Warnings: Spoilers of season 4, and probably some of the other seasons as well. No pairings except canon.

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin, and if I did, I would fire Colin's and Angel's Spanish voice actors. It isn't that difficult to put some emotion into it, guys! Just look at the originals!

Currently unbeta'ed, but searching for beta-reader. If someone wants to do it, please let me know ^^.

Ch.01 _ A farewell and a greeting

Time seemed to freeze, mocking them, taunting them to break the precarious balance it had set. Each second blended with the next, heavy and ominous. The silence was deafening; even the birds stood still, as if they were aware of the seriousness of the situation.

The five knights had formed a semicircle, not daring to unsheathe their swords, as it that was the worst sin they could ever commit, and their eyes were fixed on the object the servant was cradling close to his chest, blue and smooth and regal, but at the same time lethal, a weapon of massive destruction.

"Let go of that egg." The blond, who seemed to be the leader, said, halfway between an order and a plea, but the servant didn't relax his pose, maintaining the King's gaze and standing a bit straighter.

"No."

Another moment of silence, while each party seemed to go through their options; the knights knew that they were superior in every aspect, that they could use force and that thing would be destroyed in a matter of seconds; but having a close ally, a friend standing between them and their mission made them falter.

"Why do you protect it? That thing could kill us all. We have to destroy it, now."

"That thing is not even born! What crime has he done? Will you condemn it just because of what he is?"

"It is a dragon! It can't feel like you or I, it is a beast. If we let it free, he will turn against us! Have you forgotten what his kind can do? What it did to us?" If the leader had been able to foresee what his words would bring, he might have hesitated before bringing back those old memories. But he didn't.

The raven haired young man lost the few doubts he had been feeling until that moment. A part of his mind was screaming to shut up like always and keep pretending that he was just a servant. To let the egg join the list of all those people who had died on behalf of the future of Albion. For so many years he had put up with everything, bouncing back every time tragedy stuck, driven forward by the dream of magic returning and to be finally, for the first time in his life, completely free, free to be what he was, a being of the Old Religion, the same as the little creature he had in his arms. Free from the retribution the Laws had set for him, from the very moment of his birth.

But things had changed now. He had destroyed everything in a moment of weakness, when the late king was about to die. It didn't bring him any peace to know that it wasn't his fault and that he had been outsmarted by the treason that lurked in the Court when he, once more, had to hide the truth just to be allowed to continue by the side of someone whose heart seemed to have hardened forever against magic.

Slowly but surely, the larger part of his mind won his inner battle. The taunts, the bad jokes, he could put up with. Have everyone think he was an idiot, that the knights forced him to do all the word and took his food in the trip, that they didn't even consider listening to him, he could overlook it. But their blindness, their hatred against his kin, against the only ones who could at least try to understand…

"Have you forgotten why he attacked us? Do you think he found pleasure in doing what he did?" His voice was rising; he took another step backwards, knowing that this was one path he did not want to take. "If you want to blame someone, why don't you blame your father?" There was a collective gasp; Uther was still taboo in any conversation, especially if his son was within hearing range.

"Watch your tongue, Merlin. Don't you dare..."

"Can't you see the mistakes he made, the mistakes you are doing right now?"

"Shut up!"

"No. No, for once in your life think with your head, Arthur! He killed every one of his kin. He prosecuted all of the dragons and dragonlords, he stole everything from them, and he tricked and captured Kilgarrah just to make an example! Can you imagine what it means to be the last of your kind? To be alone for as long as you live? Of course you can't!"

"Dragons are evil! Someone had to eradicate that plague from the world!"

"No. No one has the right to judge a species for what they didn't do. Dragons are magical creatures, they can feel, and they can help us, if we listen. The Great Dragon could have let you die, too many times to count, but he didn't! They aren't less than any man!"

Arthur broke the circle of knights, extending his arm almost as if he commanded the egg to come to him, exuding an aura of pure killing intent. He had barely advanced three steps when someone restrained him from behind; the voice of one of the knights sounded somewhere close to his ear. "No, Arthur!" Gwaine's. "This is not the way."

"Then all the more reason to… destroy this egg now, before he comes to this world." It was Leon, halfway between him and Merlin, as if he was unsure of what to do. "You said it, how lonely it is to be the last. The Great Dragon has died; shouldn't we prevent this one's pain now?" It was clear in his voice that he had doubts now, but no matter what his King and his kingdom were always his priority.

Merlin faltered visibly, as if he had run out of counters to say. Leon took another step forward, and Gwaine let go of the blond, but the tension was still present everywhere.

"Please, leave him alone."

"Ha! And what are you going to do, Merlin?" Days later, the king would regret his vicious tone, and would remember bitterly all the times when he belittled his manservant. But for now, he only feels the need to hurt him, and make him see all the pressure he is under. "Hide it under your bed? Don't talk about what you can't understand!"

"I am going to take it somewhere when no one else can ever hurt him again. I'm going to do everything in my power to help him hatch, and to make sure he isn't consumed by hatred. Please, try to open your eyes and see what is around you. You can't keep brooding forever!"

"What. Did you say?" Both of them had forgotten everything else, the forest, the knights, their destiny. They were hovering on the edge of the knife, and a bad choice of words would destroy their relationship as they knew it. "You, are an idiot. You don't know anything about what it means to have the world upon your shoulders. You don't know what it means to lose someone, and have to watch their killers go free! You say that a dragon can help us? What would you know? You are just a servant."

"I know, Arthur. I know exactly how it feels. A dragonlord power is inherited from father to son… in death." The warlock's knuckles were white. He had gone too far, he knew it. Deep down, he wondered what Kilgarrah would have said.

Percival was the first one to make the connection. He hadn't known Merlin for long, but Lancelot's tales and his own impressions were enough to know that he would never say something like that without a motive. He suddenly recalled a memory of a long time ago; when they had heard about the dragon, Lancelot had sent Merlin a knowing look, half amused and half annoyed, as he often did when this kind of deed were mentioned. And the boy had looked as if he was in pain.

Gwaine noticed immediately after. It had been very subtle, a minor inflection in the words father and death, which reminded him of a conversation occurred more than one year ago. The servant whose father had been banished for serving the king, and had died shortly after they met. He had always known that there was something different about Merlin… was this it?

Leon realized, but his head refused to believe it. He had heard the tale of Balinor's death, and had often wondered about the possibilities of killing a dragon without any help, one on one, after days of failing with the best equipment. Arthur and Merlin had barely had a scratch on them that night, and the boy had seemed unnaturally gloom for days, putting a fake smile on every time someone celebrated. At the time he had dismissed it as survivor's guilt. This however, would explain so many things… and pose so many questions.

Elyan didn't want to think of the possibilities. Merlin was too good, too loyal to ever betray Arthur, and that was something obvious for anyone who spent even a week with them. He was horrified with Arthur's hurtful words. At the very least, the king should know how much Lancelot's death had meant to his friend; was it so strange that he wanted to spare another life, even if it was a dragon's?

Arthur was silent.

"Are you saying that there is a dragonlord still alive? Tell me where he is."

"What?"

"Dragonlords are a threat. They might not be magic users, but they are as corrupted as them. They must be stopped. Especially if you are stupid enough to give them a weapon so willingly."

"Arthur…"

"If you don't, it will be considered treason against your king! Against Camelot!"

In the silence that followed, Merlin felt as if everyone should have heard his heart break. He felt tired, and almost laughed out loud at the unfairness of it all. Yes… it seemed that even if he said the truth, Arthur wouldn't hear it. Their positions hadn't changed at all since the day they met. Even now, a frantic voice in the back of his head was begging him to stop. But a voice from his past silenced it. You've been pretending for so long, that you've actually forgotten who you are.

"I am the last dragonlord. Balinor was my father, and he died protecting me. And I showed mercy to Kilgarrah, I allowed him to live, and in turn he showed clemency to Camelot."

"I should run you through right now."

"You have a good heart; you can be a great King, one whose people will love. You just need to get rid of your insecurities, and stand for yourself. I trust you will do the right thing." The dragonlord stood straight, with a confidence they had never seen before, protecting the egg with a finality that had all of the knights doubting on themselves. They turned to their leader, who was livid with rage. A soft breeze passed between them, and a sparrow left a nearby tree, croaking loudly. The king turned around, and spoke without looking at his fr... former manservant.

"Don't bother to return to Camelot. From now on, you are banished on pain of death."

And he left, not seeing the look of total despair on the raven head as he went back to the horses. The knights stood still for one more second, a second that seemed to last forever, but in the end they all turned away. Gwaine casted one last glance towards his friend, deciding to disobey, to stay behind, but the former servant smiled sadly, resigned. The knight understood; protect Arthur on my behalf. He was the last to leave, swearing to himself that he wouldn't fail that man who was too selfless for his own good.

Merlin stood still as the knights mounted their horses and left. He waited until the dust settled behind them and he could no longer hear them before allowing himself to break. He fell to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably without letting go of his little ward. When he finally managed to stand again, his legs were stiff and his back hurt. He carefully tucked the egg into the bag, and headed west, where he remembered seeing a large clearing. After securing the horse a bit into the woods, he doubted again. How silly it was, to be afraid of what the Dragon could say now. He called.

As always, he heard him before he could see him; the dragon flew over his head, gliding over the forest and obscuring the setting sun as he settled in front of him, frowning in concern.

"I can feel your sadness, young warlock. Did you…?"

"No… no, the egg is fine. I saved it." He set the egg carefully in the ground before collapsing by his side once again. He smiled bashfully. "But I did something stupid."

"It is not the first time that is the case." The dragon chastised, but they both knew that there was no ill intent behind those words. "You will find a way to fix it."

Merlin hugged his knees and rested his chin on top of them, looking somewhere faraway. "I'm not sure about that. Arthur found the egg. It was a stupid accident; Gwaine was trying to prank me and took the bag where it was… He –Arthur– said things, and I… I told him I am a dragonlord. He's banished me."

"That was indeed foolish, young warlock."

"It's just that… I thought he had changed a little since then. But if it isn't his father, he needs the Court's permission, or Aggravaine's and he keeps ignoring me. He acts as if he is the only one allowed to mourn, and as if he is the only one with responsibilities. Maybe it would all be different if I hadn't interfered with Uther's death. Maybe I brought this upon myself."

"You took a great chance, Merlin, and you lost. But I told you once; destiny is not something that can be prevented, no matter how hard you try. As long as you both breathe, Albion won't have fallen yet."

"What else can I do? Arthur won't survive without me! He can't die, not after everything we have been through. What should I do?"

"Don't ask when you already have your answer."

After a few minutes, Merlin extended his hand to caress the smooth surface of the egg who had started his predicament. Yes, he would keep protecting Arthur from a distance if that is what it took; it was something he had often pondered, back when Uther was still king, in case he was found out. That thought filled him with relief, and he smiled, feeling lighter than ever; even there, in the middle of nowhere and separated from everything, he felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders; his friends now knew one of his secrets. Maybe not the greatest and certainly not one well received, but it still felt good. If –when – they meet again, one of the barriers would have fallen.

"When will the egg hatch?"

"Young dragons were called into the world by the dragonlords. Only they have the power to summon them from the egg. As the last dragonlord, this solemn duty falls to you, Merlin."

"How do I summon him?"

"You must give the dragon… a name."

The warlock nodded and closed his eyes, pushing away all of his thoughts for this. He submerged in the darkness and the void, and searched deep within himself. Finally, he saw a small light dancing teasingly just out of reach. It was white and pure, and pulsed with life.

"Aithusa" Until the voice stopped, he didn't realize it was his own. The shock got him out of his trance, but before he had time to realize what had happened, a sound directed their attention towards the egg, where a large crack was forming, advancing and breaking in innumerable lines. A small head was seen, then a wing, until a baby dragon was out, almost too big to have fit in that tiny space. It was the most beautiful thing the dragonlord had ever seen.

"A white dragon… is indeed a rare thing. And fitting. For in the dragon tongue, you named him after the Light of the Sun. No dragon birth is without meaning. Sometimes the meaning is hard to see, but this time I believed it is clear. The white dragon bodes well for Albion. For you. And Arthur. And for the land that you will build together."

Suddenly it was as if he had never had a reason to doubt. Of course, this was not the end. If the prat thought he had gotten rid of him, he had another thing coming.

"I'll need to communicate with someone inside the citadel. Gwaine, Gaius, maybe Gwen. People know me, I won't be able to infiltrate as easily as before. I'll need to be close on tournaments, or if a noble visits… that's when most of the attacks happen. The real problem is Morgana, although if anything she'll be angry because Arthur didn't kill me… Maybe I could disguise myself? Dragoon won't do me any good, but… can you help me with that, Kilgarrah?"

The dragon chuckled, enjoying his usual platter. The baby dragon was fighting to stand on his feet, already following the warlock with his head and making happy noises as the man paced. After a while he froze, looking around him. He lurched towards the warlock, but before he could react Aithusa had dived to the ground, and emerged triumphantly with a mouse squirming on his grip. That distracted Merlin from his musings, as he congratulated the little dragon happily and patted his head with as much pride a father has for his son.

"Transfiguration is not an easy art, young warlock, and is not something I can teach you. I believe, however, that you know who can help you on your quest."

Merlin looked confused, but eventually he nodded. "The druids? I wouldn't have found Aithusa without them… I wonder if they'll want to help me."

"They already know of your situation. They'll help."

"Alright… I should hurry, before that clotpole does something idiotic without me." Even so, he didn't make a move, reluctant to leave. "Also, is there a way to keep an eye on Arthur from a distance? I remember reading something like that in my spellbook, but I can't exactly go check it out now, can I?"

The dragon's tone was serious, that was a question he had been expecting. "Scrying is the easiest and most natural way, but it is not something you have the time or materials to master now. There is another way. You will need a crystal, formed in a cave of magical attributes. Not the Crystal Cave." He added when the man cringed. "The crystal you seek, unlike those you've encountered in the past, is not powerful enough to follow the currents of time; but it will allow you to call forth the images of those you wish to protect."

"Where do I find it?"

"The best place would be the Valley of the Fallen Kings. It is, after all, a place imbibed on the Old Religion. That is where you'll find a crystal of the best quality."

"As long as I don't run against any bandits." He sat cross-legged on the grass, and Aithusa decided to take it as an invitation to climb onto him and doze off, seeking another living being's warmth. With a yelp, Merlin tried to shake him off, but failed miserably. He sighed, and Kilgarrah laughed good naturedly.

"He already likes you, young warlock."

"Did I do the right thing?" It was barely a whisper, but the adult dragon heard it anyway.

"You saved his life at a great risk for yourself. For that I am most grateful."

"When will he learn to talk? And to fly? Can you tell me?"

Kilgarrah had always been a solitary being, even in the times before the Great Purge. Twenty years in a cave with no one else but his thoughts only served to further separate him from the rest of the world. But in that moment, he felt that the boy and the little dragon didn't want to be left alone that night; and something inside of him reacted to that. He talked for hours, recalling his past, things that he had believed forgotten until the youngsters fell asleep. As the darkness receded and dawn came, he finally felt glad to have survived for so long.

Next chapter: The king's solitude. In which everyone must deal with the aftermath of their actions, and an evil plot begins to unravel.

This question has been pestering me for a while; had the egg been found, who would Merlin choose the dragon or his secret? And the answer seemed to be fairly obvious, because he wouldn't be the idiot we all love and root for otherwise. I hope the characters weren't too OOC. Future chapters will be somewhat influenced by the events on season 4, but the story will differ from canon quite a lot.

Also, I apologize for any mistakes I could have made, please review if you have the time and let me know your opinion!