Betrayed and Broken

Broken

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Morgana had left them soon after that statement. She had just laughed some more and waltzed up the stairs and out of the dungeon, primly holding her dress up so as to not dirty it. Gwaine glanced desperately back at his friend. The poor bloke was still unconscious, hanging there and twitching in pain. Once again, Gwaine started to feel guilt trickle through his veins. There was the chance that this, all of this, wouldn't have happened if Gwaine had just stood up for Merlin all that time ago at the Round Table. Instead, when he heard that his best and possibly only true friend was alone and injured in the forest, he felt no concern for him, choosing instead to adopt anger.

The drunkard had convinced himself that the reason he was angry at Merlin was because he hated magic. That was it. Magic was evil and so Merlin was evil and Gwaine hated evil stuff. But now, watching Merlin's face contort with pain and listening to the hitches in his breath every few minutes, Gwaine realized that he had been angry because Merlin didn't tell him. He was angry because the person who he confided everything in, who knew his every secret had been keeping so many from him. How was that fair?

Gwaine finally understood that it was fair. He had seen the results of Arthur finding out. He had seen everyone's reactions to finding out. Merlin must have been so scared, so worried about what everyone was going to think. Merlin had come to Camelot knowing that everyone in it would kill him the second they found out who he was – what he was. To live in that constant terror of rejection and execution... It was understandable that Merlin didn't trust a lot of people with his secret. It still hurt and it probably would for a while, but Gwaine knew in his heart of hearts that he would eventually forgive Merlin and that Merlin had already forgiven him.

That's what made it worse, really. Merlin had forgiven him and Percival after they abandoned him in his time of need. He had readily taken them in and joked around with them like nothing had changed. Merlin was the best friend that anyone could have and Gwaine was just sad that it had taken him this long to figure that out. Lancelot seemed to have known it from the very beginning.

Before Gwaine could go too far into that train of thought, someone started to clatter down the stairs. Everyone stood up and turned to face... none other than Mordred. The young druid gently pushed some food into the cells except Merlin's. Gwaine noticed that Mordred held onto the bars of the cell longer than necessary and wondered at it. Arthur's voice cut through the silence, "Are you still going to help us, or are you Morgana's pet again after she gave you your magic back?"

Hurt flashed rightfully across Mordred's face and he answered quietly, "I'm still going to help you. I've been once again given the task of giving you your meals. Each time I come in, I'll scratch out one of the runes on Emrys' cage. Soon it will be weak enough for him to at least wake up. He will help you then and eventually the spell will be weak enough for him to escape. I have to go." The young man turned abruptly and stalked out of the chamber.

Two days later, Merlin finally woke up. No one had noticed at first, but eventually the sound of clinking woke Gwaine up and he gazed blearily across the dungeon to where the noise was emanating. His brown eyes met blind ones. He was confused for a moment before he remembered Merlin's disguise and it finally clicked that this meant Merlin was awake. Gwaine called out, "Everyone get up! Merlin's up!"

At the sound of his name, Merlin blinked heavily and focused more on Gwaine's face. The look in his friend's eyes made the drunkard wish that he was in that cell with him so he could comfort him. Lancelot rushed up to the bars next to Gwaine and pressed his face against them, asking, "Merlin? Are you feeling any better? Does it hurt any less?"

The warlock blinked owlishly at the two of them for a second before answering with a voice slurred with pain, "I'm feeling a little better, thanks."

Suddenly Arthur was standing up to the bars on Gwaine's other side and the Queenie asked his former friend, "Why does that cell and those chains hurt you more than other magic users?"

Merlin forced his eyes open again and whispered, "I'm more powerful, which makes it hurt more. I'm also not like sorcerers or druids or witches. I don't have magic. I am magic. It's understandably painful when the magic's suppressed."

Percival's quiet voice sounded out in the resulting silence, "I know you're powerful. The prophecies say that you are the most powerful magic user who has ever walked the earth and who ever will. Why is it that these runes can stop you from escaping?"

When Merlin answered this time, his voice was even quieter, "I've been told that I can control the elements, that I can defeat any creature, vanquish any foe. Yet I can't get out of this cell. It's the same with my not so amazing skills at teleporting. I have the ability to do those things, but I just haven't built up the strength. I guess a better way to say it would be to say that I haven'tunlocked the strength. There are numerous other things I can do, but I haven't unlocked the ability to do them yet." He tried to shrug and Gwaine winced at the pain that crossed his friend's features.

Gwaine said, "We need to find a way to get out of here and get the other royals to safety before Morgana tries to kill us."

Merlin whispered raggedly, "I think that we should wait until she tries to kill us. We'll be faced with her and it'll be easier for me to fight her if I'm directly faced with her. Besides, that way we know we'll all be together and we'll all be prepared for when the time comes. After a few more days, I should be able to break the chains on my wrists and then make it look as if they're still on. It'll be easy to escape from there. I don't know about the royals though. I don't want any of the kings, queens, or princesses to be injured in the battle."

Princess Mithian raised her slim hand slowly and said, "I'm not sure what's going on." The other nobles nodded their agreement and Gwen and Gaius motioned to the others that they would explain the situation while the others could continue making plans.

Arthur nodded to his wife and turned back to the imprisoned warlock, "A few of the knights, headed by Leon, can lead them to a secret hallway and protect them there while the battle goes on."

The warlock nodded slightly and winced at the pain before saying, "You, Gwen, and Gaius should go with them."

Gwaine sighed at the inevitable argument he knew was coming. Lancelot decided to speak up before it could happen, "At least have Gwen and Gaius go with them. Leon and Elyan can protect them. The rest of us will stay in the room during the battle. We're staying. No matter what."

Lancelot gave Merlin a look that Gwaine couldn't decipher and it seemed to work because Merlin sighed, "Okay." It seemed to Gwaine that they had had that argument before. The rogue knight only wished that he could have joined them. Ah well, it was too late now.

The king of Camelot then announced primly, "Everyone get some sleep and try to keep up your strength. In a few days, we go to war. We all know what we're supposed to do, so let's do it. Be prepared and stay sharp. I'll see you all in the morning."