Backfire Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Backfire
Here we are guys and girls. Enjoy this chapter. And no, I haven't mistaken the name of the chapter :D it just seems to fit :D
MERLIN
Everything was backfiring, and Merlin hated it. Every day for the past three days, he was dragged from the very last cell in the dungeons, up into a throne room- but it didn't exactly look like a throne room. It had one wooden chair, with a red banner draped over the back of it. To be honest, it looked quite funny.
Once he was placed in the throne room, it would be the same drill. He would be tied up in chains on a post- a whipping post, with him facing Morgause and the sick man- Stephen, while questions were thrown at him left, right and centre. Of course, the warlock did not answer any of them. Each question he refused to answer, he received a blow to his stomach, or a backhanded slap across his face. It wasn't that bad; he had experienced worse.
As he was pulled along the corridor for the second time that day, Merlin began to feel his nerves kicking in. Never had be before, been inside the throne room twice in one day. He was dreading what was to come. Magical chains had now been attached to his wrists and ankles, and they itched like crazy. The metal cuffs irritated his skin, making it raw red and begin to bleed.
As the doors of the throne room opened, Merlin was thrown inside. He slid across the wooden floor, his knees burning when the material on his pants ripped. Pain was very little but it stung. It was dark. The room was barely lit with flaming torches, and that made everything worse. There was no one here, no one he could spot as he looked around. The gag in his mouth stopped him from calling out, but why would he call out anyway; to bring the pain of maybe death upon his shoulders in an instant? No. He wasn't even going to attempt to call out.
The doors soon opened and a shadowed figure walked inside. His pace was quick and determined and Merlin didn't like it.
"Get up." Stephen spat. The warlock made no move to get up. "I said get up!" He snarled, picking Merlin up by his neck and throwing him across the room. Merlin winced when the back of his head hit the stone pillar. The gag was knocked from his mouth and he groaned, cracking his jaw into place. "Can I have the use of my arms back first?" Merlin asked as he struggled to get up. Stephen snarled and strode forward, kicking Merlin in the ribs.
"I take that as a no." Merlin muttered. "What do you want this time?"
"We want strategies of Camelot, their defences, their advantages, secret gates and the number of their army. Want to tell me any of those?" Stephen asked, raising an eyebrow. Merlin sighed, it was the same as always. Tell them no. Instead, Merlin decided to live a little and bet the wrong card. Merlin and his runaway mouth!
"Yes, they do not attack straight away, they use catapults and fire, swords and shields, arrows and crossbows. They have walls as defences and their advantage is me. Their disadvantage is magic; there is a secret gate under the pond, right in the center and a secret gate at the top of the castle. The number of their army….is big." Merlin smirked, pleased with his answer. Each answer given, the redder Stephen's face got. By the time Merlin had finished, the Prince was looking like a beetroot.
"You brat!" Stephen growled, lunging forward. He took out his dagger and dived for Merlin's arm. Merlin was not quick enough. The dagger embedded and Stephen fell to the ground, dragging the dagger as he did so.
It felt like fire. Merlin screamed, willing his magic to stay down. He didn't want to die because of his own doing. The prince of the North East chortled as he watched Merlin deal with his pain.
"You will think the next time you speak. Or next time it might be your throat."
"Nonsense, Stephen. We need to keep our little magical pet for other things, like destroying Camelot." Morgause chilled the room with her voice as she strode in. It still had its misty sound, and it was beginning to put fear into Merlin's mind. "You will take him back to his cell and you will give him this potion. That should help him and his pain a bit." She cooed.
"No, I'm not taking any potions." Merlin spat. "I will deal with my pain. I'm not a coward."
"Take him. And come back to me when he has taken his potion. And he must take it." Morgause ordered Stephen.
"Yes, Morgause." Stephen bowed before lunging at Merlin for a final time. Grabbing Merlin's waist, he swapped, deciding to drag the boy by his arms.
"Good night, Merlin," Morgause cooed, "Farewell to your dreams. And say hello to Arthur for me." She laughed her horrible laugh, before the wooden doors swung shut.
ARTHUR
"We can reach the castle by nightfall if we can hurry up!" Arthur shouted down to the Knights who were struggling up the half a mile incline. They had been walking for ages, but Arthur was determined to save Merlin.
"I think that you will find that your knights don't do hills, Princess." Gwaine muttered from the group.
"And if there was to be a war on a hill, Gwaine?" Prince Arthur asked.
"Well thank the lord that there won't be a war on a hill." Gwaine said.
"Just hurry up, Merlin's life is at stake." Arthur spat. Straight away, Gwaine was up the mountain, waiting to go on. Yep, Arthur thought, that got him to shut up.
(TIME BREAK)
Nightfall had risen quickly, and the knights and prince descended on the castle. They were all tired, and aching from the long journey with no rest and little water. It was filled with adrenaline and determination, to save their friend.
"The problem is, there are too many of us here. If we were to go into the castle, we would be spotted straight away." Arthur said as they sat around a very small campfire, just next to the castle. "We need to think this through, we just want to get Merlin and get out of here."
"I'm going with whoever is getting Merlin; there is no question about it." Gwaine said as he stood up, glaring at everyone- the look clearly saying 'do not try and say otherwise'.
"Very well, Gwaine, you come with me. I need two knights to go and get some horses." Arthur smirked at the thought of stealing horses.
"I can do that with Elyan." Sir Leon spoke forward.
"Of course, then that just leaves you Percival. You can help me and Gwaine get into the castle." The strong knight nodded his head and stood up.
"Well let's get this plan into action." He said.
MERLIN
It hurt so much, to know that your closest friends actually hated you. Merlin cowered in his cell as he heard the familiar footsteps come forward. The jingling of keys unlocked the door of his cell and walked in. He didn't dare look up.
"Are you going to betray Morgause or Stephen?" The menacing voice asked sourly. Merlin said nothing. He didn't want to hand his powers over. Another pair of boots walked in and stood still in the middle of his cell.
"Merlin, do not do this. You will not only betray Camelot, you betray yourself." The voice snarled. "And I will never forgive you." It spat.
"Arthur." Merlin whimpered. "Arthur, I'm sorry. It hurts Arthur. It hurts so much." Merlin whimpered as the tension rose in the air.
"Gwaine, I will never betray Camelot. Never!" Merlin tried to hiss. Then there was a roar of anger and a scream of terror as Merlin tried to block the punch that came to land on his stomach. However, as it was about to reach him, it disappeared, Gwaine disappeared. And so did Arthur.
Half an hour passed and a guard walked in. Merlin, scooted back as far as he could, but the guard caught him and forced a potion down his throat, and Merlin's mind began to clear, his body began to relax.
"You, chain him." Came Stephen's voice. Merlin didn't even try to protest as rough arms dragged him and chained him so he was facing the wall. His shirt was roughly ripped off him and he shivered from the cold.
A crack landed upon his back, and he grunted from the surprise from it. The pain was nothing compared to what was going through his mind. After about the 5th whip on his back, he began to realize how much pain the whip was causing him. On the 7th crack, he let out a small scream. His screams began to get louder and his vision started to black. His back was burning and numb. He could feel the blood running from the welts, and his eyes began to water.
"Call this revenge for my castle your pet dragon blew up. Now, are you ready to surrender? Are you ready to hand yourself over and defeat Camelot once and for all?" Stephen asked. All Merlin could do was laugh bitterly.
"The Emrys, surrender? I think not. I will never betray Camelot. I will never betray Arthur." Merlin hissed.
"Very well." Stephen hissed back and one outstanding crack sent him into oblivion.
ARTHUR
Screams went all the way around the dungeon. Arthur flinched, realising it was Merlin who was screaming in pure agony.
"This way." He called to Gwaine, who was looking very menacing behind him.
"I'm going to kill whoever is doing this to him." Gwaine snarled.
"Of course you are. But you are going to hide right here until the person has passed us so we can get Merlin to safety, understand?" Arthur's temper was rising as his own anger rushed through him. A flaming torch got bigger and Arthur watched as a shadow on the wall got bigger…it was coming this way.
"They're coming. Now stay put." Arthur hissed. His eyes widened in horror as he watched as Prince Stephen strode through the corridor, looking smug, holding a bloodied whip. When Stephen was out of sight, Arthur darted out and walked the way the enemy had come from.
The knight and Prince of Camelot walked until they came across a shadowed, lonely cell at the end of the last corridor of the dungeon. Arthur froze, it was too quiet. He walked forward and saw a huddled figure in the corner of the cell. The floor was covered in blood and that sent shivers down both the men's spine.
"Merlin!" Arthur called out as quietly as he could. He leaned on the door and the door miraculously swung open.
"Merlin!" Arthur called again as he rushed in. He crouched before the shivering boy who was half conscious. Merlin's unfocused eyes flew wide with fear when he saw Gwaine.
"Get back. Get away from me! Don't come near me! Please, leave me alone!" Merlin whimpered.
"Shush Merlin, it's only Gwaine and me, Arthur." Arthur tried to sooth.
"No, No, I won't betray Camelot! I won't let you have my power!" Merlin cried out before the pain became too much. His body went limp and his head dropped onto the stone floor with a soft thud.
"MERLIN!"
Sorry for the long wait guys, I have had so many exams before xmas it's unbelievable, can you forgive me? I made it extra-long for you too! If you count half a page anyway :D . Thanks for bearing with me. I can't promise next Sunday, I will try for earlier but I doubt it. I will see you all later, please review, even if it's for a last time?
