The Haunted Mansion
Characters/Pairings: Arthur/Gwen, Merlin/Morgana, Leon/Mithian
Word Count: 2883
9 Image prompts used.
Written for Merlin Writers' Fic Tak Toe Bingo
Kingdom of Camelot
Merlin was now as old as Dragoon. He walked into his cottage just outside of the city and put his bag down on his workbench. He took out a large crystal and placed it next to his spell book.
"Now I have everything I need to see my future incarnations." He sat down and read the spell aloud. The crystal started to glow. "Ah! Yes. I have always loved a good party. It is a party to celebrate Samhain. The thinning of the veil."
Merlin smiled at the images as they formed in the crystal. Old friends that had been reborn appeared in the images. When he saw Arthur, his grin widened.
Suddenly the crystal sucked him through a portal. It took him to an abandoned mansion just outside of Cardiff.
Present Day Cardiff
The fundraiser for Children's Charities was supposed to be the gala of the year. The orange and black invitation said black tie even though it was a Halloween themed event.
At the flat Arthur shared with Gwen, Arthur waited impatiently in the lounge for Gwen. When she came down the stairs, he looked her up and down and slowly grinned.
"I love red on you." Arthur held out his hand to help her down the last few steps. "Is that new?"
"Stop! You've seen this dress at least a dozen times." Gwen rolled her eyes and went to pick up her phone from the coffee table.
Arthur smirked as the red velvet tightened over Gwen's behind as she bent over. "It's a pleasure every time I see it. I see that we are going to shag tonight."
Gwen turned around with a confused look on her face. "What?"
"You're wearing your 'shag me rotten' heels." Arthur laughed. "I suppose we shall have to find a broom cupboard once we get there, of course. We had better get on."
Gwen picked up a black lace wrap from the back of a chair. "I'm ready."
Arthur looked her up and down slowly. "I believe I'm feeling ready as well."
"Arthur!" Gwen blushed.
Arthur sighed and offered her his arm. "I will have to find that broom cupboard really soon. Really soon…."
On a quiet road in the middle of nowhere, Merlin rolled the car to a stop and turned off the engine. "This is it!"
Morgana looked out the window and frowned. "Are you sure we are in the right place? It looks abandoned."
They had stopped in front of a creepy old mansion in a state of disrepair.
"The GPS coordinates match." Merlin leaned over and frowned as he looked out the window. "Hmm …"
"Check again." Morgana handed him her phone.
Merlin turned on the overhead light and pulled the orange and black invitation from his tuxedo pocket. He compared the numbers on both. "Yes, this is it."
"There are no cars or anything. Where is everyone?" Morgana looked back at Merlin and let out a startled cry. "Merlin! There's a zombie at the window."
Merlin glanced over and started to lower the window but Morgana grabbed his hand.
"They eat brains, Merlin."
"Then I should be perfectly safe because Arthur says that I don't have one." Merlin grinned and lowered the window.
The zombie grinned. "I'm the valet. May I park your car, sir?"
"Excuse me. Is this the Children's Charities Gala?" Morgana asked.
"Yes Miss. It's just inside to the right in the ballroom." The zombie grinned.
"Thank you." Morgana gave Merlin an annoyed look.
Merlin got out and handed the zombie the keys then he went to open Morgana's door. He helped her out.
Morgana leaned forward and whispered. "Merlin, I don't have a good feeling about this."
"Morgana relax. It's just a party. What could go wrong?" Merlin grinned as he escorted her inside.
Arthur and Gwen arrived at the spooky old mansion a few minutes later. They were greeted by the smiling zombie valet. Arthur laughed and got out handing the zombie his keys.
"I can believe the lengths our hosts are going to make this an interesting evening." Gwen took Arthur's hand as he helped her out of the car. "I didn't realize Elena and Mithian were so into the holiday."
"A little too interesting if you ask me." Arthur looked around. "Now how did they do that? There are ravens in that tree there. Spooky Ravens."
Gwen laughed. "They're just props. It's just to make it more spooky looking."
Suddenly one of the birds flapped its wings and cried out. It flew off the branch toward the house.
"That was not a fake raven." Arthur felt a shiver down his spine.
Gwen laughed. "It's just a bird, Arthur. Don't be silly. Let's go inside."
As Arthur and Gwen walked inside the door, Mithian came to greet them.
"I'm so glad you came!" Mithian smiled. "Leon said no one would come all the way out here. Merlin and Morgana just arrived a few minutes ago. I hope the zombie didn't frighten you too much. I think it might have startled Morgana."
"Morgana is just being silly." Arthur laughed. "Zombies are not that scary."
Gwen shot him a look of disbelief.
"Go on into the ballroom." Mithian laughed. "Leon is by the cauldron of punch. It looks strange but it's very delicious and a bit potent."
"We will try to keep that in mind, won't we Arthur?" Gwen slipped her arm through his. "We don't want a repeat of last year's Christmas party, do we?"
Arthur frowned. He was so drunk he had to be carried to bed by Percival.
Gwen gently tugged at his arm. "Let's go say hello."
They walked into the ballroom and spotted Merlin and Morgana standing with Leon beside a large bubbling cauldron.
The room was lit with electric candles that cast shadows everywhere. There were spider webs lingering in the corners. It wasn't clear if they were occupied or decorations.
Leon held out two cups of green punch to Arthur and Gwen. "Try it. It tastes better than the eggnog at Gwaine's Christmas party."
"He's driving but I'll have one. Gwen took the cup and sipped it. "Not bad!"
"Elena found a recipe on line. The smoke is dry ice to keep it cool." Leon explained. He waved his hand over the cauldron to move the smoke. "It's quite remarkable really.
"Morgana, take your nails out of my arm." Merlin put his hand over Morgana's on his arm. "It's just an old house. Have some more punch."
"I don't know. Something feels off." Morgana let go but stayed close to his side. She took the cup Leon offered her and eyed it cautiously. "I don't believe you don't feel it too, Merlin."
"The zombie surprised her." Merlin smirked.
"A raven in the old tree out front gave Arthur a fright." Gwen grinned. "It must be a Pendragon thing."
Merlin chuckled. "It must."
"I thought it was a prop. I didn't expect it to move." Arthur pouted.
Gwen laughed. "Come Morgana. Let's go see the items up for auction."
Morgana handed her cup to Merlin and left the men around the cauldron.
"Are you feeling well? Please tell me that zombie didn't you frighten that much." Gwen asked when she and Morgana were looking at the items up for bid.
"No, it didn't really. It's this time of year. I'm always so unsettled around Halloween." Morgana shook her head. "I have no idea why I'm like this. Merlin thinks it's a past life memory. I think he told me that because he just wants me to stop being silly."
"Merlin is an expert on those things." Gwen shrugged. She wrote down a bid on a card and put it in the box in front of one of the items. "He does teach a class at University on that very topic."
"Yes." Morgana pointed to a bracelet on display. "I like this." When she turned to get a card to place her bid, she jumped.
"Morgana!?" Gwen put her hand on her shoulder. "What is it?"
"Nothing. I just thought… The carving on that pumpkin just startled me. It seemed real for an instant. It jumped out at me." Morgana picked up a card.
"No more of that punch for you. It's got you seeing things." Gwen smiled. "Make your bid. I'll keep an eye on the dragon for you."
"Gwen, I saw it become real and fly towards me." Morgana was shaking. "You believe me, don't you?
Gwen looked at her. "I believe that's what you saw. You have always been able to sense things no one else can. I should get you back to Merlin. I think you should go home and rest."
"I think I just need to sit somewhere quiet for a few minutes." Morgana wrote down a bid and put it in the box in front of the bracelet. "I really haven't had that much punch."
Merlin and Arthur walked up to them. Gwen gave Arthur a concerned look then glanced at Morgana.
"Are you alright, Love?" Merlin asked.
"I need to sit somewhere quiet for a few minutes to get myself together." Morgana smiled. "I don't want to be a party pooper."
Gwen looked around and the called out to Mithian. She waved her over.
"Do you need more bidding cards?" Mithian asked.
"No." Gwen smiled. "Is there somewhere Morgana can sit for a few moments?"
"There is a lounge on the other side of that door." Mithian pointed at a door on the other side of the room. "We didn't clean many rooms for the party. All the rooms upstairs are locked." Mithian looked at Morgana. "I hope it wasn't the punch."
"No. I just need a minute." Morgana smiled. "I'll be fine. Thank you."
Merlin offered his arm to Morgana. "Come on, Love."
In the lounge, Old Merlin peered through the cracked open door. When he saw Merlin and Morgana coming, he looked around for a place to hide.
He stepped on a hearthstone and a panel next to the hearth opened up. He stepped through just as Merlin and Morgana came through the door.
"Now tell me what is really going on." Merlin knelt beside the chair as Morgana sat down.
"You know how I get this time of year. That's all it is." Morgana sighed. "I feel out of sorts."
"I've told you it's just a forgotten shadow of a memory from a past life." Merlin patted her hand.
"Yes Professor Emrys." Morgana looked around the room. Her eyes fell on a mirror. Suddenly an image of an old man appeared in it. Morgana screamed!
Merlin turned around but he didn't see anything.
Arthur, Gwen, Leon, and Mithian came through the door in a rush.
"What happened?" Arthur asked. "We heard a scream."
"I saw an old man in the mirror." Morgana started to hyperventilate.
Merlin shook his head. "Morgana, calm down."
"I saw him." Morgana got up and walked toward the mirror. She stepped on the hearthstone and the panel opened. "See!? I told you. He was in there."
"Leon, stay with the ladies." Arthur grabbed Merlin by the arm and hauled him to his feet. "Merlin and I will see if we can find this old man that Morgana saw."
Arthur stepped though the panel and looked around. He took his mobile out of his pocket and turned on the torch app. He turned to Merlin and waited for Merlin to do the same.
They walked a few feet and were suddenly in a dense jungle of spider webs. Arthur pushed them aside as he walked in front.
"Someone has been here. There are footsteps in the dust and some of the spider webs have been disturbed recently." Merlin held up his phone. "I bet the whole house is connected to this tunnel."
"What do you think? Servants' passage?" Arthur asked. There was another door along the passage. Arthur tried it but it wouldn't open.
"Most likely." Merlin tapped Arthur on the shoulder. "This way. The footsteps go down this way. I think it's a cave."
Arthur followed Merlin into a cave. "Now where do we go?"
"I don't know." Merlin held up his phone and shined the light on the walls.
Suddenly the walls started to fly toward Merlin and Arthur. Both men ducked as a wall of bats flew past them. Arthur made a startled sound almost like a scream.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Arthur carefully raised his head.
"Bats." Merlin grinned. "Whoever came this way, didn't disturb them. It must have been the torch light."
"Wonderful." Arthur groaned. "Where is the entry to this cave? I don't want to be stuck in here when those bats come back."
"There it is. Do you see that sliver of moonlight over there? The footsteps lead in that direction." Merlin headed toward the entrance.
"Let's just find whoever he is and get this over with." Arthur pulled a spider web off his lapel. "Bats and spiders. This is turning into a shitty evening."
They reach the mouth of the cave just in time to get bombarded by the returning bats. Arthur and Merlin pinned themselves to the wall on either side of the mouth of the cave and waited until all the bats were passed before moving out.
Merlin continued to follow the trail in the moonlight. Arthur looked around to see if they were being watched. They weren't having any luck until the came face to face with an old man.
The old man was sitting on a rock with a big grin on his face. "I realized you were following me when the bats flew out of the cave. I thought I should let you catch up."
"Who are you?" Merlin asked. "Why are you hiding in secret passageways?"
"I am you." The old man smiled. "Only from another life time but finding the passageway was a happy accident. Arthur, you are unchanged from the day that I sent you in a boat to Avalon. How I have missed you."
"I don't know you sir." Arthur eyed the old man suspiciously.
"You know him therefore you know me. I am him." The old man chuckled. "I hope that I did not frighten Morgana overly much. She seems so fragile in this life time. Not like the vengeful witch that I had to kill when we all lived in Camelot."
"Sir, I believe you are mad." Arthur reached out to take the man's arm. "Let's go inside and you can get some help for your delusions."
"You know what I say is true, don't you?" The old man asked Merlin.
"I only know that it's possible but how did you get here?" Merlin asked. "In this time, I mean."
"I used magick. Did you forget that we have magick?" The old man chuckled. "Ah! That's what ails Morgana. She feels her magick but it is just out of her reach."
"I don't understand." Merlin frowned.
"I don't have time to explain to you." The old man looked up at the moon. "My time here is gone. Farewell!"
The old man disappeared into a cloud of mist.
Merlin and Arthur look at each other.
"Did you see that?" Merlin asked. "I think that was me!"
"I didn't see anything, Merlin." Arthur shook his head. "You must have had a lot of punch."
"Arthur …." Merlin sighed. "Fine but you know we did see and speak to an old man."
Arthur shook his head. "We didn't see a thing. No one was out here." Arthur put his finger in Merlin's face. "Do you understand?"
"Yes." Merlin chuckled and nodded. "Shall I tell Gwen you squealed like a girl when the bats flew past us?"
"Not a thing, Merlin." Arthur walked back the way they came.
Merlin laughed. "At least can I tell her that you were frightened?"
"All you need to do is find a way to tell your wife she was imagining things." Arthur kept walking quickly back to the cave. "Don't shine the light on the bats this time."
Merlin grinned. "Yes Sire!"
Arthur threw Merlin a glare over his shoulder and kept walking.
It didn't take long for them to reach the open panel in the passage way. Everyone was still there waiting on Arthur and Merlin to return,
"What did you see? Did you find the man?" Morgana rushed into Merlin's arms. "Please tell me, Merlin.
"Love, there was nothing there." Merlin caressed Morgana's cheek. "We didn't find anything. You must have imagined the whole thing. Let me take you home."
"Merlin, are you saying this mansion is haunted?" Mithian asked.
"Yes! That is exactly what Merlin is saying." Arthur smiled. "Haunted by ghosts. In this case, the ghost of an old man."
Merlin and Arthur looked at each other. Morgana was too upset to notice but Gwen could tell they were not telling the whole story.
Kingdom of Camelot
Merlin as an old man appeared in his cottage. He laughed. "I marry a woman that hated me and wanted me dead. Well that sounds normal enough."
Merlin looked at the crystal then out the window at the moon. "Best not to tempt fate like that again." He wrapped the crystal in cloth and put it in a cupboard.