The Arcana One Shots

♢Kid!MC x Muriel - I'll Keep You Safe♢

The air was brisk that night. Trees shook with the wind against the inky black sky, illuminated only by the light of the moon and the stars.

Muriel was carefully making his way through the forest, checking on the protection sigils that littered the foliage, keeping unwanted forces at bay. Inanna trotted beside him, on the lookout for anything awry.

The pair were quite deep into the forest now; the trees and undergrowth much denser, the path much less worn.

It was then that something caught Innana's attention and she quietly ducked off the path to investigate. Moments later, she emerged from the bushes and came to Muriel's side, nudging him softly to gain his attention.

Silently, Muriel followed his companion off the path and into the woods until they happened upon a small clearing where there lay a child, no older than 8, shivering in their sleep on a bed of moss, covered in soot and ash.

Not knowing what to do, but aware that the forest is too dangerous to leave them there, Muriel gently lifted the child into his arms, afraid of waking them or hurting them.

Silently, he walked back to his hut, all the while holding the child as if they were made of fine porcelain, ready to shatter in the slightest breeze.

Upon returning to the warmth of his home, Muriel tucked the young child into his bed, wrapped up in all the furs he could find. He then lit the fireplace and began to heat up some water.

It's not too long before he heard the child stir and then wake up, groggily rubbing their eyes.

"Whe-where am I?" The child asked nervously, looking around the unfamiliar room, slightly afraid.

"You're in my home," Muriel replied plainly. "We found you in the middle of the forest, shivering and covered in ashes. I brought you here before you froze or were found by dangerous creatures,"

The child took a moment to process.

"Oh. Thank you," they said. "I didn't really want to spend the night outside anyway. It would be too easy for Count Lucio and Consul Valerius to find me again,"

Muriel blanched. "Lucio? What does he want from you?"

"My parents owed him money, but we didn't make enough this month. The Count was angry and sent the Consul to punish us by burning our house down. I got out of the window but my parents...My parents didn't make it out," the child explained, looking down at their lap as they fidgeted with their hands. "Now Valerius and the guards are looking for me to put me in jail for my parents' missed payment,"

Muriel was astonished. And furious. And sick. How could anyone burn a house down for a missed payment, killing the family, then hunting their child for something that had nothing to do with them?

As if he didn't have reason enough to hate Lucio.

"You're still covered in soot. You should wash up." Muriel stated as he took the warm (but not boiling) water from the fireplace.

He drew the bath in the basin and placed towels and a large tunic on the floor beside it.

"When you're done, send Innana out to get me," Muriel said as he was stepping out the door to give the child their privacy.

And with that, the child was alone to wash the soot and ash from their body.

They relished in the warmth of the water, taking a moment to truly relax their body after the days more than strenuous events.

When they finished with their bath, they sent Innana outside to bring Muriel back in.

Now in fresh clothes, the child was seated by the fireplace, silent and remorseful, mourning quietly the loss of their parents and their home.

Innana curled herself up next to the child, basking in the warmth of the fire, sleeping lightly.

"Thank you for taking me in..." The child began, not knowing how to address the kind stranger.

"Muriel," he replied.

"Thank you, Muriel," they said. "I'm MC."

With that, the room fell silent. 

MC was worried about what was to come with Valerius and Lucio. Muriel's anger for Lucio grew as he saw what devastations fell upon this child who was now un the run. He hated Lucio for the things of the past, he hated Lucio for his current idiotic decisions, and he hated Lucio for ruining the life of such a sweet and innocent child.

It wasn't until MC yawned that Muriel was pulled from his thoughts.

"You should sleep. You need the rest." He stated. "You take the bed."

MC only nodded in agreement, too tired to refuse the offer of a cozy bed.

Muriel pulled the covers up tightly around little MC's body for the second time that night.

Before he moved away, Muriel noticed the fear and worry on MC's face.

They were worried about being found and imprisoned. They were worried about finding a home. They were worried about being alone.

"I'll keep you safe," Muriel said. "I won't let Lucio hurt you. I promise."

His cheeks reddened. Muriel wasn't usually one to display that kind of emotion, nor was he one to offer his home to a stranger so freely. Yet here he was. It was something about the child that drew on Muriel's empathy. Something that made him want to protect something so precious and pure.

"Thank you," MC whispered, a gentle smile crossing their face as they slipped into a lofty sleep.

Muriel gently brushed the hair from MC's sleeping face before he moved to sleep on the floor that night.

He could hardly sleep at first, however, for he was only thinking of the sleeping child he swore to protect, and what it would mean for him to no longer live alone. 

As he finally began to drift off, he promised one last time. 

"I'll keep you safe, I promise".

*~*~*~*~*~*

And there we have it! 4/6 Kid!MC stories. Thanks to SammyToon for the request! 

Love you all,

- Fandoms <3