Chapter Text
The water crashed over Merlin and he awoke, his mind spinning. He gasped as the icy water seeped through every layer of clothing and into his bones. He felt ready to be sick if his eyes didn't adjust to the new setting soon. As he blinked to focus he tried to rub them but found his arms were raised above his head and cuffed up to some rope. All he could remember was everything turning black. Something was fighting to come to the front of his memory, but as hard as he tried he couldn't remember what happened; Perhaps he had taken a hit to the head. That was the moment when he heard footsteps behind him. Feeling extremely vulnerable, all trussed up like a turkey on Christmas, Merlin tried to twist around to face his captivator. Being bound fast ,however, he failed spectacularly and flapped about hopelessly like a fish caught on the end of a line, until he felt a cold hand ghost over his cheek.
"Oh, Merlin", the faceless voice beside him cooed. Merlin knew that voice, Morgana. Of course! He felt himself tense up at her presence which used to carry a warm welcome, though he knew he had to put on a front to her as to avoid showing weakness in the face of her threats.
“Good morning” trilled the witch.
“Is it?” Merlin bit back- his voice was a little raspy and he wondered briefly how long he had been unconscious for.
“Oh don’t be like that” Morgana tutted pouting at the scowl on Merlin’s face, “We’ve a lot of catching up to do. After all I haven’t seen you since you condemned my sister to a slow and painful death, thwarted my plans to take over Camelot and forced me to live in a hovel” Morganas eyes became more wild as she spoke and Merlin began to shrink away involuntarily.
“Arthur may believe me to be a coward but could you let him know I’m quite proud of those achievements. I can die happy” The effect of Merlins proud words was diminished slightly as he had begun to shake in earnest from the freezing water, still streaming off him onto the dirt floor..
Morgana chuckled to herself and bared her teeth in an animalistic grin full of malice,”Oh you’re not going to die. Oh no”
She brought her face right up to Merlin’s and breathed, “I’m not going to make it that easy”
A shiver, that had nothing to do with the frigid water, ran down Merlin’s spine when she pulled away. He followed her with his eyes as she crossed to a nearby shelf and grabbed a large jar.
She purposefully kept it out of Merlin’s view until she reached a spindly old table. When she put it down, Merlin saw what was inside. A snake-like magical creature with multiple heads writhed within
“Do you know what this is, boy?” The use of the word ‘boy’ was not lost on Merlin. There had been a time when him and Morgana could laugh and talk together for hours. Now here he was, tied to the ceiling of a malevolent witch’s hovel who was far from the radiant young woman he once knew, facing some unknown torture by a many headed reptile.
Not wanting to give her the satisfaction of an answer Merlin stayed silent but Morgana only took this as confirmation she had the upper hand.
“This is a Fomorroh and was a great tool to high priestesses in the time of the old religion”
Slowly Morgana removed the cloth from the top of the jar but the creature did not rear out of its container as Merlin had expected.
“Right now the Fomorroh is contained within this jar but as soon as I release it, it will go on the attack. The Fomorroh will suck the life force out of you, everything that makes you Merlin will be gone, and in its place there will be just one thought. One thought that will grow until it's consumed you completely. One thought that will be your life's work. You will not be able to rest until it's done. To kill Arthur Pendragon.”
Merlin’s cry reverberated around the room and he struggled desperately again against his bonds to no avail.
"You won't get away with this, Arthur will find me." Merlin says as he does his best to glare at her as if he means it, hell Merlin hoped his own words were the truth. "Maybe, but I'll still do what I need. And you will help me."
Merlin didn’t know how this snake would control him, perhaps it would bite him? Posses him? All he knows is he can’t let Morgana release that snake. His friend, his master, his love destiny, cannot and will not die by his hand. He has to do something.
“You have no sense of loyalty,” he blurts out, “you give no thought to others and you have become a traitor to Camelot”
Morgana freezes with her hand held over the Fomorroh’s jar and locks eyes with merlin. She storms towards him and grabs his chin in a vice-like grip.
“Dont think for a second I don’t understand loyalty just because I have no one left to be loyal to” she spat and relinquished her hold on merlins face, letting his head fall forwards.
Resuming her previous position she began to mutter and before Merlin can decide upon another insult to throw she is shouting to the ceiling,
“Astige ðu wyrm fah ond geþéowe ðæt mod ðisse þeowes. Hine bind ond ða heold ond awendaþ he ealle"
The beast unfurled itself and began hissing and spitting immediately. Morgana hushed and cooed at it like a doting mother until the thing calmed down. And the only thought in Merlins head was that he could not let Morgana get near him with any part if that creature.
* * *
“Must we leave so early tomorrow morning?” Merlin complained as he busied himself around Arthur’s chambers, completing his night-time ritual.
The king glanced up from his desk, where he sat pretending to write a speech, “Sorry to cut your beauty sleep short Merlin” He replied, feigning sympathy.
Merlin rolled his eyes, “I’m serious Arthur whenever I think about it I feel trapped- like an animal backed into a corner”
“You want me to call off our horse ride because you feel like an animal in a corner?” Arthur asked, raising an unimpressed eyebrow.
The servant sighed exasperatedly, “Ok that was a bad way to phrase it- but trust me I know what I’m talking about”
It was Arthurs turn to roll his eyes, “Merlin you are not staying behind just because you have a funny feeling.” Abandoning all pretence that he was actually working, Arthur rolled up the blank parchment scroll and crossed to his clothes screen to begin changing for bed.
“It would help to calm my nerves a little if I actually knew where we were going” said Merlin pointedly before passing Arthur’s sleeping clothes over the top of the screen.
“I could tell you where we were going but then I’d have to-“
“Kill me I know”
“Immediately and without hesitation” said Arthur solemnly but Merlin found it a little difficult to take him seriously as he had just emerged with his head through the sleeve of his sleeping tunic.
Once he’d adjusted his masters top Merlin complained once again, “If I don’t know where we’re going how do I know what to pack? Will it be hot, will it be cold, will it be wet, will it be dry?”
Arthur sighed and clambered between his bedsheets, “ Don’t be such a girl Merlin”
“Fine but don’t come crying to me when you’re sweating in your blue tunic or freezing in your white one” Merlin went round, extinguishing the last of the candles.
Arthur simply snorted, “Go and get your beauty sleep clotpole”