Thanks for all your reviews, I really do appreciate them (and it motivates me to write). There's a slight gap between the last chapter and this one, but only a few hours. Morgana's passed out and is still weak, but that's really all that's happened in the meantime. This chapter is from Merlin's POV, and I think it can be assumed that the POV will switch between him and Morgana every chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of the characters in this story (apart from OCs, of course) they are the property of the BBC. This is purely a work of fiction and any resemblance to real events or persons is coincidental.

Enjoy! :D and review.

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away.

Now it looks as though they're here to stay,

Oh I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be,

There's a shadow hanging over me,

Oh yesterday came suddenly.

…

Merlin sighed as his head thudded against the wooden doorframe. Why did all the shit always happen to him? He could only wonder, but no amount of wondering was likely to answer that question for him. There were a number of things on his mind, not least of which was then dragon lying below the castle, waiting to be set free. For the first thing, Merlin could scarcely believe he had agreed to set the LAST DRAGON free, all the time knowing full well he would try to get some form of revenge on Uther. It did seem a bit pointless – saving Camelot from Morgause to only let the Dragon wreak havoc on it. At the same time, he tried to reason with himself – surely the Dragon, having lied to Merlin about having to kill Morgana, was not worthy of being released? He shouldn't have to keep his side of the bargain if the Dragon had misled him. He remembered what he was risking, and then realised that it was hopeless. No amount of reasoning would convince him to sacrifice his mother for Camelot's sake. No matter how selfish of him it was. This judgement then left him only to ponder how and when he was to free the Dragon, given that he had been extremely lucky to get past the guards thus far. He was interrupted in his reverie by Arthur, who seemed bored and wanted to take it out on Merlin.

"Merlin! What have I told you about standing around?" Merlin looked over at him. He must be truly bored to use that excuse to amuse himself. When he looked though, Merlin saw that Arthur seemed to be truly in need of assistance. He drew in a breath and shuffled away from the wall.

"There's always something to do." He said, forcing a hand through his unnaturally tidy hair, messing it up again in the process. He looked up at Arthur again.

"Exactly. And, as you'll no doubt be glad to know, the Lady Morgana is awake, so I suggest you make yourself useful and go and get her some water. Or is that too difficult for you?" He seemed proud that he had managed to fit in two, if slightly rubbish, insults.

Merlin looked unamused and unsurprised. "Yes, sire." He paused, waiting to see if Arthur wanted anything else done, and was not surprised when Arthur spoke again.

"And when you've brought that up to her, you can clean my clothes, tidy my room and polish my armour and boots." At this Arthur walked off, leaving Merlin to his chores. The only positive thing that had happened in this god awful day, Merlin mused, was that he didn't have to muck out the stables.

Morgana was surprised, and only slightly bitter, when Merlin came up with her water, and he departed without having once made eye contact with the lady. Despite their "moment" hours previously, he knew that she still probably hated him and would never trust him again. He hated himself for poisoning, but he knew that there wasn't any other way to stop Morgause's onslaught and to save the lives of Arthur, Uther and the rest of Camelot. At the same time, he still couldn't totally justify his actions, and felt as though he deserved to be hated by Morgana. He still didn't understand how and why Morgana had become so important to Morgause, but he assumed it was because of Morgana's role in the attack, rather for any other reason. Morgana had been Morgause's living constant for the spell she cast on Camelot, but how had that happened. He knew that Morgana distrusted, disagreed with and perhaps hated Uther, but he didn't think that she would sacrifice the whole of Camelot just to be rid of him.

The matter seemed altogether too complicated for him to grasp, so he tried to lay it to rest. Regardless, it continuously bothered him during the monotony of his chores. Why had Morgana done it? Why would she risk Camelot? WHO IS MORGAUSE? Try as he might, he couldn't find a realistic answer to any of these questions and pondered instead on his upcoming deed – the one deed he didn't think he was going to be able to bring himself to do, even with his mother's life on the line. Even though he had to.

After his dinner, he made his way, for likely the last time, down to the cave where the Great Dragon was trapped. He had under his arm one of the swords of the knights of Medhir, which, he was led to believe, was the only thing that could break the Great Dragon's chains. The Dragon knew he was coming, and awaited him patiently on his rock. Merlin stared upwards at the Dragon, and finally built up the courage to talk.

"You lied." The dragon cocked its head curiously – he had not been expecting this. "The Lady Morgana is alive. Camelot is safe. You said I had to kill her! Why?" He bit his lip as he waited for a reply. The Dragon almost laughed at this.

"Merlin. I had to do say what I said to make you do what you did. The prospect of her death was the only thing that could make you do that." Merlin looked a mix between confused and angry.

"You knew! You knew what I was going to do and you let me do it?" Merlin screamed unreservedly at the Dragon. "I hate myself! She hates me! All because of you!" He spat the last word like it was foul in his mouth.

"Merlin! I did not know what you would do! I cannot know what will be. I only knew how you feel about her." Merlin was irate.

"How I feel about her? What do you mean? I did what I did to save Camelot! I had to poison my friend to do so because of what you told me. What I "feel" has nothing to do with it. Why should I let you go when you lied to me? Why should I keep my promise when you would have me kill my friend?"

Now the Dragon was angry, also. "I told you what I had to tell you. What the ancient scriptures would have me say. I had NO choice."

Merlin screamed back at him. "There's always a choice! I have a choice now too. I have the power to let you stay here; trapped forever. Or I can let you destroy what I have worked tirelessly to save. Now it's my turn to bargain. Listen carefully. If I let you go, and God forbid I do, you are to leave Camelot – unharmed – and never return. Or you can waste away to your death, here, ridiculed by the man you hate so much. Now what do you say?" the dragon looked at him furiously.

"What about your mother? Would you risk her for Camelot's sake?" Merlin laughed evilly at the Dragon's words.

"Do you think you have any power over me? Over Emrys? Would you really risk angering me; the all-powerful warlock your beloved "scriptures" speak so highly – so fearfully – of? Do you want to make me angry? Or do you want to obey me?" the Dragon finally submitted under the warlock's anger. He bowed his head. "Good." Merlin stated, and he made his way down the stairs to the base of the chain. Taking a breath to steady and calm himself, he raised the sword above his head. He took one last glance at the Dragon above him, who was waiting expectantly, and struck the mighty chains with all his strength; physical and magical. With an almighty crash the chain split into two and the Dragon stretched out his wings and took off, soaring up and out of the cave. Merlin closed his eyes as a strong draft swept over him, and a voice he would likely never hear again echoed through his head.

Thank you.

It wasn't much, but it was enough. Finally, Merlin was fulfilling his destiny.