Hi everyone thank you for being so patient with my updates, I now have my own laptop back to update with. Chapter 10 I must warn you is going to end on a deadly cliffhanger. If you can't wait long may I suggest waiting till chapter 11 is up and then read it lol.

Arthur looked horrified. Morgana looked horrified. Gwen was positively terrified. Gaius was worried. Merlin was asleep and Uther was livid. He stormed round a corner to the physician's chambers sporting a large company of the knights, a worried physician and wearing a look that would of cut through diamonds dead. He couldn't believe that this servant had escaped and what's more with magic. Magic. Uther had trusted this servant, he had given him a position in the most trusted position in Camelot. Servant and protector of the future King and his own son and he was everything Uther despised. Abger the likes he'd not felt since Ygraine's death, burned inside of him. It was mostly at himself, he should of seen, he should of realised. Well now someone was going to pay for that mistake and it wasn't going to be Arthur, Morgana, Guinevere or Gaius. It was going to be Merlin, but not physically, no. He wasn't going to kill Merlin, the sorcerer. He wasn't completely blind, and he saw how devoted Morgana, her servant and even his son Arthur were to protecting that "creature." He couldn't risk a falling out with his son as well as Morgana. So Uther had hatched a plan, a plan to make Merlin pay without actually physically hurting him. He had already dispatched guards to carry out this plan. His instructions had been clear and short. "Go to the village, Ealdor, and bring back Merlin's mother!" He'd spat at an extremely confused captain of the guard. "I want her brought here alive and unspoiled understood, but not well treat either!" The guard had bowed and armed with the strange instructions rode out with his men towards Ealdor.

Uther rounded the final corner and ascended the staircase, he threw back the door and was met by Arthur who was lying on a bed holding his sword, Morgana who was backed up behind him and looked ready for a verbal confrontation, and her maidservant in front of Arthur standing looking confident and proud which struck Uther slightly. They were all huddled around someone, and Uther knew who. "A sorcerer who acts like a coward," He snorted. "What's next then a talking pig,"

"Father, my friend might be a sorcerer but I implore you to listen to Morgana. He's not evil Father, he never was!" Arthur's voice was tinged with a icy quality with an underlying tone of warning.

Morgana looked at Arthur pointedly. She hated being asked to repeat herself constantly but a curious and mocking look passed over Uther's face and against her better judgment, she began to hope. "Uther, please Merlin used his magic to save Arthur from the lady Helen. He used it to warn Arthur about Valiant's magic shield, he told us about the Avanc. He told Arthur about the poison, he helped with the Griffin, he saved your life Uther when you were sick, the list goes on and on. He's never used his magic against this kingdom only to save it. You can't kill him. It's not right it's not fair and we won't let you." Morgana trailed off seeing the look on Uther's face. He was…smiling. But it wasn't friendly, it was like a shark. Arthur looked at his Father with a curious look. Uther wouldn't let Merlin off the hook like that and he knew it. So what then was his Father up to?

Uther turned to Gaius. "I guess you had better take care of him then!" He said shooting the elderly physician a look that said plainly this is not up for debate. Gaius sensed this and hurried forward to attend to Merlin who was slumped asleep next to Arthur.

"Father what's going on?" Arthur asked his tone full of warning. Uther merely smiled.

"You should get some rest son!" He replied. Turning he strode out of the room leaving four very worried people in the room behind him.

Two Days Later

Hunith stumbled into Camelot been pushed between a group of guards. She didn't know what was going on but her maternal instinct told her it was to do with Merlin. She glanced around staring in awe at the castle through which she was being escorted through. She'd been here once before but she'd never had time to look properly at the castle in which her son stayed. She was brought to the council chamber and thrown down in front of the King and a few Knights who were staring at her like she was an animal.

"Hunith, I take it?" Uther drawled.

"Yes what is it you want my lord?" Hunith asked her voice was unsure and she didn't like the way the King was watching her.

"I know about your son Hunith, I know about his gifts!" Uther snapped down at her. He watched as Hunith turned a few shades paler and she began to tremble.

"Please, I'm begging you sire show some mercy, don't hurt my son!" She gasped.

"Oh I've no intention of physically hurting Merlin, he has my ward and son to thank for that!" Uther replied standing up and moving towards a window. "But the laws of Camelot do not bend, and I'm afraid that someone has to pay for this. Anyone who harbours a sorcerer is also guilty of treason. And it's my duty to set an example." Hunith went whiter still already realising where this was going. "Therefore you will be executed at dawn tomorrow morning as an example to anyone else out there." Uther's voice held no mercy in it's tone, Hunith's voice trembled but held it's ground.

"So your not going to execute Merlin?"

"Unfortunately no," Uther turned to the guards. "Take her down to the dungeons and put her in the last cell."

"My lord," One of the guards said. "That cell is occupied by another man who the Lady Morgana ordered to be imprisoned!" Uther turned startled at this news, but changed his idea. "Very well summon the executioner now…today and bring me that man after she's dead." He spat. He wanted this over with but he had a deep desire to meet this man, Morgana had imprisoned. If it was who he thought it was then he had heard mixed ideas about him, and looked forward to establishing who was right. "What's the name again? Cedric that's it," he muttered to himself, not even bothering to listen as Hunith began to cry as she was dragged away to the executioners block.

Merlin sat up in his room, surrounded by his friends. Morgana, Arthur and Gwen hadn't left him since two days before, or so he'd been told. He'd seen Gaius a lot too, he was more inclined to believe that Gaius was overcome with more worry than ever before. He constantly kept vigil and had even neglected his official duties to watch over Merlin. He was surprised to see Arthur though when he woke up, he wasn't sure if Arthur would want to be anywhere near him or if he was going to wake up to find his head on a chopping block. He'd used magic after all. Morgana had explained that Uther had seemed to let Merlin off the hook, but had a crafty manner about him making the five of them all unsure of what Uther was planning. She'd also apologised for telling Arthur but swore she'd tell no-one else. "It doesn't really matter," Merlin had thought. "Everyone will know by now anyway." Gwen strangely had been the most reserved and quiet. He expected something like this but was afraid of how to solve it.

Arthur had been out of all of them the most caring and attentive. He'd said little, but had kept by Merlin's side the whole time and on a few occasions, Merlin had awoken to find Arthur wrapped around him asleep.

None of the curious five however had predicted what Uther would do next. So it hit Merlin like a ton of bricks when Gwen barged in and told him that Uther was planning to execute his mother, right now. On the courtyard. Merlin felt his heart sink at those words. It didn't just sink however it plummeted. He threw Arthur's arm off his shoulder and bolted for the door. "NO!" He cried out. This couldn't happen he wouldn't let it.

"MERLIN!" Arthur shouted he flew after Merlin closely followed by Gaius who looked awful, Morgana who looked furious and Gwen who looked shocked.

"MERLIN WAIT!" Arthur yelled. But Merlin didn't wait he ran faster than the wind determined to get there, he had to, it wasn't optional! He barged into the courtyard that was filled with curious murmuring people and looked around desperately, his eyes settled on Uther. He was just in time to see the Kings had descend along with the axe…