Chapter 2

The girl appeared to be about 14 years old and she has the greenest eyes Merlin had ever seen, She was small and wiry and had a quality about her that spoke of being loved, cared for and independent. However all that was currently hidden deep inside her, for current her demeanour was full of fear and despair. She was curled up in the far corner of the dungeon, filthy and shivering, terrified of what would happen to her. The chains around her arms and legs were already cutting into her skin and Merlin could just make out in the gloom the blood on her wrists and ankles. He shivered.

"Arthur, what is going on? Why is she here, what could she possibly have done?" Merlin spoke to Arthur but could not take his eyes off the girl. She in her turn gazed straight back at him. She may be petrified but she had not been broken, Merlin recognised a courage in her that he hoped would sustain her through her troubles. But he wasn't going to let her stay where she was a moment longer than he could. Nothing she could have done deserved being chained up in a damp, rat infested hole in the ground. She was a child and she deserved much more. Not for the first time Merlin felt disgusted with the way Camelot (or rather it's King) treated some of its citizens. He had to believe that when Arthurs turn to reign came such things would not happen. He had to believe that Arthur was better than his Father and that care of his people was life blood to him. No, he reminded himself - he didn't have to believe this, he already knew it to be true, with all his mind and soul. Arthur would never have done this vile thing.

"Tell me Arthur" Merlin repeated as he stared at the silent girl.

"She came to my Father, to ask for help for her village." Arthur continued in a voice that seemed devoid of any emotion "The Village Elder had asked a Druid to come to the village to help make the crops grow; he wanted more produce to sell at market, to make more money to keep his young wife happy. Nobody else knew; he had the sense to know what he was doing was illegal. But he was stupid and in thrall to his new wife, so he employed magic. However he made a mistake; the man he employed was not a simple druid, content to make crops grow but a sorcerer with hatred in his heart. He has killed the Elder and now has the whole village in his thrall. He has them under his power and they are devastating the surrounding area, raiding other villages, attacking travellers and destroying other crops. This girl escaped and came for help but my all Father heard was that they had invited the magic in and now he is sending a troop of soldiers to kill all who live in the village. Every man, woman and child is condemned to die for using magic."

"Surely Uther would not condemn a whole village for one man's stupidity. You said yourself they are under the sorcerers control; they can't help what they are doing. Uther wouldn't kill children..." Merlin's voice trailed off as remembered all that he had heard of the worst days of the Great Purge and he knew. Knew the village was dammed.

Merlin glanced over at the Dungeon Guards who stood by the entrance, he lowered his voice. He did not want a report of what he was saying to go directly to Uther.

"What will you do Arthur? You can't let this happen. They don't deserve this. They are not using magic but rather are being used BY it. There must be a way to break his hold over them. They need help and protection and saving, not execution. You must stand up to Uther. You must choose what is right." Merlin looked at Arthur, trying to read what was going on behind his now shielded eyes. There was no way Arthur was just going to let this happen. No way that the Prince could stand by and let a whole village die...but then Merlin saw Arthur's eyes harden and grow cold. Arthur looked at the girl and then turned away, facing Merlin full on and spoke in a distant but firm voice.

"He is my King and my Father; I must respect his decisions and follow his lead. It is my duty and my destiny. My Father is right, there is nothing I can do or indeed should do, except obey him. I am the Crown Prince and I must continue the fight against the evil that is magic. The village of Leander will pay for its mistake. It will be the sign to all others that magic will be obliterated"

Without a pause to allow a response Arthur turned and strode out of the dungeon. As the outer door slammed shut, leaving Merlin alone in the corridor, a coldness descended that could not just be explained by the deep, dank location. Merlin felt his heart stutter, his knees gave way and he held onto the cell door just to stay upright. Arthur was going to let it happen, he was going to let them all die. Merlin felt broken, destroyed. He had believed so much, had dreamed of so much and had given so much. It was bearable when there had been hope, when he could see a united peaceful Albion getting closer, a land where magic would be accepted fully.

But he had been so wrong; it had all just been a stupid, idiotic and fanciful mirage. Arthur had been faced with his moment of choice and he had chosen. Merlin's hope was over and Albion could never be. Arthur was just like Uther.