I have to say I wasn't expecting that much reaction to the last chapter but because of the people that wanted this to be a slash story it's not going to happen but I have made this chapter a little more intimate than planned (since it became an entire chapter!). There are many references to abuse and sex as probably expected.

Arthur curled up on the floor, by the side of the bed, the bare boards against his skin, making him shiver. He was not fit to be on the bed, unless someone of nobility lay with him. For now, he had been discarded. His body ached and throbbed in a wholly familiar way. The sounds of people had faded away and he could vaguely hear the birds as the roused with the sun. In his exhaustion he simply let the sounds drift over him, until a closer one roused him to attention.

"You can return him now."

Hands grabbed at him, taking a firm grip of his arms and dragging him up onto his feet. Arthur hung his head, only getting a brief glimpse of Bayard's boots and the tail end of his robes before the two men dragged him across the room and out into the corridor. Arthur struggled to keep himself upright, tripping over his own feet as they dragged him along. Limp with exhaustion he didn't pay much attention to their direction until one of them paused. The other one pulled Arthur's arm slightly as he took an extra step before halting.

"What?"

The first man hesitated before answering. "Well, we don't have to take him straight back do we?"

"What do you mean?"

"We could, you know, make use of him."

Arthur sensed the man shuffle sideways, looking his naked body up and down.

"No one will notice."

Arthur didn't move during the pause. The argument was valid, he could still feel semen trailing out of him, he was bloodied and bruised, and a little more wouldn't mean anything. Anything else would just be lost in what had already been.

It didn't surprise Arthur as they suddenly yanked him in a different direction, taking him down a corridor he didn't recognise. The lighting slightly dimmer, which eased Arthur's sore eyes. He didn't put up any resistance as they turned a corner and he got pulled to a halt again. The sound of a new set of footsteps caused him to lift his head, just to see who else might be joining in, and Arthur felt the pressure behind his eyes as they prickled with tears. Ones of mild relief.

Arthur could only describe the huge knight as one of the most welcome sights he had ever seen. Percival blocked the narrow corridor, glaring at the two men. Arthur closed his eyes, sagging in the soldier's grips as Percival assessed the scene.

"Are you lost?" he growled. "Because I think you'll find that the Dragonlord's apartments lie in the other direction."

The two men faltered, nerves causing them to tighten their grip on Arthur. As Percival stepped forward Arthur half hoped that Merlin's close friend would remove him from the soldiers and take him back, but Percival did no such thing. He was not about to let the two men off that easily. He could see the nerves in them, realising they had been caught out. Whether or not they intended to cause Arthur any real harm was inconsequential, they had intended something. Percival blocked the corridor in the direction they had intended to go, and he waited.

In the end, it gave them no choice, they turned round, dragging Arthur the other way, causing him to stumble again as they moved swiftly. Now they wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible. Percival strolled behind them grimly looking at the state Arthur was in. The Prince almost fell over, but the two guards hoisted Arthur up and kept him moving, almost dragging him up a flight of stairs.

He felt so exhausted Arthur could hardly lift his feet. But he now recognised where he was. Percival's dominating presence helping his thought processes unwind themselves. Arthur sagged again at the top of the stairs as another thought decided to present itself.

What if Merlin had been part of the plan? Arthur had no idea where Merlin had disappeared to that evening. He had just gone out, leaving Arthur a list of instructions. Had he been the one to allow Bayard and the others to use him?

Tears stung his eyes again, this time of mild panic. His breath hitched, throat burning as he inhaled. Arthur closed his eyes, a few tears leaking onto his cheeks. He took several short breaths to steady himself. The rebellious little thought remained, but Arthur couldn't believe it. Merlin had ensured no one had laid a hand on him.

Maybe that was why, the little thought added. He wanted him undamaged for the kings.

Arthur hardly registered the pause, as they reached Merlin's door, until the nearest soldier stepped forward, pulling Arthur's arm again, and he knocked on the dark wood, before turning the handle, getting a firmer grip of Arthur's upper arm and pulling him inside, while his comrade propped Arthur on the other.

They dragged Arthur into the room, pausing in the space just by the large table. The scrape of a chair made them both tense and they released Arthur, pushing him forward. Arthur looked up, and something inside him stirred.

It remained a little indefinable. He glanced at Merlin, who had been sat at the desk, but now walked around it. It was definitely the eyes that gave away his fury. The look was not the cold irritation that Arthur had become familiar with, and that he wasn't the only recipient of. Everyone received that look if they failed to reach Merlin's standards. This was something else entirely.

Merlin's blue eyes burned with intensity, making his face seem so white in comparison. The anger almost sparked off him as he glared at the two unfortunate men who had brought him back. That look caused the sudden germination of something in Arthur.

The push the soldiers gave him would normally cause Arthur to drop to the floor. A reaction that was born from years of training, with Arthur knowing it was the safest thing to do. This time, however, a feeling tensed inside him, strengthening his body. The effort almost sent him to the floor anyway, his trembling legs hardly able to hold him, but Arthur was good at enduring things when he had to, and he stayed standing. The defiance probably something that would go unnoticed by the people around him, but Arthur realised it and he knew why he was doing it.

He could hear the scuffling sounds of the soldiers getting out of the door, and Percival carefully closing it behind them, quite certain that too much noise would cause Arthur to crumble. He wobbled in exhaustion and he waited.

As Merlin passed the bed, he had dragged the quilted blanket off the top, the violent gesture pulled the other blankets into disarray, but Merlin didn't appear to notice. Carrying the blanket in his arms as he strode across the room and he flicked out the ends as he reached Arthur, wrapping it around his trembling shoulders.

Arthur winced as the material brushed against his sore backside, sending stinging pains across his skin. Merlin's arm stretched across his back to reach Arthur's far shoulder, and his other hand took a firm grip of the material as it draped across the front, to carefully pull it around him. Arthur felt his eyes droop and he rested his shoulder against Merlin's as his master pressed against him. Merlin's arms gently encircled his shoulders.

"Oh god, Arthur." Merlin's voice came out as a low whisper, the horror in his tone evident. Arthur dropped his head even further, leaning a little harder on Merlin, who braced himself to support the trembling blond.

Come on," Merlin murmured, sliding his arm down to wrap around Arthur's waist to support him, while the other hand kept the material firmly wrapped around him.

The walk across the room felt slow and painful. Rather than force him to walk, as the soldiers had, Merlin let Arthur shuffle at his own pace. Arthur went, determinedly staying upright, keeping the bed in his sight, and listening to the low, gentle, encouraging murmur of Merlin's voice.

As they reached the bed, Arthur hesitated and he tried to ease one hand out from the blanket he was swathed in.

"What the matter?"

"I'll mess the sheets," Arthur said staring at the white under blankets that had been exposed when Merlin had ripped off the quilt.

"Arthur, it doesn't…" Merlin started, stopped, then huffed and the darker wool blanket that covered them casually flipped, apparently of it's own accord, up the bed to protect the more delicate material.

"Better?" Merlin asked.

Arthur mumbled a response which Merlin took as a positive as Arthur slowly lifted his leg. The first time he got his knee on the bed it slid off again. Merlin half turned, thinking to get Percival to simply lift Arthur and put him there. Percival had already moved a little closer, seeing the trouble that Arthur was having. However, Arthur tried again, eventually getting his left knee anchored onto the mattress and he leant forward, inching his hands across the sheets.

To speed the process up Merlin shifted position and gripping the back of Arthur's knee, eased his other leg up. It caused a mild hiss of pain from Arthur but he got onto bed, shuffling on all fours before letting Merlin help him drop his shoulder, rolling onto his side and Arthur brought his legs up under the quilted blanket to cocoon himself inside it, slowly closing his eyes.

They partially opened again as he glimpsed the lights around him flicker. Merlin knelt on the bed beside him, eyes flashing gold as the ties holding the curtains around the posts released the material dropping down to conceal him, cutting out the bright sunlight and leaving him shielded in partial darkness. Arthur closed his eyes again, feeling Merlin tighten the blanket around him, and then Arthur felt Merlin's fingers in his hair, easing under his head to lift it. Arthur frowned, wondering what Merlin intended to do. He soon found out as the silky softness of a pillow brushed against his cheek and Merlin carefully lowered his head back down. Arthur settled again, keeping his eyes closed, tucking himself up, feeling safe and contained in the enclosure of the bed.

Merlin's hand rested gently on his head, his fingertips brushing across Arthur's forehead, easing the lank strands of his hair aside and Merlin pressed his palm against Arthur's skin, feeling the warmth, and slight dampness. Arthur seemed to Merlin to have a temperature, but he could put that down to the stress of the situation.

"You rest a minute Arthur," Merlin said in the same gentle tone. Arthur murmured, and the hand retreated, the bed dipping as Merlin shuffled backwards. Arthur opened his eyes a fraction, to see the blurred shadow that was Merlin ease back, sliding through the curtains and carefully dropping them into place to leave Arthur tucked up in the bed. Arthur liked it, he had never minded the small tents and rooms where he had slept, safely wrapped up in the darkness. Through the exhausted haze he could hear Merlin's voice.

"Go and find someone to set up a bath in here, by the fire, they don't need to bother warming the water, just get it filled up." Merlin's voice was riddled with tension. Percival answered his tone low.

"I'll do it myself if I bloody have to," Percival said. "I can get Gwen to help, I guess."

"If you do see her, best not tell her…" Merlin paused. He had turned his head to look at the bed, unable to see Arthur inside. "Just what state he is in."

"Shall I get Gaius?"

Merlin winced, and shook his head. "Let's not go out of our way to upset anyone. When you find someone to organise the bath, get back up here and stay on the door. I do not want to be disturbed."

"Right," Percival said turning and striding out of the door.

Arthur settled down into the bed, his exhausted body glad of the rest. Despite the throbbing aches and pains, it didn't take long for him to fall asleep. He had been awake all night, none of them in the room giving him any respite. Arthur swallowed, feeling the dryness of his sore throat. He had been given enough water to keep him alert but no more than that.

A slight shifting of the mattress informed him that Merlin had sat back down. But Arthur didn't feel his touch again. Something which Arthur decided he would have perhaps liked, as a comforting gesture. Merlin's close presence however gave him a feeling of safety. As if he could read Arthur's thoughts Merlin reached out, hand again resting on Arthur's head.

"Arthur?"

"Yes, My Lord," Arthur murmured.

"Who was in the room, last night? Did you recognise any of them?"

Arthur frowned, tensing a little. Merlin ran his fingers through Arthur's hair.

"Just tell me Arthur. No one's going to get near you. I'm sorry I wasn't here."

Hearing the tone of voice Arthur wondered just how wise it would be to tell Merlin. He weighed it up for a moment.

"Arthur?" Merlin whispered, very persuasively. Arthur's eyes flickered open.

"King Bayard," Arthur said, going with the obvious one. "Lord Agravaine…"

Merlin had leant forward slightly, but he sat up in shock as he heard the second name.

"Your uncle?"

"What?" mumbled Arthur, who hadn't registered what Merlin had said, only just about registering the surprised tone. Merlin blinked, guessing correctly that it was another fact that Arthur had never been told.

"Never mind, who else do you remember?"

Arthur mumbled off a few names, but after a minute or so Merlin realised that Arthur was far too exhausted to be entirely clear about it, and as he resettled Arthur back in a half-doze Percival returned with Lancelot and two servants began organising the bath. Merlin left Arthur where he was, making sure he was completely hidden by the curtains, to watch as the servants set up, filling the bath with water.

Once the task was complete Percival shooed the servants out and retreated himself.

"We'll stay on the door."

Merlin nodded. It was not as if he couldn't protect the room himself, and if necessary, he would take action, but what he wanted to do was concentrate on a badly battered Arthur. He eased the curtains at the end of the bed aside and tucked them out of the way. Amazingly, Arthur had drifted off to sleep. Merlin reached forward and started to tug the blanket away, and he gave Arthur a gentle shake.

"Come on, we need to get you cleaned up."

Arthur stirred, grizzling an objection, trying to turn away from Merlin. Insistently Merlin carried on tugging at the quilted blanket and eased it away from Arthur, also forcing him to lift his head and he took away the pillow. Arthur's hand tried to keep it in place.

"No, can it wait?" Arthur mumbled.

"It can not," Merlin said sternly. "Arthur, we need to clean you up and I need to look at your injuries. You need treating, and the bath will help with the pain. Up you get now, come on, get your feet there and stand up slowly. I'll bring the pillow, you can rest against the side of the bath and sleep in there."

Arthur did as he was told, following Merlin's instructions and then they shuffled the short distance to the bath. Merlin watched Arthur eying the water uncertainly.

"It's all right," Merlin said. "Get in Arthur, let's clean you up."

Arthur leant on him heavily as he lifted one leg to get into the bath, almost toppling as he jerked in surprise. He got his foot down on the base of the bath and Merlin held on tightly to keep him steady.

"Arthur?"

"It's warm," he announced with some surprise.

"Of course it is," Merlin said and then frowned. It was entirely possible that Arthur had never had a warm bath in his life. "Just get in Arthur before you fall over. The bath will stay warm."

The shock had roused him a little but Arthur's exhaustion came back almost immediately. Merlin got him down in the bath, settling him as best he could. Arthur looked up at him.

"You settle down now," Merlin said reaching for the soap trying to work out the best place to actually start. Arthur helped, he took control of the pillow, resting it against the side of the bath, and he propped his chest against it, wrapping his arms around the plump fabric and dropping his head down. He placed his cheek against the downy softness. Arthur settled so his face was turned away from Merlin, but the warlock chose to not take that personally. He had failed to protect Arthur. Merlin looked at the lash marks that ran from the scruff of Arthur's neck and down under the water to his thighs.

Lathering up the flannel Merlin started at the top, slowly working his way down, also releasing, as he washed, there were several marks indicating that a blade had been used on the blond man. The cuts were not deep and very carefully placed. Whoever had done it had known exactly what they were doing. The longer he worked the more fury Merlin could feel building inside him. Incredibly, Arthur appeared to have gone to sleep again. Merlin didn't know if that was down to sheer exhaustion or he felt safe enough in Merlin's presence to be able to do so. Merlin hoped the latter, but had a sickening impression that it was probably the former.

He grimaced as he moved lower, rousing Arthur slightly, and Merlin encouraged him to raise his hips.

"Arthur I need to check…" Merlin paused and clenched his jaw, not really wanting to voice his next move. He decided on the safest euphemism. "Between your legs."

Arthur gave an unintelligible mumble but moved position so he could kneel up in the bath raising his hips, while still keeping his head down on the pillow. There were lash marks across Arthur's buttocks, and bruising. Arthur hardly reacted as Merlin examined him, seeing the red rawness of his anus and the dried blood around it. Although Arthur's blond head jerked up in shock as the fire burning in the hearth suddenly jetted up in an explosion of flame.

"Huh?" Arthur managed, then his head dropped as Merlin eased his fingers through his hair.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," Merlin said gently. Arthur settled down again, closing his eyes and he lowered himself back into the bath under Merlin's encouragement. The sounds didn't register in Arthur's mind, but Merlin heard them, of someone trying to make a rather insistent entry into the room.

As Arthur dropped down, causing a mild ripple in the bathwater. The wave splashed against the side, sending gushes of water against Merlin's chest. He felt rather glad of the foresight of removing his shirt before he started bathing Arthur. Merlin's eyes narrowed as Balinor gained entry to the room, Percival entering in his wake, looking mildly embarrassed. Anyone else he could probably easily deflect, but Balinor technically outranked Merlin on some levels, and was his father. Merlin gave Percival a wave to indicate it was fine and the knight hurried out again.

Balinor looked at the scene with some surprise, especially Arthur, who hardly reacted to him. He opened his eyes, and glanced at Balinor without interest. Whether or not he entirely realised who it was, he clearly did decide it wasn't someone he wanted to acknowledge. As he put his head back down on the pillow, he turned, so he was facing Merlin instead. Merlin's hand entwined in Arthur's hair again and he closed his eyes, exhaling gently.

"All right Arthur, everything's fine," Merlin's tone and words said so, the expression on his face said an entirely different thing, and as he addressed his father, the tone of his voice changed dramatically.

"Father."

"I know you're angry, Merlin."

"Is that what you think? Bayard is lucky I haven't blasted him into pieces."

"Don't be foolish Merlin. You attack any of them and the rest will turn on us."

"It's not really his doing though is it," Merlin snarled, his tone chilling. Arthur opened his eyes a little, but knew well enough the anger Merlin projected was not for him.

"You cannot afford to anger any of them Merlin."

"So you waited until I was safely out of the way and decided to hand Arthur over."

"The nobles have done enough favours, they may well call them in to get hold of him. Some of them lose leverage this way. That includes Bayard. What do you think will happen if one of them decides to withdraw their troops? You may have told them you can reduce it to ten, but if they all take away their support to your cause, there will not be enough to maintain your campaign."

"We hold enough to threaten them with," Merlin snarled. "If I am not enough on my own, the dragon is at our command."

"My command, Merlin. You need to let Arthur go."

"Why did you even bother handing him to Agravaine when he was a child? His own uncle is part of this. Wouldn't it have been simpler just to slaughter him and have done with it?"

Arthur's eyes flickered open again, and he lifted his head. Merlin's fingers laced through his hair again, and Arthur put his head down, but kept his eyes open, gaze fixed on Merlin.

"We can't have this conversation now, Merlin."

"Why not?" Merlin demanded of Balinor. "Doesn't Arthur have a right to know what happened, and why?"

"I did what I had to do to protect you."

Merlin glared at him. "When years ago or last night?"

"Both," Balinor snapped back.

"I'm certain I can look after myself now. And how has this made me look? Yesterday they decided Arthur would remain in my custody and now they seem to think they can just help themselves to him while I am responsible for his welfare."

"It has always been that way."

Merlin glanced down, noticing then that Arthur's eyes were still fixed on him. The blond prince didn't appear to be overly concerned about the conversation occurring over his head. Arthur's fate had never been in his own hands, and more than likely people talked about him rather than to him. Arthur's expression didn't change as he briefly met Merlin's gaze, he just looked at him calmly before moving his eyes away from Merlin's, and relaxing them, staring into the middle distance.

"That does not mean it necessarily needs to continue in such a fashion."

"Merlin it is not our place to get involved in this."

Balinor raised his chin as Merlin's eyes lifted to stare up at him, and the Dragonlord tensed as the look in Merlin's eyes.

"You are quite right," Merlin said steadily. "We should not have this conversation now. I'll wait until the meeting. Now if you don't mind, I do have quite a bit to deal with here."

Balinor clenched his jaw as his temper rose. Merlin met it with his impenetrable gaze which conveyed anger and calm, combining into power. His son stayed perfectly still, just looking at him, staring but refusing to respond any further. He wouldn't forcefully eject Balinor from the room, but the Dragonlord knew when he was dismissed, when he was not needed, and most certainly not wanted. Gathering what he could of his dignity, he left without a word, feeling the sudden fracture deep within his soul.

Merlin turned his attention back to Arthur.

"Arthur, can you, turn a little, can you sit down."

Obligingly Arthur moved, easing himself out of his kneeling position to carefully lower himself down onto his backside. Merlin kept hold of the pillow, to keep it in place as Arthur rested his shoulders and let his head drop back. His eyes closed again and Merlin started to examine the damage done to Arthur's front. He had been lashed across the stomach, his ribs bruised and his right nipple was crusted with blood. Arthur jumped slightly as Merlin found the needle that had been pushed through his flesh.

Arthur opened his eyes as Merlin cursed in a very colourful fashion.

"I'm going to have to take that out," Merlin said. He slowly got up and crossed the room to locate his medical kit. It had been a present from Gaius. He pulled a small square of linen from it and came back, eyes widening as he saw the droplets of blood and the needle held firmly in Arthur's grip. He offered it out to Merlin.

"Arthur."

Merlin exclaimed, admonished and praised all at the same time. He took the needle from Arthur and pressed the material to the wound.

"Hold onto that," Merlin ordered. He took the needle away and then rummaged for what he wanted.

As he got Arthur out of the bath, dried him off and put salve on his wounds Merlin remembered his previous thoughts and his curiosity over Arthur's scars. Arthur lay on the bed, allowed Merlin to treat him and Merlin saw the remnants as more of the same. Although he paused at the square of puckered skin on Arthur's lower back, on the left side, just gracing the top of his backside. Merlin traced his fingertips over it.

"What was that?"

"I was branded," Arthur said. Merlin's fingers probed harder. "Someone else didn't like it, they cut it out."

Merlin looked at the perfect square of damaged skin and felt the heat of his fury again. He thought the worst thing was the fact that Arthur probably couldn't name either of the people that had done it. They were all the same to him. Instead Merlin just wrapped the blankets around Arthur, tucking him in to keep him warm, enclosing him the space Merlin had created.

"I have to do something, so I need to go, but Percival and Lancelot are going to stay on the door, they will not let anyone in. You can call them if you need anything."

Arthur mumbled, tucking his head tighter against the cushion. His newly washed hair glistened with water. Merlin watched the reaction and hoped that just one little spark started, that perhaps, he had persuaded Arthur he was safe.

Arthur didn't really think like that. But he knew Merlin did.