The Rule of Law - part 2
Author: 
archaeologist_d
Title: The Rule of Law - part 2
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Uther, Arthur, Morgana, Gwen
Summary: Uther knows that Merlin has magic and is a criminal who must be removed but how to do it when Arthur is too kind-hearted for his own good.
Warnings: major character death - Merlin's
Word Count:854
Camelot Drabble Prompt 519: Enemy
Author’s notes: sometime during season 2 so no dragon rescue.
Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
------------------
Of course, the rumours were faster than any guard’s reaction. Morgana hurried in, shrieking at him about Merlin and how he had to be innocent and what was Uther doing. Behind her, that little maid of hers was wringing her hands, silent tears falling down her face.
Uther merely watched her, Morgana’s face getting more and more flushed as she gestured her anger out in flailing hands and flashing eyes. Finally, Uther said, “Your maid is friends with Merlin, is she not? Did Merlin not defend her from a charge of magic at one point?”
That stopped Morgana instantly. Sputtering, she said, “Gwen is innocent. She wouldn’t hurt a fly and certainly she has no magic. I would know.”
Uther just shook his head. As if that were the point. Finally, he said, “She is friends with a sorcerer. That is enough to condemn her to the axe or the pyre.” When Morgana paled, staring at him, Uther shrugged. “I will overlook such things if you stand with me on the balcony when Merlin is executed. Otherwise—” Uther stood up at that, staring down at her, his face implacable. “I must make an example of her as well. Magic has no place here and no friends either. Do I make myself clear?”
For a long moment, Morgana just stood there, her face as furious as Uther had ever seen her, but then she nodded. “Very clear.”
As she flounced away, Uther called after her. “For your sake, I won’t put her in the dungeons. For now. But should she escape, or you even think of helping that sorcerer get free, I will hunt your maid down and torture her until she begs for death. Then set her alight. While you watch.”
Morgana stilled at that, her breathing ragged, but she nodded again and hurried away.
Uther sent two more guards to watch her and make sure she was available when the pyre was lit.
------------
Not even waiting to see what Gaius would do, knowing that he’d had magic a long time ago, Uther had him arrested and put into one of the cold iron cells. Away from that fiendish apprentice of his. He knew that Gaius would try to rescue Merlin even at the cost of his own life, and unlike Morgana, Uther had no one to use as leverage against him.
He would make sure to release Gaius afterwards. And hope that his once-friend would understand.
--------------
There was a small crowd in the courtyard as Merlin was dragged out. He was awake then, struggling with the manacles, his eyes wild with terror. The guards had a hard time tying him to the pyre. Uther had to admit that Merlin was not a weakling, that even without his powers, he might have got free if there had been fewer guards.
But at last, the boy was tied up, chains around his chest, his feet slipping in the wood pile. His face was bruised from beatings, and there was blood leaking down his side from his almost escape.
Morgana stared down at Merlin, her eyes filled with tears, but Uther was satisfied. She had obeyed him, and in the end, Arthur would, too.
Nodding, Uther gestured for the torch to be lit, and shoved into the wood. It was dry, not generating smoke to stun, but made for maximum effect. Merlin would feel every moment of the agony, and he deserved it. He’d used Arthur, he’d made Uther a dupe, and now he would be a lesson to all.
“Magic has no place in Camelot. This foul creature used his wiles to beguile you all with smiles and false promises. In the end, he was the enemy of the people, the enemy of our lives, our kingdom, and our very existence. For the crime of sorcery, he must die.”
There was horror reflected there in the crowd. Merlin had been known as a gentle soul, helping those in need when he could, using laughter and sweetness to hypnotise them all. But with the guards around the fire, no one came to Merlin’s rescue. And beside him, Morgana wept.
Uther could see Merlin struggling, but as the fire reached his skin, it began to crackle and melt, turning black as Merlin screamed out his agony. The echoes reverberated across the courtyard, the stones reflecting firelight as the pyre leapt up, but it was the sounds of a throat tearing itself apart as Merlin shrieked and begged and gurgled. The smell of wood burning and meat cooking and Merlin’s hair catching fire, a living torch to Uther’s war on magic, was justice delivered.
As far as he was concerned, it didn’t go on long enough. Magic users were the worst scum in Camelot and deserved everything they got. The screams and then the silence after were just payment for their lawlessness.
When it was done and the remnants of what was once a sorcerer thrown into the cesspit, Uther declared a feast to celebrate.
Uther couldn’t wait to see Arthur again, his son finally free of his enchantment.
It would be a good day.
The end
archaeologist_dTitle: The Rule of Law - part 2
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Uther, Arthur, Morgana, Gwen
Summary: Uther knows that Merlin has magic and is a criminal who must be removed but how to do it when Arthur is too kind-hearted for his own good.
Warnings: major character death - Merlin's
Word Count:854
Camelot Drabble Prompt 519: Enemy
Author’s notes: sometime during season 2 so no dragon rescue.
Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
------------------
Of course, the rumours were faster than any guard’s reaction. Morgana hurried in, shrieking at him about Merlin and how he had to be innocent and what was Uther doing. Behind her, that little maid of hers was wringing her hands, silent tears falling down her face.
Uther merely watched her, Morgana’s face getting more and more flushed as she gestured her anger out in flailing hands and flashing eyes. Finally, Uther said, “Your maid is friends with Merlin, is she not? Did Merlin not defend her from a charge of magic at one point?”
That stopped Morgana instantly. Sputtering, she said, “Gwen is innocent. She wouldn’t hurt a fly and certainly she has no magic. I would know.”
Uther just shook his head. As if that were the point. Finally, he said, “She is friends with a sorcerer. That is enough to condemn her to the axe or the pyre.” When Morgana paled, staring at him, Uther shrugged. “I will overlook such things if you stand with me on the balcony when Merlin is executed. Otherwise—” Uther stood up at that, staring down at her, his face implacable. “I must make an example of her as well. Magic has no place here and no friends either. Do I make myself clear?”
For a long moment, Morgana just stood there, her face as furious as Uther had ever seen her, but then she nodded. “Very clear.”
As she flounced away, Uther called after her. “For your sake, I won’t put her in the dungeons. For now. But should she escape, or you even think of helping that sorcerer get free, I will hunt your maid down and torture her until she begs for death. Then set her alight. While you watch.”
Morgana stilled at that, her breathing ragged, but she nodded again and hurried away.
Uther sent two more guards to watch her and make sure she was available when the pyre was lit.
------------
Not even waiting to see what Gaius would do, knowing that he’d had magic a long time ago, Uther had him arrested and put into one of the cold iron cells. Away from that fiendish apprentice of his. He knew that Gaius would try to rescue Merlin even at the cost of his own life, and unlike Morgana, Uther had no one to use as leverage against him.
He would make sure to release Gaius afterwards. And hope that his once-friend would understand.
--------------
There was a small crowd in the courtyard as Merlin was dragged out. He was awake then, struggling with the manacles, his eyes wild with terror. The guards had a hard time tying him to the pyre. Uther had to admit that Merlin was not a weakling, that even without his powers, he might have got free if there had been fewer guards.
But at last, the boy was tied up, chains around his chest, his feet slipping in the wood pile. His face was bruised from beatings, and there was blood leaking down his side from his almost escape.
Morgana stared down at Merlin, her eyes filled with tears, but Uther was satisfied. She had obeyed him, and in the end, Arthur would, too.
Nodding, Uther gestured for the torch to be lit, and shoved into the wood. It was dry, not generating smoke to stun, but made for maximum effect. Merlin would feel every moment of the agony, and he deserved it. He’d used Arthur, he’d made Uther a dupe, and now he would be a lesson to all.
“Magic has no place in Camelot. This foul creature used his wiles to beguile you all with smiles and false promises. In the end, he was the enemy of the people, the enemy of our lives, our kingdom, and our very existence. For the crime of sorcery, he must die.”
There was horror reflected there in the crowd. Merlin had been known as a gentle soul, helping those in need when he could, using laughter and sweetness to hypnotise them all. But with the guards around the fire, no one came to Merlin’s rescue. And beside him, Morgana wept.
Uther could see Merlin struggling, but as the fire reached his skin, it began to crackle and melt, turning black as Merlin screamed out his agony. The echoes reverberated across the courtyard, the stones reflecting firelight as the pyre leapt up, but it was the sounds of a throat tearing itself apart as Merlin shrieked and begged and gurgled. The smell of wood burning and meat cooking and Merlin’s hair catching fire, a living torch to Uther’s war on magic, was justice delivered.
As far as he was concerned, it didn’t go on long enough. Magic users were the worst scum in Camelot and deserved everything they got. The screams and then the silence after were just payment for their lawlessness.
When it was done and the remnants of what was once a sorcerer thrown into the cesspit, Uther declared a feast to celebrate.
Uther couldn’t wait to see Arthur again, his son finally free of his enchantment.
It would be a good day.
The end