Captured

Chapter Three

Merlin quickly stepped away from Morgana, who was blushing furiously. 

"We weren't-nothing was happening-there's nothing between us," Merlin stammered. If Morgana weren't so embarrassed, she probably would have mocked him. Gwaine raised an eyebrow at them. 

"Then care to explain what you two were doing in a dark broom closet all alone?" 

Merlin glanced at Morgana out of the corner of his eye. She met his gaze and looked questioningly at him. 

Merlin opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by Arthur popping into the closet. 

"Merlin! What the hell are you and Morgana doing in a broom-" Realization dawned on him, and he doubled over, pretending to retch. Morgana rolled her eyes. 

"Brother-" Morgana began, but was cut off by Merlin elbowing her. 

"I needed to get something," Merlin blurted out, grabbing a towel off one of the shelves. "And I wasn't going to leave Morgana alone."

Gwaine smugly smiled. "Then why was Merlin standing very closely to Morgana? It also looked like Merlin was-well, attacking Morgana's neck. With his mouth." Morgana's face quickly heated up. It looked like Merlin was kissing her neck? Shivers ran down her body. She didn't want that, did she?

"Merlin!" Arthur yelped, pulling Morgana out of her internal debate. 

"I wasn't-I swear!" Merlin protested. 

"He wasn't!" Morgana chimed in. "Honestly, Arthur, do you really think I'd let a serving boy  touch me like that?"

"Touchē," Merlin muttered. 

"Shut up," Morgana scolded. 

"Enough!" Arthur yelled, silencing them both. "I don't know what the hell is going on here, but if I catch the two of you doing whatever you were doing in a broom closet again, I will run you through with my sword."

Gwaine, Merlin, and Morgana all rolled their eyes. Arthur could be so dramatic sometimes. 

Merlin grabbed Morgana by the arm and pulled her back to his chambers. 

"You swear you had nothing to do with what happened to Gaius?" Merlin asked. 

"I swear on my life," Morgana answered truthfully. She honestly had no idea, and if she was going to continue to bare her soul, she might as well admit to herself that she was a little worried about Gaius. Even though he had hid the truth about her magic, he was like a father to her. He helped her through some of the worst times of her life. 

"I believe her," Merlin sighed. She turned to him and raised an eyebrow. 

"You do?" she asked, and immediately regretted it. Merlin's face hardened. 

"Did you do anything to Gaius?" he questioned slowly and carefully, searching her eyes for any look of dishonesty. 

"No," she said. She swallowed roughly, trying not to think about what would happen if they didn't believe her. She'd be hung, maybe. Or tied to a stake and burned. If Uther were still alive, her head would be cut off. She shuddered at the thought. 

Merlin nodded and looked at Arthur. 

"She's telling the truth," Merlin told him, and Morgana slouched down and breathed a sigh of relief. She straightened up when Arthur ran his eyes over her, inspecting every inch, as if looking for any weapons she might be hiding. She almost laughed. The guards that had dragged her in made sure to get rid of anything that could be used as a weapon. They were stupid if they thought they were a match for her magic. But then they tied up her wrists with rope that took away her magic, so that was that. 

"I can help him. Gaius. I can help him," Morgana said. Merlin opened his mouth to shoot down the idea but Morgana glared at him and cut him off. "You can be there. Watching my every move. I swear, I can help. I can heal him. If you don't let me, you're going to make a huge mistake." Her emerald eyes cut into Merlin's sapphire ones, saying the words she dared not to speak in front of Arthur. Merlin had magic and would know the instant Morgana tried to hurt him. 

Merlin nodded and swiped at his eyes, which had filled with tears. 

"Okay. Fine. You can help. Just please, heal him," Merlin said thickly. 

Morgana smiled gently and Merlin remembered just how much he'd missed her.