Okay, and here it is; chapter 3. Sorry it took a few days, didn't have any time to write. As you will notice, this chapter is less focussed on the humor and more on the developing romance between Gwaine and Merlin ... ;)


I wasn't expecting on finding anyone at the library at this hour, and certainly not him. Truth to be told, off all people I could have come across in a dark room, I was glad it was him. But we weren't alone.

As I entered the dark chamber, hidden in one of the more private sections of the castle, I found that Marcus, the librerian, wasn't at his usual spot.
I should have known something was off when he wasn't there, he had always been here ever since I learned about this place. But I chose to not pay attention to it, happy that for once I wouldn't have to lie my way into the magic section. As I held my torch in the usual direction and my feet walked in automatic gear, a movement caught my eye.
Quickly, I put out my torch - with a simple magic trick- and I hid behind the bookshelves on my left. I waited, wondering if the person'd seen me.
As a minute went by, I heard no change, so I concluded this person hadn't seen me. I gathered all my courage and peeked my head around the corner of the shelves I was currently hiding behind. I lit a small flame with my hand so I could see in the dark.

What I saw was a larger person, rather short and hunched up, intensely searching for something in a book in his/her hands. I couldn't make out if it was a man or a woman, as he/she wore several layers of clothes with on top a large grey cloak that swept across the floor. I immediately knew something was off, it was too quiet and she/he was standing where I was heading...
I needed to know which book he/she was holding, so I tried to get closer. Slowly and as quietly as I could, I tiptoed my way closer.
But when there were only just a few metres left between this person and me, a familiar voice coming from the other side of the room caught me off guard and I stumbled over my own feet, dropping an entire shelf filled with books with me. I fell roughy to the floor, cursing, right in sight of the old woman - it turned out she was a woman - I was spying on, who was now quickly running away into the obscurity. I heard her whisper something I couldn't understand and next thing I knew, I heard other footsteps running my way.
I wanted to get up to save the little that was left of my dignity, but somehow my ankle prevented me from doing so. I heard a crack and for a second and all turned black.


When my sight came back, my eyes met the concerned ones of Gwaine. He was crunched next to me. I wanted to ask him about the old woman, but he didn't let me talk as he shoved water in my mouth.

'Here, drink.

'Hmmmmf'

I tried shoving the bottle away from me, but he was too strong for me.

'Ggggwwwaine. Stop! Stop it! Did you see her?'

'What are you talking about? Shhhht. You need to drink some, you look like you're about to loose conscience again. Did you hit your head while falling?'

As soon as he asked, he pulled at my hair and examined my head. This was getting strange, Gwaine acting overprotective. I didn't have time for this sh*t.

'What? No, I didn't hit my head. Let go, Gwaine.'

I slapped his hand. He still looked worried.

'There was a woman there. But you made her run.'

'A woman? Is that all you can think about, lying here?'

He let go of me and stood up as soon as he heard the word woman.

'Not the one from the bar yesterday, I hope?', he asked.

Was it my imagination, or did that question sound accusing?

'Who are you talking about, Gwaine? No! There was a creepy old woman standing there right behind you.'
As we looked into the direction where the woman had been standing, I noticed the book she had been holding lying on the floor. I tried to pull myself up, but regretted the movement immediately.

'Awwwwww. Bad idea! Aaaaa ...'

Gwaine immediately crunched back to my side, pulling me tight to his chest.

'Merlin, stop trying to get up. I think you broke your ankle.'

I looked down at my feet and saw my left ankle bruised and swollen up. How did that happen? It couldn't be from falling. It looked like it had been stuck in one of the torture- machines. And than I remembered the woman whispering something. She did this to me!

'Merlin?'

'Gwaine. Get me that book there, would you?'

He did as I asked and looked at the book he was holding. But when he was by my side again, he wouldn't hand it over.

'What do you want with this?'

'Hand it over, Gwaine.'

'Why?'

'Don't worry, it's not mine! That woman was searching for something in this book and I need to know what.'

'Why do you care?'

'Because ... I think I've seen her before ... I just can't remember where I've seen her, but I know I have. And she ran as soon as she knew someone was in the library. I'm telling you Gwaine, she's up to no good!'

Gwaine seemed to be concidering what to do, and he ended up handing me the book over.

Our hands touched and electricity made us both jump from our places. Gwaine was looking at me intensively, as if trying to figure me out. I suddenly remembered something from yesterday.


Flashback

Everything was hazy, I saw things as if I was a ghost who was taken back into the past to remember something I had forgotten. I saw everything and everyone in front of me - including myself - and I felt everything that was happening before me as if I was sitting there right now.
I saw myself seated at the bar, leaning back in my chair. A woman was straddled on my lap, her hands roaming over sensitive places on my body and her breath hot against my ear. I turned my head to Gwaine who was sitting on my left side. He looked uncomfortable, but I could see he couldn't look away.
I had just said something terrible to him by the hurt look in his eyes, I could still feel certain words on the tip of my tongue. Slut ... Alchoholic ... Taste ... Somehow, I couldn't make a sentence out of these words I remembered. The Merlin I saw was nothing like me and still ... it was me. I saw myself smile at Gwaine and wink, right before I claimed her mouth with all the passion within me. I kissed her, but the kiss wasn't meant for her. I knew he was watching, I felt his eyes burning on my skin and all I could think off was how and when I would do him. I ended the kiss shortly after I started it; this woman didn't deserve me. I shoved her off me and turned back to Gwaine who said something to Lancelot about Arthur. Then suddenly, he stood up and pulled me by my arm.

End flashback


I look up at Gwaine who is looking back at me, worried.

'Merlin, 're you allright?'

Too ashamed to look him in the eyes, I look away.

'I'm okay. Why are you helping me? After last night?'

'What about last night? You said some truthfull things. Even though you have to work on the way you break these things down to people ...'

We both laughed shortly at this.

'I thought you didn't remember things?, he asked me all of a sudden.

'Well I don't ... but Gwen told me certain things I said to her ... I can only imagine what I said to Arthur, Lance or you ... Wait, how do you know?'

'She told me earlier about your amnesia. I was looking for you. She told me you would be here.'

'Oh ...'

'Yeah ... So, I ... was wondering how much do you remember?'

'Hmm ... well, right now? Nothing. But you do know that whatever I said yesterday, that wasn't me.'

'Hmm'.

For a moment, he looked away.

'So, not that I hate being here with you, alone in the dark, but shouldn't we go to Gaius to have that ankle checked out?'

Happy he left things to what they were for now, I smiled at him and nodded in agreement.

'Right ... So how do I get out of here exactly?'

Gwaine didn't ask or say anything. He picked me right off the floor, pulled me in his arms and carried me across the library. When we're almost out of the library, I realise I forgot something.

'Gwaine, turn back. I forgot the book.'

He smiles and winks at me and ads: 'was there anything else you needed, mylady?'

I blush at my new surname and decide to go along in the game.

'No, that would be all for now, Sir knight.'