...i do really love the way you are writing this story and i really dont like the trustees...i mean arent they supposed to be working for merlin, at least looking after his money etc...and not dictate his life? lol

i cant wait for him to meet arthur, wonder how you are going to write him...em...there will be arthur, right?

more?

[brightedelweiss.livejournal.com]

OH there will be an Arthur. Don't you worry about that. Though that won't be his name.

[firstillusion.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of the trustees, especially the name Woodrum amuses me.

I'm only a bit unsure of why Emrys wouldn't just tell a little lie. Just name another place to visit, even if he didn't intend to go there. I guess he doesn't like to lie and I just haven't gotten to know his character enough yet. :)

Looking forward to the next chapter.

[brightedelweiss.livejournal.com]

He's really, just not good about lying, only stretching the truth. I don't think Emrys really knows who he is either.

[protoplasmica.livejournal.com]

Really fascinating I love emrys' world view

[brightedelweiss.livejournal.com]

thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[luiskeln.livejournal.com]

I have no idea where this story`s gonna go, but it`s interesting.

[brightedelweiss.livejournal.com]

I only slightly know where it's going myself. Glad you like it so far. The next chapter should be up pretty soon.