In Afghanistan somewhere in the mountains the second execution had followed much the same procedure as before. Merlin was desperate to not allow a second man to die, so when asked to select a man he pleaded to be chosen and was again ignored. Once again the Taliban leader made his own selection and once again Merlin went with Pellinore to the execution and stood by his friend and fellow soldier. Unlike Mordred Pellinore knew what to expect. They had all seen Mordred's body. Merlin would not have his man die without a friend nearby to support him on his last journey. Pellinore looked Merlin in the eye, clearly frightened but composed by the inevitability, Merlin was impressed by his composure and wasn't sure he could have face death so easily.
Pellinore looked at his officer "Thank you Sir for being here. It will be quicker than an IED, Don't blame yourself you did all you could. Can you tell my wife and kids I loved them and thought of them as I died, and I am sorry to leave them" He sounded almost resigned to his fate. "You know she wanted me to resign once we had kids. I should have listened to her."
"I will tell her myself if I get back. We will look after them for you." Merlin said making sure his voice as steady, it was the east he could do. He wasn't sure he would be able to keep the promise, but he also knew Arthur would help the families. As he thought of his husband Merlin felt close to breaking, how was he coping with the situation back home? By now Merlin knew that all the men believed it was unlikely that any of them would be saved. For all they all knew their Countries stance on such things. Merlin refused to take his eyes of the brave man even as he was forced to his knees.
This time the executioner was a young man, full of hatred for the army who had come to his country. Merlin thought he was about eighteen. The young had less power and was clearly less practiced, it took three blows to separate the head. Merlin had a hard time not to throw up at the sight, he held his head high, and he hoped that at least that after the first blow Pellinore knew nothing, but he couldn't be sure.
Once more straight after the execution they were loaded into a truck and moved. And again they saw the head of their colleague on display. Merlin hadn't told the others of the messy execution, after all they may yet all face the same, and he felt it better they believed it quick. That night once they were left in their new cell for the night the men started to try and plan their escape, something they had started as soon as they were captured, since Mordred they had decided better to die trying something than being led like lambs to the slaughter. But they all realised it was very unlikely they would succeed, and all they could do was wait and watch and hope someone made a mistake. The moral was at its lowest point and even Gwaine's normally unstoppable good humour was absent.
Two days after his death Mordred Evan's body arrived in England. Arthur and Hunith both went to Wootton Bassett and paid their respects as the cortege passed through the town. They felt it was the least they could do. Arthur had already told Lance to make sure the family had all the support they required, both now and later, he would pay any costs to the family.
Five days later was the funeral which Arthur and Hunith attended, it pushed Arthur over the edge and he broke down completely and could no longer face leaving their home. He refused to even get out of bed, no matter what anyone tried. All he could think of was Merlin and the danger he was in and how he might never see him again. It wasn't until he saw Hunith and how it was affecting her that he managed to even eat. He knew he had to try to be strong for her, no matter how hard he found it. He owed that to Merlin if nothing else. The blonde knew how protective Merlin was of his mother. They leant on each other and together somehow got through each day.
The next two weeks got even harder, Lance visited daily and explained that contact was being kept up with the Taliban to put pressure on for the men's release. But they knew that the Government would not back down on their stance. Then it was Pellinore Drew's arrival and funeral, again Arthur and Hunith attended out of solidarity, but it once more emphasised just how precarious the remaining men's situation was. Arthur and Hunith had regular nightmares and found sleeping difficult. They did keep in contact with the other families through Lance, but Arthur knew they were all in the same boat and fearing that the next fatality would be of their loved one. Arthur had given up all pretence of going to work, he had neither the interest nor inclination. Although Morgana tried to get him to do something to help take his mind, even briefly, from what was happening so far away.
In Afghanistan the men were moved every few days and felt each extra day they were all alive was a bonus. Captivity was beginning to wear on them all, losing the others had heightened their feelings of mortality. Galahad had made one break for freedom when being taken to relieve himself but hadn't got many feet before being brought down. They felt it was like they were being played with. Galahad was beaten as punishment and was black and blue. When the leader arrived and spoke to Merlin and the men warning them that they wouldn't hesitate to kill if anyone tried again.
Merlin snorted in disbelief. "You are going to kill us one by one anyway. It is our duty to try to escape."
The leader looked at Merlin with contempt then looking at the other three he said something to his men, guns were pointed at the others as Merlin was grabbed and forced to the floor face down. He was held down and his arms released. For a moment both Merlin and the others thought he was going to be killed but the leader glared at Gwaine, Galahad and Terry
"You try to escape again, you be beaten, but your officer have his right hand cut off. This time we spare him but you need to understand." With that he nodded to two of his men who started to flog Merlin with a five inch leather strap called a dura.
Merlin bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself crying out. His thin shirt doing nothing to stop the pain as the dura hit him again and again. This continued for some time as a hundred lashes were given. Whilst the flogging took place Gwaine cursed them with such a vocabulary that the other men had almost been impressed. When the punishment stopped the leader spoke once more "Remember next time worse."
With that he ordered Merlin's arms tied once more and they left the room. Immediately the other three approached Merlin, with their hands behind their backs there was little they could do. Gwaine sank down beside Merlin and looked at his back, the shirt now shreds. Merlin's back and buttocks red and would clearly be covered in bruising later, luckily he only had a few broken areas of skin. Gwaine gently eased himself under Merlin's head so his officer was resting on his lap and out of the dust. At some stage Merlin had lost consciousness and Gwaine let him be knowing he would be in pain once he woke.
Afterwards Merlin once he had woken and recovered sufficiently to speak he ordered them to take whatever chances they could, even if it meant just one person survived. "Don't listen to their threats against me, we need to make sure some if not all of us survive. I will gladly lose a hand if it means one of you gets home." He paused then added "Better a hand than a head"
The captives were becoming weaker through lack of food and exercise, although they did their best to stay fit, even though they remained tied. Their clothes were now practically rags and stank as they still had not been given the chance to wash. They all had facial hair and all the men felt slovenly and that did not help the moral. Having once Merlin had recovered sufficiently he offered as much encouragement as he could and they continued to invent games to keep themselves occupied they also watched carefully for any weakness in the enemy.
When the day the men had been due home arrived Morgana made sure she would be with Arthur and Hunith for the day. Both had lost weight with the worry and she was worried for both of them. Unfortunately Uther was getting impatient with his son. And chose that day to arrive at the house to lecture his son on his responsibilities. He arrived at eight in the morning on his way to work. Hunith hadn't got up, having not fallen asleep until the early hours. Arthur was drinking his first tea of the morning when the elder Pendragon knocked on the door. Arthur opened it thinking it was Morgana and that she had forgotten her key. He saw his father and stepped back to let him in. Walking into the living room not even looking to see if Uther followed. Arthur had dressed that morning, but in joggers and a t shirt and had not shaved for a couple of days.
As Arthur plonked himself down in Merlin's favourite chair he looked up at his father. "What do you what?" he asked not really caring but knowing from his father's demeanour it wouldn't be good.
Uther's lips pursed at his son's tone "I am you father, speak with more respect" not getting a reaction he continued "Look at you! You are a disgrace, go and clean yourself up put on a suit and tie and then get to work. I am speaking as your employer as well as your father when I say you need to pull yourself together you have responsibilities and cannot expect your co-workers to continue to carry you."
Still not getting a response he continued his voice impatient and scathing "Arthur you cannot carry on this way, he knew what the risks were and so did you, now face up to it like a man. Get on with your life and stop acting like a child!"
Arthur hit the coffee table and stood up glaring at his father "I cannot believe you! My husband, the love of my life is being held by the Taliban, two of his men have had their heads cut off and you have the audacity to come here on the day he was due home and lecture me on responsibility. Merlin was fighting on his countries behalf when he was taken, he wasn't on some bloody holiday!" Arthur stood facing his father is voice bitter "My husband… yes that's right MY HUSBAND is missing, and I don't know when, or if, I will ever see him alive again. Well let me tell you, you can stuff your job if that's how you feel, now get out of our house" by now he was shouting angrily. All his bottled up grief and anger boiling over at the man in front of him. In that moment he hated his father more than he ever had.
Uther looked at Arthur as if he had grown two heads "This isn't you Arthur, don't be a fool. Keep your mind busy, how do you think I coped when your mother died? I couldn't wallow in self-pity." Uther's voice became harder and unfeeling "He isn't even dead, and even if he is you need to take a good look at yourself. It isn't worth throwing your life away just because your paramour is gone."
"HE…. HAS….. A…. NAME!" Arthur spat out bullet style "You can't even say it can you?! MERLIN that's my Husband's name, now use it." Arthur spat out "And don't lie to me, you have wallowed in self-pity since mother died. Not even giving your own children your time or love. You buried yourself in work as if that was all that mattered, now you won't even allow me to…."
Arthur stopped talking, he wouldn't use the word grieve. Merlin was Not dead, he wasn't, he couldn't think that. Arthur was about to speak again when Hunith came into the room, She looked at the two men then with her hand on Arthur's shoulder and she looked at Uther. She was a small woman and even frailer with her recent weight loss, but she would not be intimidated by the man in front of her. Stepping directly in front of him and between Uther and his son she spoke calmly but with force.
"Arthur is like a son to me and I won't have him spoken to like that, not even by you! I have heard a great deal about you Mr Pendragon, and I pity you. I gained a son when Merlin and Arthur married yet you lost the only one you had. You wouldn't even come to their wedding. I too lost my man, before Merlin was born, but I gave all my love to my son, and it has been repaid a thousand fold. The fact that our two boys love each other and have found a soulmate in each other is wonderful and not something to be ashamed of. Now my Merlin is missing and Arthur needs support not this….so I think you best leave"
None of them had heard the front door open once more so were surprised when another voice spoke. "And I agree, leave now Uther or by god I will never talk to you again!" Morgana stood there her green eyes flashing in anger.
"How dare you, and today of all days. What's more Arthur has two weeks holiday booked from yesterday so he shouldn't even be at work. As for cover Leon and Gwen have been managing, nothing has suffered and even if it had your son and his husband should come first. Arthur had put in so many hours before all this happened to make sure things were up together. Your attitude disgusts me!"
Uther looked at the two women and then spoke to his son ignoring the two women "Sort yourself out Arthur, this is no way for a Pendragon to behave" with that he was gone.
Morgana shouted after him "Then I thank god I am a La Fey!"
She turned round to her brother who was shaking and hugged him.
"How could he?" he murmured
"Because he's an unfeeling bastard" Morgana told her brother.
The three of them sat together hugging until eventually Hunith pulled away "Come on you two we should at least try to eat something. I'll make us all a cup of tea and some toast."
Arthur couldn't help but give a small broken smile as he heard Hunith. Merlin always said his mother thought everything cold be solved with a cup of tea.