Chapter 2: Denial, denial...
When Merlin woke his head felt funny and there was a heavy feeling over his stomach. He groaned and looked down to see an arm draped over him. His eyes followed the arm up to where it belonged, only to see a shirtless Arthur sleeping like dead. Well... he could say just dead. He took his arm off him very careful by grabbing his wrist loosely.
He sat up and looked around the place that had fallen in darkness. He let his bare feet touch the carpet beneath him and searched for his boots. When he found them he headed outside leaving Arthur in the same position when he left the bed. The door squeaked and Merlin hoped that the noise wouldn't wake the vampire. Thankfully the corridors outside were lit. He walked through the narrow corridor he was lead to in the first place until he reached a wider one. This one had doors to each side of them. More vampire hidings, he thought.
Just then one of those doors opened and a man walked out carefully, closing the door as quietly as he could. When he turned around he was caught by surprise at the sight of Merlin.
"Oh!" he whispered. "Hi!" he whispered again. "Let's go to the kitchen. We don't want to wake anyone up." He smiled and Merlin followed him were they descended a huge and wide staircase, past the main room, where he was interrogated, and into a few other rooms. A place that looked a lot like a ball room and another one that looked like a dining room with a huge table, for whatever reason it was needed!
"I'm Lancelot. Nice to meet you." The man said somewhere in-between the walking. "You must be Arthur's!"
He had enough, the nerve of these people desperately categorizing each other as if they were possessions! "I'm not anyone's!" he shouted.
The man chuckled at the newcomer's behaviour. "You remind me of myself." He said when they finally reached a huge kitchen. How all the rooms can be so goddamn big in here, Merlin would never know. "Not wanting to accept reality. Not accepting that you will be stuck to someone for the rest of your life."
"What are you talking about?"
"You'll see soon enough..." he rummaged through the cupboards. "What would you like to eat? I can't really cook well and seeing how the servants haven't awoken yet we will have to result to something simple. Porridge or bread and cheese?" He briefly asked himself why the servants were still asleep since it was early morning.
"Umm... porridge." Merlin replied not really knowing what was happening.
They started eating in silence. A human living by his own will with vampires and another human held here against his will and said human living here by his own will scanning him from head to toe, not really because he was curious but because he was asked to take care of him and pay attention to his stay here by a certain someone from the high ranks of the vampires, so this basically was out of duty and not because he actually cared but being the polite and good man he is, agreed to this in the end, exchanging weird and awkward glances across the table was weird enough. It made Merlin more relieved, actually, as it proved only human feelings and interactions in place.
"What's your name again?" he broke the ice.
"Merlin."
"Well Merlin if there is anything you need to ask, here is your chance."
"I don't really have any questions and I'm not staying. Honestly, people seem to believe that I want to live here." He rolled his eyes at his annoyance.
"What's so bad about here?" The question included a great amount of surprise.
"Only that it's a creepy, huge, creaking castle."
"Most people that live here think of it as a home..." he explained "...and a safe place from the sun. And don't get your hopes up about leaving. I, myself, tried when I first came here, it didn't work."
Merlin scoffed.
Lancelot looked at the man opposite him. Now he was curious to know more of his "normal human life so far", "You don't like vampires do you?"
"I don't hate them." He told him truthfully. "I just think they are arrogant and hot-headed and stubborn and too goddamn thirsty and horny all the time!"
Lancelot laughed out loud at the perfect match of vampire description. "You got that right my friend! It seems like you have experience with them. As if you've known one for long time."
"You could say that..." Merlin admitted and Lancelot suddenly felt intrigued. He kept looking at Merlin as if he expected him to say more. "A friend, nothing more."
"Well I do have my own share in vampire business as you can see."
"How come? You are human aren't you?"
"I'm Gwen's." He stated. "The one second in command, surely you must have seen her. She's always sitting next to Arthur." Merlin nodded in acknowledgment.
"Do you like, er, being hers?"
"I chose it." Merlin looked confused. "I love her and she loves me." He explained "I'm not her Half though. That's rare to find."
"Half? What does that mean?"
"When a vampire finds his Half, they can smell it in their blood, it's like they were meant to be. Meant to have met and they usually stay together till they both seize to exist."
"I don't understand why you are with her, you are human you will die eventually."
"A vampire's blood can sustain life. I am actually 65 years old." The man had to be joking he barely looked around thirty.
"I met her when I was twenty and have drunk her blood ever since, however I do get old, slowly but eventually after some years I will die."
"Which is why, she is turning me into a vampire a month from now."
"You want to be a vampire?" Merlin asked curiously.
"I want to be with Gwen." The man smiled softly. "Always and forever."
The conversation Merlin had with Lancelot put him into thinking. Could he and Arthur ever have that same connection? He really doubted it but yesterday's events proved to be a bit... strange. He never found this whole blood drinking business something to enjoy, mostly because it hurt, each and every time. But this time, it was different. When Arthur sank his teeth in his neck the night before, it was something beyond amazing. Arthur was the first to make such a life threatening activity so pleasurable. Merlin kept thinking and saying that he is not staying, but something drew him back. Call it curiosity, but Merlin wanted to see Arthur.
After they finished breakfast, Merlin asked Lancelot what he does to kill time around here and when he said training, Merlin resorted to Arthur's books. The blonde vampire was still sleeping in the bed and Merlin estimated another hour before he would wake up. He looked at the shelves and sighed. He picked up the first book from the lowest corner and started examining the pages one by one.
He sat on the floor facing the books and went from one book to another whenever he felt the one he read was useless to him. He was so absorbed in reading and searching that he never noticed when that one hour passed and Arthur was standing behind him. Arthur looked at the man before him, waiting for him to realize that he was very much awake.
"Prying into my property are you Merlin?"
Merlin stopped reading, closed the book with a thud and put it back to its shelf. He stood up and turned around only to catch his breath.
"Oh god!" he turned his gaze away. "You are naked!"
Arthur chuckled. "Why so shy? Don't tell me you are a virgin?"
"I am not!" he protested.
"Care to prove it?" Arthur moved dangerously closer.
"No." His answer was straight and determined.
Arthur was almost touching him now. His hands placed on the shelves, either arm at the sides of Merlin, trapping him in place.
"Come, come now, don't deny you don't feel any attraction towards me." He smirked. "I can feel your heart pulsing quickly."
"That's because you are scary." Merlin lied.
"Am I? Am I scaring you little thing?"
"Stop calling me that!"
Arthur brought his lips against Merlin's ear. His breath giving him goosebumps as he spoke, "Little thing." He teased.
"Ugh! You're insufferable!" he ducked his head out of Arthur's arms and tried very hard not gaze at anything at the area below his waist. "Will you please put some clothes on!?" he shouted hopelessly. "And you can forget this whole sex business, it's not happening!"
Arthur smiled wickedly at Merlin's shy and innocent talk. He absentmindedly went on to sit on the sofa, never minding on putting clothes on. He looked at Merlin without dropping his smile, or rather smirk, for a second. The silence was awkward as Merlin felt Arthur examining him. Then his face became serious.
"Rules!" he declared with a sudden jump on Merlin's part.
"Excuse me?" was Merlin's response.
"Rule number one." He continued ignoring him. "Being mine means no feeding others. You are mine and only I shall have you. That includes no sex with others as well. Second, you will stay in these rooms but you will not disturb me while I work or sleep and if I ask you to leave, you leave. Third, you will fend for yourself. I expect you to eat healthy and keep your strength up. Don't expect me to feed you. And finally, when I ask something you answer."
Merlin looked at Arthur with a face that said is he fucking serious? Then he couldn't help but laugh.
"Look I don't know where you got the idea that I'm agreeing to this but I am not just going to agree to your every will."
Arthur resided to the truth then. "You are my Half, in the end, you will agree to this."
"Your Half?" It was hard to believe.
"Yes, you will be unable to live without me and other talk like that." He waved a hand in the air. "So you might as well accept it and get over it!"
Merlin looked at him astonished. "Are you always like this?"
"Like what?"
"A prat."
Arthur sighed. "From all the people in this world, that would gladly just give themselves to me, I get to be stuck with a stubborn idiot!"
"Well life isn't always easy!" he shouted back.
Arthur stood up reminding Merlin of his naked state. He quickly averted his eyes from him. It wasn't that he was shy, but truth be told Arthur Pendragon was bloody hot. And to Merlin's defeat he was attracted to him, very attracted to him.
"So..." Arthur said while putting on some discarded trousers. "We can start with rule number four. What are you and what is your business here?"
"What makes you think I'm "something"?"
"Come on Merlin, you can't fool me."
"I'm just human." He obviously lied.
"I saw you running in the woods. That wasn't human speed."
Merlin stood silent and looked around absent-mindedly, ignoring Arthur. Then before he knew it Arthur was dangerously close to him, almost touching him.
"I don't really think you have realised the situation you are in! You have trespassed my property, a fault which we usually do not treat lightly. That includes immediate death for werewolves and sucking the life out of humans, most of the times. You have been lucky enough to be my Half, if that is even possible! And yet you completely oppose me whenever you have the chance. Think about where you want to take this by the time I come back!" He stormed out of the room while putting on a shirt he found.
Arthur was furious, absolutely furious! The nerve of that guy talking to him in such manner was unbelievable. He needed to get all of this anger out to someone. He found the familiar door and entered without knocking.
"This is outrageous!" he yelled as the door flew open only to find Gwen with Lancelot in a rather... intimate moment... not that he hasn't seen it before. Gwen sprawled on the sofa and Lancelot pressing above her, kissing her passionately. Their kiss soon broke and Lancelot sighed in disappointed against Gwen's neck.
"Not again." He exclaimed and they both stood up rearranging their clothing as Arthur absentmindedly flopped in an armchair opposite them. Lancelot tucked his shirt in his trousers while Gwen rearranged her night clothes and closed her silky robe. The man then stood up to pour some wine in a goblet, thirsty as he was.
"What is it Arthur?" she asked with the usual kindness in her tone of voice. "And what's going on with your shirt?" she brought her eyebrows together in a frown.
Arthur looked down to realise that he wore his shirt from the opposite side and the lacing was behind him instead of in front. "Tsk!" he struggled taking it off and putting it right this time. It is a wonder how by the end of it, it wasn't torn in pieces. "He is driving me insane!"
"Merlin is it?" Arthur looked at her with wonder. "Lancelot told me his name. Apparently they had a brief conversation."
"He went out of the room without my permission?" he yelled.
"Oh Arthur... You can expect that poor man to stay in a room for the rest of his life. Besides, it's very unlike you to keep someone against their will here."
"This is different..."
"Different? How?"
Arthur grimaced before half-heartedly admitting. "He's my Half."
"Are you sure?" she asked him her eyes wide with astonishment, Lancelot also having the same reaction raised his head from the goblet. "Did the First Connection happen?"
"Last night, yes." The First Connection was something very few got to experience. While it is amazing how two souls are meant for each other from the moment they are created, the truth is it is as dangerous. The first draw of blood seals their bond together and should one die the other will die as well.
Gwen's smile grew up her ears. "Oh, Arthur that's wonderful!"
"Is it?" He failed to see the joy.
"Don't be so moody! We should celebrate!"
"I don't see the point in it, he seems so eager to leave!" He said with his eyes blazing with fire. "He won't even let me touch him."
"Is this what's going on then? The first person that appears to refuse you?"
"It's... part of it." He sighed. "He keeps talking back to me and he won't answer anything I ask!"
Arthur could hear Lancelot chuckle from behind to where he was eating some grapes. "The first man to ever refuse you and talk back to you and he is your other Half, that's got to be the joke of the year!" He laughed quietly while approaching to sit next to Gwen. Arthur glared at him angrily.
"Lancelot, be considerate." She said with a smile and nudging his leg.
"I'm sorry." He said with his laugh turning into a smile.
"Why don't you try more gently?"
"I don't do gently."
"Then you reap what you sow." She replied back. "And don't try to fool yourself. I know that underneath that cold facade against him there is a big heart ready to give in."
He scoffed at her feminine comment. He didn't say anything because he knew she was right. Although he would never admit it or give her the credit.
"Well I think it's wonderful that you have found him! And if he agrees to it, you may turn him like I will turn Lancelot!"
"He won't agree."
"Well, you have plenty of time to figure that out." She glanced at Lancelot and then back at Arthur. "Now will you please leave us alone to resume our night?"
He rolled his eyes and said, "Yes, of course."
He left very quietly feeling the tension slip from his shoulders. Yes, even vampires were capable of feeling tensed along with anger and frustration and anger. He felt calmer, Gwen always found a solution to anything which on this and most of the cases Arthur didn't like, but nevertheless always worked. He walked out with a clear mind, only to get all tensed from the beginning seeing what was happening in front of him.
Two vampires had Merlin pinned on the wall, fangs just an inch away from his neck. The man shaking like a terrified mouse caught in the corner.
"It looks like we have fresh blood on the menu." The blond woman said.
"How come we haven't seen you around? We wouldn't have missed the chance of inviting you to our room."
"Get of me." Merlin panicked.
"We promise it won't hurt... much" they both laughed.
"Tristan. Isolde." Arthur called very calm.
"Master Pendragon! Excuse our improper behaviour in public but we were getting to know each other with this lovely human here." Tristan explained.
"My human." They let Merlin go with a jump and the man fell on the floor with his palms flat. They were on their knees in an instant, looking down.
"Master Pendragon forgive us we didn't know!"
"Have you been there to yesterday's meeting, you would have known but it seems to me that you always have something better to do. I would suggest improving your general and public behaviour before I banish you one of these days." He walked behind them to grab Merlin by the arm and lift him up. "And if you ever look upon my human again you won't even have time to regret it."
"Of course! Excuse us!" They left with their tails between their legs.
But that wasn't the end for Merlin and Arthur who was looking at him with a look more than serious.
"Ummm..." Merlin started.
Arthur lifted a finger. "If you don't want to make this any worse, you will go quietly back into the room and wait there."
"But-"
"Merlin... I am trying very hard to not go all vicious vampire on you." Merlin didn't say another word and quietly tip-toed back into the room.
He walked through the corridors of his castle. His mind drifting off to other matters as a distraction to Merlin. The other vampires seemingly just woken up bowed their heads acknowledging Arthur's presence. He nodded back. A couple of vampires kissing lustfully in a dark corner stopped when they saw Arthur. They straightened their clothes and bowed at Arthur, heads down hiding their embarrassment. Fake or not they should. Arthur did not tolerate them acting like animals and with indecency. What everyone did in their lives was completely up to them, as long as they didn't put it out in the open that is.
He took the stairs to the tower where he knew he would find Leon on his watch. The man stood there as Arthur expected it.
"Leon." He acknowledged.
"Sir!" the man said in surprise. "Fine night isn't it?" he asked "Very calm..."
"Indeed..."
"Is your human up to your standards then?
"Let's not talk about that now!" Everyone seemed to be more eager to know about Merlin than him tonight. "Tell me, how is the search for your fair maiden going then?"
Leon chuckled at the comment. "She's hard to find..."
"I expected so. It's been around thirty years now."
"Yes. Although, I did hear about some rumours about her living somewhere in a cottage, three months ago."
"So what happened then?"
"I went out to look for her and when I went there it was burned to ash, no sign of her."
"I'm very sorry my friend, I hope you find her soon." He paused. "I hope she's alive."
"I would like to resume my search for her, if you were to allow it."
Arthur clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Don't be so formal Leon. You may go as you wish, whenever you wish."
"Thank you Arthur."
"By all means, go save your damsel in distress."
They both laughed together.
"What about the werewolves then, any news?"
"A pack has settled just outside the other side of the city, we await word from them. The Godwyns have persuaded Annis Carleon to join the Contract, Percival informed me." While Leon was the head of the Castle's guard, Percival was appointed with negotiations to any situations that would arise, such as this
"Yes I had a letter from her just yesterday. Well, I'll leave you to your work. Inform me if the new pack causes any problems but I hardly think there should be any problem, they should know about the Contract. For their sake I hope they do."
"We are on our guard nevertheless." The man informed him.
A/N- Thanks to everyone that followed/ favorited/ reviewed