Morgause opened the door with a smirk. "Today you join the rest of your new family, Emrys." She purred stepping into the darkened room.
The pathetic creature was curled into himself in the corner of the room as she came closer. She dug her nails into his hair and pulled him up to look into his eyes.
"Look how the mighty Emrys has fallen. And you know who's to blame for your suffering, don't you?"
Emrys, the supposedly all powerful Emrys stared at her almost catatonic, before rage began to manifest in his eyes.
"Arthur Pendragon." He hissed.
She laughed and shoved him into the bed, leaving the room as a man entered.
"This is also Arthur Pendragon's doing…" She said with a smirk and closed the door with satisfaction as the man reached for Emrys. "…remember that well." She walked away.
oOoOoOo
"Woop! Sorry." Gwaine called as a blonde woman with curly hair stormed past.
"Out of my way." She sneered shoving Lancelot off to the side and against the wall as she left without looking back.
Lancelot and Gwaine looked at each other before turning to the door where the woman had just closed. She didn't look like a working girl at all which gave them a good idea of which door to try first.
oOoOoOo
Merlin struggled against the man tugging at his clothes.
"Get off me!" Merlin growled.
"Quit fighting!" Merlin gasped as he was punched across the face. "Whore." The man growled.
Merlin felt the man's hot breath over his mouth and the forced kiss nearly made him gag. He threw his head back and screamed as he started trying to shove him off with everything he had.
The man was getting angrier, but Merlin didn't care. He would not allow this to happen! He might have been stupid to let Arthur force him into something like this, but he was done. He would never let anyone use him like that again.
"Stay fucking still!"
Merlin froze as he felt the cold sharpened knife against his neck. Merlin panted, breathing fast as the man smirked.
"Oh… I'm going to enjoy this…"
The door slammed open and before Merlin knew it, the man was thrown off him. "Get out! I got him for the night!" The man yelled, lunging at the intruders. Merlin couldn't see their faces as they dodged the man's attack and struck him behind the head. The man fell like a rock onto the floor.
Merlin's eyes narrowed as he tried to see who his saviours were. The light from outside stung his eyes and the chill of the mandrakes made him queasy from having struggled so hard.
"Merlin… are you alright?" Merlin flinched as one of them reached for his arms and shoved himself back into the corner, his heart racing in fear. "Woah… Hey, it's ok." Gwaine said and Merlin's eyes widened.
"Gwaine?"
"That's right. It's me Merlin." Gwaine said. Merlin looked behind him where Lancelot stood, removing his cloak and threw it over Merlin's shoulders.
"Dear friend… how ever did you become trapped in this place?" Lancelot asked.
Merlin looked at his hand, where the ring sat and his vision blurred. He knew Arthur would never come to save him. Arthur didn't need him. Arthur was the one who sent him away.
"Thank you… Thank…" Merlin sobbed, throwing his arms around Gwaine's shoulders, crying against his shoulder.
Gwaine seemed to hesitate before returning the hug. "Come on Merlin. Let's get you out of here." One of them said and they helped him to his feet.
Merlin's steps were heavy and he kept sobbing until he tasted fresh air once more. He looked up at the night sky, feeling as if he hadn't seen it in over a thousand years.
"Stay with him, I'll be right back." He heard Gwaine say.
Merlin felt hands cup his face and turn him to face Lancelot. "Merlin… why didn't you use your magic to escape?" He asked. Merlin tried to stop the tears but he couldn't. They just kept coming. He showed Lancelot the ring.
"It's enchanted… to seal my magic." Merlin said and looked up at him. "Take it off me."
"Are you sure that's going to work?" Lancelot asked.
Merlin didn't know how he knew. The ring would come off. Lancelot hesitated very briefly and gave it a go.
The red gem began to glow and Merlin closed his eyes, his tears feeling hot as they trailed down his face. The gem cracked as Merlin felt his magic stir within and the ring came off.
And just like that, the clear, star-lit sky burst with black, stormy clouds.
Merlin opened his eyes and cried louder.
"Merlin!" Lancelot exclaimed.
"Merlin, have some…" He heard Gwaine's voice but he ignored their words.
The storm raged even more angry above and Merlin turned to look at the brothel, eyes burning bright with magic as the night was brightened with energy from the sky. The thunder crashed again and again into the wooden building, casting it aflame within seconds.
Screams filled the air as the fire spread far too quickly for anyone to react. Not even the rain that began to pour down could dampen the flames of hell that Merlin brought down on them all. The few lucky enough to be near the exit when the thunder struck, had run out to see everything turn to ash.
oOoOoOo
Gwaine's eyes widened as he saw Merlin perform magic, rage and hate and grief burning in his eyes as he brought down a power no mortal man could ever hold down on what had been his prison.
He looked at Lancelot who stared at the destruction with horror, but his concern for Merlin was evident and Gwaine knew that Lancelot had known about his magic.
"We need to get him out of here. Before Camelot's knights come our way." Gwaine said. Lancelot looked at him and nodded.
Merlin suddenly stood up on his own and stared at the ring that had held him captive. His eyes glowed once more and the ring vanished. Gwaine and Lancelot looked at each other before Lancelot stepped closer to him. "Merlin, we need to get out of here." Lancelot said.
"Yes…" Merlin said, barely above a whisper. He only moved when Lancelot placed his hands on his shoulders and hurried him away with Gwaine close behind him, disappearing into the night.
oOoOoOo
Arthur dragged Morgana down the halls of the castle as she struggled against him. Pleading again and again for Arthur to snap out of it.
But even though Arthur wanted to, he couldn't do anything. It was like every one of his limbs were too heavy to move but got pulled against his will in whatever direction he didn't want them to go.
Everything stopped as he dragged her across the hall that overlooked the kingdom. The earth trembled, the night sky burst with black clouds and thunder tore down on the lower town, lighting it aflame.
Arthur gasped, releasing Morgana, as heavy aftershocks of magic burst throughout the land. Morgana herself grabbed her head, as if she were in pain, looking at the flames with horror and confusion.
Arthur felt the shackles shatter with every after shock of magic. Arthur gripped the edges of the glassless window as he stared at the fiery beacon.
"Merlin…" He whispered and covered his mouth. Something terrible had happened. He just knew it. He looked at Morgana who was slowly letting go of her head. "Morgana." He reached out and held her hand and she held him back with a death grip. He couldn't tell which one of them was shaking the most. "Can you feel that?" He whispered.
Morgana looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "We need to find Merlin… Now." She whispered. "Arthur, snap out of it…" She begged.
Arthur held both her hands and closed his eyes, thinking of his father. When no compulsion to obey came to his body he narrowed his eyes.
"Guards!" He called.
oOoOoOo
Uther shoved the servant's brother into the prison. The boy looked up at him afraid. As the earth trembled, Uther glared at the boy.
"Do not look at me like that, demon. Your innocent child-like vessel will not save you."
The boy shed his innocent façade and glared at him. "I hope you die!" He yelled.
"Someday. But you? You'll die at sunrise. I'll make sure the executioner uses the blunt end of the axe." He said. At the boy's frightened tears, he walked out very satisfied at the fear he instilled in the evil doer.
"You truly are great with children, father." Arthur said.
Uther looked ahead at Arthur, who was blocking his way. "Arthur, order the knights to prepare the executioner's block for tomorrow." He said.
Arthur stared at him coldly, and Uther mistook it for the obedient expression produced by magic.
"Guards, arrest my father." Arthur said.
"Arthur? What is this?" Uther said. As the guards tried to grab him, he pulled back. "Unhand me!" He ordered, but the guards didn't stop, forcing his arms behind his back and binding his wrists in iron. "Arthur! I order you to let me go!" Uther said.
"Let him go." Arthur said. Uther felt victory swell in his chest. He would have to talk call on Morgause to make sure she strengthened the spell. The guards released him but left his hands bound.
"You heard him! Take off these shackles!" The guards simply stepped further back. Arthur came closer and with a heavy swing, punched him across the face hard enough to knock him into the wall. "Nnh…" He looked up at Arthur. "Are you out of your mind, boy?!" He yelled.
"Kneel before your king." Arthur ordered.
"Over my dead body." Uther growled. "You foolish little-"
"Sir Leon," Arthur cut him off. The knight came beside Uther and landed a harsh blow to the back of his knees, knocking him to the floor on his knees before Arthur.
"Arthur, I am your father." He reminded him. He looked behind Arthur, where Morgana had pulled that boy Mordred to her side. "Morgana, tell him to let me go."
"Where is Merlin?" Arthur said.
Uther narrowed his eyes up at him. "Where he belongs." Arthur came closer and punched him hard enough that he felt his nose break. "Agh!"
A guard grabbed his hair and made Uther look back up at Arthur. "I will bring him back. I will place him by my side… and you will live the rest of your days rotting away in this dungeon like the dragon you chained when I was born." Arthur said angry.
"You are a weak man. You can't keep this kingdom safe with your twisted way of thinking." Uther said.
"Put him away." Arthur ordered. "Don't give him any food or water for the next two days."
Uther struggled as the guards manhandled him into a cell, leaving his hands bound. "Arthur! Get back here!" Uther yelled, but Arthur left, Morgana and that boy going with him. "Arthur!" With the guards gone, his cell was left in darkness and he couldn't even see where the cell ended, and the iron bars began. "Morgana!"
The rage coursing through his body made him tug at the shackles until he could feel blood trickling down his fingers, but much like the ancient dragon, no one could hear his screams coming from the depths of the prison.