Trapped

Prologue~Locked Away

Wings! Wings! Come on! I know you can hear me! Wings!" Throwing another rock at the shuttered-off window, Will attempted to catch the attention of his self-declared friend.

"What do you want?" Sharply, the shutter was pulled back, the tiny five-year-old looking down out the window.

"I told you, I will not leave until you tell me your name," Will sang in a sing-song way. 

"I don't have a name, so leave," the boy snapped, his eyes flashing gold, seemingly travelling through his wings, flashing the veins gold.

Will gasped, looking at the kid as if he had grown a second head. "What kind of kid doesn't have a name?"

"The kind that doesn't like people interrupting their lives."

"I think I'll give you a name. I'll name you... Merlin! Like the bird!" 

"Fine, well now you have a name will you leave?" 

"Not a chance! I'm going to make you my friend, Merlin," Will declared proudly but deflated when the newly named Merlin slammed the shutter close. "Fine but I'll be back tomorrow. And the day after that! And the day after that! So you better get used to me!" 

Merlin slid down the wall, letting out a sigh of relief. After a long pause, he got back up and went downstairs. 

Lying on the only bed in the house, Hinnuth tossed and turned, her fever getting worse again.

Despite only being five, Merlin knew exactly what to do. He had been doing this since he was able to walk, there used to be a nice man who would come from Camelot to help but his visits were few and far between. 

Merlin gently placed the rag into the water store by his mum's bed and placed it on her forehead. 

He gently walked to the fire and started up a stew. Merlin could only get what he grew and he could only grow plants. Merlin never had tasted meat before and he never planned on tasting it. 

Once he was sure that the food was cooked, he bowled it up and carefully fed it to his mother.

"He came again, mummy. I chased him off like you wanted. He is weird, mummy, I think he will come back again. Do you want me to scare him away again?"

"No... no one can know... no one can enter this house... No one," Hinuth mumbled deliriously. 

Merlin gave a sad smile before drinking what was left of the stew. 

It was a lonely life but it was a life. Merlin didn't have much but one day he would, so as he curled up on the floor looking up at the sky, he wondered what his life would be like when he is older."

~~~

"Merlin! Merlin! Merlin," Will screamed, drawing out the last one.

Annoyed, but secretly pleased, eight-year-old Merlin opened his window. "Will you be quiet? You'll wake up mum."

"Come on Merlin, I want to show you something," Will said with his usual smile.

"You know I can't leave."

"Please, Merlin. You've known me for long enough to trust me. Please."

Merlin rolled his eyes before looking down at his mother. Hinuth had been getting better, Gaius said she might even wake up properly soon. 

"Okay, but only for a little while." Quietly Merlin flew down and opened his door. Having to undo about thirty locks to get out. 

Will gasped a little, this was the first time he had truly seen Merlin. The child was tiny compared to what he should be. His black hair went to the nape of his neck, his wings were folded close to his body, clearly uneasy from being looked at. The feathers looked thin and unhealthy just like his hair.