Chapter 10
Thank you for all the people who reviewed, pressed favourite, followed and just plain read this.
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or the BBC. I do however own my knights sir Richard and Sir Liam, who will be back!
Waking up the next morning to two dragons staring down at him was not the worst thing that Gwaine had woken up to but it might have been the strangest one. Remembering the facts that he had learnt the day before stopped him from reaching for his sword, instead he turned to the still sleeping warlock. He was unsure whether to shake him awake or leave him to sleep in; thankfully he didn't have to choose as Aithusa chose that moment to jump on Merlin causing the warlock to flail around trying to get the dragon hatchling off of him. Laughing at this sight Gwaine rescued his friend by holding out an apple he took from his bag; Aithusa abandoned Merlin and rushed over to take the apple form his hand with a sound of delight. A groggy looking merlin sat up now that the weight of the dragon was not weighing him down and looked at the dragon attacking an apple a few metres away from him with a goofy grin spreading across his face.
Getting up Merlin started to make breakfast for the two of them while Gwaine entertained Aithusa by hiding an apple behind is back only to bring it to his front when the dragon went around his back, this process repeated itself until Aithusa used her wings suddenly flying straight up and swooping down swiping the apple from a surprised Gwaine's hand. Laughing at the look on Gwaine's face, Merlin said. "You were trying to play keep away from a dragon that can fly, my friend sometimes you don't think. Now come over here and eat you breakfast before it gets cold. I want to get going so we can get to Ealdor before sunset."
"We did travel a fairway yesterday when you were strapped to your horse, so I think that we should be able to get there in the early afternoon around lunchtime if not slightly earlier, unless we stop for a break to rest the horses." Gwaine said taking the proffered food from Merlins outstretched hands and sitting back down on the fallen log.
"Good I'm looking forward to seeing my mother even if I have to take care of her; you're going to like her she has a great sense of humour which I think that you two will get along well. I have to warn you that you may have to sleep on the floor as my mother only has one bed in the house and I want to let my mother rest." Merlin said joining Gwaine on the log to eat his own breakfast watching Aithusa chase a butterfly around the clearing with Kilgharrah watching as well. After finishing eating breakfast, Merlin went off to clean the dishes in the stream to clean the dishes and pots; leaving Gwaine alone with the dragons. Getting up to talk to Kilgharrah, Gwaine dodged a hypo Aithusa still chasing the butterfly to sit down next to the huge dragon. Gwaine looked up at the dragon and said. "So you're the dragon that attacked Camelot a few years ago, I thought that Arthur killed you."
"Yes I regret that I was the dragon that attacked Camelot, I am ashamed at what I did and I thank Merlin that he gave me clemency after what I did. He held his hand when he could have speared me though the heart but he didn't. " Kilgharrah rumbled looking ashamed.
"Even after all that you did, Merlin would be that type of person. He looked after me when I was injured and he didn't even know me, true I help save the life of the Prince now King but he put up with me even when I tried my hardest to screw with the prince, I hated royalty back then and now thanks to Merlin I serve a worthy king. Like you I owe my life to Merlin in more ways than one and I hope to repay him one day so I think I know what it's like. So how did Merlin manage to 'kill' you in front of Arthur yet you lived? Gwaine asked.
"I don't know, I left before Arthur woke up, you would have to ask Merlin about that." Kilgharrah said.
"Merlin has so many secrets that I never knew he had, on one hand I understand why he had to hide his secrets but on the other I'm kind of angry that he didn't tell me about any of them. I wouldn't have told anyone without his permission. And here I am pouring my heart out to a dragon that should have been dead." Gwaine said throwing his hands up in frustration.
"It's not that he didn't tell you it's that couldn't. There have been many incidents that Merlin wished to tell you, the King and all the Knights of the Round Table but it was not the right time for it as there is still a hatred to those with magic in the kingdom of Camelot. So don't take it personally because I was one of the ones that told him not to tell anyone he has a few enemies out there, including the witch Morgana, who he has thwart her plans on multiple times. I think my favourite disguise he has is the one where he changed into an old man; it must take a lot of magic to perform the spell, so you can see how powerful he is." Kilgharrah said ruffling his wings to get comfortable again.
"Old man? Wait you don't mean the Great Dragoon or something do you?" Gwaine asked frowning trying to picture the old man in his head.
"Yes I think that was his name." Kilgharrah answered chuckling at the surprised look on Gwaine face.
"I'm going to kill him! He used us knights as steps to climb on his horse." Gwaine said standing up in anger. "No wonder he said what he did."
"Don't be too hard on him young knight, he did what he did for a reason." Kilgharrah said softly as the knight went to go find Merlin to get more answers about the riddle that is Merlin.
Spotting the warlock crouched at the stream scrubbing at the dirty pot from breakfast, Gwaine marched up to him determination written on his face. Coming to a stop behind him Gwaine asked. "Why don't you just use magic to clean it, seeing as you have strong magic?"
"Just because I have magic doesn't mean that I should use it for everything that I do. Plus I kind of forgot to use it, Gaius don't like it when I use it for chores, I only use it when I alone in my room when the door is locked. So are Kilgharrah's riddles annoying you? Because he has given me a headache every time that he started sprouting out his riddles instead of telling me straight up what to do or what is happening." Merlin muttered scrubbing harder at the pot at that thought.
"No the dragon said something about you being an old man once or twice. I of cause didn't believe the old lizard I mean you can't possibly be that sorcerer that killed Arthur's father." Gwaine said in the hope to get Merlin to say the truth.
I worked a little to well as Merlin stiffened at those words giving Gwaine the impression that Kilgharrah was telling the truth about the old man and Merlin. Gwaine couldn't believe that Merlin would kill the king intentionally so it must have been an accident or something; he was proven right when Merlin blurted out. "I didn't mean to kill him I but Morgana had Agravaine place an amulet around Uther's neck that made the spell backfire. You have to believe me there hasn't been a day that I haven't regrated what happened that night. It haunted my dreams and keeps me awake at night thinking that I may have completely ruined any chance for the magic community and Camelot to live in peace. It's all I want in the world is for everyone to live in peace together." He finished ranting leaving Gwaine feeling bad that he brought the subject up as a way to get Merlin to tell the truth about the old man.
Squatting down next to Merlin, Gwaine though his arm around him as a half hug in the attempt to comfort the warlock. It worked to a degree as Merlin dropped the pot to the ground and turned to Gwaine with a frightened look on his face. Before he could say anything Gwaine beat him to the punch line by saying. "I believe you Merlin and I wouldn't tell anyone about any of this without consulting you first. I just don't see you as an evil sorcerer out to kill people as you are the most kind and gentle person I know magic or no magic so don't worry about be turning you in. I do have one question for you though."
"And what question would that be?" Merlin asked.
"If you had magic why didn't you use it to get on the horse instead of using the knights as stairs?" Gwaine asked.
"Honestly I think that when I turn old I'm kind of crazy so it really didn't count. I'm sorry for flinging you backwards in the woods that day." Merlin said looking Gwaine in the eyes.
"You have nothing to be sorry for my friend, you only told the truth. Now pick up that pot and clean it with magic. I'm curious about what you can do; the big confusing lizard over there said that you were very powerful compared to others." Gwaine asked interested.
"Yeah I'm kind of powerful compared to others, the druids call me Emrys. According to them I'm the strongest magic user to ever live. Plus I was born with magic so I had a lot more when I was a baby then most have in their entire lifetime." Merlin said smugly as he picked up the pot and with a flash of his eyes the pot was clean. Standing up Merlin offered his free hand to Gwaine to help him up from his position, walking back to their bags he stowed the cooking equipment and secured the bag to the waiting horse. Just as he finished with the last buckle, Merlin saw the white blur of Aithusa heading fast and straight towards him, knowing she would spook the horses he turned to run at her before she reached them. He got 2 metres away from the horses before she barrelled into him with surprising strength for the young dragon knocking him down to the ground with a grunt.
It looked like the young dragon knew that Merlin was going to leave her in the care of Kilgharrah for now and she didn't want her dragon lord to go. Gathering her up in his arms Merlin stood up and walked over to Kilgharrah with a huge grin as Gwaine tossed one of the last apples to him for her, which she ate in one bite with a happy chirp. Chuckling at the young dragon's antics Kilgharrah said to Merlin. "She has really missed you these past few weeks young warlock. Now that I know that she likes apples I shall find a tree for her."
"You can blame the apple fetish on Gwaine here who has been feeding her them when we first meet up. Just make sure that you don't take an apple tree from any towns or cities orchards because I think someone would find it suspicious if an entire tree was ripped from the ground and no drag marks were visible at all don't you think?" Merlin said with a grin.
"I will choose the tree carefully young warlock don't you worry. You need to be careful yourself, there are dangers everywhere, not just from the witch but older than her." Kilgharrah warned mysteriously causing Merlin to frown in thought, which was until Gwaine piped up saying. "Are you always so vague and confusing?"
"I am who I am young knight and that should be reason to listen to me even if it is vague and confusing." Kilgharrah grumbled.
"Wow, you were right there Merlin, I see what you mean now." Gwaine said turning to give Merlin a look as if to say that he was right and he would never doubt him again.
"Now you know what I have to put up with." Merlin said with a smug look causing Kilgharrah to lower his head and glare at the two. Growling Kilgharrah said to Merlin. "It's time to get going young warlock, place Aithusa on the back of my neck so I can go without being insulted some more."
"I'm sorry Kilgharrah but this is the first time that I have had someone on my side of things, most of the time Gaius agrees with you if that makes you feel any better." Merlin said as he hugged Aithusa tightly in farewell then placed the unhappy dragon on the spot Kilgharrah indicated. Saying farewell in the form of and apple to Aithusa, Gwaine went back around to the snout of Kilgharrah to watch as the great dragon launched himself in to the sky with a loud rumple of. "Good bye young warlock and knight take care and watch out for each other."
Watching as the two dragons became small dots in the distance; Gwaine nudged Merlin in the ribs to get him back on the road to Ealdor. Mounting his horse Gwaine sighed and turned to Merlin saying. "I miss Aithusa already."
"It's only because she picked up your fetish for all thing apple now. I just hope that she never discovers apple cider, because then she would be just like you then." Merlin shot back glaring at the knight as if to say think about it and die. This caused Gwaine to laugh out loud before saying. "I would never do that; I wouldn't want a drunken dragon to destroy any tavern so don't worry. Now let's try to get a few hours of riding in before we stop again."
And with that they both set of at a gallop in the direction of Ealdor not realizing a set of eyes on them watching their every move.
AN: just got back from a 2 hour bike ride. I havent riden a bike in ages and I'm a little sore. On the bright side the OZ Comic Con is in Perth this weekend and I'm GOING! :P See you soon and dont forget to review.
Mushushy.
