The Angels In The Game (Merlin Fanfic)

Chapter 8

Merlin knew he was awake when he became vaguely aware that he was being carried. He couldn’t really tell the difference between consciousness and unconsciousness anymore, all he really knew was the burning pain in his chest. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced. “This is no natural wound”, some part of his mind seemed to be saying from far away “This feels like magic”. Merlin was too tired to care. A small part of his brain was still aware and it was battling to gain control, to keep him awake, to keep him alive.

Morgana was sitting in her throne waiting for her guards to bring Merlin to her. She heard footsteps coming towards her and seconds later they emerged carrying the limp body of Merlin. They threw him to the floor in front of her and he opened his eyes. There was no spirit there, none of the life that had been there before, he didn’t care anymore. “What have you done Morgana?”, said a voice in the back of her mind “You were such a kind person. Is this really what you want?”. Morgana fought to conquer the voice but it would not be silenced “This isn’t you Morgana. This isn’t who you were and it isn’t who you are”. The voice wouldn’t leave her alone. She fought harder and slammed a door closed on that part of her and then she composed herself and turned her focus to Merlin “Hello Merlin, how have you been?”, She asked. Merlin’s eyes remained dull, he didn’t answer her just stared into her eyes. “I hope my guards weren’t too rough they tend to get carried away“. Merlin remained silent and just kept staring. This was becoming hard for Morgana. Between Merlin’s unnerving stare and the part of her past that was doing all it could to make her life hell she was losing control over her cool. She gathered her focus and continued with the task at hand. Taking careful, measured steps forward she reached Merlin’s side and bent down. Running a finger along his cheek she smiled as he shied from her ice cold touch. ‘You have been through so much’ she whispered ‘You don’t deserve to end like this, bleeding to a slow death’. She slowly moved her finger to his chest and traced the puncture marks the claws had made. Again she smiled as he shivered at her touch. She began to whisper the words and saw his eyes widen as he realised what she was doing. Her eyes flashed amber and his eyes screwed shut as the spell sent a burning pain rushing through his veins. The bleeding stopped but the pain in his eyes didn’t leave. She had used the same spell on Gwaine a few days ago. The worse the wound the worse the effect. She ran he finger up to his face and traced a circle around all his features. “He can go back to the cells”, she said to her guards.

“You don’t have to do this Morgana”, Merlin said.

“I’m afraid that isn’t up to you Merlin. You really don’t know me”, She said as she sat back in her throne. The guards left the room and she was alone again. “What happened Morgana? You don’t really want this. You don’t really want anything except what you can no longer have“. The voice had broken through her mental barricade.

“Leave me alone!”, She yelled.

“Is that really what you want?’ Or do you know I’m right?”, The voice questioned.

“No you’re not”, she said clutching her head. She hadn’t felt so alone in a long time.

　

　

Merlin was thrown back into his cell and greeted with 4 voices yelling his name. One voice was close but the others were further and further away. He lay on his floor and looked up to see the worried face of Percival peering through the bars at him. He propped himself on one elbow and saw Gwaine clutching the bars of his cell and looking extremely worried. He sat up even further and saw Leon looking concerned and right at the other end was Arthur looking towards him, a look of massive concern mixed with fear on his face.

“Merlin?”, Gwaine said, trying to hide the tremor in his voice.

“Gwaine”, Merlin said as his arm gave way and he fell back down.

“What happened to you Merlin?”, Percival asked.

“If I knew I’d tell you”, Merlin said weakly “Morgana was there and she was talking and then she used magic on my wounds and now they aren’t bleeding they just feel like pain is spreading from there to the rest of my body” Gwaine nodded and rubbed his arm. Merlin guessed that he was all too familiar with this sensation.

They heard a groan from further down and looked to see Leon clutching his head and sitting on his bed. Suddenly he crumpled into a heap and lost consciousness.

It occurred to Merlin that Percival didn’t look too good and that the reason he was sitting down was because he may not be able to do much more.

Arthur looked down at all his friends in varying states of health and it occurred to him that he was the only one of them that was healthy. It also occurred to him for the first time that they may not all survive this one.