Here is the next chapter. Thank you to all the reviews and the interest, I really appreciate it.

They all sat gathered in Arthur's chambers around his table. It was late as they had talked the evening away, but no one mentioned getting up.

"So Merlin, you might not know, but how did you get to the lake?" Arthur asked quizzically. "We had to leave your body hidden in the forest because of the attack. When we came back later to come get it you were gone."

Merlin shifted in his seat as his eyes got that far away look again. "I was told that it was a friend who took me to the lake" he said quietly avoiding Arthur's eyes.

Arthur looked a little skeptical at that, "A friend?"

"Yes"

"What friend?" Arthur asked a little more forcefully. Everyone else around the table looked a little awkward as the conversation turned serious.

"Does it matter?" Merlin replied evasively.

"Yes, it does matter." When it seemed Merlin still wouldn't answer Arthur started to get angry. Who was he to lie to me he thought. Doesn't he remember when he promised never to lie again? That it was the condition on which their friendship had remained intact. "You promised me that we were going to be completely honest with each other, or have you forgotten." Arthur almost expected Merlin to become defensive and leave.

Instead his earlier guarded expression dropped away leaving a resigned one in its place. "Of course I remember," came the soft reply.

Arthur felt bad enough that he almost told him he could keep his secret when Merlin continued. "Do you remember the great dragon?" he asked. Arthur was confused at the change of topic, but didn't let himself get too annoyed.

"The one that destroyed half the city killed all those people before I could kill it, how could I forget?"

Merlin let out a humorless chuckle. "You didn't kill him Arthur." He said finally looking up from where he had been staring at the table.

"Merlin" came a warning voice. Arthur looked down the table towards Gaius who seemed to be having a silent conversation with his ward.

"No Gaius, Arthur is right; I promised him there would be no more secrets. Seeing as he asked a direct question who am I to deny him the answer." Merlin wearily replied, it seemed the long day was catching up with him. No one spoke as they waited with baited breath for Merlin to tell them what was going on. Arthur was angry that Merlin was still keeping things from him. Hadn't he sworn to tell him everything, yet it seemed that he was still keeping secrets. How could the great dragon still be alive, the attacks didn't continue. Nothing was making sense and trying to think of a solution was just giving him a headache.

Thankfully it was then that Merlin started to explain. "Do you remember when your father sent us to find the last dragonlord?"

"Yes. He was a bitter man, Balinor was his name, but in the end he agreed to help us. I guess that counts for something, unfortunately he died before we could get back to Camelot." Arthur looked on curiously as Merlin's expression turned stormy.

"Bitter," Merlin said practically spitting the word. "Of course he was bitter. He was a trusted member of the court, a friend of your fathers when he was cast out. Your father took everything from him, slaughtered his kin, and chased him from his home. He had every right to leave Camelot to its fate, but he came with us anyway." He had become more heated as he went on, but at the end of the rant he calmed down and went back to being resigned. "Yes, Arthur he was bitter, but I think he had every right to be."

Arthur sat back in his seat, stunned from Merlin's little outburst over one misplaced word. "You're right Merlin, I'm sorry, I meant nothing by it."

"I know and that is why you still have a lot to learn." He said with a little smile.

"What does this have to do with me not killing the dragon?" Arthur questioned.

The smile left Merlin's face as he continued. "The dragonlords passed their gift down from father to son. When the father died, the son became the new dragonlord." Gwen sucked in a gasp as she was the first to connect the dots. Merlin smiled sadly at her before continuing. "Balinor was my father and when he died I inherited his gifts. I ordered the dragon away and he became a trusted ally instead of an enemy."

The room was silent again as everyone digested this new piece of information. Abruptly Arthur stood up and began pacing. "How could you trust it? What if it had just attacked Camelot again? All of the people it could have hurt. How dare you take that risk with my kingdom, my people." Arthur said furiously turning on Merlin.

Merlin stood facing him calmly, "I did what I thought was right and he did leave. Kilgarrah has no choice but to follow my command. He has saved my life many times since including taking me to the lake a few weeks ago and never attacked Camelot after I ordered him away."

Arthur was taken aback; he had expected at least some kind of apology. It didn't stop him from demanding more answers though. "Is there anything else I should know about Merlin?"

"You know Arthur I was going to tell you, but we were taking it slow with the revelations, remember. After you found out about my magic you didn't want to hear about it for a while afterwards and when you did you wanted one thing at a time. I did not keep it from you out of spite Arthur." Merlin said trying to defend himself.

Arthur softened as he remembered that he was the one who forced Merlin to tell him the truth in little bits and not all at once. He calmed down, but then resumed pacing as he remembered other things from that time. This time he was not angry, but regretful as he said, "I told you no man was worth your tears." He said anguish swimming in his eyes.

Merlin looked more uncomfortable as the new topic continued forward. "Arthur-"

"No, I said that to you when it was your father that died." Arthur interrupted sorrow written in the lines of his face. "Why didn't you say anything? That was incredibly insensitive even for me."

"You were trying to comfort me; it's not your fault that you didn't know who my father was." Merlin soothed.

"For what it's worth Merlin, I am sorry."

"It's alright" Merlin quickly accepted, yawning as he did so.

"Alright, I think we've all had enough for the night. Time for bed everyone." Gaius said ever the adult.

"But Gaius" Gwaine whined.

"No, to bed with all of you." Gaius said sternly.

They were all reluctant to let Merlin out of their sight afraid he wouldn't be there in the morning. Finally after five minutes of prodding Gaius got them all out the door, except Arthur and Gwen of course. As they all went to sleep that night they couldn't help but feel grateful they would get a second chance with their friend.