"Where is Arthur?" asked Morgana. She watched with morbid curiosity as Merlin's eyes darted listlessly. Ever impatient, she poured water over him. He gasped and looked back up at her with dull eyes.

"Tell me where he is." A confused look crossed his face and he shook his head slowly. Not sure if it was defiance or not and not caring either way, she brought the Nathair back. He didn't scream like others did, his rattling breaths the only sound in the room. Those that had a choice had already left an hour ago. His body convulsed and his eyes rolled back, but his struggles weren't as strong as before. He barely stirred now, his muscles weak from constant use.

"Tell me where he is," she ordered, taking back the Nathair. Merlin's eyes barely opened at her repeated question. She wondered briefly whether she'd pushed him too hard and his mind was lost. His mouth opened and closed again. Morgana leaned close, in case she missed a whisper. He looked at her with half lidded eyes and uttered a single word.

"Never." Morgana screamed in fury as his body suddenly went limp.

"Put him with the others, get him out of my sight!" she ordered. She stormed out of the room in anger, the waiting Agravaine and Helios quickly moving out of her way at the sight of her expression.

XX:SMERLINS:XX

Gwaine, Elyan and Gaius looked up as yet another prisoner was brought in, only this time, dread dropped to the bottom of their stomachs as they recognised the unconscious figure.

"Merlin!" called Gwaine. The two knights rushed forwards to take the man as he was brought in and carefully lowered him onto the one bed. Gaius examined him, shuddering in concern at the deep mark on his neck.

"She used dark magic. He's been hurt badly."

"Will he be alright?" asked Elyan in concern.

"Hard to say, especially when I don't know how long he was exposed to it. Guard?" Gaius called. The man paused, unsure whether to give them an answer. He looked down at the unconscious servant and a trace of horror came into his eyes at a memory.

"More than an hour, maybe two, she'll come back if he wakes." Elyan's eyes widened as he realised.

"He didn't say anything," he said in awe. The three friends looked back at the pale man on the bed, one with new found respect, one with incredulity, the other with sad knowing.

"He's been tortured to the limit of human endurance," commented Gaius, tormented at the thought of his ward being brought to this. He silently wondered how close to Merlin's endurance he had been brought. He gently passed a hand over his ward's forehead. "The only thing we can do is let him rest. It's best we do the same."

Despite the agreement of this action, it wasn't as simple as it sounded. The break of day saw Gaius dozing in exhaustion and Elyan not too far behind. Used to late nights and his thoughts not being as forgiving, Gwaine remained awake, watching Merlin with an unreadable look, still as stone in his vigil.

Until Merlin moved.

"Merlin?" Gwaine called softly, leaning forwards. He seemed to be whispering something in delirium. After a few moments, his movements increased, becoming more frantic. His eyes moved behind their closed lids and he frowned, a small sign of the pain he was in.

"No… won', nev…rthur…can' make me," he mumbled. Gwaine realised his friend didn't know where he was, unaware that Morgana was no longer there.

"Merlin, mate, it's alright. She's not here, you're safe." Merlin didn't respond to Gwaine's reassurances, still lost in the torment of his mind. He groaned slightly and winced, moving his head from side to side, trying to escape from an unseen threat. Gwaine leaned in, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder, not seeing the flickers of gold emanating from Merlin's hands. Merlin tensed as someone drew near and felt the hand on his shoulder. The same spot where Morgana had gripped him.

Gwaine didn't have time to comprehend the cry of pain and anger that came from Merlin the moment he touched him before he was suddenly thrown into the wall, a tight grip on his throat. He could only stare at Merlin, a man he had playfully shoved often enough to know he didn't have the strength to be holding Gwaine up against the wall by his neck. He shouldn't have been able to take him off guard and he most certainly shouldn't have the fierce golden eyes of a sorcerer.

BriefShiningMoment

I feel guilty these are kind of short. Hopefully they'll be worth it?