"Then swear it, Merlin."
"Yes," he gasped, "Yes, whatever you want, just, please...I-I-I c-c-c-can't –"
Merlin jerked away. "What did you do to me?" he whispered.
"It's nothing that I did," she said, "It's what you've done. It's what Arthur's done. I'm just helping things along. You're no good to me like this, no memories of the Pendragon's betrayal."
She leaned forward again, eyes beginning to glow gold. Merlin had backed himself straight into a corner, no way to escape. A strangled yell jumped from his throat, and with a lurch that left black spots dancing in his vision, his magic lashed out at Morgause. It was barely enough to make her stumble backwards. But Merlin, as soon as the burst of magic had finished, could feel a cut on his back quietly open up, and he winced.
Gaius had been right about his magic healing him, then.
Immediately, Arthur's voice, just outside the door, called, "Merlin? Merlin!" The door shuddered with the force of an overprotective prince slamming into it. Then, Arthur, bellowing again, this time with an edge of panic, "Percival!"
Morgause looked like she wanted to say something. Instead, she backed away to stand by the window. The door flew open. Percival came in first, and Arthur just after him, both with swords drawn. Morgause, a smirk unfurling on her lips, disappeared with a loud bang. Merlin, leaning over the chair, barely able to stand, let out a large sight of relief.
Arthur dropped the sword – but not his, Merlin noted distantly, Merlin had sharpened Arthur's sword enough times to know when a blade was not it – to the ground with a clatter, and with two large steps crossed the room to Merlin's side.
"Are you alright?" Arthur said, grabbing Merlin's shoulders and pulling him upright. Merlin cleared his throat and tried to answer, but his voice didn't want to work. His legs were shaking beneath him, threatening to give out. Arthur shook him slightly, which really did little to help matters, and repeated, louder, "Are you alright?"
Merlin started to nod, but his knees buckled instead and he crashed forward. Arthur caught him, and, with a tone that Merlin could only describe as panicked, said, "Are you hurt? Merlin? Tell me where she's hurt you. Your back's bleeding."
"I'm f-fine, I was hurt th-there before," he said, voice muffled by Arthur's shirt. That wasn't strictly true, of course. Now his left shoulder hurt just as much as his broken arm. Still, though, he could move it. Small victories, and all that. A terrible thought slammed into him. "Gwaine?"
"Is fine," said Arthur, "He just had a bump on the head. Are you sure you're alright?"
No, actually, now that he was thinking about it. Merlin meant to take a step back, just to realize he was still leaning most of his weight on Arthur, the prince's arms just about the only thing holding him up. His cheeks burned slightly with embarrassment and he tried to pull away. Arthur apparently didn't notice, and was busy glaring daggers at the spot that Morgause had vanished from.
"Arthur?" Merlin said.
"What?"
"You can let go of me now."
"What?" Arthur said, sounding perplexed. Apparently, he hadn't realized he had Merlin still leaning on him either. He let go rather abruptly, and Merlin stood. He was still shaky and felt more than a bit sick, and his arm hurt, but his pride demanded that he try and stand on his own.
"Right," said Arthur, cracking his knuckles in what he clearly hoped to be a manly fashion. Percival snorted quietly. Arthur gave him a glare, and then turned to Merlin to say, "All the same, Gaius is going to take a look at you. I can't leave you alone even for a moment, can I?"
Chapter 23
Start from the beginning
