Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC. My first fanfiction.
I despise the line: All good things come to those who wait.
I suppose it was just a typical day for me. I went to class, straight home to study and message my friends on Facebook. You know, normal teenage girl afternoon. But – that was before my life was going to change forever.
It started out typical as I thought it would have been. After homework was finished I decided that every evening after doing homework I would watch an episode of Merlin. I quite liked Merlin even though I thought the ending could have been a little less depressing. It was 9:30 by the time I had finished the episode. I was tempted to read a book that I had bought a day earlier. It was getting to a really exciting, suspenseful part and I just had to find out what happened next. I yawned and couldn't keep my eyes open anymore so I turned out the light, buried myself under the covers and gently drifted off into sleep.
I woke up to the sound of rushing wind. I slowly opened my eyes to see rocks growing smaller and smaller. My hair was whipping back and forth before I suddenly realised that I was falling into a cave. I turned myself over to see water rapidly approaching. I turn myself over so that my arms lie flat on my side and my legs are straight. I pin drop into the deep water and remain down there for a moment, sinking down into the murky depths before I kick my legs and push my arms forwards as I swim to the surface.
My head emerged from under the water. I took in several gasps of breathe before I swim to the bank and pull myself onto the rocks. I lay flat, staring up at the rocky roof, panting from the shock of falling and from waking up so suddenly. I soon realised that I was in a cave. I could make out nothing at first but I began to see a little after my eyes adjusted to the darkness. The water was slow moving, I couldn't tell which way it was going. The cave itself was ginormous and I could have gotten lost and died before I find the exit. I thought it was quiet but my ears rung after what I had just been through.
"RELEASE ME!" a loud voice boomed followed by the sound of a chain being yanked on. I sat up, jumping at the sound as my hearing suddenly came back, and looked around.
My eyes widened and I gasped as I could make out what was in the darkness. A giant dragon, chained to the rocks below him, was flying upwards. It stopped suddenly as the chain pulled him back. The flying lizard began to yank on it like a dog eager to go for a walk.
"Okay," I mutter, sitting on my knees. "I am clearly not dreaming because if I was I would have just woken up since I fell." I started to run my arms along my arms and legs. "Well I haven't been injected with anything." I liked my lips. "I can't taste anything funny. Oh sweet Jesus this is real."
The dragon suddenly breathed fire as he screamed. I let out a frightened shriek as the area we were in lit up as brightly as the day. The dragon flew up again, yanking on his chains once more before he goes back down, landing on a platform of rock not too far from where I was.
"Get out," instinct commanded. "Don't take any chances. If that thing sees you it will more than likely kill you"
"I know!" my thoughts exclaimed. "But I don't know where the exit is."
"You'll have to stay quiet as you look then."
Slowly, dripping wet in my soaked nightdress, I stood up. The rocks were hard against my bare feet as I scurried towards the wall. The dragon by that time had curled up, most likely worn out, and lay motionless as I began to cautiously approach. My heart pounded as I kept my eyes fixed on it when I began to get closer and closer. My breath came out in stuttering gasps as I was prepared to turn and run away should it have moved.
My right foot soon felt soft sand sticking to it. I turned to see a pathway leading up to the top of the cave wall where a cliff had chipped its way out. Hoping that it would provide me with a way out of the cave and to a phone, I slowly made my way up it keeping my eyes fixed on the dragon and right hand sliding across the lumpy wall. With my left, I placed it over my mouth to silence my breathing but all it did was make me begin to tremble.
My trembling immediately got worse the moment I realized that the path stopped directly in front of where the dragon had chosen to rest. If it awoke when I was there, I was going to find out what it is like to be set on fire. I don't think I blinked as I drew closer out of sheer petrification that the dragon would open its eyes and see me. The sand that cocooned my feet felt rough and coarse as I stopped walking and simply dragged my feet along, causing small dust clouds to form.
Eventually I reached the top, my fear seemed to ease itself a little as I approached a dark cave. I peered inside to see a staircase leading down round to a corner. I nearly smiled at the thought that I would be free.
I felt the dust tickle the inside of my nose. I moved my hand further up my face so that I could pinch my nose between my thumb and pointer finger. The sneeze came forcing me to clench my eyes shut and my body to shudder a little before I shook my head and opened my eyes to look back the dragon.
A pair of yellow eyes glared at me. My body stiffened as the dragon raised its head and adjusted itself to sit up straight. We stared at one another, the winged beast tearing down what little foundations that my wide, fearful eyes may have had.
"What are you doing?" the demand slowly rolled off his tongue. His voice was deep and echoed through the cavern. He sounded very, very angry and I could understand why.
I didn't answer him at first. My fear's strict rules did not permit me to do so. I balled two trembling fists at my side before I forced the answer out.
"I-I-I'm trying to…to leave,' I stuttered, unable to take my eyes from him. "I…I don't mean to bother you. I just…"
"I saw you appear and fall into the water," he declared. "Have you come to free me?"
My head slowly shook. It was then that I began to notice how familiar the dragon's voice was. It was clearly a male's voice and it sounded British. Of course I myself came from England but this one was eerily racking at my brain as I tried to figure out the face that it belonged to.
"I don't know how I came here myself," I tell him. "I'm sorry but I'm just trying to get back home. I don't think I can set you free."
The dragon seemed to growl at me. "If you are not here to help me then I will kill you," he opened his mouth, revealing bright yellow flames clawing up his throat towards me.
I froze like a startled rabbit as I watched the fire burning out of his mouth with his rage dancing through it. I couldn't shield my face or even cover my eyes. All that I could do was watch my death fly towards me. To peel my flesh from my bones and hear my excruciating screams as those flames embraced me.
But it wasn't like that. Like a rock being placed gushing water to create two streams that would once again join to create one, the fire became the water and I became the rock. I stood motionless as the flames split apart when they got too close to me. It felt like standing in front of an open fire. I could feel my clothes drying and my hair. My heart pounded so fast that it felt like it was trying to force its way out just to get away. I felt dizzy and faint but dared not move, afraid of what would happen if I did.
When the dragon stopped I stumbled back onto the wall, gasping. I placed one hand on the rocks and the other over my heart. I realized that I had not blinked once since the dragon had caught me so I clenched them shut for a few moments before opening them again. I licked my dry lips before turning back to the dragon who stared at me. I could see there was a hint of surprise in those eyes.
"I did not hear you cast any spell," he told me. "How are you still alive?"
My back pressed against the wall. My gasping began to shudder as his eyes burned me the way that his flames should have. "I..." I trembled. "I don't know."
"Do not lie to me!"
"I'm not lying!" I shrieked, tears springing into my eyes. "I'm telling the truth. I do not know!"
The dragon opened his mouth again. Whether it was to say something or to breathe fire I did not know. My legs sprung to life and I sprinted into the cave. I ran as fast as I could, tripping every now and again, around the corner to a light at the top of the stairs
At the sight of soldiers with their backs turned to me, I suddenly slammed against the wall. I wasn't quite so sure why I had done that but that was before I realised the way that the men were dressed and understood why I did that. They were dressed like medieval soldiers with shining body armour and those crap vests that didn't work at protecting you from anything.
I edged my way up the wall before peering over through the corner of the wall to see a man dressed like a medieval king wearing dark purple and green with a gold necklace complied of square chunks leading down to his lower chest and ending with a cross that held a red ruby in the centre. He looked triumphant but also vengeful and cruel. He kind of looked like Uther from Merlin.
"…And let that dragon Balinor brought to us stand as an example to all magical being what would happen to them should they enter Camelot.'
Camelot?!
Suddenly everything seemed to click into place. The dragon's voice – that was John Hurt's. The cave that I was in suddenly made me realise that it was the same cave that the dragon was captured in. The man who looked like that Uther was that Uther. The steps that I stood on, I recognised. Those yellow eyes belonging to the dragon I recognised.
I was trapped inside the goddamn world of Merlin.
Slowly I collapsed to the edge of the ground. I ran my fingers through my short brown hair as I tried to hold back tears. I silently began to hyperventilate at the realisation of the situation I was in. My whole life – eighteen bloody years – was building up to nothing. It became harder to hold back sobs so I slowly made my way back down those stairs to face the dragon. I was hoping that he would burn me when I arrived
"Why did you come back?" he questioned when he saw me enter the cave once again and stand on the cliff edge that I had seen Colin Morgan's character do so many times.
Instead of answering, I slowly fell to my knees. My hands were clenched handfuls of the sand as tears ran down my face and snot dribbled out of my nose onto the sand.
"Kilgharrah,"I managed. The dragon straightened himself confused that I somehow knew his name. "I'm so sorry about what happened to you. I am just like you. I didn't do anything wrong and now I'm a prisoner too. But you…you're lucky." I could sense his anger beginning to rise at my statement. "You're lucky because…because…" a sob escaped my lips. "Because there is a chance that you will be free! I will never get that chance because I do not exist in this world!"
Kilgharrah watched me bury my head into the sand as I sobbed. He did not say a word or do anything for a long time until my crying was reduced to small whimpers.
"If existing in a world that you do not belong in for the rest of your life is your punishment than find a way to live in that world."
I looked up to see him fly upwards away from him. Bewilderment wrapped with fear covered me. If he was content on killing me, most likely allowing him to take his anger out on someone, then why did he give me that advice – which I could feel the sympathy in his words – and then let me go? I sat up with my back against the cave wall, hugging my knees as I thought over what he had just said.
"I suppose he is right," I thought. "I was being a bit too hasty wanting him to end it all. I must be back before the Merlin starts. When was Kilgharra imprisoned? Shortly after Arthur was born of course but how old is Arthur? Oh why am I asking myself these questions. It doesn't matter anymore."
Realising I was tired, I curled up on the soft sand, hugging myself. "Tomorrow I've got to find myself a new life to live," I decided. "If I find work in the castle than I'll be to go on some of the adventures that Merlin goes on. I'll also be able to see Kilgharra whenever I need some advice. I just hope he is less of a dick and just give me a proper answer instead of a riddle." I got myself comfortable before closing my eyes to try and get some sleep.
No sooner had I done so did I hear the sound of beating wings as the Great Dragon flew down to his rocky platform. I opened my eye a little to see him staring at me, his neck stretched out to gain a closer look. I opened both of my eyes. He pulled his head back, almost embarrassed that he had just done that.
"You don't…mind if I sleep here, do you?" I asked in a small voice.
Kilgharra did not answer me. He curled up, slowed his breathing down as if he too were trying to fall asleep. Taking his actions as a yes, I did the same.
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