Time Is Small pt.1
One cold, rainy, foggy, and horrible winter day Merlin was running home to see Gaius. Merlin was coughing and was cutting very cold in the rain. It had been rain for 2 days. The rain stopped every once in a while but the longest at night. Merlin could barely see in the dark. Then Merlin heard a stick snap. Merlin looked down and saw that he didn't step on a stick. He got scared.
"Hello, who's there? Is someone there?" Merlin shivered and asked. Then someone put a piece of cloth on Merlin's mouth.
"Let me go. Who are you? Let me go." Merlin said but the cloth muffled it. Then another guy tied Merlin's hands behind his back. Merlin tried to get away but couldn't. He was very scared.
"Shut up you. Shut up. Morris, pull his scarf to choke him. Let's see how he likes that." Hamin laughed in an evil and low voice.
"Ok. I love doing that. I love the sound the person makes as they die." Morris laughed with greed. He began choking Merlin. Merlin stopped trying to move because he got too weak from lack of air.
"You can stop Morris. He be dead in a few days." Hamin ordered.
"If you do anything that we tell you not to do you will die." Morris warned. Merlin panicked but he nodded yes. The guys pushed Merlin to the hideout. It was a big, old, and dirty house. They took Merlin inside and threw him in a cold, dark, wet, musty, smelly, dirty, and small cell.
"You will stay in here till we get you to be tortured in the big room. You will be sick to your stomach when you get tortured in there. First let's torture you here. Morris take off his shirt, jacket, and scarf. When we are done we will let him die under the window. Good now get me a whip." Hamin evilly said. Merlin felt worse and was starting to feel sick. Hamin began torturing a very scared, wet, and cold Merlin. Both the guys laughed as they tortured Merlin. Merlin screamed in pain. When they were done Merlin was losing a lot of blood. He was weak, cold, wet, tired, and was starting to have a fever. They tied Merlin to the wall under the window. Merlin was standing up with his arms tied to the cell windows get very sick from the rain. Hamin and Morris left laughing. Merlin began to cry in pain and fear. In Camelot it was night and Gaius was worried. He saw Gwen who had come from outside.
"Gwen, have you seen Merlin?" Gaius asked sadly.
"No. Not since I left to see my father. Why?" Gwen answered.
"He isn't at home. When I find him I am going to push him into bed and get him to rest. He has not been feel great. I will make him take some medicine. I don't want him getting too sick for me to treat him."
"I understand. I'll ask around."
"Thank you."
Meanwhile at the house Merlin was awake but was very sick. Morris and Hamin came in and took Merlin to the torturing room.
"It's time for you to meet our master. He will love to meet you. The master loves to see people die." Morris greeted. They dragged Merlin to the room. When they got near their master they threw Merlin down.
"Well, well. Prince Arthur's servant. I have always wanted to kill one. My name is Gale." Gale explained.
"I will tell you nothing." Merlin yelled.
"Tell me about Camelot. All that you know. Today we will condemn you to a slow and painful death. Morris take the gag off. Tie him to the pole and use the whip and beat him for several minutes."
"Ok." Morris answered stupidly. They tied Merlin to a pole and began to whip him. Merlin screamed every time the whip hit him. Merlin moved around trying to prevent getting hit only in the back. Several minutes later Merlin started to pass out from his injuries.
"Stop. Let's stone him. Find 12 stones, share them, and throw them at Merlin. He will be very weak. Then we can get the woman and her nathair. Hurry." Gale ordered. So Morris and Hamin did what they were told. Merlin weakly looked around him but was barely able to see. Then he saw a woman and the 2 guys come back.
"On my signal throw. Now."Gale demanded. They began stoning Merlin. One of the rocks hit Merlin in the right eye, ribs, liver, and forehead. Merlin got hit right in the left head, ribs, leg, and arm. The last 4 hit Merlin in the right ribs and face again. On the left they hit Merlin in the ribs and near the intestines. When they were done Hamin and Morris cut the ropes and a weak anddying Merlin fell to the ground crying and in pain. Merlin curled up in a ball and tried to sleep. Merlin prayed.
"Please God help me. Please God help me." Merlin whispered. Morris picked Merlin up and tied his hands behind Merlin's back.
"This is my wife Suzanna. She will use her snake and get information from you. Will you tell us? How do we get into the castle to kill the king and prince?" Gale informed.
"No. Never. Try all you want but I will die before I tell you." Merlin refused.
"Oh but you will tell us. Suzanna use your snake."
"Do you know what the nathair can do? No. Well it causes the most pain a man has every felt not only in his body but soul. So you must answer." Suzanna explained.
"No. I will never tell you." Merlin replied. Then Suzanna used the snake on Merlin. Merlin screamed in pain so loud that maybe the dogs in Camelot could hear. This went on for 3 hours. When Suzanna gave up Merlin went to sleep. Morris and Hamin dragged an unconscious Merlin back to his cell. The same thing happened for 4 days. In Camelot Gaius, Gwen, and Morgana were worried about Merlin. They ask everyone including the king but all said no. For 2 and a half days it did not rain but it was still cold. Merlin was near death in his cell with a very tight gag on. Suzanna came in with water and a piece of bread. Merlin was nearly unconscious but was able to eat and drink.
"Here, some water. Drink it will give you strength when you escape. Here's some bread. I will help you escape. It is pouring down rain again. When you get home you will be very sick. The 5 snakes I used their poison together plus the drugs and wounds it will drive you mad. My husband means to kill you in an hour. Here's your shirt, jacket, and scarf. Put them on. Here, I cut the ropes for you." Suzanna explained.
"Thank you. How will I get out of here?' Merlin whispered weakly while putting his jacket on. He put his shirt and scarf in his jacket to help stop the bleeding on his wound. The wound should have killed him but it didn't.
"Leave that to me. I can't go with you but I will help you get out."
"Ok."
Suzanna helped Merlin escape. As they were leaving Merlin tripped and a sharp edge of a sword cut Merlin from the liver to stomach.
"Oh, Ow. Ow. Ahh." Merlin winced.
"Are you ok?" Suzanna asked Merlin.
"Yes." Merlin said slowly. Suzanna helped Merlin get up. They got out of the house and ran to the rode that lead to Camelot. Suzanna stopped when they got to the path.
"Go. Hurry. As soon as the rain stops they'll come after you." Suzanna warned.
"Ok. Thanks." Merlin weakly said. Merlin ran as fast as he could to Camelot. By the time he got to Camelot it was night. Merlin had been running for 3 hours. He walked up the stairs to Gaius's chamber and started to pass out. "I have to get to the door and knock so Gaius can help me. I can't collapse till I get to the door." Merlin thought. He got to the door and knock. Then Merlin collapsed on the floor in front of the door. Gaius heard the knock on the door and went out to look. He saw Merlin lying on the ground bleeding.
"Merlin." Gaius sighed. Gaius picked Merlin up and put Merlin in his bed. Gaius got several blankets and wrapped Merlin up in them. Merlin was in a very, very deep shock. He grabbed some herbs and medicines to give Merlin. Gaius began to look at Merlin's wounds and snake bites. When Gaius saw all the snake bites he began to become very worried. He put herbs on Merlin's wounds and sat back in a chair and the left side of Merlin's bed. Merlin was unconscious for an hour but it was because he was very weak and tired. Gaius was a sleep for several minutes when Merlin began moving and screaming in his bed. Gaius woke up when he first heard Merlin screaming. Gaius put his hand on Merlin's forehead and began to calm Merlin down by singing.
"Be thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart
Nought be all else to me, save thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light"
Gaius sang softly. Merlin began to calm down and go back to sleep.
"Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word
I ever with thee and thou with me Lord
Thou my great father and I thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with thee one"
Gaius continued to sing not knowing that Uther and walked into the room.
"Riches I need not, nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance now and always
Thou and thou only first in my heart
High king of heaven my treasure thou art
Be thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart
Nought be all else to me, save that thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light
High king of heaven, my victory won
May I reach heaven's joy, bright heaven sun
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, oh ruler of all"
Gaius continued singing. He looked at Merlin and saw that he was asleep. Uther stepped into Merlin's room quietly.
"You sing very nicely Gaius." Uther whispered.
"Oh, sire, sorry I did not know you were in here. Merlin came home a couple hours ago. He was very weak and cold and in a deep shock. He was starting to wake up from a nightmare so I began to sing to him. Ever since he was very small he liked to sing. When he was sick or scared someone could sing to him and he was calm but it has to be a song about God." Gaius explained.
"Why?"
"It reminds him that God is with him. He was in a lot of pain which might have made him feel worse. I have to make sure he stays in bed. I wish I had help but I don't know if anyone else can."
"Tomorrow, I will tell Morgana's servant to come and help you."
Then Merlin began to wake up in pain. He saw Gaius next to him talking to Uther.
"Gai…us. Gaius." Merlin shuttered.
"Hey, Merlin. Go to sleep. You are weak." Gaius whispered.
"Arthur? Where's Arthur?"
"He's in his bed sleeping like you should be. Arthur will come to see you in the morning. Uther will make sure of that."
"I will tell him in the morning. If it means he will stop getting upset and mad that you're missing. He will be glad to hear about you. I promise but if you want to get back on your feet then you must do what Gaius says." Uther whispered.
"Ok." Merlin sighed in relief. Uther left. Gaius and Merlin talked about what happened. Then an hour later Merlin fell asleep but was still very scared. In the morning at breakfast this happened. So Morgana and Uther were eating breakfast. Gwen was serving them their breakfast. Then Arthur came.
"Good morning Arthur." Morgana greeted.
"Good morning." Arthur growled.
"Are you still worried about Merlin?" Uther asked.
"Yes. My other servant is an idiot. He's nothing like Merlin. I wish Merlin was here. But when I see him I am going to kick him in the chest. He has been late for nearly a week." Arthur yelled.
"What if I told you he is sick and injured?"
"Then I won't hurt him. When I'm done I will go see Gaius. I need to see if Merlin is there and is just sleeping or what."
"My Lady, I must help Gaius take care of his injured and sick nephew. May, I go?" Gwen asked Morgana.
"Of course. Go." Morgana replied. Gwen left the room.
"Which nephew because he has 3." Arthur asked with his mouth full of bread.
"You can see for yourself when you see Gaius."
Meanwhile Gwen was running to Gaius's chambers. When she went in she heard crying and moaning. She saw that Gaius was asleep in his bed. She found some cold water and a cloth fearing that Merlin was running a fever. She went into Merlin's room and saw him kicking, moaning, and crying.
"Hey, Merlin, wake up Look at me. It was just a dream. It was just a dream. Calm down.
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows, like sea billows roll,
Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say
It is well. It is well with my soul."
Gwen sang. Then Merlin woke up. He looked at Gwen and began to calm down. Gwen felt Merlin's forehead and immediately put the wet cloth on Merlin's head.
"I feel sick. So sick. Where's…Where's Arthur?" Merlin breathlessly moaned.
"He's coming. You are warm." Gwen whispered. Then Gaius and Arthur came in and saw a very flushed Merlin lying in bed under several messed up blankets looking as if he was about to vomit. Everyone around Merlin began to help him and talk to him. Gaius made some broth for Merlin to swallow. Arthur and Merlin talked about what happened. In a few days Merlin felt strong enough to get up and walk. At breakfast Gaius watched Merlin eat his berries and drink his water.
"Are you sure you can work today?" Gaius asked.
"Gaius, I'm ok. Arthur has to go hunting today. I know what you're thinking. That I don't even like hunting but I have to protect Arthur from Cenred. I need to get going." Merlin answered quickly. Then Merlin left without his scarf and jacket. As they were out hunting with 5 men they got attacked by Cenred's men. Merlin fell of his horse and ran behind a big tree. As Arthur fought Merlin used magic to help him. Arthur saw where Merlin was and ran to him. All of Arthur's knights were killed. He got behind the tree and heard Merlin scream. He looked behind him and saw 2 men. One was choking Merlin and was about to slice Merlin's neck. Merlin's right eye was black and was getting swollen.
"Put the sword down, Pendragon or your friend will die." One of the men yelled.
TBC