"Has everyone got that?"
The doctor had just finished explaining what they were going to do and he was looking around, expecting to see 3 impressed faces. Instead he saw one impressed face (or as impressed as Amy allowed him to see her) one shocked face and one slightly annoyed face.
"What?" he said, looking between Gwen and Merlin. "What is it?"
"Merlin's a dragon lord?" Gwen said.
The doctor blinked. "You didn't know?"
"Of course she didn't know!" Merlin said angrily. "Magic is outlawed! I could be hung."
"Oh."
Gwen turned to Merlin. "Show me." She demanded.
"Gwen I-"
"As your queen I order you to show me," she interrupted him.
Merlin held his fist up to his mouth, muttered an incantation then uncurled his hand and held it out towards Gwen. In the centre of his palm, a small flame flickered.
Gwen stared at it for a moment then drew herself up and fixed her best queenly stare on Merlin, who gulped and extinguished the flame. They stared at each other for a moment then to his surprise she smiled at him.
"It seems you're full of surprises," she said.
"You're not mad?"
"Of course not," she assured him. "I never agreed with that stupid law. Don't worry, you're secret's safe with me."
Merlin relaxed and returned her smile. "Thank you."
"Well that was all very dramatic," said the doctor. "But will someone please relieve me? I really need to blink."
They had been taking turns to look at the angel to prevent it from moving.
"Thank you," the doctor said as Amy shifted her gaze from Gwen and Merlin and onto the statue. "When you're ready Merlin."
Merlin took a deep breath, turned his face to the sky and began to chant. His voice reverberated around the small clearing and the doctor, Amy and Gwen listened in awe.
A few minutes later, the chanting was joined by a beating sound and a shape appeared on the horizon. Merlin turned and grinned at his friends and Gwen let out a small scream as the majestic form of the Great Dragon drew nearer.
The dragon landed in front of the small group and immediately set about saving their lives.
"The witch," he rumbled. "She awakes."
Sure enough, Morgana had woken up and shouted a command which was immediately responded to by a group of bandits appearing all around them. Merlin turned back to the dragon.
"Aren't you going to do something?"
The dragon smiled. "No need, young warlock." Then he bounded into the air and hid himself in the clouds as the knights of Camelot, led by Rory and Arthur, materialised from the trees and attacked the bandits, leading them into the forest.
Amy grabbed Rory's arm before he could follow them. "Keep Arthur away from here," she hissed at him. "He musn't know about Merlin's magic." Rory nodded, hugged her briefly then ran off into the trees.
The dragon landed before them once again. "I know why you summoned me," he rumbled. "You need my help in destroying the creature. While your plan is a good one, it is not fool proof, so we must be quick. You have the sword that was forged in my breath?"
Gwen handed it to Merlin.
"Excellent. Now young warlock. Open your mind. Allow us to connect. We must chant together."
The dragon began to speak words of the old religion. Merlin joined in and as they spoke, the sword glowed with power, as did their eyes.
"This is surreal," Amy whispered.
"Amazing though," the doctor responded.
But their difficulties were far from over. Morgana had one more trick in mind. Amy realised a voice had joined Merlin's and Kilgharrah's.
Gwen had noticed first and rushed to subdue the witch but she was too late.
"Doctor!" Amy shrieked as a stone hand reached for his neck. He spun round but before he could react furthur Merlin raised the sword and brought it down on the angel's bicep, quite literally disarming it.
The creature roared its displeasure and lunged for Gwen. But the loss of it's limb had weakened it and it only succeeded in tossing her against a nearby boulder where she slumped to the ground, dazed but conscious.
Elated, it turned around and faced Amy and the doctor.
Dooooctoooooor...It reached for him but before it could touch him, Merlin raised the sword again, shouted a command and swiped at it's waist.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!The angel's anguished cry was mimicked by Morgana's and it exploded, showering them with dust and Merlin collapsed, exhausted, onto the ground.
"Well," said the doctor, breaking the silence. "There's a good medieval sword fight if ever there was one."
That evening, Rory, Amy and the doctor stood by the TARDIS in the entrance hall of the castle.
"I cannot thank you enough," Arthur said. "You have saved us all."
"Ah don't mention it. All in a day's work," the doctor said, grinning. "We'd best be off. And watch out for that Morgana. She's got it in for you."
Rory went round saying goodbye to all the knights in turn, while the doctor insructed Merlin to take good care of the king, much to Arthur's confusion.
Gwen and Amy hugged.
"It was lovely to meet you," Amy said.
"And you. You don't know how nice it was to have a girl to talk to. Life can be very dull surrounded by all these men."
"You keep them in line now," Amy responded seriously.
"I shall," Gwen nodded, equally seriously.
The two women smiled at each other, hugged one more time, then Amy join the doctor and Rory at the TARDIS. Before she could follow them in, someone tapped her on the shoulder. Turning around, she saw Gwaine standing close to her. Very close.
"It's a shame we didn't get to talk more my lady" he said to her and Amy recognised the flirtatious smile she'd seen on many a man in her own time although not all of them left her feeling so breathless.
"Yes, well," she said smiling back. "Maybe next time."
"I'll look forward to it." Taking her hand, he kissed it.
"Farewell," he said winking at her.
"Farewell," she turned and followed the doctor and Rory into the TARDIS.
"What are you looking so happy about?" Rory demanded.
"Nothing," she said innocently.
He peered at her for a moment, then shrugged and turned away. And at a cry of "geronimo!" from the doctor, the trio hurtled off into the vortex.