I come up with some really crazy spells, don't I? So, the question is, will Arthur send someone out to find Merlin and Elaine before it's too late? You'll just have to keep reading to find out.

Anywho, happy reading!

-Monty

LOT'S CASTLE -

Merlin had thought that the night he was brought in that Morgana would begin things right away, but she didn't. Instead he was left to sit in a cold, dark, cell all night long and well into the next day. He didn't sleep at all. How could he? Every footstep that he heard could have been Morgana and her men coming for him. Every voice that echoed through the dungeons could have been someone talking about what was going to happen to him next. No, sleep didn't find Merlin at all.

He sat there, knees drawn up to his chest, eyes open and alert to anything and everything going on around him.

The only company he had down in the cell were the rats.

Two of them. They were big and hairy and made a lot of noise as they moved about, trying to find what food that they could, though there wasn't any. No one had bothered to feed him or give him anything to drink. There was some kind of liquid on the floor, but Merlin wasn't that desperate.

The rats continously stopped their hunting to look over at him with their pitiful beady eyes.

As if they were asking him, 'Why are you letting us starve?'.

"Why don't you go to the kitchen?" Merlin said quietly to them. "I'm sure you'll find plenty of food there. Lot's men look like they get enough to eat."

One of the rats stopped and squeaked at him.

"I'm serious! The kitchens are probably stocked with food. You're really wasting your time down here." Merlin watched as the rat came closer to him. He smiled faintly at it. If only he had some crumbs or something...

"Oh, wait!" Merlin said suddenly. The rat flinched a bit, startled, but it didn't run away. Instead it stood up on it's hind legs and watched as Merlin reached into his jacket pocket. His fingers fiddled around the fabric for a moment or two, then he gave a victorious 'Ah!' and brought his hand out. Between his fingertips were the remains of a dinner roll. He looked over at the rat. "I stole this from Arthur's breakfast plate when George was taking it to him. It's a few days old, but to a rat I'm sure it'll be fine."

He held out a crumb of it to the rat.

The rat didn't look that impressed, but it made it's way over to him, sniffing at the small piece of the roll. After a second or two of deciding, it took the crumb from him and ate it happily. The rat's friend that had gone off to the other side of the cell in search for food came rushing over, giving Merlin that 'I'm hungry. Feed me.' look.

"Alright, I've got some for you too." Merlin smirked, taking another piece of the roll and holding it out. The other rat took it and scurried off to eat it in privacy. The main rat stayed though and came closer to Merlin, bit by bit, sniffing around for more food. "Here you go." Merlin tore off another small piece and gave it to him. The rat took it and ate it beside him, looking very content. "I don't suppose I can bribe you for information? Hmm? Do you know any of Morgana's plans or anything Lot is up to?"

The rat squeaked, wanting more bread.

"I didn't think you would. Here, for your trouble." Merlin gave the rat the rest of the roll, then sighed heavily and looked at the cell door. He could easily get out of the cell. Morgana didn't know he had magic and neither did anyone else other than Caradoc. They had left him without a guard or anything. He could easily just burst that cell door open and get away, but then that would defeat the purpose of allowing himself to get caught. One thing he knew was that Morgana liked to talk. If she thought he was helpless and weak, she would tell him anything and everything he wanted to know. What her plans are for Camelot. Who else she has spying for her. What Lot is up to.

Everything.

She liked to brag about her plans when she thought that the person she was facing was weaker than her. So, he planned on letting her talk, on having her tell him everything she planned on doing, then at the end of it all, if it was needed, he would let her know exactly who he was and stop her once and for all. More than likely he would have to do that anyway.

It was clear that Morgana was never going to turn from her evil ways.

Suddenly the sound of the main door to the dungeons opening met his ears. His little rat friend hurried away, squeaking loudly as if to tell him to hide, that there was danger. Unfortunately, Merlin could not follow where the rat was going, so, he sat there, waiting and listening. The found of footsteps making their way into the dungeons was heard next. There had to be at least...three people? They were drawing nearer and nearer. Pushing himself off of the floor, Merlin got to his feet and stood there, anxiously waiting. Then he saw it, the torch light. It came around the corner and Morgana and two guards came into view.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting." Morgana said as she stopped in front of the cell. "I had certain things to attend to."

"That's fine. I'm comfortable down here with the mold and the cold...and the rats are great company. So, if you have more things to see to, then you're more than welcome to go on."

Morgana peered at him. "Do you not understand the severity of your situation, Merlin?" she asked. "This is not a time to be smart with me or to try to be funny."

"Well, I'm certainly not going to cower if that's what you want." Merlin replied firmly, his cold stare locking onto her's.

All humor was wiped off of Morgana's face. Waving her hand at the cell door and it came open and she spoke with a low growl. "Bring him." she ordered the guards, then turned and walked off.

The guards stepped into the cell and grabbed Merlin roughly by the arms and half shoved half pulled him along. Merlin thought about putting up a fight, but, there wasn't a way for him to, His feet were barely touching the floor and the men held his arms so painfully that he was certain if he tried to twist or move them at all they would snap in two.

They didn't go too far.

After turning down a few corridors they came to a large area. Merlin's stomach instantly twisted at seeing what the room was. A torture chamber. There was a rack off to the side, in the middle of the room there was a fire pit with all sorts of rods laying within it, getting white hot, the iron burning bright red. On one wall there were shackles and stains of blood and a whip hung on the wall near them. Merlin's heart started to hammer harshly against his chest. Already he could feel his magic wanting to come forward to protect him, but, he didn't allow it.

Morgana stopped and turned to Merlin. "This will go easier for you if you tell me what I want to know." she said, her wicked smile tugging at her lips, "Who is Emrys? Where can I find him?"

Merlin's brow creased. "You actually think that I know?"

"You spoke of him as if you and Emrys talk all of the time."

"He sends messages. He lets Camelot know when he's around to help. I've never actually seen him." Merlin scoffed. "He's not daft."

"I think you're lying."

"I'm not." Merlin shook his head. "I've never seen Emrys a day in my life. He sends messages. That's all."

Morgana turned and made her way to a covered table that was just before them. Grabbing the sheet that covered it, she yanked it back to reveal all sorts of devices. Merlin's stomach lurched, but he kept himself calm. "Merlin, it would be in your best interest to tell me the truth and to tell me everything that I wish to know. If you do not, then your stay here will be very unpleasant."

Merlin took a deep breath. "I don't know who Emrys is. Why does it matter? Why do you want to do this, Morgana? Arthur is changing the kingdom. He's making it to where you can come back and you can be accepted-"

"I don't want to be accepted!" Morgana shouted as she turned on him. "I want the throne!"

Madness.

Merlin had seen plenty of evil, vile, people, but not once had he crossed someone who had gone mad with their own rage and dark desires. Morgana was no longer this young woman who was out for revenge, she had grown mad, driven insane by the darkness that her sister had introduced her into. All of that hate had built up and broken her, taken away all sanity and sense of compassion.

She had but one goal in mind and that was to take the throne.

She didn't care who got hurt.

She didn't care who died.

So long as she got what she wanted then she would be happy.

"Tell me who Emrys is. Tell me where he is. Tell me everything I wish to know and I will spare you." Morgana growled at him now.

Merlin's brow creased deeply. "I can't."

Morgana's eyes flashed with fury and she nodded to the guards. They pushed Merlin over to a iron chair and shoved him down into it, then took the leather straps on it and began strapping him down, making sure he was secure and did not get away. Once they were done, Morgana waved them off. They gave a bow to her and made their way from the chambers, leaving Merlin and Morgana alone with one another.

Everything in Merlin told him to just go ahead and use his magic.

To get her while they were alone.

Could he bring himself to do that though?

He wished that there was some way to bring her out of the state of mind she was in now. To save her. She had been his friend once upon a time. She had been a good person. She had just lost her way and needed someone's help.

But the magic inside of Merlin was pulsing, telling him that it was no use.

She needed to be dealt with.

Merlin watched as her slender fingers brushed over the devices on the table. "So, is this it? You're going to torture me until I tell you where Emrys is?" he scoffed some, looking away from her. "I hope you have another plan up your sleeves because I'm not telling you anything."

Morgana smirked, her fingers grasping up a large dagger. She thought on it a moment, then put it down and continued looking. "Of course I have other plans. You'll die sooner or later - after you tell me who and where Emrys is - and after that I plan on getting rid of him and going after Camelot to finally claim my throne."

"You won't get in. The castle is heavily guarded these days. Not to mention the Druids are there and keeping watch." Merlin shrugged. "Seems to me like you won't be able to do much of anything."

Morgana grasped up another device, though Merlin had no idea what it was, and turned to him. She stopped in front of him and looked down at the device in her hands. It was a small metal thing with screws in it and two slots within it. Without a word, she brought it down to his left hand. Merlin tried to wiggle his wrist out of the straps but they were too tight. It was no use. A second later she had grabbed his left hand and placed two of his fingers into the slots, then her dark eyes met his. "Who is Emrys? Where is Emrys?" she asked.

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Merlin's magic wanted out. It wanted to help him.

But if she had other plans, if she had more up her sleeves, he needed to find out what it was. Was there something coming for Camelot? Was Arthur and the others in danger? He couldn't do anything to her just yet. There was no telling what she had planned or who she had working for her. He needed to get all of the answers he could.

"I don't know who Emrys is or where he is." Merlin spoke, his eyes never leaving her stare. "What are you going to do to Camelot? How are you going to get the throne back?"

Morgana ignored what him. "Who is Emrys? Where is Emrys?" she asked again, this time she took part of the device and started turning it. With each turn, the device grew tighter and tighter around Merlin's fingers.

"I don't know." Merlin said firmly.

She twisted the device again. It got tighter, crushing down on his fingers. He was now starting to feel the pinch of his skin being pressed harshly down into the metal and he winced slightly.

"Who is Emrys? Where is Emrys?" Morgana asked.

Merlin shook his head. "I don't know...and even if I did, I couldn't tell you." 'You have to hold on, Merlin. Eventually she'll tell you everything you need to know - then you can end this.' he thought to himself, then let out a hiss as Morgana tightened the device some more. His index and medius fingers were screaming out in pain, feeling like at any moment they would burst. The bone and nail in them were started to crush.

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"Tell me what I want to know." Morgana hissed. "Who is Emrys? Where is Emrys?"

Swallowing hard, Merlin stared back at her. "I don't know."

Morgana stood straight and rose her hand at the device. "Ei gwneud yn dynnach!" she hissed. Her eyes went golden for a second, then suddenly the device tightened until the sickening sound of bone crunching was heard, mixed with Merlin's scream.

Elaine froze in her steps at the sound of a scream rising up from the bowels of the castle. That was Merlin. That was his scream. Her heart thudded heavily against her chest and she felt like she was going to be sick. Why wasn't Merlin trying to get away? Why wasn't he doing anything to fight off Morgana? She wished she could contact him, get inside his mind and see what was going on, but her magic wasn't strong enough for that.

Giving a curse under her breath, she rested her head against the cold stone of the castle.

When morning had come she had found that the guards around the castle thinned out and she was able to get inside one of the servant entrances. She had been stuck there for a good hour or two because some of the guards had come down to see to it that the cooks were making King Lot's evening meal. Apparently they had to inspect the food because people were instantly trying to get rid of the King. Either by means of posion or some other way. So, Lot had all of his food checked - and double checked.

If the guards would hurry up and go, she would make her way to the dungeons. Perhaps she might be able to heal Merlin of whatever was happening to him?

Suddenly another cry ripped through the castle.

'He wouldn't let anything like that happen, not unless there was a reason for it.' Elaine tried to convince herself. 'Morgana must have something else planned. That's the only reason why he would allow her to do this to him.'

"You there. What are you doing here?"

The sound of a man's voice shook Elaine back into action. With lightening quick reflexes she yanked a arrow from her pack and strung it onto the bow that she swung from her shoulder. Within a blink of a eye she had her arrow aimed at the guard who had found her. He stared, wide eyed, then turned to shout at the other guards, before he could get a word out, however, Elaine let the arrow fly and it lodged itself into the man's throat, cutting off his voice.

He gave a strangled yell, but it wasn't loud enough to alert anyone.

A moment later he fell to the floor and Elaine made her way over to him, rolling him over and yanking the arrow out, then grabbing hold of him and pulling him over into the darkness of the room she had hidden herself in. It was unfortunate that he had to die, wrong place, wrong time and all. She gave him a look of pity, then kinked her brow as a idea sprang into her mind.

With guards always making their way up and down the corridors of the castle, there was no way she was going to be able to make it around this place undetected - not unless she had a disguise. The guard was about her height, a bit bigger than she was, but, his clothes would fit her nicely. With his clothes, she could move about freely around the castle and maybe even gain access to the dungeons.

Elaine instantly knelt down and began stripping the clothes off of the man. It was anything but pleasant to do so. The man smelled foul, as if he hadn't had a bath in months. She pushed past her disgust though and worked quickly, knowing that at any moment another guard could come stumbling in on her.