Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Merlin characters.
Set during season 2: That way, I can use Morgause as the 'bad' of this story, but I am also able to have a good Morgana. I just like her more when she is still at Arthur's and Merlin's side.
AN: Any and all mistakes are completely my own.
I want to thank those that left me a kind review for the first chapter of this story. It made me want to write this chapter faster and so here it is. I can only hope you'll enjoy it!
- For the Love of Camelot -
Chapter 2
Uther was pacing up and down the Council Chamber. It was awfully quiet at the moment. Normally, there were always servants presents, guards or even noble people. Now Uther was alone, however, but he had requested it do be this way.
He had a lot of thinking to do as there was a difficult situation which needed handling. The image of Merlin using magic lingered in his mind. How could he not have seen the signs? He should have noticed something, anything! It did make a lot of sense. Like why Arthur is so...attached to the servant boy.
Their relationship had started of rather difficult, but as time had passed, Arthur had shown affection to the boy. They had grown to become friends and Uther had never understood. Now it made sense. Merlin probably cast some spell to make Arthur like him. Perhaps he was just very cunning in playing people.
There was Gaius as well after all. The physician, who had years of wisdom, had claimed on more than one occasion that Merlin was the son he never had. Again, it made sense. Merlin had probably used magic on Gaius as well.
It all remained the same, however. It was a delicate situation and Uther needed to be careful with the way he handled this. But Merlin was a sorcerer and so he couldn't be allowed to live. Magic was evil after all, it contains the power to corrupt even the purest souls.
And then the heavy wooden doors opened. Two broad guards entered, in between them Merlin. Their was a fearful gaze clearly visible in his eyes. Uther couldn't blame him. The servant boy had no idea what was happening or why he had been summoned to the King with force.
The guards pushed Merlin forward, the force of their pushed too hard. Merlin fell forward, his hands supporting his weight to make sure that he wouldn't fall fully onto the floor. As he sat on his knees, he looked up, only seeing the King gaze at him.
"Merlin," Uther spoke icily, looking down at Merlin. He didn't wait for the servant boy to say anything. He only looked at the guards and nodded. The two broad men immediately stepped back, but they remained standing close to Merlin in case something might happen.
"You are guilty of sorcery," the King stepped closer to the boy, "and therefore you are sentenced to death."
Uther looked Merlin into the eyes, wanting to see what emotions he would read there. Anger because he was finally discovered? Perhaps a thought would cross his mind, telling him to run? Merlin only swallowed heavily, though, all color draining from his face.
"I..." Merlin's voice was barely audible, "I have no magic," this time, his voice was stronger, "I'm innocent."
"Silence!" Uther despised these lies. A hatred flared up in his chest and his hand was about to lash out to hit Merlin's cheek, but he controlled himself. "I have seen you using magic with my own eyes. You can not escape from the truth now."
Merlin glanced back, seeing the two heavy guards still stand behind him. Uther believed for a moment that Merlin thought about trying to run, but the servant boy only turned his gaze back to the King. More fear and panic could be read not only in his eyes, but by his whole body language. His back was slightly bended, the way he held his hands before him, how he barely dared looking into the King's eyes.
A third guard suddenly entered. He walked straight past the other two guards and past Merlin until coming to a halt before the King. He bowed his head deeply and only spoke when Uther nodded his head, allowing him to speak.
"We have received word from your son," the guard spoke, his voice so soft that only Uther could hear him, "it is now clear who is attacking your Kingdom, Sire."
"Who?" Uther demanded to know.
"The witch Morgause, Sire," the guard whispered, "she has been seen on the battle field by at least four surviving Knights."
Uther exhaled sharply. This was not good news. He quickly dismissed the guard who immediately left the Council Chamber again, making sure the heavy wooden doors were closed as he stepped outside.
If it was Morgause attacking, then Uther was facing a powerful oponent. She was a witch, she had magic and she wanted the destruction of not only Camelot, but of the Pendragons as well. Uther pressed his lips together, trying to come up with a plan to deal with the witch, but his gaze only found Merlin still sitting before him.
"Tell me, Merlin," he spoke the name as if it were poison, "do you know the witch Morgause?"
Merlin remained silent, but his eyes flared for only a brief second. Of course he knew her. He was a sorcerer after all. He probably worked with her at one point. He might still be working with her. Perhaps that was the reason why he was here. Morgause could attack Camelot from the outside and Merlin could cause damage from the inside.
"I see you do know her," Uther said. He took another step closer to the servant boy and he noticed the lightness of his eyes. It was almost unnatural and once again, he was offered proof. No normal person could have eyes like that. "Are you working with her?"
"No," Merlin quickly said, shaking his head, "I would never work with her! I'm not evil."
Uther laughed without humor. "Then tell me," he said, his voice low, "why are you here?"
Merlin said nothing for a long second. It seemed he needed to think about that question, but Uther knew different. Merlin was buying time to come up with an appropriate answer, one that would less anger his King.
"Are you working with Morgause?" Uther asked again.
"No," Merlin said again.
"You claim you are...good then?" Uther looked into Merlin's eyes, knowing that he could easily read the truth in them. It seemed to be the boy's weakness. His openness allowed anyone to read his thoughts and emotions in his eyes.
"Yes," Merlin slowly said, not sure where this conversation was leading him. He was careful with anything he said.
"Then you can find Morgause for me," Uther said. There was only seriousness in his voice and eyes, and he patiently waiting on Merlin's reaction. All that he could see was surprise, however, and confusion. Merlin didn't seem to understand him.
"You can find Morgause with your magic," Uther explained, "you can tell me right now where she is."
"No," Merlin sighed, finally understanding what Uther wanted of him, "it doesn't work like that."
"Of course it does," Uther sneered, "I am not an idiot! You can tell me where she is and you will do so."
"I can't," Merlin said, his voice breaking.
Merlin was growing more and more desperate and Uther did not like the sight of it at all. Did the boy truly believe he could outsmart his King? That he could play him like he had probably played Arthur and Gaius? A rage burst in the King's chest and his hand lashed out with force. When it hit Merlin's cheek, the boy whimpered as he fell sideways. Uther couldn't care less. It was most likely just a play anyway.
"Tell me where she is," Uther repeated when Merlin glanced up to look at him again.
Merlin remained silent now. He only swallowed heavily. His cheek was already turning into burning red color and his lip was thick and swollen. As his hand reached up to cover the hurtful spot of his face, Uther noticed the shaking of his hand, but he felt nothing of compassion.
"Where is she?" he again asked.
And again, Merlin remained silent.
Uther sighed deeply. He turned his gaze from Merlin to the two guards who stood motionless behind the sorcerer. It seemed they as well were unaffected by all that was happening before them.
"Take him away," Uther ordered them, "lock him in the dungeon."
The two guards instantly moved to pull Merlin back onto his feet.
"Not the dungeon of this castle," Uther added, "the hidden one in the forest. My son nor anyone else are allowed to find him." The King stepped to stand right in front of the traitor Merlin, his face only inches away from Merlin's. "You will tell me where she is," he said, his voice nothing more than a cold whisper, "or your last days on this earth will be spent in a living hell."
Uther stepped away again and looked once again to the guards. "Make sure he does not escape. If he does escape, it shall be your heads I want, together with those of your family."
The guards only nodded and pulled Merlin out of the Council Chamber, making sure his hands were painfully pulled behind his back so that it was nearly impossible for him to break free, with or without magic. Uther only watched how the guards dragged the young servant away and the King could only think of how he fortunate he was to have discovered Merlin's secret now.
It seemed Merlin was his only good chance of defeating Morgause once and for all.
AN: Another chapter done. I originally wanted to write this from Merlin's perspective, but I thought it would be interesting to see Uther's point of view. I didn't make him very nice, though, did I? But I hope you got an insight into his thinking and that you understand why he made the decision of locking Merlin away.
The next chapter will be up as soon as possible. Thanks for having read this chapter!
