No Man Is Worth Your Tears (Merthur)

Chapter 14

Arthur's POV

"Sire, I'm worried about Merlin." Gaius says. "What about him?" I ask. "He hasn't returned last evening and I haven't seen him today." The physician explains. "I haven't seen him since we... Have you asked Thomas?" I say. "Indeed I did. And even he hasn't seen him." He responds. "I think he might be in trouble. Last time I saw him he said he was going to the woods." He adds. "I understand, Gaius. Don't worry, I'll find him." I say placing a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, sire." He says and leaves my chambers. "George." I yell and he enters. "My lord." He bows. "Prepare the horse." I say.

When I reach the woods I dismount the horse. I walk to see any sign left by Merlin. I hope Gaius is wrong and that Merlin is alright. I see a broken twig and follow that direction. I reach a meadow surrounded by trees, my eyes catch something on the ground, near a tree. When I get nearer I realise it's a book. I kneel and take it in my hands. There's some blood on the cover and on the ground, my heart speeds at the idea of Merlin hurt. There are hooves prints leaving the meadow. I mount and follow them quickly. What happened to him? Who did this to him? Is he injured? I don't want to lose him. This is all my fault. The sun is setting when I see a small castle in the distance.

Merlin's POV

After I finish explaining the plan to Rowan, I wait to see his reaction. "How do you think to open all the dungeons without the keys? And the guards won't just stay there and watch us." He says. "Don't worry about that. You've been here for three months, you know the castle, will you help me?" I say. He looks at me, not sure about the plan. "Fine." He finally gives up and I smile. I stand and reach the door. "Ready?" I say and he nods. "Aliese." My eyes glow gold and the door opens. "You're a sorcerer." Rowan says making some steps back. "I don't want to hurt you." I say. "He's good. Last night he made a dragon with sparks!" Gavin says. He looks at his little brother and smile. "Let's go then." We exit from the dungeon and three bandits immediately approach us to attack. I lift my hand. "Oferswing." My eyes glow and they're immediately blasted away. "Wow." Rowan says. "We need to hurry up!" I say. "Tospringe." I say and all the dungeons' doors open. In that exactly moment the bells ring. "How do they know?" I say worried. People start to exit from the dungeons astonished. "Quickly! We need to leave now!" I yell. We reach the doors, I look in to see if there's anyone. No one. I don't understand, where are they? Thirty people escaping and no guards. We enter to a hallway, two bandits see us. "They're escaping!" One of them yell. I lift my arm and they're tossed against the wall. "Where now?" I ask to Rowan. "Left." He says and we all run. "It's not far." He says. We reach a big door. "Two hallways behind that door and we're out!" He says excited. "Rowan?" A voice says. He turns to see who called him. A woman reaches him. "Is that you?" She asks "Mother..." He says astonished. "Gavin?" She says again. "Mum!" They all hug crying. "I thought I lost you both." She says crying. I smile at their reunion. "We need to go now." Rowan says. I hear foot approaching us. I'm ready to attack when I recognize the gold hair. "Arthur." I say. "Merlin!" He runs towards me and hugs me. "What are you doing here?" I ask him when he separates. "I came here for you!" He says. I panic, Morgana was right. "You didn't have to!" I say. We hear other foot. "Go!" I say to them. Rowan smiles at me. "Thank you!" He opens the door and they all run. I run to close the other door, where the bandits are coming. "I'll distract them, you need to get back to Camelot. It's under attack!" I say. "What? And how do you know it?" He says. "Because Morgana organized this!" I say. "I know you don't believe me, but it was a trap for you, to make you leave Camelot." I add. "What? No." The guards try open the door by forcing it. I lean my back against the door. "Go! Now!" I yell. "Not without you." He says. "Arthur, please. Camelot needs you." I say. "You're more important! I'm not leaving you here!" He says. I look at his eyes and I realize what he just said. I feel a warm sensation growing inside me. I grab his jaw and kiss him. His arms stretch behind my back pulling me closer. How I missed those soft lips. "We'll talk later. Now we need to go." He says after the kiss. He holds my hand, entwining his fingers with mine, and we run. When we walk through the first hallway the door breaks. I turn to see them following us. We manage to leave the castle, the cold air blows and I shiver. We keep running until we reach his horse. We mount and gallop as fast as we can. I feel the tiredness overcoming me. I haven't eaten for three days, not to mention the punishments. I place my head on his chest to rest until we reach Camelot, his hand ruffles my hair and I close my eyes. When I open them again I see Camelot on fire. Smoke rising from the walls. They're still fighting. We reach the secret tunnel and walk in. "You were right." He simply says. We reach the throne room that was set up as medical ward. I see Gaius and reach him. "Merlin." He says and we hug. "What's happening?" Arthur asks to him. "Cenred's men guided by Morgause." Gaius says. In that exact moment sir Leon burst in. "Sire! I thought we lost you." He says when he sees Arthur. "You need to leave, my lord." He says. "We lost, the citadel is gone." He adds. "I'm not leaving my people without fighting." Arthur says. The doors breaks and Morgause enters with Morgana at her side. "Well look who we got here." Morgause says. "Morgana..." Arthur says. "Hello brother." She says. "Brother?" Arthur asks confused. "Didn't Uther tell you?" She smirks, her gaze turns to me. "Merlin, you're still alive." She says. "Why are you doing this?" Arthur asks. "Why? I've seen my same kin sentenced to death just for having magic. This has to end." She says. "You have magic..." Arthur says betrayed. "There must be another way." He tries to say. "There is no other way." She replies. "Take them to the dungeon." Morgause says. Leon and Arthur unsheathe their swords. "You think you can stop us?" Morgause says. Her eyes flash gold and the swords fly away. Before anything happens I throw myself to Morgause and Morgana. "Go!" I yell to Leon. We fall on the ground and I see Leon forcing Arthur to leave. "Merlin!" Arthur says before he's forced to leave the room. I keep down Morgana and Morgause, so that they can flee. Morgause gets up. "Take them!" Some men follow them back but I know they won't succeed. "You!" Morgana says to me. "You'll pay for this. Take him to the dungeon." Two men grab my arms and force me to walk. We enter in the dungeons, we pass a cell and I see Gwen and some knights. "Merlin!" She says reaching the bars and stretching her arm. "Gwen!" I say but forced to surpass the cell. After two cells they throw me to an empty one. Hours pass and I wait, hoping that Arthur is safe. I lean against the wall and close my eyes thinking about what he said earlier. You're more important! I'm not leaving you here! My heart warms at those words.

When I open them again, my arms hurt. They're stretched up and chained. I see Morgause and Morgana in front of me. "You're finally awake." Morgause says. I giggle. "What's so funny?" She asks. "You didn't manage to catch Arthur." I say. "Don't worry, we will." Morgana says. "What do you want from me? Why don't you just kill me." I say. "Oh no, killing you now will be too easy for you. No. You have to suffer first." Morgana says firmly. "But you know what's the best part?" Morgause asks. "Arthur will hear your screams while he can't do nothing to save you." She says. She begins to chant a spell. I recognize the words, it's an old spell used to make contact with a person. She finishes the spell and starts to speak. "Arthur." She says. "Oh don't worry I'm not there. This is just a spell I used so you can hear us." She adds. Morgause unsheathe a blade and rips my shirt. "Brandhát ísen." She says and the blade glows white. She points the extremity of the blade to my neck and I can feel the warmth of it, like fire. She touches my skin and moves down the blade, opening a wound. I feel the burning blade on the skin and I try not to scream. "You don't want Arthur to hear you?" She says. "Don't worry about that, you'll beg me to stop." She says and pushes the blade on my skin and I feel it burning. I let out a yelp of pain. "ágrisenlic bánwærc." She says and I yell out of pain. I feel my body pierced my millions of blades. The pain is excruciating. Her eyes stop glowing and the pain stops. I breathe heavily, my muscles tremble. "I told you you would scream." She says and her eyes flash gold and the pain returns again. I lift my head and I keep shouting, the pain is everywhere. In every inch of my body. She stops and my head lows. I feel my whole body weak, the only thing that is keeping me stand are the chains. I try to catch my breath, only to feel pain. "I'm..."  I try to say. "I'm sorry, Arthur... I'm so sorry..." I whisper with all my energies. They evilly laugh and the pain starts again and I cry out.

Arthur's POV

I'm sitting against a tree, the moon shining in the sky. The knights and the people who managed to escape set up a camp in the woods, far away from Camelot. Sir Leon think up of the idea. I still can't believe Morgan has magic. She turned evil because magic corrupts your soul. Merlin was right about her and I only pushed him away. I wish he was here now, he shouldn't have saved us. And that kiss... "Arthur." I hear Morgause's voice and I immediately stand with a sword in my hand. "Oh don't worry I'm not there. This is just a spell I used so you can hear us." I look around and see no one. What does she want? When I'm certain that there's no one I lower the sword. I hear a sound of clothes being ripped then she speaks again. I don't understand. What's happening? "You don't want Arthur to hear you? Don't worry about that, you'll beg me to stop."  What does she mean? Who is she talking to? Then I hear Merlin screaming. My heart races. What are they doing to him? She chants a spell and I hear Merlin yelling out of pain. I never heard him screaming like this. Stop, I think. Please stop. "I told you you would scream." He stops screaming but only to scream harder. I kneel and close my ears with my hands, my head filled with his screams. Stop, stop, stop. I keep thinking. "I'm sorry, Arthur... I'm so sorry..." He says. "Oh Merlin..." I whisper. He keeps screaming of pain. I'm sorry... Tears start to fill my eyes. He's suffering because of me. He saved me and now he's paying the price. "Sire? What's wrong?" Sir Leon approaches me. Merlin's screams continue all night long, tormenting me. I cry wanting it to stop. I can't bear to hear him suffer. When the dawn is approaching he stops screaming. I haven't slept all night, hearing him screaming was an endless nightmare. I cried and thought of him. Wanting to save him, to be at his place. "Rest now, we don't want you to be dead now." Morgause says and I sigh.

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A/N: You all don't know how grateful I am. And seriously 1.8K??? You guys are so awesome!! I love you all so much and I'm so sorry for the delay of this chapter but it was hard to write it and how you can probably read there are some plot hole. Well, I tried ahaha. Thanks your all your votes and comments! Keep voting and telling me what you think! Any criticism is appreciated because it tells me where I should get better. Thank you all again!