Title: Where Nightmares Come True
Fandom: Merlin
Rating: T
Pairings/Characters: Merlin/Dragoon (not a pairing, just in case you wondered), Arthur, and Morgana, mostly. Also some OCs.
Spoilers: Set a little bit after Series Four, so . . .
Warnings: Mild violence in later chapters, and maybe some disturbing descriptions.
Disclaimer: Here's looking at you, BBC.
Beta: DeleaMarie
AN: Enjoy;)
Chapter Eleven: A Child's Savior
As they walked, Merlin remembered hearing the story for the first time himself.
"It was a few years ago," Jeremy had said quietly. "Father and I had gone to the city for supplies, and there you were! You were being led to the dungeons for enchanting the prince. Dragoon the Great you were called . . . but I knew you were Emrys."
He had explained everything, and it had made sense! The amnesia, the things they thought were memories—The Dragoon that sat before them was one of Jeremy's dreams.
"But how did Dragoon know my name, if you didn't?" Merlin had asked the young boy.
"Everyone knows that Emrys is not your real name," Jeremy answered, as if it were obvious. "So I knew you had another name that you went by. I imagined it was some sort of great secret, that you told no one."
That explained Dragoon's reaction when Merlin had 'guessed' his name.
"And the memories?"
The boy shrugged. "What, can't you see the future?"
He'd been most surprised to hear that Merlin could not and, moreover, did not want to.
Dragoon's reaction had been the most surprising part of it. He'd become quieter and quieter throughout the whole conversation, his eyes dropping more frequently to the fire. But of course, he had been hearing about how his whole existence was a dream, a sham, that in a way he was not even a real person. Merlin hadn't known what to say to comfort him. But he felt desperately sad for the poor man, and a little relieved: this meant that Dragoon would not have to leave!
He felt a little selfish for thinking that, but there you are. It's not easy to be Emrys.
Merlin looked at Dragoon now, in the pale light of the full moon, and saw that he was still sad but that there was a little anger mixed in as well.
"You alright?" he whispered, not sure what else to say.
Dragoon seemed to come out of a dream. "I'm fine," he said gruffly. "Just a lot to take in, you know?"
Merlin knew. He sighed heavily, thinking about how he had felt when he had woken up. Where had that feeling of peace and contentment come from? Because it certainly wasn't in tune with how the rest of his day had gone.
Arthur, walking on the other side of and a little bit in front of Merlin, looked back in confusion. He said, quietly, "By the way, I forgot to ask: what did you want to discuss with me?"
Dragoon blinked. "Oh, that. Actually, er . . . everything we didn't talk about back there, Merlin told me. So it's alright."
Arthur looked at his manservant, unbelieving. "Merlin!"
"What?" Merlin protested. "It's not like he wanted to know any state secrets!"
They walked in silence for a while after that, until Farrell voiced what they had all been thinking, but didn't really want to discuss. "So, what are we going to do when we get to Camelot? How are we going to defeat the beast?"
"It was wounded," Arthur pointed out. "And a nice wound, too."
"Yeah, well, that was lucky shot, I managed to get in close," Farrell replied. "Plus, I had a magic sword, which I neglected to bring with me."
"Did you manage to land a hit on it, Arthur?" Merlin wondered, but Arthur shook his head.
"My sword just bounced off."
Merlin wanted to say that it could not just be magic swords then, since Arthur's was one, but deemed it unwise.
"You know, I've been thinking about it, actually," Dragoon spoke up. "I'm not sure, but I might have an answer."
"Yeah? And what would that be?" Morgana asked, almost hostile. As they'd moved closer and closer to the city, she'd become increasingly dark and silent.
Dragoon ignored her tone and turned to Merlin. "When you had a nightmare as a child, who was always able to chase the bad images away?"
Merlin frowned. "My mother, I guess."
"And what about you, Arthur?"
"When I was really little, I would go see my father, but as I got older I had to deal with them myself."
"What about you, Farrell? Morgana?"
The Druid thought. "My parents, I suppose."
"My father, too," Morgana answered. "Until he died, anyway."
Dragoon nodded, satisfied. "Exactly. Now, out of all the Druids in the whole entire camp, who was the only one able to hurt the monster?"
They all turned to look at Farrell. He seemed confused.
"How does that make sense?" he asked.
"The monster is—or was—Jeremy's nightmare, Farrell. Of course he would imagine that his parents could save him from it."
"So you're the only one who can kill the nightmare?" Arthur nodded slowly. "Well then."
"Makes things easier," Morgana mused.
"It most certainly does not!" Merlin said. "Though, it makes things less complicated."
"No, I mean, now that I know how to kill the monster," Morgana said, "I don't need the three of you."
Then she did the smart thing—or maybe it was the stupid thing, depends on how you look at it—and threw her first spell at Dragoon, perhaps hoping to take out the most powerful in the group.
Arthur must have been expecting it, because he tackled the older man; the spell missed him by about an inch. Merlin grabbed Farrell and yanked him into the bushes.
Morgana, thwarted for a moment, gave a cry of frustration and reached down to grab the Druid, but had to reel back quickly to avoid Merlin's boot in her face. By then Dragoon had recovered from being smushed against the floor—though he had not regained his feet—and he pushed her backwards without a word. Excalibur rang out of its scabbard.
Morgana pulled herself upright with a wince, glaring at her adversaries. She had thought if she acted quickly she might take them by surprise, but obviously Arthur had had the same thought.
She pointed a finger at Dragoon. "I'll be seeing you again," she threatened, then turned and swept into the night. Arthur stepped after her, but Merlin cried, "Leave her, Arthur! She'll be back."
Arthur sheathed his sword in one impatient gesture, then he and Farrell helped Dragoon stand. The old warlock winced and held his arm where it had hit the ground.
"Let's go, if we want to be there by dawn," Arthur said, and with one unreadable glance in the direction his half-sister had gone, he walked away.
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