For the second time, Merlin woke up with no idea where he was. Instead of finding himself alone, he found Gedren crouched near him, watching him intently. Merlin couldn't describe the look on the other man's face.

"Welcome to Casa Prairi, the ancient home of my family. You're in the dungeons. I wouldn't move if I were you," said Gedren as Merlin attempted to squirm out of his bonds.

Merlin turned his head to find a sword pointed at his throat. He squinted at, unable to believe what he saw.

The sword looked like Excalibur, but was black and gold. It was attached to him in such a way that if he made the wrong move, he'd die.

Gedren grinned at the look horrified on Merlin's face. "I'm clever aren't I? If you use magic, the sword will kill you. Also, there's something else."

He vanished around the corner and a moment later reappeared carrying a small, strangely beautiful carved box. He set it near Merlin and opened it.

For a few seconds that felt like an eternity, the box let out a horrible screech then lowered to a hum that was so high, a cat would get a headache.

Merlin hissed. God, how long would that last? Within seconds, his ears began to ring.

Craning his head away from the sword, he bared his teeth at Gedren, who grinned.

"See?" He pulled back a hank of greasy hair to reveal his ear, which was stuffed with a silvery material. "I'm protected, but I feel sorry for you, stable brat. Your poor prince will have to find a new servant I'm afraid."

With that, he closed the cell door and disappeared, leaving Merlin unable to move or escape.

As the minutes passed and the shrieking hum continued, Merlin tried to shut it out, but like a mole, the noise permeated his defenses. He screamed and cried as he felt himself going insane. The wolf howled hauntingly in distress, adding to his pain.

Oh God, if he wasn't in control, what would happen to Arthur?

Gaius was preparing a potion when Arthur walked into his chambers, frowning.

"Sire?"

"Have you seen Merlin?"

Gaius frowned too. "Not lately. Last I heard from him, he was in your chambers."

"He was. I went to get in some training and when I got back, he wasn't there."

"Well he can't have gone fa –"

A sudden pain-filled shriek from Arthur cut Gaius off mid sentence.

"Sire!"

Arthur fell to his knees, clutching his head as it pounded in agony. God, it felt like it was in a vice and getting tighter by the second.

Gaius said something but Arthur barely heard him. He was transported back to the night Merlin had first turned wolf and his pain seemed to double.

For the briefest space of time, Merlin's face appeared before him in his mind's eye and then exploded in a bright flash of white light.

The pain receded.

Arthur lay on the floor of Gaius's chambers, panting and gasping. After a moment, he shakily managed to sit up.

"Are you alright?" Gaius asked anxiously, bending over him, a cup of water in his hand.

Merlin, Arthur thought, ignoring Gaius and trying to drag himself towards the door.

Gaius, still holding the water, frowned deeply as he watched Arthur.

Something was wrong. Seriously wrong.