Merthur One-shots

The Power Of Love

ANGST AND TORTURE WARNING (this does have a happy ending tho)

Summary: Arthur and Merlin get captured by Morgana, but it’s not for the reason they thought it would be. Morgana is not after Arthur, not anymore, because now, her new target is Merlin. Or should she call him Emrys? Ridden by her fear and hatred, Morgana wants to see Merlin and Arthur in pain, she wants them to suffer. But not even in their worst nightmare they could have imagined what she would do to them....

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Arthur was sitting against the wall, the cold stone pressing against his back. It was his fault, he knew it. He should have taken more care, should have been more attentive. Merlin was suffering and it was his fault.

A loud scream, followed by another beat, echoed through the dark. Arthur pulled his hands up and pressed them over his ears. Please make it stop, he thought. He had been forced to hear Merlin‘s painful screams for hours and every scream geared at his heart.

After they got caught by Morgana, Arthur had tried to take Merlin‘s place, but somehow, Morgana was more interested in Merlin, or Emrys, as she had called him. Arthur had no idea what was happening, why no one was trying to do anything to him. What could Merlin know that Arthur didn‘t?

Suddenly, the dark around him slowly filled with the warm light of a torch, revealing someone walking towards his cell. Merlin, or what was left of him, hanged loosely in their arms. His bare chest was covered in bruises and blood. What have they done to you?  

Immediately, after the guards had thrown Merlin into Arthur‘s cell, he had crawled over to the limp body. Merlin was barely breathing, his back raising slowly.

„Merlin?“ Arthur whispered, his hand slowly stroking Merlin’s face, who answered with a painful whimper.

There was so much blood, but Arthur couldn‘t see where it was coming from. Merlin was laying on his stomach, face to the side. The wound had to be either on his stomach or chest.

Carefully, Arthur tried to move Merlin on his back, ejecting some more painful noises from the hurt men. Arthur‘s eyes filled with tears, there was no way he could keep them in. He was never the man who easily cried, especially not in moments like these, showing his weakness was never an option. But when it came to Merlin, Arthur could not refuse his feelings.

Once Merlin fully laid on his back, Arthur saw the scratches and wounds scattered across Merlin‘s body. They were obviously from a knife.

„I am so sorry…“ Arthur whispered. He felt horrible, his whole body was aching. Seeing Merlin like this, caused him more pain than any torture could ever do. And the worst was, there was nothing he could do to ease Merlin‘s pain, to help him. They were stuck in this godforsaken cell, with nothing that could help him to take care of the wounds. The only thing that Arthur could do, was to try and stop the bleeding. He ripped his own shirt into pieces, carefully pressing the thin fabric on Merlin‘s body.

Without trying to hurt him too much, Arthur moved closer to Merlin‘s body and lifted his head, so that he could lay in Arthur‘s lap. His eyes were closed, a painful grimace on his face.

Arthur couldn‘t even imagine what kind of pain he must be in right now. And once again, he wished he could just take it all away from him. If he could, he would take Merlin‘s place.