Merlin and Arthur had picked their way to a far corner of the dungeon and were huddled there, avoiding eye contact with the other soon to be slaves. Half of them seemed to have been there a while, unable to be sold. They stood out because they, quite honestly, were scary. They had that undefinable air of being people to avoid. Arthur supposed that was why they were not yet sold. Maybe it was a tactic, though why anyone would want to stay here was beyond him. The others looked new, scared, probably how Merlin and Arthur looked.
Merlin, unlike Arthur, hadn't done much observing since they found their corner. He felt too awful. The biggest thing on his mind was his thirst. Neither of them had had anything to drink since the previous morning, two whole days ago. Merlin's head was aching even worse than when he had been hit with the hilt of Aiden's sword. He felt weak and almost like throwing up. He was hungry too, but if he was currently faced with a choice between a ham or a glass of water, he'd pick the water.
Arthur didn't feel too good either, but he'd been trained how do deal with torture and part of that included how to handle being deprived of food and water. Arthur noticed Merlin lean his head against the wall and turned to look at him more closely. He was so pale he was almost translucent and he was shaking ever so slightly.
"It's a lot warmer here than where we were last night" observed Arthur, trying to distract Merlin from whatever it was that was making him so sickly. It was cold in the cell, but nowhere near as cold as it was last night. The guards outside the bars had torches and the thick walls did their part to ease the freezing winter temperatures.
"Hmm" Merlin replied, trying not to move his head too much by talking.
Arthur looked around, thinking. He wasn't good at trying to cheer Merlin up.
"I'm sure everything's going to be fine" Arthur had settled on reassurement, who didn't love to be reassured? Merlin nodded his head, though the gesture was so small that Arthur didn't see it. All Arthur saw were Merlin's eyes clouding over. Oh no, thought Arthur, I've made him cry.
But Merlin wasn't crying, he was thinking, trying to figure out a way to make everything fine again. However it isn't easy trying to scheme when a timpani has taken up residence in your head.
Arthur realised Merlin, thankfully, hadn't started crying. This, however, didn't seem to make Arthur feel much better. He hated when Merlin was upset, it just wasn't right. Merlin was meant to be a smiling, loyal, idiot.
Mercifully, at that moment a small opening in the cell door was creaked open by a guard who pushed a pail of water and some cups into the dungeon.
Merlin knew he should drink, but suddenly the thought of putting anything in his stomach nauseated him. Besides, Merlin didn't think moving was such a great idea right now.
"Great! Water" Arthur said, standing up to go and get a cup. When Arthur had stood up he looked around at eye level, expecting Merlin to be there, and finally his eyes travelled down to where Merlin was curled, unmoving against the wall.
"Come on, aren't you thirsty?" Arthur was just as unobservant as always.
"Could you get me some?" Merlin managed to choke out through his dry throat and mouth.
Arthur was tempted to look offended at being told to do something by his servant, years of Uther's influence he guessed. But Arthur had finally realised what was wrong with Merlin and felt ashamed for not realising it earlier. Merlin shouldn't have had to ask.
Arthur hurried over and brought back two cups full to the brim with water. Before Arthur allowed Merlin to drink he warned,
"I know you'll want to down this in one, but you have to drink it slowly" Merlin looked annoyed with Arthur for not just giving him the cup, he was the physicians ward, of course he knew that! However, when Arthur handed Merlin the cup and the first drop hit his tongue he almost spat it out. Merlin felt so sick at the thought of drinking the water his stomach heaved and he almost threw up. Merlin slowly forced himself to drink the water and the more he drank, the more ravenous he became. Each gulp caused Merlin's head to throb, but he didn't care. As it was, drinking the water slowly became almost agonising, he so badly just wanted to down it in one.
Arthur watched Merlin carefully the entire time, knowing exactly what was happening inside his friends head, unbeknownst to him, for the first time. When Merlin had finished he looked much better. More colour had returned to his cheeks and he had stopped shaking. It also didn't look like his head needed the wall for support any longer.
"Would you like some more?" Arthur asked with concern. Merlin looked slightly taken aback at being waited on by his master, but mostly grateful to have such an attentive friend by his side.
"I don't know, is there enough?" Merlin replied, glancing over as a group of the scary prisoners started gathering around the remnants of the pail, glaring at each other.
"There is for me" and with that Arthur stood up and marched over to the group around the pail with such authority that they scattered away from him. He scooped up the pail and headed straight back to Merlin, leaving everyone to wonder what exactly had just happened.
"You do realise they hate you now" Merlin muttered with an impressed smile on his face.
"I don't care" replied Arthur, handing Merlin the pail "Besides, they weren't actually drinking the water, they were just hovering around it like a murder of crows". Merlin tipped up the pail and drank the last dregs with a smile on his face.
Now having had their thirst quenched, both boys realised just how tired they were. Arthur was getting stared daggers by the hoverers and Merlin was getting his fair share too from drinking the water Arthur had taken, however neither of them felt particularly threatened. Despite having world class death glares, the murder of crows didn't seem particularly threatening, especially with a couple of guards outside who didn't want to see potential profits damaged.
So Arthur and Merlin leaned in on each other and fell asleep almost instantly.
Merlin awoke with a plan fully formed in his head; well it was sort of a plan. Merlin knew Barabbas had a specific buyer in mind for Arthur, so all Merlin had to do was be as awful as possible to avoid being sold until this buyer showed up. He would then act like the perfect slave and then perhaps they would both be sold together. It was a long shot, but it was all Merlin could come up with without exposing his magic.
Arthur's mind too seemed to have been thinking while he rested. His plan was simply to request Merlin be a part of whatever deal was struck in relation to Arthur. It seemed Arthur was not quite as pessimistic as Merlin, he just assumed no one would buy Merlin before then; he was an awful servant. He had also never found it difficult to negotiate deals, so he was quite confident.
With this new found optimism about their situation, Arthur suddenly found himself more hungry than he could ever remember being. He looked towards the small flap in the door where the guards had delivered the water earlier and found a platter with apple cores and banana skins decorating its surface. Arthur felt his empty stomach drop; they had missed the food while they had been sleeping.
"Damn it!" Arthur muttered, punching the wall beside him. He regretted it instantly; the rough stone had made his knuckles begin to bleed. Arthur knew he was lucky not to have broken his hand. He felt extremely foolish.
"Woah!" Merlin exclaimed in surprise at his friend's sudden outburst. "See. I told you that you get grumpy when you haven't eaten" Merlin stated, annoying Arthur even further.
"Shut up Merlin. I'm in no mood for jokes" Arthur grumpily replied.
"Yes, I can see that, but really; what did that wall do that was so bad as to make you hit it?" Merlin teased, knowing that at any minute Arthur would have a sudden urge to throw something at him. Merlin knew exactly how to cheer Arthur up.
Arthur's face was screwed up in a mixture of annoyance and an attempt not to laugh as he lightly whacked Merlin around the ears, careful to avoid the spot he knew Aiden had hit with his sword.
As Merlin rubbed his head with a goofy grin spread across his face, everyone in the dungeon suddenly looked up as the sound of gates opening and many men approaching met their ears.
The two boys got to their feet as Barabbas and about twenty of his men came to a stop outside their cell door.
"Okay, you know the drill" Barabbas' voice echoed around the cell walls "Stand with your hands against the back wall". Everyone moved as instructed, Arthur and Merlin too. The cell door opened and they heard the men enter with what sounded like chains. Sure enough, the next thing they saw was one of the men reach forward and clamp manacles around their wrists. They were all connected by a long chain.
They were then marched out of the cell, shuffling due to the restricted movement of all being connected as they were; one in front of the other. They ended up back in the same throne room like space Arthur and Merlin had been in the previous day, however this time it was filled with people. Some of them looked very rich and luxurious, wearing silk and bright colours; while others looked mean and dangerous, wearing leather and shades of black.
The line of prisoners was positioned at the front of the room, so that the potential customers could assess what was currently on offer and compare. Merlin thought it would be like some kind of auction where each servant was put up for bid, one at a time; however he suddenly noticed that Barabbas was starting to show up a wealthy looking crone of a woman, dressed in a very elegant looking red gown.
"Now, Lady Penelope, we have many fine specimens today. Are you looking for anything in particular?" Barabbas spoke like a professional salesman.
"I was just looking for a nice young man to do some light jobs around the place" she croaked out "A bit of cooking, cleaning, nothing too difficult". Her eyes had settled on Merlin. Arthur started to panic, he hadn't thought anyone would give Merlin a second look but the first customer looked interested.
At that moment Merlin let out a huge belch. Everyone in the room turned to look at the source of the sound to which Merlin replied.
"What? You thought that was impressive? You're easily impressed aren't you? You bunch of wealthy pigs should be used to that sort of thing, surely?" Arthur was completely taken aback, but nothing like the woman who had been assessing Merlin. She looked as though someone had personally offended her mother, though if her mother was still alive it would be something of a miracle. Arthur finally understood what Merlin was trying to do.
"Oh my!" she gasped, turning to Barabbas "You do need to try and train them a bit before you try selling them" She lectured before turning to leave the room, not having purchased a single slave. Barabbas glared at Merlin before moving on.
Merlin continued to offend, disgust and simply become the most appalling purchase for the next half an hour, ensuring that he was not sold to a single soul. Even some of the prisoners who looked like they had been there forever were sold rather than Merlin. Arthur, of course, was "on hold" as Barabbas put it.
The next man to be shown to the stage by Barabbas had been up the back since they had entered the room. He stood out not only due to his height, muscles which could put Percival to shame and skin tight leather clothing, but he was also incredibly handsome. Even the men in the room seemed captivated by him, even if it was just out of jealousy.
Barabbas seemed particularly interested in pleasing this customer as he turned up the sales charm and welcomed his friend warmly.
"So, Liam, you've seen everything you wanted?" Barabbas asked. The man had obviously been up the back observing the slaves.
"Yeah, now let me get my hands on this little king" The man's deep voice seemed to stab Merlin right in the gut. He had intended to act the perfect slave for this man, to be sold with Arthur, but the man had been standing up the back the entire time. There was no way they would be sold together.
Didn't really intend on ending the chapter right there but it was threatening to become a monster chapter! :P
Again, thank you so much to everyone who has favourited, followed and reviewed. It leaves me grinning from ear to ear and motivates me to write even more. I honestly didn't think I would have the time to write a second chapter and here is chapter three less than a week later! It's all because of you guys so keep it up! :)