Merlin Oneshots (and some multi-part stories)

To Tell the Truth

Title: To Tell the Truth
Description: The knights get captured (and Merlin obviously). They use a truth serum on them, hoping to get Camelot's secrets, but instead, learn that one of the knights knows Emrys. And his identity.
Word Count: 1,553
Part: 1/1
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They had been captured. Again. It was an average day. Arthur went on a patrol, Merlin complained, they got captured by a sorceress, and were now sitting in a dungeon. Yes, very predictable. Still, it was uncomfortable and they needed to find a way to escape. Just then, the woman came back to interrogate them.

"Why are we here?" Arthur asked.

"I would have thought that was obvious," the sorceress said, "I want information on Camelot's defenses."

"You'll never get anything from us."

"No? Not even if I used this?"

She held up a vile of purple liquid. When she saw their confused faces she explained.

"It's a truth potion. One that takes a lot of time and skill to make. But, it's very potent. Just one drop and you won't be able to lie."

"Then we just won't speak."

"Oh, trust me. I have ways of making you talk."

The knights glanced at each other nervously when she opened the cell and forced each of the knights to consume one drop of the liquid. She skipped the servant. While she knew they heard everything, why would she waste a drop of her precious potion when she had six perfectly good knights who would tell her all she needed to know?

"Alright, so who's going to talk first? No one? Okay then, what about you?" she pointed to Arthur.

"How can I sneak into Camelot undetected?"

Arthur tried very hard to keep his mouth shut, but in the end, it was pointless.

Once she was satisfied with the information he told her (although he did manage to hold back quite a bit) she moved onto someone else.

"Your turn," she said, looking at Lancelot.

"What can you tell me about Camelot's protectors?"

Both Lancelot and Merlin's eyes widened, and they wished she hadn't used that specific word. "Knights" would have been better. But no. She had to pick the one that could encompass Merlin as well. Just great. And because he was thinking about he, he was likely going to say it.

It took all of his will power not to blurt out the first thing that came to mind, which was Merlin, or Emrys.

"Oh, come on. You've got to know something? Who stops the assassins? Who is the King's personal guard? Who protects him?"

Lancelot couldn't think. He wanted to say anything, except for the one name on his mind. He almost blurted out Merlin's name. But, he managed to instead change it to Emrys. It wasn't much better, but at least it wasn't the name his face was associated with.

"You know Emrys?" she asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

Lancelot wanted to deny it. He even shook his head. But lying with his words was impossible.

"Yes."

He couldn't stop himself from answering her questions. Whether it was the potion, or a spell he didn't know.

"And he protects Camelot?"

"Yes."

Lancelot felt like he was betraying his friend. He promised to keep his secret, but here he was blurting it out to anyone who would listen.