(ch2)

The sun was already up when Merlin woke the next morning. He checked to make sure the fire was already out and cold before he started his search again.

He had walked for miles before he finally found the cave that served as a tomb for Kilgharrah. Merlin could tell the old dragon had been dead for several days. It most likely happened just after he had left Arthur and Merlin at the lake.

Merlin said an ancient prayer over his old friend and left the cave. He sealed the cave by collapsing the rocks around the entrance. He marked a large rock in front with a dragon that he carved into the stone with magick.

Merlin sat on a log outside the cave and wept. Kilgharrah was his friend and teacher. The old dragon was a very large part of his life just like Arthur had been. Now the old beast was gone just like the King.

It seemed that everything was changing. Merlin wasn't sure he was ready for these changes or the ones to come but it didn't look like he was going to be given a chance to object to any of it.

Merlin made camp and tried to come up with a new plan. He started by collecting some firewood and finding a place to build a fire.

Dinner was on his mind. it had been a while since he had eaten. While he was collecting firewood, he found an apple tree. He picked a few and put them in his pockets for dinner and for breakfast in the morning.

When Merlin got the fire started, he sat looking into the fire and started to form a plan. That was when he remembered that Aithusa was still out there alone.

The plan became clear. The first thing he needed to do was to find Aithusa and make sure she was safe. He wasn't sure she would respond to him after everything that happened but he had to try.

Merlin also knew that he would eventually have to go back to Camelot and face Gwen. That was the one thing he wasn't ready to for. How does he tell his best friend that he let her husband die? He couldn't even forgive himself yet so why would he expect her to forgive him.

Gwen would have to wait until later. Merlin made Aithusa his new priority.

Merlin took a chance and called for her in dragon tongue. He waited for almost half an hour for a response. When he didn't get one, he was not surprised.

He wasn't sure that she even knew to come to him when he called. He had never done that with her before. He had rarely spoken to her at all. She may not even recognize him as her dragon lord.

It didn't matter. He had to find her to make sure she was safe like he should have after he hatched her. Since she had been hatched, she had been left on her own. He had allowed her to be captured and didn't rescue her when he should have. She had bonded with Morgana and that had been allowed to grow when he should have put a stop to it from the beginning.

All in all, he had failed her as a dragon lord and as a warlock. It was time to change that. He decided to search until he found her and he knew exactly where to start. He would look for Aithusa where he left Morgana's body.

Merlin settled down to rest for the night. He would start fresh first thing in the morning. Merlin drifted off to sleep with a purpose for the first time in days.

Merlin woke with the dawn and turned the last embers of his fire to cold ash. Before he left, he went to grab a few apples off the tree for the trip. He was going to have to walk at least a day to get back to where he left Morgana's body.

Merlin checked the direction and started walking as fast as he could. He needed to get there before nightfall. He didn't want to be surprised by an angry and possibly hurt dragon in the dark.

Along the way, he looked for any sign that Aithusa had been there. He was more than halfway to his destination, he saw some scorch marks that were obviously made by a dragon. Since he knew that Kilgharrah hadn't come that way, he knew it was Aithusa.

Merlin quickened his pace when he saw the scorch marks. Aithusa must have found Morgana's body. Now she was angry and she could hurt someone by mistake. That was something that he couldn't let happen.

Merlin found Aithusa standing over Morgana's body. There were several dead crows and most of them were burnt. It made sense that Aithusa would guard the body of the only person she has ever known to care for her.

"Aithusa, be calm now." Merlin said in dragon tongue. "Everything will be all right but you must come away from her. She is beyond this world and she needs to be given a proper burial."

Aithusa growled low at Merlin and covered Morgana with her body with her wing.

"She is gone. Come here. I won't let anything else happen to you. I know I abandoned you but I won't do it again. You have fresh wounds that need tended and some old injuries I may be able to heal so you aren't in so much pain. Come here and be still, Aithusa." Merlin reached out to the angry and frightened young dragon.

Aithusa looked at Merlin wide eyed. Then she finally recognized him. The young dragon came over and let Merlin put his hand on her head.

Merlin stroked the dragon's head and whispered. "I'm sorry. I wasn't much of a protector. I'm so sorry that she is gone. I know you loved her. I loved her once too. It was so long ago. She was a different person then."

Aithusa looks up at Merlin like she understood what he is saying. She looks back at Morgana. Her shoulders slumped in defeat.

Just then, a crow flew down toward Morgana's body. Aithusa breathed fire to kill it.

"You watch over her and I will dig her a proper grave." Merlin said to the dragon.

Aithusa nodded and went back to guard Morgana's body from the crows.