Hey Friends! It's been awhile hasn't it? Oh well. Sorry, I know I promised that I would post another chapter if I got more than 10 reviews but I left for camp much earlier than expected. So sorry to anyone who was waiting for the update to come! Oh well.

Anyone else heard of The Complete Doctor Who going on on Space now? Every Sunday they're playing a full day of older New Who. That means more Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant! OH JOY!

Anyways, thanks to anyone who reviewed! And special thanks to EmrysTheMerlin for reviewing EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER! You guys should totally follow her example.

Furthermore, enjoy the story!

Chapter 9~ Happily Ever After (Not)

Merlin knew it was too good to last. His great job with his friend and much improved sleeping quarters. The warlock had almost forgotten that he was a slave for a moment. That's why everything caught him so off guard.

The two slaves had been working tirelessly for weeks on end, almost a quarter of the library was organized and ready to read. At the moment Sage was thrilling Merlin with a fable she had heard once about a slave girl that married a prince and became the most amazing queen to ever rule the land.

Merlin really liked the tale, it reminded him a lot of his old friend Guinevere who had became a great queen as well regardless of the fact that she wasn't of noble blood. Surpisingly, the thought brought him comfort instead of causing him pain.

Merlin wasn't bothered anymore by thoughts of his old life in Camelot. The one he had here wasn't stellar, but it was liveable. He had a job, made friends, and got to spend his time studying magic unillegaly. Now that he was done feeling sorry for himself he had really been able to leave all thoughts of his life previous behind him. This was his life now. Merlin wouldn't be getting back to Camelot anytime soon, so why bother pretending that he was? But, a tiny part of the warlock still hoped for a chance to see Arthur and Gaius and Gwen and all of his friends again. Merlin knew it was irrational but he didn't care.

"... and they lived happily ever after," finished Sage as she picked up a random book and placed it in it's appropriate pile. She gave a small, humorless snort.

Merlin looked up at her questioningly.

"Have you ever wondered why it ends like that? 'Happily ever after', as if," Sage scoffed. "Its impossible. There's too much wrong with this world for anyone to live happily ever after. We're bloody slaves for crying out loud!" Sage said, her voice rising in volume.

Merlin realized that he would have to calm his friend down before the guards heard and she was in real trouble. He squeezed her arm in what he hoped was a reassuring way "Come on, Sage, we're perfectly fine living here. We have food, a roof over our heads, jobs, and we're completely safe from the perils of life elsewhere."

Sadly, Merlin's words had the opposite effect. The slave girl rose from her chair with fire burning in her hazel eyes. "You can't honestly believe that! These people are evil!"
the warlock opened his mouth, ready to plead his case, but Sage beat him to it.

"You've played right into their hands!" They want you to think that this life you have here is complete, that its actually worthwhile, but its not!" she snarled. Sage glanced around before speaking again, luckily this time she was quieter. "Isobel and Cavell are sadistic, murderous, sick people. They would see you dead without batting an eyelash. You know how Helena passed away last spring?"

The slave nodded, not understanding what the question was meant to prove.

"I don't think that plague killed her," Sage whispered without breaking eye contact.

Merlin reeled back in shock, immediately denying it. "No, Sage. Cavell and Isobel didn't kill her for some sick entertainment. Lots of people died that spring, she was just one of the many."

Sage glared at him before slamming the volume she was holding down loudly on the table and pushing her chair out. "I'm leaving. Until you're ready to stop playing along with this messed up game that you've obviously apart of now, leave me alone," Sage hissed as she walked away.

Merlin was about to stand up and tell her off, but someone else got there first. "You there, girl, why aren't you working?" said Cavell as he strode into the room.

Sage immediately shrank back and the fire in her eyes was stamped out. "I was, I mean, I'm working still."

"Doesn't look like it to me," glared Cavell, peering at Sage like she was worth nothing more than the sack of gold she was bought for. He gazed loathingly around the library. "You have been working at this for just under five months, correct?"

Merlin nodded.

The lord scoffed. "Miserable work, you're a pathetic excuse for a slave you know that?" He said, sparing a small glance at his friend.

The warlock felt the anger in him rise, Sage just looked forlornly at the ground. "Hey, she's not pathetic," Merlin almost whispered. He regretted the words as soon as they had crossed his lips. He entwined his hands in front of him, hoping with all of his might that his master had not heard what he'd said.

Sadly he had. "Excuse me?" hissed Cavell, rounding on the young man. "What exactly did you just say?" The tension in the air was almost palpable as he waited for Merlin to speak.

The warlock took a deep breath and clenched his teeth. "I said, she's not pathetic."

Anyone would have thought that Merlin had uttered some string of profanity for the look of raw anger he got from Cavell. "You would do better to mind your place, slave." Cavell seemed to contemplate Merlin for a moment. "Come here," he commanded coldly.

Merlin rose and walked so that he was just in front of his master.

The first thing the lord did was slap him, hard and quick. His jewelled ring dug into Merlin's face, leaving a nasty scratch just below his left eye. "That will teach you not to speak against your betters, boy. Guards, have him brought back to his cell, his job here in the library is terminated."

Merlin felt a cold weight settle in his stomach.

But Cavell wasn't done yet,"Also, just so that he knows not to talk unless ordered to, I want ten slashes done on his back." He leaned in closer, his voice dropping dangerously low, "Don't hold back." With that Cavell stepped back, turned around and marched back down the corridor that he had come by.

The guards stepped forwards and grabbed him by the shoulders.

Merlin made no effort to resist, it wouldn't change the fact that he was about to be flogged. But, before they could drag him away, he spared one last glance at Sage.

The slave girl looked at him sadly, with an underlining of something that Merlin could recognize as a sort of 'I told you so' look. She had warned him that Cavell wasn't to be taken lightly, but he hadn't heeded her words. Now Merlin was about to be whipped, something that could have been prevented if only he had been cautious.

The journey to the the room where he was about to be flogged passed in a daze. Merlin felt numb all over as he let the guards drag him. The only thing he could think about was what was to come.

Merlin had never been whipped before, despite the numerous times that Arthur had threatened it. The sound of the whip cracking down on his back ate through his conciousness. Or at least what he imagined it would sound like. Ten times, it would come down ten times before it was over. Only ten.

The thought offered some comfort to Merlin as he was dragged into a small stone room only a few paces from the dungeons. He was stripped of his shirt and his arms were latched above his head so that he was half standing half kneeling. The guards left his neckcherchief on, for that he was thankful.

Merlin had kept the old strip of red fabric through his two yaers of slavery as a reminder of the life that had been taken from him. After he arrived he was given new clothes and his old ones were taken, Cavell and Isobel didn't want to take any chances on anyone recognizing a slave through what they'd worn in the past. But when they'd took his clothes Merlin had begged them to let him keep that one thing. The Lord and his wife had obliged, after all who would remember a man because of a silly little red neckerchief?

With a crack, the first slash came down upon Merlin; white-hot pain racing down his body. The slave cried out, not even bothering to hide his screams.

Again and again. Each blow was like a fiery sword being pushed into his back. Merlin wondered how many times the whip had slahed him. Three times? Five? He lost count in the haze of pain that was being inflicted on him. The slashes blurred together until the only thing Merlin could feel was pain. Was this what dying felt like?

Death. Death sounded pretty great right now. Freedom from this pain. No more slavery, no more anything; just pure bliss. He could just slip away right then and put an end to his misery. As soon as the thought crossed Merlin's mind his body acted upon it. The warlock could feel his life slipping away, and he was glad for it.

"Come on you idiot. Are you really so much of a girl that you honestly have to go dying just because of a few lashes? God, Merlin!"

The voice was clarity to Merlin's failing mind. Arthur. He couldn't die here, or he would never see Arthur again. What was he doing? He shouldn't be letting go, he should be fighting back! Suddenly everything came back to Merlin in a rush of colour, sound and pain.

He was surprised to find himself lying facedown on the cold floor of his cell, still shirtless and freezing cold. The slave tried sitting up, only to have his injured back scream with protest. Merlin reached back with his hands and gently probed the area, wincing as it sent pain lancing up his body. His hand came back drenched in blood, he was losing a lot of it.

Merlin glanced around his cell in dismay, there was next to nothing that he could do other than sit here and wait out the pain. Maybe Cavell would send Stephen to help him, I mean the lord didn't want Merlin to die, right?

It was then that Merlin realized that Sage was right this entire time about Cavell and Isobel, they were nasty, coldblooded killers.

Yay, another chapter done! I hope everyone liked it!

Just wanted to wish a happy first day of school to anyone whos already started or is starting soon! I can't believe summer's already over!

And this is just a little side note to inform you guys of a reviewer who dropped some flames on me. They insulted my author's notes, and although it doesn't sound like much it really hurt me because it was insulting me as a person instead of my writing. Ouch. Well, I don't knnow if that person is reading this but, wow thanks a lot for the trolling. Look, I'm going to put this simply, if you have the heart to insult a preteen girl then you really need to re-check you're moral compass.

Anyways, please check out my fan account on Insatgram (It only has like 4 followers) Imgonnagofangirlnow. I post lots of Merlin stuff as well as Superwholock and anything else that catches my fancy.

Also, make sure to vote on the poll on my profile because it decides what story I'm going to write next!

Wisegirl6