First Impressions by Emachinescat

A Merlin Fan-Fiction

SUMMARY: Merlin's arrival in Camelot... with a slight twist. AU

A/N: I'm not a big fan of modern stories myself (only a few that I like), but this idea came to me - Camelot still a kingdom, Uther still a king, the laws on magic still in place, Merlin still a warlock... but modernized. :) If you like I may eventually write more but for now it's a one-shot. Please review!

First Impressions

The young man leaned forward in his seat, straining to see out of the taxi's window better. The cab driver, a husky, blunt man who called himself Ed, mumbled, "Sit back, will ya, kid? You're in my driving space."

Reluctantly, the boy, Merlin, leaned back against the seat. Unconsciously, his foot started tapping in anticipation as he strove to see out of the dirty window without intruding upon Ed's "driving space." He was itching with excitement, having taken bus after bus, taxi after taxi, and even a subway in order to get from his small hometown of Ealdor to the legendary city of Camelot.

Having grown up in such a small country town—one grocery store, two beauty shops, a crummy inn correctly dubbed "The Bedbug's Hub," a run-down bar, and a vandalized park—Merlin had never seen a big city like what Camelot was supposed to be. He had heard stories, though, of massive sky scrapers that nearly touched the clouds, casinos that people from all over the surrounding kingdoms flocked to in order to either gain or lose a fortune, luxurious hotels that boasted of every service imaginable, museums that held priceless artwork and artifacts from centuries past…Camelot was the stuff of legend.

"Camelot is a magical place," Merlin commented, thinking of all of the wonderful sights he would behold once he finally arrived at the doctor's home—his uncle, Gaius, worked for the king of Camelot, Uther Pendragon, and it was with him that Merlin would be staying while in Camelot.

Ed snorted. "Humph," he chortled mirthlessly. "Better not let the king hear you say that…he's worked too hard for far too long to make sure that what you just said ain't true."

Merlin's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?" he asked, feeling a twinge of uncertainty. His dark blue eyes narrowed in confusion and his dark, slightly unruly hair just tickled the nape of his neck.

"Do you live in a box, kid? Or haven't you been watching the one that sits in your living room? Uther's campaign has been all over the news for years."

"Campaign?" Merlin asked.

"You really don't know, do you kid?" Ed asked, shaking his head in amazement. "Seriously, don't you watch TV?"

Merlin shook his head slowly. "No, we didn't have a TV. Not many people where I come from could afford one."

"Ah," Ed said. "Well, kid, I would tell you myself, but seeing as there was a sorcerer caught in Camelot this very week and his—uh—ceremony is today… The streets are gonna be really crowded, so you may as well stick around to watch until they clear out some. You won't be able to get anywhere near the Castle until after its done with anyway."

Merlin felt his gut clench at the mention of a ceremony. What kind of ceremony could this man be talking about?

Taking another peek out of the window, Merlin noticed how crowded the main square was. They were all crowded around a small stage. A large screen loomed above the crowd, allowing those near the back to see whatever was going on on the platform.

Curious, but also wary, Merlin began to unbuckle his seatbelt. "Er, I think I'll go ahead and get out here, thanks," he said, digging in his pocket for a few bills his mother had given him to pay for his transportation. "Thanks for the ride, Ed."

"Hey, kid, no problem. If you ever need a ride again, call me up." Ed handed him a card. "There's my number."

"Thanks," Merlin said, genuinely touched at the man's generosity. He started to get out of the car.

"Oh, and kid—" Ed added quickly.

Merlin ducked his head back into the vehicle. "Yes?"

"If you ever do require my services again…I do enjoy bigger tips."

Merlin smiled. "Thanks again, Ed. See you around."

As Ed drove off, Merlin headed toward the stage, hoisting his duffle bag onto his shoulder as he went. He was amazed at the enormity of Camelot—the shops, the buildings, the banks, casinos, hotels, arcades…they had everything here! Dusting off his tattered blue jeans and smoothing his off-brand blue plaid shirt, Merlin quickened his pace as the people began to stir; something was about to happen. His worn converse shoes padded lightly on the pavement as he wriggled and wormed his way to the front of the crowd (sometimes being rather small and skinny could be a rather useful tool). What he saw on the platform—and the giant screen—made his blood run cold.

A man, clothes tattered and filthy, bruises lining his young but weathered face, stood, hands bound, in the middle of the stage, a rough noose around his neck. There was a trapdoor beneath his feet. There were camera crews hovering about the scene. Some people in the crowd looked excited, others scared, and even others, sad.

As Merlin looked on in horror, a tall, handsome man that was just starting to show his age stepped onto a balcony of the Castle—the residence of King Uther and his servants, an enormous estate rumored to have every luxury available. He was dressed in a black suit, white dress shirt, and black tie. He wore a holster with a small, deadly pistol on one hip and a scabbard containing a large sword on the other. A small earpiece was clipped to his right ear, ready to be used as a phone or pager whenever necessary. His eyes were hard and stern as he allowed them to rove over the crowd. Merlin felt as if the icy blue stare was cutting right through him.

He spoke. "This man," he said, waving a hand at the poor fellow about to be hanged, "has committed the worst crime possible in our peaceful and prosperous city of Camelot."

A roar swept through the throng of people, some of it being jeers of approval at the man's fate, other's being wails of protest. Merlin looked at the terrified but resigned face of the man on the stage. What could he have done to deserve something as horrible as a public execution?

The man on the balcony continued. "This man has been caught practicing sorcery! He was using magic, and in Camelot, the law is perfectly clear—magic is prohibited. Any such practice will have you arrested and sentenced to death. This man did not heed our law. And so, he must die.

"He was given a choice—to die by the electric chair, lethal injection, or hanging. He chose the latter, and so his sentence is at this moment being carried out."

Merlin felt sick. This man was going to die, to be executed, for being a sorcerer? Magic was prohibited in Camelot? Why on earth, then, had Hunith, Merlin's mother, felt compelled to send him here? Perhaps she hadn't known…

The man was speaking again. "…and so, in accordance with the laws that bind and protect our great city, I, Uther Pendragon, King of Camelot, sentence the sorcerer to be hung by the neck until dead." He nodded at the executioner, who instantly pulled the lever.

There was a woosh, a crack, and a groan of a man's final breath and a hush fell over the watchers after they let out a collective gasp. The square was then filled with a tremendous racket, partly cheers of approval, partly wails of grief.

"What a magnificent way to begin our celebration of twenty years of magic-free peace and prosperity!" Uther announced regally as two guards took the body of the man and carted it off somewhere. The image on the giant screen turned to a black night with fireworks of every color exploding joyously. A whoop came from the crowd. Merlin backed away from the scene slowly, not believing that these people were actually celebrating the death of another human being—and for using magic!

Merlin wasn't the only one to feel this way. Amidst the celebration, a heart-wrenching wail burst fourth. An old woman, pain and grief marring her features, stepped forward, shaking her fist at the king. "No!" she screeched, tears brimming in her bloodshot eyes. "You, Uther Pendragon, you are the criminal! You took my son from me!"

Uther stared down at the distraught mother coldly. "Who are you?" he asked, sounding quite bored. Merlin's heart ached for the woman who had endured so much torment.

"A grieving mother," the woman spat. "You do not know my pain, Uther Pendragon, but mark my words—you will." A twisted smile tugged at her lips. "How is it that old saying goes…? Ah, yes. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth…and a son for a son."

Immediately, Uther snapped to attention, his eyes showing a new kind of fire. "Guards! Guards, seize her!"

The guards lunged for her but with a flash of light and a display of smoke she simply disappeared into thin air. Her voice could still be heard as the guards looked vainly for where she could have gone—pointless, since she had escaped by magic—and the terrible promise lingered in the minds and hearts of all watching.

"Soon you will know the pain of losing your only son, Uther Pendragon…"

Merlin swallowed. Maybe Camelot wasn't going to be as magical of a place as he'd thought.

A/N: What did you think? Please review!

~Emachinescat ^..^