Arthur glanced over his shoulder, a puzzled gaze aimed towards the warlock. His face gained a conflicted expression, like something was troubling him. Not long after he turned back around, continuing to walk.
"I'll have Gaius look at your hand"
Merlin sat himself down on the straw pile within his cell once Arthur had left. He didn't have a readable expression on his face, his emotions conflicting to the point where his body couldn't decide which ones to portray on the outside. He was seated with his legs crossed, back turned to the prison bars, hunched forwards with his elbows placed upon his knees. His gaze was aimed towards his hand, dragging his thumb lightly over the wounds he had inflicted upon himself during his breakdown. He couldn't help but to flinch lightly at the stinging pain his caress brought with it. The wound would be gone in the morning, but if this wound meant that he got to see and speak to Gaius before his execution, then he wouldn't complain in the slightest.
He truly hadn't imagined himself dying like this, being burned at the stake. It was the worst way to die, without a doubt, and he had singlehandedly placed himself in this situation. But considering everything that had happened, it may just be for the best, or so he told himself. He regretted not going to Ealdor in order to see his mother, before going to Camelot. She may not welcome her son, if his counterpart was as wicked and twisted as he seemed, but at least it would've made him feel better just seeing her. She wouldn't even know that her only son had been executed, unless Gaius sent her a letter in order to let her know. He figured that he ought to ask Gaius to do that for him. He could only hope that he'd be willing.
His ears caught the sound of the twisting of a key, and a metallic creaking sound as the prison doors swung open. "What on earth were you thinking, doing something so reckless and stupid, Merlin?!" Gaius' outraged voice sounded from behind him as he stomped down the few steps that lead into the cell. The gates were closed shut behind the old physician.
"Gaius!" Merlin exclaimed, bouncing up onto his feet and rushing forwards. He didn't even give Gaius time to object before he flung his arms around the elderly man's shoulders, tightly embracing him. He needed this more than anyone could even begin to understand. Metallic sounds from outside of the prison echoed into the cell as the guards rushed towards the prison bars, only to be halted by a dismissive wave from Gaius.
"It's fine, I am all right" he reassured the guards, upon which they stepped back from the bars somewhat reluctantly. His other hand gently pet Merlin on the back, in what seemed to be an attempt to comfort the young warlock to a certain degree.
"I would tell you that everything will be all right, Merlin. But that would be a lie." The old man spoke, breaking the brief silence in the room. Merlin reluctantly released his hold around Gaius, taking a step backwards, upon which the physician placed a hand upon his shoulder.
"You have no idea how glad I am to see you alive and well, Gaius."
"Tell me, Merlin. Just what were you hoping to accomplish by coming here?" The old man questioned, his brows furrowing as he peered Merlin straight into the eyes.
"I.. I don't know. I hoped that I'd be believed, that I would be able to live with my friends and those I care about. I fooled myself because I just wanted it so bad, I just wanted a sense of normality again. I wanted to be able to stay with Arthur and serve him like I always have. I wanted to be able to share my joys and sorrows with everyone, but most of all.. I didn't want to be alone, and I didn't want to be hated by everyone.." Merlin rushed as he spoke, afraid that he wouldn't be able to say all that he wished to say before Gaius would have to leave him.
"My mother, Gaius. You need to tell my mother of what has happened to me. She will have no idea about any of this." he pleaded in a desperate voice.
At that request the lines on Gaius' face visibly deepened.
"What's wrong, Gaius? Did something happen?" Merlin questioned, panic appearing in his voice.
The elderly man took a step closer as a stern expression appeared on his face, peering Merlin dead in the eye.
"Tell me the truth, Merlin, and do not even attempt to lie to me. Is all that you have said about the other world, and that you do not belong to this world true? Are you truly not the Merlin we all know?" The man questioned, keenly watching his eyes.
"Yes, Gaius. I swear on my life, everything that I have said is true." Merlin replied, maintaining eye-contact with the physician. Their gazes lingered on each other for a short while afterwards, before Gaius nodded his head lightly.
"Then I believe you. But then there is something I must tell you, which greatly pains me to even think about." The man spoke, his facial expression changing into something unreadable.
"What is it, Gaius? What's wrong?"
"Hunith is dead. She passed away several years ago. You.." Gaius paused, exhaling lightly. ".. He was never the same afterwards. There had still been parts left of the boy who first came to my chambers all those years ago, but Hunith's death darkened his heart completely with bitterness, resentment and hatred. There was nothing I could do to help her, to stop what happened, and he resented me for it."
Merlin's eyes opened wide as Gaius spoke, a sinking feeling being felt in his gut as he felt his legs give away from underneath him. His hand moved out, finding support on the nearby wall before he slid down to the ground.
"How?.. What happened? How did she die?" Merlin forced out, trying to hold back the heavy sobs that threatened to escape his body, the male now cradling his head in his hands. He didn't notice the pained expression on Gaius' face, nor the trembling of his voice. It still caused him a great deal of pain and grief.
"Uther found out about your magic. He was outraged that a sorcerer had been living so close to his son for all those years, that he had made you his manservant, that he had placed his son in what he had deemed a great deal of risk. You were forced to flee the castle. Morgana warned you in advance of what had happened, giving you time to escape. When Uther could not find you, he was even more outraged.
Arthur attempted to plead your cause, to speak words of reason to his father, as did I, but Uther refused to listen, certain that you had placed Arthur and I under an enchantment. He therefore had Arthur and some knights travel to Ealdor in order to arrest Hunith for knowingly harboring a sorcerer. He believed that you still resided within Camelot, and that the news of your mothers arrest would most certainly draw you out from hiding. Arthur attempted to free Hunith, but he and your mother were discovered.
Uther believed that your mother had enchanted his son, and therefore sentenced her to die for acts of sorcery. It was all a hopeless situation, and Uther refused to see reason. He determined that, in order to fully sever the bond between you and Arthur, and to break the enchantments that had been placed on him, Arthur needed to be the one to carry out the execution. Arthur obviously refused, and I do not know what Uther threatened with in order to make him do it regardless of his conviction.
I still remember the expression you had on your face, when you arrived too late to stop them from taking her life. I never managed to tell you what had truly happened. You swore to avenge her, that you would make them pay for what they had done.. I do not know where you went afterwards."
Gaius had a troubled expression on his face as he made his way closer to Merlin, hunching down before the young warlock, placing his hands upon his shoulders.
They remained like this for a short while as Merlin couldn't hold the tears any longer. He knew that this wasn't his world, and that his mother was still alive and well in his own world, but even so, hearing of her death pained him greatly, as one would expect.
"I know that it is much to take in, my boy. But I take it that Hunith is still alive where you come from."
"Yeah.. She's still alive.." Merlin pushed out as a response.
"Then you must hold onto that, for your mother still lives, but you are simply in two very different places right now."
Merlin nodded his head lightly, for as always Gaius' words were comforting and reassuring. The physician took a hold of Merlin's injured hand in silence, setting down his bag besides him, before then he started to treat the wound. His hands stopped moving once he had wiped away the dried blood.
"I thought that you had injured your hand, Merlin." Gaius remarked. "Yet, there is no wound to be seen." That statement caused Merlin to direct his glance towards his own hand, he looked rather surprised at the revelation himself. Too caught up in his emotional pain, he had not realized that the throbbing of his hand had ceased. "I did injure my hand, Gaius.. I don't understand how this is happening."
Gaius looked somewhat flabbergasted as he sat there hunched down. "Merlin, you never cease to amaze me." he muttered. "It just happens.. It happened before, after I faced Arthur at the gates some days ago. I got a pretty nasty cut, but the next day it was gone. This has never happened to me before."
"I have only seen something like this occur with the High Priestesses and High Priests of the Old Religion.. Yet, nowhere this quickly. You are truly remarkable."
They heard a metallic noise at the prison bars, which snagged their attention. It was a guard. "Hurry it up. If you are done, you must leave the prisoner." the guard stated.
Gaius nodded his head lightly, rising up to his feet, as did Merlin. The two embraced tightly, the old man muttering some words into Merlin's ear.
"I will see what I can do in order to help you, my boy. I believe this may be a second chance for all of us."
"Thank you, Gaius."
The two stepped away from the hug, exchanging a small smile, before Gaius was let out of the cell. In silence Merlin watched the old man walk away, and once he was gone, his gaze trailed down towards his hand, his mind filled with blurred thoughts. His other hand cupped the hand lightly, caressing the spot where the wounds had been not too long ago. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.
He found no sleep that night.