❝ when she looks into his eyes, she feels the gripping temptation to tell him all her darkest secrets; the names of the men she has killed, but she learned a long time ago that the only people who can keep secrets are resting in overgrown graveyards...
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"How could you be so foolish?"
Calliope closes the door tightly behind her, listening as Gaius expresses his frustration to Merlin for his fight with Arthur. But it's no where near the harsh lectures Gaius has given Calliope in the past for her dangerous lifestyle.
The young sorcerer keeps his back turned, his voice full of anger and emotion as he speaks.
"He needed to be taught a lesson."
Gaius takes an urgent step, "Magic must be studied, mastered, and used for good, not for idiotic pranks."
Merlin finally spins around, facing Gaius with a force behind his stare, "What is there to master? I could move objects like that before I could talk!"
"Then by now, you should know how to control yourself."
"I don't want to! If I can't use magic, what have I got? I'm just a nobody, and I always will be," Gaius's gaze softens as Merlin's voice returns to its normal tone. "If I can't use magic, I might as well die."
Without another word, Merlin disappears into his room, and the tense emotions he leaves behind stings the air.
"He just needs some time to cool down," Calliope offers a voice of support as Gaius shifts his eyes to her.
"Don't act so innocent, Cal," he says. "Word travels fast here, especially when you tell the Prince to shove something up his... 'royal ass'."
"Come on, Gaius, you know it's funny."
"It doesn't matter if it was funny or not," Gaius places a hand on her shoulder. "Prince Arthur is the future King of Camelot, and you should treat him that way."
"But—"
He stops her sentence, "Calliope, you came here to lay low, and insulting Prince Arthur is the last thing you should be doing," Calliope hates how wise Gaius can be sometimes; he tells her the truth even if she doesn't want to hear it. "You need to apologize to him, and before you protest, you can't get angry with the Prince for being prideful when you can't even to muster up the humility to say 'I'm sorry.'"
Defiance pauses on her face. She knows Gaius is right, but she doesn't like it.
"Once again, Gaius, you're unfortunately right."
He smiles, "Now, off you go. I expect to hear a full report of your apology before the celebrations tonight."
Calliope has a difficult time swallowing the fact that she will be the one apologizing when she sees Arthur again. The thought causes her stomach to churn in an agonizing way as she pictures his proud face staring at her—his cocky grin and insufferable comments that will definitely test her patience, which has never been one of her stronger qualities.
