Merlin's scream was long, drawn out. It shook Arthur. It rattled around his skull and he could feel it in the hollows of his eyelids.
When Morgause finally pulled the poked away there was an angry, smouldering burn across Merlin's forehead, stretching down over his left eyebrow towards his right one, dangerously close to his eye.
"I'll rephrase that..." Morgause said. "Tell me what you know about the dragon or Merlin looses his eye."
She jabbed the poker to emphasise her point.
Arthur was horrified.
Don't say anything, Merlin mouthed, tears streaming down his cheeks, his deep black hair dripping with sweat.
Arthur knew he had to defy Morgause. No matter the pain Merlin felt, the sustaining bricks of the tiny prison would surely heal him.
It was as though Morgause had read his mind.
"I'm afraid sight cannot be given back once taken;" she told Arthur. "If you do not answer, Merlin will loose his. Choose wisely, Prince Arthur."
She gave him time. She allowed him a fair chance to stop Merlin from being condemned to blindness.
And Arthur knew he had to take that chance.
"I-" he began, about to tell Morgause all he knew about the dragon. Merlin's sight was worth it.
However, the moment he began to speak, the large double doors behind banged open.
Arthur, Merlin, the guards and Morgause all jumped in surprise, but as Morgause was holding the white hot poker an inch away from Merlin's wide eye, her jolt of alarm meant the sharp, smoking piece of metal rammed straight into Merlin's eye.
"Oops," she muttered.
YOU ARE READING
When It Rains
FanfictionMerlin is Prince Arthur's clumsy manservant. When Merlin is captured and used to collect Camelots secrets, will Arthur crack under the cruel new way of interrogation? *Bromance. Gory. Completed.* (Cover art by me)
