So, the official name of this episode is "the Last Dragonlord" but really it should be called 'housekeeping' because the only reason it exists is to fix the biggest plot hole this AU created. It will probably, for that reason, be short. I hope you enjoy it even if it isn't that different from the show. (Still different though, for reasons you could imagine.)

Episode 11-The Last Dragonlord

Merlin took a step back, marveling at the beauty. He'd come to check up on the sword, Excalibur he'd dubbed it, many times over the past few months. The dragon's warning had driven him to hide it where only Arthur or he could get it, and of course that place was a rock. The spell was simple enough-only Arthur or Merlin could pull the sword out- and it worked brilliantly. (The unintended side affect was people who found the sword were very confused by it, but the legends popping up were hilarious.) Those legends were the reason Merlin was there that day. He'd decided to engrave into the rock a legend of his own. This sword can only be removed by the Once and Future King, Camelot's rightful ruler. He didn't know why, but the words felt right. And they were true, so he'd done it.

Now the site looked perfect, and Merlin felt content. It would be safe here; Merlin was sure of it.

Hundreds of screams broke Merlin from his thoughts. He turned to see a shadow cast above the nearby city, a shadow quickly replaced by the light of burning flames. Kilgharrah flew above the city, somehow free of his chains, and enacting his revenge.

By the time Merlin rode back into the Citadel, the city was in chaos. The dragon was gone for now, but there were dozens dead and so much damage. How could this happen?

The shining tears on Mordred's eyes when he met his master was answer enough. "How could you do this?"

"I didn't mean to," the boy cried and Merlin was shocked by how young he was. Mordred was a child with a lot of power. Merlin should have taken better care of him. "But was so wrong. He's like us, and he was chained in the dungeons. I thought it was the right thing to do."

Merlin could understand how that mistake was made, "I'll fix this, I promise. Where are Arthur and my father?"

They were in the throne room, meeting with the council that was freaking out. "Merlin," Arthur sighed seeing him. "I was worried you got caught in the attack."

"I was just out in the woods when I saw. How bad is it?"

It was a dumb question to ask, but no one blamed him for it. What else could be said? "Eleven dead so far, but the dragon will surely be back," Arthur replied. "I don't understand how it got free."

"That doesn't matter," Merlin reminded him. "We just need to stop it."

Uther nodded, "Take the knights, try to find it. We can destroy the beast once and for all."

Merlin knew Kilgharrah was wrong to be killing, but the idea of ending the dragon race… Luckily, the sound of the swinging door kept Merlin from interrupting. He turned to see his mother running in much to everyone's surprise.

Or almost everyone's surprise. The King did not seem surprised at all. "You do not belong here. Return to your chambers."

"You're sending them out there, aren't you?" Merlin had never seen his mother look so disgusted. "You know dragons cannot be killed with swords and spears! Balinor could stop this and you know it!"

Uther grabbed her by the neck, and only Arthur's heavy hand kept Merlin from drawing his sword. How dare he! "I told you never to speak that name again," Uther growled finally dropping her to the floor for Merlin to help up. "Arthur, gather the knights. Merlin take your mother back to her chambers. You're dismissed."

"You're going to kill your own children!" Hunith called as Merlin tried to steer her from the room. "You're going to destroy your kingdom! You need a dragonlord and you know it!"

Arthur managed to shut the door before she could do any more damage, but Hunith was shaking in anger. "He's a fool. He's such a fool. Please, Merlin, Arthur, don't go fight this dragon. You will die."

"What other option do we have?" Arthur countered. Hunith always seemed so mild-mannered, but then she had moments like these. "The people are dying."

Hunith dragged the Princes away, "There is another option. Your father will lock me up for telling you this, but it doesn't matter. There is a man named Balinor, he is a dragonlord. They hold the ability to control dragons."

"Why would Father not want his help then?" Arthur asked, but Merlin suspected the answer. Wasn't it obvious?'

"Dragonlords are magical, aren't they? This Balinor, he has magic?" Hunith nodded, looking terrified and sad. "But he can save Camelot."

"He is the only one who could. You can find him in the forest of Merenda not far from Ealdor. You can convince him to come and save us. Please, listen to me. He is our hope, not fighting this dragon."

Merlin liked this option a lot better, but he could see Arthur struggling. "How do you know fighting this dragon won't work?"

"It's a dragon, Arthur," Merlin reminded his brother. "Their scales are the hardest thing on earth; do you really think your sword can get through that?"

No, no he didn't. A year or two ago Arthur would have been prideful enough to think he could kill the dragon, but not now. Now he had Merlin who in times like this always seemed to be right. "Father will not accept that magic could be used to help, but I believe you Hunith. If you say this man has the power than Merlin and I will go and find him."

"Thank you," Hunith hugged Arthur before he headed off to get a horse. Merlin went to follow, but his mother stopped him. "Merlin, there is something you need to know before you go. Balinor is not just any man. He was a good friend to Uther growing up, and helped him get the throne when it was contested. He is also my brother and your Uncle."

"Uncle?" Merlin repeated dumbfounded. "I thought you were an only child!"

Hunith shook her head, tears of times long past in her eyes. "No, I had a twin brother, and that is who you must find. He is the only one who can save us."

Merlin went to go, but he found a question sticking in his throat, "If dragonlords are magic, and Balinor is your brother, how come Father let you live."

"The ability of a dragonlord remains only within men passed from father to son. Him being a dragonlord would not mean you or I have magic." But Merlin did have magic, and he couldn't help but wonder if this Balinor was the key to it.

"Are we doing the right thing?" Arthur asked as they crossed into Essetir, dressed in their worst clothes. "If Father drove this man from Camelot how do we know he'll even help us? And if he has magic how do we know he's not evil?"

Merlin wanted to yell that everyone with magic wasn't evil, but he remained calm. "If he wanted to Gaius could do magic," Merlin reminded. "Besides my mother said being a dragonlord isn't like having magic. They don't study it, but receive the power when their Father dies."

"I've never heard of someone being born with magic," Arthur seemed confused, and it shocked Merlin. Was now a good time to tell his brother about how he was born with magic?

No, no Merlin wasn't about to risk it. "It's rare but I know of it. They're called warlocks."

"I still doubt this man will help us."

Not if Merlin told Balinor about their relationship. "I trust my mother and she trusts him. Besides, Father tried to kill him, not the innocent people of Camelot who are burning to death."

Arthur didn't reply before a flock of birds took off, spooking the horses. The brothers both fell off, and Arthur felt his ankle crush beneath his horse's prancing foot. He cried out in pain, and Merlin ran over to help him. "I can't walk," Arthur confessed as the horses disappeared into the distance. "And now the horses are gone of course! Those stupid birds."

"It's not the bird's fault we're inattentive riders," Merlin reminded his brother looking at the ankle. It was completely crushed and looked incredibly painful. Merlin probably would have passed out was it him. "Come on, lean on me, there has to be some village around here."

"Not for miles," a man called spooking the boys. He carried a bow and a couple of the birds who'd scared the horses. "I didn't realize there was anyone around or wouldn't have sent the birds up. Let me look at your ankle Arthur."

Merlin almost dropped his brother trying to draw his sword, "How do you know who we are?" No friend ever did.

"You must be Prince Merlin then. You don't look half as much like your father as he does," the man gruffed scooping Arthur up like he weighed nothing. Arthur protested, but since he couldn't walk there wasn't much to be done. "I knew your father when he was your age; that's how I knew who you were."

"You're Balinor, aren't you," Merlin realized following the man, his uncle, through the woods. "My mother said you grew up in Camelot."

Balinor nodded, "And who is your mother then? I heard you were a bastard Prince but no one knew who the King's whore was."

"Hunith Ambrosius," Merlin replied eying the man annoyed. He'd once heard not to call a woman something you wouldn't call your sister. Maybe it was time for Balinor to learn that lesson.

Balinor stopped, looking terrified, sad, embarrassed, and even angry all at once. "Hunith is your mother?" Merlin nodded. "And the King let you live? You're luckier than most." Balinor looked down at the elder Prince in his arms, and Merlin realized Arthur had finally passed out from the pain. "Then you know I'm your Uncle."

"Yes," Merlin replied glad that Arthur was asleep and they could have this conversation. "Yes she told me right before I left Camelot. Before then I didn't even know she had a twin."

He snorted at that, "Uther probably banned my name after he betrayed me. And betray me he did you know. How your mother could go to him…" He seemed hurt, but Merlin had nothing to offer. He himself didn't understand why his parents were a couple. They loved each other though; Merlin could see that. "You should know your brother will never walk again."

The words were so abrupt Merlin took a second to process them. "He has to walk! Fighting is the most important thing for Arthur! He's the future King!" An idea quickly formed in Merlin's head. "You have magic. Heal him, please. I… I don't know how to. Please. I beg you."

"Becnyttan et ágímean," Balinor whispered over the ankle, and Merlin could see the bone fix itself. "You didn't have to beg. I don't let people suffer like your father."

Merlin saw the opportunity and took it. "Then you'll return to Camelot with us and stop Kilgharrah! He's attacking innocent people. Dozens have already died."

Balinor seemed shocked by the words, "Uther sent you to get me to kill Kilgharrah? He is crueler than I thought using blood against me. No, he's betrayed me once I'm not going to help him."

"Please!" Merlin cried. How could his Uncle, his mother's twin, stand back while people died? "My father didn't send us. He forbade us from coming but we did because the people of Camelot do not deserve to suffer as you said."

The man clearly regretted his words, "Uther makes his people suffer with his hatred and prejudice. Why should I fix his mess for him?"

"Because your sister lives in Camelot." If the man didn't care for the good of every life maybe he'd at least care about his family. "Gaius lives in Camelot. I live in Camelot! We're your family are we not? Won't you help us?"

He went to get up, before his eyes snapped to Merlin, "Do you have magic? Are you like me or are you like your mother?"

Merlin looked over to double check that Arthur was still sleeping. Confident that he was, Merlin whispered, "Forbaerne." The flame flickered and died, but it answered Balinor's question. "It's my fault Kilgharrah is free. My manservant, a druid boy under my protection, freed him because he thought it was the right thing to do. And it was. Whatever the dragon is doing know doesn't affect whether or not he deserved to be chained up like that. But that doesn't mean we can just allow him to get his revenge. Please, help us."

"I'll return to Camelot with you," Balinor finally answered Merlin's plea hours later, long after Arthur had awoken. "We're only a half day's walk from the nearest village where you can surely get horses. We can be back within two days."

"Thank you," Merlin told his Uncle a smile wide across his face. "It's the right thing to do." His only response was a snort, but Merlin noticed Balinor was smiling too.

"Dragorn. Non didlkai. Kari miss, epsipass imalla krat. Katostar abore ceriss. Katicur. Me te sentende divoless. Kar krisass!"

Fear crept over Arthur as he listened to the dragonlord's cry. He'd been more terrified than he'd ever admit when the dragon showed up, but this was different. No, Arthur wasn't scared of being burnt alive by Balinor (that would be silly). Arthur was scared of how powerful Balinor was just because of his birth. This man, this dragonlord, had the power to tame a dragon. If that wasn't terrifying then nothing was.

"And he can never return?" Merlin asked watching the dragon who'd never been very helpful fly away. "He'll never harm Camelot?"

Balinor looked at the boy, his nephew, and nodded. "He has been ordered never to harm the innocent, and I suspect he would never return to Camelot. There are other places, other lands where he would be safer."

"Thank you," Merlin told the man proud to know they were related. "I am glad we found a way not to kill him. Kilgharrah is the last of a noble breed, as are you."

Balinor didn't answer that, but turned to Arthur. "I must go before your father finds me. You did the right thing coming to me for help, and I wish you luck. Your wiliness to accept magic as a solution to your problem was commendable. I think you may make a good King someday and hope when your time comes you remember how magic has helped you."

"You're leaving?" Why would Balinor just go like that? "No. You must come to the castle with us. Our father will want to thank you for saving Camelot."

Arthur knew that was a lie even without Balinor's look. "If Uther finds me he shall kill me, as he tried many times before. Good luck, but I must go my separate way. I have to find a new cave it seems."

The Princes, though sad to see him go, would gladly have left the man free. King Uther Pendragon, who had been hiding in the tree line, had other plans. "Seize him!" the King ordered leading a band of knights into the clearing. Panicked and betrayed Balinor lashed out with his magic, but it did nothing. He would not endanger the lives of the knights (though he would have been all too willing to kill Uther.) Uther maybe knew this and that was why he stayed back. Or perhaps the man was a coward. Whatever the case he held his sons at sword point, forbidding them from going to the dragonlord's aid.

Merlin was furious, and wanted to stop this. For a minute he didn't care who knew about his magic; he would have used it. Given one second more Merlin would have erupted a storm to save Balinor, save them all, but he didn't get the chance. Sir Hyrion was too close to Balinor, and drove his sword straight through the man's neck. A horrified scream broke from Merlin as he watched the man, his uncle, die such an atrocious death.

"He saved Camelot!"Arthur yelled at his father, trying to turn Merlin away from the scene. "He saved us all and you've killed him!"

There was no warmth in the King's eyes, not even for his sons. "He has been a fugitive for years. Without him your mother would still be living. This is what he deserved."

Uther didn't throw Merlin and Arthur into the dungeons for disobedience, but both boys wished he had. They didn't care what Uther said they knew Balinor's death was wrong. It tore Merlin up in ways Arthur couldn't understand, and changed Arthur in ways Merlin couldn't see.

"Merlin?" Arthur didn't know what he'd find in his brother's chambers. Yesterday he'd found the boy unconscious from a sleeping draught Gaius offered, but the real concern was the sight of Mordred cleaning up the broken shards of everything Merlin owned. He'd exploded upon his return to the castle, and it frightened Arthur. He didn't know how to help his little brother, and feared what this anger would do to Merlin. He even wondered if he should be worried about their father, but shrugged it off. Merlin would never try to kill Uther; Arthur had to believe that. Otherwise…

"Hey Arthur." There was a smile on Merlin's face, and the room glistened in the sunlight. It was as if nothing had ever happened, except the walls were still bare their decorations lying broken in some pile of trash. "What can I do for you?"

Arthur realized Merlin wasn't past Balinor's death, but was ignoring it in a way that could not possibly end well. Still, he wasn't going to make Merlin face the pain. He cared too much about Merlin to do that. "I wanted to ask you something." He had wanted to ask Merlin something, but Arthur was beginning to lose his resolve. "Never mind it doesn't matter. I'll leave you to your work."

"Nonsense," Merlin smiled, and Arthur realized he didn't actually want to be alone. "What is it?"

"It's about Balinor." Merlin's face grew dark at the name, as Arthur had feared it would. "I was… Gaius checked out my ankle and said there was no sign of it ever being broken. Yet we both know it was beyond that. Balinor he… he used magic to heal it, didn't he?"

Arthur didn't know what made Merlin so afraid to answer, but he feared the younger never would. Eventually though, Merlin opened his mouth to reply. "Yes, he did. And if he hadn't you would never have walked again, and we wouldn't have made it back to Camelot in time to stop the dragon."

"But magic… it's evil. How could it be used to heal."

"You've never heard of healing magic?" Merlin seemed so shocked it made Arthur feel like an idiot. Was this common knowledge now? Was anything that had to do with magic actually common knowledge? "There is a whole branch of magic dedicated to healing, Gaius told me about it. Yes, Balinor did that for you, and no, I wouldn't say it's evil."

"But magic."

Arthur was blubbering like a fool, and it made Merlin laugh for the first time in days. It hurt to laugh, like he was betraying his uncle, but it also felt good. "Arthur, when Balinor called off the dragon what did you feel?"

"Power," Arthur admitted sitting down on his brother's bed. Something told him he wouldn't want to be standing for this conversation. "I'd never felt anyone so powerful."

Merlin nodded, "Having magic means having power, just as being a prince means having power. Both give someone the ability to do good or bad things. Look at a prince. We could order people to their death if we wished, or we could save a kingdom. Magic can kill or it can heal. And just as there are good princes and bad princes there are those who use magic for good and those who do not. And even then no one is every truly bad or truly good. We all do good and bad things. Saying all sorcerers are evil is like saying all princes are evil. It's not true."

Merlin and Arthur both knew those words didn't border on treason-they were treason. If Arthur were truly a good Prince he'd arrest Merlin this second, but as he said no one had to be good all the time, now did they.

"I think you may be right," Arthur admitted standing to go. "But I'm not sure it's the same. Being a prince doesn't give us the same power as being a sorcerer would."

"We both can kill. And for that matter so can men who are neither princes nor sorcerers. There are many different kinds of power, Arthur, but none are exclusively evil. Just remember that. Right now it doesn't matter, but someday it will and I want you to remember that."

Arthur would certainly remember this conversation for lifetimes to come, and he told Merlin as much.

The King visited his younger son later that day looking annoyed. "I need you to go and talk to your mother. She has locked herself in her chambers and I do not know why."

"Do you think having her twin killed has anything to do with it?" Merlin regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth. He wasn't supposed to know that.

"She told you," Uther spit out the words in a way that made Merlin glad his mother was locked up. He might just have slapped her if she stood there. "Did she tell you that he was my best friend? That he was the one who brought Nimueh here? He is the reason Ygraine died!"

So that was what Uther meant when he said that to Arthur. "Balinor was not kind when we met him, but he was good. I do not think he ever knew about the price you would pay for Arthur's life, and if he did so what. He betrayed you. You betrayed him with the dragon. You were equal, yet you didn't relent. Now you had Balinor killed, and my mother only wishes to grieve her brother. If you care for her at all then you will allow her to do so without bother. And if you truly love her then you may even apologize for it. Now excuse me, Father, I need to be with my mother."

Merlin held his temper even during the whole conversation, something he couldn't not have managed a year ago. Still he seethed on the inside. Stupid Uther blaming everyone but himself for Ygraine. Stupid Uther Pendragon and his stupid ways and his stupid crown.

"Merlin," Hunith breathed in her son's scent once he got her to open the door and let him in. "Oh Merlin I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Merlin didn't even know why she would think that she did. "It's Uther who has done something wrong."

She shook her head, tears heavy. "I sent you to Balinor, and now he is dead. And you are his closest living relative. It's my fault that you must now bear his curse. It's my fault."

Merlin sat her on the bed, and rubbed her hand gently, "Mother. What do you mean?"

"If your father asks Balinor has an adult son living in Essetir," she whispered holding her baby boy close. "He must never know Balinor had no other relatives. Don't ever let him find out."

"Why?" Merlin asked terror gripping him. "Why would it matter?"

Hunith's pain and regret were clear when she answered him, "The power of a dragonlord is usually passed from father to son, but Balinor never had any children. That means his power given to him by our father is now in you. You are a dragonlord Merlin, the last dragonlord. I'm so sorry."

Merlin, a dragonlord? He could scarcely believe it. Being a warlock, being magic incarnate was hard enough for him to understand, but being a dragonlord as well? Especially if Uther found out… "He will never know. He never does. It's okay Mother I will be okay."

"I fear for her Merlin," Hunith whispered clutching her growing stomach. "I should never have returned to your father. I should always have known there was a possibility of this… and if she is like you, like my brother and my father… if Anna has magic."

Merlin had considered the possibility, many times actually, and he held his mother tight. "If she has magic then she will be okay. I promise nothing will ever happen to her or me. And nothing will happen to you."

"You should not have to carry the world on your shoulders," Hunith whispered, whipping the brown locks from Merlin's eyes. "You should not have to protect everyone. You are just a boy."

Merlin didn't feel like a boy. Laws of Camelot be damned he was a man through and through. A prince is never really a boy. "Get some sleep Mother. Grieve for your brother. I promise everything will be okay, okay? There is no harm to me or Anna."

It was a lie, and both mother and son knew it. Still Hunith accepted the lie as she fell asleep crying for her lost twin. Silently Merlin sneaked out, of her chambers and the castle.

If it was true and he was a dragonlord, then Merlin should be able to call Kilgharrah to him. He had to know if his mother was right. If he had this power.

The words were strange on Merlin's tongue, but he understood them the same way he understood the language of the Old Religion. It was a part of him, as was the dragon that flew into the clearing. "So you have discovered your gift passed to you by your uncle after all, young prince." If dragons could smile Kilgharrah would have grinned. "You and I are kin now. Whatever reservations have held you back from coming to me for advice has not denied that. I will be here awaiting your call, and I will help you with your destiny. We shall not let Balinor's death be in vain."

Merlin thought of his conversation with Arthur, and smiled softly to himself, "No, we shall not."