/ / / And So The Dragons Burn / / /

Uther looked at Gaius over the rim of his goblet as the older man sewed his leg up. Uther had been on a patrol in the lower town when a witch attacked him, his guard was distracted breaking up a fight and she took her chances with the opportunity. The witch managed to slice his thigh open before Uther ran her through with his sword. She cursed him and his family with her dying breath but no magic survived death and Uther was pleased that one more witch was dead; another scar was a small price to pay.

"I have decided to send an envoy to the dragonlords," Uther said when Gaius tied the last of the stitches off and sat back.

"Sire?" Gaius asked looking up at Uther.

"I have received word that the dragons wish to stop me; I want to stop them first."

"Dragons have very old magic, more powerful than any sorcerer. They will not be easy to defeat." Gaius warned even knowing he was wasting his time.

"I have knights training to slay them now; Sir George is training them in a small village close by."

"He knows more about dragons than any other man alive," Gaius agreed. "Uther, if you start this, the dragons will come after Camelot."

"And like the magic armies that have attacked I shall stop them too." Uther said with conviction.

"Yes, Sire," Gaius said pouring clean water over the wound to wash the blood away.

"You never call me Uther anymore, Gaius," Uther said quietly handing Gaius a towel for his hands though the older man gently wiped the water from his leg first.

"You are king now, Sire. What was right before is not anymore." Gaius said with a sad smile looking up at Uther.

"You are probably right old friend but when we are alone you can call me Uther, we are after all friends."

"Very well, Uther," Gaius said wrapping a bandage around the leg. "I shall come and see you tomorrow and I change the dressings."

"Thank you, Gaius," Uther said.

"I should go," Gaius said. "And allow you to rest."

"No, Gaius. Stay and have dinner with me." Uther nodded to the servant by the door and he bowed before turning and leaving to collect their dinner.

"Thank you, Sire," Uther glared for a moment and Gaius corrected his words. "Thank you, Uther."

"Tell me, how are you enjoying your role as court physician?"

Gaius started to tell his old friend about his new job; he and Uther talking as they had not in a long while – they talked long into the night about many things and for the first time since Ygraine's death they relaxed in one another's company.

/ / / \ \ \

Uther burned as many witches and warlocks as he could find, beheading some, running others through with his own sword to know they were dead and yet still the one he truly wanted evaded him, she hid like the coward he knew all magic users to be.

Uther called to the dragonlords and with the help of Sir George's knights slaughtered every one that came to Camelot, then the army came, the people were terrified as dragons rained from the sky scorching Camelot and its people. Uther stood firm and rode out with his men to slaughter the vile creatures. So many knights burned over so many days, the women and children in the town hiding deep within the citadel far below ground in a cave that had just been found. Finally Uther and his army killed the last of the dragon army, a small pathetic golden dragon that screamed out as Uther thrust his sword deep into its neck.

Uther was not done; there was one more – one mighty dragon that needed to be slain and one dragonlord that needed to be killed.

Uther tricked a dragonlord named Balinor and a dragon named Kilgharrah to Camelot but Uther had mightier plans for this dragon than for any other that had died by his hand or on his order. This dragon would be his prize and he would hold him prisoner as a testament to his defeat of magic. Uther captured the dragon but the dragonlord escaped and regardless of how many knights he sent after him and the bounty on his head Uther could not find him and get the satisfaction of watching the last dragonlord burn on a pyre.

/ / /