Merlin tensed, readying himself for the blow, which came crashing down a second later as Halig sunk his meaty hand into Merlin's stomach. Merlin grunted in pain and gasped as all the air was knocked out of him.

"I know you know something, boy," Halig hissed. "And I'm not letting you leave this cell until you tell me."

"I told you," Merlin wheezed. "I don't know anything!"

"You expect me to believe you were taking those sausages home for yourself?" Halig sneered. "You? The Prince's personal manservant? I find it very difficult to believe that someone with such a high place in the royal household has to scrimp for food, stealing from his master to scape a meal. I admit that you're skin and bones, boy, but I don't believe for one second that you were taking those sausages for yourself. Now,"

He reached in unpleasantly close again and gripped Merlin's jaw in his hand, forcing him to look at Halig.

"Tell me where you're harbouring that filthy Druid."

The rage and fear that Merlin felt made him then do something very stupid.

He spat in Halig's face.

And Halig snarled and drew back his clenched fist and punched him squarely on the nose.

His head snapped back. Merlin felt his nose shatter upon impact as the fist connected. Hot agony radiating over his face. Blood sprayed everywhere and Merlin yelled in anguish. He could taste metal. It was in his mouth, running down his shirt, onto his lap- hot, wet, shockingly scarlet. He coughed and groaned and struggled weakly against the guards' grip, but his eyes were a becoming a little unfocused.

"What do you know about the Druid girl?!" Halig yelled, his fist quivering at head height, ready for another attack.

"Nothing!" Merlin screamed back. He would take Freya's secret with him to grave.

"Liar!" Halig bellowed, and once again struck Merlin in the stomach.

Merlin's back arched in pain and his ribs seemed to burn in protest.

"I don't know anything, I swear!" He cried, the air tearing at his throat. "Please!" The pain was sickening. His head pounded. He hurt too much to move, to draw breath.

"You know something, I can tell!" Halig screeched.

Merlin just shook his head, eyes downcast and head dropping to his chest. Blood dripped steadily into his lap.

"I don't know what you want from m-me..." he croaked. "I don't know where she is."

"I think you're lying to me, boy."

Then Halig did something which was almost worse than the beating. He picked up the chain from the floor and shackled Merlin, with the help of the two guards, to the chair. He couldn't move an inch. The metal loops dug into him painfully. It was too tight. He could feel himself panicking. His skin kept getting caught in the little crevasses between each chain link, pinching him, causing sharp bites of pain over his arms and chest.

"Now," Halig bent down and pressed his face right up close to Merlin's again. "Do I have to ask you again, boy?"

"I have nothing to tell," Merlin panted, his voice strained. "Please..."

Halig just snarled in anger and struck him again. Merlin cried out and writhed against the chains.

"I want answers, and I intend to get them! Stop lying to me!" Halig roared.

"I'll never tell!" Merlin yelled, struggling.

And then he stopped.

And so did Halig.

And Merlin realised what he had said.

And a whole new kind of fear crashed over him.

"What did you say?" Halig breathed.

Merlin looked at his feet.

"Nothing," he whispered.

"No you didn't," Halig said. "You said, 'I'll never tell'. Not 'I don't know anything'. So you do know where she is?"

"No!" Merlin said desperately, but it was too late. The damage had been done.

Him and his stupid mouth.

Halig hit him around the face, a deafening blow that sent stars dancing in front of Merlin's eyes.

"I've had enough," Halig barked, "of your lies. I know you know where she is, so give it up."

Merlin knew there was no use pretending anymore. So, he decided to give Halig a piece of his mind. He looked Halig in the eye and said, trying to keep his voice steady,

"I will never tell you anything about Freya. She is kind and pure and you are a monster for treating her so badly. You are wicked, and cruel. I hope one day you will suffer as she has suffered. I can't even bare to look at you. You make me sick. I don't care what you do to me. You will never win. I will never tell you anything."

Halig's face had grown steadily redder and redder the more Merlin spoke. There was a terrifying silence in the cell. Halig broke it.

"Fine," he breathed, deadly quiet. "You won't talk to me? Then you won't talk at all."

And he drew back his fist and hit Merlin in the throat.

Merlin jerked and gagged, choking.

Halig was bling with rage. He kept hitting. Again. And again. And again, his elbow connecting with Merlin's jaw, his head crunching into Merlin's forehead, his foot into Merlin's groin, driving his heel on Merlin's toes, crushing them.

Blacked his eye.

Ripped his ear.

Twisted his arms.

And then all too quickly there was blood everywhere and the guards didn't need to hold Merlin down because he wasn't struggling anymore.

Halig stepped back, his knuckles bruised, breathing heavily.

Merlin's chin was on his chest. Blood dripped to the floor. Halig could just about hear the boy's ragged breathing. It sounded wet.

"My Lord..." one of the guards murmured, releasing his grip on Merlin's limp arm. "It would not be wise to be found here if the Prince were to arrive..."

Halig stood stock still for a moment, still staring down at Merlin, as though only just realising what he had done.

Then he cleared his throat and looked away.

"Right- yes, yes, good point. Come away. Not a word of this to anyone," he added to the guards, who nodded, both looking white-faced and shocked.

They left the cell and Halig locked the door, casting one last contemptuous look at Merlin was slumped in the chair, only being held upright by the chains.

"Unless you want the same fate as him," Halig added, glancing at the guards, his lip curling. They gulped and nodded, then hurried away, exiting the dungeons quickly and going in separate directions.

Halig chuckled to himself as he left the dungeons. A night in that cell after such a heavy beating would teach the boy a lesson.