The bandits dropped the now unconscious prince onto the ground roughly, unknown to the warlock his own uncle stood over him at Morgana's side.
"You lost how many men?" She sneered, "And you bought me how many men?"
"Arthur was in our grasps." Agravaine began.
"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" The witch spat.
"The rock fall was hardly our fault." Agravaine argued, "Now, I will dispatch this servant."
"You will do no such thing!" Morgana chided him, stopping him before he could fully unsheathe his sword.
"Arthur loves and cares for nobody more than his own brother," She mused aloud, "He can be of use to us."
...
Merlin was jerked into awareness by a bucket of freezing water being poured over him, gasping and spluttering he tried to move away but found his hands bound above him. His eyes darted over the small dark shack and he tried to stand properly, finally his eyes fell on Morgana.
"Good Morning." She smiled sweetly.
"Is it?" He jibed.
"Oh, don't be like that." She pouted in mock sadness, "After all it's been so long since I laid eyes on my little brother. After all I haven't seen you since you condemned Morgause to a slow and painful death, thwarted my plans and forced me to live in a hovel."
"And you always thought I was an under achiever." He grinned, "I can die happy."
"Oh I'm not going to kill you." She replied airily, "I'm not going to make it that easy."
Merlin felt his smile slip from his face, this couldn't be good. Then she left him to shiver in cold and pain while he hung from the roof.
...
"Where's Merlin?" Uther asked when Arthur came to visit him.
The elder prince had returned top Camelot to regroup and have his scrapes attended to with the other nights. He had intended to head straight back out to search for Merlin but apparently his father had been in a bad way this morning and a five minute visit could do wonders for him.
"He's hunting." Arthur lied, Gwen who was his nurse maid at this moment immediately noticed something off with the prince.
"Where is he really?" She whispered, "You'd never leave him out there, and Merlin would never go hunting without you."
"He's alive." Arthur replied, "At least last time I saw him he was."
"Oh." She gasped covering his mouth with her palms.
"Don't worry, I'll find him Gwen." Arthur whispered giving her a quick kiss on the lips while his fathers back was turned, "I promise."
"Sire." His Uncle called, he gave Gwen a soft smile before exiting his fathers rooms to speak with Agravaine.
"We scoured the forests..." His uncle sighed, "But we saw no sign of Merlin, save this."
Arthur felt his heart clench as he looked at the small pieces of bloody, ripped material. It was from Merlin's cape.
...
Merlin bit his lip in frustration as he was forced to dangle from the roof like meat at the butchers while Morgana cleaned his wounds. He wanted nothing more than to send her flying but that would be too rash, he had to bide his time. No matter how much he hated it.
"Ic ðe ðurhhæle ðinu licsar mid ðam sundorcræft ðære ealdan æ. Drycræft ðurhhæle ðina wunda!"
"Why are you healing me?" The prince croaked.
"I need you healthy." She smiled, leaning over her cupboard and retrieving a metal pendant decorated with a tree with branches made of snakes. Slowly she chanted, staring at the medallion and making her way to the fire, muttering in the old tongue.
"Astige ðu wyrm fah ond geþéowe ðæt mod ðisse þeowes. Hine bind ond ða heold. Awendaþ he ealle!"
At the final word she dropped the pendant into the flames and they flashed upwards before lowering and revealing a multi headed snake with shiny black scales. Merlin just stared.
"I take it you've never heard of the Fomorroh before." She smiled and petted the creature lovingly, "Poor thing, he's a little grumpy. He doesn't like to be out in the light."
Merlin choked back bile as she produced a knife and proceeded to sever one of the many snake like heads, only to have another grow in it's place. The creature turned it's head toward him and hissed deeply.
"Fomorroh are creatures of dark magic., even if you cut off their heads, you cannot kill them. Another will just grow in its place." She sneered, "They were once revered, because they have the ability to control people's minds."
Merlin kept his breathing under control, trying his best not to display the panic that was building in his chest while Morgana continued her monologue.
"The Fomorroh will suck the life force out of you. Everything that makes you Merlin will be gone. And in its place there will be just one thought . One thought that will grow until it's consumed you completely. One thought that will be your life's work. You will not be able to rest until it's done. And that one thought is simple. You must kill Arthur Pendragon!"
NO! He screamed mentally but before he had a chance to voice his horror there was a terrible pain in his neck making him writhe and pull against the ropes in a vain attempt to escape it.
...
Naturally Arthur was not going to give up on his brother so easily, this time he;d go look himself. He found Merlin last time, he could do it again.
"Please Arthur, it's dangerous to go out there alone." Gwen begged as he made his way to his horse.
"I have to go." He said with an air of finality which made almost everybody back off, but not Gwen.
"They found no sign of him."
"Do you really expect me to accept that? Just to sit here and take their word that Merlin's gone?" The future king growled.
"Please, just don't go all on your own." She tried.
"He won't be alone!" Gwaine announced riding up to his side, "Where to first?"
For some reason the first place Arthur checked was where he'd found Merlin in his crystal tomb a few short months ago, naturally he wasn't there. Guess he wasn't luck the second time around. He wished Gwaine would stop prattling on, the man couldn't seem to shut up, still, the prince was grateful for his company.
He stopped short when he heard a rustling in the bushes, finally Gwaine stayed quiet as the prince dismounted and peered into the leaves as they shifted.
"Show yourself!" he ordered.
A figure, coated head to toes with mud stumbled out of the muck. It took Arthur a moment the look past the muddy spiked up hair and slime covered face but when he did, he saw his brother. Merlin laughed.
"Merlin!" Arthur grinned embracing him, "I thought we'd lost you!
I think the rest of this episode will be from Arthur's point of view.