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Author's Note: O.O Wow! Big chapters here! Better be paying attention ;D Get a look in on what's going through Uther's head here! Enjoy! And please read + review!

Chapter Sixteen

Dominated

Emrys was frantically thinking of a way to escape. They came from all directions, sprinting at full speed towards him, wielding huge, sharp swords. There was only one thing he could do. Protect his identity.

"Scyfel ámundian!" Emrys yelled over the cries of the oncoming men. Nothing happened but he hadn't expected it to. Then, bodies hit him. Someone came up behind him and wrapped something cold, no, freezing round his wrists. They were tied together. Emrys searched for a spell that would get him out of there fast.

"Geleáfa álíefednes!" Now that spell was meant to do something. Nothing happened. "Geleáfa álíefednes!" Again. Nothing. Emrys glanced over his shoulder at what was binding his hands together. Then he knew why his magic wasn't working. It was because the magic of the Old Religion was no help to him while he had an item of Dark Magic touching him. He was helpless. Emrys looked fleetingly behind him again to see who was tying his wrists together. But he didn't need to see. He recognised the voice that whispered in his ear.

"I'm so sorry…" Gwaine breathed softly before the other Knights forced Emrys towards the gates of Camelot.

The wood of the floor scraped Emrys' knees as he was forced down in front of the King. Emrys kept his head bowed, but not as a sign of respect. He needed to keep his identity secret.

"So, you are the feared Thief that has been terrifying the citizens of Camelot for all these years," Uther projected into the hall. Emrys stayed quiet. "Answer me!" Uther ordered.

"I suppose I am," Emrys said softly. There was silence. They both stared at each other, taking in their opponents.

"Take off your hood," Uther said quietly.

"Now why would I want to do that?" Emrys smirked. Uther's face became firm.

"Now, Thief, or I'll order my guards to take it off. I refuse to take to you unless I can see your real identity." Uther was so naïve. Sometimes it wasn't so easy as to just get his guards to do his bidding. Emrys made no move to take down his hood. As if he would.

"Guards," Uther said, glaring at Emrys. He looked a little confused as to why Emrys was being so relaxed about his identity being revealed after all these years. The two guards that were standing either side of Emrys stepped forward and yanked on his hood. It refused to come off. The guards looked at each other with puzzled expressions and then pulled again. Nothing happened. Emrys smiled to himself. His enchantment had worked. The two guards looked up at Uther with confused expressions. Uther mirrored their faces and looked down at Emrys.

"You've cast a spell haven't you? To protect your identity," Uther said coldly. Yet another silence. "Haven't you?" Uther said again, with more volume this time.

"Maybe," Emrys answered. Silence prevailed for the hundredth time.

"You will be sentenced to death. You will be burnt at the stake until dead," Uther announced.

"You'll try to burn me at the stake," Emrys corrected. Uther narrowed his eyes.

"What do you mean, try? You will be executed and there is nothing you can do about it," Uther retorted.

"That's what you think," Emrys said softly. Uther looked as if he was about to snap back, but then decided not to. Instead he nodded towards the guards as a signal to take him away. They went to grab Emrys by the shoulders but he shrugged them off. "I'll make my own way out," Emrys said. He turned and walked out of the room, the two guards following closely.

Arthur had left shortly after a congratulatory speech from his father as the Thief left the room. He should be brimming with pride. But he wasn't. In fact, he was feeling the exact opposite. He felt slightly ashamed at his capturing the Thief. His father had not liked that first encounter at all. Uther wasn't used to being addressed like that. People who kneeled before him were almost always trembling with fear and could hardly look him in the eye, let alone speak to him. But the Thief, well, he had certainly talked to Uther. He had been quite cheeky towards him if Arthur was honest. He showed no fear or even nervousness in the grand wake of Uther Pendragon. In a way he even mocked him. And what exactly he had said was haunting also. "You'll try to burn me at the stake." That was what he had said to his father. He must have meant that Uther wouldn't prevail with this sentence. What would he do? But he was helpless with that chain on him, and everyone had been given strict orders not to take it off him even for a second. So how did he expect to be able to escape this death sentence? Arthur was intrigued by this but also scared at the same time. He wanted to know how the Thief thought he would be able to pull it off but at the same time he was frightened of what might happen as a result. The way he had said it was also disturbing. It was so full of threat and venom and danger and… exactly what the Thief himself emanated. Fear, danger, darkness… Arthur could have sworn he had been smirking under that hood. Arthur should have known that the Thief wouldn't let his identity be revealed that easily. Of course he would have protected himself. Arthur came to the door of his chambers and sighed. He pushed it open and yawned. It had been a long night.

The rough, stone ground cut into Emrys' hands as he was chucked into the freezing cell in the dungeons. He scrambled over to the far corner and clutched his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, shivering. He watched the guards round the corner at the end of the corridor to take their positions just out of sight. Emrys stared intently at the ground in front of him, his mind swimming. How could he have let himself get caught so easily? He should have known that Arthur wouldn't just meet up with him without bringing an ambush. After all these years of searching, chasing and losing, of course he wouldn't leave this chance. It was all so obvious now. And then there was Gwaine. Why had he let himself get so close to that Knight? He had betrayed him. He had lied to him. All those things Gwaine had said about him. All those things that he believed in him. I had all been a lie. He was just the same as the others. He wanted him dead and that was it. He couldn't let this go. He had to do something. Something that would make Gwaine regret what he had put Emrys through. Then he had it. But he would Gwaine. And he would need to get this Dark Magic chain off somehow. He would have to wait for the perfect moment.

Author's Note: Hey, never done an author's note down here before! Oh wow! Isn't it beautiful! Especially with this lovely blue button to brighten up both the boring white page and someone's day! And for those of you who didn't get the MASSIVE hint there… I would really like a few reviews if that's not too much trouble? Hehe, yeah, I would really appreciate it! Even if it's just nagging me to add another chapter or even telling me how bad you think my writing is! Well anyway, thanks for reading!