As Clear As Blood (A Merlin Fan Fiction)

[12]

The sun hit Merlin's bare back startling him so he shot open his eyes. To his frustration he found his body was roughly hung up by two chafing ropes tied to logs. His arms were being torturously pulled out of their sockets and he realised he must have been hanging there a while.

From behind him an icy voice slipped past his ears travelling on the wind.

"Morgana," he breathed, fear lashing out at him and burning his skin like a whip.

"Hello, Merlin," She whispered, her voice dripping through the air.

"What do you want!" Merlin hissed, struggling helplessly with the tight ropes.

"I want... Emrys," she murmerd quietly.

His body froze over like her cold voice was wrapping around him like a python. He couldn't let Morgana find out he was Emrys...

"Who? Whose that?" He snapped.

"A powerful, dangerous sorcerer," she began, "I HATE HIM! HE MUST DIE AT MY HANDS!" Her calmness was gone and the rage in her heart spread onto her face and over her body so she shook wildly.

"Um, who?" Merlin repeated.

Morgana bored her eyes slowly into his head, trying to find out the truth. Her face dropped in disappointment when she realised she couldn't find any. He was just a servant, how would he know someone so powerful? 

"Fine." She muttered stiffly, dragging out a knife, "Tell me about Camelot's defences. Where they are and how to get in since they've changed it."

Merlin knew he could not act confused on this one, everyone in Camelot knew the defences, there was no escape. She put the blade to Merlin's chest, dragging it lightly across his skin not hard enough to cause him pain.

"I didn't expect to see you unconsious under a tree or I'd have bought better," she said glowering at the knife. "So... Merlin... are you going to tell me?" She hissed

"Never," Merlin replied suprised by the own confidence of his voice.

He felt the knife dig into his skin and swipe down so a seering pain ran through his body.

She lifted the knife admiring the blood dripping from it. She ran her finger through it smiling to herself. Merlin watched sadly, this was his fault. Everything was his fault.

"I'm sorry," he murmerd making Morgana look up from the knife.

"What?" She snapped

"I made you like this, helped you understand your magic. I'm sorry,"

She laughed manically, "don't be! I should thank you,"

He watched her put the blade back to his skin wondering where the kind loving Lady Morgana had gone.

"Tell me," she repeated.

Merlin stayed quiet, feeling the pain being inflicted on him as she slashed down his arm deeply. He reminded himself of every bad thing he'd ever done - he deserved this.

He had about 5 agonising cuts when she drew back knowing she wasn't getting any where. She dropped the knife on the floor angrily.

"Don't think it's over," she said coldly.

"Oh I won't," Merlin mumbled.

When she was out of sight Merlins eyes dropped down to the knife. 

"Inbringe cume mec," he whispered watching the knife slowly levitate and float towards him.

The floating knife cut the rope binding his hands to the posts so he dropped clumsily on to the floor.

Merlin gathered his torn, dirty top and pulled it over his head, hiding the open cuts covering his skin. He stumbled forward but a sharp pain twisted over his body so he collapsed onto the ground. The worst pain was realising he couldn't walk and Morgana would find out he had used magic to lift the knife. He lay hopelessly on the grass watching the rising sun mock him.