Chapter 2
Arthur
"Father! You can't be serious?! That clumsy fool is my new servant?!" I plead with my father, trying to make him see reason. But he is a very stubborn man.
"Arthur, my word is final." He says firmly. "Come on, I am having him flogged. That should be a good show!" He has a wicked gleam in his eye. "That will be a fitting punishment, for now. At least, until I give him my special treatment." I feel as though he is talking to himself, more than he is to me, so I don't answer back.
I cannot seem to get that man, that Merlin, out of my mind. When he fell on me, for a moment, I imagined what it would be like to have him on his back, writhing under me, begging for more. I quickly dismiss these thoughts, horrified with myself. I try to think of something else, anything else, but my thoughts keep going back to him.
Lost in thought, I do not realize that we have stopped walking, and nearly crash into my father. I see that a large crowd is gathered around a tall post. Then I notice a man tired to that post, Merlin. His shirt is off exposing the pale, scarred skin on his back, I realize that this is not the first time he has been flogged.
"He is very beautiful, despite the scars." I think, realization dawns, and a quick burst of anger floods my body. Uther is the one that cause those scars, he is the one that marred the otherwise perfect skin. Anger boiling, I try to calm myself, he could have deserved his beating. Somewhere inside of me, I this is not true, but I have to believe that it is. My father wouldn't inflict punishment without reason. Would he?
I know what I must do, I must harden my heart to this man. "After all, he is just a servant, its not like we will be friends, he must hate me." I think to myself, hoping that this isn't true, but needing it to be.
"Commence," my father says, with a bored tone. I am jerked out of my thoughts just in time to see the first lash land on Merlin's back.
Merlin
After my 'run in' with Arthur, I quickly continued on my way to Gaius' chambers, hoping Uther would forget about the beating I was promised. Twenty lashes, bare back! I shuddered, and hoped I would be lucky enough to get to Gaius without being stopped. I saw two guards approaching me, without thinking, I begin to run, but the guards caught me. I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head, and that was the last thing I knew.
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When I awoke, I was tied to a post, stripped down to only my trousers. A crowd is gathered around me, jeering with unfriendly looks on their faces. I discreetly tug on my bonds, desperate for escape, but they do not yield. Defeated, my legs gives out, and I let the ropes hold my weight, awaiting my punishment.
I hear Uther, give the command, and I pull myself up, hands tightening on the ropes. I try to steel my back against the pain, though I know it will not help. I promise myself that I will not cry out, that I will not show weakness, Uther preys on the weak.
The first lash snakes across my back, leaving fire in its wake. My back arches, and I have to bite my lip to keep from crying out. The second lash comes before I have a chance to brace myself again. The force is so hard that I am thrown against the post I am tired to. I hear a crack and I know one of my ribs has just broken. The third and fourth lashes are much the same, I try to pivot my body so I do not hit the post again.
I am lost in a blur of pain, but I have yet to cry out. On the tenth lash, tears are streaming down my face, and blood down my back. I hear the whip crack, but before the blow is delivered, I hear someone scream, "STOP!" I turn my head to see who it is, and I feel the lash bite my cheek. I cry out as agony wracks my body, tears fall onto my chest in bloody rivers.
I hear the sound of fighting behind me, but it seems a million miles away. I feel someone gingerly touch my shoulder, and I use the last of my strength to turn my head towards my savior. I see Arthur's face, then everything goes dark.
Arthur
As I see the first lash hit Merlin's back, it is almost more than I can bear. Lash after lash, I suffer in silence, wanting more than anything to rush to his side, and embrace him. "What is happening to you? wanting to embrace another man?" The voice in my head, that sounds very much like my father's voice, says in disgust. I ignore it, and continue watching Merlin, unable it tear my eyes away from the horror before me.
When I see Merlin's body heaving, and his face lined with tears, I react without thinking. "STOP!" I yell, surprising all the spectators, and myself. Merlin turns his face, and is struck on the cheek. He cries out, blood rushing from his face, he falls against the post, the pain too much for him. The man raises his whip again, but it never touches Merlin, it never will again. I rush towards the man and wrestle with whip from his hand. He is surprised, but quickly recovers, and run at me, rage visible in his eyes. I move at the last moment and use the handle of the whip to knock him out.
I quickly move to Merlin's side, gently touching his shoulder. He slowly turns his head, and I look into his blue eyes. His eyes close, and he goes limp. I untie him, and pick him up, carrying his limp form in my arms. My father looks at in disgust, hate clear in his eyes, everyone else looks on with shock, unsure of what to do, or say. Uther looks away, and smiles at the people, "Its seems my son has had too much to drink!" He laughs.
The others start to depart, nervous and unsure of what to do next. No one wants to be around my father when he is angry. I look away, and carry the smaller man to Gaius' chambers.
When I arrive, Gaius wastes no time, and begins to bandage Merlin as soon as we lay him down on the table. He is too preoccupied with Merlin to notice me, and I can tell I am only getting in the way. I start to slip out, when he turns to me and says, "Thank you," with obvious relief.
"For what?" I ask unable to help myself, "I only carried him here, I did nothing else."
He smiled a sad smile, "One of his ribs is broken, is he had stayed on that post, he could have punctured a lung. You might have saved his life, Arthur. He is like a son to me." he whispers, "I wouldn't know what to do if anything happened to him."
"I am not my father." I say, mostly to myself, Hoping that its true.
"No," Gaius agrees," You are kind." Before I can respond, he turns back to Merlin. I realize that I am being dismissed, and turn and walk out the door. I dread the talk I know I will have to have with my father.