No one and nothing chapter 12A
Author: archaeologist_d
Title: No one and Nothing part 12A
Rating: R
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur, Gaius, Leon, Iseldir, Tristan, Isolde
Summary: Merlin saves Arthur’s life in front of the whole court and has to run for his life. But when Arthur shows up, asking for help, what was Merlin to do, say no?
Warnings: none
Word Count: 952
Camelot Drabble Prompt: 555: price
Author’s Notes: The other chapters are found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/46585663/chapters/117313327
From Series 3, episode 4 gwaine.
Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
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Back in the hated dress, Merlin grabbed food, stomping down into the dungeons, pretending to be bringing a final meal for the prisoner. The guards just waved him through and went back to arguing about whether the cards they were using were marked or not.
Not the brightest of the bunch.
In the last cell, the one most secure with double locks and extra thick bars, Rhain was sitting on the straw, watching the mice skittering around. When one came too close, he kicked out, throwing the mouse into the far wall. It hit with a little splat and didn’t get up again. It looked like he’d been doing it for a while. There was a little pile of mouse corpses half-hidden in the straw.
When he realised that Merlin was watching him, Rhain’s face blanked at first, then he rose to his feet and hurried over. He didn’t even look at the food. “You here for me?”
Merlin lifted the cloth, showing him some meat, bread, and a honey cake - just in case the man was on the up and up and not some spy from Uther.
“Brought you supper. Before you… go.”
Rhain seemed eager, not for the food, though, staring at Merlin as if waiting for something else. “Am I going? Right now?” He pulled at his jacket, looking like he was getting ready to escape.
Behind him, Merlin could hear the guards shouting about cheating and then the argument settled down again into quiet murmurs. He gave him time to watch Rhain’s face. The so-called sorcerer shook his head, just a little, as if exasperated with the whole situation.
Merlin wanted to shake the man, demand to know what Uther was planning. But instead, he looked at him as if he didn’t know what Rhain was on about. “Not now. Tomorrow. They’re building the pyre, now that the king signed your death warrant. For using magic. It’s against the law, you know.”
“Are you taunting me, girl?” Rhain’s eyes narrowed as he scowled at Merlin.“I’m talking about escape, not dying, you fool.”
“Escape? From here? It’s not possible.” Merlin tried to look worried as if afraid of being accused of helping him, then playing the idiot, he let out a little grunt. “Oh, you are joking. Everyone knows you can’t escape this. Except by dying.”
Rhain’s face hardened. “So I’ve heard. That sorcerers die here, in the cells, before Pendragon can burn them alive.” He stepped closer, both hands tight on the bars, shaking them a little. Voice so low that Merlin had to lean close enough to hear him, Rhain murmured, “But I’ve also heard that there is an underground cabal helping those with magic to escape. That what is left behind is a glamour.”
Horrified that Rhain knew, still Merlin tried not to react, other than to look at him as if he had lost his mind. “Everyone knows that they died by their own hand rather than face the pyre. Even the king knows that. He was furious about it, too, still is every time it happens.”
“Then everyone is wrong.” Rhain frown deepened, scowling at Merlin, but then stepped back, staring as if to read Merlin’s mind. But unlike the Druids, there were no words there, no Druidic pleas, only silence, and Rhain trying to puzzle Merlin out. “Are you testing me to see if I am worthy? I swear to you that if you help me escape, I would take the knowledge to my grave. You needn’t be afraid. I won’t use my magic on you. Just let me out and I can do the rest alone.”
“I’m just here to bring you supper. If you don’t want it, I can feed it to the pigs.” Merlin said, shaking the plate a little, then handing it over to Rhain.
He needed to get back to Arthur and tell him about what Rhain knew and figure out what to do next.
Digging through the food, looking for something, finally Rhain growled, “There is nothing here. No knife, no keys. What game are you playing at?”
Merlin waved his hands around, pointing to the plate, then clasping his hands to his chest. With a little wobble in his voice, Merlin murmured, “None. Just the food. If you are so good at magic, why can’t you just use a spell and escape yourself?”
The fake sorcerer, Merlin was starting to call him Ratsbane in his head because he looked a bit of a rat, just sneered at him. “Were you dropped on your head as a child? Or were you just born an idiot?” When Merlin shook his head, trying to think of some way to leave without Rhain growing suspicious, Rhain snarled, “So why are you here, girl, if not to free me? I think you know more than you are saying.”
“I don’t know nothing.” Stepping back, Merlin grumbled, “It’s just stupid rumours, you know, just lies so that the gossips have something to natter on about.” Nodding toward the single window high in Rhain’s cell, where wood was already being stacked up, Merlin shrugged as if it was none of his concern.
“Sorcerers died in the cells. Their bodies thrown into the pyres. Burnt for all to see, burnt like torches, they did, then the bones thrown to the dogs. We had a feast after, lot of food and drink so I’m hoping for another tomorrow.” Merlin gave Rhain a little gormless smile. “I guess you better use that magic of yours to free yourself before it’s too late.”
With that, Merlin turned to go. Rhain called after him. “You can’t just leave me here. He’ll kill me for sure.”
Merlin didn’t reply.