5Hi guys, Here is the last full chapter for this story. Hope you enjoyed it and will review it telling me so. Akiyama does write a little epilogue to this story but that is not really good for Merthur so let me know if you want an epilogue and I'll write one for the story.
I don't own the story, Akiyama Koito does, and I don't own Merlin.
Enjoy.
Why was he here? What should I do? Arthur isn't here. I can't talk to him, Actually rephrase that, I don't want to talk to him.
"OH...So that guy's still keeping you around? You must be really good in the sack." Agravaine said as he sleezed his way closer to me.
I don't want him here. I glared at him. He wasn't supposed to be here, No-one but Arthur and me should be in this house.
"You sure have some impertinent eyes" Agravaine said noticing my glare but not backing down. "LISTEN UP! Arthur was the one who asked me to come here. It's your master's command, so don't get in my way." Agravaine better much shouted that sentence like he was trying to believe it himself.
But Arthur had sent him? Why didn't i get told? What was Arthur thinking?
"I'm looking for a fancy looking envelope coloured blue. That's why i'm here" said Agravaine
He was after that envelope, the one I...
Agravaine myst have noticed a shift in my facial expression as he grabbed me by my clothes/dressing gown. "Your face tells me you know what I'm talking about. WHERE IS IT?"
I really did not like this man.
I had to show him the envelope. He followed me as i walked into the lounge to get it from the table where Arthur had left it. Agravaine's face changed to oneof horror when he saw it. "THE HELL? I CAN'T...USE THIS!" he looked more and more annoyed as the situation sunk in. He then turned to me as I had stayed behind as he had raced to grabbed the envelope. "Don't tell me this was your doing?"
I looked away. It was my fault, looks like i let Arthur down again.
Agravaine then rushed towards me and grabbed me by the collar. He started to shake me. "SAY SOMETHING!" I can't talk, what did he want me to say any way. I looked up at him terrified, he was going to be just like my previous masters. "Do you have any idea how important that envelope is?! You'll ruin all our plans!"
I had let Arthur down? but he said i didn't have to worry about it anymore. He must have been lying to save my feelings. I really am useless to Arthur.
Agravaine shoved me to the ground with an almighty push. I hit the ground with an thump. I hadn't been treated like that in a while so the shock of hitting the ground made my body tense up so i couldn't use my legs out of fear of it happening again. I was able to sit up but that was it.
All I kept thinking was How do I fix this? How?...
"Arthur's an idiot for picking up such a useless punk. Guess you only have one talent." Agravaine was full on ranting at me. Most of it had been blocked out but when he mention causing trouble for Arthur...
I grabbed Agravaines arm after launching myself up off the floor. Please! I don't want to cause Arthur any problems.
"How the hell do you plan on making this right?" shouted Agravaine.
Oh, right. Only Arthur can hear me. Agravaine won't listen or can't listen.
Suddenly i was pushed to the floor again but this time, Agravaine had pulled out his gun. He placed right in the centre of my forehead. "How About with your life? If I bring them you head and say it wa your fault, They might let him off, you know." Agravaine seemed to be shouting and almost at his whits end for some reason. I didn't get it but he was saying if i died Arthur would be saved. I could be useful to Arthur. What i hadn't noticed was Agravaine calming down and looking almost a little sorry for what he had said to me.
With my mind made up, i grabbed the end of the gun that Agrvaine had to my head and made sure he couldn't move it.
"WHA...Hey, dumbass, let go! Quit messing around!" Agravaine almost screamed as he tried to get his gun out of my grasp.
But then he pulled the trigger. the gun went off.
The bullet went into my arm and blood started pouring out. Both of us looked shocked but Agravaine seemed frightened at the sight of the blood. I put my hand on my wound and applied pressure. I then looked up at Agravaine, hoping he would help me get medical attention or something. he had to help me, he fired the gun didn't he.
"Fuck this! This isn't my fault got it? It's got mothing to do with me!" and with that Agravaine left. I tried to follow him but the blood loss made me dizzy. i didn't get very far.
What do I do? I'm no good to Arthur like this. I'm going under. There has to be somehting I can do...
With Arthur...
"So, you're saying that our bosses illness is beyond your healing powers?" said Cenred after Arthur had said he wouldn't help.
"I'm not obliged to answer that" was Arthur's reply.
"THat's too bad." Cenred then pulled out a mobile. "I didn't want to have to do this but..." He moved the mobile to his ear. "Merlin Emrys, that cute kid you left at home; What is he to you?" Cenred was now staring straight into the eyes of Arthur.
"He is...just someone left in my charge" was Arthur's reply
"Then it's okay to hurt him?" Cenred looked at Arthur with a threatening stare but Arthur seemed unphased.
"You were pretty thorough when you planned this, huh"
"When an aloof and prattish bastard like you suddenly starts living with someone...Of course we're going to mark him." Cenred looked more and mpre pleased with himself until he realised the man on the other side of the phone was talking. The phone was also on speaker so Arthur could hear every word.
Cenred, Bad News.
"What happened?"
I'm sorry but we lost the target.
"What? Didn't i tell you not to take your eyes off him?"
Someone who looked like one of theirs showed up and then left awhile ago. He was definitely in there until then, But when i went in just now, all i found was a pool of blood. There was alot of it too.
"You don't think...he was killed do you?"
I don't know but it wasn't me!
"You sure about that"
Yeah. Maybe it was that guy from before.
The phone call ended. Arthur was now behind Cenred with his hand in Cenred's head, ready to kill him.
"So I'm guessing that negotiations are off?" Arthur spoke with a dark voice.
"Bastard" shouted all of Cenred's men, aiming their guns.
"Idiots! Don't move" shout Cenred, he really didn't want to die by the hands of Arthur. "Arthur Pendragon, we never intended to face off against you. we wouldn't kill someone for no reason." Arthur's hand slightly loosen.
"So it wasn't one of your guys?"
"Definitely not. Its possibly someone from your side."
"Where's Merlin?"
"didn't you hear, we lost him!"
Arthur's hand released Cenred's head but then grabbed his neck to strangle him. "WEll then, search for him. If you can't find him, then everyone dies."
Lancelot's place...
Lancelot was reading his newspaper when his phone started ringing. He answered it.
"Oh hey Arthur...Where's Agravaine?...You want his whereabouts?...What's going on? you sound as scary as hell...hmmm yeah. Actually, he's right here next to me...(Agravaine stared shocked and petrified that Lancelot had told Arthur where he was, Agravaine had gone to Lancelot because Gwaine wouldn't want him and Leon was busy looking after Merlin. Agravaine was scared.)...Hand him over? Afraid not. We are going to sending him abroad so you can cool down. I mean, there is no way you would leave him just half dead over this, right?...Huh? sure let's make a deal... Merlin Emrys' location in return for you leaving Agravaine alone.
At a Hospital...
Arthur walked up to the hospital not in the best of modes. He was met by Leon (The smoker) outside.
"Where's Merlin? Is he still alive?" asked Arthur.
"Arthur. Please don't be so threatening. You'll upset the other patients." commented Leon.
Arthur then got an even more angier face, "They're just a bunch of crooks anyway."
"That's true. he's on the seconf floor, I'll take you."
Arthur and Leon then walked through the hospital to Merlin's room. As they walked in, Arthur saw Merlin passed out on a hospital bed, with bandages on his arm, head and face. He looked almost peaceful.
"He's alive but i don't hink he'll ever regain consciousness." said Leon, pulling Arthur from this thoughts.
"Was he shot in the head?"
"NO, the only bullet wound is in his right arm. he probably hit his head when he fell down the stairs."
"Fell? Don't you mean pushed?" Arthur reached out and held Merlin's hand.
"No, He fell down the stairs by the back door. He'd probably lost too much blood and passed out. It seems there was something he wanted to deliver at all costs." Leon then walked up to the bed side table and picked up the ink stain envelope. Arthur looked from the envelope to Merlin and back a little shocked, he wasn't sure what to think. "Namely this worthless thing. Any idea why he'd be so desperate to leave with this?..."
Arthur didn't answer. He only kept looking at Merlin.
Leon continued "It was probably for you. If this was to disappear with the boy you could claim it was stolen. It seems like he was going out of his way not to be a liability to you."
Arthur just kept looking at Merlin, trying to get into his head and failing. Arthur didn't know what to think of Merlin's actions. They only scared and shocked him.
"Oh, BY the way, Agravaine was the who carried him here, so please give up on any revenge you plan. The wounds you inflict are a pain in the ass to fix." Arthur looked at Leon with disbelief. "Agravaine noticed the guys who were staking the building and tried to get out of the apartment through the back, That's when he found the kid. If he hadn't gone back...What are you doing?"
During the time Leon was speaking, Arthur had started to pick up Merlin. "Taking him home."
"...He'll die"
"It's not like he will wake up if he stays here, right?"
"Most likely...not."
"Then it all the same. It's not like he will wake up if he stays here so it's all the same to me whether this body lives or dies."
Leon looked at Arthur like he was finally starting to understand what was going through his mind."Isn't that more reason not to take him? You don't plan on trying to heal him yourself do you? Give it up! Not with that half-baked power of yours that you can't control."
Arthur turned to look back at leon with merlin now safely in his arms. "Either way, it's got nothing to do with you."
"Not entirely. On the off chance that you do try to heal that half-dead body and end up hurting yourself, it will become my problem. I'm telling you to leave hi. I'll use force if i have too"
Arthur started to walk towards the door but leon then moved to block his way. "Leon, please move." he didn't. "If you make me say it again, I can't guarante your life."
"Oh? I find your tenacity in this matter rather curious." Leon then pulled out a cigar and lit it.
"There is no point in trying to expain it to you."
"Is that because you're not sure yourself" Leon took a breathe of his cigar. "Why you would risk yourself to try to heal him? Why is he special?"
Arthur looked down at Merlin as he replied. "There's nothing special about it. It is what it is. He's...the only one I can be close to without being assulted by noise. That's all there is to it." And with that Arthur walked passed Leon and out of the hospital with Merlin in his arms.
"So even he can make tat expression huh? You know Arthur, when a person looks at another perosn that way, It usually means they're special." Leon said as he watched Arthur walk to his car from the window in the hospital room.
At Arthur's apartment...In the Bedroom...
Arthur had placed Merlin in his bed and covered him up wtih the duvet. After that Arthur found a chair and just watched Merlin sleep. Looking around the room, he noticed the bags that had been packed for the trip he and Merlin were going to go on.
*Flachback*
Hey Arthur, What kind of shoes do you wear on a trip?
Merlin grabbed Arthur's fingers as Arthur was preparing to leave for his visit to Cenred's territories.
"Hm?"
On vacation, what kind of...
"OH. We can just decide when we get there."
Right
"You don't have to worry about anything while I'm gone."
Oh...Okay. I'll just work on what I've learned. I'll try my best not to break or smash anything
Arthur looked at Merlin and saw that Merlin was worried abut disappointing him. "That's..not what i meant."
I'm just trying tobe useful. Is tat not okay?...
Arthur saw Merlin move his free hand to his mouth and saw the plasters on Merlin's fingers. Arthur reached out and started stroking Merlin's hair. Merlin noticing looked up and Arthur then pulled him into a hug.
I'm Relieved Merlin saud with a smile. Have a safe trip Arthur.
*End of FlashBack*
Arthur came back from his thoughts and started staring at his hand. "I wonder why my heart feels calm when I'm with you?" Arthur moved his hand and placed it across Merlin's face, covering Merlin's forehead and eyes. "What is this feeling?" Arthur suddenly got the image of him killing a rabbit. It made him move his hand away from Merlin. He placed his head in his hands. "Is it possible for me to save him...with this power I've only ever used to kill? Merlin..."
With Merlin...
Merlin turned around and saw no-one and nothing. He was in a place wherre nothing existed but him and the chains around his ankles.
Weird i thought I heard something.
What's wrong?
Someone called out to me just now
Heh,Heh,Heh. There's no way anyone would be calling out to you. Isn't that right? You're our precious toy. The helpless Merlin Emrys...who readily grovels like a dog. How many times have we met here now? Why would someone whom no-one cares about, who has been used and tossed aside, need to find meaning in his death anyway? A pity. With this wound, there's no hoope of ever going back.
"Merlin!"
I turned around again and I started to walk forwards. Just as I thought, someone's...yes...this voice...
Didn't I say there was no hope for you? There's no way for you to break out of death's chains. The chains stopped me from moving anywhere.
But...I had to find the owner of that voice. I had to get free. I picked up the chains to see them more clearly.
It's laughable really. Even as we speak, your life is already fading.
Suddenly a mist started appearing around me. It didn't make sense, what was this mist? It stayed mainly around my wrist and then morfed into a hand. A hand I recognised. Arthur...
Arthur!
"You're there. Aren't you? Merlin!"
Arthur!
"Hold on for a bit. I'm going to save you."
But that's...
The mist soon became Arthur, moving into his shape and molding into his features. Arthur was there behind me, holdingon to me.
"IT's fine. Don't let go of me." was the first thing he said when i could see his face. I was shocked and scared. Arthur couldn't be here, this had to be a trick. Arthur then reached down and picked up the chains i had dropped. The chains then started screaming.
Foolish Man! Grabbing that with your bare flesh, You'l be CURSED!
Arthur's hands soon became the same blood red i had seen when he had healed me. I was worried and tried to grab onto his hands.
Arthur, your hands...
"Don't worry about it"
But...
"It's fine. so hold on if you want to stay with me." And with that I hugged Arthur, holding on, I wanted to stay with him. I wanted to live with him. I loved him.
The chains snapped and disappeared. Then there was a moment of black. I started to open my eyes. I was in Arthur's apartemtn, in bed. I remember what happened for a moment and then I jumped out of bed. Arthur! I cried. But the sudden movement made my arm feel a sharp pain so i had to look down to assess the pain. I looked around while rubbing my arm and I saw a figure dragging itself across the floor covered in a mix between red and black liquid.
The figure turned around and I saw its Eyes. It was Arthur. I got up and moved to his side. I touched the liquid on his back but i felt like my finger would burn off so i moved my hand back. Arthur! What's wrong? How did this...
Arthur ignored my pleas. He kept moving towards the door. I hung onto him pleading with him. Arthur, Hang on! Please stop moving. You can't move around like this.
Arthur finally looked up at me. The red liquid at least was lessening so his face was easier to see but the black liquid was still covering most of his body. "Let go, Merlin"
I mean...It loooks so painful. Does it hurt?
"It'll heal soon enough. It always does. But I guess it has never been quite this intense before."
Ugh...
Arthur looked directly at me. "Wha..." What's happening?" Arthur saw behind me a black cross that hovered behind me and saw that it was made from the black liquid that had covered his body. Looking down he saw that the Black liquid had all moved tohis right arm and was spreading through my body to make the cross.(At east that is hat he told me later.) "Why is it affecting you?"
You'll be CURSED. The threat from death's chains can rushing back into both our minds. "Get away from me Merlin."
NO!
"But its spreading to your body" Arthur shouted and tried to move back, out of my arms.
THEN LET IT!
"Wha..." was all Arthur got to say as I kissed him full on the lips, collecting the rest of the black liquid from his body. Arthur didn't kiss me back but that was may have been down to the shock of me kissing him, i don't know but the kiss was soon over.
Let it. If this will ease your pain, even just a little, then I'm glad. I gave Arthur a smalll peck on his lips and then sank into his arms.
After all that had happened, 10 mintues of silence was the best for both of us as we let what had happened sink in. Arthur wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer into his chest. "You're such an Idiot! Why would you do that?"
He moved my head back and kissed me. I returned the kiss. We stayed like that for god knows how long but one thing for sure was that my feelings were not just one-sided. I would live the rest of my life with Arthur and I was grateful for that.
And so...
The pain I accepted from Arthur tcarved inself into my body (Showing up as a cross with black wings and chains tattoo on my back). Now I'm able to share the wounds inflicted on his body whenever he uses his healing powers, but i have no powers of my own so I can't heal or regenerate. I suppose then, that the wounds i sustain will just continue to accumulate until my life expires.
This is the first meaningful pain I've ever experienced; The pain I bear for Arthur. My wish was fulfilled in the most unexpected and best way. The meaning of my death is now in your hands.
That fact gives unspeakable joy to my life.
The End
