Fourteen Days

Trial

His eyebrows were furrowed and his lips pulled into a pout, eyes big he could do nothing but stare ahead as they dragged him through the halls. They passed many servants and guards alike, most were people he knew and as they stared at him he could feel his cheeks heating in shame and embarrassment.

The closer they got to the throne room the more the curious looks turned into hateful ones though some seemed more regretful and betrayed. Others were worried and sad, even more were fearful and scared. He wasn't entirely what was happening but he had a bad feeling about it and as they rounded the corner he was even more worried.

He could see the the throne rooms doors just ahead and right outside of those doors he saw the council looking down there noses at him with icy glares as he was dragged past them. His anxiety only increased when the doors opened and through them he saw Morgana and Gwen, the knights, Gaius, and at the center Arthur. They all had varying degrees of anger on their face except for Gwen she just looked sad. Off to the side he could see Agravaine and a servant girl who looked two seconds away from passing out. And besides them a staff he'd never seen before and what looked to be a crystal of some sort.

He was a few feet away from the throne when he was roughly pushed to his knees. His face scrunched in pain at the impact and you could clearly here the sound of them colliding with the floor. Some of the group flinched at the sound. Gwaine however was furious so much so he was shaking with it, he sent a very murderous glare towards the guards.

The guards pulled away waiting for their kings command. Only a foot or so behind Merlin. "You are dismissed." The kings voice was cold. The guards glanced at each other before turning to leave, Agravaine opened his mouth as of to object but Arthur held his hand up for silence. "Arthur, what is happening?" Merlins voice trembled with anxiety as he looked into the blue eyes of his king.

Arthurs face was cold at first glance, but if you looked closer you could see his jaw tense and his hands tighten. "Merlin, you have been accused of using magic and-" He struggled for a second. "And have since been found guilty of sorcery and enchantments." His heart stopped. "Do you deny these claims." Arthurs voice held no question even though he was asking one. Almost as if he was commanding him to deny it.

And the thing is Merlin could be he knew he wouldn't. He had lied to Arthur already about so much, he had already betrayed his trust so many times before that he simply couldn't lie to him about this. Not when Arthur looked at him so pleadingly. "No sire, I do not." He lowered his head, not able to look at the people he had lied to for all these years.