Freed

Practice

Ever since Morgana's cuffs were removed, Merlin had been taking her to the training ground to practice her magic. Since Morgana had primarily been taught by Morgouse, he had been teaching her more light magic. Dark magic was typically used for destruction or harmful enchantment, but light magic was used to create. She was learning fast, and Merlin was surprised how well their magic seemed to compliment each other's.

He was thinking about what they should practice on his way down to the training field. He was about to turn a corner when his skull filled with pain, and everything went black.

Morgana had an earlier start to the morning, as per usual. She was at the training field a few minutes before dawn. Assuming that Merlin would be late again, she set up some practice dummies and started practicing her sword skills. Everything was normal until just after dawn when she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head, yet it wasn't her pain. She stopped what she was doing as a strange worried feeling started to build in her stomach.

"Merlin," she whispered in realization.

Merlin was in danger.

When Merlin came to he was sitting in a chair with his hands bound behind him and his ankles tied to the chair. He couldn't see anything as there was a bag over his head.

"Hello? What's going on?"

Instead of an answer, he was met with a sharp object, probably a sword, at his neck. He leaned back in the chair attempting to put as much distance between him and the sword as possible.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"What have you done to our king?" A gruff voice answered.

"What- what are you talking about?"

Merlin was met with a punch in the stomach. He let out a small yelp at having the wind knocked out of him.

"Don't play dumb. We know you did something to him, sorcerer. You enchanted him! All you sorcerers are the same. You're evil and you only seek power. We won't let you have it! You will not take over Camelot while we are still here to protect it!"

Merlin starts to panic, weighing his options. He has no idea how many people are in the room or what kind of weapons they have. Using magic against them will only deepen their fear against it more. Plus, if he accidentally hurt one of them, any hope at gaining the people's trust would be lost.

"Please," he pleads with them, "I don't mean any harm. I'm a citizen of Camelot. I've lived here for seven years as the king's servant-"

"Seven years to gain his trust! Seven years to use your magic on him! How long were you here before enchanting him under your control? How long before you dispose of him?"

"I would never-"

A punch in the face ended his protest. He coughed feeling blood start to fill his mouth. Then he felt the tip of a blade pierce the center of his chest, just enough to make him bleed. He gasped at the sting.

"Either you tell us of your true plan in Camelot and release the king's enchantment, or you'll bleed out."

Morgana felt that feeling within her grow as she ran back towards the castle guided by some unknown magic. She ran through the castle halls, coincidently running into Gwaine and Lancelot.

"Lancelot, Gwaine! I need your help," she said breathlessly.

"What's wrong, my lady?" Lancelot held a worried look.

"Merlin's in trouble."

With no further explanation needed, the knights followed her lead. She didn't know exactly where she was going, but somehow she know exactly where to go. Her magic pulled her at every twist and turn, until she reached a fairly deserted wing of the castle. They walked cautiously down the hallway until they heard what sounded like muffled cries. They reached the door of a storage closet that was locked from the inside. Morgana was suddenly very certain that Merlin was inside. She told the knights to stand back and held out her hand to the lock on the door.

"Tospringe!"

The door swung open revealing three men surrounding Merlin who was tied to the chair. One had his hand over Merlin's mouth while another had a dagger held to his chest. Instinctively, Morgana yelled and the men were thrown against the wall, weapons falling to the ground. The knights took no time to ask questions and quickly held the men while Morgana tended to Merlin.

She took the bag off Merlin's head revealing a puffy cheek and a bloody lip. He gave her a weak smile once he realized that she was there to help. She quickly cut his arms loose and he breathed a sigh of relief. Morgana came around and embraced him in a hug, grateful that he was okay.

"You alright, mate?" Gwaine asked, still holding his sword at Merlin's attackers' necks.

"I'm fine. Just a little scratched up. You two can go do what you have to do."

"Assuming you mean 'lock these men in the dungeon and throw away the key,' gladly."

With that, Gwaine and Lancelot took the three men away. Morgana stepped back from Merlin's embrace to cut his ankles free and examine him further.

"What happened?"

"I don't really know. I was walking towards the training field when I felt a blow to the head and everything went black. When I woke up, I was tied up to this chair with a bag over my head. Then they started questioning me and accusing me of enchanting Arthur."

Morgana nodded her head as Merlin recounted the events that took place. She was busying herself with freeing Merlin's ankles and making sure he was alright.

"Let me see your wrists."

He held them out so she could look at them. They were a little red from struggling, but overall not bad. Then, she pulled down his shirt a bit to see lines of blood on his chest.

"What did they do?" She asked, slowly becoming infuriated.

"Knocked the wind out of me at first, punched me in the face, and then said that they would cut me until I told them my true intentions. They only got to a few cuts on my chest."

"Only a few? It doesn't matter that it was only a few times; it matters that it happened! Why didn't you use magic? You could've stopped this yourself!"

"I didn't know how many there were! Besides I didn't want to hurt any of them. That would only deepen their hatred of magic!"

"And possibly get you killed!"

"Well, I'm not dead thanks to you. So, thank you. Actually, how did you know I was in trouble? And how did you find me?"

"I just knew. I felt this pain in the back of my head, but I knew it wasn't mine. Then I had this weird feeling... I just knew you were in trouble. That feeling led me to Gwaine and Lancelot and then to you."

"It just led you here? You didn't cast a spell or anything?"

"No. I mean it was magic, that much I could feel, but it was no spell that I cast. It just happened."

"I've never heard of that happening before," he muttered.
"It's almost as if your magic can sense mine, but in a deeper way than one could normally sense magic. Like our magic was reaching out towards each other's."

"Like it's connected?"

Merlin gave a slight nod in response. He felt like their magic had reached out to each other before, but when? Then, he had an idea. He grasped her hand and looked up at her, waiting for a response. Her eyes widened and she looked to where their hands met. Merlin could've sworn that there was little sparks of gold in her eyes.

"You can feel it too?" He asked.

"Yes, but stronger than before."

"We should get to Gaius," he let go of her.
"He may have some answers that we don't have."

Merlin tried to stand and walk on his own, but he stumbled. Apparently he was more shaken up than he thought. Morgana caught him and put his arm around her shoulder.

"He may also have something for those cuts and bruises. You need to be checked out."

"Fine," Merlin grumbled.