THE ROYAL CHAMBER
Guinevere did not turn when she heard the door open and close behind her, nor did she turn when she heard soft footsteps approach.
She had kept her vigil beside Arthur's bedside, sat on the edge of it facing them, well into the night.
His hand was tight in hers.
She was determined not to leave him for a second.
For she was sure that each second that past brought her nearer to a life without him.
Merlin stopped walking a few feet behind her.
She swallowed, "I have tried to make him comfortable."
Her head turned to look at her friend, and her glassy eyes narrowed when she saw what he held.
"What is that?" She asked, seeing the book in his hands.
"This may be a cure." He pulled over a chair and sat facing her, the book open and in his lap.
"What?" She gasped.
Merlin swallowed, his face and voice grave.
"But it involves magic."
There was a heavy silence and Gwen's throat caught.
"But magic is outlawed, and even if it was not, you or I do not know how… merlin I…"
"In here it speaks of the weapon Morgana used to hurt Arthur." Merlin assured her, heart aching at the way she immediately said that neither of them possessed the magic to do it.
Gwen stared at him, "But…"
"It says that if we could summon a dragon to cast its breath on Arthur, then Arthur will be fine."
His words made her stomach twist.
"But a dragon, Merlin how would we… he does not have long…"
"He will not have to wait long." He assured her, desperate to prove the benefit of magic and to save his friend.
"Here it tells us how to summon one; I could lure on here…"
He lied, it was his own scrawl at the bottom of the page, not that she was looking.
"A dragon?" She whispered, "The danger Merlin he would not want…"
"It does not matter what he wants." He pressed, "he is my friend Gwen, and I cannot lose him… neither can you."
His words were so true that a small sob escaped her lips before she could stop it.
She swallowed, "But magic…"
Seeing that her eyes were on Arthur, and that they were shimmering with tears that slipped down her face, Merlin saw his last chance to convince her.
"He will die Gwen, unless we do this… not all magic can be bad, you surely cannot think that…" He breathed, "Forget all that happened between your father and Uther because of it… think only of Arthur, and the chance to save his life."
She said nothing, eyes distant.
Merlin leant closer to whisper.
"If it was you dying… you know what he would do."
Her eyes snapped up to stare at him and she swallowed, as more tears leaked down her face.
OUTSIDE CAMELOT
In the large field enclosed by trees, in the swirling mist of midnight and through the cold air, Merlin strode to the centre of the field.
With his eyes cat up at the clear starry sky he threw his arms opened and let his lungs fill with the air.
His words were like smoke from his mouth as his hot breath mixed with the freezing air.
He had the book by his feet, in case anyone saw.
But he was the only one here.
"ddraig! dod i mi nawr rwy'n galw chi fel yr arglwydd ddraig!" He bellowed.
The earth seemed to stand still for a moment, before the trees shook with the flapping of great wings.
Merlin lifted his arm to protect his face from the wind as the great dragon landed before him, bowing slightly to mock the way he had been acting around Guinevere.
Merlin almost smirked.
"Very funny." He commented.
The dragon said nothing and did nothing other than turn its head.
Merlin was gasping for breath slightly from his shout but managed to hold his sentence coherently.
"you know what I am going to ask you to do."
"As a dragon I have many gifts Merlin, but telepathy is not one of them." The voice was bordering on patronising and it made Merlin incline his head.
The dragon straightened.
"However on this occasion I do know what it is that you will ask." It replied, "and my answer as a dragon, and you a dragon lord is of course…. This marks a new day for the coming of Albion, of Arthur, and his queen and their people."
Merlin said nothing, but his eyes expressed his thanks as he watched the dragon lift itself into flight, its wings beating heavily as it flew back towards the citadel.
Merlin stood, grinning broadly, as he watched the creature swoop low over the city, opening its jaws.
THE CASTLE
Merlin imagined the guards ducking low expecting flames, and shouting loudly in protest.
But there came none.
The entire castle was asleep, calm and subdued in its expectation of announcement the following morning, declaring the death of the king.
The dragons smoke like breath swam through the air and flew through the open window of the king and queens chamber.
It was not hot, nor did it have any smell.
It did not awake the queen, who had fallen asleep through fatigue and worry, as she would not let herself hope…
She was bent forwards where she had been sat back in Merlin's vacated chair, holdings Arthurs hands beneath her body as she slept, tears lingering on her cheeks.
The breath of the dragon lingered even as the beast flew away.
It settled over Arthur like a shroud and seemed to sink into him.
It dried the sweat on his brow, and brought colour to his skin.
His breathing become more regular and he stirred.
"Gwen… Gwe…Guinev…."
His head tilted.
She stirred, her hand tightening around his as she felt his fingers flex.
She lifted her head with a gasp, tears falling once more, as she watched his eyes draw back.
His eyes possessed no trace of fatigue.
He seemed only to have been affected as though he had been seeping of a heavy meal.
She burst into tears.
"Arthur!" She cried and wrapped her arms around him, sobbing into his neck.
He was half sat and half lying against the pillows as he rubbed her back and stroked her hair, confused and trying to calm her.
"Shhh, shh it's fine I am alright."
She swallowed and choked back a sob.
"I know… I know..."
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion when they pulled apart.
"What happened?"
She swallowed, her heart aching in her chest.
But she said nothing for the moment, just leant forwards to kiss him.
"You came back." She said.
He took it as an explanation and wrapped her in his arms once more.
With her head facing away from him Gwen shut her eyes, battling with herself over what she should tell him.
A/N As a special treat to those who review, I will message you a short exchange from the episode that will follow this, a spolier :)
So review please!