Two
Four days. It took four days for Gwaine to gather enough courage to ask Merlin about himself. They had chatted a couple times over the time he been there, and Gwaine found that he rather liked the boy. He was obviously extremely smart, kind of reckless, witty, and didn't give a damn about who was supposed to be in charge. That was what Gwaine liked most about him; the complete disregard for authority. He hadn't seen him talk to anyone else though, and he sat away from the others during meals. Gwaine thought he was being stupid. In prison, you need to make as many friends as possible.
It was during work that he started the conversation. In Camelot - his current prison, and the nicest one he had been to by far - you worked to earn your keep. It was like the government figured that since they were there, they might as well be put to use. Today it was re-tarring the roof of the rec center. It seemed that Merlin had been assigned to their group. "They" being Arthur, Gwaine, Lancelot, Elyan, Percival and Leon. That was how they had all become so close, they were put together. It wasn't like that in the beginning believe it or not... Now wasn't the time to think about that though. Slowly he walked over to the young man. He had found out that Merlin was only two years younger than himself, at 22.
"This shit smells man, make sure you don't get any on your clothes."
"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."
Gwaine stood awkwardly for a minute, silently cursing himself for not thinking of anything better to say.
"So... Look, I've been polite to you 'cause you were new," Merlin looked up from his tar-blackened mop and over to Gwaine, "but I'm a nosy bugger and any more suspense would probably drive me to 's down the road. What are you in here for?"
Merlin smiled slightly. Everyone was looking at him expectantly. "I dunno Gwaine, shipping you off to the looney bin would give me more personal space. You shouldn't have mentioned it, now I may never tell you!"
"Oh come on Merlin! You were in fucking Cenred for Christ's sake! You can't blame me for being curious, I mean look at you!"
"Yeah, people there thought that too..." the smile faded from his face and Gwaine wondered if he had touched a nerve. Judging by how Merlin's eyes darkened for the slightest of moments, he had. It was only a moment though because it soon passed and Merlin was speaking with his normal cheek. "Let's make a deal then. You can all tell me why you're in here and for how long, and then maybe I might have some information that might interest you. Deal?"
"Public drunkenness mainly." Gwaine was the first to jump at the chance for any of Merlin's stories, "Two years. Well, it wasn't so much the being drunk, it was the what I do when I'm drunk. Y'know, vandalism, theft, trying to rob banks with water pistols..." he trailed off leaving Merlin with an expression that was a mixture of amusement, and shock.
"Two years for fighting with weapons." Elyan was next, "I had a knife, and they threatened my sister."
"I have a habit for getting access to information that I'm not meant to." Merlin turned to Leon, surprised. "What can I say, I'm an unemployed hacker, it should be expected. I'm looking at 7 years, they were kind of important files."
"As in, he hacked the government but no one can actually prove anything. I didn't actually do anything.. I just got pulled in by this one here." Percival jerked his thumb in Lance's direction, who smiled shyly. Why was it that everyone seemed so embarrassed? Merlin wondered.
"I got into a gang fight. I'm not in a gang or anything, this guy just looked like he needed help. The cops automatically assumed that we were members of a rival gang, and cause we're just that lucky, we managed to be pinned with a gang who had already had multiple warnings, We're looking at 3 and a half years each."
"Arthur?"
"Uhm, I'm in here for getting into a fight with the son of someone who has a very good lawyer. 5 years. Now, Merlin, what about you?"
There was a silence for a moment.
"Shall I tell you what I did, or what I was charged with then?"
"You can just tell us what you were charged with." Gwaine just wanted something.
A sly smile spread across Merlin's face. "Alright then. I'm in here for six accounts of first degree murder. I'll be here for the rest of my life unless I'm very, very good. But why be good? That's so boring! No, I think I'll spend the next 5 years here and then get myself back to Cenred. No one was good there." There was a sparkle in his eye that shouldn't be there with any man talking about spending the rest of his life in a prison cell. Especially if that cell was in Cenred maximum security prison. Everyone stood stunned into silence.
"Six?"
"That's what I said."
"Why?"
"Now now Arthur, that wasn't part of the deal. You just wanted to know what I was charged with. If you want me to talk anymore, you're going to need to make it worth my while."
"What do you want?"
"You could do my work for me, unless that's too much work for you princess?"
Gwaine burst out laughing. "I thought I was the only one who called him that!"
"I've seen how you are around other people. Fed with the silver spoon were you? I haven't seen such an ass in quite a while."
Arthur's hand was around Merlin's neck faster than anyone thought possible, and yet Merlin only smirked in recognition. He grabbed Arthur's hand and twisted it painfully. He leaned towards Arthur and whispered in his ear.
"Temper, temper. Six, princess, and that's only what I was charged with."