Merlin was lost in a haze of pain. His back burned; each lash was worse than the last. He barely heard Morgana's questions anymore. He just shook his head and the whip would come back down again.

But he wasn't going to tell Morgana anything, wouldn't give her the satisfaction. Arthur didn't deserve to find out like this. It was his job to tell him, not Morgana.

That was the only thought that stayed with him. Through all the blackouts, that thought stayed with him. Arthur deserved to be told by him.

Finally Morgana had had enough of the whip. "Get the water," she ordered.

A nervous servant struggled into the cell carrying a large bucket of water. She glanced guiltily at Merlin before turning back out.

Merlin felt filled with dread as he looked from the water to Morgana.

Morgana's eyes flashed gold. And to Merlin surprise his hands fell free from the wall of the cell. But his wrists remained tied together.

With the shackles no longer taking his weight, Merlin sunk to the ground. Morgana grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled him up on to his knees.

"I know that you have magic, just admit it!" she hissed into Merlin's ear.

"No," Merlin managed to choke out.

Morgana then pushed Merlin's head into the water. It closed around him, filling his mouth, trying to choke him. He should have taken a deep breath, had no chance, his lungs now empty. He needed air. He tried to pull himself up but Morgana held him down. Then an impossibly long time later she finally dragged him up for air.

Merlin coughed and spluttered trying to remove the water and fill his lungs with air instead.

"Changed your answer?" Morgana asked, not expecting him to agree.

Merlin's only answer was more coughing. Morgana then dunked his head back into the water.

Morgana repeatedly almost drowned Merlin for over half an hour. To their horror, the Knights could only watch.

"Come on Merlin; I already know. Why go through all this pain when all you have to do is confess?" Morgana said sweetly.

"I'm not magic," Merlin repeated.

"This isn't working." Morgana's eyes flashed gold and the ropes fell from Merlin's wrists. "Change of tactics then." Merlin looked at her in surprise. His hands were free. What was she playing at? Her eyes flashed again and Arthur's shackles also unlocked, but his hands remained chained together.

Morgana then handed Merlin the whip she had just used on him. She stood on the chains tying Arthur's hands together, forcing Arthur down on to his hands and knees.

"Whip him." Morgana demanded.

"What?" Merlin asked, not believing what he heard.

"Whip him." Morgana repeated her command.

"No!" Merlin said in shock. "You can't think I'm going to do that?"

"I think you will... or I'm going to slit Sir Gwaine's throat." To demonstrate her dagger flew to Gwaine's neck, pressing hard against it.

"No! Please..." Having to choose between Arthur and Gwaine? He would do anything to protect Arthur, anything except sacrifice a friend.

"Well then," Morgana said with a smile. "Start talking."

"It's fine Merlin," Arthur said. Merlin knew that Arthur would happily risk his life for his knights.

But could Merlin do it? Could he bring a whip cracking down on his friend - the person he had risked so much for?

No.

"I do have magic." The words Merlin had only ever spoken in dreams and nightmares left his lips.

Morgana smiled. Results. Merlin was just too predictably loyal. "And how long have you had magic?"

Merlin paused. She would be furious if she learned that he had magic when she had struggled with her own magic. But how much did her informant know? How much of the truth should he tell? Only Gaius knew the whole truth about him. He should be able to smudge some details, but which ones? "I learnt it when I was in Ealdor, before I came to Camelot." Not a full lie.

Morgana looked surprised, "you have been lying this whole time? Nearly ten years?" A smile then crept across her face. "And you think I'm a traitor? But I have got a question, Merlin. You know that the law says that sorcery is punishable by death, so why are you so loyal to Arthur?"

Merlin stayed silent. How could he explain it? Sometimes he wished he wasn't so loyal, it would make things so much easier.

"Are you going to answer me or start whipping him?"

Merlin took a breath, "he's my friend and I believe in the future that he will build. Even though he hates everyone and everything to do with magic." Morgana smiled. She found his loyalty to Arthur funny. She thought he was too stupid to know otherwise.

"You're doing well Merlin, you're proving how stupid you are, but you're doing well. There's just one more thing I want to know. Who is Emrys?"

Merlin felt his stomach drop. Emrys. He looked into Morgana's eyes; there was a hunger for knowledge, a burning desperation to discover who Emrys was. She didn't know.

What should he tell her? A fake name? That would endanger the life of someone entirely innocent. The truth? Then Morgana would know the truth, and he would be lucky to keep his life. A white lie? He was very good at making half truths sound like the full story, he had lots of practise.

Merlin opened his mouth wondering which details to leave out and which to include. "He is a powerful old sorcerer that Gaius helps out now and then." Merlin settled on. Morgana already knew that Gaius knew, so he wasn't putting him in any more danger. He hoped.

"What's his name? Where can I find him?" Morgana demanded with a crazed note in her voice.

"I don't know, Gaius never told me." Merlin lied, hoping Morgana bought it.

She didn't.

"I think you do know," she whispered.

"I don't!" Merlin insisted with a real note of desperation in his voice. He glanced down at Arthur, he was still on the cold ground. Morgana was still standing on his bound hands. And Merlin felt sick. He was supposed to protect Arthur and now it was Merlin's fault he was in danger and Merlin could do nothing.

"Keep talking Merlin, or whip Arthur. Keep in mind that if you don't, handsome Gwaine will lose his head," Morgana warned. "Who is Emrys?"

Merlin closed his eyes. What to do?

"Because I am so considerate, I'll give you some extra incentive. You tell me the truth and I will let Arthur go free," Morgana teased.

Merlin sighed, if it meant Arthur went free he would tell; it was his job to protect the prince because of their destiny and their friendship. "I'm Emrys," Merlin whispered.

"How stupid do you think I am?" Morgana hissed.

Merlin looked up.

She didn't believe him. He had revealed himself to her and she thought he was lying. She should be furious. She should be trying to kill him. But instead Morgana stood in front of him still demanding the truth. A bit ironic really.

"Start flogging Arthur or I will kill Gwaine!"

He had nothing to give her. She didn't believe a servant could hold that much power, so he had nothing to give her. He had to whip Arthur. Or let Gwaine be murdered. Even though Arthur was his master, friend and destiny, he had to do it. He would never want one of his knights to die for him. And Merlin would never forgive himself if his friend was killed because of him. He hadn't forgiven himself for Will, for Freya or his father yet, he didn't want to add another name to the list.

"Do it." Arthur said, "it's fine."

Merlin raised the whip, hating himself already and brought it down on Arthur's exposed back.

And Arthur did nothing. He didn't cry out. He didn't yell. His body didn't tense up.

Nothing.

Merlin wondered if that was Arthur's training or if he didn't want to make this even worse for Merlin.

"Keep going." Morgana demanded.

He brought the whip down on Arthur again. Still he showed no signs of pain. The fifth time Merlin whipped Arthur he flinched.

He flinched slightly. His body jerked slightly.

And Merlin hated himself for it. His friend, the person he had - and would again - gone through hell for was in pain. Such pain that he could no longer hide it. And it was because of him.

Not only was he the one holding the whip, but he couldn't convince Morgana that he was Emrys.

He couldn't make this situation any better. There was nothing he could do except raise the whip again. He was supposed to be Arthur's protector, and he could do nothing for him. He couldn't help the tears sliding down his face. Every strike was worse than his own flogging had been. He wouldn't wish this situation on anyone.

"M-my lady," said a small voice at the door.

"What?" Morgana demanded.

"Someone is attacking the Castle."

"What!?" Morgana repeated.

"A… err big wave crashed into the west side and jets of water have been sent at the men," the voice explained quickly.

"Emrys coming to his king's rescue?" she asked, glancing at Merlin.

"No, I'm Emrys," Merlin stated. Half trying to convince her, half wanting her to leave them alone.

Sure enough this convinced Morgana even more and she quickly shoved Merlin and Arthur back into the wall and locked them up again then walked back out. With a triumphant smile.

Arthur watched Merlin. Now that they were both chained back up he could see just how much whipping him had effected Merlin. He had streaks of tears down his cheeks and a look of pure self-hate on his face.

Arthur felt bad for his friend. He was the most stupidly loyal person he knew. Following him into battles and suicidal missions with no armor and limited fighting skills, if any.

And Morgana had made him go against that loyalty. He had lied to her by saying he had magic. It scared Arthur that Morgana thought Merlin had magic, what would she do to him? Why was she so convinced he had magic? It was a ridiculous thought.

This was Merlin, not an evil bone in his body.

He wouldn't betray Arthur like that.