Merlin, another person's man servant, a visiting prince called Malcom who was a bully and didn't much for anyone even those who work for him. It bothered many in Camelot who saw the sickly thin boy walk cross the grounds fetching Prince Malcom's things. They have seen the bruises on his skin no matter how hard Merlin tried to hide it. The Prince of Camelot watched him and had noticed the sliver chains around his neck and wrists; they were thin but he knew what those chains meant; they were made to stop a person from using magic.
On the day of Prince Malcom's arrival, his father had started to turn red, screaming about a magic user being in his kingdom. But Malcom pointed out that Merlin couldn't use magic because of the chains and that seem to calm King Uther down. But the dark haired prince smirked and said, "Let me show you the best part," He grinned darkly and it made Arthur sick to his stomach.
"Not only did I have these chains made to stop him from using magic on me but I asked the maker of these fine chains to add a few extra bits," His hissed.
"Like?" Uther asked as he watched the dark haired man servant suddenly look scared. Malcom took a dagger off his belt and handed it to Merlin.
"Well go on, stab the prince," He told him.
"Malcom!" Uther warned.
"My king trust me you will love this and want one yourself," He beamed.
"Merlin!" He snarled when the dark haired boy hesitated for a moment, but he started to move towards the blonde prince and raised the dagger to his throat before he started to tremble and fell to the floor screaming in pain. Arthur was frozen, still shocked at what he was seeing as both his father and Malcom grinned and chuckled at the poor boy's pain.
"It will only harm magic users but it makes sure he can't kill me the normal way," The dark haired prince smiled as he used his foot to push Merlin onto his back and he lay there looking up blankly.
There was tears running down the side of his face but he remind quiet as a church mouse. "That is barbaric he is still a human and mortal being this..," Arthur started.
"Arthur! He is a magic user they have no rights," He hissed to his son.
"I'm sorry about my son, he is like his mother," Uther said to Malcom, Arthur felt sick and he was sure he was going to be. So he did the only thing he could think off and left the room.
The blonde Prince knocked on the door of the court physician's chambers. Gaius wasn't just a healer but he took the time to listen to problems and he helped Arthur to understand the world outside of his father's touch. The old man opened the door letting out a pink smoke behind him and making Arthur frown.
"Trying to make pink flowers," He muttered as he let Arthur in.
"Ah, for Morgana," He said with a sad smile, his father's ward and his younger sister. The poor girl was hit with a nasty smell that deaged her to a 10 year old girl but on a positive note Arthur can't help but think it's a good thing her mind deaged with her.
"What can I do for you my Lord?" He asked with a soft smile before he realised that his hands were pink.
"Prince Malcom's man servant has witching chain around his neck and wrists. He forced that boy to try and attack me but then he fell to the floor screaming in pain," Arthur sneered in distaste, but they both knew it was all aimed at the visiting Prince.
"What did the king do?" Gaius knew all too well what Uther is capable of as he had lost many friends thanks to that man.
"He laughed," Arthur sat down and closed his eyes trying to get the pain look on the boy's face out of his head "He looks bad," He whispered.
"I have heard the others in the village about Prince Malcom's treatment to his man servant," Gaius was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "It's no life for a magic user, Arthur. Imagine a dam and it's rained all year around nonstop. One day that dam will break and all that water that will come flooding will not only destroy him but people around him," The old man said with a sigh. The blonde haired prince frowned as he looked up at him with wide eyes. "What's his name?" Gaius said.
"Merlin." Arthur whispered as he watched the white flower slowly turn pink.
"Merlin… I… I had a nephew called Merlin," The prince leant forward and looked at him with wide eyes.
"What happened to him?" Arthur asked.
"He went missing. His mother thought it might have been because his father never knew of him. She died of a broken heart a year ago."
"Have you ever met Merlin, Gaius?" The older man shook his head.
"Not since he was six. But I know he has a scar on his stomach where he survived a dragon attack. The scar has never healed right."
"I will have a look if I can," Arthur promised.
It was a couple of days later when Arthur saw Merlin again and this time he had a large black bruises crossing his face. He stopped Merlin in the hall way.
"Merlin," He called out and the frightened dark haired boy looked at him with his bright blue eyes as he stopped.
"Y…Yes Prince Arthur," He whispered, his voice was strange; it was low and soft but it sounded like he couldn't speak any lower than that. Arthur reached out and stopped when Merlin flinched when he saw his hand. The prince slowly hooked his fingers under his chin and made him turn his head to look at the puffy bruise down the side of his face.
"Who did this?" Arthur asked.
"It was my fault," Merlin said pulling away from him. Arthur frowned and watched him look down at the ground.
"Why would it be your fault?" He asked, confused. The dark haired boy frowned before looking back up at the kind eyes staring at him.
"I…I didn't clean his boots right," He whispered.
"His boots," Arthur repeated flatly.
"His boots my Lord, and I need to go. If I'm late I won't be able to see tomorrow," He said as he moved away.
"Do you have a scar on your stomach from a dragon attack?" Merlin stopped and turned to look at him wide eyed before nodding. "I know your uncle, I will try and help you Merlin."
"MERLIN GET HERE NOW!" Malcom's voice suddenly boomed around the corner. Merlin turned around and ran towards the voice.
It seemed Malcom wasn't going anywhere any time soon and his treatment to Merlin was getting worst since his father enjoyed seeing the dark haired boy crying at his feet. He needed to do something; this was getting worst as the days went on. Gaius had found a way to remove the chains and now he just needed to get Merlin away from Malcom. One more dinner and he didn't think he would be able to stop himself from killing both his father and the other prince. Malcom was laughing as Merlin poured him his drinks but this time Merlin was sickly pale.
"Oh thank you for that potion I really didn't need people knowing about what I do in private," He said to Uther. The king hummed and looked at Merlin.
"He doesn't look that good maybe he should rest," It was the only nice thing his father had said for Merlin since they arrived.
"He will rest when I am asleep. It's just the potion killing the baby."
Arthur choked on his food as he dropped his knife and fork to the floor and started retching. Uther grabbed Merlin's arm and held it tightly making him wince.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THE FOOD YOU LITTLE W***!" Uther snarled at him, but Malcom smiled.
"He didn't do anything, your son just can't stand a little discipline it seems."
Outraged blue eyes met with almost black orbs as Arthur snarled.
"This is not discipline! Discipline would make him muck out the horses for a week or clean all boots in the castle not r*** him and impregnate him then give him a poison to kill the child!" Arthur suddenly turned his outburst to his father. "How could you give it to him you're the one who deemed that all pregnancies are miracles!" Arthur yelled at his father.
"Not if the child is magical." Uther said as he took a drink "I think you should go to your chambers. You aren'tthinking clearly. Just because he has a pretty face doesn't mean you can lose your head over it," Arthur knocked over his wine as he stood up.
"HE IS GAIUS' NEPHEW!" He yelled "THINK CLEARLY ON THAT!" Then he slammed the door as he left.
What Arthur did wasn't a good idea as he basically proved what his father said about him not thinking clearly. But Arthur did in fact had fallen for the blue eyed, dark haired boy and he wanted nothing more than to holding him close and tell him he was safe.
Arthur couldn't sleep that night and started to go for a workout on the ground when he saw the dark haired prince walk into a private stalls where the royal horses where placed. Malcom walked in there with Merlin but only came out alone a while later, and while normally Arthur would have thought he was getting Merlin to clean out his horse stall, but when five other men walked into the stall Arthur felt dread fill his bones.
He stood up and walked over to the stalls, going up to the doors to hear sounds of pained m*** and grunts. There was cheers and laughter from the five men as Arthur walked in.
"Come on your master said you were good at this!" One chuckled just as the Prince rounded the corner to see the men forcing Merlin to take their c*** into his mouth and arse
"Get away from him now!" Arthur snarled, and all five men dropped Merlin onto the ground, hastily pulling up their trousers and looking at the Prince of Camelot in shock. "Don't dawdle just get out of here now!" He yelled, and the men hastily obeyed as he walked over to Merlin who was trying to pull his clothes on whilst moving himself into a corner.
There was tears running down his face as he turned away from Arthur and started to throw up. "Shhh its okay, they are gone," He whispered as he knelt in front of him and looked at him.
"He will be mad now," Merlin whispered, referring to Malcom as the prince held out his hand to him
"Don't worry about him. Gaius can take those chains off, you won't ever have to worry about him or my father. I will deal with them." Merlin wanted to believe him so badly, but he was lost and he didn't have anyone since he was 14. That was three years ago and he is just as lost as the first time he was taken from his home.
There was banging on his door, and Gauis pulled himself to it and opened the door to find himself looking at the prince as he carried Merlin in.
"I need you to take those chains off tonight," Arthur deadpanned as he pushed passed him and into the man's chambers.
"Merlin," Gaius whispered as he watched the prince place his nephew onto the bed in the spare room. Gauis gathered his things and rushed into the room where the boy he hadn't seen since he was six was laying curled up on his side holding the Prince of Camelot's hands as he cried into the pillow.
"Merlin my sweet boy I am so sorry I should have looked for you myself," Gaius muttered sadly as he set to work.
"I don't blame you," Merlin whispered. "Just get these off me."
Hours later, just as the sun was rising, the witching chains were taken off Merlin as they melted off his skin and onto the ground. The dark haired boy gasped and fell onto his back, arching himself off the bed and screaming as he felt his magic warm him again. Both Arthur and the Gaius watched somberly as Merlin spent most of the day twitching as his magic took control over his body that it didn't have since he was of fourteen years.
"Your father will be mad at you," The old man whispered
"I am aware of that. But I will deal with my father and Malcom," He said darkly. Arthur dared to touch Merlin, thinking of how his skin was like thunder and lightning with the powerful magic racing within Merlin's body.
"No you should let Merlin deal with them, because if you're caught they will behead you," The prince shook his head and looked up at him.
"I can't let him do that, I won't use him like they have. I want him safe," He whispered, Gauis ran his fingers down his face.
"You love him," it wasn't a question, but he answered anyway.
"Yes."