Two

It was Gwen who came to him first, in floods of tears, begging Arthur to do something, anything, telling him that this was wrong. That he would never use magic. Could never. That their carefree laughable Merlin was innocent. Of course he was innocent.

"How do you know he's done nothing?" Arthur had asked, and she'd faltered her face falling from hopeful to truly distraught. She then told him simply:

"He's my friend. It doesn't matter if he can use magic or not. But, Arthur, this is Merlin - you know Merlin; he could never hurt anyone... He's our friend! Arthur..."

And he was. He was Merlin. Merlin who had about as much magic as Arthur himself did. Stupid, bumbling, idiotic Merlin. Merlin who couldn't polish his boots right, let alone be a sorcerer. Merlin who was his friend. His friend.

"You know this is wrong Arthur" She'd said, shaking her head, tears in her eyes, "You know this is wrong." And Arthur does know but...

"My Father believes he has sorcery, Gwen, and if he does..."

"If he does he'll die! If he doesn't he'll die! Like my father! There is no fair trial for sorcery, Arthur! You have to help him! We can't let this happen! Merlin's done nothing wrong!" Arthur attempted a comforting hug, but she glowered at him and shoved him away from her, sobbing.

And then Morgana had rushed in, white faced and pleading. Begging him to go against his father. Against everything he'd been told. But he couldn't. That was treason. But Merlin was...

"Merlin broke the law" He told them, and he felt his heart darken a little inside him as he pulled his face into a scowl "and he will pay for his crimes." Crack. The force of Morgana's hand across his cheek snapped his head to the side. A look of pure, unbridled fury on her face, her teeth bared like some wild animal.

"How dare you Pendragon! He's your friend!" Arthur couldn't find the strength and courage to look her in the eye. Morgana glowered at him a moment before; "Fine!" Morgana exclaimed in that high and mighty way of hers "If you won't help him, we will!" And she stalked of, grabbing Gwen's wrist and dragging her after her, towards Gaius's chambers.

What if Merlin hadn't done this? A niggling voice in his mind whined.

What if he was innocent?

Merlin must be innocent.

A warm, fuzzy hope flip-flopped and blossomed inside him, then was doused as quickly as it came. His father would not give a sorcerer a proper trail. Morgana and Gwen could not help him.

Merlin would hang at dawn.

And there was nothing he could do to save him.

Overwhelmed by a sense of hopelessness, he found his legs carrying him unwittingly towards the dungeons.

Towards the man he knew he could not save.

Towards his best friend.

A/N: Two chapters in one day? Don't you feel privileged? XD

Short chapters, quick updates, seeeee?

Hope your liking it (and my plentiful use of adjectives so far) drop me a review to tell me what you think! :D

Stay Whelmed.

Lenle G.