Title: Draca Alysan!
Characters: Dragon, Merlin, Hunith
Summary: Merlin's mother, Hunith, has gone missing. Merlin's only hope is to talk to the Dragon, the beast he'd sworn never to see again.
Spoilers: up to Episode 13
Warnings: AU, future fic (barely after Episode 13)
Rating: G
Notes: For a challenge. Write a story with the Dragon sleeping with either Gwen or Hunith. Of course, that's not what came out.
Note 2: I really have no clue about Old English. My apologies to those who can read it correctly.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No credits have changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
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For three days, Merlin searched for her.
Three days of scouring through cold dungeons and high towers and stables. Three days of investigating the apartments of the nobility with Arthur's help and lowly hovels with Gwen's. Three days of underground sewers and middens and graveyards. He searched places she might have been and places she'd never go.
No one has seen his mother leave. No one had talked with her. No one knew anything. Even the magic he could command was silent.
He was frantic. She had been recovering from the illness he'd caused – well almost caused. He'd offered his life for Arthur's and the sorceress, Nimueh, had agreed, seemed to have accepted it but then turned it around somehow and had tried to slowly drain his mother's life instead. And if it hadn't been for Gaius, she'd have been lost to him forever.
When he'd returned from the Isle of the Blessed and found her alive and almost well, Merlin had been upset and thankful and so very concerned that he'd hovered over his mother too much, staring at her, holding onto her, following her every footstep, protecting her until it must have driven her mad, until she'd finally told him to go to bed and let her rest.
He had, he had, and by next morning, she'd disappeared without a trace.
For three days, he'd searched and he'd found nothing.
Now he would do what he must in order to get her back, safe and sound, even if it was to beg for the help of the one being he'd sworn never to see again - never, not for all the riches in Camelot, not for all the power that the Dragon had been offering him.
But it was his mother and he'd do anything for her, even talk to the monster who had manipulated him, who had lied to him, who had used him.
And so there he was, torch in hand, looking over at the golden-eyed, golden-scaled beast, that lying, hated, cunning thing. Dread filling his throat, Merlin shouted, "Where's my mother?"
The Dragon just stared at him, smiling, letting the bitter question echo down into the depths of the cave, shards of hatred fracturing smaller and smaller until there was nothing left but silence.
Then haughty laughter as it said matter-of-factly, "Ah, little warlock. Back so soon?"
In that moment, he'd have throttled that damnable serpent if he'd had hands big enough to wrap around its throat. Instead, Merlin said again more slowly, "Where is my mother?"
"Where you'll never find her." It shrugged its wings and smiled, showing dagger-sharp teeth and smug certainty. "Without my help."
"You have her." It was pathetically obvious now that he thought about it. Merlin had been hearing the voice of the Dragon all along - asleep, awake, searching, despairing – calling to him, haunting him.
Of course, he had ignored it. How could he not after he found out how the Dragon had used him to further its own ends? But it would appear that ignoring the beast hadn't been enough. He wanted something, something only Merlin could give it, and it had kidnapped his mother to force him into compliance. "If you've hurt her, I'll kill you myself."
"Hummm," The Dragon thought about it and then its smile grew wider. "You could try."
"Where is my mother?" Merlin demanded again, ignoring the taunt. He meant business, now and always, and he refused to play that slimy serpent's game.
Another chuckle as claws, pointing everywhere and nowhere, swept the air. "Sleeping like a princess, among stones and bones and old blood."
"What does that mean? If you've…" The Dragon looked at him more closely, amusement in its hungry eyes. In that moment, thinking that he'd never hated anything more in his life, Merlin growled out, "I killed Nimueh. If you've hurt her, I'll kill you, too."
"How foolish you are, young warlock." As it settled down onto the rock, serpent scales glistened in the darkness. The Dragon looked unconcerned and very sure. "Do you think I would worry about threats from you?"
Merlin shot back, "I'm not the one chained in a cave."
The sly, all-knowing smile grew as the Dragon said simply, "I'm not the one looking for his mother."
He knew he'd have to do something. It had been three days and his mother must surely be growing weaker. He couldn't go back and ask for help. Admitting that he'd been talking to the Dragon would get Merlin into trouble or worse. There would be questions, too many questions, and he couldn't give a single answer that wouldn't sound like sorcery. If his abilities became known to Arthur or anyone at court, especially Uther with his unreasoning hatred of all things magical and his lust for blood, it wouldn't be the Dragon's death but Merlin's that ended this.
And Gaius, friend and mentor and the only one who knew about him, hadn't the strength to back him up if it came down to it. Merlin was on his own.
"What do you want?" Even to his own ears, Merlin's question sounded like defeat.
"What I've always wanted." The Dragon watched him with greedy eyes, then spread its wings wide for emphasis, obviously enjoying the moment. "Freedom."
Merlin's heart stopped beating. He couldn't. There were a million, million reasons why he couldn't. To release a magical beast, one as cunning and powerful as this one, would bring untold disaster. It could wreck the kingdom, destroy Arthur's future before it had even begun.
He could not keep the horror out of his voice. "I can't let you go."
"Then we have a problem, don't we?" The Dragon didn't even look upset. It merely settled down onto the rock again and gazed, unblinking, at Merlin. It seemed as immovable as stone. "You will never find her without my help and the price… the price is setting me free. A small price for a mother's life, don't you think?"
Merlin felt as if the weight of untold futures hung in the balance, felt as if he were trapped in the possibilities. He was standing beneath the rock on which Camelot stood and a single word could bring it tumbling down. "I can't…" he whispered, half-mad with desperation, "I can't."
"Then we have nothing further to say to one another." The Dragon stood up, began to spread its wings, looked ready to launch into the air and fly far out of Merlin's reach.
"Wait!" He felt as if he were being torn apart. Nothing should hurt this much but he couldn't let him leave, couldn't let his mother die. He'd never forgive himself if she did.
Ignoring the smug, eager look in the Dragon's eyes, hating himself for what he was about to do, Merlin pleaded, demanded, "You have to promise me that you'll leave Camelot and never return."
"Of course, little warlock." The answer was too quick, too eager.
"I don't believe you." Merlin raised one hand, gathering magic in his palm, a glowing red-tinged ball of pure power. He could see the blaze of it matched in the greedy eyes of his enemy. Slowly, deliberately, he said, "Promise me on everything you hold sacred that you'll leave Camelot."
There was an annoyed little grunt, surprisingly subdued for the huge beast, and then it said, "Very well."
Merlin pressed his advantage. He couldn't let people die because of his weakness. "And you won't hurt Arthur or anyone else in the kingdom."
A shrug and the Dragon said carefully, "I'll let the young Pendragon fulfill his destiny."
"If I let you go, you must promise to leave and not come back. No killing," Merlin insisted. He wanted to make sure that the beast would not find some other way to take revenge; he knew that the Dragon would try and find a loophole, if for no other reason than to kill the man who had imprisoned it all those years ago.
"Anything else? The keys to the city perhaps? A crown for that foolish head of yours, boy?" The Dragon did not sound defeated, rather highly amused, as if it had won at some kind of game that Merlin was not aware of.
Merlin didn't like it one bit. Still holding the magic bright in his hand, aching to fling it into the Dragon's eyes but knowing he could not for his mother's sake or, truth be known, for his own sense of fair play, he said flatly, "Just keep your promise or I'll not stop until I've hunted you down myself."
"Done." There was a nod of the huge head and it shifted its chained ankle forward, waiting.
But Merlin just shook his head. "No, first my mother. Only then will I release you."
The Dragon's indignation was palpable, smoke in the air. Or maybe it thought he could fool Merlin into slipping up, letting it get away with no promises fulfilled. But as they stood there, staring at each other, finally the serpent must have realized that it had pushed Merlin as much as it could. It growled coldly, "Very well. Wait here."
As he watched him flying away into the far distance, Merlin let the magic dissipate, felt the ache grow.
He was trapped. He couldn't let his mother die but he couldn't let the Dragon hurt anyone ever again. It wasn't that he thought it had been right to imprison the beast underground for all these years as Uther had done. Merlin thought the beast was half-mad from loneliness and the loss of the sorcerers and priestesses of the Old Religion, all his fallen kin. There was no telling what the Dragon would do once it was free.
It was up to Merlin to make sure the Dragon kept its promises, even if it meant both of them leaving Camelot for good.
Merlin shook his head. The easiest thing would be to break his word, get his mother back and then walk away but he couldn't do that either. It wasn't in him. Killing in defense or keeping Arthur from harm had been hard enough over these last months but it had been the right thing to do.
Breaking his word was another matter. That went beyond defense; it went to the heart of who he was. It was unthinkable, would be unthinkable in other circumstances. Now…. he just didn't know.
But before he could come to a final decision, he saw the sweep of wings, gold flashing across scales as the Dragon came in for a landing. His mother, awake but looking as terrified as he'd ever seen her, was clutched in its claws.
Merlin rushed to the edge, frustratingly out of reach, as the Dragon set down on the rock face opposite. He knew that with one squeeze, his mother would be crushed but surprisingly, the beast opened its talons and gently set his mother down to crouch beneath one leathery wing.
Her face was white with fear but at least she was alive. For the moment.
Before either of them could shout reassurances across the chasm, the Dragon said, "I have delivered your mother as promised. Now it is your turn, warlock."
"How am I going to get her to safety? This is not…." Merlin could not even think to betray him, not with his mother within a talon's span of death. The beast could sweep one claw and push her into the abyss.
"That is not my concern. I have delivered her. Now you must keep your promise." The Dragon must have realized what Merlin had planned. Eyes glaring red-gold, the beginnings of smoke between dagger-sharp teeth, it said softly, "Or I could kill her while you watch."
"No!" Merlin froze, terror pouring into him. There was no more thought, no more choice. He would do whatever it took to free his mother. "No, I will do it. Just as I promised."
The Dragon gave a little self-satisfied chuckle and then moved its chained ankle forward, waiting for release.
Merlin gathered up the magic, pulling energy from the rocks and wind and light filtering through the cavern, drawing from the small animals far below and the soft mosses hanging above. He put everything he could into the spell.
"Isen beag draca onegeocian! Draca Alysan! Draca Alysan!"
At first, nothing happened but he renewed his efforts, knowing that if he failed, his mother's life would be forfeit. "Isen beag draca onegeocian. Draca Alysan!"
And again.
"Draca Alysan."
And again until there was nothing but light and sound and the flow of magic across the air.
With a roar, the Dragon pulled free. The chains holding it fell down, down into the chasm below and it soared skyward, leathery wings gleaming gold in the dim light. Diving, circling high, tumbling in the air, it seemed almost as if it were flying on ecstasy.
Then it swooped past, howling Uther's name, and headed straight for the far end of the cavern and freedom.
His mother was still cowering on the knob of rock across from Merlin and she had a kind of horror on her face as she looked at him and then the Dragon, as she stared after it until it disappeared into the darkness beyond.
Merlin knew he needed to go. That slimy reptile wouldn't keep his word but he needed to get his mother rescued first. He shouted to her, "Stay still, Mother. I'll bring you across. Just stay still."
Luckily he didn't need an incantation for this. He'd been floating rocks and farm tools and tree branches for most of his life. Never a human before but he was stronger now, more in control of his gifts. He drew in a deep breath and then raised one hand toward her. She must have had confidence in him because she said nothing, just closed her eyes and waited.
With infinite gentleness, her body rose slightly and then hovered for a moment before she was slowly inched over to the ledge where Merlin was standing, using magic as if his life and hers depended upon it.
And in another moment, she was in his arms. So frail, so worn, she looked as if she hadn't slept in days. But she still had enough energy to whisper, "What have you done?"
As he slowly helped her walk up the long, long stairway into the light, he said softly, "I did what I had to do."
"What are you going to do now?" She sounded terrified for him.
Merlin knew that she would want him to remain hidden but it wasn't possible, not now. An escaped dragon, one this old and vengeful no matter what promises were made, would need to be recaptured or killed. And only magic could do that.
All hell would break loose, may already be breaking loose as the Dragon reappeared above Camelot.
"It's time to reveal who I really am. It's time to face my destiny."
The end.
Isen beag draca onegeocian! Draca Alysan!
Hopefully, this means: Iron ring, unyoke the dragon. Release the dragon.