This is an AU to the episode The Witchfinder, and has some characters put in from around that time in the series for some more drama and more whump. The Witchfinder is slightly ooc, sorry if it bugs you. Not proof read either.

There was an unsettling air in Camelot. Merlin had been discussing it with Gaius and both agreed that Uther's decision to bring The Witchfinder was a bad one, particularly for Merlin's sake.

"You need to be careful, Merlin," the mentor warned, as they sat at one of his tables and ate dinner which Gaius had prepared. It was a warning Merlin had heard alot, and he just nodded. "I'm serious, the witch finder, I believe, Uther is going to bring in will without doubt find you as the sorcerer Merlin."

Merlin looked up, "I'll be careful, I always am." Gaius rose an infamous eyebrow at the boy, and shook his head.

"Well, before you go to bed, I have some herbs for you to collect, they blossom at night, and I need them for a new sleeping draft I am making for Morganna."

Merlin nodded, "You sure it can't wait, Arthur worked me like a pack mule today."

Gaius laughed, for only a short bit, "And how is that different from any other day."

Merlin nodded, in agreement, but also added a small eye roll in there as well. He took the list from Gaius and was looking it over as he finished the dinner. "I'll wake you when I get back." He had grabbed his bag, and headed out of the physician's chamber with a smile on his face.

He passed the guards, and Leon, who was coming in from a patrol stopped him. "Where are you headed at this hour?"

"Gaius asked me for some herbs, for a stronger remedy for the Lady Morganna," Came the swift answer as he continued out the gate. He liked Sir Leon, but the man could be like a mother hen at times.

Merlin made his way down the path before he strayed, to go the fields, and the forests, in a more direct route. A more direct route to where he knew some of the herbs he was required to get grew in abundance. The wild garlic he passed through though smelled, and he hoped it wouldn't clog up his nose for the rest of the night. He would need it.

He had bent down to pull some from near the route of a tree, when he felt a sword at his back. He slowly stood up, dropping the herb, his hands raised, showing he was unnamed and meant no harm. Surely if it was a knight they would know him when he turned around. But this was no night.

The man was dressed in black, a brimmed hat adorned his head. "And what do we have here?" he asked, already seeming to know the answer. "Has my investigation already come to an end?"

Merlin shrugged, he had no clue what the man was talking about. "I, erm," he stuttered. "I'm only picking some herbs, for the physician."

"Yet you reek of magic, which is against the law."

Merlin panicked if he asked for proof, that would incriminate him, if you used his magic, that would incriminate, if he ran that would incriminate him. And since his name, or at least one of them was known to many that might incriminate him too. He was stuck in a place with no where to turn, and it had nothing to do with the tree he was now backed up against.

Merlin looked his eyes wide with panic, he could not use his magic. He wanted to, but he couldn't. He knew that if he did, it would all just end badly. He was actually doing what Gaius told him, for once, he was being cautious, his mentor would be proud. Merlin looked at Aredian and gave a shrug, trying to calm the panic on his face. "I, er, I don't know."

Aredian eyed him, and didn't believe, "Oh I think you do. On your knees sorcerer." Merlin obeyed, too scared of what would happen if he didn't, the man already seemed angry and he hadn't even done anything. Saying he wasn't a sorcerer clearly didn't work, and he had no other options now. He was convicted whether he had a case against it or not. He slowly went to his knees, landing on the ground with a soft thud, though one of them had hit a root, and that was painful. "Beg for mercy now, and I'll make it so Uther does not kill you right when we get back to the castle." Merlin looked at him, the man was crazy, he had to be.

"Sir, you've got the wrong person." Merlin could feel the magic boiling just beneath his skin. He could escape and run away right now. No one would need to know. But he smushed that plan quickly, Arthur needed him. Arthur needed him to save his backside as well as wipe it. Because Arthur though great was basically incapable of anything and everything.

"Prove it then."

"And just how am I to do that?"

Aredian smiled, it wasn't a pleasant smile, it was one that made a person feel as if there feet were being feasted on by maggots. He pulled cuffs out from his coat, cuffs that had a collar that went with them. "If you put these on, and they do nothing, then I will let you go."

Merlin eyed them, from a glance they were regular cuffs. But when he looked closer he saw the markings, and he had a bad feeling about what they were, and what they would do if they were put on. He put his hands up to Aredian, but turned his face away his eyes only half opened. He felt the cuffs on his wrists, close, and then there was pain. He bent forwards, and landed on the ground, trying to not let any sound escape his lips. He couldn't even feel his magic. He couldn't feel part of him, it was like someone was continuously ripping his heart out. He tried to reach for it, and all he got was his eyes only half glowing gold, and an agonizing scream. He should have never come out to collect herbs.

Aredian was smiling at Merlin, and the man placed the tip of his sword on the boys back. "Beg."

Merlin's mind knew the logical thing to do, his whole body protested against begging, but he was really caught now. "Please," he said as he looked up a few tear streaks already seen on his face. Merlin hadn't even been aware that he had been crying. The please was enough for Aredian, "Almost." He maneuvered his sword, and then there was a rip. Merlin knew what it was. His only jacket, and one of his four shirts. The torn articles of clothes fell off him.

Aredian looked the boy over, but noticed no marks from Druids, he hadn't ruined the boy's clothes on purpose, though it did add to the humiliation. He liked that, humiliating sorcerers. There were chains that linked the cuffs Merlin was now wearing together. With the boy clearly subdued he could have let up, but there was no fun in that. He pulled hard, and Merlin lurched forward. Merlin had made a move to get up and walk, but Aredian shook his head, so Merlin crawled leaving his clothes, neckerchief and all behind at the tree. They reached Aredian's horse drawn cage, and he climbed in, knowing that was the only logical thing. Since Aredian hadn't stopped him, he knew he had to be right. The chain he was now connected to, was connected to something inside the cage, it was too dark to see it properly. The door was locked, and they were on there way to camelot.

The cage was small and embarrassing, not to mention the state in which Merlin had been forced into it. His shirt had been ripped off, and he only had three others. His jacked had been ripped in half as well. Something he would dearly miss, and he knew it would take months til he could afford a new one. There was no way he was going to ask Gwen to make one for him, he would not take advantage of her skill or kindness like that, not again.

He had been knocked out, but upon hearing the hoves hammer against the cobblestone of the castle courtyard he awoke. No one was there to greet them, not at first. And he was glad, he looked around in the dark of night. The Witch Finder, Aredian, hopped off the carriage, and looked at Merlin in the back. "Don't even try to get out of those, boy. You wont."

Merlin didn't want to, the fear had settled to panic now, he knew shock would come next. He didn't even want to try and scream. Aredian had already harmed him, and he was no willing to let it happen again. His scars of the past were clearly visible, in the moonlight, but he was embarrassed by them. He didn't often take his shirt off where people could see, if he could avoid it.

Merlin didn't know what time had passed, but soon a procession, more like everyone in the castle seemed to be spilling out of the seams as news of the Witch finder arriving, and already capturing a sorcerer had reached their ears.

Merlin tried not to look at them, many the faces of servants he knew well. He knew they were looking at him in spite, in hatred. He hadn't even used magic, and their perceptions of him were already changing. It made his stomach clench with a pain that could only be described as disappointment.

The cage banged, as some one hit, and when Merlin looked up the glaring face Uther met him. "it seems your job is done." The kinds voice carried, to Aredian, whom Merlin did not no the location of.

Amongst the conversations that were starting to arise around the cage, around Merlin about him, he heard a voice, a voice he could only describe as still prattish, "Merlin." Merlin dared not look in the direction of that voice. He didn't want to see him. He didn't want to look at anyone, let alone Arthur. The voice was closer this time, and was in conversation with his father, "Merlin can't be a sorcerer, its, its Merlin. Look at him."

Uther did look at him, and he noticed the cuffs, he looked at Merlin, "Tell me sorcerer, how do those feel."

Merlin knew not to lie, he could feel Aredian looking at him, telling him that it was a bad move. "They hurt, sire."

"Are they too tight."

Merlin shook his head, and offered his wrists for Uther too see. The cuffs made him physically weak, so that was all he could do. He really was nothing without his magic. He then heard Gaius' voice, saying something about not knowing. He was glad Gaius was saving himself from the undeniable execution, and with him still there, Arthur still had someone looking after him.

Uther was speaking, his voice loud, like he was making a proclimation, "The sorcerer will be executed at sun,"

He was cut off, "Your highness, the sorcerer was close to many, perhaps we should spare them there friend, I will execute him in private away from Camelot, that way he will certainly not have any lingering affects on your great kingdom."

Uthur was thinking it over, his gloved hand on his chin, "Very well, you will take him by noon tomorrow, no later or he shall be burned as the sun begins to set. Take him to the dungeons."

"Father!" Uther's word was final, but it was Arthur that had the final word, before Merlin passed out, from the physical draining he felt on his body that was a repercussion of the cuffs.