ENJOY!..
Chapter Three
"What happened?" Arthur's voice cut through the silence like cold steel.
Halig made eye contact with the young Prince. "I have no idea what you are talking about, my lord."
Arthur took a deep breath and scanned the area around him. Leon had found Halig lurking around in the dungeons, for no apparent reason. They were currently standing in a small hall off the side of the main chamber of cells, Halig had his back up against the stone wall, Arthur stood oppsite him. Both were surrounded by guards and Knights, all of them had swords drawn.
"Come." Arthur turned, his coat swinging behind him, and strode past the other men and, knowing they all planned to follow him, told them to stay put.
The Prince led Halig around the corner and into the cell where he found Merlin. "Do you know what that is?" His finger pointing a line to the exact place where Merlin had lain.
"It looks remarkably like blood to me, sire."
"Do you know who's blood it is?"
"No, my lord."
Arthur took a deep breath, the only outward sign that he was fast losing his temper. "It is my manservant's. It is Merlin's blood." He searched Halig's face for any sign of guilt and, not surprisingly, found none. Arthur lowered his hand and took a step closer to the bounty hunter. "You have no idea how it came to be there?"
"No, my lord."
"No?" Arthur repeated. "Not the slightest clue?"
"Sire, if I may, why is it you think I would know the answer to these questions?"
Arthur finally lost it. All thoughts of keeping emotions under check were wiped away and rage and frustration took their place and he continued in a mocking, degrading tone. "Oh, of course you wouldn't know! How could I have been so completely stupid as to think that after finding my servant half dead right there on the ground and before falling completely unconscious saying your name then finding you lurking around in the dungeons that you would have any idea what happened!
"I know, you simply had the urge to stretch your legs so you came down to the dungeons to do so because everyone does that! Let me guess, you have no idea what happened? You conveniently saw no one else here on your little walk? You don't actually think for a second that I believe a single word of that, do you? I mean, come on!" Instantly Arthur lashed out and snatched the front of Halig's shirt, clutching the cloth on his shaking-with-rage hands. "Now I want you to tell me the truth." He slammed Halig against the bars of the cell. "Tell me exactly what happened, right now!"
Nothing but Arthur's heavy breathing followed his words until Halig cleared his throat.
"You are right, sire."
Arthur's brows shot up in surprise.
"I was walking around the castle and simply found myself wandering around the dungeons. I have no idea what happened and I saw no one else down here, I regret to inform you of this, my lord and I wish I were of more help but it is indeed the truth."
Arthur's look of surprise transformed into another one of deep rage. He violently pulled his hands from Halig's shirt, strode a few paces away and placed his hands on his hips, breathing intensely.
"Guards!" he cried out, knowing everyone of them would come instantly.
Sir Leon was first through the cell door.
"My lord?"
By this time Arthur was pacing furiously. "Get him out of my sight!" he screamed at them.
"Of course, sire."
Two men walked forward and grabbed Halig's arms.
Arthur stared at the ground and gradually his breathing regulated and he turned to Leon.
"Get someone to clean this up," he ordered, indicating to the flaking blood.
"Yes sire." Leon moved off to do as he said and Arthur looked around once more, looking for anything that might help. Finding nothing he strode out.
Arthur knocked quietly on the Physician's door.
"Come in."
He pushed the door open and instantly looked for Merlin. He saw him, lying on the bed near the fire.
"How is he?" he asked Gaius, who was sitting near him.
Gaius shook his head. "He has severe bruising sire, everywhere. It appears that he was beaten with a heavy chain of some sort as well, he has a terrible knot on the back of his head, a dislocated shoulder, a few fractured ribs to go with the broken. It's amazing he managed to stay conscious throughout it, although, he probably would have benefitted if he had fallen unconscious."
Arthur's next question was quiet, and Gaius' reply equalled it. "Will he live?"
The silence seemed to stretch an eternity and Arthur desperately wanted to ask Gaius again, to hurry his answer but some instinct told him to stay quiet and let the Physician take his time.
Freya sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, back against the rough wall. The girl looked around at the chamber she was in. It wasn't very big, or comfortable but considering the past couple of days she was in a cage, it was luxurious.
She shuddered slightly at the thought of the cage, which lead her to Merlin.
She had never known anyone like him. He didn't know a thing about her yet he saved her life and hid her away while Halig was looking for her. And he could use magic too! He left home to live in a kingdom where magic was the worst evil of all. The odds of him finding her were incredible.
She sniffled slightly. Something was wrong. She knew it. Although she hadn't known Merlin very long at all she trusted him with all her heart, and he should have been here by now. He was more than simply late, like the last time, something was wrong.
Freya stood uncertainly and was torn. Her common sense and instinct to stay alive was telling her to stay put and maybe he would come.
Her heart was screaming at her to get out. Go find Merlin and see what was wrong.
Taking a deep breath she made her decision. She gathered her courage and stepped out of the small chamber into the tunnels under the castle.
Gradually she made her way through the twists and turns of the tunnels and eventually came to a set of stairs that led up and out into the lower town.
Freya creaked open the door and peered outside. She realised that it was the very same door that Merlin had taken her through only a day before.
The dark haired girl looked around for any guards then, finding none, she stepped out. She kept to the shadows and moved crouched over. It was only when she reached the walls of the actual castle that she realised she had no idea where to go.
Gaius drew a deep breath.
"One of his broken ribs pierced a lung, that's why he was coughing up blood and why he's having trouble breathing."
Arthur hadn't noticed before, but now Gaius mentioned it Merlin did seem to be breathing hard but not gaining enough oxygen.
"There is a small amount of blood in his lung, only a very small amount, if there was any more he would be gone already."
"Already?" Arthur was concerned. "What do you mean 'already'?"
"Sire, I'm afraid," Gaius' voice caught in his throat. "I'm afraid that...Merlin...there's..."
"Gaius?" Arthur's voice was desperate and he knew he was begging. "There must be something..."
"I'm sorry sire. Truly." He took a deep, deep breath, "There's nothing I can do for him. He won't live. Once enough blood gets into his lungs he won't be able to breathe and the trouble he's having now, I'm afraid he does not have much time left. Merlin will die."
Arthur didn't move. Didn't blink. Didn't...couldn't think. Those words, just three words were running laps over and over and over and over in his mind. They consumed his thoughts, his reaction, his whole being. Merlin will die.
Merlin will die.
Merlin will die.
Merlin will die.
It was not fair!
Gaius took another deep breath. It had not been easy finding out Merlin would die and having to even speak about it was painful enough but having to tell Arthur, the Prince, Merlin's friend, Gaius' friend, it was...horrible. He could see Arthur's whole demeanour change as he found out his friend, his best friend, his only true friend would die. And Arthur had never told him that fact.
"...Sire?"
Nothing.
"Arthur?"
That worked. The devastated Prince glanced up at the Physician briefly before finding a seemingly interesting spot on the floor and glared at it.
"Is there nothing you can do?"
"I'm sorry sire."
"There has to be something you can do! You haven't even tried! You just sit there doing nothing and you say there isn't anything you can do? Try something Gaius! You're meant to be the Court Physician, I mean really! Have you even checked? You can't just let him..." Arthur choked on the word and the brief pause was enough for him to realise what he was yelling.
He looked up at the old man and noticed his eyes glistened with tears.
"Gaius. I didn't mean...you know I didn't...I know if there was anything you could do it would be done...I'm sorry. I'm...so sorry."
"It's alright Arthur. I understand." And he did understand, completely. He had almost the same reaction as Arthur. He was the most renowned Physician in the kingdom, after all, he wasn't the Court Physician for no reason. And when it came to the most important person in his life, he was unable to do anything to help him. To save him.
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