Since Birth

Chapter Fifteen

"Thanks," Merlin grumbled. "Helps me a lot."

Upon entering the building, Arthur took notice to his partner's tense posture. Those trembling hands couldn't have been the cause of anything else, right?

"Room for two, please."

Merlin's eyes widened when a handful of gold coins made their way onto the table as an offering. The younger man wondered if money could realistically solve all his problems. He ended up voting yes as a confirmation.

The keeper kept a calm, steady gaze with Arthur for a moment before taking a glance to the brunet. A hint of confusion crossed Merlin's features when the stranger settled on a raised brow accompanied with a filthy grin.

"Through the tavern, down the hall, two doors on your left," the foreigner answered, an undertone of trepidation in the deep voice making Merlin's skin crawl.

"Thank you," Arthur quickly responded (clearly insincere), grabbing the younger man's arm to keep him close. "What did I say, Merlin," the blond hissed once they were out of earshot of the keeper.

With a glance towards the awaited bar filled with Merlin assumed were brute men ready to punch him hard enough to break wood, he took an audible gulp. "You said of avoiding eye contact with them," he mumbled, blinking several times to rid of the sight of future pain. He softly shook his head. "I was merely gazing at the wall behind him-"

"Merlin, don't be daft." The brunet was then aware of fingertips grazing the nape of his hair, gently pulling him closer to feel Arthur's breath on his cheek. "These people are dangerous, Merlin. Don't let my warning pass by your ears."

Lacing his brows, the younger man instantly felt a wave of ice-cold water flush through his veins, almost as if warning him of a future predicament.

"Promise me you won't use your magic on them if they intervene in any way."

It was hard to lie to Arthur. After all they had been through Arthur had been wanting trust.

Merlin gave it to him.

Just in a...different way.

"I promise," Merlin smoothly lied. He had practiced the sentence many times over before with his father. The words itself seemed like a printed script he could execute with languid movements along with an apathetic face. But Merlin understood that Arthur was close-minded, not dumb.

Sternly drawing fingers under the younger man's chin, the elder pulled the other's face to greet his, staring confidently into Merlin's eyes. "Are you telling the truth?"

"No."

A long second of silence passed over the two, as only clanks of mead cups and heavy laughter were heard from a distance. Rolling his eyes, Arthur then dropped the topic, clasping his hand with Merlin's in a laced fashion, before beginning to tread towards the tavern. "You are incorrigible."

The brunet smirked. "That's my speciality."

Entering the tavern confirmed the worst of Arthur's suspicions. Eyes scanning over the calamity of drinks being passed about and loud shouting, the blond subtly tried to blend in, edging his way past the room to get to the hallway beyond. Halfway through and they were still in one piece. Arthur was often considered as an anxious person when it came to scenarios like these, but being careful always proved to be better than laying back rest-easy. He wouldn't let it happen again.