Sorry for the long wait, everybody, but here you go!


CHAPTER TWELVE

Erin was snapped into consciousness when she was untied and thrown to the floor. She didn't have the strength to even try to escape, even when Morgana bent down next to her and pulled out a gleaming dagger. The witch pulled up Erin's tunic and rested the dagger against her torso.

"Are you scared, little knight?" she asked, venom in her voice. Erin didn't respond, but she screamed in agony when Morgana dragged the dagger across her skin.

The witch smirked and held the poor knight down as she struggled. When Morgana was done, she made Erin look down at her stomach. Carved into her flesh is a single word, whore.

Before anything else could happen, one of Morgana's men came running into the tent.

"What is it?" she growled, "I asked not to be disturbed."

"Milady," the man stuttered, "The men are fleeing. I can't keep them here!"

"Why? What's wrong?"

"It's a…a dragon!" And then the man fled the tent and the camp.

When the dragon landed in Morgana's army camp, there was not a person in sight.

"Where is everybody?" Arthur asked, whispering, and he and his knights drew their swords.

"I can't sense anybody," Merlin whispered back.

"The giant lizard probably scared them all off," Gwaine said, not bothering to lower his voice.

"I am not a lizard, petty knight!" Kilgharra retaliated.

"Shhh!" Merlin commanded, "I sense two people. Two people who have magic."

"Where?" Arthur asked.

Merlin pointed to a large tent in the center of the camp.

They quietly made their way to the tent. When they got there, Arthur counted to three on his hand and on three they burst into the tent.

As soon as they saw inside, they stopped dead in their tracks. Morgana was holding Erin up with a be-jeweled dagger at her throat. Arthur faintly recognized the dagger as the one he gave her for her birthday so long ago.

Gwaine's gaze was fixated on Erin. She was hanging onto Morgana's arm for support. Many of Erin's fingers were broken, as well as one arm, and one leg. The front of her tunic was bloody and there were deep gashes across her cheeks. Her nose was bent at an awkward angle, obviously broken, too, and one eye was swollen shut. Her long black hair was loose, and tangled and matted with blood and dirt. She seemed barely conscious.

"Morgana," Merlin's steady voice cut through the stillness like a knife, "Let her go."

Morgana ignored the command. "Your sister was very uncooperative. A lot like you in that respect, Merlin. Or should I say, Emrys," Morgana's glare at Merlin was one that would send any normal men running, but Merlin held his ground, the knights behind him.

"But I quickly rectified that," Morgana continued. "And now, I know all of your secrets. You cant hide anymore, Emrys! You are a warlock!"

Morgana looked to Arthur, expecting some sort of reaction.

"He told me already, Morgana," Arthur sighed.

Morgana's eyes widened as she realized she had lost her trump card. She threw Erin to the floor in front of Merlin and the knights. Merlin was still locking eyes with Morgana, but Gwaine ran forward and knelt by Erin.

"I still have a few tricks up my sleeve, Emrys, and I will be back. And with a greater army."

And with that, she whispered a spell, her eyes glowed a molten gold and she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"I can do that without a spell," Merlin declared, before kneeling next to his sister, who was by this time unconscious.

He did a quick count of broken bones. In total it was nine broken fingers, a broken arm, a broken femur and shattered shin, a broken foot, and three broken toes. Merlin lifted up the bottom of her stomach, revealing her torso.

There were deep bloody gashes carved into her skin that clearly read one word: whore.

There was a collective gasp from the knights and Merlin. "This is causing her to loose a lot of blood. I should heal this first, but it's going to be painful for her and drain a lot of my energy. Percival, hold down her legs. Gwaine hold down one arm. Arthur go around the other side and hold down her other arm."

The knights did as Merlin ordered. Percival held her legs and Arthur and Gwaine each pinned down an arm. Merlin placed his hand on the engraving and started to chant a healing spell.

"Ic haele thina throwunga. Ic haele thina throwunga."

Erin, eyes screwed shut, probably still half-unconscious, screamed in agony. Her limbs thrashed about, so strong in her protests that even Percival had a hard time keeping her from not kicking him in the face. It broke Gwaine's heart to see the woman he loved like this and knowing it had to be done.

"Ic haele thina throwunga. Ic haele thina throwunga."

Finally, Merlin was finished, and Erin's torso was good as new. There was only a faint scar, but none of them could make out the letters.

Merlin looked exhausted, but he started another spell and Erin screamed again as her bones straightened themselves out. The gashes on her face closed up as well, leaving only a couple raised scars across her cheeks.

Gwaine picked her up and held her gently against her chest as they walked silently back to the dragon.