I'm so so sorry if there are errors, I will definitely look it over more carefully tomorrow, but didn't want to leave you guys waiting! Enjoy!

Chapter 14

Merlin's eyes were closing against his will. Blackness was gathering around the edges of his vision. Only the intense pain radiating from his abdomen and outward kept him from drifting.

He heard Morgana and Arthur through the fog. With an enormous effort, Merlin forced his eyes open and struggled to focus.

"-lin go, and I'll do whatever you want." Arthur's voice echoed strangely, but Merlin understood the gist.

"No," he slurred. "Arr-thurr … don't …"

Arthur felt a knot of pressure in his chest when he heard him. Merlin was getting worse. He couldn't last like this much longer.

"Come on," he said pleadingly, turning back to Morgana. "You don't need him. He's worth nothing to you if you have me!"

"No Arthur…" Merlin murmured, eyes drooping.

"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur said loudly. Merlin closed his mouth obediently, too tired to argue. Morgana, meanwhile, rolled her eyes.

"Arthur, do you really take me for that big a fool?" she said impatiently. "As soon as I let him go, he'll come back and rescue you. Please don't insult my intelligence." She walked over to Merlin and stroked his forehead gently. He closed his eyes. He was so tired…

"Besides," Morgana said silkily, "Merlin has committed his own grievances against me. Haven't you, Merlin?" She murmured a spell. Merlin winced as it brushed over him.

"Stop." he whispered. "Please … "

"Morgana … " Arthur growled, not taking his eyes off the pair. Morgana laughed softly.

"You forget yourself, dear brother," she said mockingly. "You're not king here. Or anywhere, for that matter."

"Morgana."

Arthur's eyes widened as he registered the new voice. "Agravaine?" At the name, Merlin flinched, which Arthur didn't register at first. They were saved!

"Well done, Uncle!" he said, smiling broadly. "How did you find us? Did the knights lead you here, or did you and your men track us down?"

Agravaine eyed him coolly. "Neither."

"Then," Arthur said slowly, "How did you -?"

"Arrthurr…" Merlin moaned, eyes squeezed shut, "T-t-trap … he's not … h-he's with … her … " He recoiled as Morgana slapped him across the face. But he'd said enough.

Arthur stared at his uncle in disbelief. "Is this true?" he whispered, shocked.

Agravaine gave him a thin-lipped smile. "I'm afraid so. You were so easy to manipulate," he smirked, as Arthur shook his head, stunned. "So eager for approval, so willing to turn a blind eye to any suspicious activity. You were a fool …" he hissed.

"Enough, Agravaine," Morgana snapped. "What do you have to report?"

"We received word from our sources in Gileth that knights bearing the Camelot crest were approaching. Rokford forged a message to Lord Damien's unit from the king, ordering them to ride to patrol the borders, where they no doubt intercepted the knights."

Arthur grit his teeth, eyes burning with rage. "How long?"

Agravaine opened his mouth to answer, but Morgana waved a hand, silencing him. "Does it even matter, Arthur?" she said airily. "The point is, that's one more person you were stupid enough to put your trust in." She turned to Agravaine. "Gather a group of men at dawn and ride in the direction of Camelot," she ordered. "With the king gone as well as some of Camelot's best fighters, they will be all the more vulnerable, allowing us to strike first."

Agravaine bowed to Morgana and exited. She put her attention back on Arthur and the semi-conscious Merlin. "Now where were we?" she asked sweetly.

Arthur glared at her. She gazed back evenly. "Oh yes," she said brightly. "My favorite game." Her eyes focused on Merlin. "Draka brrn flioreh," she hissed. Merlin's head jerked up. His eyes flew open in shock, and he screamed. And screamed.

It was the most terrible sound Arthur had ever heard. Each scream sounded like it was being dragged out of him. Merlin screamed, and screamed until his throat was raw. Each time the pain seemed to be subsiding, Morgana repeated her incantation. Arthur shuddered, nauseated. But he could not look away from Merlin as he convulsed in agony.

Morgana's eyes glimmered, and she shouted her spell once more. Merlin screamed again. It was pain beyond anything he'd ever experienced, beyond anything he'd thought possible. His body was on fire. His eyes rolled in his head. He wanted to die. He wanted it to end.

He did not know where he was, who he was. All he knew was the white hot fire coursing through him.

"Morgana, STOP!" Arthur shouted, as Merlin retched. With nothing in his stomach, he vomited pure bile, and it scorched his throat.

"Please!" Arthur half sobbed, "Please, just stop!" But his pleas were drowned out by Merlin's screams.

It happened without warning. One minute Morgana was cool, calm, smiling evilly, and Merlin was writhing in agony. The next, Merlin was letting out his loudest scream yet, and Arthur and Morgana were screwing their eyes shut against the sudden explosion of blinding white light pulsing out of Merlin.

Through his closed eyelids, Arthur could see the light. He heard the sound of shattering metal, and felt a sudden rush of relief as the blood in his wrists began to circulate. He risked opening his eyes the merest slit, and looked down to see his shackles on the ground, broken to bits.

He turned to Merlin, and saw his chains completely destroyed. He opened his eyes wider as his eyes adjusted to the light, and gasped at the power radiating from Merlin.

Morgana backed away in fear, as Merlin stood there, free of his chains. Nothing holding him back, the most powerful magician in the world. She fled the dungeon, tripping over her skirt in her haste to escape.

Arthur got to his feet as the light began to dim. Merlin looked utterly spent. As the light faded to mere specks, he swayed. Arthur was just in time to catch him before he hit the ground.