The halls echoed as the two men walked towards the cells.

Arthur and Merlin hadn't said a word since they'd began their trek through the castle, neither knowing how to respond to Arthur's show of emotion only minutes ago.

Finally Arthur hesistantly broke the silence.

"Merlin, what happened with the cup? I thought if you spilled it they would be killable again?"

"Apparently not. Something went wrong... When it fell, nothing happened. Morgause attacked. I... I killed her, Arthur. I pictured her heart exploding, willed it to happen... I know she was evil, but it felt wrong. After she died I took the cup, and I fought my way back to you. When I came into the room I saw you go down... I panicked. I felt this raging, well, I guess you'd call it protectiveness, flow through me and my magic took over."

"So... you don't have to control your magic? It can go on it's own?"

"It's different... I'm different. I was born with magic, it's who I am. I don't always have to use spells, I never had to learn the basics. The dragon keeps telling me tha-"

"Wait, what? There's a dragon?"

"Umm... yeah."

Merlin looked uncomfortable now.

"Is that the same one that attacked Camelot?"

"Yes... but that whole incident was a mistake, and I fixed it as soon as I could."

Arthur just kept looking at him, prompting Merlin to continue explaining.

"He used to live chained under the castle and when I first came to Camelot he called me mentally until I found him. I'd talk to him, ask him for advice. I couldn't have saved you most of the times without him. He helped me on the agreement that someday I'd free him. I just didn't realize what that would be like... as you know, that didn't work out so well. But I can control him now. My father, Balinor, passed on his gift to me when he died. I'm a dragonlord."

"You actually agreed to release the dragon?"

Arthur couldn't believe his ears.

"It's... a long story. I didn't agree to allow him to be free so he could terrorize Camelot. He'd been helping me, and I'd made an agreement. His imprisonment was wrong to begin with... so I guess it was just a bad situation? But the point is I fixed it."

Merlin looked so abashed that Arthur just couldn't get angry with him. He'd be sure to get the full story later, but right now he'd just have to trust him. He'd earned that much.

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you? So, you're a sorcerer, a dragonlord, what else? Are you a woman too?"

"Funny."

"Well, you are kind of... dainty."

"Dainty? Who's the one who just practically saved Camelot single handedly?"

"Who's the one who at one point let the dragon out who almost destroyed it?"

Arthur smirked, causing Merlin to give a slight smile in return, both enjoying the familiar banter as they rounded the corner, seeing the cell in which Arthur's father was imprisoned.

Arthur turned the key and approached him, cautiously checking if he was alive. His father groaned and opened his eyes, immediately opening his mouth in shock.

"How?"

"Well, father, that's a long story. Let's get you out of here, there's a lot of work to do first then we'll fill you in."

Arthur helped his father up, and with Merlin following, they walked towards Gaius's chambers to get Uther checked out.