I'M NOT DEAD! Welcome to a new chapter! :D This is a bit of a fill – in chapter, there's not much to it really, but it's got some lovely bromance in it so it's totally worth it ;) This also includes more dialogue than I originally planned, but it turned out alright. With both this and my other multi-chapter fic mere chapters away from being finished, I've put a poll up on my profile regarding what story you'd like me to do next. There's a brief description and genre on each option so I'd love it if you guys went and voted for what you'd like to read next! :D
*0*0*
The next morning was a chilly one, much to the dismay of the knights. They decided to head slowly to the village so as to arrive in the early afternoon.
"Once we get there, we'll take a short rest before setting off." Arthur called behind him to where the knights were sitting on their horses. He had noticed that Merlin had decided to join Gwaine at the back of the group, but had brushed it off as another thing that the manservant could now do as he 'no longer had a job'. Said manservant was nervously trotting alongside Gwaine, hoping that his friend's positive outlook hadn't been tainted over night. Gwaine noticed Merlin's silence and smiled gleefully at him before saying under his breath;
"So, what are we to do about the dragon?"
"You want to help?" He whispered, the beginnings of a smile growing on his face.
"No, I'm going to lull you into a false sense of security then kill the dragon and take all the glory, then I will tell the knights that you are a dragonlord and have you burnt at the stake. After that I will take everyone to the tavern and will have lots of drinks bought for me and everyone will sing of the evils of dragons." Gwaine took a deep breath and sneaked a glance at Merlin, who was watching him with his mouth agape. "I'm joking mate, of course I want to help." Gwaine chuckled.
"Is this the part where you lull me into a 'false sense of security'?" Merlin said, but he was smiling. The pair chuckled for a while but then fell silent. "Gwaine...I honestly don't know what to do."
"Merlin, we'll think of something, there has to be a way of diverting the tracks maybe? I could cause a distraction later and you could do your cool dragonlord thing and tell the baby dragon to fly away?" Merlin shook his head sadly.
"Aithusa is too young to fully comprehend dragonlord orders. I can call her, but then I would just be causing her more harm than good." Gwaine sighed and stared into the distance. Suddenly he sat straight up in his seat and grinned broadly at Merlin.
"I think I've got it."
*0*0*
Jared met the on the outskirts of the village, before leading them to his hut.
"Your Highness, if I may, I would like to make a suggestion." The town leader said cautiously to Arthur.
"Of course Jared, go on."
"Well, I was thinking that you and your knights should stay here until nightfall, get your strength up and so on then pursue the dragon in the dark. I understand that it would reduce visibility but the dragon is much easier to see during the evening." The king smiled and nodded his head.
"I understand your reasoning. That's a very wise idea, we will set off at nightfall, thank you Jared." Arthur turned to tell Merlin to unpack the horses when he saw the manservant whispering eagerly to Gwaine across the other side of the village, near the horses. He approached the pair confidently and caught a quick snippet of their conversation before they became aware of Arthur's presence.
"...if you go and to forest and then- Arthur!" Gwaine exclaimed loudly.
"Having a nice little natter there ladies?" Arthur said teasingly, before grinning at the pair.
"Yes thank you sire." Merlin retorted.
"Good, anything I should know about?" Arthur gestured between the two with a raised eyebrow.
"No, nothing at all, Princess. Now, if you would just leave so Merlin and I could continue our 'natter'..." Gwaine said innocently, looking at the King with doe eyes. Arthur rolled his eyes and retreated to his hut, vowing to force the subject out of Merlin later.
"So run it by me one more time Gwaine?" Merlin looked at his companion, confused.
"After lunch, you go into the woods, I'll make sure nobody follows – you know what Arthur's like – then you make false tracks, you're a dragonlord, I'm hoping you know what they look like."
"Yes Gwaine." Merlin sighed, rolling his eyes, "Okay, but how can we guarantee that any of the knights will see them?"
"Well, if I 'spot' some suspicious looking tracks, then get everyone else to follow them, that would give you time to follow the actual tracks and summon the dragon and get it away from here." Gwaine clapped his hands together and grinned.
"Sounds like a plan." Merlin confirmed.
*0*0*
"What are you thinking about?"
Merlin seated himself next to Arthur, who was gazing out of the small window of the hut. The king had been sitting there for a while, lost in thought.
"Hm?" Arthur glanced at Merlin before resuming his staring contest with the tree outside.
"I said, dollophead," Merlin drawled and elbowed Arthur in the ribs cheekily, "What's on your mind?"
"Do you remember Balinor?" Arthur asked abruptly. After a pause he looked at Merlin to find the young manservant staring at him incredulously. "I mean, it was a long time ago and-"
"Yes I remember him." Merlin said stiffly. Silence fell between them again. "He was a good man."
"He certainly was." Arthur nodded in agreement. "Merlin, can I ask you something?" Arthur's voice sounded weary and uncertain, a fact that troubled Merlin greatly.
"Of course."
"I know my father found the practises of a dragonlord too closely related to magic to be allowed to carry on, but, sometimes I can't help but think...he was wrong?" Arthur took a deep breath. "I mean, dragons are ferocious creatures, and now there are no more dragonlords to control them they will have to be eliminated. But maybe, if my father hadn't killed them in the Great Purge, they could have aided Camelot in some way." Merlin gazed at his king, a guarded expression decorating his face. He had heard Arthur teetering on the edge of accepting magic, bit by bit, before, and was no longer letting himself accept it. It hurt too much when something went wrong.
"I think...they could have been powerful allies." Merlin said quietly. Arthur nodded, and said;
"We could do with some powerful allies like that." Arthur said sadly. "It's funny. When I was younger, I always thought that my father's word was law. Now I wonder how many other mistakes he made." Arthur sighed and stood up, brushing off his trousers and holding a hand to aid Merlin. The manservant took the hand and heaved himself up.
"Better be going for lunch then." Arthur said with a smirk, all thoughtfulness forgotten. "Wouldn't want my little girl of a manservant to starve now would we?" The young king grinned at his fellow.
"'Former manservant' actually sire." Merlin chuckled. "Actually, I'm just going for a walk, I'll be back in a bit."
"I'll come with you," Arthur offered, "I could do with a walk myself."
"No, no, you go for lunch. I'm fine." Merlin said quietly then strode out of the hut, leaving a bemused Arthur behind. As he left, Merlin shifted his gaze to the blue sky outside and pulled his jacket tighter around him. Funny, He thought soberly, how something can look so warm but turn out so cold.
*0*0*
~FORESHADOWINGGGGGG~
Okay okay, I know Merlin seemed a bit dark then, with the not getting his hopes up but it's a bit of a head canon of mine that Merlin would eventually get tired of Arthur saying stuff like "Oh magic's not that bad blah blah blah" so that's what that's all about.
IT ALL KICKS OFF IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. TRUST ME.
In other news, as I said at the top with both this and my other multi-chapter fic mere chapters away from being finished, I've put a poll up on my profile regarding what story you'd like me to do next. There's a brief description and genre on each option so I'd love it if you guys went and voted for what you'd like to read next! :D