Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to review *blanches* but here, take a chapter and... *waves hand*

I haven't had a lot of inspiration lately, but I just... needed to write this. So, here you go. Enjoy~

Merlin

Merlin woke up to a slow but painful pounding in his head, a bitter taste in his mouth, and a fairly significant amount of pain burning in his wrists.

He opened his eyes, and then regretted it, because the light was painful and he certainly didn't need any more of that. Hesitant now, he slowly opened one eye - his left one - and then, straightening himself and slowly pulling his legs into a standing position, he opened his right eye as well, and looked around.

The room was small, about the size of his room in Camelot, and it was tall. His eyes skimmed across the ceiling, taking in the crumbling stone and the only source of light, two small windows. He squinted, and wished he was higher, so that he could see the outside, maybe even see where they were. Although how that would help him, he didn't know - it wasn't as if he was going to be moving anytime soon. Half-heartedly, he tugged at the chains on his wrists, wincing as the cold metal pressed into his raw skin. No, that was most definitely not a good idea.

Licking his lips, Merlin tried to remember how he'd gotten there. He'd been in a clearing, and there were bandits... He frowned, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head as he tried to recall the chain of events. He'd used his magic, and he was winning, and then there had been Arthur on the ground with a sword to his neck and then the pain exploded in his head and then-

Suddenly, Merlin realized what was missing. Arthur. That foolish prat, he'd gotten them both captured, and chained to a wall, and who knew what was going to happen to them now? When he saw the insolent blonde, Merlin would most certainly be giving him a piece of his mind. Where was he, anyways? Merlin's blood ran cold at the thought of the sword that had almost sliced through Arthur's skin, and silently, he prayed that his friend was all right.

A low groan from behind him startled Merlin out of his quiet thinking, and, sucking in a breath, Merlin turned his neck in an attempt to find the source. He knew even before he looked, even though he was desperately hoping that he was wrong. Maybe he'd escaped, maybe he'd run, maybe they'd just taken Merlin and he'd managed to-

But at the sight of very blonde hair and a very red shirt, Merlin's hopes were shattered. Arthur was right next to him, similarly chained in a fashion that couldn't be very comfortable - Merlin would know, his own shoulders were still aching - and he looked very much unconscious. Merlin stared at Arthur, expression unreadable as he tried to find any injuries on his friend's body. Finding none - save a small cut on his neck and what was going to be a very painful headache when he woke up - Merlin turned away from Arthur, instead deciding to focus on their cell and any possible way to escape. It wouldn't do him any good to just hang there; if Arthur was just going to sleep, then he may as well try and get himself associated with the cave.

By now, his wrists were really hurting, and his shoulders were killing him. More than anything, Merlin wanted to be able to get those cuffs off - that, and a glass of water. His throat was incredibly dry and, dread beginning pool in his stomach, Merlin wondered how long they'd been unconscious for. As he shifted, trying to get at least some of the weight off his shoulders, he remembered the last time he'd been chained like this. Merlin's blood ran cold.

No, he thought, almost frantic now as his eyes flitted around the cold, dark cell, No, there's no way she's the one who did, this, she couldn't, I would have known, I would have sensed her there, I-

The door creaked open, and Merlin's eyes snapped up to watch the figure enter. Black ratty hair, a dirty ripped dress, and eyes, hungry, desperate eyes, took Merlin in, something in them akin to how a hunter looks at his prey.

Holding his head a bit higher - he would not be weak in front of her - Merlin raised his chin in a simple act of defiance as he stared down the sorceress.

Morgana Pendragon's lips curled upwards in a smirk, and then everything was on fire and his head was killing him, and the world blossomed into darkness.

Arthur

Arthur awoke to a pounding head, aching wrists, and the feeling of sharp nails being dragged against his skin.

Instantly, his eyes snapped open and he straightened his back, barely managing to conceal a wince as he moved his shoulders, changing positions - how long had he been asleep for? A long time, obviously, if it hurt to even move.

Arthur looked around the cell, eyes squinting as he tried to adjust to the light. He'd completely forgotten about the nails - that is, until he felt them pause on his cheek and he froze, remembering.

"Hello, brother dear." Morgana Pendragon's voice echoed through the cave, too high and too sweet to fool him into thinking that anything was normal.

Then again, everything about Morgana had ceased to be normal when she'd started trying to kill him.

"Morgana." His voice was tight, he swallowed, struggling to control his emotions. "Why did you bring me here?"

"You mean 'us'," She purred, and then she was standing in front of him, fingers still trailing down his cheek, "Although, your little friend didn't manage to stay awake long enough to talk with us," her voice dripped with contempt, "Pity."

Arthur tensed involuntarily, and though he hated that he'd let her get to him, he couldn't help it when his eyes scanned the small cell. In front of him, strung up in a similar fashion and very much not awake, was Merlin.

"What did you do to him?" Arthur turned to look Morgana in the eye, trying push down the rising panic. He would not be afraid of her. She'd already taken so much - she wouldn't get his fear, too. "He's just a servant." Please don't see the lie.

"Oh, that's right," Morgana laughed, and the sound was so wrong that Arthur wished he could cover his ears and leave and maybe even cry, because she was his sister. His little sister, who used to chase him around and play with dirt and laugh and cry and tease him.

And now she'd hung them up in a cave, and Arthur didn't even recognize her.

Truthfully, he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

"He's just a servant. How could I forget?" And then she smiled, and opened her mouth. "Guards!"

Immediately, the cell door opened and two heavily armed, muscled men stepped in. In a fashion that Arthur could only describe as lazily, Morgana gestured at Merlin, raised her eyebrows, and said,"Kill him."

"No!" Arthur couldn't stop himself from lunging forward, ignore the pain as it shot up his arm. "Don't touch him!"

"But Arthur," Morgana cooed, putting up a hand to stop the guards from stepping forward. "He's just a servant!"

Arthur didn't answer, and, with a laugh, Morgana waved away the guards and stepped closer to him.

"Sleep well, brother." Her voice whispered, and he felt her breathing, slow and warm, in his ear as he felt himself drifting off to sleep.

"You'll be seeing me again very, very soon."

So? Is it good? Did I do it right? All follows/favorites are so appreciated, and if you can take some time to review, it'd make my day. Thanks for being so patient with this chapter!

xx, Cathywren