Merlin could have been out for minutes or hours or even days. He wasn't exactly sure. There was no natural light to reveal any changes that would or could hint to the passage of time. Merlin couldn't remember why he was here or much that had happened recently. He couldn't remember much of anything. Sometime felt wrong, but he couldn't place it. It felt like a pressure in his head. His eyes drifted about and then fell on Ygraine. "I remember…you," he stammered.

Ygraine was doing her best to remain calm for Merlin's sake. Nimueh had come; the smirk on her face as usual. She had done something, just what Ygraine didn't know but another spell was cast and light began to pour out of the bowl in to a clear stone around Nimueh's neck. Once the bowl was empty, Merlin's body had begun to glow a bit before a similar light had begun to leave his body, drift over and disappear in to the stone as well. All of that had been several hours ago and still the light which Ygraine guessed was his magic, was still being taken from him.

The warlock tried to sit up, but couldn't. Defeated, he flopped back. Overhead was little golden bits shining. They arched over him towards a bowl. Actually they arched from him. With his good arm, he reached for them. One of the lights touched him – it was warm and tickled. He giggled. A childlike expression was in his eyes.

Bored of them, his eyes drifted to Ygraine and then to the chains. "I do that," he asked.

Ygraine looked down at the broken chain near her feet. Yes, Merlin had broken that chain but Nimueh had simply replaced with another chain made more powerful and strong because she had used Merlin's own magic to make it stronger.

"Yes," she murmured, petting the top of Merlin's head with her hand, "You did that sweetie..."

Merlin looked up at Ygraine. He saw her and yet he didn't. The warlock noticed her eyes, her nose, and her lips. Yet, none of the parts fit together. It didn't make sense to him. He noticed the new chains surrounding the woman. Had he done that too?

"They're back," he whispered. "Why? Did I do wrong? Didn't work right?"

"No sweetie, it is nothing that you have or haven't done. A mean lady has done this to me. I have been held here like this for a long time. She does not want to let me go," Ygraine explained, using words and terms that she hoped would make more sense to him.

The warlock frowned as tears shined in his blue eyes. Slowly he nodded. "Okay," he said. His tone was simpering and his voice wavered from uncertainty and pain. "Wish I could help. I don't like bad things."

Merlin could feel something continue to happen. The warlock kept feeling things slip from him. It was scary and his face showed it. Merlin's eyes widened and he reached towards the woman.

Was she mom? He wasn't sure, but he hoped that she was. The lady was here with him. That meant they were connected, right? "Mummy," he asked. His voice sounded like that of a child.

Ygraine swallowed, having been about to say that she wasn't his mother but she caught the frightened, childlike expression on his face and she couldn't do it. "Yes Merlin," she said as a soft smile came to her face, "I'm here..."

"I'm scared. Arm hurts," he stammered. "Why here?" He didn't understand and he didn't like it. "Home! I want home!"

Nimueh strode out of the shadows. It had been enjoyable to watch him. Oh, how might he had been. Now look at this. Look at him. A sniveling, childlike thing, that was so useless and helpless.

"You're never going home. Merlin," she purred. "This is where you will always be."

"You leave him alone Nimueh! You've already ruined my life you don't need to ruin his as well!" Ygraine said, standing up ready to defend the warlock. Nimueh simply smiled and whispered a spell which subsequently sent Ygraine flying to smash against the wall.

Merlin turned his gaze to the woman. An odd snarl crossed his face. He screamed. His eyes flashed and the wall behind the woman collapsed on top of her. The man gasped as the last little bit of gold slithered from the warlock's parted mouth.

As the dust settled, the stones were thrown back by Nimueh. She stormed over to the motionless body that was Merlin; already recognizing the sheer terror she saw in his eyes. "What a fool. He thinks he can stop me," the woman said with a laugh. "I should be mad, shouldn't I? He did, after all, just try to kill me. Ygraine, tell me what should I do with him? Killing the boy would be a mercy. But, keeping him alive and like this would be… a treat."

"A treat?" Ygraine asked as she slowly got back to her feet, "You disgust me! You have no right to do this to him! He has done nothing to you and yet you wage war against him with no mercy!"

"Maybe not a treat for him. No, definitely not. He will be like this until the end of his days and if he recovers, he will be damaged. I should say a child in a man's body," Nimueh said looking from Ygraine to Merlin and then back again.

The sorceress raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? I have no right? He is the enemy. He sided with Uther. Anyone working for that sniveling husband of yours is an enemy of mine. But, I haven't been merciless. Far from it. I offered Merlin the prospect of joining me as a united front. But, he declined," she replied.

"So, what should I do with him? Leave him to be the eternal toddler or put him out of his misery? It's your call. I got what I wanted from him. Magic...soaring, wild magic. Such power! It's delectable," Nimueh concluded.

Ygraine was beyond mad. Every single word that Nimueh said just kept pushing her closer and closer to the edge. How dare she speak ill of her husband! Yes she hadn't seen him in what felt like a life time and yes he had probably changed a great deal but he was still hers and she would not have anyone speaking ill about him!

"You have already caused enough harm...to the both of us Nimueh," Ygraine said as she walked over and knelt down beside Merlin, shielding his body with her own.

"Oh, you do not know the half of it, my Queen. It is not I who has created fear. It is not I who has slaughtered a people who was once revered," Nimueh spat as she stepped forward.

She crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at Ygraine. "Do you really know what your husband has done for the last 26 years? He has killed every single magic user he comes across. Every man, woman, child were rounded up and slaughtered. Some drowned, some hung, some beheaded, and others burned at the stake like an animal. Uther killed all of the dragons and Dragonlords, too. Even the druid's are not safe anymore. This is war."

"You will not touch him again...!"

Every night she prayed to the gods that somehow, someway Nimueh would be struck down, that she herself would be freed from this misery. Now she could only pray harder; for both her and Merlin's sakes.

Nimueh shrugged. "Very well. He'll more than likely die down here, anyway. He can't swallow and can't chew," the sorceress pointed out. "Without his magic he is nothing."

XOXO

Meanwhile, Percival, Lancelot, and Gwaine were riding along with Arthur in a futile search to find something – anything – to lead them to Merlin's body. The group had been searching for several hours and there hadn't been a single clue.

"This is hopeless, Princess. We haven't seen anything! What are you expecting to find, some gigantic sign saying 'Merlin is that way'," asked Gwaine as he shifted in the saddle. He was getting pretty sore.

Lancelot looked around. "Nothing is hopeless, but Gwaine's right, we haven't seen anything. I think we might be going in circles. See the tree with the bark rubbed off? We passed that about two hours ago," the knight said, as he pointed to the tree missing bark.

Then, the ground below them began to shake. The horses whinnied and neighed. The beasts reared in attempts to buck their riders.

The ground began to split apart in a few locations. It was shaking so violently that it toppled down trees; the branches of some hitting the horses and their riders. They were all thrown to the ground but Arthur was up on his feet in moments.

"LET'S MOVE!" he roared, motioning for his men to follow him.

Percival was the first to stand. Then, Lancelot. However, Gwaine was still. Seeing that the rogue hadn't stirred, Lancelot made his way over to the man.

"Gwaine? Gwaine, wake up," Lancelot said, kneeling beside him. The dark-haired warrior slapped he other man on the cheeks, which made him stir.

"I was dreaming of a lovely apple flavored peach. Why did you wake me," Gwaine said in a cross voice.

Lancelot sighed as he helped Gwaine stand. "We've got to go," he called, looking off towards the caves. There was something at the mouth of stone mounds.

"What is that," Lancelot asked as he pointed to the light in front of them. The ground beneath them was calming down, so it was easier to walk. Thus, Lancelot staggered forward a little.