Merlin was dragged into the throne room, and flung at the feet of the King of Camelot. Arthur looked down at the young warlock with sorrow. Merlin, despite Arthur's efforts, was still way to skinny to be healthy. The sorcerer had bags under his eyes and his skin was paler than usual.
Morgana soon followed Merlin in a similar fashion. Towed behind two guards, she collapsed at the feet of the throne and immediately made a move to get back up, but was forced into a kneeling position by the guards. Morgana seemed fairly healthy. She lost a little bit of weight from her times in the dungeon but not as drastically as Merlin's. But then again, Merlin had spent more time there than the witch.
Arthur cleared his throat, demanding the attention of the two prisoners.
Merlin slowly lifted his gaze from his crumpled position on the ground to look at his king with sorrowful eyes. Morgana glared unafraid into the eyes of her captor.
"The court has come to a decision." Arthur began, "We have graciously decided that the two of you are allowed a second chance to become productive citizens of Camelot. However, we can not tolerate the use of magic." Merlin dropped his gaze, he hated the fact that he was being grouped together with Morgana, almost as if they were the same person. "Gaius has come up with a solution that will contain your magic." both magic users interest flared at this news. "There is a stone, that when worn by a sorcerer or witch, will absorb his or hers magic and make it unusable. It is a physical burden to carry that will be heavier for those with more magic. I have generously sent my forces out for this stone and have, after long wait, acquired the gem. Once you two are wearing them you will be free citizens of Camelot." Arthur said with a smile, he couldn't wait for Merlin to return to work again and continue with their daily lives. It had been so lonely and boring without his manservant. Finally, Arthur had found the solution to this problem.
The king picked up the two chains that were attached to the stones, no bigger than his thumb. He stood and walked over to his half-sister who was looking at the stones with determination. Arthur slowly lowered the chain around Morgana's neck. As soon as he let go, she gasped in surprise and leaned forward the stone gaining the weight of a jug of water. She grunted as she straightened again straining against the weight now around her neck. Merlin watched with watering eyes.
The guards let go of the young sorceress and she immediately stood, she nodded to Arthur and left.
"Send someone after her to make sure the necklace stays on." the king ordered. A servant immediately rushed to complete the task.
Arthur finally turned to his ex-manservant still lying in a heap on the floor. He noticed that the young man was crying silently.
The king slowly made his way over kneeling so he could shorten the distance between them.
The warlock breath began to hitch before quiet sobs filled the room.
"I don't want to. Please, I don't want to." the boy muttered between tears.
Arthur hesitated, he was hoping Merlin would be as excited about this as he was.
"Merlin, you have to. If you ever want your old life again, please, just wear it." Arthur soothed.
Merlin's body shivered and trembled as he lay at his masters feet.
"No, I don't want to. Let me go back to my cell, please." Merlin mumbled.
Arthur huffed, before stating in a stern voice, "Merlin, just wear the damn thing!"
Merlin whimpered and shrunk away from his king.
"No, no, no, no, no." He kept saying over and over as Arthur grabbed Merlin by the shirt and pulled him towards him. He met eyes with his old friend and pleaded with him as Arthur gracefully adorned his servant with the necklace. Merlin immediately collapsed to the floor in tears. His sobs became louder and he struggled to get up, but the stone remained stubbornly attached to the floor. The warlock cried out in horror and began to tremble.
The chain didn't give him a lot of room so the servant just fell back to the ground again, defeated.
Arthur removed the chain from around his servants neck with a sigh and returned to his throne.
"Take him away." He ordered the guards. They grabbed the shivering warlock by the elbows and tugged him away, the servant muttering apologies along the way.
Arthur ignored the warlock and inspected the chain, maybe when Merlin grew stronger he would try to put it on him again.
Arthur had tried everything to get Merlin to his full health. He desperately wanted the old Merlin back, one that was strong enough to wear the crystal. He had servants clean out Merlin's cell periodically, always providing clean blankets and pillows and fresh water daily, a bath every week or two. He had sent his hundreds of servants to the dungeons to try to get the sorcerer to eat, but Merlin wouldn't oblige. Arthur even sent Gwen downstairs to feed him, reports said that he took a few small bites but spit them out when the she wasn't looking.
Merlin was sick, very sick. He couldn't get out of bed anymore. He couldn't move, his breaths were shallow and he was starved. The only thing keeping him alive was his magic. Gaius had made tonics and medicine for him. Merlin swallowed it but he couldn't keep it down, even if he wanted to. Leaving Arthur in great dismay.
Arthur perked up as the latest maid he sent down to the dungeons returned. She shuffled into the throne room gingerly.
"My lord," she said bowing her head.
"Has he eaten?" Arthur asked impatiently.
She shook her head. "He refused. I left the food with the other plates in his cell. He hasn't touched any of them."
"I doubt he can even get out of bed on his own at this point." Arthur muttered to himself. "Thank you miss, you are dismissed."
She nodded and bowed before exiting the throne room, leaving his regular advisors alone with the king.
Gwaine looked at the Arthur expectantly, "He's going to die down there, if we don't figure something out fast."
Arthur frowned and furrowed his eyebrows in concentration.
"He's a sorcerer but he still doesn't deserve to die." Leon added.
"I know, I know!" Arthur groaned, pausing for a second. Then he stood abruptly, much to the surprise of his fellow knights. "I've had enough! I'm going down there myself, maybe then he'll see reason."
Arthur made his way swiftly out of the throne room and towards the dungeon. Knights Arthur had planted along the way stood at attention as he passed. Arthur finally slowed his pace as he neared the cell that contained his ex-manservant.
He came to a stop outside the bars and looked at Merlin. He laid on his back on his blanket covered up to his elbows after probably trying to wriggle out of them but lost the energy half way through. He was ghostly pale and his eyes had long ago lost their usual spark as he gazed at the ceiling. The only sign that he was alive was his slow blinks and the shallow rise and fall of his chest. Every breath seemed labored. A wave of guilt flooded over Arthur for letting Merlin to get to this stage.
"Merlin," Arthur called stepping into the cell, seeing that it was left unlocked. It was not unusual since Arthur periodically sent people down here to check on his old friend.
Merlin's breath hitched and began to speed up, his eyes widening, he struggled to move but was unable to.
"Look what you've done." Arthur scolded. "You can barely move, why haven't you eaten? Do you not want to get better?"
Merlin's mouth opened and he tried to say something but no sound escaped his lips.
"Dammit Merlin." Arthur groaned walking over to the sorcerer and helping him prop himself up.
Merlin tried to lift his head but went limp against the pillows. His head rolling to an awkward angle.
As soon as Arthur was convinced Merlin was stable he went to the assorted plates and bowls from previous meals and picked up this mornings breakfast, a bowl of chicken soup.
"You need to eat, Merlin. You're insane if you think I am going to let you die down here."
Merlin stared sadly at his king, "A-ar-thu-ur." He croaked.
"Yes that's my name, don't wear it out." Arthur said sharply, but looked at his servant concerned.
Arthur carefully scooped a small spoonful of the broth and pressed it against Merlin's lips. "Eat."
Merlin shook his head, defiantly.
Arthur sighed exasperated. "Merlin, I am ordering you to eat. Don't defy your king."
Merlin closed his eyes but gingerly opened his mouth and let the broth in.
"Swallow." Arthur urged, already in a better mood now that he was eating.
Merlin tried and gagged, the little bit of broth that he did get in his mouth was now on the floor.
Arthur huffed, trying to be patient. Merlin opened his eyes, Arthur could see tears starting to form.
"Hey, hey, it's okay. Let's try it again." Arthur soothed, filling up another spoonful and directing it torwards the sorcerer.
Merlin tried again and again, his stomach unwilling to hold down anything.
Finally, Arthur got Merlin to nibble on a cracker and hold down almost three spoonful's of soup. It was clear that Merlin couldn't do much better than that. It was the most he had eaten in a month, Arthur decided not to push his luck.
"If you want your head again tomorrow, keep that stuff down." Arthur warned, "That's an order, understand?"
Merlin nodded weakly as he slid down to a laying position. Staring at the ceiling once again.
Arthur left the cell door unlocked and marched up to the guards, out of earshot of the prisoner.
"Clean up the mess in there and if he throws up what he's eaten, notify me immediately." Arthur ordered.
The guards nodded, wide eyed that the warlock had been able to stomach anything after not eating for so long.
So, that's how it continued. Arthur was the only one who could get Merlin to eat anything and keep it down. Therefore, the king slowly nursed Merlin. Feeding him once a day until he could stomach a full meal, then started coming twice. Merlin barely spoke during these meetings, even though Arthur was quite the talker. He talked about his day, the food for the next meal, how Merlin was an idiot for starving himself, and most of all, questions that remained unanswered due to the sorcerers silence. After the first meeting Merlin, never looked at Arthur in the eyes again. Which unnerved the king greatly. He just wanted Merlin to be happy again.
Morgana on the other hand had managed to stay out of trouble. She was living in her old room that was stripped of all her former furniture. Leaving only the bare minimums. She had a strict curfew and managed to land an apprenticeship with one of the towns tailors. She hated the necklace, which Arthur soon made into a collar to ensure that the crystal was in place at all time. One of the rules was that she had to wear it at all times, including sleep, which was such a hassle and surprisingly painful, making it hard to breathe at some points. She began to envy Merlin for not having the burden tied around his throat every day. She didn't know how much longer she could live like this.
Merlin was slowly regaining his strength. At first he didn't notice, but when he was able to turn his head without getting dizzy and throwing up, he knew something was wrong, or worse, right. He couldn't deny Arthur, who was basically force feeding him. His ribs began to stick out less as he regained some fat and muscle from the months of not eating. Arthur seemed happier the more Merlin ate, but Merlin hated feeling like himself again. He rather be in pain every second then actually getting a good nights sleep. His body was betraying him, repairing itself after all the things Merlin tried to destroy it.
He knew that the day was coming when Arthur would try to put the crystal necklace on him again. It terrified the warlock. He may not want to feel healthy, but he did not want to die. The necklace would surely kill him, draining him of his primary life source at the moment. And without his magic he was nothing.
Arthur continued to talk to Merlin like they were still friends, occasionally voicing his thoughts on the necklace. Merlin would always stiffen at the subject, until Arthur learned to just drop it. Arthur was so sure that this crystal was the cure for all their problems. Without magic, Merlin would just leap back into their normal lives of king and manservant. Merlin knew better, the lives they had before could never be reattained.
"Merlin," Arthur greeted, a soft smile fluttered across his face. "So glad you could join us."
Merlin grunted and tugged at the shackles binding his hands behind his back. He stood in the throne room, gaze lowered to the floor, two guards at either one of his sides to ensure that he wouldn't try to run away, as if that were to ever happen.
Arthur chuckled quietly to himself. "You seem well."
Merlin refused to look up. He heard his king sigh in disappointment.
"Let's try this again, Merlin. You didn't seem to fond of it last time, but now your stronger, more capable of the burden."
Merlin's heart sank. He had been expecting it but it still came to him like a surprise. He stopped fidgeting and slowly lifted his head to make eye contact with his king. It was the first time in ages. Arthur sat leisurely on the throne, the crystal swinging delicately between his fingers.
"Please," Merlin begged, "Don't do this."
Arthur rolled his eyes, not taking the young warlock seriously. He stood and began to approach the sorcerer.
Merlin began to struggle. Trying to get as far away from the crystal as possible. He tried stepping back, but the two guards gripped his upper arms firmly not letting him move anywhere.
"Please!" Merlin thrashed as Arthur came closer to him. Merlin's eyes flooded with panic as did his entire body, he fought with all his might to get out of the hands of his captures. He was still not up to his full strength so his attempts were futile.
Merlin was panting and sweating as Arthur stood directly in front of him. The warlocks knees buckled and he hung limp in the arm of the guards.
"I don't want it." Merlin sobbed as he heard the chain of the necklace clink and began to descending above his bowed frame.
He could feel his magic pull towards the crystal. He lifted his head to look at his king with broken eyes as the chain began to settle at the back of his neck.
"Arthur!" He screamed as it was released from the kings hand, and plummeted towards the ground. The warlock was torn from the guards grip as he to, surged towards the marble floors, still physically attached to the massive weight now hanging from his neck. Merlin's head collided painfully against the cold hard floor with a loud thump, his body going limp immediately afterwards.
Arthur was frozen in shock before quickly coming to his senses and diving towards the ground where his warlock had fallen. He yanked the crystal off poor Merlin's neck and pocketed it. He examined the sorcerer, finding a large gash above his left eyebrow from the impact of his head to the floor. Blood was beginning to pool around his head.
"Merlin? Merlin?!" Arthur asked panicked as he shook the young warlock. Hoping to revive him. He searched for a pulse, finding a very rapid heartbeat beneath Merlin's skin. He breathed a sigh of relief, before turning to his guards, "Fetch Gaius for me, immediately."
Merlin woke to an unexpected site, almost to familiar, which made it all the more unnerving. He stared up at the ceiling he had seen almost every night for five years until his magic was found out and he was imprisoned. His old room was almost untouched, kept nice and tidy, like he never left. Merlin began to think the past year had been one long terrible nightmare and he had suddenly awoken to his normal life. Then he felt a throbbing pain in his head and found it hard to move.
An all to familiar figure bustled through Merlin's door, humming a tune under his breath, balancing potions and tonics in his arms. Merlin tried to say something but his body didn't obey. His eyes were open and he could look around but that was as far as he was allowed.
Gaius turned around to face the young man laid out on the bed, and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the blue eyes open and looking around frantically.
"Merlin, my boy," Gaius took a deep breath. "You scared me."
The warlock wanted to apologize but it was physically impossible.
Gaius could see it in his eyes, "What's wrong?"
Merlin tried to move but the only thing that happened was a twitch of his finger. His mentor saw.
"Oh dear," He huffed. "You can't move, can you?"
There was a pause.
"Well, drink this." He gently opened Merlin's mouth and slowly poured a liquid down his throat. "It will help you sleep and heal. That necklace did some real damage, my boy. It's going to take some time to heal."
Merlin fell into unconsciousness as the old man went on about his tonics and how they would each help.
"Can't we just... I don't know." Arthur stumbled across his words, only his best advisers were allowed in the throne room at this moment. "Erase his memory of the last year or something? Then he would just-"
"That would be very difficult to control without magic, sire." Gaius responded respectfully. "He might lose all his memories of you and Camelot. Especially with his fluctuating health, I wouldn't know where to start."
Arthur rested his head in his hands, deep in thought. "No, we don't want to do that."
"We could always change the laws." Gwen spoke up, bringing up the topic no one had dared bring up yet.
Arthur laughed. "You don't think I've thought of that?"
"Well, what's wrong with it? In surrounding nations it's allowed. It obviously has worked for them." Gwaine spoke.
"It's been so long. The people have been brought up to hate magic. It's a miracle Morgana even got that apprenticeship! Speaking of her. If magic was allowed she would have to be free as well, and I can't have that."
"She's done other crimes besides magic. Surely you can condemn her for those?" Gwen rubbed her husband's shoulder encouragingly.
The king sighed, "I've already delivered her sentence. We have to wait for her to break a law again in order to get her back in a cell before I can change anything." he paused, "She's a very patient and smart person, I don't see that happening any time soon."
There was a moment of silence as everyone thought. You could practically hear the wheels turning.
"There's always- forgive me to say this-" Elyan began, "We could always turn a blind eye, let him escape. It would blow over within a week and I'm sure the druids would not deny him."
Arthur sighed. "I've thought of that to. However, Merlin has been to weak. Starving himself and denying our help." A flare of anger could be seen in Arthur's eyes. "He could never survive on his own, let alone find the druids."
"But when he's healed? Would you let him go?"
Arthur was silent, thinking it over. "Yes, I would let him go. He doesn't want to wear the stone, and he can't stay in Camelot if he has magic-"
"Why don't you make a fake stone? I'm sure Merlin wouldn't mind wearing a fake one and promising to never use magic again." Gwaine interrupted.
The king tilted his head to the side. "That could work. I just don't want to involve people in making the replica. And if Morgana ever found out... She still has some influence in the public, despite her misdoings. It would not be good for us." he rubbed his temples frustrated. "Why won't he wear the stupid thing? It can't be that bad, can it? Gaius, you've been with him these past few days, have you noticed anything?"
The physician glanced at the ground, hesitating. "Sire, I was hoping Merlin would be the one to explain to you, I don't fully understand it myself."
The room waited to see if he would say anymore. When it was clear he wasn't, Arthur asked, "Is he awake?"
"His eyes opened yesterday afternoon. He hasn't woken since."
"If he wakes again, I'm the first person to know, understand?" the king ordered.
"Yes, sire." Gaius bowed, excusing himself to check on the sorcerer.