Hello everyone! Sorry this has taken me sooooooo long. I had a little bit of writer's block with this chapter (and a new fandom with a new season coming out in a week!) and could not get this chapter to go the way I had planned. But, never fear, I have not abandoned this story. I really like where I am going to go with this story, so I'm still working on it. Anyway, I hope this chapter is good and entertaining. Enjoy! P.S IDOM

Merlin and Arthur stumbled behind their leads as they made their way towards the magic users camp. Merlin, already weak from his punishment before, had already fallen a number of times and was leaning on Arthur to keep him upright. Cenred and Morgause rode into camp and stopped, Arthur catching Merlin before he fell to the ground. Morgause slid off her horse elegantly and pulled on Merlin's lead, separating him from Arthur. Arthur fought to get to him, but was restrained by Cenred.

"Where are you taking him?" Arthur growled as Morgause led Merlin further and further from him.

"None of your business, Pendragon." Cenred whispered. "Now come nicely, or I might just go play with your little friend some more."

Arthur instantly stopped fighting. Merlin needed rest and recovery and lots of it. Whatever Arthur needed to do to accomplish that He would do.

Cenred led him away in the opposite direction of Merlin and threw him in a tent. The inside was rather barren, a cot and a pole in the middle. This is where Arthur was tied, hands together behind the pole.

"If you are just going to kill us, why did you separate us?"

"Who said anything about killing you?" Cenred laughed. "That was a little white lie to get Uther to give both of you to us. Merlin would do anything for you and vice versa. It would be much easier to get what we want with both of you around."

"And what do you want?"

"Power. Unlimited power. Power that your little manservant has just coursing through his body waiting to be used."

"He'll never give it to you willingly."

"Oh we know Pendragon, but we have our ways." and with that Cenred left the tent leaving Arthur in near darkness.

Arthur pulled on the rope tying him to the pole, making sure the knots weren't secure enough for him to just escape. After he determined that there was no flaw he could exploit, he finally gave in to the exhaustion plaguing him and let his head rest against the pole. To think, this morning, Merlin almost died. That lead his thoughts back to Merlin.

"Merlin!" Arthur tried.

Arthur was beginning to be frightened with how long it had been with no answer from Merlin. He tried again. "Merlin?"

It was faint, like a whisper, but he heard it this time. "Arthur?"

"Merlin!"

"Arthur? Are you ok? Where are you?"

"Stop worrying about me for one second and worry about yourself. Now, where are you?"

"I.. I don't know. I can't see anything. Morgause blindfolded me and tied me up in here, wherever here is."

"She only tied you up? Use your magic, let's get out of here."

"No, I can't. First of all, I'm still really weak. Second, she has guards watching. The second I release myself she'll know."

"That's fine, you can take her on. I believe in you."

"Except that she won't face me. She'll kill you the moment she realizes that I'm gone."

"Merlin."

"No Arthur. She only needs to say a word and you are gone. I'm not going to risk it."

Arthur sighed. "Ok, but can you at least heal yourself?"

Merlin laughed. "I can try, I'm rather rubbish at healing spells though."

Arthur could feel the pain on Merlin's end subside a little as he let his magic flow.

"Get some sleep, ok Merlin. I'll think of something."

"Way ahead of you, Arthur." Merlin said, almost dreamily as he seemed to fall right asleep after that.

Arthur smiled as he thought of his friend. He would never regret the decisions he made to get him here, but he worried for everyone back in Camelot. He closed his eyes, praying that Camelot would be safe.

Morgana smiled as she made her way up to the King's chambers. She had already sent a servant up with the king's evening meal and a little extra present for the guards. Little did they know however, that the King's meal and the extra wine all had a little paralyzing agent in them, administered after the servants check for food poisoning of course. Now, all Morgana had to do was to make sure that Uther was gone for good. She rubbed the dagger that Arthur had given her for her birthday. Such an amazing gift to be used for the furthering of magic in Camelot. She turned the corner to the king's chambers and found the guards unconscious on the floor. She walked past them without a moment's thought and into Uther's chambers. There he was, conscious but unable to move from the floor where his body had fallen. She walked over to him and he could see the look of relief in his eyes.

"Oh I've not come to help you Father." she spat. She opened her palm and a flame of fire danced in it.

"I have magic, Uther. The thing that you hate." She smiled and readied her dagger.

"And now, nobody will have to suffer like me, alone and afraid anymore." She dug the knife into Uther's side relishing in the look of betrayal and pain in his eyes.

"And without Arthur to rule, that leaves the Pendragon rule to me. Long live the Queen." Here he pulled her dagger out and cast a spell removing all evidence from her knife of the deed. She got up and walked out, not staying to watch magic's worst enemy finally get what he deserved.

Arthur suddenly woke up. He couldn't tell what woke him, just that something felt wrong. In hindsight, he was glad that he was up already. The tent door opened and Arthur was immediately wary as he didn't recognize the outline of the person coming in. The person kept coming and knelt in front of him. Arthur flinched back when the person lit a match illuminating the stranger's face in front of him.

"Well princess, you look terrible."

"Gwaine?"

The rogue smiled. "The one and only."

"What are you doing here? Fighting for Cenred?"

"Arthur. I'm offended. Do you really think I would fight for someone like that?"

Arthur looked suitably chastised. "Well then, what are you doing here?"

"It's a great story. You see I was in this tavern."

Arthur suddenly had an idea. "Gwaine?"

"You're interrupting princess. I thought Merlin had had a better influence on you."

Gwaine saw that he seemed to hit a soft spot with Arthur as Arthur deflated. "We need to get you out of here."

"I'm not leaving without Merlin."

"Well, obviously."

"How? I don't even know where he is"

"Well, I do. That should be no problem."

Arthur lit up. "Have you seen him?"

"I just got one peek before the guards changed. The one guard owed me so I got to sneak a quick peek at the prisoner. He looked pretty out of it, but other than that he was fine."

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief "How are we going to get out of here? You have been here longer than us I assume."

Gwaine smiled. "Just a little."

Gwaine's plan was surprisingly simple. There was little to no protection outside Arthur's tent and so the only problem was getting Merlin out of his tent. That was where Arthur and Gwaine were now, hiding within reach of the back of the tent. Gwaine nodded to Arthur as he stood up to take care of the guards and Arthur snuck in the back. Giving his eyes a minute to adjust, he found his servant, tied up just like he was and blindfolded. He crawled over to him and started to undo the blindfold. Merlin tensed as Arthur's hand fumbled with the knot.

"Who's there?" Merlin whispered.

"It's me, idiot. Now keep quiet."

"Arthur?" Merlin questioned hopefully. The blindfold came off and Arthur immediately went to unite him from the pole. Ropes dropped silently to the floor and Arthur embraced his friend, free to do so for the first time since this whole thing started.

The tent door opened to Gwaine. He ran inside the tent. "I have something I need to tell you. I overheard the guards talking about Camelot be fore I took them out." He looked directly at Arthur. "Uther's dead. Morgana killed him and has taken over Camelot."

What? Arthur thought. "How?"

"That's all I got. I just thought I should let you know."

Arthur shook his head as if clearing his thoughts. "We'll deal with it later. Now, we need to go."

All three broke out into a break for the forest. It was not long before they heard horses coming after them. Merlin tripped over a tree root and collapsed to the ground, holding in a gasp of pain. Arthur was immediately by his side.

"Come on, we have to go."

"No, I can't. My foot."

"I'll carry you."

"You'll never outrun them."

"Merlin."

"Leave me, Arthur." Arthur was stopped in his next reply with how resigned Merlin sounded. "Please."

"No, Merlin. They'll kill you."

"Not without you." Merlin replied, pushing Arthur away. "They'll keep me as bait to bring you back."

Arthur shook his head. "I'm not leaving without you."

"Arthur. You need to get Camelot back."

"But I need your help." Arthur pleaded.

"No, you don't. Morgana will distracted enough trying to keep Camelot together. Morgause and Cenred want me. That will be distraction enough for you to take back Camelot."

Gwaine came back and grabbed Arthur. "Arthur, we need to go now."

Arthur made a decision. He tore off his signet ring and handed it to Merlin.

"I will come back for you, I promise."

Merlin smiled a sad smile as Arthur and Gwaine ran away to find a hiding spot. Morgause's men were too close to them now to make a run any farther. They ducked behind a bush just as their pursuers entered the clearing.

"Well well well, who do we have here?" Cenred smiled predatorily. "A servant without his master."

"He won't be far behind." Morgause snarled, looking around for signs of Arthur. Arthur did not dare breathe.

Morgause seemed to give up her search, enchanted something and Merlin groaned as he found himself dragged to his knees and surrounded in chains, bringing a moment of deja vu to him.

Arthur's hands curled into fists at Merlin's treatment. Morgause chuckled as she got off her horse. "This seems familiar." She knelt down to Merlin's level. "Where is the King headed Merlin?"

Merlin kept silent.

"He must be close. Let's see if we can draw him out."

She enchanted something again and Merlin screamed in pain. Arthur fought with everything he had to stay still. A glance at Gwaine told him that the knight was already planning every way to kill the witch in front of him.

Finally, Morgause released her tortuous spell and Merlin collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"Let us take this filth and return Cenred."

"Shouldn't we search for the King? He could not have gone far.

"No, let him run. He is no threat to us without his pet sorcerer." She walked over to Merlin's body and said a spell causing his body to float behind her.

After about 10 minutes, Gwaine and Arthur slowly rose up.

"I'm going to kill her for what she did to him." Gwaine growled.

"You'll have to get in line." Arthur supplied.

"But we can't worry about that right now, we have to get your kingdom back. For Merlin."

Arthur smiled. "For Merlin."

Hope that was enjoyable. As always, leave a review even if you enjoyed it not. That how we all get better at writing. Thanks again for reading and have and awesome day. Till next time!