Work Text:
No. 16—No Way Out
Mind Control | Paralytic Drugs | “No one’s coming.”
Arthur scanned the patrol report, his chin on his hand. Everything on the far borders of Camelot seemed peaceful, for once. A fire crackled in the fireplace of his bedroom, warming it against the chilly night.
Merlin walked in, a clean basket of laundry in his arms.
“You can leave for the night, it’s getting late,” Arthur said. He focused back on his report. Only a few more and then he’d go to bed.
Silence reigned over Arthur’s bedroom for about a minute. Arthur frowned. Merlin was never silent. Had he heard Arthur say he could go? Arthur put the report down and scanned the room.
Empty. Where had Merlin gone?
A cloth wrapped around Arthur’s neck and pulled tight. He grabbed the cloth and pulled at it, but it only seemed to tighten around his neck. He gagged, a burning hollow curling in his chest. His sword was across the room, but he still had to fight back.
He slid his hands along the cloth and found the skinny cold hands choking him. He squeezed the skinny wrists as hard as he could.
A man grunted and the hands released the cloth. Arthur jerked the cloth away—it was a sleeve from one of his shirts, odd—and spun around, his hands up in fists.
Merlin stood in front of him, rubbing his wrists. He stood silent and pale, glaring at Arthur, and his eyes…
Arthur drew in a sharp breath. Merlin glared at him with red eyes.
“Merlin, this isn’t you,” Arthur said. “I know this isn’t you. You don’t have to do this.”
Merlin gave an unnerving half smile. He raised his hands and stalked forward.
Arthur spun and ran around his desk. His sword rested near the wall clear on the other side of the room by the fireplace. If he could reach it in time, perhaps he could convince Merlin to stand down until Gaius could fix him.
Fire blasted against Arthur’s back. He flew across the room, landing hard on his chest. The breath drove out of him. He gasped futilely for breath. Agonizing pain spread across his shoulder blades and down his back.
What in the world?
Arthur pushed himself to his feet and faced Merlin. Maybe he could back himself up to his sword.
Merlin raised a hand. “Would you prefer to die another way?” Another deeper voice sounded alongside his own.
“Merlin, they’re controlling you. You can fight back,” Arthur said. He slid himself back a step, one hand behind him. His table was somewhere between him and his sword, and if he got trapped between that and Merlin, he was toast.
“Why don’t you just call for the guards?” Merlin asked.
Arthur’s throat swelled. If he called for the guards, they would fight Merlin to the death to protect Arthur. And Arthur couldn’t watch his friend die because he fell prey to a magic user controlling his mind. “I don’t want to watch you die.”
Merlin tilted his head. “I can’t say I feel the same. Befleog aet hine!”
A hard metal pot flew across the room and slammed against Arthur’s right arm. Pain snapped through his arm, driving a cry from him. He grabbed his throbbing arm. “Merlin, please. I know you don’t want to do this.” The magic must be the product of whoever was inhabiting his friend’s body. He had to find some way to free Merlin of the control, but how?
“Oh, I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. Beceorfan fnaest!”
Arthur drew in a breath, but nothing happened. He clutched his chest, fighting to pull some air in. Nothing. He couldn’t breathe.
He shook his head. No one had even come to visit Camelot recently. Who could be turning Merlin’s eyes red and using him to murder Arthur? Would Merlin be released from his spell and learn what had happened? Would he be distressed to find out that he had murdered Arthur or just be glad he was free of such an overbearing and arrogant master?
Darkness spun in Arthur’s head. His knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor like jelly.
His door opened and Gaius walked in. “Sire, I was wondering if you’ve seen…” He spotted Arthur, glanced to Merlin, then froze.
Arthur’s eyes widened. If only he had the breath to scream or cry for help or warn Gaius away! Help me!
Gaius placed himself between Arthur and Merlin. “What exactly do you think you’re doing, Merlin?”
“What I should have done years ago,” Merlin said. He raised his hand again.
“Well, sire, it’s been ages since I’ve done this, but let’s see if I can pull it off.” Gaius raised his own wrinkled hand and shouted the same type of odd words as Merlin. “Swefe nu!”
Merlin collapsed to the floor, instantly out.
Arthur’s mind spun between That was magic! Gaius just did magic! He’s a threat to Camelot! and Well, that’s a handy trick, and That’s nice and all but I think I’m still dying. He tipped towards the floor.
Somehow, Gaius was there and he caught him. “There, now, let’s see what’s wrong with you.” He laid his hand on Arthur’s chest and tutted. “Oh, dear, what have you done, Merlin? This’ll be hard to fix.” He murmured some more of the strange words. Arthur’s chest eased and he took in a real breath just as he passed out.