Beating Swords into Plowshares - Part 1

[gwyllion]

Title: Beating Swords into Plowshares
Author: gwylliondream
Genre: Modern au
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin (other characters and mentions: Annis, Balinor, Cenred, Elena, Elyan, Freya, Gaius, Gilli, Gwaine, Gwen, Hunith, Igraine, Kara, Kilgharrah, Lance, Leon, Mithian, Mordred, Morgana, Morgause, Nimueh, Percy, Sophia, Vivian, Vivienne, Uther, and Will)
Rating: R
Words: 30K
Warnings: Brief mention of blood from a minor character’s past injury. Implied homophobia. Underaged drinking.
Summary: Arthur Pendragon was trained to be a leader from birth, but when a freak snowstorm strands several Albion University students on campus with no way to get home, his mettle is tested. With Christmas only two days away, the students in his charge must work together to survive the elements and make the best of their holiday away from their families. Fortunately, he meets a charming snowplow driver who teaches him to lead with his heart instead of his head.
A/N: Beating Swords into Plowshares was written as a pinch-hit for glomp_fest 2013. Prepare to be glomped, piinx! When I was offered your prompt as a pinch hitter, I jumped at the chance to write this fic for you. I hope I incorporated many of your wonderful ideas into a fic that you enjoy. Happy glomp-fest!
The blizzard in this fic is based on the 2013 winter storm “Nemo" which dropped a record 40 inches of snow on Hamden, Connecticut. With hurricane-force winds, the blizzard left hundreds of thousands of people without power and forced all transportation to a standstill for a number of days. Hamden, Connecticut is home to Quinnipiac University, on which I based Albion University, and where my son attends school.
Thanks to my cheerleading, beta-ing, fangirling friends gilli_ann and lawgoddess who keep me in line.
Disclaimer: I did not create these characters. No disrespect intended. No profit desired, only muses. Visit Quinnipiac University’s Facebook album Quinnipiac finds Nemo here.
Comments: Comments are welcome anytime, thanks so much for reading!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Epilogue
Read on AO3



Arthur watched the snow fall in big fat flakes. A chilly breeze rattled the window, making him shiver. The sophomore dormitory at Albion University stood four stories tall, and he lorded over each floor. From his private apartment on the topmost level of Lancaster Commons, he had a bird’s eye view of the courtyard as his fellow students came and went in sunshine, rain, or in the wintry snow like that which fell today. With Christmas in two days, the steady stream of departing students had diminished as the morning dragged on. At this late morning hour, on the day after finals ended, Arthur doubted there were many students left behind. Winter holidays lured them to their homes like butterflies migrating to warmer climes. At least a butterfly would have the sense to do so before it snowed.

Located in the countryside, far east of the city, the university’s polished brick buildings with pristine white pillars and balustrades emerged from a landscape of green forest and lush fields, except when they were covered in snow. The polished brickwork decorated the interior of the lowest story of the dormitory, with its hulking fireplace taking up an entire wall of the common area. Beyond the fireplace lay the laundry facilities, a fully equipped kitchen, and a half-dozen rooms for private study when the noise of roommates became too much for the most studious of Albion’s scholars. A spiraling oak stairway, a dozen feet wide, rose at the opposite side of the common room from the fireplace. It wound its way upward from the marble-tiled floor to the dormitories where the girls made their home, and to the men’s quarters above. Beyond that, lay Arthur’s solitary realm.

As the son of the university’s most generous benefactor, Arthur wasn’t surprised when he was named a Resident Assistant for the sophomore class. Uther made it clear that he believed the position would prepare Arthur for when he took the reins of Pendragon LLC after he graduated with his business degree.

Leadership had always come naturally to Arthur, so he didn’t mind proving himself to his father by this means. His main task involved keeping the students in his charge from drinking too much. If he had to break up the occasional fistfight or had to give a pat on the shoulder to a failing student before he left the school for good, Arthur handled it with the same aplomb that he had displayed from birth. A Pendragon was expected to behave admirably, even under the worst of circumstances.

From his lofty viewpoint, Arthur could sometimes see the distant lights of the nearest town. If the sky was clear enough, he could imagine the camaraderie shared over pizza or burgers at one of the town’s simple restaurants. Not that Arthur would know what such friendship was like. He went strictly by the book when it came to overseeing the students in his charge. When he wasn’t in class, he studied. When he wasn’t studying, he made sure the residents of Lancaster Commons were obeying the rules. When he wasn’t doing that, he slept.

Arthur’s breath fogged the window as he awaited a sign of Morgana’s arrival. Since he saw her nearly every day, he’d surely recognize her gait, despite the vertical distance to the courtyard and the heavily falling snow. He’d imagine her in her UGGs, striding carelessly through the white fluff, the flounce of cashmere as she’d rearrange her scarf with a flourish. But each visitor who arrived at Lancaster Commons left arm-in-arm with their friend or relation as they collected them for the long journey home for Christmas break.

Morgana was running late, as usual.

Arthur took his cellphone from his pocket and checked the time just as a text arrived from Morgana.

Lvng now - U ready?

Arthur tapped the call key and didn’t wait for Morgana to answer. “My bag has been packed for two days,” he said. “Of course I’m ready.” He tried to not let his voice show his impatience as it tripped into the cellphone and bounced across the cell tower to arrive at the senior dormitory a half mile away. “When will you be here?”

“I’m nearly done,” Morgana said. “I just need to print out the biology syllabus for next semester, and I’ll be ready to go.”

Arthur sighed. After living with Morgana for so many years, he had learned to avoid commenting on Morgana’s numerous excuses about why she’d be late. If he complained, she’d feel obligated to argue with him, making both of them even later than usual.

“It’ll be your head if we don’t make it to Camelot for cocktails,” he reminded her.

“Dear brother, “Morgana said, “it’s not like you to be so anxious about spending time with Uther.”

“I’m not anxious,” Arthur said. “I simply believe that we shouldn’t disappoint him if we can avoid it.”

“You would believe that,” Morgana said. “It must be so difficult to be the heir to the Pendragon fortune. You have none of the fun that I do.”

“You might not get a free ride on your tuition if we don’t get to Camelot on time,” Arthur said. “And you might have to switch from Grey Goose to Gordon’s for your martini, unless you meet me at the shuttle stop in ten minutes.”

Arthur smiled when he heard Morgana laugh. He may have been born two years after Morgana, but he knew how to put her in her place.

“Oh the horror!” Morgana squealed. “Okay, I’m hurrying!”

“I’m going to make one last check of the place and I’ll head outside. I’ll see you down at the shuttle,” Arthur said.

“Okay, ten minutes, I promise,” Morgana said, ending the call.

Arthur didn’t believe her.

Stepping back from the window, Arthur double-checked to make sure he had unplugged his Keurig machine and his printer. He tapped the outside pocket of his duffle to make sure he had his cellphone charger. He supposed he could kill a few minutes by making one final sweep of the dormitories below to ensure no stragglers remained when the university was locked up for winter break.

Beneath Arthur, the men’s dormitory housed eighty sophomores in twenty rooms that each held every possessions that four guys could conceivably cram into a single twenty-by-twenty foot space. Sophomore move-in day had seen the lofted beds configured into an array of space-saving arrangements that would facilitate an X-Box, a wide-screen television, a futon, and several refrigerators that, to Arthur’s dismay, would each hold their share of illegally procured beer before the semester ended.

A similar arrangement of females populated the second story, where the refrigerated beverage of choice changed from beer to wine. The girls’ RA, Annis from Caerleon, faced the same challenges as Arthur did in the boys’ dorm. Albion’s upperclassmen, like his sister Morgana, resided halfway across campus in the posh York Hill dormitory where the residents preferred imported rum or an expensive vodka over the cheap beer and wine that served its purpose for the younger classmates.

Shouldering his duffel, Arthur zipped his coat so the collar fit snug around his neck. He hoped that the storm would blow out to sea, instead of wreaking havoc with his holiday plans to return home. Stepping outside and closing the door, he turned and rattled the doorknob one last time to make certain it was locked. The shuttle would get Morgana and him to the train station in a half hour if the traffic was light. A two hour train trip would deliver them to Camelot, where Uther would send a car to collect them. Arthur made a mental note to check to make sure the trains were running on time before he and Morgana boarded the shuttle.

He descended the stairs to the men’s floor, his feet quiet on the oak steps. The long corridor was empty, save for a couple empty pizza boxes that had been left outside Room 308. He knocked on the door, ready to reprimand the residents for littering the halls, but as Arthur suspected, there was no answer. Only the hum of the overhead lighting broke the silence in the stark hallway.

After a moment, Arthur reluctantly stooped to pick the boxes up from the floor. He’d have to remember to report the infraction when he returned from Christmas break. Tossing the empty boxes into the trash bin at the end of the hall, Arthur opened the door to the stairway and descended to the girls’ floor. Like most of the students, Annis had left for home the night before. Arthur had agreed to check the girls’ rooms, a favor Annis would repay if Arthur ever ventured off campus himself, however unlikely an event that would be.

Opening the door to the girls’ floor, Arthur heard the noise before he turned the corner from the stairwell – a rattling sound like someone was trying to break into a dorm room. Arthur quietly peered around the corner. His eyes grew wide when he saw the curly-haired teenager.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Arthur asked, stepping into the hall.

“I could ask you the same thing,” the stranger said, turning his attention back to the locked door.

Arthur snorted at such insolence. He strode down the hallway and pressed his hand against the door.

“Show me your identification,” Arthur said, leaning into the guy’s space. “Now.”

Arthur couldn’t help but notice the teen’s brilliant blue eyes. He looked familiar to Arthur – probably a jock from of one of the sports teams that so often graced the cover of the school newspaper. The intruder licked his lips distractingly as he searched his pockets for his identification. Arthur cleared his throat and averted his eyes from the teen’s rose-colored lips and thick unruly locks. It would do no good for Arthur to set his imagination free. He was in university to study, not to cave into the desires that had plagued him for years. He shifted his gaze to the intruder’s backpack where he spied a bottle of Captain Morgan peeking through the mesh of an outer pocket. Arthur wrapped his fingers around the bottle’s neck and pulled it free. “And you can explain this to both Annis and the Dean of Students when they get back from break.”

“I was just trying to drop off a present for Kara,” the kid said, dangling the lanyard that held his ID card in front of Arthur’s face.

“Mordred,” Arthur said, reading the name off the ID. “You’re a freshman. You have no business in the sophomore dorms,” Arthur said, flicking the ID back toward Mordred.

“There’s no need to be a jerk about it,” Mordred said.

“If you’ve got somewhere to go, you’d better leave now. The shuttles won’t be running past noon today and you won’t want to be stranded here,” Arthur said. He was convinced that looking out for the welfare of young Mordred was a noble calling, but like so many of the students Arthur looked after, Mordred could not have cared less.

The freshman threw his hands in the air and retreated toward the stairwell. “Merry fucking Christmas to you too,” Mordred said, slamming the door open and trotting down the stairs.

Arthur walked to the end of the hallway and watched Mordred as he left through the main entrance, one floor below. “Good riddance,” he muttered under his breath.

When he was sure there were no stray students lurking on the floor, Arthur set the bottle of rum on the windowsill and checked his cellphone. Ten minutes had passed. Surely Morgana was waiting for him at the shuttle stop by now.

Grabbing the bottle, Arthur descended the stairs to the bottom floor of the dormitory. The dim emergency lights illuminated the stairwell with an eerie yellow glow. In the common room, the television blared with the latest weather advisory. The Christmas lights that the students had used to decorate the railing to the upper floor had been unplugged for the last time. He’d have to make sure they were removed when the students returned in January. Between the Captain Morgan, the empty pizza boxes, and the Christmas lights, Arthur’s mental list of thing to do was getting longer by the minute.

Arthur picked up the remote control that lay on one of the sofas. He clicked from channel to channel on the television and watched the screen change while he called Morgana again on her cellphone. His eyes were drawn to the screen where the storm was the lead story not only for the meteorologists, but for the newscasters as well. The coastline residents expected severe flooding from the storm as it came in from the Atlantic. Flights had been cancelled already and the rail lines were expected to be jammed with holiday travelers. Further inland, the towns surrounding Albion University were braced for the brunt of the storm. Motorists were urged to stay off the roads, where the snow removal equipment was not expected to keep up with the snowfall.

Morgana didn’t answer Arthur’s call.

After silencing the television, Arthur donned his gloves and braced himself against the wind that took his breath when he stepped into the courtyard. Outside, the snow continued to fall, coating the railing of the bridge like icing on a cake. He could barely follow Mordred’s tracks, although the freshman had only left a few minutes earlier. Plodding through the foot-deep snow that covered the walkway from Lancaster Commons to the bus stop, Arthur cursed Morgana for not picking up her cellphone. He smelled the diesel exhaust from the shuttle bus as it accelerated and pulled away from the curb.

“Wait!” Arthur shouted as he skidded down the walkway. The snow obscured his vision so much that he could barely see the wooden planks of the bridge that led to the shuttle. He waved in the direction of the bus, hoping the driver would stop. His feet slid on the ice underfoot, sending him sprawling face-first into the snow. The bottle flew out of his hand, landing unharmed in the snow with a whuff. Before Arthur could stand and brush himself off, the bus drove out of sight, the red tail lights barely visible through the storm.

“Fuck it all,” he said, descending to the shuttle stop, catching himself from skidding out of control. The next bus wasn’t due for another fifteen minutes.

Arthur tromped into the bus shelter just as he felt his cellphone vibrate. “You’re an evil witch,” Arthur answered into his cellphone.

“That’s a bit extreme, dear brother, don’t you think?” Morgana said.

“No. It’s your fault we’ve missed this bus. It’s all over the news, there’s a huge storm coming,” Arthur said. “The next bus will show up in fifteen minutes. Can you make it to that one?”

“I’ll try, Arthur,” Morgana said.

Arthur heard the concern in her voice and immediately knew he’d not likely see Morgana anytime soon.

“What’s wrong?” Arthur asked.

Morgana stumbled over her words. “It’s Sophia.”

Arthur tried to make sense of the silence on the line. The windswept snow made it hard to understand. “Sophia who? What about her?” he asked.

“Sophia whose been dating Cenred since freshman year. He just dumped her,” Morgana said. “She planned to go home with him over break, but he gave her the it’s not you, it’s me right before they were supposed to leave this morning and now she has nowhere to go.”

“What about her parents? Can she get back home to them?” Arthur asked.

“No,” Morgana replied in obvious distress. “They went to Greece for the holiday and they’re not expecting Sophia home.”

“There must be something she can do,” Arthur said.

“No one deserves to be alone on Christmas,” Morgana said.

“There’s nothing we can do about it!” Arthur said, exasperated.

He listened for Morgana’s reply, but he could swear he only heard the sound of sobbing and retching on the other end of the line.

“Morgana! Morgana!” he shouted, trying to get his sister’s attention.

“Yes, Arthur, I know I’m supposed to meet you, but I can’t very well leave her alone in her room,” Morgana said.

“Yes, I know,” Arthur said, bucking up. “Hang tight. I’ll be there in a few. I’ll think of something.”

“Arthur?” Morgana cried.

“I’ll catch the next shuttle to York Hill. I’ll meet you there,” he said, silently cursing himself for trying to do the right thing.

“Okay,” Morgana replied. “Thanks, Arthur. I take back every evil thought I’ve ever had about you.”

Arthur ended the call and pocketed his cellphone. The next shuttle bus would be on its way in no time.

Except it wasn’t.

* * *

Arthur grew increasingly impatient as he waited for the shuttle. Ten minutes passed. Then fifteen. Then twenty. He could have walked to York Hill in less time. He flexed his fingers around the neck of the bottle of rum, trying to restore some circulation.

“Morgana will pay for this,” he said aloud. Giving up on the shuttle, he tugged his duffle closer to his side and stomped through the snow in the direction of Morgana’s dorm.

The wind bit at Arthur’s cheeks and made him wish he had remembered to wear a scarf. He never thought he’d be standing outside in the cold for this long. The tiny streets that connected the student dorms with the classroom buildings were covered in windswept snow. No students were in sight as Arthur trudged across the campus, although it was hard to see through the falling flakes. The sound of the howling wind was pierced only by the chirping warning beep of a snowplow as it drove in reverse.

Arthur was sure that all his fellow students were at home with a hot drink in their hand by now, basking in the warmth of the familial glow of Christmas. Despite Arthur’s yearning for warmth, Uther never got into the holiday spirit. He spent most of last Christmas locked away in his office working on a business deal with a foreign marketer who only recognized Christmas as the last Wednesday of the calendar year. Morgana and Arthur ended up mixing rum into their eggnog until Uther finally emerged, handed them each a gift card, and retreated to his office again. So much for the holiday spirit.

At least Arthur had Morgana’s company to enjoy. Ever since she joined the Pendragon household at the age of eight, Arthur had latched onto her as his constant companion, no matter how differently they had been raised. Arthur envied Morgana’s exuberance. She’d often try to tease him into doing something fun and reckless, like stealing the housekeeper’s eyeglasses, or putting salt in the cook’s sugar-bowl. But Arthur would always manage to catch himself at the last minute before he gave in to Morgana’s whims. He was a Pendragon. It was his job to behave with honor, no matter that he was only a little boy.

Born from Uther’s past relationship with Vivienne, Morgana had no trouble locating her father after her mother’s untimely death. Uther had deposited money in her bank account for nearly a year before Morgana’s Aunt Morgause let on that Morgana’s father might be interested in meeting her. Uther was kind enough to young Morgana, but when Morgause suddenly died of a heart attack, Uther welcomed Morgana into his family permanently. It was then that she and Arthur became both siblings and allies.

Arthur plodded through the snow, determined to convince Morgana that they had to leave immediately if there was any hope of making it to Camelot before dark. Since the sidewalks were covered in snow, he was forced to walk in the road where the snowplow had made the way somewhat passable. No blacktop was visible and Arthur’s feet slipped on the ice that hid beneath the newly fallen snow. The unseen icy patches threatened like sharks whose white teeth snapped at his ankles in an effort to take him down.

When Arthur heard the snowplow approaching him from behind, he walked as far to the edge of the road as he could. The truck passed him on the left pushing a spray of snow Arthur’s way as the plow’s blade carved a clear path through the snow on the road. After the snowplow circled around to make another pass of the road, it stopped some twenty yards behind Arthur. Arthur was relieved to have some bare blacktop to walk on. He continued to walk at the edge of the road, barely noticing the beep, beep, beep of the plow’s hazard warning as it backed up toward him.

“Down on your luck, friend?” the driver of the plow shouted through the open window of the truck cab.

Arthur wasn’t sure he heard him correctly over the howling wind and the idling engine of the truck.

“What? Arthur asked.

Only when the driver motioned as if he were chugging from a bottle did Arthur realize that he still clutched the bottle of rum in his hand.

“Oh, this!” Arthur said, embarrassed. “It’s not mine.”

“I bet all the students say that, yeah?” the driver said with a grin, his brilliant blue eyes sparkling when he smiled.

Arthur tilted his head back and laughed when he realized how ridiculous he must have sounded. With his luck, the plow driver would report him to the campus police.

“Where are you headed?” the driver asked. “Everything’s all locked up for the break.”

Arthur adjusted the strap of his duffle as it dug into his shoulder. “My sister was supposed to meet me at the shuttle stop outside of Lancaster, but she had an emergency at York Hill. I’m heading there to help her.”

“York Hill,” the driver said. “I don’t think you’ll be seeing the shuttle again. The university is suspending operations early because of the storm.”

Arthur shook his head. “I’m Arthur Pendragon, the sophomore RA. I think I’d know if the university closed early.”

“Suit yourself, Mr. RA,” the driver said. “You can wait for the next shuttle or you can walk to York Hill. But if you put your bottle away, there’s also a third option.” The driver raised his eyebrows and tilted his head toward the passenger’s seat.

Arthur considered the offer. Riding in a snowplow wasn’t specifically forbidden in the university rulebook, but he was certain that the plow company didn’t encourage its drivers to pick up students, no matter what the weather. But Morgana was in need, and the driver offered. What could possibly go wrong?

“Thanks, I think I’ll take you up on that,” Arthur said. He climbed into the cab, dragging his duffle onto his lap. Unzipping the largest compartment, he stuffed the bottle inside. The driver adjusted the height of the plow, his long slim fingers turning knobs and flipping levers beneath the dashboard. He was dressed for the weather, in a brown jacket with a long red scarf that he had wrapped around his neck. He wore the ugliest hat that Arthur had ever seen, a striped monstrosity with a giant pompom at the top.

“I can’t believe they’d tell you that the university was closing early before telling me… Merlin,” Arthur said, reading the name embroidered onto the plow driver’s jacket.

“Believe what you want,” Merlin said. “My uncle just radioed and told me not to bother plowing the university roads until after the snow has stopped. He says all university operations were suspended, beginning at eleven.”

“And your uncle has a hotline to the university’s operators?” Arthur scoffed. He fished his cellphone out of his pocket and checked the time. It was 11:05. Damn Morgana for making them miss what was probably the last shuttle to the train station.

“My Uncle Gaius owns Kilgharrah Towing and Snow Removal,” Merlin said. “He’s got the contract with Albion University. He’d know if they called off his services. It’s his business. There’s plenty of money to be made plowing other parking lots where people might appreciate our services today. Since the university is closed for break, we can come back and plow here whenever we have time.”

Arthur truly appreciated the ride, but he silently seethed that he was left in the dark when the university officials decided to close early. What if students were left behind? With this storm approaching, they could be without power or food for days. The sophomores were his responsibility, one that he didn’t take lightly.

“Merlin, you there?” a voice crackled through the old-fashioned walkie-talkie Merlin wore attached to his belt.

Merlin grabbed the device, pressed the button on the handset, and held it to his mouth.

“Yeah, Will. I’m finishing up at Albion. Where are you?” Merlin asked.

Arthur listened to Will. “I’m over in the office park. Folks are trying to leave work early to beat the storm.”

“Too late for that,” Merlin said. “You need a hand over there?”

“That’s why I called. I got Gaius’s message about the university closing. If you get help me out, we can get to Ealdor sooner.”

“No problem, Will. Give me a half hour,” Merlin said.

“Sounds good,” Will replied.

Arthur didn’t bother to wonder who Will was, or where this Ealdor destination lay, although he was certain that it was warmer and more hospitable than the university at the moment. The plow scraped the road ahead of Merlin’s truck, clearing a path that would fill in with fresh snow almost as quickly as it was plowed clear. Arthur could barely see a thing out the windshield, although Merlin kept the wiper blades going full speed. Merlin’s eyesight must have been better than Arthur’s because Arthur only felt the truck come to a halt when Merlin spotted three girls walking through the heavily falling snow near Hanover House, the freshman dormitory.

Merlin rolled down his window and shouted to the girls, “Mithian! What are you doing out in this weather?”

The girls, led by the one called Mithian, approached the truck. “Merlin!” Mithian said, slapping Merlin’s door with her mitted hands. “We’re stuck here!”

“I can see that,” Merlin laughed. “I was just talking to your ex. Do you have a ride coming?”

Mithian’s cheeks glowed rosily from the cold. “I was supposed to get a ride with Vivian’s Dad, but he got stuck in traffic on I-84.”

“Which one of you is Vivian?” Merlin asked.

“I am,” the girl with a beanie pulled down to her eyes answered shyly, her blonde hair peeking out beneath the brim of her hat.

“Does your dad drive a plow?” Merlin asked.

“Of course not,” Vivian answered. “He’s got four-wheel-drive, but he only made it halfway here. I told him to go back home and try again after the snow stops. We were giving Elena a ride too, so now we’re all stuck here until tomorrow at least.”

“It’s a Cadillac Escalade, if you must know,” Elena said snootily. “I doubt Vivian’s dad could afford to send her to Albion U if he was the lowly driver of a snow plow.”

Merlin shook his head and turned to Arthur. “Are all freshmen girls like this?”

“I’m afraid so,” Arthur said. Then, putting some command in his voice, “Girls, you need to get back inside. You shouldn’t be out walking around in the storm. It’s dangerous.”

“We only came out to see how hard the snow was falling,” Mithian said.

“Yes, we’re heading back now anyway,” Elena said, tugging Mithian’s arm.

“All right, then,” Merlin said. “You girls stay safe and warm or I’ll send Will over here to help you out.”

The girls turned back toward their dorm, but not before Mithian clumped a snowball in her hands and pitched it at Merlin’s truck. Fortunately, it missed the open window and hit the door instead, shattering in a spray of white fluff. Merlin shifted gears and the truck lurched forward once again, the sparks flying up from the blade when it scraped the road.

“My best friend, Will, dated Mithian at the beginning of the semester,” Merlin said.

Arthur could not have been less interested in Merlin’s story of Will and Mithian’s love life, but he asked to be polite. “They don’t date anymore?”

“No, she friend-zoned him when she found out he only went to the Community College,” Merlin said.

“She ditched him because of that? Pretentious little snob!” Arthur said.

“It wouldn’t be the first time Will failed miserably when he tried dating out of his league,” Merlin said. “It happens.”

Arthur nodded as if he understood, despite his aversion to dating. He doubted that he’d ever be comfortable with the baring of souls that lovers sometimes engaged in. Arthur was much too reserved to consider such an endeavor, although Morgana seemed to have no trouble bringing home the occasional stray man for Uther’s disapproval.

The plow pushed a wall of snow against a large snowbank that had grown to a height over Arthur’s head. Merlin jostled the gearshift lever into position and the truck came to a halt outside of the York Hill dormitory.

“Here we are, your majesty,” Merlin said.

“Right,” Arthur laughed. Before he knew it, Merlin had hopped out of the truck. A rush of cold air gusted in through the open door.

“I think I’d better check on your sister in case you two need help,” Merlin said before he shut the door.

Arthur had to admit it was a good idea. Perhaps Merlin could plow their way to the town where Morgana and he might find a way to the train station so they could make it back to Camelot before nightfall. It was worth a try.

Arthur grabbed his duffle and trudged through the snow to the York Hill dorm entrance. The red brickwork stood in stark contrast to the snow-covered walkway and the white pillars that lined the front of the building. Merlin followed along, walking in Arthur’s footprints through the deep snow. Arthur hesitated for a moment at the door. Then, despite the fact that Merlin technically was not allowed inside the school buildings, Arthur held the door open for him.

They stepped inside and Arthur blurted out the first thing that came to mind, “Where did all these people come from?”

* * *

“Arthur, I’m so glad you came,” Morgana rose from the plush sofa where a teary-eyed Sophia dabbed her nose with a tissue. Another girl, who Arthur didn’t recognize, had an arm wrapped around Sophia’s shoulder. A tall guy with curly red hair flipped through the channels of the flatscreen—the news of the day focused on the storm. On the sofa opposite the television, a dark-haired girl frantically scrolled on her iPhone. The lights of the York Hill Christmas tree twinkled in the dim common room.

“You didn’t give me another alternative,” Arthur said. He hugged Morgana warmly, despite his annoyance with her. “I’ll call father and see if he can push back dinner another hour.”

“And Merlin!” Morgana said, stepping back from Arthur’s embrace and skimming her palms over Merlin’s upper arms. “It was so kind of you to bring Arthur to me. I saw the lights of your truck when you came up the driveway.”

“You two know each other?” Arthur said, a bit surprised that his sister would socialize with a menial laborer. He quickly thumb-texted Uther. It was easier to disappoint his father with a text than with a phone call.

“Oh, yes,” Morgana said. “Merlin helped me assemble my portfolio for my photography class. He has an eye for photogenic beauty. Don’t let his mad truck-driving skills fool you.”

Morgana laughed at her own joke, while Merlin gave her a quirky smile.

Arthur looked Merlin up and down. He found it hard to believe that they scrawny fellow was useful for anything—except maybe giving rides to stranded students. He raised a questioning eyebrow at his cheerful chauffeur.

“I teach a photography class at the Community College,” Merlin said shyly. “It’s not a real college class though – it’s an enrichment class for adults who want to learn more about photography.”

“You should see his website, his work is brilliant,” Morgana said, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Merlin. “That’s why I asked him to help me with my portfolio for professor Balinor’s art class. I’d never have aced that course if not for Merlin.”

Arthur finished sending his text. Clearly, there was more to this Merlin guy than he could put his finger on. “I’m thrilled to hear it, Morgana. At least you’re good at something,” he said, nodding to Merlin. “But why are these other people here? Everyone was supposed to be off campus by noon.”

“It’s not noon yet,” Morgana said, taking Arthur’s cellphone from his hand to check the time.

“No, but according to Merlin, the university has closed early. He’s not expected to continue plowing here because he’s needed elsewhere. We have to get out now – all of us,” Arthur said, motioning to the gathering of students in the York Hill common room.

“There’s a big accident on I-84,” the redhead shouted from his perch in front of the television.

Arthur retrieved his cellphone from Morgana’s hand and pocketed it again. “That won’t help matters,” Arthur said, leaving Morgana to gush over Merlin. He walked toward the television where he could get more information about the storm. “How bad is it?”

“The news says there are fifty to a hundred cars involved. They’re advising everyone to stay off the roads,” the redhead said. “You’re Morgana’s brother?”

“Arthur,” Arthur said holding out his hand to maintain some semblance of decorum.

“I’m Leon. I stayed late to make up a final I missed when I was down with the flu last week. But now it looks like I’m stuck here,” Leon said, giving Arthur’s knuckles a light punch.

“You live at York Hill?” Arthur asked.

“No,” Leon said. “I’m a junior. I live over at Tudor Village. I’m sure I was the only one left there when I submitted my final. Dorms are all locked up. When the shuttle didn’t show up on time, I walked over here because I saw the lights were on. I was hoping to get to the train station, but now it looks like I’ll have to call a cab.”

Arthur felt his phone buzz with an incoming text. He was certain Uther could wait, so he didn’t bother to pull the phone from his pocket. He was vaguely aware of Merlin’s walkie-talkie going off with more bad news from Will, he supposed. The girl on the sofa continued to speak to Sophia in soothing tones. Morgana admired the way the Christmas lights that adorned each window illuminated the snow in a kaleidoscope of color.

“We need to get to the train station as well,” Arthur said. “The plow driver… Merlin… he may be able to take a few of us into town where we can—”

“It’s no use,” the dark-haired girl approached them with her cellphone in hand. “My brother just texted. He’s a state trooper with Barracks A in Middleton. He says he expects the highway to close and for the governor to declare a ‘state of emergency.’”

Arthur sighed. He scratched at the nape of his neck, the snow-dampened hair drying enough to itch in the warmth of York Hill common room.

“I’m Gwen, by the way,” Gwen said, taking Arthur’s hand.

“Gwen, I’m Arthur,” Arthur said. Her hand was warm against Arthur’s, which was still chilled from the cold ride in Merlin’s truck.

“I’m Leon. Arthur is Morgana’s brother. Are you a senior, as well?” Leon asked.

“Yes,” Gwen said. “My finals were finished but I stayed behind to work my shift at The Isle of Avalon. I’m a business major and they make all the seniors intern at the store so they can get some hands-on experience.”

“And did you have a way to get home?” Arthur asked.

“I was relying on my brother, but Elyan didn’t expect the university to close early and now he’ll be tied up with work until the storm ends,” Gwen said. “If I could get to town, I could probably make my way home from there.”

“I understand,” Arthur said. If only they could all get from the university to the town, perhaps the local buses were still running. Maybe he and Morgana could get to the train station after all – with some help from Morgana’s friend, Merlin.

“As much as I’d hate to miss the Christmas run-up, I wouldn’t be missing much, since there’s just the two of us, my brother and I,” Gwen said. “Elyan is single, so he’s working Christmas Day to give a day off to another officer who has young kids.”

“I don’t have much to celebrate, myself,” Leon said, his eyes scanning the weather coverage that splashed across every station on the television.

“Merlin,” Arthur walked back to where Merlin and Morgana had joined Sophia and her friend on the sofa. “Could I have a word with you?”

“Arthur, I don’t think you’ve met Freya yet,” Morgana introduced the girl Arthur didn’t know. “She was Sophia’s roommate for junior year.”

“I called my mother,” Freya said. “She said Sophia can spend the holidays with us.”

Sophia gave Arthur a weak smile when Freya stroked her hair.

“I’m glad to hear it,” said Arthur. At least a few people were assured of having a happy holiday. “And is your mother on her way here?”

“She’s in traffic on I-84,” Freya said, “but she’ll be here soon enough.”

“That’s where Mithian’s dad is stuck,” Merlin said, his eyes meeting Arthur’s.

“And where there’s a huge pile-up,” Arthur said.

“Will radioed me to say they’ve closed the highway,” Merlin said, getting to his feet.

“Elyan says we should stay put,” Gwen said, joining the conversation.

“We’re all stranded here,” Leon said.

“Let’s remain calm,” Arthur said, raising his palm in the air. “We can’t change the circumstances that keep us here. We need to focus on what things we can do. That’s the only way we’ll get through this unscathed. Take deep breaths. Watch the television to see what’s happening off-campus, and text your loved ones to let them know you’re safe.” He motioned for Merlin to meet him by the window that looked onto the York Hill courtyard. The snow had deepened by another few inches while they were inside.

“What do you have in mind?” Merlin asked.

“Merlin, is there any way your snowplow can get us to town?” Arthur asked. “It seems like most people will be able to get home if they can reach the train station – or at the very least, if they can reach the main road through town once they leave university property.”

Merlin nodded at Arthur, his blue eyes bright with understanding. “I could take a couple people at a time. It may take a few trips, but best to do it now before we’re entirely snowbound here.”

“Okay, I’ll let them know,” Arthur said, clasping Merlin’s shoulder. “You’re a good man.”

“I’ll go warm up the truck,” Merlin said.

Arthur’s eyes followed Merlin as he walked to the door. He clapped his hands together and said, “Now, if I may have everyone’s attention—”

Just then, two men carrying hockey sticks and enormous vinyl bags of sports gear burst into the room, bringing with them a flood of cold air from outside.

“Oh, man, are we glad to see you!” the scruffier of the two shouted as they both stomped the snow off their feet, dropped their bags, and rubbed their hands together to get warm.

“We’ve been wandering around for an hour looking for someone to help us,” the taller man said.

“Come on in and close the door behind you,” Morgana said as she rushed toward them. “You both look like you’re half-frozen.

“I told you we should have come here first,” the scruffy man said to his friend.

“Wait, the campus is closed,” Arthur said. “Why are you here?”

The scruffy guy turned to Morgana, peeled off his gloves, and introduced himself, “I’m Gwaine and this is Percy. We got dropped off here by the shuttle a half hour ago, but our car is buried in the parking lot.”

“We’ve tried digging it out, but we have no shovels and we don’t want to ruin our sticks,” Percy said.

“But where did you come from?” Arthur asked, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“The hospital,” Percy said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“The hospital?” asked Merlin.

“We had a game here last night,” Gwaine said.

“The Knights versus the Raptors,” Freya said, jumping up. “I was there, cheering in the student section of the arena!”

“The Knights won 4-3,” Sophia said sullenly, without leaving her position on the sofa.

“But, you don’t play for the Knights, do you?” Gwen asked, laying a finger across her lips.

Percy looked at his own feet. “No, we’re on the Raptors.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you’re here, now,” Arthur said.

“Listen, friend,” Gwaine said. “Percy here took a check into the boards near the start of the third period. Got a nasty concussion.”

“Oh my God! I saw that happen. There was blood everywhere,” Morgana said, getting to her feet. “Are you all right?”

“Feeling better now,” Percy said. “Got an egg on my head though and a few stitches to show for it.”

Percy leaned down and removed his cap so Morgana could see his bandaged injury.

“He spent the night in the hospital under observation,” Gwaine said. “The coach sent me to stay with him. He gave me the keys to his Mercedes while he rode the team bus back to Bridgeport. This morning, the doctor came in and said that Percy is free to go. We rode a bus back here and it’s a white-out. We can’t get the coach’s car dug out.”

“Where is the car?” Merlin asked.

“It’s over in the sports complex parking lot. We must have walked a mile to get here in the snow,” Gwaine said.

“You’re the first people we’ve seen,” Percy said.

Merlin turned to Arthur. “If I can get them plowed out, maybe they can help bring the rest of these people to town.”

“It would require fewer trips,” Arthur said.

“Exactly,” Merlin said. “Let me go warm up the truck.” He rapped his knuckles on Arthur’s bicep before heading out the door that Gwaine and Percy had just entered.

Arthur smiled fondly at Merlin as he walked away. He wondered why he had never met the intriguing plow driver on campus before. He and Morgana certainly seemed to have made fast friends. He hoped Merlin would be able to plow their way out of their snowy confinement. Although the holidays spent with Uther were usually nothing to cheer about, some of the stranded students had family members who would be devastated by their absence. Arthur felt guilty for thinking he might rather spend the day holed up on campus than with his overbearing father. He quickly tamped down the thought and took charge of the situation at hand.

“When you two get warmed up, you’ll be the first to go with Merlin. If he gets your car plowed out, you’ll follow him back here to pick up the others,” Arthur said, while Percy and Gwaine listened attentively. “Gwen, Freya, and Sophia can ride with you to town. Leon and Morgana will come with me. We’ll manage to fit into the truck somehow—”

“Except for one problem,” Merlin said, entering the common room again. “The truck won’t start.”

* * *

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Arthur said, turning toward the door where Merlin stood looking apologetic and a bit worried. The snow swirled around Merlin’s feet where the wind snuck through the doorframe to circle his boots with snow.

“Maybe we’ll be stranded here, after all,” Morgana said.

Arthur shuddered to think of how hopeful Morgana sounded at the prospect of not spending Christmas with Uther. It would be just like her to hope Merlin’s truck couldn’t be fixed. She seemed to lack the guilt that Arthur felt for thinking the same thing.

The girls looked resigned to their fate. Arthur watched Sophia plead for Freya to join her on the sofa again.

“Do you know what’s wrong with the truck?” Arthur asked, turning to Merlin. “Can it be fixed?”

Merlin shook his head. “I looked under the hood, but I don’t know. I’m no mechanic… it’s been running fine all day. Maybe it’s the battery?”

“Well can you go try to figure out what’s wrong so it can be fixed, instead of leaving us here to freeze to death?” Arthur asked, waving his hands in the air.

“Arthur!” Gwen said, tugging on Arthur’s arm. “There’s a blizzard outside. You can’t very well expect Merlin to work on the truck in this kind of weather.”

“She’s right,” Gwaine jumped in. “He can’t be expected to work out there alone. I know bit about cars. I’ll give you a hand.”

Merlin smiled hopefully.

“I’ll wait here,” Percy said.

“That’s probably for the best, in your condition,” Leon said, patting Percy’s shoulder.

Gwaine donned his gloves again and headed for the door, but Arthur stopped him, having a better idea. “That’s all well and good, and I appreciate your help,” Arthur said to Gwaine, before addressing Merlin. “But what about your friend, Will? Can’t he help us? Maybe his plow can get us out of here?”

Arthur didn’t mean to sound so demanding, but clearly someone needed to take the reins before this storm situation got any more chaotic. He was quite accustomed to taking charge when the circumstances warranted it. His father had always demanded that Arthur react swiftly and judiciously, without any concern for whose feelings might get hurt. It was a lesson that had been drilled into Arthur’s mind.

“I can get Will on the walkie-talkie,” Merlin said, nodding to Gwaine. “I was supposed to help him out, but I’m sure he’ll come to help us if I ask him.”

Arthur was relieved. Maybe they’d get to Camelot tonight after all. “I’m glad to see that we’re thinking more rationally now,” Arthur said.

Merlin took the walkie-talkie from its clip on his belt and called for assistance.

“Will? You there?” Merlin asked.

Gwaine leaned against the doorframe, ready to leave with Merlin, if necessary.

A long time passed before Will answered. “Yeah, Merlin? I’m a little tied up now.”

“What’s going on?” Merlin asked.

“I started heading toward the university when I finished here. I wasn’t sure why you hadn’t shown up. Then I got caught on the main drag with all these cars off the road,” Will said.

“Where are you now?” Merlin asked.

“I barely made it out of the office park, when… why don’t these fucking people stay off the roads when the weather is like this?” Will said.

“My thoughts exactly,” Merlin said.

Static crackled over the airways.

“I don’t think we’re going to make it home to Ealdor tonight,” Will said.

“That’s all right,” Merlin said with a sigh. “My mother would rather have me get there in one piece, than not at all.”

Arthur took a step backwards. He heard the hurt in Merlin’s voice. Arthur felt like he was eavesdropping on a private conversation. He watched Merlin’s Adam’s apple bob up and down as he spoke. He immediately regretted forcing Merlin to call his friend in front of the rest of the stranded students. He had to remember that most people had a loving family to spend time with for the holidays. Not everyone had Uther Pendragon for a parent.

Merlin’s sadness made Arthur want to rush to him, to comfort him and tell him everything would be all right. It wasn’t Merlin’s fault he didn’t know how to fix the truck. He was a simple laborer who helped people and who befriended Morgana when she needed photography advice. He couldn’t be expected to solve every problem that the weather threw at them.

“Okay,” Merlin said. “Tomorrow then.”

“Christmas is the day after tomorrow. Are we really stranded here?” Sophia asked, her voice tiny and scared.

“It seems so,” Morgana said, flopping onto the sofa with the two girls.

“I’m so sorry,” Sophia said. “Arthur… this is all my fault. If it weren’t for my break-up with Cenred, you’d be home by now. You all would be home with your families. I’m so sorry for behaving like a child.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Arthur said, but his words sounded ridiculous even to his own ears. He had tried with all his might to not let Sophia know how irritated this whole situation had made him, but in the end he failed. The windows draped in white and the glittering lights on the York Hill common room Christmas tree reminded him that winter was a time to be cheerful.

Arthur went to the sofa and knelt on the plush carpeting. Taking Sophia’s hands in his, he held her eyes and assured her. “We’re going to make the best of it, but I need your help.”

“How so?” Sophia asked, a blush creeping over her cheeks as her hands warmed in Arthur’s.

“Keep your chin up,” Arthur said. “This storm would have come, no matter what happened between you and Cenred. We should all be grateful that we can communicate with our loved ones, and that we know they’re not in danger.”

“And they know we’re not in danger here,” Sophia added.

“That’s right,” Arthur said. “And you have my assurance that I am going to do my best to get us out of here.”

“We have every confidence in you,” Morgana said, leaving over to kiss Arthur on the cheek.

“I appreciate that, Morgana,” Arthur said, sincerely.

Outside the wind buffeted the building, making the windows shudder with the force of the storm. The falling snow seemed to darken the sky. The sun’s warm rays were like a dream that ended yesterday, and that wouldn’t be seen anytime soon.

“It’s getting cold,” Gwen said, crossing her arms to ward off the chill. She walked to the window and watched the snow get blown into drifts.

“I wish York Hill had a fireplace like they do in Lancaster Commons,” Leon said, joining Gwen at the window. “It would warm us up.”

“I just remembered something,” Gwen said. “The university’s heating system is controlled automatically, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I think so,” Leon said. “The heat won’t come on until the temperature gets just low enough that the pipes won’t freeze. The university saves money by not heating the place during the breaks when no one is here.”

“You mean we’re stuck here without any heat?” Freya asked.

Their complaints gave Arthur an idea, but he’d need Merlin’s cooperation. He extracted his hands from Sophia’s and got to his feet. “Hang tight,” he said. He patted her hands gently, stood up and walked to Merlin.

“Look,” Arthur said, tugging on the braid that ran from an earflap of Merlin’s hat, “I didn’t mean to get down on you about the truck.” He hoped Merlin believed him.

Merlin rubbed the back of his neck, his ridiculous hat shifting from side to side with his dark hair. “I know,” he said. “We’re all under a bit of stress because of the weather.”

“You’ve already done more than could be expected to help us,” Arthur said. He hoped that Merlin would continue to help them. He might, if Arthur didn’t fuck everything up first with his demands.

“I wish I knew what was wrong with the truck,” Merlin said. “I checked what I could but—”

“It’s all right,” Arthur said, clasping Merlin’s shoulder. “I have an idea.”

“What’s that?” Merlin asked.

“I’m the RA at Lancaster commons—”

“You’ve already reminded me of that,” Merlin said.

“Wait, just listen,” Arthur said. He was tempted to hold a finger to Merlin’s plush lips to keep him from interrupting, but he restrained himself. “Lancaster Commons is the closest dormitory to the main road. If Will comes to help, and we were at Lancaster, he wouldn’t have to travel that far onto the campus complex before he reached you… before he reached all of us… if we stayed there.”

“But what about the—”

“Not only that,” Arthur said. “But Lancaster has a fireplace… if we lose power in the storm, at least we’ll be warm.”

“I shouldn’t leave the truck,” Merlin said. “My uncle won’t like it.”

“If we go to Lancaster, I don’t think you should stay behind,” Arthur said.

“I’ve slept in the truck before. I’ll be okay,” Merlin said.

“Merlin! I’m not going to let you sleep in the truck during a blizzard,” Arthur said. “And your uncle wouldn’t allow such a thing either—no one who cared about you would.”

Merlin looked at the floor, his dark lashes fluttering with indecision.

“You can get him on the walkie-talkie, yeah?” Arthur said.

“I suppose I could,” Merlin said.

“Merlin,” Arthur said, cupping Merlin’s cheek in his palm. “Call your uncle and explain what we are doing. He’ll be glad to know that you’re safe.”

Merlin’s eyes met Arthur’s and he nodded almost imperceptibly.

“You’re coming with us. Call him,” Arthur said before turning away.

Leaving Merlin to call Gaius on the walkie-talkie, Arthur strode to the center of the room.

“I need to have everyone’s attention,” Arthur said, his voice drowning out the news from the television.

Gwen and Leon turned toward Arthur. Sophia clung to Freya. Gwaine looked relieved that he didn’t have to make a decision for himself and Percy. Morgana sat up straight.

“As Leon has pointed out, this storm is going to get much worse before it’s over,” Arthur said.

Whispers about Christmas rose from the girls on the sofa.

“We are stuck here on campus, but we are far from alone,” Arthur continued. “I cannot promise that we’ll all be in our own homes for Christmas, but I can promise that we will be safe and warm.”

“How will we stay warm when the heat is scheduled to be shut off?” Leon asked.

“We’ll freeze here,” Gwen said. “It’s so cold already.”

Arthur rose his hand to quiet them both. “Merlin plowed a path from Lancaster Commons to here, less than an hour ago. The road is still snow-covered, but the snow is not as deep as it would be on the roads that haven’t yet been plowed,” Arthur said.

“You want us to walk there?” Gwaine asked. “Percy and I have been walking all over this campus today. We’re beat, man.”

“You won’t find anything there at the other dorm, that’s not here in this one,” Percy said. “Snow, snow, and more snow.”

Arthur turned his head to watch the snow fall outside the window. If they were going to walk back to Lancaster Commons, they had better do it soon, before the road became impassable.

“At Lancaster Commons, there is a large fireplace in the common room. There’s a good supply of firewood and we’ll be able to light the fire to stay warm. York Hill has no such alternate means of heating the building, so I believe we should make our way there,” Arthur said.

He was pleased when the majority of the stranded students seemed to be nodding in agreement.

“We will also have the advantage of being close to the university entrance, so when help does arrive, as I’m certain it will, we will be nearer to the town and the train station,” Arthur said, noticing that Merlin had finished his conversation with Gaius on the walkie-talkie. Merlin walked to Arthur and stood behind him, making Arthur wonder if he might have more news. “Our rescuers won’t have far to travel to meet us, and we won’t have far to travel to reach our intended destinations. Now, if you’re coming with me, let’s get ready to go.”

A small cheer went up from the crowd. Soon people began rising from their seats to gather their belongings that had been left around the room.

“We also need to find Mithian and her friends,” Merlin said, when Arthur was finished speaking.

“Yes, I haven’t forgotten about them,” Arthur said.

“When we walk back to Lancaster, we can stop at Hanover House and see if they’ll go with us,” Merlin said.

Arthur smiled. “You spoke to your uncle?”

“Yes, and also to Will,” Merlin said. “I’m afraid the storm has only gotten worse while we’ve been here. The governor has declared a “state of emergency.” He’s ordered all vehicles off the roads. Only necessary emergency workers are supposed to be driving at all.”

“Like police and fire rescue vehicles?” Arthur asked, although he already knew the answer Merlin would give him.

“We won’t be stuck for long,” Merlin said. “I know Will will come to get us. He says they’ve closed the highway, but he’ll get through as soon as he can.”

“He’s a good friend,” Arthur said.

“I think everyone is ready,” Morgana said. “We all had our bags packed to go home for break anyway.”

“Bundle up, everyone,” Arthur said, as he grabbed his duffle and led the group out the door.

* * *

Part 2