Dragonfasting by ebhg

Pairing(s): Merlin/Morgana, Arthur/Gwen

Rating: T

Spoilers: Series 1-4

Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to BBC

A/N: Thanks for reviewing! Hope you all liked the last chapter, even though there was no smut involved. I just don't do smut.

Having readers of the male persuasion is something new for me; therefore I shall warn you now that there is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it mention of *gasp* menstruation! But, it had to be done. I dare say you shall survive;)


Ch 12

Merlin and Morgana took Arthur's instructions to heart. They spent their mornings either on patrol with the round table knights or on the training fields with them, sparring with both sword and magic. Merlin had been quite pleased to finally be able to openly use magic to supplement his swordplay. He had utterly surprised all of them by dueling Gwaine to a draw using the same subtle tricks that he had used on Arthur during their now-infamous mace fight.

Their patrols had uncovered very little, save for a few bandit camps that were quickly dealt with. Wherever Mordred and Alvarr had gone, they had hidden themselves well, likely biding their time until Camelot was more vulnerable. It made Merlin uneasy to have such a danger hanging over them. It reminded him of the nerve-wracking feeling of his first days in Camelot, when he'd still had the tendency to react with uncontrollable bouts of instinctual magic.

In addition to patrols and training, Merlin and Morgana hoped to show another facet of beneficial magic as they accompanied Gaius on his rounds in the lower town every afternoon while Hunith acted as nurse. Gaius proudly proclaimed that together, Merlin and Morgana's healing talents rivaled those of Alice. Whereas Morgana was a natural in magical healing, Merlin was quite talented in herblore and practical medicine. Their skills complemented one another perfectly, each of them compensating where the other lacked. Though Merlin was pleased to note that each of their lesser skills had improved as he and Morgana continually tutored one another.

The people were wary of Morgana at first, not eager to accept her help or her presence in Camelot, despite their king declaring her innocence. Still she persisted, her head held high, determined to use her skills to help show that she was truly worthy of their forgiveness. Some though, were persuaded to trust in her simply because of Merlin standing beseechingly at her side. Thus, within a few weeks, Morgana and Merlin together had healed three otherwise-hopeless cases, one of whom was a chronically ill child. Some had even hailed Morgana a hero when just two nights previous, Morgana had tirelessly helped Caroline the midwife with a difficult birth that had threatened the life of the mother and child. So it was that, more than any apology she had given, Morgana's efforts with healing magic earned her the forgiveness of many of the people of Camelot. It had pleased Merlin to see Morgana accepted once more by the people of Camelot, despite her turbulent history with them.

In light of Kilgharrah's warning, Merlin had also made an effort to magically shore up the city's physical defenses. Many citizens had looked on with curiosity and awe as he had stood upon the wall that bound the lower town from the surrounding fields and incanted a strengthening spell that had left the walls glowing for nearly half an hour afterward. Merlin had been slightly winded from the effort, but the resonating charge he felt from an observing Morgana may have been a part of it. Merlin performed the same incantation on the castle walls and, knowing that Mordred was aware of the grated exit beyond the dungeons, Merlin added a protective spell over it and all the other siege tunnel entrances. There was no way of knowing where the stolen copy of the siege tunnel plans had gotten to, as Morgana couldn't remember, and Merlin didn't want to assume that they had been destroyed. He preferred to be prepared.

Morgana had also taught Merlin how to transport in what little quiet time they had within their appropriated study. He had taken to it quite readily, much to Morgana's frustration. What had taken her a month of hard work and tutelage from Morgause to learn, Merlin had taken just hours to master. He had delighted in transporting them from one end of Camelot to the other, then back to their chambers before he had finally collapsed, happily exhausted from the effort.

Morgana had been aware that Merlin was powerful; his being Emrys was testament to that. But his transportation abilities had left her speechless. She had been exhausted just by transporting herself and Morgause to their cave and yet Merlin had transported them many times that distance before his strength had faded. Now he was determined to refine the technique in order to reduce the time necessary for the spell to work, as well as make it as unobtrusive as possible. After all, there could be a great advantage to transporting without the wind and tumult in a scouting situation and Merlin was determined to work it out.

"Are you going to brush my hair all night?"

Merlin snapped out of his thoughts, and met Morgana's amused eyes in the mirror.

"Hmm?" he asked, still brushing.

"Are you going to brush my hair all night?" Morgana repeated.

"Oh," he said sheepishly, dropping the brush onto the vanity. Merlin slowly began gathering her hair into his hands, savoring the silkiness. "Just thinking about how busy we've been in the last month."

"That we have," Morgana agreed. "Makes me miss being confined to our chambers," Morgana said coyly, once more catching Merlin's eye in the mirror and smiling. Merlin returned her smile, finally able to control his blushing, and responded with a tendril of magic. Morgana gasped at the sensation before her smile grew broader and she sent a tendril of her own to brush against Merlin's.

It had become their own private expression of affection; more intimate than simply saying 'I love you,' for that was what they felt. Merlin had told Morgana before Aithusa had dragonfasted them that he had been taught that making love required love and affection. He was never more sure of that than now. Their experience with the magical current that had reverberated and sparked between them as they dueled on the training field had mentally laid them entirely bare to one another. They had felt one another's very soul. Coming together as husband and wife had only strengthened that connection.

Merlin smiled and pulled his magic back as he began to divide her hair into even sections. Morgana reveled in the feeling of Merlin's hands working in her hair. It had become one of her favorite times of the day, when it was just the two of them and no one was watching them like they were one of Gaius' experiments. Therefore, they were both surprised by the soft knock on their door just as Merlin began to braid.

"Come in," Morgana called. Gwen came in and quietly latched the door. As the queen turned and took in the sight of them in their nightclothes and Merlin braiding Morgana's hair, her eyes widened.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" she asked sheepishly.

"Not at all, I do this every night," Merlin assured her, though his eyes never left his task. Morgana nodded her agreement.

"I have to say, I'm impressed, Merlin. I didn't know you knew how to braid," Gwen admitted, watching spellbound as Merlin braided his wife's hair as well as Gwen herself could have. Merlin chuckled.

"A peasant farmer has to get rope from somewhere," he said, grinning.

Morgana was unfailingly reminded of when her husband had performed this now-familiar task for the first time. Merlin's tentative and gentle touches and the smoldering glances traded in the mirror had shocked Morgana, as had the disappointment she had felt when the evening had ended innocently. Merlin had been more willing than she to try giving affection at that point. She had dug in her Pendragon heels and proceeded to pull away from him for eight long weeks. Though the conclusion of those eight weeks had been utterly incomparable to anything Morgana had ever felt. She smiled at the memory, then turned to Gwen, her expression openly curious and inviting.

"I went to see Gaius or Hunith, but they were out. I think that there was someone in the lower town that they wanted to check on," Gwen rambled.

"Are you not feeling well?" Merlin asked, concerned.

"Well, it was something that I hoped to talk to Morgana about," Gwen answered evasively, though the hand placed subconsciously over her lower abdomen gave her away.

"I knew it!" Morgana crowed triumphantly in Merlin's head. "I win. You owe me!"

"What are you on about?! We both knew it. Gwen isn't normally one to turn green at the scent of smoked fish. She's even less likely to run to the privy because of it," Merlin replied.

"Does Arthur suspect yet?" Merlin asked, grinning. Gwen's mouth dropped open. "Or have you only just figured it out yourself?"

"How did you know?!" she asked.

"I have eyes, and unlike Arthur, I know how to use them," he teased, tying off his wife's braid. Morgana instantly stood and moved to draw Gwen into a gentle hug. "Is Arthur busy?" Merlin asked.

"He was reading over some reports when I left our chambers. George was supposed to be up soon to turn down the bed though," Gwen answered, allowing Morgana to pull her over to a chair at the table.

"I'll leave you ladies to it then..." Merlin grinned at them and donned his jacket over his sleep shirt before heading out the door. Morgana grinned excitedly at Gwen as she sat across from the queen.

"How long have you been feeling nauseous?" she asked without introduction.

"A couple weeks now, I thought perhaps I'd gotten a touch of the sickness that passed through a while back."

"And your monthly?" Gwen blushed, but found comfort in Morgana's familiar bluntness.

"It hasn't come this month or last," Gwen admitted. "In all the stress of everything I didn't even think of it." Morgana calculated quickly.

"So you can expect to deliver between Imbolc and Ostara, roughly." Morgana nodded, standing and moving towards her healer's bag and rummaging through it. "These are dried leaves from a red raspberry bush. It makes a lovely tea and Caroline the midwife tells me it helps to ease things along. Have a cup every morning," Morgana instructed as she handed a small satchel of the leaves to Gwen. Then she smiled impishly.

"What are you thinking," Gwen asked warily, fighting a smile of her own.

"Arthur is going to be entirely shocked and I hope I'm there to see his face when you tell him."

"I don't think I could say it in front of an audience," Gwen blushed.

"Gwen, being a fruitful woman is nothing to be ashamed of. You are married and if anyone thinks it a scandal, then surely they don't appreciate the lovely benefits of marriage."

"Morgana!" Gwen laughed.

"What? I'm married, too, and I'm very appreciative of the benefits," Morgana said innocently. She and Gwen looked straight-faced at one another for just a moment before they burst into laughter. As they tried to control their giggles, Gwen couldn't help but feel a great sense of comfort at truly having her friend back.


Merlin had a feeling that Gwen and Morgana would be talking for some time. It had been a while since he'd had a moment to speak with Arthur without the knights there to tease him good-naturedly about Morgana, so Merlin decided to head for the king's chambers.

Arthur was sitting at his desk when Merlin burst through the door as he always had.

"Marriage hasn't taught you to knock I see," Arthur drawled.

"I knew I wasn't interrupting, and it's taught me plenty; though it hasn't seemed to have taught you anything," Merlin said, eyeing the clothes that Arthur had shed and left in piles on the floor and the balled parchments that had been carelessly tossed aside. "What does Gwen think of your slovenly habits?"

"Obviously, she doesn't have to think about it, that's what y- George is for."

"You were going to say 'you,'" Merlin said cheekily. "Admit it, you miss me."

"I'll admit no such falsehood," Arthur said sternly, leaning back in his chair and propping his feet on the desk.

"That's alright, Arthur, I miss yo- No... Sorry, I much prefer tending to Morgana."

"Tending to her? If that's what you're doing, you're missing the point entirely," Arthur teased dryly.

"I think the point was obviously well-made when we shattered the windows," Merlin taunted before his eyes flashed and a chair from the table moved towards him. Merlin sat in it in front of Arthur's desk and then went one step further by mirroring Arthur's position with his feet propped up as well.

"I think we've corrupted you," Arthur laughed. Merlin chuckled as well.

"I think Morgana has been the one to do that," Merlin admitted, smiling fondly. "If you can't fight them, join them. She can be rather bold."

"That she can," Arthur agreed. "Where is your better half? I didn't think you came separately anymore, that you were a matched set."

"She's talking to your better half in our chambers."

"Guinevere said she was going to talk to Hunith. I assumed it was to discuss Mabon celebrations. It is coming up rather quickly and your mother was quite helpful to Guinevere in planning the Lughnasadh festival."

"She said Gaius and my mother weren't in and that they likely had a patient that they wanted to check on. So Gwen came to see Morgana instead."

"That's odd," Arthur murmured.

"You really haven't noticed anything else odd lately?" Merlin asked, amused.

"Just you, Merlin. I always find you odd." Arthur grinned at Merlin.

"I can't imagine what you're talking about," Merlin said straight-faced.

"You enjoy being married to my sister, for one," Arthur grimaced.

"If you have to wonder why, perhaps you're missing the point," Merlin teased.

"I am the king, I never miss the point of anything," Arthur retorted. Merlin raised his eyebrow and pointed to the ceiling, wordlessly conjuring a flame on the tip of his index finger in response. They both laughed at the rather glaring example that Arthur had overlooked a very big point for nearly seven years.

"How has everything else been?" Merlin asked, waving the flame away and turning serious, gesturing to the pile of correspondence stacked haphazardly on the desk.

"Well, for the most part," Arthur answered. "I've received pledges of support from Mithian's father King Rodor, Lords Godwyn and Bayard, and King Olaf. Thus far, nothing has been heard from King Alined, King Lot or Queen Annis."

Merlin's brow furrowed, and his expression turned solemn. Arthur straightened slightly, recognising the shift within his former manservant from blitheful to insightful.

"I think Queen Annis will come around, though it may take some time. Regardless of your history with Caerleon, you've shown her that you are a good and honorable man, a worthy king. Alined is another matter entirely. I don't believe him to be trustworthy, not after the debacle with Lady Vivienne. He would love nothing more than an excuse to make war.

"King Lot is also not to be trusted. Escetians had long suffered under Cenred's rule, but Lot was always more feared than his elder brother. Where Cenred cared little for his people, Lot seems to despise their necessity. It's one reason that I'm hoping that my mother will stay in Camelot permanently."

Arthur nodded, acknowledging Merlin's wisdom.

"I agree, though Kilgharrah's news has left me feeling uneasy. I can only hope that this Albion you speak of is not just an impossible dream."

"You will unite the five kingdoms, Arthur," Merlin swore. "I haven't been protecting your backside for nigh on seven years just to give up now."

Arthur opened his mouth to deliver a surly retort, but was interrupted by a swift knock at the servant's door. When Arthur bid them to enter, George came in and gave a deep bow, speaking without raising his head.

"Sire, I have come to prepare you and your chambers for bed, my lord."

The enthusiastically proper servant finally looked up and stopped in his tracks. George's eyes widened momentarily at the sight of the king and his former servant lounging together so casually. He recovered quickly, however, and cleared his throat as he gave Merlin a disapproving, raised eyebrow. Merlin grinned cheekily in response, not bothering to move his feet off the king's desk.

"Sire," George entreated Arthur while ignoring Merlin pointedly. "Would you like me to turn down the bedclothes and stoke the fire, my lord?"

"Of course, George," Arthur agreed, though he laughed at the flustered look on George's face when Merlin's eyes glowed and a fresh log landed in the fireplace and set instantly ablaze despite the dying embers that had lingered in the grate.

"Fire's set," Merlin said smiling. George sniffed disdainfully at the warlock's lack of decorum and moved to the bed to turn it down.

"Merlin... Gwen is on her way. I'm waiting for you..."

Merlin's head instinctively turned in the direction of his and Morgana's chambers and his feet dropped off the table as he stood in a rush.

"Gwen's coming," he explained.

"How do you know?" Arthur asked, surprised, but getting to his feet regardless.

"Morgana told me," Merlin explained, pointing to his temple.

"That's convenient," Arthur said.

"It can be. Unless it's a dragon waking you before dawn," Merlin said grumpily, then turned to the door as Gwen quietly entered.

"I thought I'd find you here," Guinevere laughed upon seeing Merlin.

"Just doing some advisorly things," Merlin said, ignoring the quiet sniff from George as the servant finished his duties and came to stand beside the warlock.

"Is that all, your majesties?" George asked solemnly, pointedly leaving Merlin out of the honorific as he eyed both Arthur and Gwen.

"Yes, George, you may go," Gwen dismissed him kindly.

"I'll be off, too," Merlin said, smiling at Gwen as he moved towards the door. "Good luck," he murmured to the queen as he passed her.

"Goodnight Merlin," both royals entreated.

"Night," he replied, then Merlin closed the door as he heard Gwen softly tell Arthur that she had some news for him. Before he had moved more than a few steps away from the door, Merlin smiled as he heard a muffled thud. Arthur had taken the news exactly as Merlin had thought he would. He wasn't worried though. Gwen was a highly capable nurse and Arthur would likely come-to relatively quickly. Merlin chuckled and gleefully returned to his own chambers and his waiting wife.


"You knew, didn't you, with all your talk on odd things last night," Arthur said by way of greeting on the training field the next morning. Merlin turned from where he stood watching Morgana duel Gwaine and Elyan and eyed Arthur with amusement.

"Course I did. Morgana and I have been waiting on tenterhooks this last week for Gwen to realise and tell you. Nearly drove Morgana mad with the suspense," Merlin answered.

"How could you have possibly known?" Arthur asked incredulously.

"As I told Gwen last night, I have eyes. I did live with a physician for six years after all, and I actually have helped Gaius deliver a child when the midwife was visiting the outer villages. Not to mention that there is little that goes unnoticed when you live in a place as small as Ealdor. It was all the village gossips could talk about when any of the women got sick to their stomachs."

"I'm going to be a father, Merlin," Arthur said, his face suddenly alarmingly pale.

"Yes, Arthur, I rather thought that was the idea. You can't tell me that you hadn't expected this to happen?"

"Of course I did. It's just that now it's real."

"You'll be a good father, Arthur. You are not Uther," Merlin reassured him.

"Right," Arthur nodded, dazed. Merlin slapped the king on the shoulder in support as they both turned back to Morgana's furious duel with the knights. Arthur's brow wrinkled. "What about Morgana? Should she be doing all this if she could potentially be..." Arthur trailed off, gesturing towards his sister, not wanting to say the words.

"You try and tell her that," Merlin said, smiling. "Besides, it hasn't been long enough. We wouldn't know it yet if she was." Though Merlin suddenly found himself wondering if it wasn't something to worry about as he watched his wife parry a strong blow over her head. Arthur followed Merlin's line of sight and abruptly grinned mischievously.

"You can't deny it any more. I have irrefutable proof," Arthur crowed.

"Of what?" Merlin asked, utterly confused.

"You are a girl. You braid Morgana's hair every night. From your own mouth and witnessed by my wife." Arthur smirked triumphantly. Merlin shook his head.

"I don't expect you to understand, Arthur," Merlin said, folding his arms defensively.

"What is there to understand? You braid her hair and I bet you talk about her dresses. Will you make daisy chains with her as well?"

"There's plenty to understand. You may not realize it, but caring for someone in that way can be very fulfilling. In any case, the only reason I know how to braid is because it's how we made rope in Ealdor. I've no intentions of making daisy chains. No, I don't usually discuss Morgana's clothing with her unless it is to ask, 'how does this come off.' And I believe that Morgana would agree quite readily that I am, in fact, a man," Merlin answered smugly. Arthur grimaced at the thought.

"Duel with me, Merlin," Arthur entreated him in an effort to forget about what Merlin had just said. Without waiting for a response, he moved to a clear spot on the field to wait for the warlock to retrieve a weapon.

Morgana finally disarmed Gwaine and Elyan, taking advantage of their distraction as their attention was drawn to where Merlin and Arthur prepared to duel. They both conceded gladly and all three turned to watch their king spar with the greatest warlock of all time. Leon and Percival were quick to follow suit; this was a match that was not meant to be missed.

Arthur had watched Merlin fight Gwaine to a draw the week previous and the king wanted to see how Merlin would fare against him. He and his former manservant circled one another, waiting for the other to strike first. Merlin drew magic to him and used it to steady his feet and his senses. Arthur found it unnerving to see how little Merlin resembled the bumbling oaf that six years ago couldn't even put on armor properly, let alone wield a sword.

Arthur lunged forward quickly, trying to catch Merlin by surprise, but Merlin froze time and disappeared. He instantly reappeared three feet to Arthur's left and struck the first blow on the king's unguarded side.

"You can't do that!" Arthur argued.

"Why not? I'd do it to an enemy. Aren't we training here?" Merlin replied reasonably. Arthur growled and lunged again, this time catching Merlin off-guard and forcing the warlock to raise his blade in defense. They traded a swift series of blows, Arthur forcing Merlin into a retreat, when Merlin suddenly disappeared again.

Arthur looked around him wildly. "Where are you? Show yourself!"

"I'm over here," Merlin said, and Arthur spun at the sound, but found no one but those observing.

"Did you make yourself invisible, Merlin? Couldn't keep up with me, so you had to resort to cheap tricks?" Arthur taunted, watching the area around him warily.

"Cheap tricks?! Do you know how difficult an invisibility spell is? Let alone a wordless one?!" Morgana said incredulously.

"Obviously not, Morgana, now stay out of my duel," Arthur groused.

"You should be flattered that he's had to use such a defense!" Morgana harrumped. "Gwaine didn't merit such tactics!"

"Thank you, my lady," Gwaine said sarcastically. Arthur growled at the continued distraction.

Merlin suddenly reappeared close to Arthur's right side. The king instinctively swung his sword towards Merlin, but found that it was suddenly incredibly heavy, causing the tip to fall into the ground. Arthur abandoned the sword and instead waited for Merlin to swing. He ducked under the blade and grabbed Merlin's wrist as the warlock tried to bring the blade back around. Arthur wrenched the sword away from Merlin and held it to the warlock's chest, expecting him to yield. Merlin's eyes glowed gold, however, and suddenly Arthur's newly acquired sword was parried away by his own abandoned blade.

"It will take more than that to win, Arthur," Merlin taunted, his eyes flaring gold. Suddenly, the ground beneath Arthur transformed into a thick, sticky bog. His feet became stuck within the tarry goo as he struggled to get free. Merlin stepped closer to attack and Arthur seized the opportunity, grabbing Merlin by the arm and pulling him down into the mud, forcing him to end the spell and drop his sword. Arthur moved as soon as his boots were free and used his foot to pick up the discarded blade, holding the both of them in front of Merlin who, though he had regained his feet, was now weaponless.

Arthur grinned in triumph until Merlin smirked and his eyes flashed again. Arthur tensed, waiting, only to be shocked to discover that he was no longer holding two blunted-training swords, but rather two long-stemmed roses.

"Just try and kill me with those," Merlin said cheekily as everyone watching laughed uproariously at Arthur's expression.

"That's exactly what the little person at the bridge did to me!" Gwaine exclaimed. "I swear my sword smelled like flowers for a month afterwards!"

Arthur gaped at the blossoms in his hand for a moment before looking at Merlin incredulously. The warlock offered him a smile and a slight bow before Merlin was turned bodily around by Morgana and kissed rather thoroughly. Gwaine, Percival and Elyan began to whistle and cheer while Leon clapped Arthur on the shoulder.

"That was an impressive display, my lord," the second knight of Camelot offered. "Gwaine didn't last half so long."

"Thank you, Leon. Merlin!" Arthur shouted, pulling Merlin back from Morgana's attentions.

"Yes?" Merlin asked, shaking his head to clear it.

"What am I supposed to do with these?" Arthur asked petulantly, waving the roses wildly.

Merlin smiled, then flicked a hand towards the flowers and murmured, "Ic i ágiefe."

Instantly, Arthur held two swords once more. When he looked back to give Merlin a surly retort, the warlock smiled impishly and wrapped his arms around Morgana. Merlin whispered, "Bestealcedon ácweahtedon urnon!" and he and Morgana disappeared in a blur of color and a gentle breeze.

"Now that is a handy trick," Gwaine muttered, shaking his head as everyone looked to the once-occupied space with wonder.


AN: If you're as OCD as I am, you may want to know when the various seasonal festivals on Merlin occur. (Beltane, Ostara and Samhain are mentioned/celebrated in the series) Beltane and Samhain divide the year in half, with six months on either side. The year is then divided into quarters with Imbolc and Lughnasadh. Between each of the four major festivals, there are smaller celebrations to mark either a solstice or an equinox.

Beltane: May 1

Litha: June 19-23

Lughnasadh: Aug 1

Mabon: Sept 21-24

Samhain: Nov 1

Yule: Dec 20-23

Imbolc: Feb 2

Ostara: Mar 19-22

I've noticed as I've read over the earlier chapters that my formatting is going nuts. There were a couple places that having an italicized word after a period removed the space between the two when I uploaded, causing the URL filter to delete the sequence. If you should happen to see a place where there seem to be missing words, I'm begging you, copy and paste it into a review or PM and let me know? Please? Thanks:)

ebhg:)