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Love in the Time of Ghosts

Merlin Memory Month: Prompt Day 3 - path I (hands, fingers), path II (darkness, shadows)

this story is also on ff.net and ao3

warning: it’s a horror story filled with humour and tiny Merthur moments. I do describe a gross ghost though (blood!).

Title inspired by the name of a Merlin episode. You know which one.

LOVE IN THE TIME OF GHOSTS

It was not the first time that Merlin had to sleep in the forest because of some stupid quest Arthur was on, but it was the first time since Arthur had knighted Gwaine, Lancelot, Elyan and Percival. They were all together in the forest now and as they found out, Gwaine really loved to tell tales around the campfire.

The moon was hidden behind thick grey clouds and the forest was darker than Merlin remembered from their last journey. The air was quite cold, but his hands were warm because of the fire, which made his back feel even colder. With only a small circle of yellow light around them that barely reached the first trees, the atmosphere was a little bit eerie. A chill ran down Merlin's spine and he felt uneasy. Without even thinking about it, he shifted a little closer to Arthur who was sitting on the same log. Thankfully, Arthur didn't notice, and if he did, he didn't say anything.

Gwaine took a deep breath and used a long stick to give the fire a poke, looking at the logs in the fire that were glowing hot. He smirked slightly as he began talking. “It wasn't a long time ago when this happened.” He started and looked up to see that everyone was listening to him. “Actually, it happened to a friend of a friend of... um, one of the blokes I met in a tavern on my travels through the five kingdoms after your father, princess, banished me.”

Arthur rolled his eyes at that, but knew Gwaine didn't really blame him. They were good friends.

The knight scratched his chin and continued. “He was traveling through the forest, maybe even somewhere around here.” Gwaine pointed at the trees around them and shrugged. “He was going home after a long time away, and was looking forward to seeing his family again. But when he was asleep in the night, for some reason he woke up. It was as if something felt... off. No one was around though. Naturally, he unsheathed his sword, but after a while he lay down again because nothing seemed to be happening. He couldn't fall asleep again though, and then,” Gwaine paused and looked each of them in the eyes. “He heard a voice. It said please, leave me alone!”

Merlin frowned at that and glanced around the fire. Everyone was looking at Gwaine, including Arthur, so he shifted closer to him, thankful that the prince was clueless as usual.

“What happened then?” Lancelot asked him.

“Then?” Gwaine laughed slightly. “He heard a loud scream, as if from a distance, but not very far away. He didn't hear the scream again.” Gwaine shrugged and took a bite of an apple.

“Wait, is that it? Is that the end?” Arthur frowned at Gwaine.

“Eager for more, princess?” Gwaine smirked and then shook his head. “No, it's not the end, actually, but the rest is really creepy. You up for it?” He smirked again, waiting for some reply.

Arthur only rolled his eyes.

“You can continue.” Elyan nodded and looked around the campfire. “We're all grown men here, we won't get scared easily.”

“Who said this will be easy?” Gwaine smiled at him. “Alright. After he heard the scream, he heard a loud thud, as if something fell down from a high place, you know? He wanted to ignore it, but he couldn't stay in the forest anymore. So he started packing up his things.” He paused again and then he suddenly stood up, “and then!”

Merlin jumped a little and grabbed Arthur's hand, without even thinking about it. He froze and swallowed, slowly turning his head to Arthur. The prince was looking at him with his eyes wide, but before Merlin could react, he squeezed Merlin's hand in his and smiled. Merlin smiled back and tried to calm down his rapidly beating heart, but it was useless because Gwaine continued talking.

“And then!” He repeated, not noticing Merlin's and Arthur's joined hands on the log between them. “Then he heard silent footsteps.” Gwaine sat down again. “He reached for his sword and quickly turned around, but what he saw was something he couldn't use any weapon against. It was a ghost.”

“A ghost?” Percival laughed.

“Yes,” Gwaine nodded without even a hint of a smile. “I'm bloody serious, mate.” He added. When Percival only shrugged with a smile, Gwaine continued. “It wasn't just any ghost. His head was smashed and blood was pouring down the rest of his face and down his neck, colouring his clothes. It was dripping on his boot, drip! Drip! Drip! His clothes were same as the clothes our main hero was wearing. The ghost had a broken arm and one of his legs was missing, but he didn't need it to move, did he? He was a ghost, he could move around just fine.” Gwaine chuckled. Then his expression turned dark and Merlin squeezed Arthur's hand again, glad that Arthur didn't seem to mind.

“The man who was sleeping in the forest realized the dangerous truth. The ghost he saw in front of himself, was his own ghost.” Gwaine paused again to add drama to his story and looked around at his friends. His eyes wandered down to Merlin and Arthur's clasped hands and he smiled, just as Merlin's cheeks turned pink.

Arthur noticed that Gwaine saw them and looked at Merlin, slowly letting go of Merlin's hand, only to entwine their fingers, surprising Merlin yet again. He smiled and Merlin smiled back, when suddenly, Gwaine cleared his throat very loudly.

“It was his own ghost!” He repeated and stood up. “The ghost had only one eye left on his head and the eye was looking straight at that man. The man-”

“Maybe it would help if the man had a name?” Elyan interrupted the story, receiving an annoyed look from Gwaine.

“Alright, what name do you want?” He threw his arms up almost as if in surrender and then crossed them on his chest, still standing. “But I want you to know that you've ruined the horror atmosphere here.”

“Hm, a name? Arthur smirked. “What about Gwaine?”

“What about Arthur?” Gwaine smirked back.

“Let's not name him after any of us.” Merlin decided. “What about... Peter?”

“No, that's too common,” Lancelot shook his head.

“I know exactly how to name him,” Elyan smiled. “Pinkie the Enormous.”

“That would totally ruin the story, which is supposed to be scary, by the way!” Gwaine protested loudly.

“Gwaine, the story is already ruined.” Arthur rolled his eyes. Then he smiled at Elyan and nodded. “Pinkie the Enormous it is.” He decided, receiving a groan from Gwaine as he sat down again.

“Pinkie the Enormous the third!” Lancelot made it better with a grin.

“Thanks, mate.” Gwaine mumbled, rubbing his eyes and taking another bite of his apple to feel better about his ruined attempt to scare his friends. Then he cleared his throat. “Alright, so it was his own ghost!” He repeated, stressing every word to add drama that was so needed. Then he nodded. “It was indeed. So, Pinkie the Enormous the third,” he looked at Elyan and Lancelot with his eyes hilariously wide, “took a step back. He was already holding his rucksack with all his things, and as he noticed, the remnants of the very same rucksack were on the ghost's back. Pinkie's heart was beating fast in his chest and he took another step back, but the ghost took a step forward. The ghost reached out his arm that was not broken and only scratched, and he opened his mouth. Several teeth were missing and blood was running down his chin. That was when Pinkie the Enormous the third turned around and started running.”

Merlin felt Arthur's thumb that was slowly caressing the back of his hand.

“He was running and running as fast as he could, but the distance between him and the ghost didn't change.” Gwaine continued. “He turned around as he ran and saw the ghost's hand, reaching for his throat. Pinkie the Enormous the third yelped and turned back to see where he was running, but there was a huge abyss in front of him and he had to stop. He heard that the abyss seemed bottomless, and when he stopped at the edge and glanced down, he only saw dark and fog. He turned back to the ghost, who was nearing him. Every second he was closer and closer!” Gwaine exclaimed. “Pinkie screamed please, leave me alone!”

At that, Merlin together with others gasped. Gwaine smirked at that. “The ghost didn't stop though. He reached for Pinkie's heart and as Pinkie tried to get away, he stepped into the abyss and fell down, screaming at the top of his lungs until he hit the ground with a loud thud.” Gwaine paused again and poked the fire with his stick. “His family found him about a week later.” He said. “His head was smashed, his arm was broken and one of his legs was missing.”

A long silence followed the end of the story, until Gwaine added, “the end.”

“Isn't there an abyss somewhere in this forest?” Merlin asked, his voice way weaker than he thought.

“There is one,” Arthur nodded. “But there are no ghosts, and it's late. We should try to get some rest so we can head out early tomorrow.”

Gwaine grinned at that and stood up, stretching himself. “Well then, gentlemen.” He smirked. “Who'd like to have the first watch?”

THE END

I hope you liked it! My best friend told me this story when we were about ten :D

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