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Gaius was just about ready to go in search of Merlin, when the door to his Hut swung open. It was late, and although Merlin was an adult and fully willing to go where he pleased, it would never stop Gaius from worrying about the boy. After all, he had a habit of walking straight into trouble, especially now that he was sneaking around behind Uther’s back, training his daughter in how to handle her Magic.
It had not been his idea. Nor the Dragon’s, but Merlin was very adamant that he wouldn’t let Morgana slip.
‘Ah, Merlin, I was just about to come in…’ A grunt stopped him, and Gaius turned to find a man in his home. Probably close to his age, greying hair but a clean-shaven face, and the brightest golden eyes that he’d ever seen. Not Magic, no, he knew those eyes.
‘Impossible.’
‘Evidently, it is not, otherwise I would not be standing here.’ The voice hadn't changed, although it was odd to hear it from a human’s mouth, not that of a Dragon.
‘How…’
‘Did I end up stuck in such an undesirable form? That is my question, also. Where’s the boy?’ Gaius’s protective instinct flared, the last thing Merlin needed was to get in any more trouble, especially with something of this size. The Dragon seemed amused, like he could see how Gaius was unhappy about this situation.
‘Out.’ He stated, before gesturing to the bench.
‘Sit down. I’ll see what I know.’ Kilgharrah, that was what Merlin called him, took a seat on the bench, looked at the many vials of liquid and turned his nose up.
‘I doubt that you could find such a thing.’ The insult he could ignore, he’d been told far worse by the King and his son over the years, a Dragon held nothing on their insults.
‘How long have you been like this?’ Gaius inquired, reaching for different books that recorded the change of humans to animals. Surely the reverse must be similar.
‘Five moons. I’ve been drawn to Camelot, presumably by the Warlock.’ Again, he didn’t use Merlin’s name, and Gaius bristled. He had told Merlin to never trust the Dragon, even after Merlin had set him free.
‘The last thing he needs is to be involved in this.’ Gaius snapped, Kilgharrah regarding him with a curious expression.
‘I would not let him be harmed, if that is what you fear. He is, after all, my kin.’ And mine, Gaius didn’t say, because the door burst open and Merlin came walking in, cheerful until he spotted the Human-Dragon on the bench.
‘Young Warlock.’
‘Kilgharrah.’ It took Merlin even less time to recognise him, so maybe there was something behind the bond between kin. Sure enough, Merlin paid no regard to Gaius, moving to the bench and cocking his head. He looked startingly young, and Gaius bit down the urge to put him far away from this new threat.
‘What happened?’ Merlin was reaching out, but snatched his hand back before he could reach the Dragon, who gave an amused smirk at his curious nature.
‘That is what I’ve come to you to find out. Some form of spell, that left me unaware.’ Gaius came closer, asked if it would be alright to take a sample of blood, which earned him funny looks from both Merlin and the Dragon. Kilgharrah offered out a hand, eyes never straying from Merlin, so Gaius made a simple cut.
‘Ow!’ Merlin yelped, looked to his own wrist, where the same cut had formed.
‘That was… interesting.’ Kilgharrah mused, whilst Gaius dropped the blade and reached for Merlin. He was beaten to it by the other man, who took Merlin’s arm and brushed his thumb over the wound.
Gone. Not even the slightest mark. Kilgharrah may pretend that he cared little about Merlin, but that one act was enough to prove to Gaius that the old Dragon wasn’t as uncaring as he may pretend.
‘What are we going to do?’ We, Gaius thought with annoyance, shouldn’t be doing anything. Merlin should be staying safe, far from this mess.
‘Get me an audience with Uther.’ Even Gaius choked at that, staring at the Dragon as if he were mad.
‘Why in all of Albion…’
‘Because the King will listen to me. I have things he wants.’ Kilgharrah stated, which didn’t clear up anything at all.
**
Merlin watched Uther swallow, the way his hand tightened over the throne, and Arthur reached for his sword.
‘Now that we’ve verified that I am, indeed, the Great Dragon, perhaps we should go back to the issue at hand?’ Kilgharrah stood before the burnt chair that he’d decimated with a single breath, whilst Merlin felt rather flushed all over his skin. He wobbled ever so slightly, the movement picked up by the Dragon, and the heat against his skin disappeared.
‘Why should I not kill you where you stand?’ Uther snapped out, and Morgana looked ready to intervene. She knew more about him than most, thanks to Merlin, but she really should stay out of the argument.
‘Considering I have never bothered your lands, nor will do so?’
‘I don’t trust the word of a Dragon that should be dead.’ Hissed, dangerous, and Arthur’s hand was clamped around Excalibur. A normal blade would do little against Kilgharrah, but Excalibur was forged with his fire, it would be a fitting weapon to kill a Dragon.
‘I’m bound to a Dragonlord.’ Kilgharrah admitted, like he was bored, and Merlin didn’t miss the way Gaius tensed up.
‘The last Dragonlord was Balinor, and he died.’ Arthur inputted, whilst Merlin fought the urge to gag at the sour memory.
‘He had a son. Not that it matters, help me find a way to turn back, and I shall never bother you again. I’ll even allow you to call on me, once, in a time of need.’ His eyes moved to Arthur, bright golden and calculating, and Merlin fought the urge to go and stand in front of his Prince.
‘Very well. Take the Knights, find the place where this happened, and bring me back the sorcerer.’
**
Merlin grimaced as Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table progressed through the woods, thoroughly unaware of the fact that Kilgharrah was paying no attention to their conversation.
‘Gaius protects you more than I presumed.’ The Dragon remarked, looking across to Merlin. Luckily, the others were engrossed in a debate of whether Gwaine could topple Arthur from his horse, so Merlin was free to talk back.
‘He’s my mentor. Of course he’d protect me.’ Kilgharrah just raised an eyebrow, a move so similar to his father-figure that Merlin had to hide a snort.
‘You are aware that while I’m human, I cannot command Aithusa’s respect.’ The mention of his hatchling calmed Merlin, the blue-eyed Dragon was hidden close to Camelot’s borders, where Merlin snuck out to train and feed him.
‘I can. We do not need Aithusa for this, he stays out of the way.’ Merlin remarked, in a tone slightly too close to the one he’d used to command. Rather than looking annoyed, a smirk crossed Kilgharrah’s face.
‘You grow into your title every day, young Warlock.’
‘What are you two bickering about? Merlin, up here.’ Arthur snapped, and he urged his horse to leave the side of the Dragon.
**
Camp that night was made, Merlin collecting wood for the fire whilst Kilgharrah watched, the Dragon wondering why the boy put up with such… remarks. The Once and Future King was still naïve, although at least he had Warriors around him that were slightly open to the ideas of Magic. He drifted in and out of conversation, watched as Merlin reached for flints to light the fire.
Watching in amusement as he failed to strike the dry wood, he moved across to breath down onto it, the fire roaring to life. Merlin looked up at him, Kilgharrah stared right back, and he was surprised when the Warlock bowed his head in thanks. Nothing like his father, he mused, more humble than that.
‘Stay away from him, Merlin. The last thing we need is you being roasted.’ Like Kilgharrah would harm the Warlock, he seemed to have that in common with the old man.
‘People approaching from the east.’ Kilgharrah stated aloud, the heads of the Warriors turning to him, but he just continued to observe.
‘How do you know?’ Leon, that was the name of the Knight, asked. Merlin, however, had already paid attention to the warning and was looking out. A brief flash of golden, to see into the darkness, unnoticed by any of the men around him.
‘I can sense them.’ He stated, just in time to see an arrow fly through the clearing.
Normally, he’d have been unbothered, would have sat back and watched the red capes of Camelot struggle. But, with the Warlock in the crossfire, he had motive to stand up.
‘Stay out of the way, young Warlock.’ Merlin jumped at the voice in his head, but he did as told, moved slightly backwards as Kilgharrah disappeared into the trees.
He had managed to burn most of them by the time the ache appeared in his stomach, turned in time to see a bolt that had been meant for the Prince, buried into his kin’s side.
The roar that broke from his lips was of anger, and he watched as the last of the men burnt to embers, before moving back to the clearing.
‘You idiot! What were you thinking!’ Arthur’s eyes were swollen with tears, hands cradling Merlin as they looked at the quickly spreading stain of red. The Knights were surrounding them, attempting to assist, and Kilgharrah grunted in pain.
‘Out of the way, Princeling.’ Arthur looked ready to argue, until he saw the blood dripping from behind the hands he’d pressed to his side.
He was dragged back by another Knight, the one aware of Merlin’s Magic.
‘Hold on, Merlin.’ Kilgharrah remarked, before the fire broke from his lips. He’d found it odd that this form was so connected to that of his kin’s, watched as the fire healed the wound yet did not touch his skin. Arthur was shouting, but fell silent when he noticed that it was not harming Merlin.
‘Y’hurt?’ Merlin attempted to ask, reaching for the hand Kilgharrah was using to stop his own bleeding.
‘It will heal. Rest, Merlin. We can discuss this further later.’ The boy managed a weak scowl, before his eyes drooped and Kilgharrah rose.
‘You were injured.’ Arthur stated bluntly.
‘And now you are not.’ He added, and the Dragon smirked.
‘Magic.’
**
Finding the sorcerer turned out to be the easiest part of the trip, Arthur shouting and trying to apprehend him, whilst Kilgharrah went for the simpler option of driving a blade through his stomach. The man choked, tried to perform yet another spell that bounced right off him, thanks to the Warlock by his side, and slumped down.
‘We were supposed to…’
‘I do not care what your mission was, Princeling.’ Kilgharrah snapped, before looking to Merlin. Already, he could feel the heat in his veins, the spell breaking down.
‘It was quite an experience, to see things from your perspective, young one.’ He remarked, aware the others were listening, but uncaring of such a thing. Merlin gave a smile, the same one that he used now that they were back on the same terms.
‘You almost could have convinced me you were human.’ The Warlock teased, and Kilgharrah chuckled, before he moved away and out of the Cave they were in, ready to shift back to his natural skin.
He had just enough of his original senses to hear Arthur question him,
‘The last Dragonlord is Balinor’s son.’
‘Yes, that was what Kil… the Dragon suggested.’
‘Tell me the truth, Merlin.’ Kilgharrah chuckled, dropped down and let the transformation complete.
**
Merlin opened his mouth, then shut it, before a loud chuckle filled the space. He left first, followed by the Knights behind him, to find Kilgharrah back to his normal form. Merlin had to admit, it had been quite nice, to get to know the Dragon as a human. It made him almost likeable, he thought with a smile.
‘Thank you for all that you’ve done to assist, Princeling.’ The nickname annoyed Arthur to no end, Merlin could tell, which made it all the more funny. Kilgharrah’s golden eyes turned back to him, and he felt slightly sad about the fact that it would be a long time before they could see each other again.
‘Until the next time, young one.’
‘Thank you, Kilgharrah.’ He stated, before the Dragon took to the sky, and Merlin had to turn back to face Arthur.
Arthur, who had to have figured out that he was the Dragonlord.
‘Never a dull day in Camelot.’ Gwaine muttered, and Merlin was inclined to agree.