Merlin was terrified. More terrified than he had ever been. There was more adrenaline coursing through his veins now then when he had dueled Nimue or even when he was fighting for his life against the petrifying knights of Medhir. He tried not to show his fear, but based on Morgause's satisfied expression, he wasn't doing a perfect job.
"Have you never thought about death before, Emrys?"
"Of course I've thought about death. I've been close to it more times than I can count."
She smiled wryly. "I think you have been more distant from death than you realize." She got up from the table and began to pace once more, just outside the candle light. Her voice seemed to echo around Merlin. He gave up trying to keep track of where she was. "Do you know what your name means?"
"A Merlin is a bird," he said, even though he knew what Morgause was really after.
"Yes, very amusing. I was referring to your druid name."
"No."
"Emrys means... immortal."
Merlin froze. The adrenaline in his blood stood still. He felt like he was watching the world from a distance, like these events were only his own reflection in a mirror and even then, the mirror stood across a vast chamber. After a long pause, he found the strength to speak. "You can't possibly... I can't... but I've been so close... I've almost been killed countless times-"
"All destiny's illusion. A good one too."
"No, when Nimue poisoned me, I would have died if Arthur hadn't brought me the antidote! I was so close to death then, and that's only one example."
"Oh, yes, Morgana told me all about that, and I've had nothing but time to speculate." She met his eyes. "I think you did die Emrys. You did die that day. Of course this is just my own thoughts, but I don't think Arthur was in time. He would have been, if his father hadn't been such an arrogant fool."
Merlin shook his head. "No, Arthur was in time. That's how I'm still here."
"Your little maidservant friend, Gwen, told my sister all about how things transpired. You stopped breathing, your heart stopped. An antidote can't cure a poison victim if the poison has already done its dirty deed." She emerged from the shadows. "In my years training to be a high priestess, I learned enough about you, Emrys, to know that it wasn't the antidote that cured you that day."
Merlin couldn't find his words.
"Of course, it makes for a better narrative if Arthur, the brave and conceited prince, commits a selfless act to save his defenseless servant."
"Why are you telling me all this?!"
"Because, Emrys, you are destined to be my sister's end. I cannot let that happen. If you were to be kept alive, even in chains, destiny would find away to carry out its cruel work." She shook her head. "If Morgana is to be safe, you must be dead and in the past few weeks I have discovered just how to do it."
Merlin shifted in the chair, trying to distance himself as much as possible from the enchantress. "I don't understand-"
"A blade forged in a dragon's breath should do it, as long as a powerful enough spell is cast when using it. You must be weakened first. The only problem is..." She stopped her pacing to stare directly at Merlin. "There hasn't been a blade like this made in thousands of years, the last ones being lost to time."
Merlin looked away, trying to conceal the recognition in his eye at the mention of such a blade. His mind raced, thinking of the one he made for Arthur that now rested in the depths of Avalon.
"And how convenient too. As a dragonlord, I'm sure you could manage to forge such a weapon."
Merlin furrowed his brow. "A what?"
"A dragonlord."
"I... no... I don't know what that is, I think you've got it wrong-"
"Don't play games with me, Emrys! Morgana told me everything. Emrys is a dragonlord."
"How can that be?! I don't even know what that is!"
She narrowed her eyes. "Remember who's lives you're bargaining, warlock."
"I swear to you on Gaius' life, I know nothing about dragonlords. I've never even heard that word before!"
She turned away, deep in thought. "Interesting... interesting..." She suddenly turned back. "Where would I find your parents, boy?"
Merlin began to panic. "No, please I-"
"Answer the question!"
"Please, don't hurt my mother!"
"No... no... it wouldn't be your mother. What about your father, where is he?"
"I've never met my father. He died before I was born."
"Died... or left?"
"I- he- I don't know..."
"Where would I find him?"
"I don't know!!"
"Who would know?"
"How many times do I have to say it?!"
Morgause pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Do you still need my help?" Merlin asked sarcastically.
Both jumped at the sudden knock that pounded on the door. Merlin took a deep breath, ready to cry out for help, but Morgause was quicker. She shoved the gag back into his mouth causing him to cough and splutter.
"You will not say a word!" she hissed.
<<>>
Arthur paced outside his father's chambers, debating whether or not he should disturb him. It was late. Very late. The servants and the nobles had already retired to their respective chambers, but Arthur couldn't sleep, not after his ordeal, not when he knew Merlin was out there somewhere, battered or dead. Not only that, but he hadn't seen his father since the attack. No matter what Gaius said, he was sure his father would want to speak with him. The flickering candle light that filtered under the door indicated that the king was still awake.
He knocked on the door. "Father? It's Arthur. May I come in?"
There was a shuffling from inside, then silence.
"Father? I know you're there. I... I need to speak with you."
Heavy footsteps approached the other side of the door. It swung open, revealing Uther's pale form. He was still dressed in his day attire, chainmail adorning his chest and a crimson cape billowing behind him.
"Are you not... tired? Shouldn't you be resting...?" Arthur asked him.
Uther looked down at his appearance, then back to his son. "I... I couldn't... I mean, I was."
"Right..." Arthur said, slightly concerned. His father was rarely a man of few words. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Yes, I'm perfectly fine. What is it you wished to discuss with me?"
Arthur tried to indicate that he wanted to come inside, but his father didn't budge, standing stiffly to block the door. "Father, may I come in?"
"I'm afraid not. I was going to retire soon."
"Father, are you sure you're alright?"
"Yes, of course. I'm just... I'm shocked that something like this could happen in Camelot." It was the first time that Uther made eye contact with his son, as if he was trying to tell him something. But his gesture went unnoticed, or at least misunderstood.
Arthur didn't notice his father's desperation, writing it off as shock in relation to the events that transpired earlier that day. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to go out on a patrol tomorrow. I want to look for Morgause's trail, if she left one. She... I'm afraid to inform you... Morgause took a hostage and I intend to rescue them."
"Who did she take?"
"My servant, Merlin. Morgana said she saw Morgause-"
"Your going to waste your time on a patrol looking for a mere servant?"
"I... I know you disapprove, but-"
Uther winced in pain. "I mean... of course... you must do whatever you can..." he stuttered.
Arthur furrowed his brow in confusion. He had expected his father to react as he had initially. Arthur had grown used to his disregard for servants. "You think I should go and look for Merlin? I was going to ride to the border and-"
"Yes. I think that's a good idea. Take as much time as you need," he said quickly.
"What do you think-"
"I'm sorry, Arthur, but I really must retire for the night."
"Of course, my apologies... goodnight father."
"Goodnight... son," the king said, before closing the door abruptly in Arthur's face.
Arthur stood there, dumbfounded, for a moment before slowly making his way back to his own chambers.
It was a traumatic day, he told himself. That was all that was causing his father's strange behavior. In a few days things would be back to normal. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that something more was going on. It's foolish, he though. There were more important things to worry about.
He needed to find Merlin. Arthur knew his servant would do the same for him.
<<>>
Uther doubled over in pain upon shutting the door.
Morgause emerged smugly from behind a curtain. "If you didn't fight me, it would be less painful for you."
Uther sent her a hateful glare. "You are despicable!" he spat. "What is it you think you're going to achieve?!"
Morgause pursed her lips as she approached the king. "Revenge, satisfaction... a multitude of things." She reached Uther who's entire body shook with rage. "On your knees," she commanded.
Uther gritted his teeth, but obeyed, spurred on by the enchantment secured around his neck.
"Now... go to the bed and remain there until I say otherwise."
And Uther did so, cursing and grunting the entire way, attempting to resist. He made himself as comfortable as he could, but his body was stiff and nervous sweat poured from his brow. He watched as Morgause secured the door of the wardrobe, locking Arthur's servant inside. He heard her mutter a few spells under her breath before retrieving her cloak and throwing it around her shoulders. She glanced in Uther's direction and gave him a stern eye before slumping into a fluffed arm chair in front of the bare hearth. She lit the fire with a wave of her hand and extinguished all other sources of light in the room. She seemed to be settling in for the night, a strange sight as Uther had assumed the witch never slept. Even so, Uther did not dare shift his position or make a single noise for at least two hours after she settled in, in fear of retaliation.
However, he knew he needed to take action to save his kingdom in anyway he could. If he sat idle at Morgause's beck and call then he was giving up. He could not let this enchantment, this magic, poison his body. He peered around the room, searching for any method of escape. Morgause's enchantment kept him, for the moment, bound to his bed, but he could still think for himself even if he couldn't always control his actions.
His eyes landed on the wardrobe. At first, he had been utterly confused as to why Morgause would go through much trouble keep such an insignificant servant alive. After listening to their conversation, however, he realized the boy had been deceiving the kingdom for quite some time. But what confused Uther further, was the total hostility Morgause and the boy seemed to have for each other. They were both magic users. Why would they not be working together to take down the kingdom? Surely two of them would be stronger as one, especially after listening to Morgause speak of how powerful the boy was.
In this instance, he decided, it didn't matter. Escaping Morgause, who was keeping him prisoner in his own body, would be given president. The boy, whoever he really was, could easily be dealt with later.
"Boy!" he hissed under his breath, carful not to call too loud. There was no response. "Boy... err..." he tried to remember his name. "Mer- Merlo... Merlin!" He heard a thunk from inside the wardrobe. "You... you can hear me?"
Another cluster of taps from the inside of the wood.
"Good... good..." he recalled the tight fabric Morgause had secured around his mouth, preventing the boy from speaking. "How about... two knocks for yes, one knock for no."
There were two knocks. Yes.
"Alright..." Uther thought about his strategy. "Are you... are you injured in anyway? Did she harm you?"
One knock. No.
"So if we had to make a break for it, you'd be able to run?"
There was a pause, before another singular knock. No.
"Why?" There was no response. "Oh, I mean..." He wracked his brain, trying to think of a way to ask the question in the acceptable format. "Is it those restraints that would prevent you?"
Two knocks this time. Yes.
"Well, we'd find a way to get those off." Personally, Uther would prefer if those restraints remained on, but knew that the boy would be useless in helping him escape if he could barely move. "Can you see anything in the room at all?"
There were three knocks this time.
"Three? Do you mean, maybe?"
Two knocks. Yes.
"So, a little bit? You can see a little bit?"
Two knocks. Yes.
"Okay." Uther didn't yet know how this information could be used in their escape, but as a king, he was trained to gather every speck of information before making a plan. "I don't know how we're going to get out of this, boy. Even if we're going to get out of this. But, I think that if we do it together we'll stand a much stronger chance. Now, before you agree or disagree, let me just say... I know you have no reason to trust me, just as I have no reason to trust you, but-"
There was one knock. No.
"No? No, what?" He narrowed his eyes. "You think there is a reason I should trust you?" he asked, trying to keep the disgust from his voice.
No response came to this question.
"Listen, we have no reason to trust each other, that's the truth. I don't know how you've been deceiving my son all this time, but I'm willing to forget that at the moment. Surviving this ordeal is more important. The enemy of your enemy is your friend. And I think we can both see that witch as an enemy."
Two knocks from the inside of the wardrobe. Yes.
"I'm glad you agree." Although, they did not agree. Uther planned on executing the boy as soon as he was given the chance, as soon as his use expired. But he didn't need to know that. Not yet. "You'd better rest then, but keep your mind open. The chance to escape could surprise us at any moment."