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ana-lora-rein · 6 months

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𝘌𝘺𝘬𝘵𝘢𝘯 𝘛𝘴𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘺𝘭𝘶 ܟ 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 2 ܟ Underside

Amateur translation. Postcanon.

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Miles opened his eyes. Tiny cracks in his parched lips glued his mouth together unpleasantly. The colonel had to open his lips and taste the familiar tang of medication. The hospital stench hung in the air. He'd never liked to lie in them, preferring the old military methods: decontaminate the wound with alcohol, close it up, and you're good to go. But those rules didn't work on Pandora. If you were shot or shot by a wild creature, you were almost dead. Even the plants wanted to eat your flesh or spray deadly poison in your face. Miles was beginning to regret having agreed to this stupid experiment with a recombinant organism. Another memory flashed through him like deja vu, showing images of his past life. Things were simpler then. But who had? Was he the same man in a blue primate's body, or was he a three-metre tall instrument of retribution with his own thoughts and preferences. When he thought about it for a while longer, it made his head spin. One thing Miles knew for sure: if it weren't for his super strong body, he'd probably be dead again.

The colonel took a deep breath and lifted himself up on the pillow, finding himself in a multitude of wires. Butterfly needles were inserted into his veins, and IVs around him were delivering solutions of several hues to his body. Miles looked around, touching his fingers to his injured shoulder. Where a hole had once flared, the stitches were now rapidly tightening, and there was hardly a trace of the mutilation.

«How did they do that?».

A doctor entered the room.

— How long was I out? — the colonel asked, marvelling at the disappearance of the many knife wounds from his body.

— A day, sir, — a man in a dressing gown approached the patient, checking the quality of his work. — Do you remember Mr Bryce's instructions? We had to get you back on your feet sooner rather than later.

Miles looked at the fluids in the drips.

— Drugged me with local drugs, didn't they? Does this egghead think he's God?

— Have you believed in God, sir? — The doctor smiled as he removed the first butterfly needle from the colonel's vein.

— No, just remembered that some freaks want to be like him.

— Unfortunately... — the medic agreed. — But don't worry, I tried to put you back on your feet as gently as possible. I won't tell you the secrets: it could take half a day, but if you feel dizzy or nauseous, I'll give you that pack of ampoules for that, — the doctor nodded at the bedside metal table, showing the drugs.

— Am I going to have to carry them everywhere? — Miles was confused. — And why would I experience nausea and dizziness?

— It won't last long, just a minor side effect, — the doctor clarified, freeing the recombinant's veins from all the butterfly needles, stacking them on the table.

— Has anyone ever told you that my means of transport is a big parrot that goes up to the same height as fighter jets? And if I get dizzy while flying, I could fall over. In that case, you'll never get this Transformer back on its feet.

— Unlikely, sir. You have a good connection with the banshee, and besides, there may not be any side effects, I'm just warning you, — the doctor opened the packet of medicine, breaking off the plastic tops of several ampoules. — Take two at once now, and then as needed.

Miles looked sceptically at the clear, unfamiliar liquid and sniffed at it, like a hunted street cat that was about to be fed by strangers. He gingerly took the vials with his long fingers and brought them to his mouth. It was a clear, unremarkable liquid, and the odour was peculiarly pungent. He hesitated for a few seconds, wondering if he should do it, but the doctor's nod of approval and a look of sincere hope for a better outcome convinced the colonel.

— Well, here's to you, Doc... — rekom said and poured the liquid from each vial into his body in turn. The sour taste, which reminded him of the orange fruit of Earth, made him wrinkle his face and click his tongue a few times.

— Glad you like it, — the doctor grinned.

— I can't say it's pleasant, especially on an empty stomach, but I think I believe you, — Miles sat down on the bed and put his bare feet on the cool floor: the air conditioner was working properly, not allowing the patient to feel discomfort from the high temperature. A slight but tolerable dizziness immediately swept over him. — Let's take this slow. I realise Bryce needs you now, but you'd better get up slowly, — said the doctor. — And you should eat something tasty, I'll let the kitchen know.

When he felt the coolness of the ceramic floor, Miles didn't listen to the doctor anymore. He got to his feet and, straightening his back, walked to the window, looking out. Putting his face into the light Pandoran wind, the rekom immediately focused his sharp ears on the multitude of sounds: he moved them in different directions, even picking up the cries of his «parrot» in the distance. The banshee sensed him and did not fly beyond the high walls of the Bridgehead.

Miles looked up into the sky, where the giant pale blue Polyphemus loomed over his companion, and remembered his fallen comrades.

— Have you heard from my men? Anybody back in town but me? — The colonel asked hopefully, without turning to the doctor.

— No, sir, unfortunately not.

A feeling of unshakable guilt scrambled up in his soul. By his rash actions he had ruined them. Trapped them and killed them. Images from memory flashed through his mind. All the hours spent with these guys. An elite unit that's become a piece of memory again.

— Sir, have a seat, I'll tell the kitchen to bring you some breakfast, — the doctor said hesitantly, noticing the recom's hunched figure.

— I need a shower, that's all. Get my clothes, I have to go, — Miles muttered.

***

Laura spent an hour fidgeting around the mirror, feeling like a stupid high school student who couldn't decide on a prom outfit. That elegant pencil skirt of breathable black fabric didn't go well with the sapphire-coloured top. At least that's what she thought. She had never been good at dressing for business meetings and dinners, simply because such events were rare for her. Once again, Asadi felt out of place - so much so she was used to only working and sitting at home behind books.

— Can you explain why I agreed to this adventure? — she shouted into the next room, where her colleague, Nurse Sandy, was scurrying around like a squirrel.

They had arrived on Pandora in the same crew and had quickly found a common language. Sandy Vale was a kind and helpful person, cheerful and sociable, while Laura, who was too vulnerable, sometimes lacked the moral support her friend could give her. So, after the therapist's first emotional breakdown on Pandora, Sandy got the management to put them in the same building, and since then the young colleagues had shared a modest apartment and had no regrets. When Laura had bad dreams, Sandy was there for her, and when Miss Vale was about to leave work early for another date, Asadi helped her friend in any way she could.

— Because you'd be a complete fool to deny the RDA's chief administrator dinner! — Sandy flew into the room in a light cocktail dress, putting earrings in her ears.

Laura rolled her eyes, swivelling her hips at the mirror.

— It's a business dinner, — the therapist pointed out. — And anyway, it's just his thanks, I told you!

— Yes, yes, I see, you saved a three-metre blue soldier, a very important one, so important that Mr Bryce thought it would be a good idea to invite the ordinary doctor to a meeting of engineers and scientists.

— Well, yes, that's what happened! — Laura laughed. — Gosh, it's a bad idea to have a fitting during an hour's break at work…

— If you stop panicking, you'll realise that you look stunning, — Sandy approached her friend from behind and put her hands on her wide hips, assessing her outfit in the mirror. — Believe me, you look very sophisticated and acceptable, you have nothing to worry about.

— I just want to make a good impression and not to look too vulgar or, on the contrary, pretentious... — she admitted, tucking her thick curls to the side.

— Honey, I'm telling you, Bryce will be drooling all night!

Laura smiled, but pushed her friend away with her hip, not wanting to listen to her lustful jokes. Sandy, on the other hand, continued to giggle and throw around loud phrases until she heard glass rattling from the window. The girls turned round in sync. What was the nurse's surprise when she saw a baby prolemur clinging to the window, staring inward in some sort of expectation. Unlike Sandy, Laura was not surprised in the least, but rather genuinely pleased.

— Oh, hurry up and put on your oxygen mask! — she quickly put on hers and ran to the window. The next moment the window was open, and the baby prolemur was tenderly pressed against her breast. The little beast with the blue protruding ears wrapped one pair of arms around the girl and the other began to tug at her hair.

Sandy's jaw dropped open.

— Laura? What. This. Fuck it?!

Asadi crouched on the edge of the bed with a contented look, playing with the beast and smiling at it. She loved these creatures so much, she couldn't do otherwise. Whenever the opportunity arose, she was ready to squeeze and play with them. And no-one knew it.

— Laura?! — the nurse called again, and took a wary step forward.

— What? That's my little friend, if you please, replied the girl with a smile on her face. — She usually comes with her mum in the mornings, but I don't see her, — she looked back at the window.

— What do you mean, «comes with mum»? Do you know that's forbidden? Laura, you could be fined or worse, fired! You can't tame wild animals, they're unpredictable! Not to mention the fact that you're blowing carbon dioxide into the room and apparently using the air conditioner and filter more often than you should!

— Oh, come on, you don't know anything about them at all. They are prolemurs, they are the most harmless creatures on this planet, — the girl parried, treating the curious little girl with a piece of banana. — And don't worry about the filtrator: we have enough for another six months, so it won't be a problem if I open the window a couple of times for the little guest.

— But how? How did you tame them like that? And why haven't I caught a single animal in all that time?

— Usually they come around the time you take your morning shower for an hour and a half, but today something obviously happened... — Laura got up from the couch and walked over to the small fridge, pulling out a berry yoghurt. — She was very hungry and excited....

Sandy finally found the strength to sit down next to the cub, a look of genuine sympathy on her face. She fearfully reached out her hand and slowly, anxiously, ran her fingers down over the little ears, touching their delicate shells.

— Poor little thing...

— There's been a mountain banshee flying around here since yesterday, have you seen it? It belongs to the rekom I rescued, and I suspect it's the one that had time to feed on this little one's flock.

— Well, I saved one and killed another, — Sandy said sadly.

The therapist shook her head at her friend's words and returned to the cub with a small plastic spoon and berry yoghurt.

— It's got nothing to do with it Sandy, it's not like rekomas eat them.....

— You know, I wouldn't be surprised, — the girl grinned as she helped her friend sit the baby girl more comfortably. — Are you sure you know exactly what to do? Don't they feed on milk? How old is she?

— They're herbivores, and they like insects, but they also like sweets, — Laura explained. — This little one is about five or six months old, and she's quite independent in her choice of food.

— What are we going to do with her if her mother doesn't turn up?

The girls looked at each other. They looked at each other with a look of worry, until they heard another familiar scraping on the glass. The prolemur mum was trying to climb through the ajar window.

— Praise Pandora! — the friends exclaimed in unison.

***

The avatar campus was empty. Miles was surprised, standing under the jets of the communal shower, for the operators were just beginning their work. Some were just learning how to control the three-metre blue body, while the older scientists and their guards were eager to stretch their legs so they could go into the forests to study the flora and fauna.

«I wonder where everyone has gone?» — thought the colonel.

Resting his hands on the tiled wall, he lowered his head, watching the grey mud flow into the drain mixed with blood, leaving behind dark scarlet streaks. There were many wounds, but even more to think about. The merciless conflict in the sea swirled in my mind with rapidly flashing images. Splashing waves, scraping metal, machine gun bursts and the screams of men. His men. They could hardly be called that, but it seemed more familiar to Miles. He refused to see himself any other way. All he had left of the Na'vi was his bright blue appearance, but everything else seemed to have been passed on with the memory built into his body. At least, he couldn't see himself any other way.

What could be worse than the corpses of loyal comrades? Probably the cold heart of a son. His remoteness and his wild desire to claw at his new father's throat. The little Spider never left his mind. Miles kept wondering how he was doing. What would happen if Sally found out what he had done? What would happen if his crazy wife Neytiri found out? Had Miles Jr. told her about pulling a dying and defeated enemy out of the water? Those soul-stealing questions were too many to count. Rekom felt almost the first experience of his life. It pricked at his heart, making him gulp tensely.

«If they touch him, I'll...».

An unfamiliar and prickly thought snapped through his mind. Miles pounded his fist nervously on the tile. It was proving to be so unaccustomed to worrying about a child that it was driving him to anger and embarrassment.

«Calm down, cretin, he's nobody to you».

Miles grabbed the towel with such irritation he nearly tore the thick terry cloth. Dry himself off, get dressed, and head to the carpet to see the Generaless and Selfridge number two. What these two would present this time, Rekom had no idea, but he was ready to offer his variant of further operation. Eliminating the collaborator was the first priority. No one should gather wild clans of humanoids into packs and poison them against humans. Miles was sure that if they were deprived of their leader, they would remain in their primitive age with bows and spears. But as long as Jake Sully was with them, they would train, learn more and more about the enemy, and use their knowledge willingly.

Not thirty minutes later, Miles was all set. He walked off the campus and jumped straight to the roof. As soon as he mentally called out to the banshee, she was screaming on the horizon. The beautiful, dark blue raptor with multicoloured spots on its wings descended onto the roof, clawing at the metal with its sharp claws. Rekom held out his hand, and the banshee made a guttural chittering sound and clung to its master with such devotion that Miles couldn't help but half-smile. He grinned at the winged predator's reaction, attaching the neurons of the scythe to her. Each pair of her eyes immediately widened, the colonel felt light and warm, as if he were being welcomed by a close friend.

— Well, baby, let's fly to the Center, — Miles gently stroked the banshee's narrow muzzle and she, as if understanding every word, obediently bowed her head, allowing the rider to be on top.

***

General Frances Ardmore trained in her exoskeleton suit at the RDA Central Building range. She swung her long metal limbs, batting away baseballs, then jumped over obstacles and fired her rifle at targets. And so it went on in a circle until the general was satisfied that her body had taken the maximum load for the day. As a military man to the bone, Frances said it was everyone's duty to keep the body toned, because the tougher the shell, the tougher the soul. But it was not only her Spartan beliefs that made her train day in and day out, but also the certainty of an imminent full-scale war. All sorts of plans were brewing in the council, and everyone wanted to add something of their own: many were thinking about how to deal with the enemy in a gentler way, but Ardmore had her own opinion on the matter. She had long ago decided what she was going to do, and the chief administrator liked it.

While the Generaless was practising various combat techniques, Jonathan Bryce was relaxing in an improvised tent near the sports court. Even during the break, he managed to hold a few talks with his colleagues on Earth, contacting them via a hovering monitor that hung on the wall like an image from a projector. A glass of tonic freshly squeezed juice, croissants on a glass table, his favourite light-protective stylish glasses and a filtration device that allowed him to breathe the air he needed in the tent. What more could he wish for? Life seemed to be getting better, for it was not for nothing that Bryce had sought this position for a desperate few years, working his way up through the ranks. Now that he could take on serious tasks and many aspects of the RDA's work and plans depended on his word, he could finally make the world of human society a better place. For who but he understood the truth of the structure of life? A man who had travelled through the thorns to the stars.

He could have argued about this favourite subject for a long time, but the sudden cry of a banshee that flew up made him shudder with surprise. The winged predator descended near the tent, allowing the rider to jump to the ground. Miles straightened his back confidently and looked back: Ardmore had already turned her attention to the rekoma and walked in his direction. The colonel entered the tent.

— Do you always appear as spectacular as an artist on stage? — Bryce sat on the velvet-upholstered, semicircular couch.

Miles noticed the decoration of the «lounge» and furrowed his brow in surprise. In the tent he had to put a transparent mask to his nose every few minutes to breathe the proper air.

— You should give the doctor a big bonus for getting me back on my feet in time, like you told me to.

— Colonel, you don't hold a grudge about this, do you? I'd prefer to co-operate amicably and without the stares. After all, you and I are in the same boat.

— And you're wary that I'm going to capsize that boat? — rekom grinned. — Don't worry, I'm a military man: I'm used to following orders, so let's get right down to business while the boat stays afloat.

— That's the spirit, I know! — Bryce smiled. — So that's where we'll start…

The administrator's words were interrupted by the general who entered the tent. She silently approached the table and, taking a glass of juice, drained it immediately. Drops of sweat rolled down her face, leaving traces on the collar of her military T-shirt.

— Colonel, — she said confidently. — I see you're in great shape, and that's good, because some changes are coming.

The Recombinant nodded back, folding his arms across his chest. It seemed as if Miles was ready for anything, just to go in search of the traitor Sally and finally put an end to him once and for all. This time the burning determination irritated his mind more than ever.

— You know, we've been thinking about this for a long time, because one slip-up is an accident, but two slips-it's a pattern worth paying attention to, — Bryce's words were like a bowl of ice water to Miles. He shook his head, pushing his thoughts away, and glanced questioningly at the supervisor. The administrator's face turned suspiciously serious, and General Ardmore looked away, trying to remain as cold as possible.

— I've already realised since yesterday that I haven't satisfied your desires, but are you really going to rape this topic further or should we focus on what's important? While you're blowing smoke up your arse, Sally's plotting an offensive. I'm sure he is. With his son dead, he'll do anything! You want a couple more trains overturned or mines blown up?

— I'm sorry, Colonel, but your words make no more sense than those of a rebellious teenager, — Mr Bryce said. — First of all, where's your human offspring gone? He was with you the whole trip, wasn't he? The tracker in his oxygen mask couldn't track him. Apparently he changed his mask or knew he was being followed.

Before answering, Rekom mentally cursed. Irritation crept over his skin with unpleasant prickling goosebumps. The bastards were pushing at the hurt as if on purpose.

— I can't know. The little one had been lost during the battle. Probably dead.

— Hmm, well, I'm sorry, — the Generaless looked on in disbelief. — Another mistake on your part.

— Exactly! — Jonathan added, snapping his fingers. — We could have asked him for Sally's whereabouts. After all, his pleas for help would have drawn out the entire saboteur group.

— You think the blues would come after a human child? — Miles grinned.

— He's been living with them! You know, Sally's a lot more related to him than you....

— What are you getting at? We held his blood children and the children of the water clan chief captive, and if it hadn't been for the clever whale, it would have been over! Sully was ready to surrender and was swimming towards us! Didn't Dr Ian Garvin tell you how clever these things are?

Miles's irritation was quickly changing to outright anger. The pupils of his bright yellow eyes dilated frantically, and his long tail flicked nervously from side to side, nearly hitting everything on the table. He couldn't let his superiors dump all the responsibility on himself, for Rekom remembered well how he'd asked for more people. He felt he was fighting a losing battle, for Jake Sully was cunning, and it was more than he wanted to expect.

The radio in its holster on General Ardmore's leather belt rang out. Miles wanted to add a couple of angry comments to his speech, but he was imperiously stopped by a waving hand gesture.

— General, they've arrived, — a male voice said briefly.

Miles bowed his head questioningly.

— We're at the sports court. Have them come here.

— I'm listening, General.

The radio had no sooner gone silent than the distinctive sound of the convertible's blades could be heard outside the tent. Miles had long been accustomed to recognising aircraft by sound. Intrigued, Rekom stepped outside, followed by everyone else. The iron bird lowered itself onto the lawn. As soon as the automatic door lifted up, strangers in black camouflage gear jumped out of the cockpit. Eight unremarkable, but only at first glance, men were looking around and speaking in pure Na'vi. Miles raised his eyebrows in surprise. When he noticed the strange patches on their armour, "Private military company Nameless", he was puzzled. The youngest of them, a red-haired man with long braids like a Viking, stood out. He wore a coloratka on his collar and a silver Catholic cross around his neck.

«A military chaplain? What the hell is that?» — gasped the colonel.

— General Ardmore, my respects! — one of the strangers came forward with a theatrical bow. He took the lady's hand and kissed it like a true gentleman. His face was wrinkled, his eyes sunken with the look of a wild jackal, and he had a short Mohawk instead of the usual military haircut.

— Glad you made it, — Ardmore said with a friendly smile. — How was the intergalactic flight?

— Almost six years out of commission, thought our arses would wrinkle, but the rats in white coats took care of that, — said one of the men, a tall, lean blond with straight silver teeth.

— Nevertheless, we are very glad that the management agreed to send you! — A cheerful Bryce jumped forward, shaking everyone's hand. — At last we're getting some real professionals on board!

— Any explanations? What the hell is this? — Miles couldn't take it anymore.

Jackal gaze took a few confident steps towards the recom and appraisingly examined him from head to toe.

— Look, lads, a talking cat.

— Wow, really? — Miles grinned, looking down at the insolent man.

— Before you is a non-state military formation, created by me personally and approved by the leadership, — General Ardmore announced. — The Nameless Squad will operate in the interests of the RDA. It is not subject to the control of the official army as you and your men are, Colonel, which means it can operate unhindered by the moral principles imposed by some of the council men.

— And we've been acting under the influence of moralists all this time? — Miles laughed.

— I'd call it something else, but I think you realise that whatever influence you've been under, it hasn't been successful. So from now on you will be a scout in the squad of the of the Nameless. That's all. Your job is to bring information, to trace the path of Jake Sully and the rest of the rebels.

Miles couldn't believe his own ears. He laughed out loud, but without much gusto, as if he'd heard the world's most ironic joke.

— You've demoted me, I take it?

— Unofficially, — Bryce clarified. — Don't worry about your salary, Colonel, you're still useful to us.

— Fit as what? A six for clowns? Maybe I should remind you that I'm in the state army, and my contract means acting officially, not with the Black Pants Squad, which apparently no one knows about except you.

— If you're worried about the contract, we can add a couple of clauses to it, we have a lawyer available.

— Your lawyer is nothing if he can put me in an unofficial military formation outside the control of the state!

— Michigan, did you hear what they named us? — The blond man with the silver teeth turned to look at the Jackal. And apparently it was their leader, for Miles saw echoes of his own countenance in him. It was as if a reflection had popped out of a mirror and taken on a more brazen, prison-like form.

The one called Michigan circled Miles, laughing at the sight of a long blue tail that twitched nervously with a dark tassel at the end. The Nameless continued to speak in the language of the locals. But Rekom had enough knowledge to pick up distinct swear words. Someone called him a scout altogether. Too much pressure. And too many brazen eggheads. Miles hissed angrily, abruptly grabbing Michigan by the waistcoat and jerked it up to the level of his face. The man stopped laughing immediately, and the mirth faded from his face.

— Colonel! Put the commander in his place! — Jonathan exclaimed, but he stepped aside, wary, not wanting to get involved in a conflict with a three-metre recombinant.

— Colonel? — Ardmore placed her palm gingerly on the pistol holstered on her belt.

One of the Nameless only chuckled. There was a tense silence, except for the sounds of nature in the background and the workings of the Centre. The serious expression on Michigan's face changed to one of relaxation. He stretched into a mock smug smile.

— Ohio, get our friends, — he ordered, glancing at the redheaded chaplain.

Silent and quiet, he stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly to the entire area several times. First a strange mechanical scraping sound came from all directions, and then something like an animal-like growl. Miles wiggled his ears, listened, then unclenched his fingers and his captive collapsed downwards, hitting the hard surface with his tailbone.

In the daylight, something glinted metal among the bushes and trees outside the range, and in the same second four huge robots appeared in the area, leaving Rekom stunned. Resembling snakewolves, three metres long and two high, they ran up to their masters like obedient pets, glowing with dark blue eyes. The pearlescent panels shimmered with blue-green hues at different angles of view, like fish scales under shimmering water. It seemed that if they were turned at a certain angle, the robots would become invisible. And so it happened: one of them, seeing the blue recombinant, took an aggressive stance and almost merged with the environment.

«What a load of crap», — Miles thought, marvelling at the new technology.

It seemed impossible to be surprised by anything else, but these robot dogs made a strong impression. Each had eight long, mechanised legs, two pairs of eyes, and impressively large tails that resembled scorpions, with long needles at the ends. The robot dogs growled like predators, moved like predators. Flexible and agile, they were remarkably docile.

— Well, Colonel? How do you like our assistants? — Michigan smiled haughtily, stroking one robot's face. — Why don't you join our Black Pants troop? It'll be fun, I promise.

#avatar #james cameron avatar #recom #avatar recoms #recom quaritch #fanfic #avatar2 #recom lyle wainfleet #recom mansk

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casspurrjoybell-19 · 9 months

Text

Pirate Chains - Volume 3 - Corail

*Warning Adult Content*

Chapter 2 - Knot by Knot - Part 1

- Lou -

I stepped on the shore of the land and stretched my arms and legs.

I looked around noticing the busy crowd on the port of Mila.

Sailors, beggars and highborn gentlemen walking around without fear for their lives or their belongings.

Aye, that's the most annoying thing about guarded islands.

That and also the fact that they were obviously infested with guards.

In a handful of minutes, our crew had already finished unloading the ship, which was not really loaded in the first place, except for some food and water barrels.

The crew dispersed after speaking with their Captain, who had to repeat the instructions that Haven gave them on deck to almost everyone.

Haven watched them leave, nodding slightly to reassure the hesitant eyes that stared his way.

"Sailors," he had said earlier before we hit the shores. "I'm sorry you have to go to your families without your payment in your hands but I'm asking you to be patient. We've been through a lot on this sail and your efforts were admirable. I promise to pay for your endurance. I'll need you to go home for the day and the day after tomorrow, please come to visit your Captain. He will wait for you beside this ship, of course, it will be as usual at the port of Mila. He will pay you each by his rank..."

"Will we get more money for standing up to pirates?" a sailor interrupted him,and several of his mates nodded.

I scoffed.

I didn't see them standing up to when we aided on their asses.

"I am promising you your usual payment, sailor. As for the matter of extra settlement, you'll find your answer when you go see the Captain. As for the guards, you will also get paid the day after tomorrow. Come find me in my main shop in the market. Now I know you'll be eager to count the disturbances that occurred to us."

His eyes met mine very briefly and I couldn't hold my smirk.

"To every soul you encounter. I will ask you to be patient because such news can travel quickly and hinder my business as well as my capacity to pay you for your services. All I ask of you is to wait until you get paid before spreading the news about our late arrival."

Obviously, some of the sailors and the guards didn't like being paid late.

They complained, not to Haven but to their Captain.

Unfortunately for them, that got them nowhere because Haven literally had no money with him, the sum that Agenor left him barely covered the food and water.

So here we were, standing at the port as the crew dispersed.

"Sir Aimeri, if you'd like to wait here, I'll go fetch you a horse."

"I'm walking home, thank you."

"Well..." the Captain looked at me warily and continued. "I should escort you then. To make sure you get home safely."

I snorted and stepped forward, making him step back but the back of Haven's hand was immediately on my chest, stopping me from putting my foot up his sorry bottom in the middle of the crowded port.

Captain my ass.

"That won't be necessary. You can go home and rest for the day."

"As you want, Sir. I'll come see you tomorrow afternoon, then. Have a good day, sir and try to get some rest."

"Thank you, Captain, be safe."

The Captain bowed his head and left, not before sending a glare to me.

It actually made me want to laugh because he obviously thought he was scary.

I watched the Captain leave, followed by some of the sailors.

"You really believe they'll do as you asked?"

Haven sighed, looking about ready to drop from exhaustion.

"Their payment depends on it. I think it will keep them silent for the day. A few cups of beer tonight and they'll spill everything out. So basically, I have one day to make the best of this fucked up situation."

"You should've let me convince them to keep their mouths shut. Even the drunk won't forget a nice threat."

"I won't let you brow beat my crew, Lou. Again. You're on a guarded island and here we respect each other."

He started walking and I followed him.

"What will respect do to you when the news of you being whipped by pirates reaches your clients? You said they risked taking their business away and making you troubles."

"Yes and it's my job to deal with these troubles and also to keep the name and reputation of my family clean. So no matter what happens, we deal with it according to the law. No beating and no threatening the innocent."

I made a disgusted sound in response.

"Ukh, it's been literally five minutes since I got here and I already hate this 'according to the law' shit."

"Welcome to civilization, you ape."

I was about to throw him a snarky comment, when we were interrupted by a middle-aged man wearing a very expensive looking set of brown clothes, with white gloves on his hands and what looked like a lackey following him.

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lilhwahwa · 3 years

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White Hemlock - 𝙋.𝙎𝙃

WARNING: mafia au! Strong language! Kinda angst? Liddol fluffy too.

MASTERLIST

Next part

Your hands trembled with nerves, coated in a thin layer of cold sweat as you watched your lover through the glass windows of his home office. The light and golden tray you gripped onto harshly was now also trembling in your hands, shaking the tea in its white porcelain cup.

Your breath caught in your tightening throat as his sharp eyes met yours. Seonghwa raised his eyebrows in puzzlement, wondering why you weren't entering through the door with that shy smile of yours and a playful glint in your pure eyes like you always did.

You swallowed dry air, trying to restore your calm form before pushing the door handle down with one hand and taking a step inside his well-decorated office. Your eyes scanned the dark walnut bookcase lining the entire right-hand wall before moving onto the black leather sofa pressed to the wall.

Seonghwa was still on the phone, no doubt a business call, as you placed your tray on the round glass coffee table by the couch. You took a seat carefully, leg bouncing with nerves. As Seonghwa talked, his delicate digits reached over and straightened some stuff on his desk, making sure everything was square and appropriately spaced to please the perfectionist in him.

Yet, his darkening eyes never left your stiffened form. Had he figured it out already? That fast? There was no way. Thoughts of doubt clouded your mind so much that you hadn't noticed Seonghwa had put his phone down on his desk, now silently watching your spaced-out form.

"Did darling bring something for me?" His voice was low but loud enough for it to make itself heard even across the room. Seonghwa's face was unreadable, as unpredictable as always. That quality of his made you uneasy at times, but today, it terrified you as you remembered the reason for being sat in his office at this hour.

"Oh um, you're working so hard, so I thought you'd want something to drink..." Your lips turn upward into a forced smile. Would Seonghwa fall for it? You were never awake at four am, specifically not to serve a coffee-person, a cup of tea. Seonghwa hummed and pushed back from his desk, spinning in his office chair to face you.

"Let's see then." he encouraged and nodded to the tray you had brought with you. It took you a couple to realize it was time to act. You scrambled up onto your feet, bringing the cup of tea over with you as Seonghwa reached over to place his large hands on your hips.

"Sit," he said simply before pulling you closer and down onto his lap, letting you get comfortable. "And what did my darling bring me at four am?" his voice was amused, almost mocking your nervous state as his digits ran down your hip to rest on your bare thigh.

"So since you were- you are working so hard, I brought you some tea," you chirped, looking straight ahead to avoid making eye contact with him. Seonghwa's eyes trailed down to the small cup of dark liquid in your trembling hands.

"Very well, hand it here," he leaned in to press a chaste kiss to your cheek. You quickly raised the cup for him to take and forced a smile in form of a reaction to his kiss. Seonghwa ignored the cup as his lips continued pressing small kisses up the expanse of your jaw.

"Why won't you look at me today? Is something making you uneasy?" he asked, tone silky and smooth, too smooth for someone with eyes colder than ice.

"N-no, of course not!" you replied, turning your head quickly to face your lover, way too quick. He'd notice, it was too obvious. Your eyes nervously scanned his face, heart starting to ache at the thought of what you were about to do to him. "I'm just tired," you lied and looked down at the cup of tea in your hand. Seonghwa reached down and wrapped his hand around the cup, lifting it to his face. Smooth ropes of steam lifted into the air from the hot liquid, making Seonghwa hum at the scent.

You sat dead silent, body frozen as you patiently waited for him to take a sip. You felt almost relieved as he seemed to turn out clueless to the poisonous herb in the tea. The plan was going to be successful.

Just a few weeks prior, you had started getting threatening messages on your phone. They started short, coming in once or twice a week with messages asking about your day and if you had enjoyed your meals. While it was slightly creepy to know someone held information about you and what and when you had eaten a meal, you thought nothing about it as you blocked the number. It wasn't until a week ago when you received pictures of your family members in their home, doing everyday things with messages threatening to hurt them. You knew going into a relationship with Seonghwa would hold its risks, and you promised yourself that no matter what, your family's well being would come first.

That's why when the number told you to slip the poisonous herb into Seonghwa's tea and intoxicate him temporarily in exchange for your family's lives, you agreed with a heavy heart after sleepless nights of thinking. Even though you considered going to Seonghwa or even his fellow members, the instructions were clear. Should you tell anyone, then that would be the end for your family right then and there.

"You do seem tired, baby. I have an idea hm? Why don't you take this cup of tea to bed with you and I'll come to join you soon?" Seonghwa smiled and placed the cup of tea down on his desk. Your relieved chest was once again filling up with anxiety and guilt as you wasted precious time. He had to take the poison by sunrise.

"B-but I made this for you, why don't you at least try a sip? Please?" You beg silently, heart beating loudly in your ears as you reached forward to wrap your arms around his neck in hopes of coaxing him into drinking it.

Without breaking eye contact, Seonghwa stretched his hand towards his desk. You didn't dare to look away from his face as you pouted, desperate in convincing him.

"You seem to be forgetting who I am" Seonghwa's voice was once again low and amused as he watched you swallow nervously. The office was still dark despite the sun starting to rise. His blinds were shut and only the little desk light was on for you to make out his sharp features. Nevertheless, his words brought confusion to your face and for a second it felt like he had known about your plan all along.

"H-huh?-" you opened your mouth to question him but froze when you felt cold metal make contact with your temple. It took you a second to realize what it was before you started thrashing around on his lap in desperation to get away from him. "Stop or I won't hesitate to shoot" his voice was clear and even lower than before. Memories of him taking you out to the mall and the park came flashing back before your eyes. Him, a sweet and loving man who blew on your finger when you had accidentally hurt yourself and the man who scolded the kitchen counter when you hit your hip on it, now pressing a gun to the same person he had sworn to protect with his life. He wouldn't shoot. With furrowed brow and determination, you kept moving and trying to escape the hand that gripped onto your hip harshly. Your heart stopped when the sound of the gun cocking made you finally realize that you could be a second away from never being able to wake up to him in your warm bed and seeing your family for New Year's.

"H-hwa-" you stuttered, eyes glazing over with tears as you finally froze in his hold. Seonghwa chuckled coldly, in disbelief at your behaviour. His own eyes held hurt in them and had you been able to read minds, his would be screaming in agony and betrayal as he watched his loved one trying to hurt him.

"I promised to protect you, as long as you did the same." He stated coldly as if reading your mind, eyes leaving yours to look over at the teacup on his desk. "Take the cup, and take a sip" He ordered, gaze never leaving yours. "Do it now" he raised his voice when you sat still in his lap, trembling in fear and shock at this side of your lover. No matter how much he wanted to drop his gun and hold you closer in his arms to comfort both of you, he knew it would be an important lesson to learn.

A few tears fell from your eyes, bottom lip quivering in humiliation and fear as you slowly turned your head to the side, gun still pressed to your temple as you saw the lonely white cup on the dark desk. Your hand shakily reached out to take the cup, bringing it over to your chest.

"Now take a sip" Seonghwa murmured, eyes dark and stone-cold as his jaw clenched, making hin look almost deadly. You looked up at him with irritated red eyes, begging him silently to stop. "Hwa please-" you cried as his hand came up behind to harshly grip your hair, making you tilt your head back sharply.

"Thought it would be smart slipping white fucking hemlock into my tea? Do you think I was born yesterday Y/n?" he laughed coldly, trying to hide the hurt in his voice. "Is this what you call trust?" he spits, digging the gun harsher into your temple as his face changes to one in disgust. "Unthankful fucking brat, you should be happy I didn't tell the others about your little sneaky plans, they'd have you strapped down in our basement and tortured for hours with no pause. Think twice of who you choose to betray" he spoke harshly, hurt clouding his mind as he intended to scare you up enough to never try it again. He knew deep down he wouldn't be able to let you go, but a lesson wouldn't hurt, too much.

You let out a choked sob, letting the teacup drop and smash into small pieces on the carpeted floor below. "Please, Seonghwa, I'm sorry- they said they'd hurt my family and- and that the poison isn't lethal please-" you cry, eyes closing as you felt yourself lose control of all the emotions building up, breaking out in loud sobs as your body shook in his embrace. Seonghwa swallowed harshly, letting out a sigh before putting his gun to the side and wrapping his other arm around your waist. He let go of your hair, catching your head on his shoulder as your exhausted form went limp in his arms. He hushed you as you shook from the overbearing shock, hand sliding over your back as you kept sobbing into his neck.

"Next time, you tell me what's going on right from the start, understood?" he questioned strictly even though he knew you wouldn't be able to respond. "And also, don't throw the package out in the trash bin."

#park seonghwa #seonghwa #ateez #ateez mafia au #ateez reaction #ateez reactions #ateez scenario #ateez scenarios #ateez imagines #ateez imagine #ateez angst #ateez fluff #mafia au #kpop reactions

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nothing-but-dreamy · 3 years

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TRUE COLORS ~ Ch. 6

Wanna start? Masterlist

Pairing: DBH!Connor x OC!Maya

Words: 2.193 (yes, it's a bit longer but I really love this chapter and didn't want to cut it somwhere)

Warning: some cursing;

Connor stayed the rest of the evening and the whole night with Maya. And as she awoke the next morning, she was surprised and very happy to see that Connor was still there. As Maya walked into the living room, she saw Connor staying in front of the terrarium, watching her little friend.

"Haven't you met Trevor before?", Maya asked and joined Connor.

"You named your gecko Trevor?", he asked, visibly amused.

"Sure. It isn't that he would care anyway. I mean, it's a gecko. I don’t think he understands one single word I’m telling him. Maybe it’s better this way.", she answered with a wink. Connor smiled but it faltered a bit.

"Hank had called me. Maybe we have a lead for our case."

"Sounds good. When do you have to leave?"

"He will be here in five minutes."

"Oh, then it's good I woke up or you would have sneaked out again, huh?", Maya joked but she saw that Connor didn't get it. He blinked with his eyes and tilted his head. Then, his expression changed as he searched for the right words.

"Thank you, again. I… I really appreciate what you do for me."

"I'm here for you whenever you need me, Connor.", Maya said honestly and Connor nodded before he left to meet Hank on the street.

"Connor, wait!", Maya called out and the android stopped. She ran towards him, got on her tiptoes and flung her arms around his neck.

"Please, be careful, okay? Don’t get shot again.", Maya said, softly smiling and he nodded not knowing what the right reaction would be. This much affection towards him confused him but in a nice way.

***

"Another night spent with Maya, huh?", Hank asked and watched the android closely as he entered the car.

"Yes, it was helpful. Where are we going?", Connor asked as the lieutenant hit the road.

"We have to meet someone."

Forty minutes and a quick stop at the CyberLife Tower later, Hank parked his car in front of an abstract and cubical building. As Hank's phone rang, he left the car to answer it. Connor looked one last time over the area before he left the car as well to join Hank who walked up and down.

"Is everything okay, Lieutenant?", Connor asked as he closed up to his partner.

"Chris was on patrol last night. He got attacked by a bunch of deviants but he got saved by Markus himself."

"Is Chris okay?"

"Yeah, he is under shock but he is okay. These are crazy times at the moment.", Hank said and walked to the front door of the building.

"I have a bad feeling, Lieutenant."

"Bad feeling, huh? Have you checked your program? It might be a glitch.", Hank teased but Connor frowned. After everything that had happened the last few days, Connor was insecure if something might be really wrong with him or his program.

[X] shoot

[O] spare

Connor pointed Kamski's gun at the head of the kneeling Chloe. He looked her straight in the eyes. Her LED was spinning blue. She wasn't concerned. She was a machine and she just watched him patiently. But Connor was disturbed. His LED was spinning yellow as his system was working. There was a clash between his instructions to get information for his mission and … something else.

… I'm convinced you will be able to find a way to solve this case without killing someone. There is always an alternative. To spare someone's life is always better…

Maya's soft voice echoed through his mind and reminded him of everything she had tried to teach him the first night. Suddenly, the eyes he looked into weren't the eyes of Chloe anymore, instead he saw Maya's bright eyes and her smile.

The LED was moving erratic red as he acted against his instructions: Connor pulled the gun away from the kneeling android. Kamski stepped around Connor and watched him.

"Fascinating. CyberLife's last chance to save humanity is itself a deviant."

"I- I'm not a deviant."

"You spared its life rather than to accomplish your mission. You saw a living being in this android. You showed empathy."

"Okay, that's enough. We're leaving.", Hank said and pushed Connor away from the eccentric scientist. Connor was almost out of the room as Kamski spoke up.

"By the way, I always leave an emergency exit in my programs. You might never know.", Kamski said and Connor left the villa with a troubled mind. He passed Hank who followed slowly behind Connor.

"You said you would do everything to accomplish your mission."

"I- I know…", Connor stammered.

"Why haven't you shot?"

"I don't know, okay? I just saw Maya's eyes and I couldn't-"

"Maya?"

"Th...the girls eyes, I meant."

"But you said Maya. You like her a lot, don't you? Well, obviously, she has a good effect on you.", Hank said with a smile and passed a confused looking Connor.

***

"It snows again.", Gary said dryly.

"You mean, it's still snowing. I never saw it stop for one sec.", Maya stated and gave a customer his order while she looked at the grey sky. She liked snow but not if she had to work in this cold truck. Tom, one of the construction workers, who always came over in his lunch break, joined the truck, as well.

"Hey man, have you heard about the deviant attack at the Plaza? They have destroyed the whole place.", Tom said. Maya had seen the so-called 'attack' on the news but even then, she wasn't trusting the anchorman and his information. Somehow, she was sure that Markus and the others hadn't been violent how it got displayed.

"Yeah, man! That's the reason why I still don't have one. I don't trust these things.", Gary admitted with a spiteful undertone.

"They're not things!", Maya insisted but no one supported her opinion. Gary crossed his arms and shook his head about his sister.

"You're sympathizing with these terrorists? After everything they have done so far?"

"They are not violent!", Maya called out and threw the flipper on the table.

"Haven't you seen the news this morning?"

"Sure, I have-"

"Then you saw how they have destroyed the CyberLife store and everything around!", Gary argued back. Maya gritted her teeth. The fact that they had broken into the store with a truck wasn't helpful for her argument. But still, she was convinced that the news had misrepresented the android’s action.

"They just want to be heard! No one would listen to them-", she argued.

"It would be better if they stay silent, if you ask me! Oh, hey, Jim! What's up man?", Gary said and turned over to the next customer. Maya hated it to be ignored but she also hated to have this kind of conversation with her brother again and again.

"Hey! Good to see you! The usual?", Gary asked the next customer.

"Yeah-"

"Good but please, send this thing away. It's an android free zone here!", Gary said and Maya turned around to see who his brother was talking to. Maya saw Hank and then, her eyes fell on Connor who smiled at her softly and nodded slightly to greet her.

"Hey, plastic asshole! What are you staring at?", Gary asked angry and stepping into the line between Connor and Maya. This was the point where Maya had enough.

"Gary! Shut the fuck up!"

"Stay out of this!”, Gary hissed and glared then at Connor, “And you, go away!"

"You won't send him away!", Maya hissed back.

"This is my truck and my rules! And I don't send him away! I send it away!", Gary said and turned around to Maya with gleaming eyes.

"His name is Connor and you will apologize to him because he's my friend!"

"Your friend? Are you out of your stupid mind? You can't be serious!"

"I am very serious, Gary!", Maya hissed through gritted teeth and stepped closer to her brother.

"Maya, I swear to god-"

"That's enough!", Hank called out to stop them, "Gary, calm down! It's still your sister you're talking to so, calm the fuck down. Connor, I guess Maya could use a break. Accompany her a bit.", Hank said further and watched how Maya stepped back and out of the truck. She threw her apron into a corner with more force than necessary and grabbed her coat and scarf.

"Hank! You can't let her walk around with this thing!", Gary called out frustrated. Once again, Maya stopped and glared at her brother, ready to jump at him again but Hank pushed her carefully further as he saw her angry eyes.

"I trust him. Connor, we meet us later in the DPD.", Hank said with no room for any more objection from anyone.

"I'm so sorry for my brother’s behaviour. Sometimes, he can be such a jerk!", Maya said frustrated after they had walked a bit. She was so angry that she couldn't even look at Connor.

"It's okay-"

"No it isn't!", Maya called out and stopped suddenly. Connor stopped as well and looked confused at her.

"No matter if android or not, no one should be treated like that!", Maya called out and Connor stepped closer.

"You defended me in front of your brother. No one ever did that.”, he said with a soft smile, “Maya, you have the best intentions but not everyone sees it this way and some people won't ever see it like you.", Connor said low.

"It's frustrating.", Maya said but calmed slowly down. The cold air and the falling snow cooled her temper. They continued their way side by side. Maya snuggled deeper into her coat and pushed her hands deeper into the pockets while Connor walked just casually next to her, seemingly unaware of the cold. She watched him, gnawed on her lower lip and asked the question in her mind.

"Aren't you freezing? It's so cold!"

"No. My systems regulate my temperature to a perfect level. See?", Connor said and offered her his hand. Maya smiled because it was completely innocent from him but the butterflies in her stomach danced happily around. She took the hand and because Connor had learnt it recently, he intertwined his fingers with hers. Connor's hand was perfectly warm. And like this, hand in hand, they started to walk again.

"How's your case doing? Was the lead helpful?", Maya asked after five minutes of comfortable silence. The android next to her stayed silent but the LED told her something was bothering him. The LED was spinning yellow with a bit of red.

"Connor?", Maya asked, carefully pushing.

"We have met Kamski-"

"Kamski? You mean the Elijah Kamski?", Maya asked surprised and Connor nodded.

"Hank could make an appointment with him."

"And?", Maya asked excitedly as the android stayed silent.

"We...we haven't found out something useful.", Connor said but stared at the ground, avoiding her glance. Maya knew that he was hiding something.

"Connor, please. Tell me what happened. Something keeps you busy.", Maya said softly and looked at him encouragingly with a smile.

"Maybe he knew something but I…"

"Yeah?"

"I failed. Again.", Connor admitted low and looked away from her. Doubts were written on his face. Maya stopped and stepped in front of Connor. With her hand on his cheek, she turned his face back to her. With a sad expression he looked at the small woman in front of him who was simply nice and sweet towards him. Suddenly, he realized he was going to lose this if he wouldn’t make any progress soon.

"Why do you think you have failed? What happened there?", Maya asked and waited. Connor looked into the distance, his LED spinning yellow as he reconstructed the happenings earlier that day.

"There was this 'Kamski Test'. I had to pass it if I wanted information from him. If I would have passed this test, he would have told me what I needed to know but I… I…", Connor stopped and looked Maya straight into the ocean blue eyes he had seen earlier in a different situation.

"Yeah?", Maya said encouragingly and squeezed his hand, "I'm here for you."

"The test was to kill one of his androids."

"What? That's ridiculous! What kind of test shall this be?", she said shocked.

"It is based on the Turing Test. The test shall show if a machine is able to feel empathy. In the end, Kamski put a gun in my hand while his Chloe knelt in front of me."

"And, then?", Maya asked, feeling on edge. Connor looked away and she tried to give him time. As it was almost too long for her to endure the silence, Connor looked back at her.

"I couldn't kill the android. I saw yo- something in her eyes and I couldn't shoot.", Connor closed his explanation. There was something else. Something in his voice. He wanted to say something else but before Maya could wrap her mind around it, the thought was gone.

"You spared her life because of empathy. That is good. Don't blame yourself, Connor.", Maya said reassuringly but she saw that Connor was still troubled.

#dbh connor #dbh #connor dbh #dbh connor x reader #connor #detroit connor #detroit become human connor #detroit become human aesthetic #detroit become human #x reader #fanfic #fanfiction #writing

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wheredostarsgowhenyoudie · 3 years

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You'd never know what day your life would change. It could be today or tomorrow. It could be a day when the sun reigns in the sky or a day when stormy clouds rule. It could be a day you're happy or a day you're down. No one could tell. But when it happens, you'll know it, because suddenly everything is different and nothing will ever be the same again.

The day it happened, Merlin still wasn't convinced that Arthur wasn't lying when he told him he acknowledges that he has magic and that it doesn't change the fact that he's still an idiot.

The warlock wanted to believe him. He really does. But when one had been living in the shadows of lies, deceit and fear for as long as he had, it couldn't be harder to step into the light and accept that it was real.

Merlin hated that he couldn't be fully at ease with Arthur and the knights. He hated seeing the hurt in the prince's eyes every time he would wince when the royal would draw a sword or prepare to give an order. Merlin also noticed that the knights had been taking turns, keeping him company on his chores and going out of their way to ask him questions to learn more about his magic.

Merlin wasn't oblivious to their intentions. He knew that his friends were doing it to show him that it's alright to be himself around them. But as much as he appreciates their effort, try as he might, he still just couldn't erase the nagging fear at the back of his mind that Arthur would change his mind and decide that burning at the stake is where he belongs and that the knights would agree with him.

The worst part was that even if they do, Merlin would only understand their choice. They had been breaking the law by lying to Uther just to save his head. While Gwaine had no qualms deceiving the king, he knew the rest of the knights had their apprehensions. And Arthur, well it was him that Merlin feels most sorry to. What kind of friend does it make him if Arthur had to lie to his own father to protect him?

There's no question that Merlin couldn't have picked better friends. But what does that make him? For someone who has his secret out in the open, Merlin still doesn't feel free. Sometimes, he even finds himself believing that maybe he will never be.

It might just be so that for all the trials and tribulations magic had brought into his life, in the end, it will still be the one constant he can rely on.

Merlin barely managed to catch his breath on his way to Gaius' chambers when Gwen came running to him.

"Gwen?" he asks, instantly worried for the first friend he made in Camelot. "What's going on?"

"It's Arthur, Merlin!" Gwen answered. "Uther sent him and the knights to search what's causing the villagers' fright in the Forest of Merendra. Arthur sent me to inform you to take the shortcut and bring food and extra towels."

Merlin frowned. "When was this?"

"Just right after you left. They wanted to wait for you but Uther was insistent, and they couldn't tarry, else, Uther would be suspicious."

"I know that," said Merlin, knowing she was trying to assure him that they didn't leave him by choice. "I'll catch up with them. It should be no problem."

"Good," Gwen smiled before taking off the satchel strapped on her shoulder and handing it to him. "I prepared everything you might need. Now all you have to do is get a horse and leave." Then, taking the basket from him, she added, "As for the herbs, let me deliver them to Gaius. I'm sure he won't mind."

Merlin beamed, amused at her preparedness. "Thanks Gwen. I owe you," he expressed, clutching the supplies to his chest and running past her and into the stables. "And please tell Gaius I've gone after the prat!"

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Arthur couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the body lying still in the middle of the forest. He took a quick scan around the area just to see if they were being watched. It was a pity he got separated from the knights.

His own experiences with magical creatures had taught him to be wary, but he couldn't for the life of him, abandon the knight's code and turn away from a potential damsel in distress. And somehow, even if he wasn't willing to believe it at first, knowing that his idiot of a best friend has magic and could find him wherever he was, was a reassurance of its own kind. Not that he'll ever admit it to Merlin. The idiot would never let him hear the end of it if he does.

But just in case, he unsheathed Excalibur and prepared for an attack.

Carefully, he turned her so he could see her face.

"A princess?" he gasps, eyes instantly drawn on the silver tiara on her head. He had never seen anything like the pale blue dress she was wearing.

Arthur quickly reached a finger under her nose to see if she's still breathing. He couldn't help but worry what her presence here would mean if his assumptions were right.

To his relief, he had barely lifted her when she began to stir. He watched as chocolate brown eyes slowly blinked into awareness.

Gently, he helped her to sit up, making sure to support her back to keep her steady. The feel of his gloved hand on her back must have done the trick and she shrieked, jumping in fright of him. He would have laughed if she didn't look so scared.

"Oh, dear Merlin!" she exclaimed.

Arthur frowned. "You know my manservant?"

"Ahm," she started to say, and he easily caught onto her confusion.

"Forgive me, please," Arthur quickly apologized, making sure to step away to assure her that he meant her no harm. "My name is Arthur. I mean no threat to you, my lady, but I found you unconscious in the middle of Forest of Merendra. Tell me, where are you from? Do you remember how you got here?"

"Forest of-" she trailed, and he waited patiently as she finally seemed to absorb her surroundings. Her eyes widened in shock and she gasped, raising a hand to her forehead. "Oh, Hermione, what have you done now?"

"Hermione?" Arthur's face brightened. "Is that what they call you? What kingdom are you from?"

"I-…" she bit her lip in thought. "I'm sorry. Who did you say you are again?"

"Arthur. Arthur Pendragon, at your service," he reintroduced, waiting for recognition to dawn on her.

He didn't expect amused laughter to be her reaction. "Seriously, where are we? Is this some kind of a theme party? Are you in cosplay? Is that it? Well, I certainly can't remember drinking enough for this," she rambled. "Wait, I must be dreaming! That's it, isn't it? I'm dreaming, or I must be under a spell…A pensieve? But I don't remember…"

The prince listened to her patiently, mentally taking note of the words in her rant that he finds unfamiliar. Eventually, she stopped on her own and turned to him.

"Let's try that again, shall we?" she suggested. "Where are we?"

Arthur sighed but had no choice but to acquiesce. She still hasn't confirmed who she is and what she's doing dressed so thinly in this cold, or why she doesn't seem too worried at the thought that she might be under a spell. "We're in the Forest of Merendra in the Kingdom of Essetir. We're miles away from Camelot."

At this, her eyes widened and she pulled away from him. "Camelot?" Then, sounding fearful now, she asked. "And you're telling me you're King Arthur? As in THE King Arthur? Are you messing with me?"

"Well, no, it is my father, Uther, that is king. I'm only a prince. But I don't understand why you find this so hard to believe. Surely, you've heard of Camelot?"

She didn't get to answer though as the roars of the linen wrapped beasts finally caught up to him. Quickly, he helped her get to her feet and readied to defend.

"Well if you're Arthur, then what are they?" she asks, mystified. He couldn't help but wonder if she'd hit her head real hard that she still thinks she's dreaming.

But the pondering would have to wait as the creatures began to surround them.

'Anytime now would be great, Merlin.' He thought before he answered her.

"They're soulless animals' corpses being controlled by a sorceress."

"So they're dead? Like mummies?"

"You need to get behind me," he instructed, eyes at the beasts, only to startle when she stepped right beside him instead.

"How do we fight them?"

Arthur's first instinct was to tell her off for foolish bravery but one look at the advancing beasts told him there was no time for that. She at least needs to know what they're up against. "Fire, we need to burn them. But normal fire isn't enough. We need to-"

"It isn't working!" she was screaming before he could even register that she was holding a stick and one of the walking dead beasts was suddenly set ablaze.

"How did you?" he asked, before realization dawned on him and he turned to her in disbelief. "You're a sorceress!" he accused just as a lion jumped at him and he dodged, seeing her do the same in the corner of his eyes.

"What?" The girl, Hermione, scoffed, looking very much offended. "Flipendo!" she screamed before a light shot out of her stick and hit a tiger in the chest. "No, I'm a witch! Now, quickly tell me how to defeat them! Normal fire isn't working."

Arthur fought a headache from coming. Fate must be punishing him for treating his manservant so cruelly. As if dealing with one Merlin isn't enough…

"They're creatures of magic. The fire must be enchanted to destroy them."

"Of course," she breathed, eyes widening as though she'd just made a wonderful realization. Arthur barely moved his foot before he heard her say, "Stay back and don't move," and then, "FIENDFYRE!"

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Merlin had barely stepped into the forest when he felt it - magic both light and dark and so intensely heavy that he won't be surprised if he could touch it just by reaching out his hand.

He hurried his horse to the source of the screams and light, but nothing could have prepared him to what he saw.

A girl dressed like royalty was standing before a disgruntled Arthur, her arm outstretched and preventing the prince from taking any step farther as they stared down the army of mummified beasts advancing towards them.

His heart all but leaped out of his chest at the sight of the phoenix erupting from her wooden stick.

"ARTHUR!" he yelled.

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The frightened voice sounded very much like his manservant, but the prince couldn't keep his eyes away if he tried, gaping as the fire bird flew to devour the whole beastial army, leaving nothing but ashes on its wake.

He only breathed, alert and mortified when the phoenix started to turn on him. Before he knew it, Merlin had thrown his own weight to push them both out of harm's way and onto the ground, a move they soon found unnecessary when the fire bird released an ear piercing screech before drawing back and disappearing into thin air, leaving their eyes to settle on the lone girl standing in the middle of the devastation.

Legs apart, back straight, eyes ablaze and unrelenting, and with her hair crackling of magic - she looks like the perfect embodiment of an avenging female angel if they'd ever seen one.

No one said a word until she broke the silence.

"Is that enough?" she asked, eying them expectantly. "Are we safe now?"

"Huh," was the prince's unintelligible response, the only one he could manage after seeing what he saw. But he saw her brow lift higher and knew she was awaiting his answer.

"Yes," Arthur finally agreed, "I suppose that will do it." Then turning to the astounded warlock lying on his back beside him, he says, "Merlin, I think she just beat you in the most glamorous display of magic."

"You're-" she started to say, but the use of magic must have drained her and she began to sway.

Arthur hurried to help but Merlin signalled he let him instead, still feeling the lingering trace of unfamiliar magic in the air. It felt like his own and yet so different.

"SIRE!"

"Merlin!"

The voices came from the knights who arrived just in time to see Merlin carry the now unconscious girl in his arms.

"Who is she?" he found himself asking.

"I don't know," Arthur said, sounding as puzzled as he looked, staring at the sleeping damsel. "She seemed lost. She didn't even know who I am and yet, she protected me." Looking at his manservant, he asks, "Is she alright?"

Merlin nodded.

"Merlin, you alright mate?" Gwaine asked, seeing him look so perplexed.

This time, Merlin didn't nod, unsure of it himself.

He just witnessed magic unlike anything he'd ever seen.

But then she stirred on his arms, the tip of her stick accidentally touching his arm and Merlin's breath was caught at the feel of her magic humming and causing his skin to tingle with warmth.

"I think I need to speak with Kilgharrah."

A/N: Chapter 7 up! Read it here at...

#merlin #bbc merlin #hermione granger x arthur pendragon #hermione granger x merlin #merin and arthur pendragon #au #friendship #adventure #romance #fanfiction

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