Fire.
It had always been his worst nightmare.
He felt the heat embrace him with the devil's delight as the flames flicked their forked tongues at his feet. Belching black smoke the flames danced higher in joy as their prey stood helpless, bound to a centre pole.
He looked desperately around for help; surely someone would put a stop to this?
His vision had taken on a garish grey hue as he desperately squinted for support.
The knights? No, they were the ones that lit the pyre.
Gwen? No, she stood laughing at his pain.
Gaius? No, he scowled and muttered 'good riddance'
Arthur? Surely Arthur would help?
Tilting his neck he dragged his hazy vision towards Arthur in hope. Only for that hope to be dashed as the King's faced twisted into a sneer a called 'you thought I would accept a thing like you? I am the King, you nothing but a filthy sorcerer'. Cheers met this declaration as the crowds congratulated their new King on his continued war on magic, 'I hope you burn forever more' he spat laughing as the warlock began to choke on his own despair.
Merlin couldn't understand. Hadn't they been friends? Didn't Arthur know how much Merlin had done for him? They were supposed to have a great destiny together; it wasn't supposed to happen like this!
As the smoke began to obscure his sight and the flames began to melt the skin from muscle he cried for clemency, he begged and pleaded for Arthur to see reason.
'Please don't do this Arthur, I'm so sorry, I wanted to tell you! Please don't burn me. Please understand. Please listen. I'm so sorry, so sorry…' His broken cries turned to hacking coughs as the smog curled and clawed at his lungs depriving him of his life. He sobbed and choked and guttered and wailed until reaching his final moments he ducked his head to his chest keening in pain as demented laughter chorused around him.
With his last breathes he called Arthur's name like a litany praying for deliverance.
Gaius woke with a start. Groggily he began wondering what had the audacity to wake him at this time; he was the court physician and an old man! But as he heard another broken cry emanating from the small room at the end of his chambers sleep fled him and he jumped up with agility that belied a man of his years as he rushed to his young ward's room.
The pitiful sight was one that he was quickly becoming used to.
Merlin was writhing in bed, face contorted in anguish as he begged not to be burned. Gaius's heart bled for the boy at times like this. For Merlin was and would always be to him, the gangly youth that stumbled into his chambers and saved his life.
Pouring water into a small bowl on the bedside and placing a cloth in it, he then waited until the ward wrested himself from his nightmare. He had learned early on not to try to wake Merlin, as he tended not to be able to differentiate dreams from reality. Gaius sat quietly on the edge of the bed as Merlin sat bolt up-right, stiff as a board before curling in on himself; drawing his knees to his chest and rocking himself in a crude attempt to bring himself comfort.
Drawing the warlock to his chest Gaius held him as he cried in pain for a nightmare he dreaded most. Stroking his ward's head and bringing the damp cloth to wipe the sweat from it Gaius's throat constricted in pity as Merlin mumbled under his breath.
'Arthur, Arthur, Arthur. I'm so sorry, so sorry. Please don't hurt me, no more, please no more..'
Gaius gazed out the window in despair. He knew Merlin was fading, falling prey to his inner demons and was at a complete loss of how to help him. If only Merlin would open up and talk to him he could comfort the boy properly, not just hold him as he cried before having merlin clam up and pretend the whole thing hadn't just happened.
A/N Well... that was angsty... Don't worry our favourite Warlock and King will make an appearance in the next chapter, although I'm still not sure who's POV it's be from. Hmmmm we'll see! Thank you for reading and I hope you can leave a review - they make me ever so happy ^^