Merlin sat at the table in the physician's quarters as he pondered what Arthur had told him. The Varden were sending an embassy to Camelot, but what for?
"Gaius?" Merlin called, causing the old physician to look up from the medicine that was brewing in the small cauldron.
"What is it Merlin? I'm working on another sleeping draught for Morgana." Gaius asked.
"What do you know of the Varden?" The young magician asked.
Gaius sighed and sat down opposite of Merlin. "The Varden the rebellion in Alagasia, and they've been there ever since Galbatorix was King. They've fought alongside dwarves and elves against the tyrant, and that has been many long years. In fact, they've been fighting him since before I was a young boy. I can't remember a time when Galbatorix wasn't King of Alagasia." Gaius said.
"Then, is Galbatorix an old man?" Merlin asked.
Gaius nodded. "Indeed. Very old. Though not to be called ancient."
"Then, if he's so old, why don't the Varden wait for him to die?" Merlin inquired.
Gaius gave Merlin a long look, then got up. He opened the door and looked both ways down the hallway. He then closed the door, and he latched it. He walked over to the windows and drew the curtains. Once he was done, he walked back over to the table, and sat down on the bench again.
"Now, Merlin, what I am about to tell you is not to be spoken of outside of this room, do you understand?" Gaius asked, giving Merlin a very serious look.
Merlin nodded.
Gaius took a deep breath. "Merlin, what do you know of the Dragon Riders?"
Merlin frowned. "The what?" He asked.
Gaius sighed. "I guess that answers the question. Well, to make this as simple as possible; the Dragon Riders were men, that if they were fortunate enough, a dragon would hatch for them, and then mark them. The dragon and the man would then be connected by a link, that would make them as close as two beings could get. They would share the other's thoughts, feel the others pain, it was a link that could never be broken, not even by death. Well, the men – or the Riders as they were called – would gain some certain . . . abilities from the dragons. The riders – were they human, and not elfish – would begin to take on traits from the fair folk. Not only would they get the same features as elves, but they would also get the ability to work magic, and get the longevity of the elves. Merlin, the elves don't die of disease or old-age, the only way they die is if they get into an emotional state that causes them to fade over time, or if they are mortally wounded. Galbatorix was born human, but he became a Dragon Rider. However, his dragon was killed, and that drove Galbatorix to madness. So, he murdered another Rider and took the poor dragon and using some wicked spell, tied the dragon to himself, so it was if the dragon were his own. Galbatorix then collected nine other Riders, and with them, he wiped out all other Dragon Riders in Alagasia. Eventually, all but one of the nine Riders was killed in some way, and his name was Morzan. He was the worst, but he was eventually killed by a Rider who's dragon had been killed in battle. Galbatorix is mad, Merlin, but his armies are vast, and he has monsters at his command. Now that you know that, can you appreciate how strong the Varden has to be, to have been able to fight a man with that kind of power for decades?" Gaius asked.
Merlin's eyes were wide, and he nodded.
Gaius took a deep breath. "Not only have the Varden numbers and strength, but there is rumor that a new Dragon Rider has been born, and that he is fighting with the Varden. There are posters all over Alagasia, with his face and name on them, stating a reward for his capture, but no one outside of Alagasia knows his name or what he looks like. The traders that come from there don't speak, and anyone that goes there and returns never pays any attention to the posters. But, if the Varden do have a Rider on their side, then I'd say they have a fair chance of defeating Galbatorix." Gaius said.
Merlin took a deep breath. "Wow, I can see why you don't want anyone to hear us talking about this. If Uther found out . . . we'd be in trouble." Merlin said.
Gaius nodded. "That is precisely why I don't want you talking about this to anyone else. I hope that I've helped you better understand the Varden, but if you must ask more questions, please have them be about things normal boys ask about. Like how babies are made." Gaius said.
Merlin smiled. "Oh, don't worry about that, Gaius. I already know how-" Merlin was cut off by a knocking on the door.
"Gaius? Are you there?" Called a familiar voice.
"Coming Morgana!" Gaius called, getting up from the bench and walking towards the door. Gaius opened the door to reveal the King's Ward.
"Hello Morgana, come in. How are you?" Gaius asked, ushering the dark-haired lady into the room.
"Fine, your bench is on fire." Morgana said, looking at the bubbling cauldron.
Gaius appeared amused by this, until Morgana's words sank in.
"Again?!" He said incredulously ask hurried over to the cauldron and began to swat at the flames with a hat. He finally managed to put out the flames, and turned to Morgana.
"I'll have your sleeping draught ready in a moment." He said.
"No it's alright, I still have some. It's just . . ." Morgana began, but she looked at Merlin uncertainly.
Gaius turned to the young dark-haired man.
"Merlin, your room is a mess, go clean it up." Gaius said.
Merlin unwillingly got up and walked up to his room. Once he entered it, he shut the door. However, instead of getting to tidying up the pigsty, he kneeled by the door.
"Edhel lhaw." Merlin whispered. Instantly, he could hear almost everything around him. He could hear the rats scurrying around inside the walls, and he could hear some poor soul being pelted with rotten fruit in the stocks. But more importantly, he could hear what was passing between Morgana and Gaius.
"Gaius, I had another dream." Morgana said.
Immediately, Merlin was paying more attention than he already had. Gaius had told Merlin that he suspected that Morgana was gifted with clairvoyance – the ability to tell the future, though through her dreams, making her a seer. If Morgana had a dream, it was possible that it would eventually become a reality.
"What was it about?" Gaius asked.
Merlin heard Morgana take a deep breath. "I saw two men, though their faces were obscured by helmets. They were riding dragons, one atop a sapphire blue dragon, the other aboard a blood red one. They both wielded swords bearing the color of their dragon, and they were fighting. The dragons were attacking each other, and the two men were fighting, but not with the swords. They were fighting with magic Gaius! They were hurling balls of fire at each other, and causing lightning to strike their opponent. Beneath them was a battle field, and on one side there were men bearing the black dragon of Galbatorix. On the other side, was Uther's soldiers, Arthur at the front! And, coming from the east to join the battle, was a group of the strangest creatures I had ever seen! There were short people with beards and armed with axes, and people of both sexes that were tall, and they had beautiful faces and pointed ears. There were normal humans as well, but there were also monsters among them, monsters with rotting skin that was deformed even more with tattoos. Leading them was a woman with skin as black as night, a short man with a long beard, and two women with fair features and dark hair. Gaius, I'd never had a dream so vivid before, what if . . ." Morgana trailed off.
"What if what, my dear?" Gaius asked.
"Nothing, it was a silly thought, that's all." Morgana said.
There was a pause.
"You fear that it may come to pass." Gaius said.
"I don't know who the strange army was coming to defend! They could have been coming to aid Galbatorix, or they might have come for Uther's benefit, but remember when I had that dream about the girl who was drowning Arthur, and the next day that very same girl came to Camelot? Uther, I'm afraid." Morgana said, her voice trembling.
"It's alright, Morgana, it was just a dream, nothing more. Now, take this sleeping draught, and go back to your room. You're obviously quite shaken, and you need some rest." Gaius said firmly, and yet still gently.
Morgana took a shaky breath. "Thank you, Gaius. You're right, it was just a dream. I shouldn't let such a thing affect me."
"Oh, and Morgana?" Gaius called.
"Yes, Gaius?" Came the reply.
"Don't bother the King with this dream, he's got enough problems already." Gaius warned.
"Yes, Gaius," Came Morgana's slightly confused reply.
Merlin heard the door open as Morgana left, and then he heard it close.
"Merlin, I know you're eavesdropping, so you might as well come out of there." Called Gaius' voice.
Merlin sighed, and muttered "Adan lhaw," before standing up and exiting his room. Merlin walked down the stairs to where Gaius was standing with his arms crossed.
"Do you think that Morgana's dream will come true?" Merlin asked before Gaius could begin his scolding.
Gaius sighed. "I don't know, Merlin. But for Camelot and Uther's sake, I hope not."