Merlin woke to find himself still chained to the wall of his cell, although now he wasn't alone Morgause sat in front of him.
"You've decided to wake up again have you? Now perhaps we can have a little chat. We would like you to work with us as Nimueh has told you. Now I suggest you think about it."
"No I won't" Merlin said immediately
"If you don't you will die and painfully, is it really worth it. Work with us and we will look after you, you will be treated well." Morgause smiled at the young teenager in front of her.
"Never!" Merlin said once more "Arthur is King and he is a good one."
"Enough it's time you learnt your lesson, Weorp unto worpenic"
Merlin writhed as pain shot though his body, it was intense and like nothing he had ever felt before. As blackness started to descend once more the pain stopped.
"Oh no you don't I want you to feel everything." Morgause sneered "You're not getting of that easily."
As the pain subsidised Merlin took a deep breath before another wave of pain started through his body only to stop before he passed out. He wasn't sure how often that happened but in the end he was begging for mercy. Morgause laughed at him.
"I will leave you for a while to think over our offer, remember you can stop all this. If you don't when we take your magic the pain will be far worse." She walked out leaving Merlin sobbing in agony. He was ashamed of himself for being so weak, quite forgetting he was a teenager and so was doing very well.
This continued for several days, Merlin had no way of tracking time. Except for when Morgause was there he was in total darkness. Occasionally someone would bring his water and gruel which they would give to him; he wasn't released from the chains even then. He was wet and soiled when he had been left. He was cold and in constant pain.
One day Nimueh came back and offered him water, as he leant forward she poured some in his mouth as her swallowed she muttered "Ceolwaere" and unbearable pain started to follow the water he had swallowed.
"You won't get anything for nothing, agree with us or we will take what we want. You have an hour to decide." She walked off laughing.
It was an hour later when Morgause returned, although Merlin had no way of telling. With her were two large men. "I am preparing you for the ceremony; before I do you have your last chance to agree to join us."
Merlin knew he had no choice, he couldn't work with such cruel people, his magic wasn't meant to hurt people. He was scared, very scared but he had no choice. All he hoped was that he would be found before they completed the transfer of his magic. He kept trying to access it, but although he could feel his magic it was as if it was under his skin he couldn't use it.
Morgause undid his chains and before he had chance to do anything the two men grabbed him and dragged him through to another room. There was a large stone in the middle of the room he was led on it this face now facing the ceiling. Then he was chained to each corner. His remaining clothes where cut from his body. The two men left leaving Merlin alone with Morgause. She walked forward until she was at his side then she lowered the knife and cut down each of his limbs joining the cuts on his chest. Then she slowly cut across his right hand and collected the blood that ran out into a dish. Merlin tried to keep still and not give her the satisfaction of seeing him squirm but it all became too much and tears started to fall. These were then gathered into another bowl.
Morgause left the room leaving him led naked and in pain. Merlin tried to move but he was tied to tightly, he started to scream out for help knowing no one would come. He was terrified and in pain and didn't care who heard him, he was fourteen not an adult, and at that moment all he wanted was his mother.
The patrols went out every day and it was one led by Gwaine that got the first clue about Merlin. A villager told him of a group of soldiers led by two women who had crossed back over the border into Essetir just after Merlin had disappeared. From the description one of the women was Morgause. Gwaine sent one of the knights back with a message for the King and leaving the rest on Camelot land set of with Lancelot into Essetir. They left their capes behind along with anything else which would identify them as from Camelot and headed straight for Morgause's castle. As they got closer there were more and more patrols about. Something was clearly going on. They decided to keep going once darkness fell as they thought they had less chance of being seen in the dark.
They were in the town surrounding the castle as day break fell. It was then they heard the first proof that they were on the right trail. There were a group of soldiers talking as the changed guard and the two Camelot knights listened in on what they were saying.
"Poor sod, can't be very old either." One said
"He won't last much longer they have something planned for tonight." Said a second man.
"You'd best keep quite the pair of you or you'll be joining him. They pay us well to do as were told and keep our noses out of the rest." A third joined in.
"I still say he's too young to be suffering like that." The first one butted in.
"One more word and you'll be in the dungeon with him" the third man snapped "I'm not getting caught out listening to you."
With that the men walked their separate ways. It was clear to the two knights that they need to get to the dungeons and soon. But how? That was the question, the closer to the castle they got the harder it was to stay undetected and inside it would be worse. Gwaine and Lancelot moved back and found a quiet spot to discuss a plan. Security had been improved since Gwaine's last visit and they wouldn't just be able to walk in this time. They needed something sneakier. What they didn't have was time on their side. After careful observation they came up with an idea neither of them liked. But they could think of nothing better.