Chapter 6: Merlin's POV

"Hey Merlin! Wait up." Curiously glancing over my shoulder, I smiled happily as the queen came barreling toward me. It had been 3 days since Agravain wierd warning. At first I was on edge. Weary of even my closet friends.  Yet after 3 days of nothing happening, (besides the odd feeling of eyes following me around the castle.), I started to relax. After all its Agravain. He probably only said that to scare me.

"Hey Gwen." I greeted. Cheerfully shifting the basket of laundry I held as I turned to face her. Skidding to a halt in front of me she smiled up at me a happy gleam in her eyes.

"I'm glad I caught you Merlin. I was wondering if you would be willing to help me with something?"

"Sure. What can your most loyal servant do for you my queen?" I teasingly asked adjusting the basket so I could give her a mock bow. She giggled rolling her eyes as she lightly slapped my shoulder.

"Oh you. You know I hate being addressed that way by you. Anyway I was hoping you could help me sneak out of the castle to go riding today. I know its not proper for the queen to leave with out her knights but I feel like I am suffocating. Ever since Morgana enchanted me to fall for the shade lancelot Arthur has become unbearable. He is terrified of it happening again. I bearily managed to evade Gwain and leon as it is just to talk to you. So I was hoping you could help me sneak out for a little for a little bit. We could go herb collecting in the woods like we used to." She asked hopefully.

Bitting my bottom lip I worriedly gazed around us at the empty hallway. As if worried that Arthur was going to suddenly appear to yell at me for even thinking of agreeing to such a dangerous idea.

"I don't know Gwen Arthur..."

"Will live. Please merlin. I just need one day of normalcy that doesn't include two hovering knights, and a over protective king. I just want to spend one day with my friend gathering herbs, and forgetting about being queen for one day. Please merlin." I knew the moment she batted those puppy dog brown eyes, and stuck out a trembling bottom lip that I was doomed. How is it capable for one woman to be so impossible to reject.

"Arthurs going to kill me." I sighed as she joyously threw her arms around my neck. Squeeling happily as the laundry scattered acrossed the stone floor.

"Thank you thank you. Your the best merlin. I will see you in 2 hours while Arthur is busy in a training the knights.  We can sneak out than.Thank you so much Merlin." She sang happily dashing off to prepare for our day out. I am so going in the stalks for this. If Arthur doesn't kill me first that is. Sighing I bent down and began to gather up the laundry before hurrying back to the kitchen to wash the kings clothes.

------------‐---------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you again for this merlin. I needed this." Gwen sighed skipping along the forest trail basket of herbs in hand. She had insisted when we left to go on foot so as not to raise suspcions of why the quenn was leaving on horseback with only a servant. I had managed to sneak her past the guards in one of my old cloaks and a bit of magic. Now a little while later I found myself exhausted just watching her flit around with energy to rival a 2 year old.

"No problem Gwen. I know going from a maid to a queen in such a short time can't have been easy for you. I glad I was able to help a little." Stopping her hopping around she smiled at me. Setting her basket down she slowly began walking to me a soft smile on her face. Confused I watched her approach bitting my bottom lip as an uneasy feeling suddenly appeared in my heart.

"I mean it merlin you have no idea how much this means to me. Your a true friend. " She whispered stopping in front of me an unusual, smile that seemed to hold a deeper meaning, on her face. Her eyes momentarily flashing violet beforenonce more returning to their usual broen. Frowning at her odd behavior I attempted to step back already feeling uncomfortable at her proximity. Yet as I went to move backwards I found my feet unable to move as if frozen in place.

"You have been such a loyal friend to us. Even in the face of Morganas betrayal you never lost faith in us." She softly whispered. Placing a gentle hand on my cheek. Gazing steadily into my eyes.

"Um well Arthur is a good king. I am happy to be his servant till the day I die." Her smile widened at that her hand slowly my my pale cheek, to the curve of my jaw, all the way to rest on the blood slave collar just above my pulse point.

"Hmm yes. Even when Arthur nearily killed you and placed this collar on, you still belive so strongly in him. Such loyalty to someone who if it weren't for me, getting help, would have drained you dry." I winced as I felt her nails sinking beneath the collar and cutting barely into the soft flesh of my neck. I watched as she pulling her hand back licked off the tiny doplrts of blood that she had managed to extract off her fingers. I gulped in dread as I saw her eyes flash a hungry shade of red, her fangs elongating to sit barely over her bottom lip. Gleaming softly in the sunlight. Licking her lips and lowering her hand she took slowly reached foreward.  Grabbing my shoulders and pulling my frozen body toward her. Wrapping her arms tightly around my waist and burying her face in my neck.

The collar sensing a royal shifted so that her mouth could rest more securely over my rapidly beating pulse point. I whimpered fearfully as I felt her gently sniffing my skin where the blood flowed freely beneath. If I could I would have struggled but whatever that short flash of violet earlier did made it so my body no longer obeyed my commands. Hoping to stall her I opened my mouth my voice coming out in a squeak as I tried to think of a way out of this mess.

"Gwen please why are you doing this? I thought we were friends." I gasped my body trembling in her grasp. I nearly wept in relief when she pulled an inch away. My question obviously catching her attention.

"Hmm maybe at one time I suppose we were friends.  Maybe at one time I would have screamed at anyone who dared to hurt you, but not anymore."

"Why what changed?"

"You did merlin. You changed. Instead of the sweet innocent vampire I had grown fond of. Instead of the silly goofy manservant to my husband. I find a human worming their way into the heart of camelot." She spat her eyes flashing dangerously up at me.

"But...but I'm still merlin. I'm still the loveable clumsy manservant of Arthur. I'm still your friend.  I'm just a human too. Nothing has really changed." She snarled at my words her fangs glinting dangerously in the sun.

"Everything has changed merlin. Your a human. A vile, filthy human. Did you know that it was because of a human my father was killed. Their intoxicating blood that traps vampires in its potent taste killed my father. He was just minding his own business shopping when he saw a little human child cowering behind a cart of hay. The guards were chasing the child looking to kill the boy when my dad happened upon him. My dad feeling sorry fof thd boy ushered him into our house hiding him from uther. I was away helping Morgana at the time it happened.  My dad had planned to sneak the child out of camelot at nightfall. He might have suceeded to, but that vile creature cut his finger while helping my dad make dinner. The moment my dad caught a scent of his blood all reason left him. He pounced on the child draining him of life. The guards hearing the screams and smelling the blood barged in to find my dad blood dripping down his chin leankng over the dead body of the child. Uther upon hearing of my dads deeds had him executed for harboring a human fugative. Ever since than I've hated humans. If it weren't for creatures like you my dad wouldn't have died." She seethed glaring at me.

"But if thats the case than why did you save me. Why didn't you let Arthur finish me off." She. laughed at that her smile once more appearing on jer face.

"Oh thats easy I just wanted to kill you myself. Besides if Arthur had killed you he would have been overcome with guilt that would have eventually destroyed him. At leadt this way I can kill you myself and tell Arthur you attacked me demanding I remove the collar. So I had no choicd but yo kill you. Arthur will be so upset that i am sure i can convince him to give up this foolishness of freeing human, and everythingwill go back to normal. Arthur will never again trust another human." She sweetly replied leaning foreward to sniff at my neck.

"You'll never get away with this. Arthur will know I wouldn't attack you. He will know your lying." I stated my voice breaking slightly as I desperately reached for my magic to no avail. Stupid collar not allowing me to defend myself.Pulling once more away she smiled at me a look of pity in her eyes.

"Oh my poor merlin. I am his wife. He is puty in my hands. All I need to do is rip my clothes and cut my arms alittle, cry, and he will be ready to bring you back to murder you himself. Now enough talk. I am hungry." I whimpered as I felt her lean foreward and trail her fangs along my pulse point. It was over I was helpless to stop her. All I could do was shut my eyes and prey it would be quick.

Her fangs were just beginning to sink into my neck when suddenly she was yanked away from me. Causing me to fall flat on my back. Her spell still not allowing more than for me to sit up. I gasped as I saw Arthur pinning Gwen to a tree. Arm tight across her neck, and  Excalibur pointed at her chest. Before I had time to truly process what just happened I felt someone gently pulling me to my feet. Gwens spell releasing under their own violet gaze. I stared at him wid eyed. Unable to comprehend Agravain helping me.

"You...You saved me. You brought Arthur, but how? Why?" I sputtetef flabbergasted. He chuckled at my amazement.

"Like I said even I have limits. I work for Morgana a human. Why would I think it ok to drain a human when my mistress fights against that kind of thinking. As for how I found you. I knew Gwen hated himans so I kept an eye on her. When I saw you and her going out to the forest alone I grew concerned and infofmed Arthur. He and I followed you out here. Arthur wanted to approach you guys the moment we found you to demand why the queen was out here unguarded. But I convinced him to wait. We saw everything. Needless to say he wasn't happy to learn her wife was ready to kill a human just for being a human." I stared at him stunned. Thankfully I was spared from trying to think of how to respond my a furious snarl coming from the King. Reminding us of the drama still yet to happen.

"How dare you attack my servant. How dare you attack my friend. Just for being human. How dare you threaten to turn me against him with your lies. How could you do this. Why Gwen."

"How dare I? How dare you. How dare you even think of letting those human filth back into camelot if it weren't for creatures like them than my father..." He cut her off gently pressing his arm against her neck to silence her.

"Your father was killed by Uther not humans. It was his choice to help that human thst day. His choice to drain and kill a child. His choice. I'm sorry you lost your dad gwen. I did try to convince my dad to just banish him but ethier way whats done is done. You can't keep blaming an entire race for something tbat happened so long ago. Gwen Merlin is not to blame for your dads death. You...."

"Don't give me that pitying nonesense. He may have fooled you Arthur but that creature will bring nothing but misery so long as he is allowed to live. Humans are nothing but a plague that should be eradicated as soon as possible." She spat. A look of deep sadness crossed Arthurs face as he listened to his wifes anger filled rant. Finally after she once more fell silent he sighed. Stepping away from her and sheathing his sword. A sad look on his face.

"Gwen what you did today. What you nearily did to merlin can't be ignored. You tried to murder a citzen of camelot and frame him for a crime he didn't commit so you could get away with his murder. I am willing to look past this and forgive you, but you must promise by the vampire laws that never again will you harm a human except in self defense, and you must promise never to harm merlin ever again. Only than can I look past this as the vampire laws magic will bind your word making you unable to break your promise. Will you agree." He asked a hopeful gleam in his eyes which quickly died at her next words.

"NEVER! I will never agree to that. Humans are an abominations tgat never should have been born. I will never agree to leave them in peace." She spat clenching her hands into fists. His frown deepened at that. Bowing his head he motioned the knights (Which I only just realized were there hiding amogst the trees.) foreward. Grabbing each of her arms as she struggled in their grasp. Leon and Gwain waited patiently for Arthurs decree.

"Than I'm sorry Gwen, but if you are unwilling to promise me this, than I have no choice but to strip you of your title and banish you from camelot. You have until sunset to be out of the kingdom, return upon pain of death." He quietly declared a tear slipping gently down his cheek as he turned away from his screaming wife. We could hear her screeching, and harsh words echoing through the woods as the knights dragged her away. I watched sadly as Arthur, a devestated look on his face, slowly walked toward me and Agravain. Opening my mouth to no doubt appologize I froze as Arthur throwing himself into my arms held me close. Sobs breaking loose as he cried into my shoulder. Stunned at this sudden show of emotion I stood their a moment unsure how to walk this potential war zone. After a time listening to his cries I relaxed, and wrapping my arms around his bacm I held him as he cried. He will no doubt deny that he ever cried later but for now all that matters was comforting each other as tears slipped down my face as well.

------------‐---------------------------------------------------------------

1 Month Later

------------‐---------------------------------------------------------------

"People of Camelot.  For too long now humans have been treated as nothing more than cattle meant to staisfy our thirst. Too long have they had to live in fear as Uther my dad has hunted them down and killed them. Well no more. From this day forth humans will once more be welcomed in camelot with open arms. Any vampire holding a human against their will and drinking their blood without consent from both parties will be punished to the full extent of the law. From this point on humans are will be considered full citizens just like vampires." Arthur announced his voice ringing over the courtyard. Nodding his head at me he motioned for me to come foreward. Moving beside him I lifted my chin allowing him better access to the collar still around my neck.

"From this day forth any vampire seen to have placed a blood collar on a human will be flogged and exiled from the kingdom." With that he reached foreward and placing gentle hands beneath my chin on the collar, he swiftly removed it from my neck. Releasing my magic once more to defend me. Turning to the crowd he held up the collar and at his signale allowed my eyes to glow gold as the collar burst into flame before turning to a pile of ash. Seeing the collar destroyed the crowd below burst into cheers as Arthur swept from the balcony, me on his heels. I smiled as I followed him. My fingers dancing over my freed neck. Although it came at the price of Gwens friendship. I am glad Arthur found out my secret. Now the legend of the once and future king, and Emrys can finally become reality. The future has never looked brighter.

THE END