A/N: I eked this fic out while writing Rememory. I'm not sure where this came from, but I love it. Just in case anyone doesn't know - and there have been mixups before, resulting in hopeful reviews that make me a little sad - this is a oneshot. I can't really continue the narrative without it sounding like every other hurt/comfort arc I write; I think it's fine as a standalone. Having said that, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Honestly, I am terrible to poor Merlin. Okay. Here you go: another Merlin!whump fic with a little tiny bit of comfort. Enjoy!
Arthur simply watched, seething, as his servant - a man he'd entrusted with his life thousands of times - used magic.
"Sire," Leon muttered urgently. "There are several factors to consider here."
"He is not the man I thought he was, nothing more. He cannot be trusted. I should give the order to move out."
"Sire, this is Merlin!"
"And he is a traitor to the crown."
Leon looked to the scene ahead of them. "I fear it is not that simple."
A dozen knights of Camelot were hiding behind bushes and large rocks on an incline above the forest path. They'd been following a criminal, a slave trader, along the road for an hour. He was a notoriously powerful trafficking force in the kingdom, and his capture was among the king's top priorities. But as the party had followed the trader, they'd seen the slave in the cage on his cart. The thin, pale boy clad in nothing but torn trousers and the iron collar around his neck was unmistakably Merlin. He was bruised and his eyes remained shut throughout the ride, his brows knitted in pain or focus.
Then, another cart driver had passed them on the road. The trader had puffed up and called back to the cage, "Do it now!" Merlin's eyes opened then, filled with sadness and resignation as he pushed himself up with shaky arms and saw the cart passing. He uttered something and his eyes flashed gold, sending the horse into a panic and the cart off the path. In the crash, the driver's neck snapped audibly.
"Good pet," The trader commented offhandedly as he hopped off the cart to inspect the wreckage for something to loot.
Now, Arthur knew. As he watched the area where the trader had pulled over and set up a fire for the night, he fumed. He'd been betrayed by the one person who'd stood by him for years, who he'd trusted. What a fool he'd been. It all made sense now.
But did it? If Merlin had been a spy or wanted to kill him, why didn't he do it years ago? And he clearly hadn't shared Camelot's secrets, since the kingdom hadn't been attacked or maligned in a way suggesting espionage.
Well, it didn't matter. Merlin had magic and he'd betrayed the king, that was all that Arthur cared about.
His thoughts were interrupted when a cry of battle broke through the evening's cool silence. Men flooded into the camp below, and in the flurry of sudden noise and movement, Arthur realized it was a bandit attack and had nothing to do with the knights in hiding. The king watched as armed men ran at the trader.
"KILL THEM!" The trader bellowed. Merlin was already awake, his eyes flashing gold as they flitted from bandit to bandit, but he jumped at the order. His hands wrapped around the bars of his cage and he focused on killing or pushing away each attacker with his magic. He could only dispose of so many men before one got close to the trader, pulling back his sword to strike.
"KILL HIM, YOU BLOODY BASTARD!" The trader screamed in rage as he stepped back. Merlin turned and his eyes widened before he yelled a command and the bandit was sent soaring backward, where his head met a tree with a clunk.
When the commotion stilled into a scene of alarmingly silent carnage, the knights watched in shock as the trader stormed over to the cage.
"You'll pay for that you worthless little twerp. Get out here." He opened the cage door with a key and yanked the slave out by his hair. Merlin yelped as he hit the forest floor and was dragged to a spot clear of bodies. He pulled the warlock up to his knees roughly and stood back. "Lashes, now."
Merlin shuddered and lifted his right arm, placing his palm to his right shoulder blade, as close to his back as he could reach, and drew a stuttering breath. With a whispered word, a gash appeared in his back. He cried out in pain and fell forward, but at an impatient grunt from the trader, he forced himself upright and uttered the same phrase. Another bloody gash tore through his skin and a choked sob escaped his lips.
"Don't think you can stop there. You almost let me die. You will take your punishment. More."
The knights watched in horror as the slave was forced to torture himself, suffering the lashes of an invisible whip. Arthur watched in shock. The Merlin he'd just worked up in his mind as a cold-hearted traitor melted away as he watched his old friend suffer such a cruel fate.
After ten lashes, the trader stepped forward. Merlin stopped, shaking like a leaf and trying to reign in any further sounds of pain. The trader watched the blood oozing from the rough cuts before kneeling to face the slave. He grabbed Merlin's chin and forced him to look him in the eyes.
"You're very sorry, aren't you?"
Merlin nodded with a whimper.
"Why don't you say it for me, hmm?"
"I-I'm sorry, Master."
"You can heal yourself now."
The warlock's head was allowed to drop as he worked the magic to pull his skin back together at the tears and seal shut, stopping the flow of blood and leaving only raised scars.
"What do you say?"
"Thank you," Merlin replied promptly, head still bowed. The trader ruffled his hair as he stood.
"Good boy. Now get back in your cage."
Merlin got to his knees, a bit unsteady, and walked back to the cart. He climbed into the cage and leaned against the back, pulling his knees up to his chest and staring at the gory carnage he'd wreaked with haunted eyes. The trader closed the door on the cage and locked it before kicking dirt onto the fire and returning to his seat on the cart, driving the horse forward and away from the clearing.
"Sire?" Leon asked, turning to the king. "What are our orders?"
Arthur continued to watch the cart as it followed the road into darkness. "We continue the pursuit for now. We need more time." The implied, 'I need more time' was not lost on the loyal knight, but Leon spoke no more of it and passed on the order. The knights moved to their horses to continue the silent pursuit.
The next day was more tense as the royal party awaited more violence. The trader drove persistently for many hours, the slave lying silently in the back. When another cart passed, the knights following discreetly in the trees watched as the trader stared. The other cart carried a cage as well, and there was a girl inside.
"I want her," The trader said aloud, and Merlin sat up. He looked to his master, awaiting an order.
"Kill the driver. Don't hurt the slave."
The warlock looked to the passing cart once more. With little more than a wave of his hand, the other driver's neck was snapped and the cage was lifted out and set on the ground. The trader stopped the cart and dismounted to view it. The girl skirted back on the hay-strewn floor of her cage as the man approached her.
"Open the lock."
Merlin's eyes flashed and the lock on the other cage fell off. The trader pulled open the door and pulled her out by her ankles, ignoring her struggling and yells as he hefted her up and shoved her toward his cart. He unlocked the cage there and yanked open the door, pulling the slave girl up and into the cage. He locked the door once more and proceeded to drive once more.
The girl looked over at Merlin, whose eyes were trained on the floor beneath him.
"W-what's your name?" She asked.
Merlin didn't respond.
As hours passed, the warlock grew weary again and fell asleep. He was still sitting up against the back of the cage, arms tucked around the knees pulled up to his chin. The girl saw that he was asleep and inched toward him. When she was at his side, she reached out to touch his collar.
When her fingers met the metal, his eyes shot open and he screamed, his hands going to the collar but hovering above like he couldn't touch it. He lurched forward and panted in between each cry of agony.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" The girl panicked as the other slave grew hoarse and could only shake. His hands still hovered above the collar. Eventually, he calmed. He was leaning forward, still on his knees. His hands balled up into fists and he pressed his forehead into them as if he was trying to drive out a pain deep in his skull.
"W-what was that?" The girl asked tentatively. "What are those markings on your collar?"
The trader laughed then. "Stupid girl. You know he has magic, how did you think I controlled him? Those are magic binding runes carved into the iron. And if it is touched or damaged by anyone except for his master, it burns like the sun. He usually passes out when that happens. Weakling."
The girl looked to the boy in sorrow. "I didn't mean to hurt you." The other slave didn't respond. She was starting to think that he wasn't allowed to speak.
Night fell once more and the trader set up camp again. The knights were growing listless at waiting for action for so long, and Arthur wasn't sure he had a justifiable reason for inaction. He wanted to save Merlin and ask him why he lied, or just get him away from this man. Or maybe he wanted to lead a charge and capture both the trader and the traitor and bring both to justice. In the end, all the king was sure of was that he couldn't leave and act as if he didn't know what was happening. So they waited and watched.
The trader was asleep on a bedroll by the fire. The cart was by the trees, the horse resting tied to a tree and the slaves still in the cage. Merlin was still awake. He hadn't tried to sleep since he'd been awoken by the girl's curiosity and the pain it brought. He looked out into the pitch dark forest, clearly longing to be free. The girl stared at him a while, then looked around the cage.
"I'm sorry," She said softly. "I really am. But I need you to help me escape."
Merlin shook his head, still staring off.
"Use your magic to break the lock, that's all I need. You don't have to come. Just help me."
He didn't respond.
She licked her lips and moved forward. "If you don't help me," She whispered, "I'll hold onto your collar."
He looked at her then, fear in his eyes.
"I don't know what'll happen to you if I don't let go, but it'll hurt. It'll burn like the sun."
Merlin looked to the trader, still asleep, then back at her. "Don't," He begged quietly. His voice sounded pained.
"Do it," She urged, reaching toward his collar in unabated warning. He flinched back and held up a hand placatingly. He looked at her a moment more before he focused on the lock. His irises flashed gold and the lock fell to the forest floor with a soft thump. She reached out and held the warlock's hand. Merlin winced but didn't pull away.
"Come with me," She coaxed hopefully.
He just shook his head. "I can't," He whispered. She accepted his resignation and pressed a gentle kiss to his scraped knuckles before she slipped out. When her bare feet met the ground, she broke into a sprint to reach the safety of the deep woods.
"Kill her," The trader ordered calmly. Merlin flinched, not noticing the man's eyes were open and watching the scene.
"Please," Merlin begged. "Don't make me."
The trader's lip furled. "Fine. Break her legs, let the wolves take her apart. Do it now, sorcerer."
Merlin turned to see the girl still running, much farther now. He choked on a dry sob before his eyes flashed and she fell to the ground screaming.
The trader stood. He picked up the lock and secured it onto the cage door once again. As he prepared to depart, he snapped his fingers in command to the collar. Merlin seized, screaming as the collar assaulted his nerves with searing agony.
Arthur gave the silent order for half of the knights to split off and bring the girl back to Camelot. As Leon joined him and the remaining knights in further pursuit of the trader, he brought his horse up beside the king's.
"Sire, forgive my forwardness, but we are running out of time. If the trader is going to the nearest town, he is a mere day's ride away now."
"Then we will attack at sunrise."
Leon nodded. "And Merlin?"
In an attack, the trader would certainly order the warlock to attack the knights. Well, it would serve as a test then. To see where the traitor's loyalties did lie. He wouldn't ask in the calm of the castle, or under the threat of execution. Merlin would act in the heat of battle, and Arthur would finally know whether his apparent fealty to the crown was an act or not.
"If he harms anyone else, I will cut him down myself."
The sky had gone from deep navy to a lighter blue as the sun rose, and Merlin was still awake. His punishment for helping the girl escape had gone on for hours - he'd fallen unconscious and been jerked awake by the torture several times. Now he was awake, leaning against the bars in the side of his cage and trembling at times. He was watching the sky passively. He liked to see the colors when the sun came up, how the forest changed in the coming light and how the cold of night became the warmth of day. It almost made him smile sometimes.
He heard a strange noise from the woods along the path, and it snagged his attention. His eyes scanned the trees. As soon as he thought he spotted a flash of deep red, men on horses charged at the cart from both sides of the path. Men in chain mail and that bold red and-
Knights.
Arthur.
Merlin's eyes widened and he spun around, watching the commotion. The trader yanked on the reigns. Without looking back, he yelled, "Kill them!"
Merlin looked to him, then at the knights surrounding the cart. He didn't obey.
"I said, KILL THEM, NOW!" His master bellowed.
Merlin's breath hitched and he moved away from the yelling, toward the locked door of his cage. He saw Leon, then locked eyes with Arthur. He'd lost hope that the king would ever find him, or would ever want to. Now he was here.
The trader had to stop the cart. He was livid. He turned in his seat and glared daggers at the slave.
"Kill them."
Merlin didn't look away from Arthur, who watched him in turn. "No."
The trader bristled and snapped his fingers, igniting agony that gripped Merlin's mind and sent him to the floor of his cell in sobs.
Arthur saw Merlin's look of recognition when they'd charged, saw his refusal to attack. He watched Merlin's eyes cloud over and his mouth open wide for his scream to ring out before he collapsed in the throes of pain.
Now he knew.
Merlin was loyal. For all the anger that Arthur felt at having been lied to for so long, at realizing he'd never know his friend's biggest secret, Merlin had just sacrificed himself. Just like he always did. Merlin would rather die than inflict any harm upon him. Arthur felt the horror and ire that had been building up at seeing his friend being tortured rise. He looked to the trader, glaring around at the knights forcing his surrender, and the king nudged his steed into a trot until he was beside the sour man.
"You have committed heinous crimes against Camelot."
"Indeed I have," The criminal said calmly.
"And you have committed atrocities against this man," Arthur continued, nodding toward the writing warlock behind them.
The trader grinned lasciviously. "And loved every second of it."
"Right," Arthur huffed. "But what you didn't know was your downfall."
"And what was that?" The sinister man replied.
Arthur drew his sword. "He is my friend."
The trader's haughty expression fell just as the king drove his sword into the criminal's chest. He gave a gurgle on the blood rising in his throat before he fell to the ground.
When the trader stilled in death, Merlin gasped and stilled. Arthur searched the trader's body for the key. He found it in a pouch at the man's side. The king went around to the cage door and unlocked it.
Merlin lifted his head to look. When he saw Arthur, he pushed himself up on those shaky arms and got to his knees.
"Arthur," He croaked softly, searching the king's face. "I-I'm sorry." He had to know. Merlin was sure of it, Arthur knew he had magic. He could see it in his eyes.
The monarch hesitated before he responded. "I forgive you."
Merlin felt hot tears still running down his face from the pain, now from relief. He didn't know what to say. He just nodded weakly.
"Can you get out of there?"
He nodded again and shifted, pulling his legs in front of him to scoot forward and out of the cage. Arthur gave him space. When his bare feet met the leaves and dirt beneath the cart, he wavered.
"Can you stand?"
Before Merlin could respond, he fell to his knees, unconscious.
Arthur caught him before he fell to the ground fully. He hefted the thin man up into his arms, feeling how cold the servant was and holding him closer.
"Don't worry," The king said quietly. "You'll never have to kneel again, I swear it."