Chapter IX Reunited

"Why the long face Morgana?" Morgause chuckled as she approached the trio. "I thought you'd be pleased."

"Why the hell would this please me?" Morgana spat, not daring to raise her head.

"Your language is quite unbecoming for a lady of the court." Morgause frowned as if she had actually been offended. Morgana couldn't help but scoff.

"Would you like to hear more?" A guard grabbed Morgana by the back of her shirt and hoisted her to her feet. Morgause came to stand in front of her, a scowl on the blonde's face.

"Morgana," she warned. "I thought this petty squabbling behind us."

"You're insane." The raven haired woman snarled and immediately regretted it as Morgause's knuckle met her face, knocking her to the ground.

"You know if you keep making me do that you won't have any teeth left, dear sister." Morgause giggled at her own joke as a mumbled voice cried out behind her. "Seems like our friends have grown rather agitated." She leaned forward and removed the gags from the prisoner's mouth.

"Leave her alone!" Morgana heard a male voice demand. Only one person would have the audacity to give Morgause orders.

"Ah, Prince Arthur; or is it just 'Arthur' now?" Morgause stroked the man's cheek and Arthur flinched away. "You're not the one giving orders anymore." She whispered in his ear, causing a shiver to run down his spine. Arthur noticed Morgana still lay in the heap she had fallen in, cradling her injured jaw and wanted nothing more than to comfort her. His sister. When Uther had told Arthur the truth about Morgana's parentage, a part of the prince wasn't surprised. The two had always acted as siblings, and despite the few months he was sure his father would make him marry her, Arthur always saw her as one. He wondered if Morgana knew the truth and made a mental note to ask her later; if there was a later.

"You have me." Arthur told the sorceress. "You don't need them. Let them go." Morgause laughed as if he was a jester.

"So noble, so brave, so…utterly brainless." The guards behind the woman chuckled as she insulted the prince. "Do you have any idea the trouble I went through to get you here? Poor Morgana refused to divulge your location so I was forced to use more…rash methods." At the thought of Morgana's torture, Arthur stiffened and tried to rise to his feet.

"What did you do to her?!" he shouted at the blonde, anger fueling his blind rage. He saw Morgana flinch as the sound of his voice echoed against the marble walls. Morgause simply smiled sadistically.

"I believe the proper question would be: what haven't I done to her?" Before she could receive an answer, Morgause shifted her attention to her second captive. "And why are you so…passive?" She removed the cloth and waited for a reply. When none came, she grew annoyed and drew her face close. "You'd do best to answer questions when they are asked. You can ask Morgana what happens if you don't."

"You will not hurt her anymore." The voice was deep and scratchy, as if the owner had not had a sip of water in weeks. Morgause smiled.

"You have no power here." She told him, almost sweetly. Morgana wanted to vomit at how close her sister was getting. Morgause drew something out of her pocket as her smile got wider. "Do you know what this is? This," she revealed a steel collar with a key slot in the middle. "Is your worst nightmare Emrys." Before the shock that Morgause knew who he was could settle, Merlin found himself restrained from behind. He didn't bother to struggle; he knew there was no point. Morgause unlocked the collar and Merlin understood what it was for. Panic set in and he flinched away from her touch but it was too late. Morgause had placed the collar around his neck and latched it shut. Merlin immediately felt drained, his magic shut down and his only connection to it severed. Morgause smiled as she showed him the key. She then placed it around her neck, the chain dipping inside her dress and offered him a seductive smile.

"Stay away from him!" Morgana's voice bounced across the halls. Morgause's smile faded as she whirled around and grabbed her sister by the hair. Hulling her to her feet, Morgause ignored the cry of pain that left Morgana's lips.

"Learn your place, you good-for-nothing imbecile!" she shouted as Morgana attempted to claw her way out of her grasp. "I don't know why this is so difficult for you to understand but let me make myself perfectly clear. The next time you defy my wishes in any way, I'll make you watch while I tear your brother's heart out and feed it to my dogs. Then, I'll give you a front row seat as I make the vision I showed you come to pass. Are we clear?" Morgana nodded, tears streaming down her face. Morgause only tightened her grip and shook the woman. "I said, are we clear?"

"Yes!" Morgana cried, praying that she would release her. Instead, Morgause just pulled her closer and spat,

"Yes, what?"

"Yes…Your Majesty." Morgana crumpled to the ground when Morgause dropped her, her pride hurt more than her head, and refused to make eye contact with either Merlin or Arthur.

"Fantastic." Morgause's tone shifted as she turned to the guards with a smile. "Make sure our guests are comfortable." The guards bowed low and proceeded to man-handle the three prisoners. No one spoke on the way to the dungeons, mainly because they were all too tired to try. Once they reached their destination, Morgana was tossed into her old cell while Arthur and Merlin were placed in the one to her right. Too tired to move or speak, Morgana simply curled into a ball and tried to ignore the two pairs of eyes she knew were boring into her back. Sleep overtook her quickly and she left the two men to their much needed discussion.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me." Arthur mumbled, his back pressed against the farthest wall of their prison.

"Arthur, I wanted to. I just-"

"Didn't trust me." the prince finished for him. Merlin shook his head vigorously.

"You know that's not true. I was afraid, alright?" Merlin sighed, the weight of his secret no longer bearing on his shoulders. "I'm sorry."

"I guess I didn't make it easy for you to tell me." Arthur admitted. "I'm sorry too." Merlin offered the prince a small smile before his gaze wandered towards Morgana. "Do you think she's going to be alright?"

"I don't know." Merlin confessed, his eyes brimming with tears as he saw her tremble in her sleep.

"She knew, didn't she?" Arthur asked, accusingly.

"Yes. She was the only one, besides Gaius." Merlin told the truth and couldn't help but smile at how good it felt.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, it's just that-" Merlin cleared his throat. "It feels good not to have to lie anymore." Arthur chuckled.

"I could imagine." A silence crept over the two as the gravity of their situation dawned on them. "So, any ideas?"

"Me?" Merlin asked, surprised.

"Well, you are an all-powerful warlock are you not?" Arthur frowned.

"Not anymore." Merlin flicked the collar around his neck and Arthur's frown deepened.

"Right, sorry." The prince said softly. "Don't worry, they'll get us out."

"I hope you're right. If not for us, then for Morgana's sake." Merlin shuddered.

"What do you think she did to her?"

"I have a few ideas, none of which are pleasant." Merlin would have given his very soul to be able to hold the shaking woman. "I just-I need to-"

"You'll get to tell her." Arthur promised. "Besides, I'm sure she already knows."

"I guess she does." A small smile crept onto Merlin's lips. "I missed her so much."

"I know." Arthur didn't bother saying 'me too'.

"Arthur, if anything happens to her I don't know-"

"Nothing's going to happen to any of us, Merlin." Arthur stated matter-of-factly. "So just, shut up and go to sleep or something." He turned to his side and heard Merlin do the same. Unlike Morgana, sleep did not come easy for the two men that night. The sounds of Morgana's cries refused to stop echoing in their brains until hours later. A little before the sun came up, Merlin and Arthur found themselves sleeping restlessly, dreading the moment they would awaken in this hell.