Merlin's curiosity about the girl in the cell with them vanished as soon as he saw Morgana through the barred door.

How did she know about his magic? It couldn't be chance that this bracelet was on him.

Would Arthur believe Morgana if or when she told the prince that his close friend had magic? That he had lied to Arthur the entire time?

"Merlin, do you want to talk or are we going to do this the fun way?"

Merlin stared at the witch; the 'fun way' was going to be very painful. But he couldn't tell her anything. He wouldn't put Camelot and their future in danger.

"Morgana, if you lay a finger on him I swear I will never tell you anything," Arthur threatened, trying to save his friend.

"Well, that implies that if I didn't you would talk."

Arthur stayed quiet. He had no answer. The knights started to protest too, trying to think of something to say that would make them the target instead of Merlin.

Morgana ignored them. "I've underestimated you," she almost whispered to Merlin. "You have kept so many people in the dark Merlin, I think it's time for you to confess."

Merlin said nothing, trying to keep his face expressionless. To give nothing away.

The knights looked questioningly at Morgana.

"That's stupid, leave Merlin alone!" Arthur shouted, struggling against his shackles.

Guilt sat on Merlin's chest. The knights thought that Morgana was playing a game with them. Testing their loyalty and trust. They didn't know how true her words were. They trusted him completely. And he didn't trust them enough to let them know the truth. And now it was going to come out in the worst way.

"Do you want to know what your stupidly loyal servant has kept hidden Arthur?" Morgana smiled, "why don't I tell you. Merlin - has – magic!"

The cell was deadly silent.

"That's bull shit!" Gwaine yelled.

"You think so? Well the truth hurts." Morgana smiled as she watched Merlin. "What do you have to say?"

Merlin looked into her eyes and did the same thing he had been doing all his life, he lied. "I don't have magic"

Morgana pulled out a dagger and calmly sliced his arm open. Merlin managed to keep his mouth closed.

"We both know that's a lie. You have magic."

"I don't," Merlin replied, earning him another cut.

"He doesn't Morgana! I would know if he had magic!" Arthur cried watching the blood run down Merlin's arm.

"You would think so wouldn't you?" Morgana smiled, enjoying herself. "You're a traitor aren't you Merlin? A traitor to Arthur for having magic, which is punishable by death you know, and a traitor to your own kind, for helping Arthur all these years, helping the tyrant that is trying to destroy magic." Morgana placed the tip of the blade on his arm again, ready for a third cut.

"No," was Merlin's only response.

Morgana slowly dug the dagger into Merlin's injured arm, pulling it towards her. Merlin couldn't help taking a sharp breath in. His arm throbbed as he watched the blood run down his arm and drip onto the cell floor.

"It's not a question, Merlin. It's a fact. But if you really a want question, why not? Why so loyal to Arthur?"

"What?" Merlin asked. What does his loyalty towards Prince Arthur have to do with anything?

This was not the right answer as it earned him another slice down his arm.

"You have magic. The moment he found out you could be killed, so why do you constantly risk your life for him?"

"I'm not magic." Merlin insisted.

Another cut. "That bracelet you have on Merlin, it's more than just pretty jewellery" Morgana explained. "It sucks the magic out of the person wearing it and burns them when they try to use magic."

Merlin felt guilty. Morgana knew. There was no denying it. And she was about to see proof. The skin under the bracelet was red and blistered. Morgana was about to know for certain and Arthur, his best friend, still had no idea.

Morgana reached up and jerked the bracelet further down revealing the burnt skin. "So you do have magic. And you tried to use it."

"Someone's ripped you off Morgana" Merlin lied. Arthur wasn't finding out like this. Not like this. He would tell him after. After. "This thing doesn't do that: it randomly started to heat up, that's all."

Morgana saw through the lie easily, "another lie to add the list Merlin." Morgana grinned and moved the dagger to his cheek, and slowly dragged it down to his chin. Merlin planted his jaw together tightly, taking a deep breath he tried to ignore the pain. He wasn't going to break for Morgana. Not easily. He had kept his secret all his life and he wasn't going to let Arthur find out like this. Not like this.

"Last chance Merlin. Then I come out in full force." Merlin ignored Morgana's words. "No? Well, let the real pain begin." The smile on Morgana's face as those words left her lips would cause Merlin and the Knights bad dreams until they died.

Horrified, Arthur watched Morgana bring the whip down on Merlin's exposed back. This was Merlin! He was his servant. He wasn't supposed to be in this kind of pain, he wasn't supposed to be tortured.

Morgana brought it down again. Arthur watched as his friend's whole body tensed up. This was Merlin. He was his friend, an unofficial adviser in the person he relied on a daily basis. And there he was in pain, being flogged.

On the third strike Merlin could no longer contain the pain, he grasped and slumped forwards so that his bindings were the only thing holding up. Anger welled up inside Arthur. How dare Morgana hurt Merlin like this? He was the kindest, most loyal, stupid and brave person he knew. And she was torturing him.

On the fourth strike Merlin let out a full cry of pain. It ripped Arthur's heart. What was Morgana playing at? She seemed to think Merlin had magic. He never heard anything so stupid! What angle or she playing?

Gwaine could no longer hold his tongue, "stop it Morgana. He's not magic," he demanded, wanting to end his friends suffering.

The fifth lash came down and Arthur couldn't help himself, he had to do something. "Leave him Morgana. Stop it!" He couldn't bear Merlin's screams. His pain. He didn't deserve it. No one did.

The sixth came down, drawing another red line across Merlin's back. The pain on his face was too much for the Knights they all started protesting. "What do you want to know Morgana? The tunnels, battle plans, keys?" Arthur begged. He had to make Morgana stop. He had to.

Morgana didn't hear the Knights protests . She whipped Merlin again his face twisted in pain and his brain couldn't handle it anymore, he blacked out. Arthur felt relieved ; at least now the servant was no longer in pain.

Morgana raised the whip again.

"No!" Cried all the Knights. Eighth time; his whole body jerked but he gave no other response.

"Just checking he really had blacked out," Morgana innocently explained.

"He's unconscious!" Gwaine protested.

"It's Merlin!" Arthur exclaimed.

Morgana just smiled and walked up to Merlin. She whispered something and her eyes flashed gold. Merlin's eyes could open. Morgana had healed him enough to wake up. But only just. Pain was all too clear on his face. "Are you magic?" Morgana demanded.

Merlin didn't look aware enough to speak, instead he shook his head.

"Stop, Morgana!" Arthur cried as she raised the whip again.

She completely ignored him, if anything she brought the whip down harder.

Merlin screamed again before he fell back unconscious.

Morgana healed him again. Asked him about magic, and then whipped him again when he didn't answer.

She kept repeating this pattern.

Heal. Ask. Whip.

"Please stop, Morgana," Arthur begged.

Heal. Ask. Whip.

"No! Stop it! Please, stop!"

Heal. Ask. Whip.

All this time Merlin denied having magic. The stubborn idiot said no.

Heal. Ask. Whip.

Merlin kept screaming before blacking out.

Heal. Ask. Whip.

Merlin now had no less than fifteen lash marks down his back. All bleeding. All still dripping blood. The Knights were begging for Morgana to stop. All pleading. All desperate for Morgana to stop. For her stop hurting Merlin.

Arthur knew that Merlin was in intense pain. Uther had ordered public floggings of people who couldn't pay their taxes before. They had screamed. They had been in pain. Arthur remembered all too well. They could normally only handle around five lashes. He heard stories of the best and bravest Knights only being able to take twenty. And there was Merlin at fifteen already.

Merlin was so brave and strong. Normally he wouldn't admit that to himself. Not any more, Arthur decided. If we make it through this then I'll tell him. He deserves to know how important he is.

###

Elizabeth could only listen to Merlin's screams of pain. She felt guilty that she was glad Morgana's attention was off her. It could have been her crying out like that.

Even worse were the others begging Morgana to stop. To save their friend. It made no difference.

She decided to help them, if she could.