Warnings: Death, cliffhanger

Disclaimer: I.D.O.M.

The room was quiet now, really quiet. The King and his knights were staring around the room and it made them come to their senses again. "We're certainly in the right place." Gwaine told the group of knights as they continued to stare around the room filled with the bodies they just killed.

It took a day's ride to come to the ruined castle and there they found a room full of bandits, which were no match to the King of Camelot and his knights. The killing of the give or take twenty-seven bandits was swift and quick, with rage flowing through their veins when one of the last men standing smirked and told them that the sorcerer was close to death. It was Arthur who delivered the last slaying that killed the very last man.

However they didn't saw sign of the King's Consort.

The King became frantic and wanted to know where his beloved was, when he couldn't find them in the room. He dispatched groups with a couple of knights each to search every room in the castle and took Gwaine and Lancelot with him to do his own search. They started in the room next to the main one where all the bandits were situated and found no trace of Merlin there either.

Arthur and his little group of knights wandered down the huge hallway, checking every room available, kicking down doors that were locked, but the rooms were deserted. They haven't been used in years, going on by all the cobwebs decorating the room.

"Where is he?!" Arthur yelled when he and his knights finished the search in the fifteenth room and last room of the hallway, before it turned to a dark staircase full with cobwebs. He kicked the door out of frustration and Lancelot and Gwaine could only stand by and watch, deciding not to interfere if they wanted to keep their heads. They gave the King some space and backed out of the room, waiting in the hallway until the King saw fit to continue.

Standing there with the two of them, they glanced at each other and saw how tired they looked. Dark circles under their eyes covering their features and sadness written across their eyes. It's been three months since they last saw their good friend and now leader. This wasn't meant to be Merlin's fate, he was supposed to be next to Arthur this entire time, rule Camelot and reunite the lands of Albion together. They would stand by them forever, and protect the little prince or princess that's growing inside of Merlin for close to five months now.

They kept looking at each other and sighed. How they wished they could turn time back so everything would be like that again.

Lancelot was just about to say something when Gwaine put up his hand. "Shhh." Gwaine told his fellow knight, leaning more towards the staircase.

"What is it?" Lancelot asked in a hushed tone, edging closer to the stairs.

Gwaine stood up straight again, shaking his head. "Never mind, I thought I heard something." He told Lancelot, just when Arthur came out of the room again, his eyes slightly puffed and red rimmed, but neither of the two knights commented on it. His eyes narrowed at hearing how Gwaine told Lancelot how he thought that he heard something. Arthur drew his sword, making its way down the stairs.

"Sire, I'm not sure if anyone's there." Gwaine tried to tell him, but it was a lost cause. The King was determined and batted the already torn cobwebs away with his sword and making his way down. He could now hear something too.

The three of them reached the end of the stairs and were staring into darkness. All three of their heads snapped up at hearing another sound again. It sounded like a voice. It was angry and it was yelling. All of them peeked into the darkness and could just about see a small shimmer of light at the end of the corridor, rounding a corner.

"No sire!" Lancelot yelled after his King when Arthur took off as soon as he saw the light, the two remaining knights were soon to follow, not knowing what was luring at the end of the corridor. The three rounded a small corner and came to a stop when they reached a big wooden door where they found the source of the little light. It was coming from under the door.

More yelling came from the other side of the door and the words were clear now. "Tell me, you worthless boy! You're nothing than a waste of space."

Arthur's grip on the hilt of his sword tightened and he was going to barge in, but stopped mid-action when he heard whimpering. He breathed heavily through his nose. He recognized that sound, that voice. It was Merlin's. Arthur composed himself and making eye contact with his knights who heard the sound as well. The three nodded and Arthur kicked the door in with all the strength he possessed. Anger flowed through him when he saw the presumable leader of the bandits holding his beloved Merlin in the air at his throat. Merlin's eyes were closed and the fight had left him, he couldn't do it anymore.

Caedmon released his hold on Merlin the minute he caught eye of the intruders, the King of Camelot no less. Merlin fell down hard against the wall again and slumped down with eyes still closed, only to be stopped when the chains reached their limits.

"Well, well, well. Came here to save him then." Caedmon said grinning, turning his body slightly towards Merlin again to kick him hard at the leg. Arthur surged forward, sword tightly gripped in his hand. The two other knights following pursuit.

"Do you really think I would let him take you this easily?" Caedmon asked the King of Camelot, with his eyes changing to gold. Arthur turned around when he heard a low thump and saw how Gwaine was launched into the wall and slowly getting up again, clutching his shoulder.

"I'm…okay." Gwaine answered, when he saw the King and fellow knight looking at him in concern.

The leader of the bandit's eyes flashed gold again and his mouth spoke some foreign word and now all three of them went flying against the wall. Arthur recovered the fastest of them and tried to stand up, but his world was slightly spinning and he had to keep on his knees to regain his inner balance. The leader approached him, fast. Towering over him with just a couple of strides.

Arthur looked up into the dark brown empty eyes of the leader, ignoring the dizziness that the motion caused. Arthur saw the man's hand slowly moving up, ready to incant another spell. Arthur was ready for the impact, he had nowhere to go, he was cornered. The man smirked, opening his mouth to cast the spell, but he was interrupted by a croaked voice from behind him.

"No." Merlin tried to scream as loud as he could, but his throat protesting by the dryness of it, so it sounded all scratched and croaked. It didn't sounded like a scream at all, but it was enough to distract the leader and long enough for Arthur to pick up his sword and plunging it into the sorcerer. Letting him fall onto the ground as he retrieved his sword.

Three months, it had been three months since he last laid eyes on his beloved consort. And now the moment was finally there. Arthur's eyes went straight to the bump at Merlin's abdomen. It was significantly larger then when he last saw him, but then again Merlin almost didn't had a bump three months ago. Besides him Gwaine and Lancelot came slowly to their feet again and saw their friend lying on the floor, fighting to keep his eyes open.

Arthur leaped forward, kneeling down besides Merlin, cradling his head in his lap. "You…came looking for… me." Merlin managed to tell Arthur with a grunt before he fell into a coughing fit. Arthur winced at the sound Merlin made and ushered Gwaine forward to hand him the water pouch. Arthur put the opening to Merlin's lips and started to slightly tip the pouch so the refreshing water slid into the parched throat of his consort. Merlin greedily swallowed and welcomed the feeling of refreshment, making protesting noises in disagreement when Arthur took the pouch away.

Arthur gently stroked Merlin's cheek that was covered in bruises with his thumb. "You can't have too much at once, Merlin. You're too weak." He whispered softly in Merlin's ear.

More knights poured into the small space that was only lit by two torches, as Lancelot went to look for them and informing them that the King's consort has been found. Arthur instructed them to find the damn key, so he could take these torturing shackles off.

They found the key on the leader's dead body and released their King's consort as quick as possible. Merlin's arms fell limply down once released and he started to cry. Arthur believed it was to be finally freed out of this hell hole. "It's okay, you're both safe now." Arthur told him with a calm voice, keeping his beloved close with one arm and kissing the top of his head. His other arm soothingly caressing the bump.

Merlin shook his head. "No..." he croaked again. He tried clearing his throat as best as he could before continuing. "The baby. I haven't felt it today." Merlin gasped for air, as his eyes fluttered and his breathing became slower.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled, shaking his husband's body. But Merlin had closed his eyes and his head lolled to the side into the comforting warmth of his husband's body.