Arthur stumbled away, shaking-
"no, no, no... It isn't real, not Merlin... Not my Merlin..."
Morgause laughed coldly.
"But this is touching! You can't be so upset over a mear serving boy? Although, Arthur, I should tell you... He isn't dead."
Arthur's breath hitched in his throat.
"He isn't?" He barely managed to keep his voice from breaking.
"No," Morgause said casually, "not yet, anyway. He's in a magically sustained environment; you see the bricks? They're not just a sturdy building material. They keep whoever is within two inches of them alive no matter the damage done to them. However they also keep the person unconscious for the most part, as being magically sustained can drain you."
Only one piece of information registered with Arthur:
'No matter the damage done to them.'
He screamed at Morgause,
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM??!!"
Once again the two guard subdued him with violence, and Arthur was still recovering from their blows when Morgause answered:
"I have not done anything to the boy... Yet. And this, you see, is the reason you WILL answer my questions. Each time you don't, Merlin takes the beating for you."
Arthur spluttered.
"No, no, don't hurt him!" He babbled in vain. "He's an innocent!"
"Quiet." Morgause snapped, turning from him.
A moment of silence followed.
Then;
"...If you were going to hurt Merlin anyway, why do you want to keep him alive?" Arthur threw at her.
"Ah, so that the interrogation can go on however long it takes, without my hook becoming useless in death," Morgause answered.
She smiled a beautiful, horrible smile. "We can go on forever if that's what it takes. Even if Merlin goes insane from the pain. It's been known to happen," she said nastily, "and I need those answers. So, shall we begin?"
The raindrops danced down the window panes.