Merlin slowly swam back into consciousness. His first sensations were the touch of a hard cold floor beneath him and the smell of dank stone and blood. The smell was all too familiar and brought a wave of panic coursing through him. His heart accelerated, her breath heightened, and she thought. "Camelot's dungeon." Trying to slow his pulse, he opened his eyes and slowly rose to his feet.
"Merlin! How did you get here?"
At the sound of Arthur's voice, Merlin turned around. He saw Arthur sitting in the cell opposite of him, leaning forward in concern. His blonde hair was a bird's nest, rising up around his face in a wild frizz caked with dried blood and dirt. They were in the dungeon with nothing but mouldy old straw on the floor to soften the damp stones. With only a cell wall separating them, Merlin cursed into the air.
"I don't know." Merlin tried to think about how he ended up in the dungeon but his memory was blurred. "The last thing I remember is talking to Gaius about…" Merlin said, struggling to remember.
"Wait, you know who I am?"
"Oh course. You're Arthur, King of Camelot and sometimes a real pain." Merlin replied jokingly.
Arthur couldn't help but smile, finally someone who knew who he was. "I think we've been enchanted somehow. This Camelot is different from the one we left before the hunt this morning."
Before Merlin had the chance to respond, a pair of knight stormed into Arthur's cell and dragged him out, despite Arthur's protest and weak attempts at fighting back.
"Elyan, Gwaine! What are you doing? Let him go!" Merlin cried out.
Stunned at the voice of a second prisoner, the knights glanced at each other. Looking confused Gwaine asked, "Where did this one come from?"
"It doesn't matter; the Queen has ordered us to bring her the prisoner. We'll bring him too and let the Queen decide his fate," Elyan replied.
Merlin and Arthur struggled against the restraints but they were tied to tightly. They approached the throne and stopped a short distance in front of the Queen, the knight forcing them to their knees to bow. Arthur immediately recognized her from the ambush. Her blue hair and crimson red eyes were unmistakable.
"You! What did you do to us?" Arthur yelled out, demanding an answer.
He didn't have a chance to react before Gwaine's fist slammed into his face. He crashed to the floor on his chest, unable to break his fall. For a moment his lungs felt like iron, refusing to expand. Sticky warmth filled his mouth and ran out to the floor. Merlin tried to move but was held down by Elyan.
"You do not speak to the Queen Marais unless she allows it," Gwaine said.
With a heavy gasp, he hauled in a breath, then coughed out blood.
Heavy steps sounded near his head and he braced himself for another blow. But instead, Marais knelt down and gently placed her hand under his chin to raise his head. Their lips touched. Immobilized and shocked, Arthur was motionless for a moment before shanking her off.
"We mustn't let all the rich blood go to waste," she said, licking Arthur's blood from her lips. We walked slowly back to the throne. "You're in my world now Arthur Pendragon, a world I forged with your desires."
"This isn't what I want." Arthur said thickly.
"Isn't it now? You wanted a life free from the responsibilities of being a king and I have granted you your wish. If no one knows your true identity, they you are free from its burdens."
Like a wolf stalking it prey, she walked slowly around Arthur, her eyes glued to his. "Let's take Gwen for example…"
His body tensed at the sound of her name.
"Where you she be if you did not exist?"
His anger raged out of him. "If you'd hurt her, I will hunt you down." Arthur hissed.
She laughs at his pitiful defiance. She kneels down beside him caressing his hair. Taking a deep breath, she takes in the sweet smell of his skin. "You forget Arthur, this is my world and I am Queen," she whispers to his ear.
"What do you want from this?" Merlin yells out, hoping to draw her attention away from Arthur.
Confused and stunned, she turns her attention to Merlin. "And who are you?" she asks. "I don't remember bringing you into this world," she said, grasping his neck in her hands.
"Leave him alone! Your quarrel is with me!" Arthur yelled.
She ignores Arthur's cries and continues, "Who are you?"
The look of confusion now evident on her face. There was something about this boy, something different that she had rarely felt. Why is he the only one who knows of Arthur's true identity?
Merlin ignores her question.
The look of confusion now turns to frustration. "You'll tell me one way of another" she said, pushing him away. "Bring them down to the torture chambers. I want Arthur scarred but leave the other till I come for him," she gestures at the knights and turns away.
Merlin needed to do something fast. "Ahreose thaec" Merlin whispered, his eyes glowed.
Distracted by the collapsing roof, Merlin managed to free himself of the restraints and rush to get Arthur out before it caved down on him.
Yay an update! Again, please let me know what you think.
Spoiler - Gwen will make another appearance in the next chapter. But will this be the same kind and gentle Gwen to which Arthur had fallen in love with or will she be just another element to this nightmare?