A/N: My take on the idea of Merlin raising Aithusa. Just a one-shot for now, but I may expand upon it. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Merlin and all its characters belong to BBC.
Merlin grinned happily as he walked into Gaius's chambers, the physician looking at his bag as what was in it began to squirm. Merlin's grin got bigger as he noticed where the old man's gaze lay and set his bag on the table, unfastening the buckles and watching as a pure white dragon jumped out. Gaius gaped.
"Aithusa, Gaius. Gaius, Aithusa." Merlin stated, amused by the look on Gaius's face.
Gaius continued gaping.
Merlin scratched his head awkwardly. "Well, Aithusa will be staying with us for a while, so get used to having a dragon around."
Gaius shook himself out of his stupor. "You mean to tell me that you're going to be keeping a dragon here?"
Merlin nodded, smiling widely. Gaius blinked, then sighed, softening as he saw Merlin stroking Aithusa. "Well, alright, then. I guess I have no say in the matter, do I?"
Merlin frowned as Aithusa rubbed his head against his hand, much like a cat. "Well, I wouldn't say that..." he said, "it's just that he has to stay with a dragonlord to learn the ways if humans, and seeing as there's only one dragonlord left..."
Gaius threw his hands up in defeat.
...
"Merlin, do you have any idea what time it is!" Arthur burst into Merlin's room, the warlock snapping awake and throwing his sheets on the ground, covering up a squeaking dragon. Arthur noticed this movement and looked where Merlin had thrown the covers, storming over as he saw movement from under the blanket. Merlin's eyes widened as he saw Arthur heading that way, and he pretended to sneeze, casting a glamour over the young dragon. Arthur threw back the covers, ignoring his manservant's outburst, and frowned as he was bowled over by a puppy that quickly proceeded to rub its snout on the king's face lovingly.
"Ah! Get off!" Arthur pushed the puppy off of him, the latter squeaking in protest. "Merlin, what is that! A puppy?"
Merlin creased his brow, "She has a name, you know. It's Aithusa."
Arthur blinked. "Well, if you're going to be late on account of a puppy, then get rid of it! Besides, you look like you're allergic!"
Merlin rolled his reddened eyes as the prince left the room after listing off the usual list of chores, and reversed the glamour. Aithusa squeaked with joy as she looked at her tail, now scaly, as it should be, but clung to Merlin as he proceeded to leave the room, looking up at him with eyes that rivaled the puppy that she was a moment ago. Merlin sighed.
"I'm sorry, Aithusa, I can't stay. I have to work, and you have to stay here."
"Merlin!" Aithusa exclaimed sadly, the warlock smiling as he realized that that was the dragon's first word, despite the emphasis on the first syllable. He chuckled as the dragon repeated his name, sounding more and more like the king by the second.
"Aithusa, I really have to go! I'm sorry!" He pried the dragon from his legs, the baby letting out an indignant squeak, but caving, nonetheless.
With a final "Merlin," she curled up on the warlock's bed.
...
Merlin was hiding something.
Arthur could tell. It wasn't that the manservant was almost always late to work anymore, or that he acted like he didn't get any sleep at all as much as it was that he was amazingly happy and that Gaius was suddenly refusing to let Arthur in Merlin's room, climbing the stairs to the boy's chambers himself to get him.
About the fifth time that Gaius did that, Arthur decided that it was time it stopped. Mostly because the old physician fell down the stairs and hurt himself. He burst into Merlin's room without knocking, nearly running into a giant, white mass that was sitting by Merlin's bed in his cramped chambers, rubbing its scaly nose all over the warlock. Arthur drew his sword when he realized what it was. Aithusa squeaked in fright, rubbing his snout on Merlin's face more frantically. The warlock blinked awake, chuckling as he stroked the now dog-sized dragon's snout. Aithusa squeaked in fear, and Merlin's attention was drawn to the king. His eyes widened and he held Aithusa closer, the dragon relaxing in his embrace.
"Arthur! I- What are you doing here?!"
"Merlin! What the hell is going on?!"
"I- uh- er-" Merlin stuttered, his expression one of complete shock.
"Is that a dragon?! Merlin, I demand to know what is going on!" The prince moved his sword to point at the warlock.
"Uh... I'm a dragonlord?" Merlin said, smiling nervously.
"You what!"
"Uh... and I guess now wouldn't be the best time to say I'm a warlock, too..."
"You WHAT!"
"...And I saved the dragon egg."
Arthur gaped, completely aghast. "And what else have you been hiding from me, Merlin?!"
"Oh... well, that would take all week."
Arthur glared at him, keeping his sword pointed at the warlock. Merlin sighed.
"Well, I guess I should give you the quick version, then..."
...
Aithusa was glad to get out. It was awfully cramped in his dragonlord's home, so she was happy to get some fresh air, as was Gaius to be able to work without the needy dragon pestering him all day.
"Arthur," Aithusa stated, her voice now fully developed, though she was still learning to talk properly, "Where we go?"
"We're going out hunting, Aithusa. Merlin will be following shortly, though I think he'll just scare away the prey."
It wasn't really normal for Arthur to be walking with a dragon, but things were changing for the young king, and, besides, Merlin had cast a spell so that Aithusa was mistaken for a horse outside of the castle. Of course, he still got strange looks from the nobles inside of the castle, save Gwaine, but he didn't mind. Things were changing. The council members would just have to get used to magic, because it would be back soon.
Arthur exited the castle, and Aithusa's form shimmered, changing her into a beautiful white mare. A servant that saw the transformation gaped and fled, but the only other person there, Sir Percival, was soon stroking Aithusa's snout and having a conversation with the dragon. Arthur smiled. Percival wasn't really the talkative type, but when it came to Aithusa, he was the chattiest person around.
"Arthur!" Merlin stumbled around the corner, leading the horses that they would be using, saddlebags laden with hunting gear. "I got the horses!"
"I can see that, Merlin." Arthur said, smiling a bit.
Merlin looked at Aithusa. "Aithusa's coming? Isn't she a bit young to be hunting?"
Arthur gaped, surprised at the warlock, "She's almost bigger than me, Merlin! I think she can hunt!"
Aithusa nodded enthusiastically, looking at her dragonlord for his approval with pleading eyes. Merlin sighed. "Alright, then. But it's going to look a bit weird, us going with three horses."
Aithusa chirped happily, scaring away another servant, and the three headed off together.