A Twist of Fate, Chapter 31
Author: Loopstagirl
Title: A Twist of Fate
Warnings/Spoilers: AU, NC-17, Merlin/Arthur
Word Count: 5013
Summary: The Round Table are notorious for getting the job done and their man at the end of the night. But their latest target seems a little different, not to mention the past he shares with their leader.
“Where is he, Arthur?”
The commander mutely shook his head, desperately trying to ignore the way that he could feel flecks of blood coating his lips. He knew that he could account some to the stinging slap that Morgause had delivered him not ten minutes before, but he had a horrible feeling that didn’t explain all of it. After all, the witch had been more than happy to allow Mordred show Arthur precisely how much he hated him, and the blond was convinced that he had at least one cracked rib, maybe two. Gaius had insisted that all soldiers had a basic knowledge of first aid, but he had upped that in Arthur’s case. Apparently their unit was so adept at finding trouble that he had wanted to make sure they stood at least a fighting chance. But it also meant that Arthur was aware that if he didn’t get out of here soon, he might be in very big trouble.
He was back in the same room as before, hands tied to the ceiling. Initially, he had been balancing on tiptoes, but Morgana had put an end to that. It seemed that she was so furious at him for not accepting the easy way, not allowing her to be his kind sister once again - even if she was trying to find answers - that she was now prepared to go the opposite way. Interrupting Morgause mid-sentence, she had simply grasped the handle attached to the rope binding the commander and pulled. Arthur knew he had groaned out loud as his wrists had taken all of his weight and his feet had left the floor, but he still wasn’t going to give them what they wanted.
Mordred had gotten bored when he realised that even using magic wasn’t going to get Arthur to talk. Morgana had left with him, and part of Arthur had hoped it was because, act aside, she did still care for him. He had never been convinced that she fully wanted the life she now had, and there had been an unusual look in her eye, glimmering just below the fury and the annoyance. It was almost as if she wanted him to fight back - as if she didn’t want to know the location of the warlock any more than Arthur wanted to give it. The commander knew that up until now, nothing had been serious. They might have planned and sent out a few sorcerers to stir things up, but they had never truly been able to take it any further than that. That would change if they got Merlin - whether he would help them or whether they just harnessed his power didn’t matter, it would change the game. And Arthur wasn’t quite sure his sister was ready for that.
“Arthur? I asked you a question!” Blinking as a hand grabbed his chin, Arthur merely sighed as he focused his gaze back on Morgause. It was so easy to just let thoughts of Merlin, of all his men, fill his mind. The desire to protect was stronger than any feelings of pain. Arthur knew that if what they wanted wasn’t so personal, he would have given in by now, even breathing was getting hard. But this was Merlin, the person that had got through Arthur’s defences in a way that even Gwen hadn’t, the one who had completely changed his life in regards to magic. Nothing was going to make him give up the warlock.
“You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?” Arthur didn’t answer, not liking the gleam in Morgause’s normally expressionless eyes. She looked satisfied, almost as if she had just found a way to get what she wanted. Realising that this was not going to end well for him, Arthur simply sighed. Looking over her shoulder and staring at the blank wall, he instead focused his gaze on that. It may be a small act of defiance not looking at her, but Arthur didn’t care. He was going to resist in every single way possible, no matter what it cost him. A finger stroked his chin gently as Morgause moved in closer.
“Your thoughts betray you, Arthur Pendragon. I don’t need you to tell me where he is, I can simply find out like this.”
Arthur jerked his head back as Morgause’s grip moved from his chin to his temples. Why did he get the feeling that this really wasn’t going to end well for him? The witch had no longer sounded annoyed, but smug, happy almost. His struggles didn’t do anything other than cause her to let a spark of magic fly from her fingertips. Arthur groaned as it felt like a fist had just been driven into his gut, but even as his legs made to curl up, his body reacting instinctively to the blow it believed had been struck, Morgause resumed her position, keeping her hands on his head.
“No!” Arthur growled as she began to chant, almost feeling the way that the magic was beginning to seep into him. It was almost soft and caressing, teasing its way gently into his mind. Whilst even he couldn’t deny that not having more pain was a blessing, it was so much harder to fight back like this.
“Give in, Arthur. Let the thoughts of the man you love fill you up.” Arthur had no idea how they had found out that him and Merlin were together. It was something that he knew should have been worrying him, yet at that precise moment in time, he couldn’t bring himself to think about it. The magic was making his eyes flicker, making him feel tired and weak, as if all the strength was simply being stolen from his body. Unable to stop himself, the commander found that his eyes fell shut and his head dropped, resting on his chest from where he no longer had the strength to hold it up. Images of Merlin - his clear eyes, that cheeky and infectious smile that Arthur couldn’t get enough of - filling his head.
“That’s it, Arthur, think of him. Allow the memories to fill you up, bring into your mind the last time you saw him.” Morgause’s voice was soft and gentle, nothing like the vindictiveness Arthur had come to associate with the witch. Involuntarily, he found that he was almost doing as she said, almost as if he had no power to resist her words whatsoever. As his eyes fell shut, Merlin swam before his vision, their hasty goodbye as they tried to get the warlock out before Aredian turned up.
But then Arthur winced. It was as if something was working its way into his head, something invasive and dangerous. He tried to open his eyes again, tried to do something in order to make himself think straight about what was happening, but Morgause had a grip on his mind by this point. Like a vice, a cold and suffocating feeling drove into Arthur’s head and despite telling himself previously that they wouldn’t get a sign of pain out of him if he could help it, the commander gasped. It felt as if every inch of his consciousness was slowly being strangled, and the only thing that he could think of was Merlin.
“That’s it, bring the words to life again, Arthur. Where did you send him?” Arthur snarled, trying to pull his mind free of the witch. She couldn’t do this - she couldn’t simply invade his mind and force him to show her where Merlin had gone when the commander had spent so long protecting Merlin. But as Morgause probed deeper, clearly trying to hear the exchange rather than just seeing it, Arthur suddenly found that there was a soft smile playing over his lips.
He was doing what she wanted, he was thinking of the last time that he had been with Merlin. But he himself didn’t know where they were going. Oh, he could have guessed, of course, he knew the way Gwen’s mind worked. Merlin was dangerous when he wasn’t sure of something, so Gwen would have taken him to a place of safety, a place where Merlin would know control. But it had never been said.
“Come on, Arthur, let me in, reveal those thoughts to me.” Morgause whispered, clearly believing that the couple were talking about where Merlin was going to flee to. Arthur let his smile spread as he focused his mind clearly on that one conversation with Merlin. Everything he felt around the warlock, all the things he didn’t think he would ever get to say floated to the front of his mind and Arthur grasped onto them tightly. It focused his mind, it stopped all other thoughts other than Merlin into his head.
It was what Morgause had wanted him to do, but yet it was getting her nowhere. Arthur still wasn’t revealing the location of where the warlock would have gone, simply because he didn’t know. He might have ideas, but there was nothing in his head that Morgause would be able to get her hands on to know for sure. Even if she got a glimmer of where she thought Merlin might be, Arthur knew that she would be fully aware that the warlock would have moved on from there, that he would have somehow found out that the others were in trouble.
Eventually, Morgause withdrew from the commander’s head with a snarl, causing Arthur to let out the long breath that he wasn’t aware that he had been holding. That was why he hated magic at times, it just seemed to be a cheat. It didn’t matter how strong a man was, what he could withstand both physically and mentally, bring magic into the mix and he was just as helpless as a small child. Rolling his shoulders slightly to try and alleviate some of the tension, Arthur grimaced at the way they screamed in protest from being forced to hold all of his weight for so long. Morgause moved back in front of him as the door opened, both Morgana and Mordred slipping through at the same time.
“Has he revealed the location yet?” Morgana asked, her eyes narrowed as she looked at Arthur’s heaving chest. He knew the look on her face, knew that it meant that she didn’t exactly approve of Morgause using magic like that. He couldn’t figure out whose side his sister was on right now, and that was irritating Arthur. He needed Morgana, she could potentially be their way out of there, but unless she gave him something definite to work with, he just had to treat her like the enemy.
“His mind is stronger than we thought.” Morgause admitted, and Arthur had to smirk even as he shifted again. She sounded genuinely annoyed that she couldn’t get what she wanted from the man she considered to be beneath her. Mordred stepped forward, his fist causing Arthur’s head to snap back. But even as Arthur felt the hot trickle of blood running from his nose, it didn’t stop the smirk from being wiped off his face. If he could just keep this up, it meant that he was winning.
“Then maybe we should pay attention to his men. Maybe we should let their worst nightmares in to see them, would they make you talk, commander?” Morgana muttered softly, moving closer to her suspended brother and watching him with a frown. Despite not wanting to give away his feelings on anything they said, Arthur was hard pushed to hide his shudder. Morgana saw it and grinned.
“What do you think, sister? Think that brave and handsome Gwaine could withstand another visit from Darg? After two already this year. He is the man’s personal hell, isn’t he?”
“Leave them out of this,” Arthur rasped, lifting his head in order to glare at her. Morgana returned his gaze, but Arthur didn’t miss the way her eyes flickered momentarily to Morgause, almost as if asking for direction.
“We’re not the ones who brought them into it, Arthur. You are. You can still protect them though, just give up the warlock’s location. One life for five. How can that be so hard, you are a practical man. Merlin will be given a choice about whether he wants to live or not. Your men will not. Consider the odds.”
“No.” Arthur knew his men. Knew that they would support him, no matter what decision he made and regardless of the consequences that it ultimately meant for them. He also knew that leading them to Merlin would also lead them to Gwen. The warlock might be given a chance, but Gwen would not. This was not just about him protecting Merlin, it was about protecting everyone. They would understand that and try and do the same thing.
“Very well. Mordred, find Darg and tell him he is allowed to play.”
“What about him?” Mordred protested, his young face falling as he seemed to realise that he would no longer be allowed to do what he wanted to Arthur if they were focusing his attention on the men.
“Don’t worry about him, he only has two days to live.” Morgause said casually, heading towards the door but pausing before she left. Both Arthur and Morgana were frowning at her.
“We’re going to kill him?”
“We already have, dear sister. Or have you forgotten the date? Our source didn’t just reveal the Round Table’s whereabouts, he so helpfully told me about the medication that Gaius has been prescribing our young commander there. It seems that our magic did work all that time ago, Arthur is almost constantly in the fight for his life. If I have the dates right, another two days and he’ll be in trouble. Without that medication, you’ll die, won’t you?”
The last part was addressed to Arthur, but the commander once again had fixed his gaze on the wall over her head. How was he supposed to admit that they were right when he had been thinking the same thing? They wouldn’t need to do anything else to him in order to make him suffer and ultimately die. All they had to do was make sure that he didn’t get out for a few days. Considering his positioning and the current state of him, Arthur knew that was not something they had to worry about.
Morgause left the room, the other two sweeping out after her and leaving Arthur hanging from the ceiling. He growled under his breath, wrenching at his hands and causing his legs to swing wildly as he tried to find a way of breaking free. He had to get out of here - not only to save his own life but because he couldn’t help but think Morgause had a point. Could Gwaine survive another round with Darg considering their history, or would it get to the man too deeply?
Arthur knew at the end of the day, it didn’t matter what they did to him. It was personal with him, he had a very slim chance of ever leaving this place because of his history and family ties to the witches. But what he could do was make sure that he gave his men a fighting chance if nothing else. Allowing that thought to consume him, Arthur began to struggle.
MMM
It was so hard to walk along a corridor looking as if everything was normal when inside, Merlin’s heart was pounding nineteen to the dozen. It didn’t help that whilst he knew the spell had worked, Gwen’s reaction was enough to prove that, he didn’t particularly feel any different. Every time he walked past something with a reflection surface, Merlin found that he was either checking the spell was still holding, or doing a double take, thinking that Darg was following him. The sooner that this was over, the better in his mind.
“Darg!” In a way, Merlin was glad that he was on edge. When the name was called, the warlock found himself jumping almost a foot in the air. It wasn’t a reaction to the name, just another voice being heard. Yet after a few seconds, he realised that he should be reacting, that the name being called was, for all extents and purposes, his own. Slowly turning, Merlin scowled, wondering how he was that Darg would normally act.
The young man in front of him took Merlin by surprise. He had to be a couple of years younger than the teenager, fifteen at the most. With a head of thick, curly hair, he looked far too innocent to be in a place like this. Yet his aura almost pulsed of darkness, oozing out from him in a way that almost made Merlin shudder. Just in time he managed to collect himself, but it was hard not to react. Especially considering he recognised the aura. He had felt it back at the flat, most dominantly in the same corner that he knew Arthur had been in. This boy was no doubt responsible personally for anything that had happened to the commander, and it took every ounce of his self-control for Merlin to keep a lid on his magic. It would be no good to give away the game now.
“What?”
“What did Morgana tell you about speaking to me like that? Besides, I bring joyous news. Come with me.” Merlin glanced around wildly for a moment, trying to find some excuse about why he couldn’t go with the young man. But he knew that he had no choice, and fell behind him. He matched the boy’s speed, but made sure that he hung back slightly, putting enough distance between them so that if he needed to run, he could.
“I don’t know why you should get to be the one who goes in there. I’ve been the one they have been using to get information out of their leader. Just because you might be the one that one of them is scared of doesn’t mean that you get all rights, it’s not fair.”
Despite the way the boy was grumbling, Merlin found that his pace was picking up to hear better. He could only think of one person that Darg had a history with that Morgana would want to exploit. Gwaine. Considering what Mordred had just been saying about him being the one who was having dealings with Arthur, Merlin thought that he was beginning to piece together what it was that was going on. Arthur had information that they wanted, and because the man had a combination of training and just pure damn stubbornness, they couldn’t get it out of him. Knowing how much the commander cared for his men meant that they were using them as a weakness against the commander, trying to get Arthur to talk by threatening those he cared about.
It made Merlin’s stomach churn when he thought about what it could mean that they had already done to Arthur in order to try and get the answers out of him. It was horrible and evil, and yet Merlin knew it was the best piece of news that he could receive. He wouldn’t have to try and find where the men were being held and then break them out without drawing attention to himself. He was being led there and was simply going to be handed the key. It was perfect.
The boy didn’t stop grumbling the whole journey there. Through his mutterings and the way he seemed to be taking to himself, Merlin managed to discover that his name was Mordred. At least that meant he wouldn’t look so gormless if the boy addressed him directly, but it was also interesting what else he could pick up. The youth seemed to have a special bond with Morgana, and yet seemed almost jealous of the close relationship the woman had with her sister. Storing the information away for a later date in case it became a battle of wits in order to get out of here, Merlin stayed quiet. It seemed that luck (or destiny, he couldn’t help but drily think) was working with him this time and Mordred didn’t seem to think that Darg was acting out of the ordinary at all.
Merlin wasn’t sure whether they had literally been walking for miles, or whether it was because he was so on edge that each step he took, someone was going to notice that he was an imposter, but it seemed to take them an age in order to reach wherever it was that the men were being held. Unable to stop himself, Merlin shivered slightly in the cool air, causing Mordred to smirk as he unhooked a set of keys from his belt. He might have been young, but it was more than obvious that Morgana trusted him explicitly. Merlin knew that considering the importance of their prisoners, not many people would be granted access.
Mordred placed the key in the lock, but sent a stream of magic into the room as he opened the door. There were a few muffled thuds and a grunt of pain, and Merlin had a feeling he knew what had just happened. Sure enough, the team were all being held against the far wall. As Mordred stepped back to let “Darg” inside, he let them go again, but his eyes glinted dangerously.
“You better tell him what he wants to know, boys. Things are about to get a whole lot worse if you don’t co-operate.”
“Where’s Arthur?!” Leon yelled, making to take a step forward but was stopped by Percival. The man seemed to be holding both Leon and Gwaine back, but whilst the former was going for Mordred, the latter had his attention locked on Darg, his mouth open in a wordless snarl. Merlin found that he was swallowing almost nervously.
“Wouldn’t you like to know? Well, come on, Darg, I haven’t got all day.”
“I’m doing nothing with you here.”
“How dar…”
“If Morgana wants answers, you will leave me be.” Merlin knew that he was slipping slightly as he turned to face Mordred. His eyes were ablaze with power, and the young sorcerer looked at him in surprise for a long moment. But the power was clearly saying what the words were not and Mordred backed up.
“I’ll be back in an hour. Make sure they talk whilst you play.” He muttered, turning on his heel and disappearing. As the door banged shut behind him, Merlin sighed, leaning back on the wall.
“That was close.”
“You won’t get answers from us, you bastard. We’re not telling you a damn thing, especially not if that involves betraying a friend. So why don’t you just crawl back to where you came from and leave us alone.”
“What?” Merlin barely even had time to blink before Percival’s hold on Gwaine slackened. The soldier tore free from his grip and lunged forward, his hands wrapping around Darg’s thick neck.
“Gwaine, no, wait, it’s me…” Merlin gasped, but he knew that the man was too far gone in his anger in order to hear him. Lancelot stepped forward out of the corner of his eye, his brow crumpled in confusion as if he was paying attention to what was being said, yet no one was making any move in order to stop him. Realising that he was going to need to breathe if he was going to be able to persuade them not to kill him, Merlin muttered an apology before letting his eyes flash. To give Gwaine some credit, he almost withstood it, making Merlin feel proud that they had listened to what he had been trying to teach them. But no one could withstand the warlock’s power and the soldier was flung to the other side of the room. Merlin made sure that he didn’t crash into the wall, however, but lowered him gently even as he leant back, rubbing his neck.
Gwaine got slowly to his feet, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“What is it?” Elyan muttered, clearly reading the look on his friend’s face. Gwaine shook his head, staring at who he thought was Darg.
“He doesn’t have magic that strong.”
“So maybe he killed someone else.” Elyan clearly didn’t mean to sound that bitter, but considering the circumstances, he didn’t have a lot of patience left.
“Or maybe he is someone else.” Merlin responded, his hand grasping for the crystals around his neck. They were invisible whilst the spell worked, but he could still feel them. He locked eyes with Gwaine and yanked them off, immediately feeling his body settling back to its usual smaller size.
“Merlin?” Lancelot breathed, as if not daring to believe who was now in front of him. Merlin grinned.
“You didn’t think I would just leave you here when I could be saving your sorry arses and getting to be the hero for once, did you?” His light hearted tone by no means met his eyes though, and Merlin knew that he couldn’t have actually looked much better than the men who had been in the fight for their lives and then held prisoner. Lack of sleep did that to a man.
“How-?”
“I went to the flat. I could trace it, we ended up here.”
“We?”
“She’s safe, Lance, I promise.” Sitting down cross legged on the floor, Merlin found that he was tentatively reaching out with his magic, trying to get a feel for if any of the men were badly hurt. There were a few bumps and bruises, and a tension in the air that Merlin knew could be cut with a knife. It seemed that imprisonment didn’t suit, but all in all, they were okay.
“What are they after?” Merlin had a feeling that there was something that he was missing, something that should have been obvious and staring him in the face as the team all glanced at each other, Elyan looking like he was trying not to smile.
“You.”
Merlin blinked, not quite processing what had just been said.
“Me? Why, do they think that Arthur won’t crack if they are just using you guys, so they are coming after me in order to get him to say what they want? I’m telling you now, I won’t let him be a protective prat like that, I won’t let them use me against…”
“No, Merlin.” Leon interrupted gently, coming to kneel by his side and resting a hand on the warlock’s shoulder. “They literally want you. They keep asking after you, wanting to know where you are, everything like that. They want your power - they’ll either get you to join them or…”
“Or they’ll tear me apart so they can use my power that way.” Merlin whispered quietly, his heart pounding had. He had never considered that this might be some sort of trap for him, that the Round Table wouldn’t be enough for Morgana. No doubt she was thrilled that it was her brother’s team who had picked him up in the first place rather than Aredian, knowing that she could suddenly make this personal.
“We have to get out of here.”
“We have to get Merlin out of here.”
“We have to get Arthur out…”
“We are all getting out of here,” Merlin interrupted through their mumblings, knowing they had a point but also knowing that someone had to take charge. There was no use arguing over who was more important to get out and therefore wasting time when they could be putting said escape plan into action.
“Do any of you have any idea how to get out?” Merlin asked, realising only now that his whole plan had been about getting in. The men glanced at each other and nodded slightly, causing the warlock to grin. He should have known that they wouldn’t have just been sitting here. They were a team, an army unit. They would never stop trying to escape whilst they had each other and something worth fighting for.
“But all our plans involve finding where Arthur is. Something that we don’t know.”
“I gathered.” Merlin muttered, thinking back to what they had said the second that he had walked through the door. His fingers toyed with the crystals, knowing that there was just enough power in them to be able to turn him once again. After that, he would be forced to spill more blood if he wanted to keep up the appearance, something that he wasn’t sure he could do now that the adrenaline was beginning to ease away a little.
“You can find him, Merlin. Like that, you can walk around this whole place and no one would even look twice at you.”
“But I’d get hopelessly lost, don’t you think that would be a bit of a give-away?” Whilst the conversation had been going on around him, Leon had been staying silent in the corner. When Merlin glanced at him, he was shocked to see that the man’s face had almost gone ashen in colour. He knew that he was worried about his commander, they all were. It was just unlike Leon to be the one to visibly show it, he had too much of the army in him.
“Leon?”
“Merlin, how long have you and Arthur been together for now?”
“Eight months the day after tom…shit.” Merlin’s voice trailed off as he realised what Leon was getting at. Understanding dawned on Lancelot and Elyan’s faces, but Gwaine just looked blank.
“Why does that matter?”
“What happened the night that they got together, Gwaine? Why is it that Arthur will never forget the date?” Percival swore darkly from the corner as Gwaine too realised what was being said.
They had two days to find Arthur, escape from sorcerers that not only wanted them dead, but wanted Merlin killed in the most painful way possible and get the commander back to the flat. Before he needed his medication. Merlin wasn’t sure whether he could work the magic like he had done before, it had just happened instinctively. They needed to move.
Ao3
Title: A Twist of Fate
Warnings/Spoilers: AU, NC-17, Merlin/Arthur
Word Count: 5013
Summary: The Round Table are notorious for getting the job done and their man at the end of the night. But their latest target seems a little different, not to mention the past he shares with their leader.
“Where is he, Arthur?”
The commander mutely shook his head, desperately trying to ignore the way that he could feel flecks of blood coating his lips. He knew that he could account some to the stinging slap that Morgause had delivered him not ten minutes before, but he had a horrible feeling that didn’t explain all of it. After all, the witch had been more than happy to allow Mordred show Arthur precisely how much he hated him, and the blond was convinced that he had at least one cracked rib, maybe two. Gaius had insisted that all soldiers had a basic knowledge of first aid, but he had upped that in Arthur’s case. Apparently their unit was so adept at finding trouble that he had wanted to make sure they stood at least a fighting chance. But it also meant that Arthur was aware that if he didn’t get out of here soon, he might be in very big trouble.
He was back in the same room as before, hands tied to the ceiling. Initially, he had been balancing on tiptoes, but Morgana had put an end to that. It seemed that she was so furious at him for not accepting the easy way, not allowing her to be his kind sister once again - even if she was trying to find answers - that she was now prepared to go the opposite way. Interrupting Morgause mid-sentence, she had simply grasped the handle attached to the rope binding the commander and pulled. Arthur knew he had groaned out loud as his wrists had taken all of his weight and his feet had left the floor, but he still wasn’t going to give them what they wanted.
Mordred had gotten bored when he realised that even using magic wasn’t going to get Arthur to talk. Morgana had left with him, and part of Arthur had hoped it was because, act aside, she did still care for him. He had never been convinced that she fully wanted the life she now had, and there had been an unusual look in her eye, glimmering just below the fury and the annoyance. It was almost as if she wanted him to fight back - as if she didn’t want to know the location of the warlock any more than Arthur wanted to give it. The commander knew that up until now, nothing had been serious. They might have planned and sent out a few sorcerers to stir things up, but they had never truly been able to take it any further than that. That would change if they got Merlin - whether he would help them or whether they just harnessed his power didn’t matter, it would change the game. And Arthur wasn’t quite sure his sister was ready for that.
“Arthur? I asked you a question!” Blinking as a hand grabbed his chin, Arthur merely sighed as he focused his gaze back on Morgause. It was so easy to just let thoughts of Merlin, of all his men, fill his mind. The desire to protect was stronger than any feelings of pain. Arthur knew that if what they wanted wasn’t so personal, he would have given in by now, even breathing was getting hard. But this was Merlin, the person that had got through Arthur’s defences in a way that even Gwen hadn’t, the one who had completely changed his life in regards to magic. Nothing was going to make him give up the warlock.
“You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?” Arthur didn’t answer, not liking the gleam in Morgause’s normally expressionless eyes. She looked satisfied, almost as if she had just found a way to get what she wanted. Realising that this was not going to end well for him, Arthur simply sighed. Looking over her shoulder and staring at the blank wall, he instead focused his gaze on that. It may be a small act of defiance not looking at her, but Arthur didn’t care. He was going to resist in every single way possible, no matter what it cost him. A finger stroked his chin gently as Morgause moved in closer.
“Your thoughts betray you, Arthur Pendragon. I don’t need you to tell me where he is, I can simply find out like this.”
Arthur jerked his head back as Morgause’s grip moved from his chin to his temples. Why did he get the feeling that this really wasn’t going to end well for him? The witch had no longer sounded annoyed, but smug, happy almost. His struggles didn’t do anything other than cause her to let a spark of magic fly from her fingertips. Arthur groaned as it felt like a fist had just been driven into his gut, but even as his legs made to curl up, his body reacting instinctively to the blow it believed had been struck, Morgause resumed her position, keeping her hands on his head.
“No!” Arthur growled as she began to chant, almost feeling the way that the magic was beginning to seep into him. It was almost soft and caressing, teasing its way gently into his mind. Whilst even he couldn’t deny that not having more pain was a blessing, it was so much harder to fight back like this.
“Give in, Arthur. Let the thoughts of the man you love fill you up.” Arthur had no idea how they had found out that him and Merlin were together. It was something that he knew should have been worrying him, yet at that precise moment in time, he couldn’t bring himself to think about it. The magic was making his eyes flicker, making him feel tired and weak, as if all the strength was simply being stolen from his body. Unable to stop himself, the commander found that his eyes fell shut and his head dropped, resting on his chest from where he no longer had the strength to hold it up. Images of Merlin - his clear eyes, that cheeky and infectious smile that Arthur couldn’t get enough of - filling his head.
“That’s it, Arthur, think of him. Allow the memories to fill you up, bring into your mind the last time you saw him.” Morgause’s voice was soft and gentle, nothing like the vindictiveness Arthur had come to associate with the witch. Involuntarily, he found that he was almost doing as she said, almost as if he had no power to resist her words whatsoever. As his eyes fell shut, Merlin swam before his vision, their hasty goodbye as they tried to get the warlock out before Aredian turned up.
But then Arthur winced. It was as if something was working its way into his head, something invasive and dangerous. He tried to open his eyes again, tried to do something in order to make himself think straight about what was happening, but Morgause had a grip on his mind by this point. Like a vice, a cold and suffocating feeling drove into Arthur’s head and despite telling himself previously that they wouldn’t get a sign of pain out of him if he could help it, the commander gasped. It felt as if every inch of his consciousness was slowly being strangled, and the only thing that he could think of was Merlin.
“That’s it, bring the words to life again, Arthur. Where did you send him?” Arthur snarled, trying to pull his mind free of the witch. She couldn’t do this - she couldn’t simply invade his mind and force him to show her where Merlin had gone when the commander had spent so long protecting Merlin. But as Morgause probed deeper, clearly trying to hear the exchange rather than just seeing it, Arthur suddenly found that there was a soft smile playing over his lips.
He was doing what she wanted, he was thinking of the last time that he had been with Merlin. But he himself didn’t know where they were going. Oh, he could have guessed, of course, he knew the way Gwen’s mind worked. Merlin was dangerous when he wasn’t sure of something, so Gwen would have taken him to a place of safety, a place where Merlin would know control. But it had never been said.
“Come on, Arthur, let me in, reveal those thoughts to me.” Morgause whispered, clearly believing that the couple were talking about where Merlin was going to flee to. Arthur let his smile spread as he focused his mind clearly on that one conversation with Merlin. Everything he felt around the warlock, all the things he didn’t think he would ever get to say floated to the front of his mind and Arthur grasped onto them tightly. It focused his mind, it stopped all other thoughts other than Merlin into his head.
It was what Morgause had wanted him to do, but yet it was getting her nowhere. Arthur still wasn’t revealing the location of where the warlock would have gone, simply because he didn’t know. He might have ideas, but there was nothing in his head that Morgause would be able to get her hands on to know for sure. Even if she got a glimmer of where she thought Merlin might be, Arthur knew that she would be fully aware that the warlock would have moved on from there, that he would have somehow found out that the others were in trouble.
Eventually, Morgause withdrew from the commander’s head with a snarl, causing Arthur to let out the long breath that he wasn’t aware that he had been holding. That was why he hated magic at times, it just seemed to be a cheat. It didn’t matter how strong a man was, what he could withstand both physically and mentally, bring magic into the mix and he was just as helpless as a small child. Rolling his shoulders slightly to try and alleviate some of the tension, Arthur grimaced at the way they screamed in protest from being forced to hold all of his weight for so long. Morgause moved back in front of him as the door opened, both Morgana and Mordred slipping through at the same time.
“Has he revealed the location yet?” Morgana asked, her eyes narrowed as she looked at Arthur’s heaving chest. He knew the look on her face, knew that it meant that she didn’t exactly approve of Morgause using magic like that. He couldn’t figure out whose side his sister was on right now, and that was irritating Arthur. He needed Morgana, she could potentially be their way out of there, but unless she gave him something definite to work with, he just had to treat her like the enemy.
“His mind is stronger than we thought.” Morgause admitted, and Arthur had to smirk even as he shifted again. She sounded genuinely annoyed that she couldn’t get what she wanted from the man she considered to be beneath her. Mordred stepped forward, his fist causing Arthur’s head to snap back. But even as Arthur felt the hot trickle of blood running from his nose, it didn’t stop the smirk from being wiped off his face. If he could just keep this up, it meant that he was winning.
“Then maybe we should pay attention to his men. Maybe we should let their worst nightmares in to see them, would they make you talk, commander?” Morgana muttered softly, moving closer to her suspended brother and watching him with a frown. Despite not wanting to give away his feelings on anything they said, Arthur was hard pushed to hide his shudder. Morgana saw it and grinned.
“What do you think, sister? Think that brave and handsome Gwaine could withstand another visit from Darg? After two already this year. He is the man’s personal hell, isn’t he?”
“Leave them out of this,” Arthur rasped, lifting his head in order to glare at her. Morgana returned his gaze, but Arthur didn’t miss the way her eyes flickered momentarily to Morgause, almost as if asking for direction.
“We’re not the ones who brought them into it, Arthur. You are. You can still protect them though, just give up the warlock’s location. One life for five. How can that be so hard, you are a practical man. Merlin will be given a choice about whether he wants to live or not. Your men will not. Consider the odds.”
“No.” Arthur knew his men. Knew that they would support him, no matter what decision he made and regardless of the consequences that it ultimately meant for them. He also knew that leading them to Merlin would also lead them to Gwen. The warlock might be given a chance, but Gwen would not. This was not just about him protecting Merlin, it was about protecting everyone. They would understand that and try and do the same thing.
“Very well. Mordred, find Darg and tell him he is allowed to play.”
“What about him?” Mordred protested, his young face falling as he seemed to realise that he would no longer be allowed to do what he wanted to Arthur if they were focusing his attention on the men.
“Don’t worry about him, he only has two days to live.” Morgause said casually, heading towards the door but pausing before she left. Both Arthur and Morgana were frowning at her.
“We’re going to kill him?”
“We already have, dear sister. Or have you forgotten the date? Our source didn’t just reveal the Round Table’s whereabouts, he so helpfully told me about the medication that Gaius has been prescribing our young commander there. It seems that our magic did work all that time ago, Arthur is almost constantly in the fight for his life. If I have the dates right, another two days and he’ll be in trouble. Without that medication, you’ll die, won’t you?”
The last part was addressed to Arthur, but the commander once again had fixed his gaze on the wall over her head. How was he supposed to admit that they were right when he had been thinking the same thing? They wouldn’t need to do anything else to him in order to make him suffer and ultimately die. All they had to do was make sure that he didn’t get out for a few days. Considering his positioning and the current state of him, Arthur knew that was not something they had to worry about.
Morgause left the room, the other two sweeping out after her and leaving Arthur hanging from the ceiling. He growled under his breath, wrenching at his hands and causing his legs to swing wildly as he tried to find a way of breaking free. He had to get out of here - not only to save his own life but because he couldn’t help but think Morgause had a point. Could Gwaine survive another round with Darg considering their history, or would it get to the man too deeply?
Arthur knew at the end of the day, it didn’t matter what they did to him. It was personal with him, he had a very slim chance of ever leaving this place because of his history and family ties to the witches. But what he could do was make sure that he gave his men a fighting chance if nothing else. Allowing that thought to consume him, Arthur began to struggle.
MMM
It was so hard to walk along a corridor looking as if everything was normal when inside, Merlin’s heart was pounding nineteen to the dozen. It didn’t help that whilst he knew the spell had worked, Gwen’s reaction was enough to prove that, he didn’t particularly feel any different. Every time he walked past something with a reflection surface, Merlin found that he was either checking the spell was still holding, or doing a double take, thinking that Darg was following him. The sooner that this was over, the better in his mind.
“Darg!” In a way, Merlin was glad that he was on edge. When the name was called, the warlock found himself jumping almost a foot in the air. It wasn’t a reaction to the name, just another voice being heard. Yet after a few seconds, he realised that he should be reacting, that the name being called was, for all extents and purposes, his own. Slowly turning, Merlin scowled, wondering how he was that Darg would normally act.
The young man in front of him took Merlin by surprise. He had to be a couple of years younger than the teenager, fifteen at the most. With a head of thick, curly hair, he looked far too innocent to be in a place like this. Yet his aura almost pulsed of darkness, oozing out from him in a way that almost made Merlin shudder. Just in time he managed to collect himself, but it was hard not to react. Especially considering he recognised the aura. He had felt it back at the flat, most dominantly in the same corner that he knew Arthur had been in. This boy was no doubt responsible personally for anything that had happened to the commander, and it took every ounce of his self-control for Merlin to keep a lid on his magic. It would be no good to give away the game now.
“What?”
“What did Morgana tell you about speaking to me like that? Besides, I bring joyous news. Come with me.” Merlin glanced around wildly for a moment, trying to find some excuse about why he couldn’t go with the young man. But he knew that he had no choice, and fell behind him. He matched the boy’s speed, but made sure that he hung back slightly, putting enough distance between them so that if he needed to run, he could.
“I don’t know why you should get to be the one who goes in there. I’ve been the one they have been using to get information out of their leader. Just because you might be the one that one of them is scared of doesn’t mean that you get all rights, it’s not fair.”
Despite the way the boy was grumbling, Merlin found that his pace was picking up to hear better. He could only think of one person that Darg had a history with that Morgana would want to exploit. Gwaine. Considering what Mordred had just been saying about him being the one who was having dealings with Arthur, Merlin thought that he was beginning to piece together what it was that was going on. Arthur had information that they wanted, and because the man had a combination of training and just pure damn stubbornness, they couldn’t get it out of him. Knowing how much the commander cared for his men meant that they were using them as a weakness against the commander, trying to get Arthur to talk by threatening those he cared about.
It made Merlin’s stomach churn when he thought about what it could mean that they had already done to Arthur in order to try and get the answers out of him. It was horrible and evil, and yet Merlin knew it was the best piece of news that he could receive. He wouldn’t have to try and find where the men were being held and then break them out without drawing attention to himself. He was being led there and was simply going to be handed the key. It was perfect.
The boy didn’t stop grumbling the whole journey there. Through his mutterings and the way he seemed to be taking to himself, Merlin managed to discover that his name was Mordred. At least that meant he wouldn’t look so gormless if the boy addressed him directly, but it was also interesting what else he could pick up. The youth seemed to have a special bond with Morgana, and yet seemed almost jealous of the close relationship the woman had with her sister. Storing the information away for a later date in case it became a battle of wits in order to get out of here, Merlin stayed quiet. It seemed that luck (or destiny, he couldn’t help but drily think) was working with him this time and Mordred didn’t seem to think that Darg was acting out of the ordinary at all.
Merlin wasn’t sure whether they had literally been walking for miles, or whether it was because he was so on edge that each step he took, someone was going to notice that he was an imposter, but it seemed to take them an age in order to reach wherever it was that the men were being held. Unable to stop himself, Merlin shivered slightly in the cool air, causing Mordred to smirk as he unhooked a set of keys from his belt. He might have been young, but it was more than obvious that Morgana trusted him explicitly. Merlin knew that considering the importance of their prisoners, not many people would be granted access.
Mordred placed the key in the lock, but sent a stream of magic into the room as he opened the door. There were a few muffled thuds and a grunt of pain, and Merlin had a feeling he knew what had just happened. Sure enough, the team were all being held against the far wall. As Mordred stepped back to let “Darg” inside, he let them go again, but his eyes glinted dangerously.
“You better tell him what he wants to know, boys. Things are about to get a whole lot worse if you don’t co-operate.”
“Where’s Arthur?!” Leon yelled, making to take a step forward but was stopped by Percival. The man seemed to be holding both Leon and Gwaine back, but whilst the former was going for Mordred, the latter had his attention locked on Darg, his mouth open in a wordless snarl. Merlin found that he was swallowing almost nervously.
“Wouldn’t you like to know? Well, come on, Darg, I haven’t got all day.”
“I’m doing nothing with you here.”
“How dar…”
“If Morgana wants answers, you will leave me be.” Merlin knew that he was slipping slightly as he turned to face Mordred. His eyes were ablaze with power, and the young sorcerer looked at him in surprise for a long moment. But the power was clearly saying what the words were not and Mordred backed up.
“I’ll be back in an hour. Make sure they talk whilst you play.” He muttered, turning on his heel and disappearing. As the door banged shut behind him, Merlin sighed, leaning back on the wall.
“That was close.”
“You won’t get answers from us, you bastard. We’re not telling you a damn thing, especially not if that involves betraying a friend. So why don’t you just crawl back to where you came from and leave us alone.”
“What?” Merlin barely even had time to blink before Percival’s hold on Gwaine slackened. The soldier tore free from his grip and lunged forward, his hands wrapping around Darg’s thick neck.
“Gwaine, no, wait, it’s me…” Merlin gasped, but he knew that the man was too far gone in his anger in order to hear him. Lancelot stepped forward out of the corner of his eye, his brow crumpled in confusion as if he was paying attention to what was being said, yet no one was making any move in order to stop him. Realising that he was going to need to breathe if he was going to be able to persuade them not to kill him, Merlin muttered an apology before letting his eyes flash. To give Gwaine some credit, he almost withstood it, making Merlin feel proud that they had listened to what he had been trying to teach them. But no one could withstand the warlock’s power and the soldier was flung to the other side of the room. Merlin made sure that he didn’t crash into the wall, however, but lowered him gently even as he leant back, rubbing his neck.
Gwaine got slowly to his feet, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“What is it?” Elyan muttered, clearly reading the look on his friend’s face. Gwaine shook his head, staring at who he thought was Darg.
“He doesn’t have magic that strong.”
“So maybe he killed someone else.” Elyan clearly didn’t mean to sound that bitter, but considering the circumstances, he didn’t have a lot of patience left.
“Or maybe he is someone else.” Merlin responded, his hand grasping for the crystals around his neck. They were invisible whilst the spell worked, but he could still feel them. He locked eyes with Gwaine and yanked them off, immediately feeling his body settling back to its usual smaller size.
“Merlin?” Lancelot breathed, as if not daring to believe who was now in front of him. Merlin grinned.
“You didn’t think I would just leave you here when I could be saving your sorry arses and getting to be the hero for once, did you?” His light hearted tone by no means met his eyes though, and Merlin knew that he couldn’t have actually looked much better than the men who had been in the fight for their lives and then held prisoner. Lack of sleep did that to a man.
“How-?”
“I went to the flat. I could trace it, we ended up here.”
“We?”
“She’s safe, Lance, I promise.” Sitting down cross legged on the floor, Merlin found that he was tentatively reaching out with his magic, trying to get a feel for if any of the men were badly hurt. There were a few bumps and bruises, and a tension in the air that Merlin knew could be cut with a knife. It seemed that imprisonment didn’t suit, but all in all, they were okay.
“What are they after?” Merlin had a feeling that there was something that he was missing, something that should have been obvious and staring him in the face as the team all glanced at each other, Elyan looking like he was trying not to smile.
“You.”
Merlin blinked, not quite processing what had just been said.
“Me? Why, do they think that Arthur won’t crack if they are just using you guys, so they are coming after me in order to get him to say what they want? I’m telling you now, I won’t let him be a protective prat like that, I won’t let them use me against…”
“No, Merlin.” Leon interrupted gently, coming to kneel by his side and resting a hand on the warlock’s shoulder. “They literally want you. They keep asking after you, wanting to know where you are, everything like that. They want your power - they’ll either get you to join them or…”
“Or they’ll tear me apart so they can use my power that way.” Merlin whispered quietly, his heart pounding had. He had never considered that this might be some sort of trap for him, that the Round Table wouldn’t be enough for Morgana. No doubt she was thrilled that it was her brother’s team who had picked him up in the first place rather than Aredian, knowing that she could suddenly make this personal.
“We have to get out of here.”
“We have to get Merlin out of here.”
“We have to get Arthur out…”
“We are all getting out of here,” Merlin interrupted through their mumblings, knowing they had a point but also knowing that someone had to take charge. There was no use arguing over who was more important to get out and therefore wasting time when they could be putting said escape plan into action.
“Do any of you have any idea how to get out?” Merlin asked, realising only now that his whole plan had been about getting in. The men glanced at each other and nodded slightly, causing the warlock to grin. He should have known that they wouldn’t have just been sitting here. They were a team, an army unit. They would never stop trying to escape whilst they had each other and something worth fighting for.
“But all our plans involve finding where Arthur is. Something that we don’t know.”
“I gathered.” Merlin muttered, thinking back to what they had said the second that he had walked through the door. His fingers toyed with the crystals, knowing that there was just enough power in them to be able to turn him once again. After that, he would be forced to spill more blood if he wanted to keep up the appearance, something that he wasn’t sure he could do now that the adrenaline was beginning to ease away a little.
“You can find him, Merlin. Like that, you can walk around this whole place and no one would even look twice at you.”
“But I’d get hopelessly lost, don’t you think that would be a bit of a give-away?” Whilst the conversation had been going on around him, Leon had been staying silent in the corner. When Merlin glanced at him, he was shocked to see that the man’s face had almost gone ashen in colour. He knew that he was worried about his commander, they all were. It was just unlike Leon to be the one to visibly show it, he had too much of the army in him.
“Leon?”
“Merlin, how long have you and Arthur been together for now?”
“Eight months the day after tom…shit.” Merlin’s voice trailed off as he realised what Leon was getting at. Understanding dawned on Lancelot and Elyan’s faces, but Gwaine just looked blank.
“Why does that matter?”
“What happened the night that they got together, Gwaine? Why is it that Arthur will never forget the date?” Percival swore darkly from the corner as Gwaine too realised what was being said.
They had two days to find Arthur, escape from sorcerers that not only wanted them dead, but wanted Merlin killed in the most painful way possible and get the commander back to the flat. Before he needed his medication. Merlin wasn’t sure whether he could work the magic like he had done before, it had just happened instinctively. They needed to move.
Ao3