Trials | Merlin FanFiction (Merthur)

Chapitre Onze

A/N: This chapter contains Light Smut

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Morgana's chambers were locked, but the locks were nothing to Merlin, he could have picked them even without magic. Morgana stood on the other side of the door, wariness fading into surprise at the sight of him, her eyes going wide as she saw Merlin lift the heavy chains away with a wave of his hand. "You're--" she started, but they didn' t have time for conversation.

"Can you travel?" Merlin cut her off, and she nodded, still looking dazed.

"Yes, of course," she said, and stepped back. "Gwen--Gwen is--"

Merlin could see her, listing slightly from her seat on a backless stool, her face grey and sweaty. "She's sick," he said, something in his stomach twisting. "I heard...the flogging?"

Morgana nodded. "The wounds are infected," she said bitterly. "Uther would allow no one to tend them, not that it would have mattered. Gaius was already imprisoned." She stopped, stiffening. "Gaius--"

"No, it's fine. He's safe," Merlin said, reassuringly. "We have to get you out of the castle, though."

"Leave me, my lady," Gwen said faintly, and Morgana crossed to crouch in front of her, taking her hands and holding them.

"Never," Morgana said firmly, and Gwen's smile was dimmed but still sweet.

"Pack some things," Merlin said, and Morgana didn't waste any time. He left her filling sacks with whatever she deemed necessary--he saw more weaponry than clothing, so he didn't think he needed to worry about her choices--and went to examine Gwen.

"How do you feel?" he asked, worried at the fast pulse beating in the hollow of her throat, and she smiled up at him, a hint of wryness in the expression. He saw now that she was propping herself up on another stool, slightly higher, that she was too weak to sit unaided. She jerked and made a thin sound when he gingerly loosened the laces of her gown and peeled the stained, dirty fabric away from her back, but she didn't pull away.

Someone had tried to bandage the wounds, Merlin could see, but it hadn't helped much. Merlin saw the dark welts, puffy and red with infection and streaked white with pus, and swallowed hard.

"I'm all right," Gwen said, and Merlin bit his lip and carefully laced her back up. "Don't worry about me, Merlin, really. I mean, not that you were worried--I mean, not worried about me--"

"Of course I was worried about you," Merlin said, and Gwen flushed a little, looked a little brighter. "And Arthur is worried, too."

"Oh!" Gwen looked embarrassed but pleased, smiled at him awkwardly, "I mean, that's--he's so kind, Arthur I mean, although of course you're kind too, and Morgana's been so helpful--"

Merlin took Gwen's hands and carefully helped her stand. Gwen wobbled alarmingly, but managed to keep her feet. "We're going to get you out of here," he said, firmly. "And you're going to get better. I promise."

Gwen bit her lip, looking scared. "I--I mean, I believe you, but, Merlin, how? We'll never get out the gates--"

"Oh, well." Merlin grinned sheepishly and held out his hand, never breaking eye contact. The pitcher of water and a cup from the table floated to him, never spilling a drop. Gwen gasped, and Merlin heard Morgana's startled sound across the room. "By magic," he said, and poured her a cup of water. Gwen took it in a shaking hand and drank, and there was new hope in her eyes, fragile but real.

Morgana appeared at his elbow, two sacks in her hands and another pack slung across her back. "Ready."

Merlin did what he'd done with Gaius, wrapped Gwen up and gave her the support she needed. He saw the surprise, the relief on her face as she no longer needed to stay upright and the pain eased as she was able to go limp, and Merlin caught the dawning awareness on Morgana's face as she realized what Merlin was doing.

"Stay close to me," he said softly, and waited for them to both nod. Gwen clung to Morgana, barely able to walk even with Merlin's magic helping her stay upright. "Don't make a sound. Just do what I do, and it'll be fine. I promise, it'll be fine."

Suddenly, overwhelmingly, as he stared at their frightened, trusting faces, he wished Arthur was there.