I'M SUPERDUPER SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT :(
I got really sick (like i had to get medicine from the doctor) and then i went away on vacation and then I just wasn't happy with anything i wrote :(
but here's the next chapter :)
PLEASE REVIEW :)
P.S. THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed/favourited/alerted! you are a star! :D
Save Me
Chapter Five
to protect: to defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss, annoyance,insult, etc.; to cover or shield from danger
When they were finished eating, the door of the cell opened again, and a guard walked in.
"Time to work." He announced.
"What are we doing?" Arthur asked warily.
"Don't ask questions!" The guard snapped, as Aric quickly scrambled up and headed out the door with Joel following. Caillen heaved himself off the bed with a groan, and limped out of the room. Merlin followed Arthur out the door.
They walked down the narrow, dimly lit hallway, and Merlin glanced into the other cells. He could see that they were all the same as the cell he was in, though some seemed in worse conditions.
He followed Arthur up the steep stairs towards a large, wooden door at the top. The guard in front pushed it open and Merlin squinted at the sudden bright light. He stepped out into the courtyard, which looked even more dismal with the harsh glare of sunlight highlighting its emptiness.
Merlin followed the group to join a much larger one at the base of the stairs leading into the castle.
"Good morning." Dominic called for attention, and the crowd went silent. Obviously, they were all used to this. "Group A will head out to a new site to gather rock for the rebuilding of our back wall. Group B will help cook and set up for a feast tonight in honour of Nigel's return. Group C will spend the day as normal, cleaning the castle."
The men in the large group separated, with the strong, muscular men heading to the entrance of the outer wall where guards were waiting, and the other, smaller men heading back inside the castle.
Dominic walked over to Arthur and Merlin.
"I'm assigning you to Group A," he spoke to Arthur. "Head out with them. You'll be breaking pieces of rock to bring back to our castle. It will take the whole day."
"What about Merlin?" Arthur asked.
"He can join Group C since he's a servant," Dominic replied. "Group A is leaving now."
Arthur didn't move. "Yes, he's a servant, but that doesn't mean he should be punished for amusement. I know how servants get treated by other people."
Dominic studied Arthur. "I can't promise you anything."
Merlin rolled his eyes. "Arthur, I'll be fine."
Arthur ignored him. "At least give him a job where he won't meet many of your friends."
Dominic's eyes slid to Merlin. "Fine."
Arthur nodded, though not completely satisfied, and turned to Merlin. He clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't do anything stupid."
Merlin blinked, and then adopted a mock-hurt expression. "Oh, I really thought you had changed Arthur. I mean, how am I supposed to have confidence in myself-"
"Shut up, Merlin." Arthur snapped, but the sides of his mouth lifted into a grin. "Be careful."
"I will," Merlin promised, understanding Arthur's seriousness.
Dominic had kept his word to Arthur, leaving Merlin to give his chambers a thorough cleaning. Merlin hadn't minded – he was able to have some time to himself – but he was confused as to why Dominic was almost … helping them. Kidnappers and bandits did not cater to the needs of the prisoners. They were supposed to make his and Arthur's lives hell, actually.
Overall, it was very weird and worth investigating.
A sudden knock on the door brought Merlin out of his thoughts and scrubbing the floor. He blinked at the sound of the excited three knocks, and turned when the door opened.
"Dominic-!"
It was the woman from the courtyard yesterday. Not the first one – the crazy one – but the second woman – Rose – who had put herself between her son and Nigel and had been slapped for it.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she apologized, blushing at her enthusiastic entry. "I heard noise and thought Dominic was … anyway, do you know where he went?"
Merlin shrugged. "Sorry. I think he might've said something about going to check on the other groups."
"Oh," Rose sighed. "It could take all day to find him then."
Merlin nodded, and then turned back to scrubbing the floor. He expected her to leave, and then he could return to his thoughts. Dominic really was an interesting person. Maybe since he was so willing to help-?
"Are you alright?"
Startled, Merlin turned again, not expecting Rose to still be in the room.
"I'm sorry?"
"Are you alright?" Rose repeated. "Dominic told me – I mean, I heard about your injury."
Merlin subconsciously rubbed his chest where the sword had wounded him. It was better now that it had been wrapped up, but it was still very likely that it could be infected. And it still hurt.
"I'm fine," Merlin said, hoping his dismissal didn't sound rude.
Rose bit her lip. "I could help you. Heal it, I mean."
Merlin blinked, and then finally stood, realizing this conversation was probably going to be longer than he anticipated.
"Look, Rose," Merlin glanced down at the bucket of water and dropped the rag into it. Rose looked startled that he knew her name. "It's kind of you, but I don't really think that's a good idea. I don't really have a reason to trust you, do I?"
Rose smiled in understanding. "Merlin, I know you saw me in the courtyard last night. That alone should tell you that I do not agree with Nigel."
"You married him." Merlin said bluntly.
"Not by choice." Rose bit her lip, evidently not meaning to let the conversation become so personal. "But I really do want to help you. I'm trained in the art of healing. It's something I'm good at."
Merlin studied her. Rose was very different from the others in Andsaca. Not only in appearance, but in nature. She opposed Nigel's character in every way. She was awkward – he could tell from her stumbling over words – and she genuinely wanted to help. It all came together under her defiant character he had seen in the courtyard the previous night.
"Alright." Merlin conceded.
Rose's entire face lit up as she grinned in happiness. "Brilliant!"
Merlin chuckled and Rose turned to close the door behind her. She looked a little nervous.
"I know that in Camelot, some practices are forbidden," she started, moving closer to Merlin. "But in Andsaca, magic is allowed."
"You have magic?" Merlin blurted out before he could stop himself.
"Yes," Rose seemed to stand straighter and taller, despite being half a foot shorter than Merlin. "I have magic. My father taught me the ways of the Old Religion."
"Oh," Merlin nodded his head. "That's … brilliant."
Rose laughed and relaxed slightly. "Magic isn't evil, you know. It can be used for good. Magic is a tool, just like a sword. It's the intent of the person behind the magic that determines whether the act is good or evil. Like now, I'm healing you. Is that evil?"
Merlin shook his head and suppressed the urge to laugh as he was lectured about magic.
"You ought to tell your King that. Magic can be used for good." Rose said vehemently.
Merlin opened his mouth – he wasn't quite sure how to answer – but Rose slumped slightly.
"It wouldn't matter any way; he would never change the laws." Rose's voice was quiet, and Merlin got the feeling that he was left behind in the conversation.
"Alright," Rose seemed to remember herself and clapped her hands together while straightening up. "Let's get you healed."
She lifted his shirt and let out a little squeak at the sight of the wound. Alarmed, Merlin looked down, but it looked exactly as it had looked in the morning.
"Sorry," Rose apologized. "I just hate what Nigel does. This seems so tame compared to others I've seen."
Merlin didn't really know how to answer, so he stayed silent.
Rose lifted her hand and placed it over his wound, and then started chanting. Her eyes flashed gold, and Merlin sucked in a sharp breath as his skin was woven back together and the wound shut. All that was left was a thin white line against his skin.
Merlin examined it with his eyes and fingers, and then dropped his shirt back down.
"Thank you," he said gratefully.
Rose smiled. "You're welcome." She said sincerely.
She turned to leave, but Merlin stopped her by calling her name.
"Yes?" She turned back around.
"What exactly does Nigel want?" Merlin asked. "I don't think we were taken to lug rock all day or clean the castle."
Rose shook her head. "No, you're right. That's not why Nigel brought you back here."
"So what will happen to us?"
Rose bit her lip. "Nigel uses prisoners for entertainment. He forces them to fight in a caged ring while he watches. Sometimes it's two men, sometimes it's against savage animals, and sometimes it's many men against each other."
"So he's going to force me and Arthur to fight other prisoners." Merlin sighed. This had no possible good ending.
"Yes." Rose said. "Well, no … you may not have to."
"What do you mean?" Merlin asked, wary.
"Arthur's already shown his protectiveness for you, and that could potentially save you, because as long as you aren't hurt, Arthur will fight." Rose explained.
Merlin's eyes grew wide. "No. I'd rather fight and keep Arthur safe-"
"Merlin, Dominic's already spoken to Nigel on Arthur's behalf. Nigel has agreed for now to not touch you. This is a good thing." Rose smiled.
"How could this possibly be a good thing?" Merlin exclaimed. "Arthur could die! And knowing that it happened because he didn't want me to get hurt makes it all the worse! I need to talk to Dominic. He needs to tell Nigel I will fight instead."
Rose shook her head and Merlin saw tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry Merlin. But Nigel knows that he'll get a better fight out of Arthur and he can bend Arthur to his will; he just has to threaten your safety."
Merlin gripped his hair and turned his back to Rose, growling slightly at the injustice of the situation.
"What else?" Merlin asked after a couple of minutes.
"Sorry-?" Rose questioned.
"What else does Nigel do? I've heard about his 'breaking' method." Merlin clarified.
"Oh yes. That." Rose averted her eyes from Merlin. "Nigel likes to break people. It's his favourite thing to do. So I wouldn't be surprised if he tries it with you and Arthur."
"I don't understand. How does he do it?" Merlin needed to know.
Rose was quiet, and then she spoke. "Once, there was this prisoner. He was big and strong, even at fourteen. He had been taken from his family in Cenred's kingdom. Despite everything, he was still hopeful that he would escape and he had a will of steel. I thought he couldn't be broken. Nigel tried a lot, but nothing seemed to break him. He always bounced back to his normal self. But then Nigel got an idea. He met with Cenred, who agreed to kidnap the boy's mother. He also knew that the boy was quite close to one of the servant's, who was really weak and sick. So the next time the boy had to fight, Nigel presented his mother in the arms of Cenred. I've never seen a boy so enraged. And then Nigel said, you either kill your friend or I kill your mother. So the boy killed his friend. And then Cenred killed his mother anyway, right in front of his face. And then the boy was broken."
Merlin stood in silence, almost in a state of not comprehending. No, more like a state of not wanting to comprehend. Could they do that to Arthur? He didn't care about himself, but there was no way he would let them break Arthur …
But they knew that Arthur cared about Merlin.
Merlin clenched his fist.
And now he had to find a way to protect Arthur while not being in the room.
Rose bit her lip again and then stated that she should go.
Merlin nodded and Rose left the room.
First Dominic and now Rose.
It was weird indeed.
A/N: please review! I really want to know what you think :)