"Plan set?" Gwaine asked his friends on a breezy Wednesday evening. Everyone nodded. "Let's get our Merlin back!"
They walked up to the servant causally enough, all scowling when they saw "Kilgharrah" (they learned his name) make him laugh. Merlin pushed his "brother," which of course led to a full out battle. When Kilgharrah had him in a head lock, Merlin surrendered. He was released and they continued walking, arms around each other's shoulders.
"Hey Merlin," said Gwaine, his arm knocking Kilgharrah's off the servant's shoulders. The dragon seemed a little surprised at first, but continued walking with his eyes trained on the floor. "We were wondering if you'd like to go on a hunting trip with us."
"Yeah," said Elyan, stepping up on his other side, making Kilgharrah walk behind them instead of next to the warlock. "It'd be a long one too; for a whole weekend."
"And Arthur wouldn't even be going," added Leon, as he and Percival stepped up, cutting Kilgharrah off from Merlin entirely. "No 'clotpoles' to deal with."
Merlin smiled and all their hopes soared, but soon were diminished. "Sorry guys, I can't."
"Why?" Gwaine's tone turned very sour. "Is it because Killy is here?"
Merlin stared for a moment. "Killy -? Kilgharrah? What's he got to do with this?"
"Nothing," Elyan said sarcastically, Leon agreeing in the background. Percival, not one for words, just shook his head in a disappointed way.
"What's up with you guys?" Merlin was really getting confused here.
"Nothing," Gwaine turned away from him, voice filled with spite. "Have fun with Killy."
And, like that, the Knights of the Round Table were gone, all glaring and muttering darkly to each other. The warlock turned to the dragon.
"What the hell?"
Kilgharrah shook his head. "Humans confuse me."
"They confuse me too. What's there problem? What do they have against you?"
"If I knew, I'd tell you." Kilgharrah was quiet for a moment. "Do you think their jealous?"
Merlin snorted. "Jealous? Jealous of what?"
"That you're spending all your time with me. They might miss you."
Another snort came from the warlock. "Yeah, right. They wouldn't miss me."
Kilgharrah looked surprised. "Really?"
Merlin shrugged. "I mean, I'm just a servant. It's not like they see me as much more than that."
The dragon shook his head, eyes wide and voice earnest. "You're not just a servant and you know that. And they know it too. They miss you."
Merlin looked a little stricken there. "I still doubt that."
"Young warlock-"
"Blahh! I told you to stop calling me that! It just sounds weird!" said Merlin, subconsciously trying to change the subject.
Kilgharrah rolled his eyes. "It's weird for me to call you 'Merlin.' Merlin, Merlin, isn't that a bird?"
The warlock thought for a moment. "I think."
The dragon licked his lips, memories suddenly flowing back. "Mmmmm, birds. They taste great after a long day of flying, especially when you catch them in your mouth as they try to fly away."
The warlock was decidedly creeped out. "You eat birds?"
"Only the annoying ones. What's so strange about it? Humans eat chicken."
"I suppose you're right." Merlin sighed. "Why do they taste great after flying?"
Kilgharrah looked sad for a moment. "Flying makes everything better. Even the way things taste."
"You must miss it."
"Indefinitely."
"Well….." Merlin trailed off, suddenly struck by (questionable?) brilliance. "I have an idea! C'mon!" With that, the warlock grabbed the dragon's arm and pulled him in the direction of the tallest tower.
"We've really lost him, haven't we?" Elyan asked mournfully. Leon whacked him in the back of his head (lightly, though, because he was the "good guy").
"Don't talk like that! Merlin's our friend. As soon as Killy" – they all loved that taunting nickname – "leaves, he'll be ours again."
All perked up at the idea, except Gwaine. "Yeah, but is Killy ever going to leave?" he mutter darkly. "And when he does, what some more of Merlin's old friends show up?"
"Oh, stop it," Percival said, starling the group. He only spoke when he had an idea or opinion to share (or when there was a planned siege of raiding the kitchen). "Merlin is our friend, he probably just excited for his brother to be here. Remember the drinking contest? He brought Killy along, so maybe he wants us all to hang out."
Leon looked at him warily. "What are you suggesting?"
Percival huffed out a breath. "Maybe we should give Killy a chance."
"A chance?! A chance?! You want us to give the guy that stole Merlin-" Gwaine started indignantly.
"Yes, just try."
Elyan remained quiet for this whole time. "I'll do it," he said. "For Merlin."
Leon nodded. "For Merlin."
Everyone looked at Gwaine. "If it was for anything else…." He muttered. "For Merlin!"
Spirits raised and hopes high, they set off to find their servant friend. And they did.
They watched as Merlin plummeted to his death.
"Are you sure this is safe?" Kilgharrah called over the high winds that surrounded the tower. He peered over the edge, feeling a little queasy. The ground looked a lot more deadly from a human perspective.
"Hell, no!" Merlin called back, smile wide across his face. "Let's do it anyways!"
The dragon was really started to question his dragonlord's sanity.
"Are you sure your magic will break the fall? And what if someone sees?"
"Yes, my magic will break the fall! And don't worry about anyone seeing, it's too dark out." Merlin looked at him. "Ready?"
"No," said Kilgharrah as the warlock pushed him. He screamed at first, until his natural instinct kicked in. He was a dragon, born to fly, this was his element. Then his thoughts switched back to human. He screamed again.
MERLIN! he yelled in his mind.
Yeeeeeeeees?
MERLIN, IF WE LIVE THROUGH THIS, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!
Scared, 'Gharrah?
MERLIN!
I thought dragons were supposed to like flying.
THIS ISN'T FLYING, IT'S FALLING!
Calm down, my magic's slowing us.
It better be.
Look, almost to the ground.
WHY ARE WE MOVING SO FAST?
Calm down, calm down.
MERLIN!
Their mind conversation was cut off at that point when both touched the ground, unharmed but tussled looking.
"WHOO!" Merlin shouted. "Let's do that again!"
The dragon looked horrified. "We could've died!"
"So?"
"Good point, let's go again."
They ran back up to the tower, unaware of the panic attack the knights were having elsewhere.
"And-and-and then we just saw him jump!" Gwaine sobbed hugging Percival's arm to his chest. "He's gone!"
Elyan and Leon were hugging each other, no words said between them and Percival had silent tears running down his face. Gwaine continued.
"I-I bet this is our fault! We forced him to do this somehow! We're terrible friends! Why Merlin?! WHY?"
"Just-just to think, yesterday we we're talking and everything, even if his stupid brother was here! Now-now-now-" started Leon.
"He was my first real friend!" Camelot's least sober cried harder. "I can never tell him that now! I can never tell him that he's been the best friend I've ever had and that I'd lay my life down for him and-"
"Hey guys," said Merlin, walking past causally with Kilgharrah. All stared. "Beautiful night, right?"
"M-M-Merlin?"
"Yep, that's my name."
"H-h-how - ?"
"What?"
The dumbstruck looks were thrown around the group of knights, who quickly turned to gape at Merlin. The warlock shrugged.
"I got to be off," he said simply, sharing a smile with Kilgharrah before turning and leaving. Both looked excited, adrenaline seeming to radiate off them. They were doing something fun.
Gwiane looked at the other knights. "What the hell?"
"Humans. Are. Disgusting," Kilgharrah declared one morning in distaste. Merlin looked up.
"All this time as one and you just realized that?"
The dragon shook his head and glared. "I thought it was just because I was recently changed into one. Honestly, how many times a day does a human need to piss?"
Merlin didn't try to stifle his laugh. "That's not even the worst thing about being human!"
Kilgharrah's eyes bulged. "I don't think I want to know."
"Well, when a man and woman love each other very much…" the warlock started teasingly. The dragon screwed up his face and put his hands over his ears.
"Merlin! That's gross!"
"Stop, you're acting like a baby."
Kilgharrah stopped, a horrified expression on his face. "Wait…..baby?" He turned to Merlin and shook him by the shoulders. "No, no, no, no, no, no!"
"'Gharrah?"
The dragon let out a shuddering breath. "We forgot about Aithusa!"
A/N: Duh, duh, duh! They forgot Aithusa! Who could forget that adorable baby dragon? Leave it to Merlin and 'Gharrah to mess it up...
The knights are confused, they saw Merlin jump, didn't they? I have a feeling this might turn into a reveal fic.
Oh, and someone asked how long this might be. Answer: maybe about five to ten chapters? I don't know, I just go with it.
And thank you to all the wonderfully wonderful reviewers! Imaginary penguins to you!
;)
