Echo: So, hi! This is my first ever Merlin fic so I hope it goes well. This idea just popped into my head and wouldn't go away.

Goldfish: It wouldn't, she was being incredibly annoying going on about it the way she was.

Echo: Whatever. Anyway, I should probably just give some background details for the story. It's set in Season 3 and begins about a week after the events of the Crystal Cave so Merlin, Morgana and Gaius all know about Morgana's paternity. Again, this is not a Merlin/OC story but there will be some Arthur/Gwen and possibly, just possibly a tiny bit of Merlin/Morgana depending on how I feel.

Goldfish: Do people really have to know all this?

Echo: Yes, they do. Now, I hope you all enjoy!

Goldfish: Uh-huh.

Echo: Wait! Where's my disclaimer? Goldfish!

Goldfish: What?

Echo: Where's my disclaimer?

Goldfish: You want me to do it?

Echo: Yes!

Goldfish: Fine. EchoGirl319 does not own Merlin, it belongs to the BBC. Happy?

Echo: Ecstatic.

The Dragon Child

Chapter 1

~ The Dream ~

Merlin was dreaming, that he was certain of. It was strange though; he rarely dreamed anymore, he was always so exhausted from the work that was piled onto him by Arthur and Gaius both (not to mention that he was saving someone's life every other day, namely Arthur's).

Glancing around he realised where he was: the meadow where he met with the great dragon. Why would he dream of this place? He hoped he wasn't being visited in his dreams by some magical being who was either babbling on about his destiny or wanted to kill him. It had only been a week since he had almost killed Morgana and really all he wanted was a break. Then a voice echoed in his head.

Merlin.

Oh no, he thought. A moment's peace seemed impossible for him to attain, even in his dreams.

Merlin, the voice persisted.

The strange thing was that he didn't recognise the voice. He hadn't heard it before in his life. It was soft and high-pitched, definitely female. It sounded young too.

Who are you? Where are you? He asked mentally, wary of whoever it was that had invaded his dreams, as he was almost certain that that's what they had done. He heard a scoff from somewhere in the meadow.

"I'm over here, numbskull! For a great sorcerer you're not very observant, are you?"

Deciding to ignore the dig at him, Merlin's eyes scanned the meadow and, sure enough, there right in the centre, surrounded by the tall, green grass was a head of long golden hair. Cautiously he approached, fearful that she might reveal herself to be a certain blonde sorceress Morgana was friendly with.

On closer inspection though, it was easy to see that it was not Morgause who sat beckoning him towards her. Her hair was too dark, her face too pale. The thing that really took him by surprise though was her age, she could only be around fourteen or fifteen. Slowly he came to a halt a few feet away from her. Still she did not look at him.

"Sit," she said, indicated the ground beside her. Hesitantly Merlin did so.

"Who are you?" he repeated his earlier question. At last she raised her head to look at him.

Her skin was unnaturally pale, almost sickly so, as if she had not seen daylight in years. As she remained silent he noticed how thin she was, frail looking, her face was gaunt and her cheekbone prominent. Her hair was long and tangled like she had not put a brush or scissors to it for a long time. It was her eyes, however, that really caught his attention. They were doe-like and too big for her face (though he was sure that was just due to her skinniness) but they were a bright, luminous, almost glowing gold. It was like there was a fire burning in them; they were the colour his eyes turned when he performed magic.

"Who are you?" he asked again. "Why are your eyes like that?"

"My name is Kescandria," the girl replied, folding her hands in her lap, "my eyes were like this when I was born."

There was no way this girl wasn't a sorcerer. No normal person was born like that, not with those eyes.

"I'm Merlin," he told her, offering a lopsided smile that didn't reach his eyes. What he really wanted to ask was what she was and what she was doing in his dreams.

In response Kescandria rolled her eyes. "I know that. I was calling your name from across the meadow, wasn't I?"

"What do you want?" he asked seriously. "If you want to hurt–"

Kescandria held up a single, bony, white hand, effectively cutting him off. It was because of this gesture that Merlin noticed the black dragon tattoo that ran the length of her forearm.

"I don't want to hurt anyone," she told him. "I'm here with a message."

"What message? From who?"

"You healed the witch," was all she said and instantly Merlin understood.

"The dragon," he realised, "you're here because of the dragon."

She nodded and Merlin snorted.

"Couldn't he just have gotten into my head like he usually does and drag me out of bed? Look, I know maybe I was wrong to order the dragon but I did what I thought was right. I never wanted Morgana to die–"

"I'm not here about that," the girl interrupted, "what's done is done and there's nothing that can be done about it regardless of what evil the witch will do now." Great, this girl has the dragon's vocabulary. "Look, just get out of bed and come to this meadow."

Merlin's jaw dropped.

"I thought that was the whole point of you coming into my dream! So that I wouldn't have to that meadow! Do you have any idea how cold it is this time of year?"

She raised a single dark gold eyebrow, too bad her expression said. Pursing her lips she reached over and touched the centre of his forehead with a long, bony finger.

"Time to wake up now."

Merlin woke with a start, his blue eyes shooting open. Warily, he glanced around the dark room. It was still nighttime. At once his dream return to him. He raised his head slightly, his eyes flitting over to the window where the full moon shone brightly in the sky, groaned and slammed his head back down against the pillow. This could not be happening.

The girl – Kescandria or whatever her name was – had told him to come to the meadow. That meant only one thing, the dragon wanted to speak to him. Why now? Couldn't he just have had Kescandria pass the message along? How did she and the dragon know each other anyway?

Grunting irritably, Merlin forced himself to get out of bed. Ignoring the dragon would only cause more problems later on; powerful mythical beast didn't like to be ignored. So, disorientated, annoyed and half-asleep, the powerful young warlock made his way out of his room, sneaking past Gaius before leaving the castle and sneaking past the guards and making his way into the forest.

The dragon was already in the meadow waiting for him. That was first.

"Ugh, what is it?" Merlin yawned, irritated beyond belief, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"You are not happy with me, young warlock?" the great dragon questioned, his fiery gold eyes shining with amusement.

"You dragged me out of bed in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. Why would I not be happy?"

"There is someone I'd like you to meet."

The girl from his dream emerged from behind one of the dragon's legs, her eyes bright gold and her hair knotted and untamed. She was wearing a sleeveless tattered, filthy white dress with two long slits up either side of the skirt to allow easy movement but revealed her stick-like, mud-encrusted legs. She was barefoot.

"Kescandria!" he exclaimed. He had not been sure if she had even existed or if the dragon had simply created her to give him that useless message. It was strange though, seeing her with dragon, he was not under the impression that Kilgarrah mingled with humans. Then again, Kescandria didn't really seem all human.

He could not see her facial expression due to the looming shadow of the dragon but he was positive that her lips had twitched upwards at his exclamation.

"Hello, Merlin," was all she said.

Then, looking between Kilgarrah and Kescandria, he made the connection. That was where he'd seen her unnatural, magical eyes before. The dragon had them too. What did this mean?

"She is to assist and guide you, young warlock," the great dragon announced.

"Guide me?" Merlin echoed. How was this girl suppose to assist and guide him? She looked like one good blast of wind would finish her off.

"Don't underestimate me, warlock," Kescandria snapped from her place by the dragon. Merlin's eyes widened and he jumped backwards instinctively. Had she just read his mind?

The dragon chuckled, much to Merlin's annoyance but then grew serious.

"She is the last of her kind as I am the last of mine. Do not let Uther discover her," the dragon warned. Merlin nodded solemnly. He didn't know what this girl was or what her connection to the dragon was but he wasn't going to let Uther drive another race to extinction.

"I won't, I promise."

"Good." The dragon spread its wings.

"Kilgarrah, must we part?" Kescandria asked softly but Merlin heard the desperation in her tone, like a child begging a parent not to leave them all alone.

"Yes, we must," the dragon told her, his deep, harsh voice unusually gentle. Then he turned his head to Merlin. "As a dragon lord you are my brother by soul but as a dragon child she is my daughter. Protect her, Merlin."

Merlin nodded, not quite comprehending what the dragon was saying. Kescandria was a dragon child? What was a dragon child? Perhaps Gaius knew… Before he realised what was going on the dragon was rising into the air and flying away, leaving Merlin and Kescandria facing each other. The latter's face was pained and her mouth was sealed in a tight line, as if she were doing her best to hold back tears. Merlin could offer her no comfort, her was still too confused over the recent turn of events. Dragon child?

At last he put the thought at the back of his mind and glanced over a Kescandria who had moved closer to him. She seemed more composed now. His blue eyes met her gold one's and she folded her arms.

"So?" she asked, "are we leaving or are you planning to stay in this meadow all night and freeze to death?"

Echo: So? Any good? Like I said, this is my first Merlin fic and so I'd really appreciate some feedback.

Goldfish: Just review. Or die.

Echo: Goldfish, what have I told you about threatening people?

Goldfish: I'm not supposed to. But review anyway.

Echo: Yes, please do!