More Than A Servant

Chapter 7

"Merlin... Merlin..."

Merlin groans in his his near unconscious state. He can tell that someone is trying to talk to him but he can tell who it is or where he is. He can feel nothing but pain and exhaustion.

Morgana looks at him with a slight sense of worry. She needs him alive, he is of no use to her dead. But getting him to talk is another story. If he is not willing to talk while he's sick and exhausted, why would he talk while he's healthy.

She ponders for a moment. Maybe if she can get him to start talking, he'll be more willing to talk in the future. Even if it's not directly about the questions she needs answered, knowledge is power. Even a bit of power over him could be a foothold.
Morgana grabs a tonic to wake Merlin up. She holds the bottle under his nose, and almost instantly he starts coughing and flinching.

Finally, Merlin opens his eyes becoming aware of his surroundings. His eyes wander around until they finally land on Morgana. He still can't find the strength to stand up, so he simply hangs there and looks at her.

"Aww... not feeling the best are we?" Merlin glares at her.
"Tell you what, how about we make a deal. If you can answer two questions I'll heal you."

What kind of a sick deal is that? Merlin thinks it over. As long as he had control over which questions he was to answer it wouldn't really matter.

"Deal," his voice comes out gravelly. "As long as I can choose which questions to answer."

"Fine. Let's see... I assume you won't be answering any questions regarding past injuries."

"Nope."

"Emrys?"

He gives her an annoyed look in response.

"Figures.... Why did you come to Camelot?"

"Well..." Merlin hesitates, "I just didn't fit in anymore back at Ealdor. I wanted to find somewhere new."

"That's not all. To leave home as a boy, there must have been more than simply not fitting in."

Merlin pondered for a moment, knowing that he would have to give more explanation if he wanted this round of questioning to be over. Then he has an idea.

"Well think about it this way. My mother was never married, and yet she had me. That kind of birth is a disgrace. That followed me and my mother around the whole time I was in Ealdor. So I left."

"Hmm..." Morgana pauses. "I guess that's an acceptable answer. That wasn't so hard was it?"

Merlin rolls as eyes as Morgana gets up to grab the rag. Merlin was starting to wonder if she forgot about the second question when she asks,

"What happened to your father?"

Ouch. As much as Merlin does not want to answer he knows that this is one of the safest questions she could ask. Almost any other question would risk him giving away his magic. So he decides to answer.

"He left before I was born. It was always just my mom and I."

"And? You never found out what happened to him?"

Merlin sighs, "actually I did. He died," Merlin says as a tear escapes.

Morgana looks back at him, suddenly filled with pity.

"I'm sorry. I know what that feels like."

Merlin doesn't answer. He simply looks at the ground. Morgana walks over to him and starts to clean his wound. As promised, she would heal him. As she works she starts to think about what just occurred. Why did she pity him? He is her enemy. Confused and rather annoyed she starts to think out loud.

"There's something about you Merlin... I can't quite put my finger on it. What is it about you that has made you foil all of my plans?"

"I don't know what you're talking about-"

"Oh shut up Merlin. Even since you first came to Camelot there was something different about you. Something..." she ponders for a moment, then she gets an idea.

Suddenly, she smiles to herself as Merlin begins to look on, concerned.
"Maybe some of your memories hold the secret to what makes you Merlin."

Morgana turns to look at Merlin; she begins to chuckle at the terrified look on his face. Before Merlin has time to protest, Morgana chants her healing spell and Merlin passes out. Morgana sets down the rag, goes to her books and starts to lay out her plan.

***

Arthur is in the council chamber again attempting to deal with the affairs of the kingdom. Of course he isn't getting very far because his mind is elsewhere. Merlin has been gone for three days. Three whole days! No sign of him anywhere!

There's a knock on the door. Arthur looks up hopefully.

"Come in!"

Arthur's face falls as Gaius enters. Then he quickly schools his facial expressions.

"Gaius, good. Do you have any update date on those strange markings?"

"I'm afraid I do, sire." Afraid? What does he mean afraid?
"I believe they are markings of the Old Religion."

"The Old Religion? But that died out years ago. Why would they still have markings of them?"

"Sire, I believe that they may be connected to Morgana."

Arthur freezes. It can't be. Merlin cannot be in the hands of Morgana. There's no telling what could become of him, if he's even still alive.

"We need to find him."