WARNING THERE IS A TORTURE SCENE IN THIS AND IMPLIED OTHER THINGS. IF YOU DO NOT LIKE DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER AND TURN BACK NOW.

Now that I have your attention... I'm sorry this took so long to write it took me a while to be able to write the chapter because of the fact I knew I'd have to do something with Gwaine getting beaten/whipped/torture. But I did it and it's up. I hope it was worth the wait.

Also it's shorter than the first chapter, due to the fact that I had trouble writing this chapter.

Pain seared through his entire body as the sharp crack of the whip rang through the air, it's feathered end cutting wounds into the man's back. Gwaine hadn't told Cenred what he wanted to hear, and this was his punishment, to be beaten like a disobedient dog. He couldn't crack, he couldn't give in, he had to stay strong for Merlin…

"Won't ask you again," Cenred said as he stalked around him, much like the way Gwaine had seen a predator circle the prey it had managed to run down. "Either you tell me what I want to know, or you get hit again. Am I clear?"

Gwaine glared darkly at him, spitting out a mouthful of blood onto the dungeon floor. He knew that Merlin could hear everything that was gone, there was no way he couldn't with how sounds echoed off of the walls. But his entire body ached, felt like it was on fire and he still had no idea what Cenred was talking about. "Will answer only if I actually have a clue as to what you want to know…" the traveler said, his breaths coming out as heavy pants.

That only seemed to make the vile king Cenred angrier with him and the whip came down again, this time across his shoulder. The pain returned and Gwaine had to bite back the anguished cry that threatened to escape his lips. "I'll make this quite simple for you," Cenred said moving to squat down in front of him, using the handle of the whip to lift up Gwaine's chin. "Who is your father?"

Nothing.

"Answer or I'll give your little friend back over to the guards. I know their anxious to get a hold of him again."

Gwaine shut his eyes, the image of those things…that Cenred considered guards anywhere near his Merlin nearly made the proud man lose his lunch right then and there. There was silence as Gwaine got up the strength to speak. "King Lot of Lothain…I'm his son…Gwaine Lothain…"

"And who do you believe is Merlin's father?" Cenred asked, motioning for the guards to let go of the prisoner.

He fell forward catching himself on his hands, the jarring motion sending another wave of pain over his back. "I do not know…" he answered under his breath. He expected the whip again, but it never came, and he glanced upward at Cenred.

"Take him back to the cell…the other one already answered what I need to know. He's just a frightened little puppy that doesn't want to be kicked again," Cenred snapped at his guards.

Not a moment later Gwaine found himself being dragged back to the dungeons and thrown back into the cell with Merlin. His back and shoulder were burning, blood still seeping from the wounds. His eyes glanced up to see Merlin scrambling towards him, worry in his blue eyes. "'M fine Merlin…" he muttered, finding it almost impossible to even sit up.

Merlin shook his head, letting his hand ghost over Gwaine's back, whispering words under his breath. Gwaine glanced up at him just to see Merlin's eyes go gold, and realization struck him like a ton of bricks. Magic…so that's how Merlin… He said nothing, just rested his head on his arm. "How are you feeling?" Merlin asked in a soft voice, draping the cloth they had for a blanket over Gwaine.

"Like a horse danced on my back…" The reply got a small laugh out of Merlin, and that alone was enough to make Gwaine feel just a tad bit better than he had been when Cenred had been there with him. "And you? I'm more worried about you…"

There was a long pause before Merlin just lay down beside Gwaine, curled up to his side, his hand covering one of Gwaine's. "I feel…confused…and scared, but less so now that you're here Gwaine…" he whispered to him.

Through the pain, Gwaine was able to move his wounded arm enough to wrap it around his companion in a comforting and protective gesture. "We'll get out of here Merlin…I promise you that much." He left out the fact that if they tried to escape Gwaine would force Merlin to leave and stay behind to face the consequences, even if that would mean death.

No response came from Merlin, exhaustion having claimed the boy to sleep once again. Gwaine let him rest, his fingers trailing idly over the black hair that covered Merlin's head. "You're something else Merlin…you're strong…you're brave…you'll get through this my dear Merlin…" Gwaine said softly, quiet enough so that he wouldn't wake him. "I promise you, you will get through this Merlin…"

Lord Cenred sat on his throne eyes fixed on the fire. So what Morgause had said was correct, Gwaine was the son of the now dead King Lot. It had been a fight he had been glad to win, but when Lot's servant said the Great Dragon would hear of his murder and come to seek revenge it had made little sense. He knew of the dragonlords, knew that they were all now dead. But why would a servant say that a dragon would seek revenge on a king who sat by and let Uther Pendragon slay all the dragonlords…unless his son was one of them. He knew through Morgause that Merlin was Balinor's son. With the dragonlords at his command, there was nothing stopping him from taking Camelot.

He just had to break them first…

Please leave a review. And if anyone has some ideas of what they would like to see, I'm always open to suggestions, but that does not mean I'll use them.