A/N: Thank you everyone for the nice reviews! I already had this chapter typed out, so since you guys seemed eager to read more I decided to post it early. I was originally gonna finish chapter three before I posted this one, but oh well lol! I hope you enjoy and please tell me your thoughts or opinions! I love to hear any kind of feedback! Reviews are welcomed and encouraged!

Music I listened to while writing:

To the Forest by James Horner

Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Soundtrack: Lily's Theme Extended

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin nor any of its characters. This work is purely entertainment for the fans. No profit is being made from this work. All rights are reserved for their respected owners.

Chapter Two: No Hope For Those Who Are Lost

He was shivering before his eyes even opened. Cold, that's all he could register, that and pain. His eyes fluttered open, the brightness of blinding white attacking his vision and causing his eyes to squeeze shut again. There was movement, a steady rhythm that jostled him and made his stomach feel just a bit upset and made his mind confused as to which way was up. He barely registered the movement as a horse before a familiar voice caught his attention.

"Good. You're finally awake. I was beginning to think you were dead." A dark chuckle followed.

He had no response before he felt a hand shove him. He fell a short ways before his body hit the very definition of cold. His eyes shot open, a gasp leaving his body in a puff of white air as blue eyes met the sight of dark wild hair and the face of someone he never wished to see again.

He tried to speak, his mouth opening slightly as his lips trembled. His teeth began to clatter together and shivers had his body shaking against the cold snow underneath him.

"Get up."

His eyes snapped to the voice, dazed and blurred. Confused. His head throbbed with a certain pain that was focus mainly on the right side of his temple. He tried to lift his hand to touch his head, but found they were restrained, restricted. His eyes wandered down to his hands to find dark shackles locked around his wrists and a long chain leading to-

"I said get up, Merlin. I won't ask again."

Merlin looked up slowly, blue eyes focusing. "Morgana…" He rasped out, throat dry. She sat atop a dark stallion. A soft, cold wind touched her hair, combing its icy fingers through the wild curls. Merlin shivered at its ghostly fingers when he was suddenly dragged forward. The shackles cut into his wrists painfully as his face hit the snow, stinging his cheeks. He gasped in pain as Morgana's horse had started to walk and Merlin seemed to be dragging along behind it.

"S-Stop!" Merlin called, his wrists being tugged at painfully.

"Walk or be dragged. It's your choice." Morgana's voice as cold as the icy wind around them called back to him as her horse began to pick up its pace. Merlin struggled to stand as he was being dragged forward, snow seeping into his clothing, which barely fended off the bitter wind. He managed to finally get his footing, but found it incredibly difficult to keep up with the horse's slow trot without his wrists being painfully tugged forward and outstretching his arms.

Merlin panted, stumbling over the snow as the constant throbbing pain in his head and now wrists kept him going. He had no idea where they were going. He didn't even have a clue as to where he was. The only thing he saw was white. White everywhere. Snow for as far as the eye could see. Merlin's head dipped, his feet dragging through the snow and stumbling as he was tugged forward again for not keeping up with the horse's pace.

"P-please, Morgana." Merlin's teeth chattered, making it difficult for him to speak, "I need to-t-t-to stop."

Morgana only spared him a glance over her shoulder. "We stop when I say." She instructed, voice like stone and kept the horse at it's slow trot.

They continued on like this for a while and soon the pain Merlin felt became numb against the bitter cold. He shivered, trying to keep himself focused on walking and keeping up rather than the protruding thoughts of how good it'd feel just to pass out. He shook his head, dark strands of hair swishing back and forth when out of the corner of his eye he noticed something drifting down. Merlin looked up at the gray sky above them and, much to his dismay, saw small, white snowflakes beginning to float down. A few stuck in his hair, stark white against the dark color, and a few grazed his red, frosted cheeks. Merlin hunched his shoulders, dipping his chin. He was never one to complain (much), but it was freezing and he hoped wherever Morgana was taking him that they'd reach it soon.

Much to his luck, Morgana's horse stopped and Merlin nearly cried with relief as the painful tug on his wrists ceased and he walked up, slowly, beside the horse. Just down the snow covered hill, a dark vertical tower sat and Merlin could practically feel the dark magic surrounding the place. He shivered again, but this time it wasn't due to the cold. Morgana spared his a sideways glance.

"Nearly there, Emrys." She spoke as Merlin continued to stare down at the tower, "You've surprised me. I didn't think you'd make it this far, conscious at least." A snicker left her lips and she gently kicked her horse. It whinnied and started down the hill with Merlin now right beside it instead of trailing behind it. It kept his wrists from being painfully pulled at, which was a relief Merlin was grateful for, but now his legs burned with having to slowly jog to keep up.

It didn't take as long as Merlin initially thought to reach the tower, but as they came upon it, Merlin felt his magic stir uneasily within him. He gazed up at the dark, ominous tower as they entered through an iron gate, the horse's feet clomping against the cobblestone ground. Merlin glanced over his shoulder, watching as the iron gate was cranked to close. It felt like a prison of some sort. Merlin was tugged harshly by Morgana herself this time as he fell behind a bit and he hissed quietly at the pain it caused in his wrists.

They came to a stop in an area that looked similar to a courtyard with stairs leading up to double wooden doors. Merlin didn't see anyone, but upon looking up, he noticed guards or knights of some kind dressed in black armor patrolling the upper areas of the tower. Morgana stepped off her horse with a grace only Merlin remembered from times back when she lived in Camelot. She threw him a glance and started up the stairs. Merlin noticed she carried the chain hooked to his shackles, which wasn't a surprise. He was lead up the stairs where upon approaching the double wooden doors, Merlin noticed two black armored guards who, opened the door at the sight of Morgana. Neither said anything as she enter, they merely bowed their heads in respect.

Entering the inside of the actual tower was somewhat of a relief as the cold, bitter wind no longer nipped at Merlin's cheeks and despite the chill still being in the air, he felt a lot warmer than when he did outside in the snow.

As Merlin walked behind Morgana, his eyes wandered around the place. It was definitely dark and not to mention eerie. There was a sickening feel to the air and a smell of possibly mold. Merlin licked his lips uneasily.

"What do you want with me, Morgana?" Merlin finally decided to ask. It was a question that'd been bugging him since he awoke. Of course, she didn't answer, seeming to just ignore him as they continued walking. They passed by several doors that were closed along with torches that hung on the walls. Morgana pulled him through a door that lead down some stairs, Merlin nearly tripped over the steps as she tugged on the chain. They traveled down one more flight of stairs until they came to what Merlin could only guess were cells.

Morgana approached one cell with thick, iron bars and whispered something under her breath. The cell door swung open as if pushed by the wind and Morgana suddenly turned, yanking the chain along with Merlin and she shoved him none so gracefully into the cell. Merlin stumbled, hitting the ground with his knees and scrambled to get up and turned just as Morgana shut the cell, her eyes flashing with familiar golden light.

Merlin gripped the iron bars, peering out from the cell as Morgana took a few steps back, a pleased smile on her face.

"It suits you. This cell." She commented and Merlin looked at her.

"So you just plan to keep me here? For what? All eternity?" Merlin questioned, expression turning hard. Morgana's eyes glinted. "I'm no use to you. Arthur's gone-" He paused, his words catching in his throat as his eyes darted away from Morgana.

"My, my…" She spoke softly, "It's a wonder how much you cared for my dear brother."

Merlin's mouth shut, his hands loosening on the iron bars.

"It's truly a shame that he never realized it. Always called you a bumbling idiot when in reality you'd risk everything for him." She laughed, mockingly. "But then again, Arthur always was an oblivious one. Never realizing what he's got until it's gone." She sighed, "Seems like your knight in shining armor won't be here to save you anymore."

"Shut up." Merlin growled, feeling his magic flare just a bit.

Morgana stepped closer to the iron bars, "Or what?" She challenged and Merlin clenched his teeth. He willed his magic to emit itself and break free of the shackles, however when he felt the familiar tingle of magic begin to rise within him, it suddenly died. Startled, Merlin took a step back, looking down at his palms, confused.

"Having some trouble?" Morgana questioned, her head cocking to the side.

Merlin's eyes snapped up to her. "What've you done to my magic?"

Morgana suddenly looked offended, "You really believe I'd be that stupid? As if I'd let you have access to your magic."

"What've you done to me!" Merlin's voice rose and he grabbed onto the iron bars, rattling them with the force he pushed onto them. He could feel his magic inside him, but it felt stuck or trapped even.

"The shackles you wear around your wrists.." Morgana began, clearly enjoying every aspect of this, "They were forged back in the Great Purge. They were used to imprison those with the abilities to use magic and sorcery."

Merlin's eyes widened as he looked down at the shackles on his wrists.

"They prevent magic from surfacing, trapping it within the user's body."

Merlin let go of the iron cell bars, stepping back in disbelief and staring at Morgana.

"What...happened to you, Morgana?" Merlin's voice was quiet, his eyes expressing the emotion he felt, "We use to be friends. You loved Camelot, you loved Arthur, your brother, and Gwen and Gaius. You loved the people and stood up against Uther and his wrong doings-!"

"Enough!" Morgana's voice shook the very walls of the tower, Merlin's breath hitching in his throat, "The keywords are used to, Merlin." She growled out, the very hatred in her eyes unrecognizable to the Morgana Merlin use to know. "We are not friends. You destroyed that the moment you poisoned me all those years ago."

Merlin closed his eyes, remembering the choice. It was either Morgana dying or all of Camelot.

"Enjoy your time in the cells." Morgana spat out, "Soon enough, you and the rest of Camelot with burn under my wrath."

With that, Morgana turned, her dark hair whipping as she strode out of the prisoner room. Merlin could just barely make out the sound of her shoes until he could hear them no more. Merlin inhaled slowly, backing up until his back hit the stone wall.

It was quiet in the cells, only every once in awhile would Merlin hear some banging noises or some ungodly screech from some creature outside the tower. It wasn't long until Merlin found himself sliding down the stone wall and sitting on the stone floor. He blinked slowly and lifted his wrists to look at the shackles.

His wrists were bloody and worn from being tugged, but the shackles themselves had intricate designs forged into them. Merlin had never seen such designs before. Without his magic, he felt he had no chance of escaping unless Gwen somehow figured out he was missing from Camelot and sent the Knights to save him. He feared they thought he was dead and wouldn't come looking at all. He tried to think of the Knights coming to save him, but how would they even know where to look? The last he saw Gaius was in the forest, so there was no way he'd be able to assist them with where to search. Perhaps if Gaius told them of the lake where Arthur-

Merlin paused. He inhaled shakily.

Arthur

Merlin tried to hold it in. He breathed harshly, tears suddenly pricking at his eyes. He pressed his palms against his face. Arthur was gone. Sure, he got to the lake and placed Arthur in the water, but before that Arthur seemed to have given up, speaking to Merlin-

"I'm going to say something to you that I've never said to you before-"

"Thank you."

A sob escaped Merlin unexpectedly and tears wet his cheeks. Arthur had no longer been conscious the moment he was place in the water. That's when Morgana's men and Morgana herself attacked him. He tried to fight them, but going against Morgana in such a weak state of mind only hindered him. He had taken a blow to the head by one of her men and after that he remembered nothing besides waking up alone on Morgana's horse in the cold.

Merlin leaned back against the stone walls, feeling the cold against the back of his head and he stared up at the ceiling. There was a single window that had similar vertical, iron bars covering it that was too high up to reach. Merlin could just barely make out the white snow outside.

"I don't even know if he's alive…" Merlin whispered to himself, feeling miserable.

I don't even know if I saved him.

Merlin shut his eyes. He tried to will his magic to fly out past the walls of the tower, but it was restrained as if his magic had shackles around itself as well. His tears were beginning to dry on his cheeks, but as he blinked, opening his eyes once more, a few tears slipped out of the corners. He lifted his arms, wiping them away with the dirty and slightly blood stained sleeve of his brown coat before pulling his legs up against himself.

The cells were chilly and he was already freezing from before, so he tried to curl up against himself to center his heat. Merlin focused on his magic once again, this time willing it to warm his bones and surprisingly, it worked. He breathed out a sigh of relief.

Merlin shut his eyes once more, deciding to rest. He didn't know what Morgana had planned for him, but he only hoped whatever it was, that it'd be put off or prolonged enough in time for someone to rescue him or for him to figure out a way to escape. Magic or no magic.

With that in mind, Merlin relaxed. He didn't want to fully sleep, so he just let himself doze off, but every time he'd heard a noise, it startled him. He finally just huffed out a breath and buried his head in his knees with nothing left to do except wait.

"Arthur…"

"Arthur…"

Arthur jolted awake, sitting up straight in bed and startling Gwen from her sleep. Arthur was breathing heavily, covered in sweat as he heard Merlin's voice echo in his mind. He swallowed thickly, dazed.

"Arthur?" Gwen sat up, alarmed. She looked to him, concern written across her features, "Arthur, are you alright?" She asked, lightly touching his bare arm. Arthur flinched at the touch, startling her as his blue eyes snapped to her, wide. "Hey, hey...it's me. Are you okay?" Gwen said again, her voice soft, but touched with concern. "Do you need me to get Gaius-"

"No." Arthur suddenly spoke, voice rough with sleep. "I-I...I apologize."

"What's the matter?"

Arthur's eyes darted back down to the blankets and blinked slowly. He licked his lips, hesitant.

"Arthur…?"

Arthur was quiet for a long moment before finally speaking, "It's Merlin."

Gwen's features softened, a somewhat solemn expression taking over. "Arthur I-" She paused, a small sigh escaping her. "We'll find him. The knights are going out again at dawn."

Arthur didn't look at her, his shoulders tense and brow knit together.

"For now, you need to rest."

"I've rested enough!" His voice rose out of frustration. "I need to be out there, looking for…-"

"I know." Gwen said, but then touched his shoulder, "But Gaius said to give yourself one more day. You're not ready to go back out there swords blazing." She scolded, her voice rising a little as she finished.

"But Guinevere-"

"No, Arthur." She cut him off, her expression stern, "I've lost my father and my brother and I almost lost you. I know you wish to find Merlin, I do as well, but you need to think about yourself first."

Arthur's shoulders sagged a bit as he looked to his queen. He looked defeated all of a sudden, "You're right, I'm sorry."

Gwen gave him a sad, yet reassuring smile and leaned forward, giving Arthur a chaste kiss. As Arthur laid back down, a heavy weight settled in the pit of his stomach. He tried to ignore it and closed his eyes.

Unsurprisingly, Arthur didn't get any more sleep that night. He kept tossing and turning (lightly) as to not wake up Gwen again, but the heavy weight in his stomach never left even as Gaius came to check up on him in the middle of the day.

Currently, he was sitting on the edge of his bed, shirt off as Gaius gently inspected the sword wound in his side.

"It's a miracle at how well this wound has healed, sire." Gaius spoke.

Arthur was quiet.

"How do you feel?" Gaius straightened, getting Arthur's attention this time.

"Fine, better." He said, clearly troubled by something.

"No pain or soreness anywhere?"

Arthur shook his head, "Like you said, I just needed some rest."

Gaius let a warm smile cross his face, but was confused when Arthur's gaze cast downward. "Are you alright, sire?"

"I already told you-"

"I mean," Gaius paused, catching Arthur's eyes and really looking at him, "Are you alright?"

Arthur looked to Gaius and hesitated. "It's just-" He paused, going to stand as he put his shirt back on. "Nevermind, it's nothing."

Gaius sighed, "Well clearly it's something. You know I'm here for you, Arthur, whether it be as a physician or a friend."

Arthur inhaled deeply, "It's...Merlin."

Gaius stayed quiet.

"I can't help but think he's in danger." Arthur visibly sagged and Gaius watched him. "As much of an idiot and a liar as he is…" Arthur paused, feeling a bit of anger arise, but then sizzle away, "I don't want anything to happen to him."

"I understand how you feel, sire." Gaius said, voice quiet. "I want Merlin to return as much as the next person, but without any clue as to where he's gone off to…." Gaius trailed off. "I'm afraid our hands are tied, not that I don't have faith in the Knights."

The room fell quiet.

"I'm going out with the Knights tomorrow to help with the search."

Gaius looked to Arthur, noticing the determination set in his eyes. "Well, you seem back to your full strength, so I don't see why not." Gaius stood, "It's not like I could keep you here any longer anyways. Gwen on the other hand-"

"Guinevere can say what she likes, but I'm going." Arthur said, sternly. "I can't rest forever."

"For now, however, do rest as much as you can." Gaius instructed, "That way tomorrow you're at your full potential."

Arthur nodded and watched Gaius exit his chambers. He collapsed back on the edge of his bed and sighed quietly, his thoughts going back to the night. He'd definitely heard Merin. At least, he thought he did. He couldn't be sure. It may have been a dream of some sort, but...

"Don't worry, Merlin." He whispered to himself, "I will find you, you have my word. I will not abandon you."

A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it and again, please tell me your thoughts! I love to hear what you guys have to say! Any feedback is welcomed! I should have chapter three out soon, but I've only just started working on it.