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CHAPTER TWO: The Dragon's Call

Merlin.

Merlin awoke to the silent voice inside his head. When he realized what it was, he sighed and cursed inwardly. That dratted Dragon! What purpose could there possibly be in calling to him at this hour of the night? The moon rose high over the sleeping city – it must have been past midnight. Pale light poured through the glass panes of his window.

Merlin.

"All right, all right," the boy groaned to nobody in particular, rolling out of bed and slipping his feet into his worn leather boots. "I'm coming." As his feet beat the worn path down to the Dragon's prison beneath the castle, he couldn't help but think that this must have had something to do with Morgana. She was the only thing of significance that had happened recently. He emerged onto the ledge, the torch casting a small pool of light over him. The Dragon swooped from the darkness and landed on the rock opposite him, brown scales glittering in the flame's luminescence.

"You called?" Merlin asked, somewhat put out.

"Something has happened. Something of significance." The Dragon began, examining a claw as though he had not pulled the young warlock from a sound sleep in the middle of the night.

"Not really," Merlin responded. He thought it best to keep Morgana's power a secret from the Dragon for now. Of course, knowing the Dragon, he already had at least some idea.

"I've lived more than a thousand years, seen civilizations rise and fall. Do not believe that you can lie to me. You have met the witch, the Lady Morgana." The Dragon blinked widely at him.

"She's not a witch!" Merlin protested, almost turning around and leaving. "She's my friend." He swore silently to himself. He had suspected that the Dragon knew, but had lied anyway. That certainly would not gain him any favors. What came next was not unexpected, but it was unwelcome nonetheless.

"She cannot be trusted." The Dragon said this with an air of formality, which only served to irritate Merlin's already slightly frazzled nerves.

"What makes you say that?" He asked defensively.

"It would be better if the witch-"

"Stop calling her that!" Merlin interrupted. He didn't want to hear Morgana referred to like that, as though she was innately evil or corrupt when he knew she was not.

"It would be better if the witch never knew the true extent of her powers." It wasn't so much the words as the pompous and arrogant way in which the beast spoke them that ticked Merlin off. How could the Dragon claim to know so much? He may have lived for eons, but he had no knowledge of human nature if he believed that Merlin would give up on a friend so quickly.

"You're wrong. I know her. She has a good heart."

"You've failed to heed my advice in the past and it brought grave consequences. I warn you not to do so again." The Dragon looked down at him with glittering golden eyes. Merlin knew that they marked him as a creature of magic, kin to himself, but he also knew that the Dragon was not a human and accepted his visions as the irrefutable and unalterable truth. The Dragon's age had convinced him of his own infallibility, but Merlin did not believe that anyone was immune from making mistakes no matter their power or the number of years they had lived. Inside he swore never to become as unchanging and inflexible as the Dragon.

"I won't abandon her. I care too much about her." As he spoke the words, Merlin realized that they were true. He did care, far too much if truth be told.

"If you pursue this course of action, you do so alone."

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Fine then. I never wanted your help anyway. All you do is issue cryptic warnings and tell me what I shouldn't do. I don't need you anymore."

And with that ringing condemnation he left the Dragon alone in the dark prison below the castle.

###

The next day passed with almost no extraordinary events. The multitudes of people whom Uther suspected of attacking Morgana were rounded up, but with no evidence and solid alibis all were expected to be freed within the week. Merlin was kept running around after Arthur and his knights all day, and spent a great part of the afternoon polishing armor and sharpening swords on the practice field. It wasn't until after dinner that he got a moment to himself.

"Well," Gaius said, pushing out his bench and standing up. "I need to go see the king. He's been complaining about his shoulder for a couple of days now and I need to take him new medication."

"See you, then," Merlin said, remaining seated so as not to draw attention to himself. The instant the physician left the room, however, he was up. He snatched a sleeping potion from a shelf and set off towards Morgana's chambers. A set of guards at the foot of the stairs stopped him.

"What is your business?" one asked, a little bored.

Merlin showed him the little bottle half full of red liquid that was his excuse for visiting. "Gaius asked me to deliver this to Morgana's chambers. It's her sleeping draft."

"Go on then," the other guard said, and Merlin stepped around them. His boots made soft whispering noises against the floor, but otherwise he was silent. He knocked quietly on the door, and Morgana opened it, dressed in the same opulent white and gold nightgown she had worn the night before, when he had comforted her in Gaius's chambers.

"Gaius asked me to deliver this," he said, holding out the bottle. He hadn't seen her all day and was unsure of how she'd react to seeing him again.

"I don't need any potion, thank you," she said, a little awkwardly. The door remained open for a moment, and then she spoke again. "Merlin. Ignore what I said last night. I had a nightmare; I was upset." He could see the raw fear in her eyes, hear it in her voice. He couldn't let her continue like this.

"I haven't said anything to anyone," he vowed, looking into her gray eyes. They swam with tears unspilled.

"I'm sorry," she said, turning and striding away from him, towards the table. The door opened wider, and he stepped through it, the lack of formal invitation not bothering him. "It's usually Gwen who has to deal with me when I'm like this."

"I don't mind," Merlin said soothingly. She pulled up short, evidently surprised by his response. "I want to help you."

"Why would you want to risk yourself like that?" she asked bitterly, tossing her head.

"You'd be surprised," he said, closing the door softly. "I understand. I realize how frightening all this must be for you. Especially for you."

"Why especially for me?" she looked over her shoulder at him, suspicion in her eyes.

Merlin shrugged as it it were obvious. "You're the king's ward. You know his hatred of magic better than anyone."

"You think that's what's been happening to me?" she asked, anger and fear battling in her voice and face. "The dreams, the fire, you think it was magic!"

Merlin didn't know quite how to respond. So he decided to go with the truth. He was usually an awful liar anyway, and figured that the truth would be best in this situation anyway. "Yes, Morgana, I think it is magic."

She gasped and turned away from him again to face the window, as though ashamed of what she was incapable of controlling. "What am I going to do?"

The warlock moved across the room until he was standing with his back almost touching hers. Gingerly, he reached around and put the bottle on the table in front of Morgana. He could feel her tense up as she realized just how close he was. "You're going to be fine. I promise. I will be here for you."

"I can't ask you to risk that for me. It's risky enough, you even knowing." Her voice quivered with tears.

"Morgana, I understand what you're going through," he began, but she cut him off.

"How can you possibly understand?" she asked. "What would you know of magic?"

Merlin took a deep, fortifying breath as he prepared himself. He couldn't watch her suffer like that anymore when he had the power to help. He would trust her with his secret as she trusted him with her fears and secrets. No harm could come of it. Only good, in his eyes. She would not betray him. "I went through exactly the same thing when I discovered my magic and the consequences it would hold if I was discovered."

The sharp inhalation from in front of him revealed her shock. "Your what?" she asked, so quietly he could barely hear her.

"My magic. Morgana, you are not alone here. I am with you."

"You have magic?" she asked again, still trying to understand.

"Yes. And it is not evil, as Uther says it is. It can be a force for good. Like a blade or an arrow, magic is in the hands of those who use it. Swords can be used to kill innocent men, as well as protect innocent lives and help those in need. Magic is the same."

Morgana turned around to face him. He stepped back, putting a little more room in between them to prevent awkward contact. "I need time to think, Merlin." He was relieved to see that her tears were gone, replaced by resolve and thought.

"Of course, my lady," the warlock said. "I don't want to push you." He turned to leave, but was recalled by her voice.

"I will keep your secret Merlin, as you keep mine." She knew that he knew that, but she needed to say something, to solidify the bond.

"Thank you, my lady. Good night." Merlin was smiling as he left. Morgana had listened to him without calling the guards or accusing him of being evil. At least she knew that she was not alone.

Much shorter, I know. But please review! It means so much to me. :)