Hi guys! Updates may be a bit broken, what with exams and all. –clings to Beta crying- TT^TT Clarky no like… Anyways, thanks to everyone who reviewed/favourite/followed. You be awesome people! ^-^
Rmatri540: Thanks! Glad you like it! ^-^
Beta-Urgh I feel like a zombie. Yes we have a tonne of exams and homework now. Next Monday and Tuesday we both have English Controlled Assessments :p. Thank you for reviewing and favouriting and following. It makes both of us happy. So here is the long anticipated Chapter 2 so enjoy.
"Emrys!" the dragon squeaked.
Merlin blinked in surprise. Balinor too, stared blankly at the soggy grey dragonling. The creature cocked her head and looked at them, blinking her big gold eyes. Why were they so confused? She looked from one to the other. Her downy grey feathers were soggy and flat against her skin.
"Emrys! Emrys!" she squeaked again.
Balinor turned his head to Merlin slightly, keeping his eyes on the baby dragon.
"Why does she keep calling you Emrys?"
The question caught the warlock off guard.
"Uh…long story…"
The dragonling, seeing she was getting no attention from Emrys turned her attention to the dragon lord.
"Kiodon! Kiodon!" she cried.
Merlin cocked his head at the Balinor.
"Dragon tongue for Balinor." He replied.
The dragonling shook her stubby wings in frustration. Hello! She was the new born! Why weren't they fussing? Where were the tasty food and the warmth?! She scrabbled out of the egg and leapt onto Merlin's front. She dug her claws into his jacket and clung to him like a lizard does to walls. Ah, much better. Emrys was nice and warm. She liked this dragon. The dragonling opened her wings to let them dry.
Merlin dropped the egg in surprise and it shattered on the floor. Instinctively he took a step back. The warlock shot a pleading glance at Balinor.
"Uh…what do I do?"
Balinor looked at the dragon, mind still reeling. Instinct taking over, he searched for his voice with the dragonling. In a few moments, he knew exactly what she needed.
"Uh…" snapping the connection. "Bucket and cloth to wash the egg fluids off and dry her.
Merlin nodded, but considering there was a dragon the size of a cat clinging to his front, he couldn't actually move. Balinor hurried out the cave. He returned with a biggish metal bucket full of a warm water and a cloth. Merlin tried to prise the dragonling's claws from his jacket, careful not to tear them. As soon as Balinor put the bucket down near Merlin, the dragonling gave a squeal of joy and leapt into the bucket, splashing water all over the already wet Merlin. The bucket rocked on its base a little with the force of the creature. She poked her head out from the bucket, water running down her beak. She put her claws on the rim and looked up at Emrys and Kiodon and screeched. Wash her already!
"Here you go!" Balinor said, throwing Merlin a cloth.
The servant caught it in one hand and bent down by the bucket. Between the two of them, they washed the egg fluids from her feathers. The dragonling was covered in downy sword grey feathers. Her face was long and lupine, like Kilgharrah's but instead of a muzzle she had a yellow beak. Her ears were long and feathered, lying close to her head though she had some movement of them. At the moment, they were pricked up. Her wings sprouted from her shoulder blades, feathered rather than bat-like. They were short and stubby like a chick's. Her legs weren't like a dragon's at all. They were feathered to the ankle (for people unfamiliar with bird anatomy, the knee is at the top of the leg and the ankle is the joint in the middle of the leg) and from there emerged more dragon-like legs, scaled gold with jet black talons. Her tail was about half the length of her body with a few small feathers on the end.
Once they'd finished, the dragonling climbed out of the bucket. Without warning, she suddenly shook herself. Water sprayed everywhere, soaking Merlin and Balinor.
"MELRIN!" Arthur cried in his I'm-going-to-kill-you voice.
Merlin looked to the entrance of the clearing. Arthur was standing just inside the ring of trees. His clothes were dripping wet, soaked from the dragonling.
The dragonling cringed, anger came off from the new dragon in waves. She backed away, closer to Emrys. Her ears lay flat against her head. This alpha was scary.
A smile tugged at Balinor's lips at the sight of bedraggled prince. Suddenly, he burst out laughing. Seeing his reaction, the dragonling's ears pricked up and she let out a series of yips and yowls. Her laugh was infectious and soon Merlin was laughing. Eventually, Arthur joined the laughter.
The dragonling liked it when the other dragons yip-yowled. It meant they weren't fighting. The dragonling had sensed Emrys' growl when the alpha approached. Even though the Alpha was physically stronger. That Alpha (Arthur) was scary. He was angry at Emrys when she dried herself and at Kiodon too. He was a very angry dragon.
Later that evening, Merlin and Balinor were sitting by the fire. Arthur had long since fallen asleep and the dragonling was curled up on Merlin's lap like a cat. The boy stroked her as he spoke with Balinor.
"Why did you leave Ealdor?" Merlin asked.
Balinor looked up from the wood he was whittling.
"How did you know that?"
"You fell in love with Hunith didn't you? But you ran away." Merlin continued.
"I didn't run away." Balinor said after a pause. "I left in order to protect Hunith. Uther's soldiers came looking for me. They would've killed her. I…" he trailed off. Silence stretched between them. "How did you know?"
Merlin looked down at the dragonling.
"Hunith was my mother."
Balinor looked at the boy. That lie again? But, the dragon, the way she acted round him. Could he be? The questions tore at Balinor's mind. Determined to sort it out once and for all, he found the voice he shared with the dragonling. Syncing his mind with hers, he searched it for the truth. There it was! The truth hit Balinor like a tidal wave. The image in the dragonling's mind. An egg, from which Merlin hatched. Dragon-speak for "He's your son!" Balinor eyed the boy, unable to believe. He had a son. It meant, it meant the dragon lords wouldn't disappear, it meant Hunith still loved him, it meant…everything. That was when he realised how he'd treated the boy these past days. Shaking him off, not helping him save his people. What kind of father was he? And Hunith…Oh Gods Hunith. She was in danger.
"Balinor?" Merlin asked.
The dragon lord shook his head to clear it.
"Where…where is your mother now?" he asked in shaky voice.
"In Ealdor, where it's safe."
The dragon lord let out a breath of relief he hadn't realised he'd been holding. Other things seemed to surface in Balinor's mind. However, Merlin interrupted his train of thought.
"What's her name?" he asked.
"Who's?"
"The dragonling, doesn't she have a name."
Balinor blinked in surprise, how stupid of him! The only way to bring a new dragon into this world is to name it. Balinor rekindled the bond between him and the dragon. Magic. Magic swirled inside her.
"Magic." Balinor replied. "That's all I can get."
"Magic…" Merlin muttered. "Taikani is northern for magic isn't it?"
"Hmm…how about Taika?" Balinor asked.
"Taika…" Merlin tested the word on his tongue. It sounded like the dragonling.
The dragonling's ears pricked up and she lifted her head.
"Taika!" She squeaked, head to one side.
"Well then, I guess that settles it." Balinor said with a smile.
The lord leant over and ruffled the baby's head feathers.
Taika smiled and moved her head to nip him playfully. Merlin smiled and scratched behind her ear.
Once she'd settled back to sleep, Balinor started up the conversation again.
"She called you Emrys. Why?" Balinor asked.
Merlin thought about the question a while. In truth, he longed to tell someone. Only Gaius knew (in Camelot), and the need to tell someone burned inside him. Not sure how to say it, Merlin held up his cupped hands. He whispered something and his eyes flashed gold. When he opened his hands, a ghostly blue dragon, not unlike Taika took off and flew around Balinor's head.
"You're a sorcerer." Balinor said.
"Warlock." He corrected.
The dragon faded into air and dispersed.
"You mean, Camelot is safe now. Magic is allowed. Uther…Uther isn't killing them anymore." There was a desperate hope in his voice.
"He… he doesn't know." Merlin cast a glance at the sleeping prince. "Arthur doesn't know."
"But…"
"No-one knows about it except Gaius. " Merlin told him.
"You're a wanted man there; if they found out they'd kill you." Balinor said, he looked at Arthur. "Run away with me. Let Camelot fall, they've done nothing to help us, why should we help them. We'll return to Ealder, find your mother and go somewhere no-one will ever find us. We'll take Taika, and you can grow up practising magic."
Merlin shook his head. His father's concern for him was touching, but this was wrong.
"I can't." Merlin said.
"But why? You're not safe there. That so-called prince of yours would kill you the moment he found out you were a warlock."
"It's my destiny, to protect him. It's what I'm here for. 'When the once and future king is crowned, magic will return to the land and the world will be at peace.' That's Arthur's destiny." Merlin explained "And…he saved my life…I owe him that much…"
Balinor sighed.
"If you insist on staying, then I'll go with you. I won't lose my son again." Balinor said, with a smile.
Merlin smiled and scratched Taikia's ear.
"Get some sleep, we'll leave in the morning."
Merlin nodded and carefully picked Taika up. Placing her on a blanket Balinor had lying around. He himself then lay down on his own makeshift bed.
Taika shivered. Where'd Emrys go? She uncurled herself and sniffed the thing she was on. This wasn't Emrys! Growling with annoyance she stood up and looked around. Emrys was asleep on his nest. How annoying. Taika bounded over to him. She climbed onto his chest and wiggled under the blanket. It was warm in there, warm and safe. Curling up again, her breathing slowed to match Merlin's and she fell asleep.
Merlin awoke to something snapping his ear. Pushing it away, he sat up. Looking down, he saw Taika next to him. She smiled at him and wagged her tail.
"Emrys!"
Merlin smiled.
"Morning Taika!"
He ruffled her head fur just as Balinor had done. The dragonling giggled and snapped at his fingers.
Merlin smiled and looked to the side; he saw a carving on the log next to him. It was of Taika, though a little more mature, with longer feathers and beautiful wings folded across her back.
The warlock got out of bed and begun packing it away. That done, he started on breakfast. Taika quite happily sucked berry juice off his fingers while he made the porridge. Finding her annoying, Merlin sent her to the berry bushes to keep her busy. Balinor came over a while later and joined his son.
Taika came pelting into the clearing, chasing a pretty yellow butterfly. The butterfly settled on the prince's face.
"WHEE!"
The dragonling pounced on Arthur's face. The butterfly took off and flew out of the baby's reach.
"GRAH! GET THIS THING OFF OF ME!"
Merlin suppressed a giggle and lifted the dragonling off his face.
"Merlin!"
Taika whimpered and snuggled into his jacket.
Arthur noticed the dragon lord.
"You?"
"I decided to join you. Why? Is that a problem?" Balinor replied.
Arthur sat down beside Merlin. Taking the bowl of porridge off of him, he brought his head closer.
"What did you say to him? He seems…happy."
Merlin smiled at the prince.
"Must be my natural charm."
The prince scowled and bashed him.
"Yeah right."
Taika squeaked in fear and jumped from Merlin's arms and into Balinor's.
"Scary alpha scary." She whimpered.
Balinor chuckled and stroked her head.
"Don't you worry, he won't hurt you."
Taika pressed herself against the dragonlord and whimpered.
"Come on, we'd better get moving." Balinor said.
He stood up and Taika jumped to the floor.
"What do you mean get moving?" Arthur retorted.
"I thought you wanted to save Camelot."
That shut the prince up. He finished his porridge and gave it to Merlin who left to wash up, along with Taika.
Later that morning, Merlin and Arthur mounted up. Balinor had his own cob horse that pulled his wagon when he moved with the seasons. Today, he mounted the horse and cantered after Arthur and his son.
Well, what did you guys think? Scary alpha scary! Taika knows what she's on about. But sweet Din, I'm going to have to plan Balinor's death now. NOOO! BALINOR! TT^TT (why am I crying, I'm the author) Well, this should be fun. Enjoy guys.
Beta- Aw I love this chapter. It's so cute. Taika is so adorable with the whole thinking the humans are also dragons. I LOVE IT! I have a feeling I'm going to end up in tears reading the next chapter because, as already established, Balinor is doomed. Oh how cruel fate is. So hopefully we shall update soon with chapter 3 but until then, review. It brings us sunshine to our dreary world. See you all soon.
You're so sentimental!