Summary: Something is rotten in the state of Camelot. A love story.
The Worm In The Bud (Part 5: Torture) by frostygossamer
As soon as Arthur left the throne room, Uther called in his guards. He commanded them to go straight away and round up Arthur's friends. The very few that his spies had reported to him. He intended to make an example. Arthur wouldn't thwart his plans again.
Arthur deliberately had few people he cared about. There was Arthur's only surviving nurse, the blacksmith who had played with Arthur as a boy, Guinevere, the girl he'd been noticed smiling at, and, of course, Merlin, his personal servant. But Uther spared Gaius, whom he trusted, as a stooge.
Uther's guards pounced on their victims, and dragged them off to the dungeons, where they were chained in a row, in manacles. Guinevere began to cry.
"Arthur always told me this would happen", she wept. "I rue the day that I laid eyes on Arthur Pendragon. He was right. I should have shut my eyes and turned my back on him, just as everyone else did."
Merlin was saddened by her words. "Guinevere, don't blame yourself for your tender heart", he said. "You love Arthur. We all do. You would have hated yourself if you hadn't tried to help him. None of this is his fault."
Guinevere nodded sadly. "But I don't want to die, Merlin", she whimpered.
"Don't worry", he reassured her. "I won't let you."
He could feel his magic rising within him.
Arthur was sitting on his father's bed, waiting patiently for his punishment. He was still fully clothed. He didn't like to seem too eager, that would only have spoiled Uther's pleasure.
The door was flung open, and Uther stomped into the room. He was full of bile and it showed in his eyes.
"Arthur", he shouted. "You have defied me once too often."
He threw himself on his son, tearing at his clothes and forcing his savage lips against his.
Arthur was horrified. This wasn't part of the deal. Submission was one thing, rape was another. He automatically tried to fight back. That only made it worse.
Arthur was strong, but Uther was more than fit for his age, and he had the advantage of being fuelled by hate. He hurt Arthur. He hurt him badly.
Arthur struggled to breathe, as his father pressed his mouth on him, pushing his tongue down his throat, making him choke. Uther thrust into his body, hard and cruel. Arthur sobbed with the pain, gasping for air.
He wanted to call out, but he bit his tongue. The humiliation that anyone should know, anyone should see, would be even worse than that familiar pain.
Suddenly there was a yell, outside in the corridor. Heavy rapping sounded on the door.
A voice shouted, "Sire, come quickly, the castle is under attack."
When Merlin finally succumbed, it was the red-hot poker.
Uther's torturer was a burly man, with an ugly scar across one eye. Legend told that he had fought at Uther's side, when Uther had first taken Camelot. He was fiercely loyal and completely without compassion.
Merlin and the other captives watched, as the man lovingly turned his branding tools in the fire. This man enjoyed his work, but he got very little nowadays, what with peace and everything, only the occasional sorcerer.
The torturer took the poker, now glowing red-hot and smoking, and approached Guinevere. She shrank back in her chains, shivering with fear. He grabbed her chin and ghosted the cherry-red point across her sensitive little cheek.
Merlin rattled his manacles and growled. His magic was angry. He couldn't control it much longer and he didn't want to. The bastard looked at him and sneered. And that was it. Merlin let it rip.
Merlin's fetters burst into dust. He picked the torturer up with the power of one hand, and slammed him against the wall, shattering his bones and knocking him senseless. Guards rushed in and tried to restrain him, flying left and right. Merlin demolished the doors of the dungeons, with a wave of the hand, and crashed into the castle proper.
He stormed through Camelot's corridors, as guards, soldiers, knights rushed to apprehend him. All useless against his furious magic. They were thrown into the air, smashed against the walls, tossed out of the windows.
He cut his way through line after line of heavily armed men, inexorably to the throne room. The throne room where King Uther cowered, surrounded by his personal bodyguards, every man terrified by the mysterious attacker that approached them.
Merlin paused at the door of the throne room, and glowered up and down the passage, defying any left standing to interfere.
To the south stood Sir Leon, noble and true, no more loyal man in Camelot, and to the north the captain of the guard, stalwart and dutiful, ever unflinching in the service of his king, and behind them many trusty men awaiting their command.
Merlin's raw magic stared Leon and the captain in the eye. Each man quailed before the feral power they beheld. As one, they took a step backward. This battle was already lost.
Merlin blasted open the stout oak doors of the throne room and entered, surrounded by a blaze of light, his eyes aglow, his hand extended before him.
Uther quivered in his chair, close to wetting himself with fear. Then he saw his face, the face of Camelot's attacker, this one-man army, the face of his son's pathetic servant boy. And Uther laughed, laughed in his face.
Merlin faltered, confused just for a moment by Uther's totally off the wall reaction. He dared to laugh at him? Now?
As Merlin stopped to take one breath, Prince Arthur suddenly appeared between him and his goal, sword in hand. And Arthur was angry. Angry?
Of course Arthur was angry. What had his life been all about, if not to maintain the status quo? And Merlin had betrayed him, ruined it. You bet he was angry.
"No, Merlin", he cried, valiantly brandishing his blade. "I'm not going to let you do this. I'm not going to let you kill my king. Not for me. He has to live, Merlin, for Camelot. Without him there would be chaos."
Merlin lowered his hand and leant back, staring up at the ceiling, as if studying the plasterwork. A hush descended. After a moment's contemplation he turned his gaze back to Arthur.
"Very well, Arthur", he said, calmly. "Because I love you, I will let him live."
Arthur's sword slipped from his hand and clattered on the floor. Merlin loved him? He who wasn't fit to be loved? And he said it out loud without fear? That was the one riposte he was unprepared for.
Merlin was undaunted. He started an incantation, soft and low, rising to a resounding chant that echoed from the walls, and had the onlookers covering their ears.
His last word rang in the air like a bell. He had simply intoned, "Braes!", and when the crowd turned to look at Uther they were dumbstruck to see the man standing tall, arms outstretched, every inch a king, now made of bronze. His crown had slipped off, and was spinning to a stop on the ground.
Arthur's mouth fell open. "You promised, Merlin", he gasped.
"He isn't dead", Merlin stated flatly, and walked out of the room.
They set Uther's bronze 'effigy' on a plinth in the courtyard, for everyone to see. The citizens of Camelot gathered round to see what was going to happen next.
Merlin stood before the 'statue' and motioned to Arthur. Arthur approached uncertainly. He was baffled. Was Merlin his conqueror or his saviour? Had he lost or won?
"What do you want of me, Merlin?", he asked.
"I want you to embrace your birthright, Arthur", Merlin replied. "Your birthright as king of Camelot."
"Merlin", Arthur moaned. "I can't be king. I'm too weak. I'm not capable of ruling."
"You're the strongest man I've ever met, Arthur", Merlin said. "You have survived more than I ever could. You have been braver than any man in Albion. And you have willingly sacrificed yourself for your people. What better king could they want?"
Arthur bowed his head humbly.
"Kneel, Arthur Pendragon", Merlin ordered and, as he knelt, Merlin placed Uther's golden crown on his golden head.
The crowd erupted with applause.
"See", Merlin declared. "Your people love you, King Arthur."
Arthur stood and smiled on his people.
Then Merlin himself knelt before his king. "I, Merlin of Ealdor", he stated, "swear my lifelong allegiance to you, Arthur Pendragon, rightful King of Camelot", and he bowed his head.
Arthur smiled down on him and patted his shoulder. "I accept your allegiance, Merlin of Ealdor. And I hereby appoint you Royal Sorcerer to the Court of Camelot."
The crowd applauded again, communally sighing in relief that this powerful warlock was definitely on their side, this time.
Immediate orders were given to release the prisoners from the dungeons. Gaius was summoned, and was very thankful to be forgiven. And a great feast was announced.
TBC
A/N: A dramatic finale, lovely. Now read on for the epilogue and a bit extra.