Lancelot supposed he was kind of shallow. I mean, Merlin had just saved both their lives and all he could think was 'oh God, oh God' in hysteria. To be fair, Merlin had just saved the pair of them with a dragon. A dragon that was supposed to be dead (he hadn't been that far away, he'd heard the rumours). Arthur had killed it.
Then again, Merlin had been involved in this adventure - and any adventure involving Merlin was likely to be more than it seemed. Lancelot had learnt that a long time ago.
As the conversation continued, his brain whirled further and faster out of control - the torn veil demanded a sacrifice, a life sacrifice, Arthur intended to pay it, Merlin intended to intervene and pay it instead.
And despite this, there was a little voice in his head that couldn't say anything beyond 'Merlin is a dragonlord' in an incredulous and hysterical tone.
Of course he was.
It was Merlin. Lancelot had stopped expecting things from him ages ago. Merlin simply exceeded all expectations so that when you finally thought he couldn't do anymore to surprise you, he managed one more unbelievable feat. And then it started all over again.
The dragon was asking his name.
The dragon.
Lancelot didn't even know that dragons could talk. In all of the stories he'd heard - about this one and others, they seemed far too occupied with setting things on fire and killing things to have a decent conversation.
Then again, a dragon was a magical animal. Magic tended to be surprising - ergo Merlin.
The dragon took off.
Lancelot realised he'd missed the entirety of the ending of the conversation in his musings. But despite that, he knew what they had been discussing. He wasn't blind. Or stupid.
The veil demanded a sacrifice.
And Merlin was going to offer.
Lancelot wasn't going to let that happen.
Merlin really was the bravest of them all. And Camelot needed that.
Arthur needed that.
And Gwen needed Arthur.
And so, for all of them, he knew what he had to do.
He just had to make sure that Merlin didn't find out.