Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin :'(
This chapter has a lot of the original script dialogues, but there are changes in the story, so please read.
And... review? Please?
Chapter 1
The one who shares your blood
The ride back to Camelot was grim. Arthur felt desperate. But not just because the dragonlord had died- although that had had Arthur almost tearing his hair out.
No. What had Arthur worried at the time being was Merlin. He was pale, his face looked gaunter than ever, and his hands trembled. He had a haunted look to his eyes that unsettled Arthur. The servant moved in a daze, following Arthur's orders mechanically and without complaint. That in itself was scary. But when Arthur started mocking him on purpose to rouse an answer out of him, Merlin continued to look ahead with glazed eyes, a small frown etched permanently in his demeanor.
Arthur eventually gave up trying to get Merlin to talk. He was being more difficult than when they were just looking for Balinor. Before, he looked troubled, nervous, and even a little angry.
But now he looked lost. Frustrated, and- dare he say- he looked obsessed over something Arthur couldn't begin to put his finger on. And even though the prince would never admit to it, he did care about Merlin, and considered him his closest friend, thus he kept silent and gave Merlin his space. But he would get some answers when all this things with the dragon were over.
A fist clenched around Arthur's heart. What would he tell his father? He'd failed. They had travelled all the way to Balinor's cave, just for him to get killed a day away from Camelot. Maybe… Maybe that was what was troubling Merlin! Yes, that was it. He had seen his servant wipe his teary eyes, and looking around the clearing. His gaze landing on everyone but the prince or Balinor's dead body. Merlin was a soft soul, and hadn't received the training of a knight to resist physical and emotional pain. It was logical that he would feel sour over the dead of a man he had just met. Typical Merlin.
Arthur decided he'd give Merlin some advice when they got to Camelot.
A few hours before Arthur set with his knights to defeat the dragon, Merlin was still silent and pale.
"Merlin, if I die, please…"
"What?"
"The dragonlord today…I saw you. One thing I tell all my young knights: no man is worth your tears." This brought the fakest grin Arthur had seen on his servant's face for a long time.
"You're certainly not" he quipped and turned.
Arthur took a sword and was bemused when Merlin took one too.
"What are you doing?" he said.
"I'm coming with you."
"Merlin, the chances are I'm going to die." Arthur sometimes thought Merlin had a death wish.
"Yeah. Yeah, you probably would if I wasn't there."
Arthur scoffed "Right."
"Do you know how many times I've had to save your royal backside?" the amusement in Merlin's voice was more genuine this time, and Arthur almost sighed with relief. But he restrained it, because sighing out of the blue could be a very girly thing to do.
Instead, he said "Well, at least you've got your sense of humor back." He gripped his sword tighter and headed for the door. Merlin followed.
"Are you really going to face this dragon with me?"
"I'm not going to sit here and watch. I know it's hard for you to understand how I fell, but… well, I care a hell of a lot about that armour, I'm not going to let you mess it up." Merlin gave him a mischievous lopsided grin, and they laughed, Arthur giving his friend a friendly hit on the arm.
Together, they would face this dragon.
When every knight in the clearing was out, Merlin used his power as a dragonlord to make Kilgharrah stop. For the first time, the dragon looked fearful. He knew what Merlin meant to do.
The last dragonlord rose the spear and pointed it at the dragon's right side. He would kill it. He would make him pay. He would…
But Merlin couldn't do it. He couldn't kill the last dragon. He had already gathered Kilgharrah and himself were the last of their kind. He just couldn't kill it. Instead- "GO! LEAVE! IF YOU EVER ATTACK CAMELOT AGAIN, I WILL KILL YOU!"
Kilgharrah bowed, and Merlin continued "I have shown you mercy! Now you must do the same to others!"
Kilgharrah spoke, "Young warlock, what you have shown is what you will be. I will not forget your clemency."
Merlin gulped, shaking as a leaf. Kilgharragh was about to take flight, when he turned to Merlin again. "I feel duty-bound to warn you, young warlock. You must beware. The one who shares your blood does not walk along your light. You must bring him to believe in the time of Albion or else everything that matters will be lost."
Merlin's heart clenched, and he frowned. "What do you mean?"
Kilgharrah slowly set his wings to fly. "You must remember, Merlin, that blood may yet be stronger than destiny, than the light you bear. You must never forget that you are Emrys. You must never leave Arthur's side."
"I would never do that!" Merlin stammered. "I don't understand."
"In time you will, young warlock. Again, I thank you for your mercy."
"Wait!"
"Farewell, Merlin. I'm sure our paths will cross again."
And then Kilgharrah was gone, and Arthur woke up.
"What happened?" he slurred.
Merlin felt the events of the day catching up with him, and his eyes went misty. "You dealt him a mortal blow."
"He's gone?" Arthur asked, incredulously.
Merlin nodded. "Yeah. You did it."
Arthur laughed insanely, while Merlin repeated in a small voice. "You did it."
He smiled at Arthur, but his mind was somewhere else; with Balinor, Kilgharrah and his warning, and the mysterious young man who looked like Merlin. The man who had killed his father.
Merlin resolved.
He would find him. One way or another.
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