Just so you know, if you haven't read chapter thirteen, you skipped it. I gave you two chapters at a time this time as an apology for making you think there was a new chapter with my temper tantrum. So go back and read 13 before you read this one. Thanks!

Guinevere sighed in relief when Kilgharrah flew into the hole she was still dazedly standing in and didn't try to kill her. A very good thing, because she would've been fried for sure if he were still in attack-mode, for she felt so shocked by all that was happening, so hopeless, she could hardly move.

Seeing him now made her move though.

"I am sorry for all that has happened," said the dragon wearily.

Gwen immediately narrowed her eyes at the dragons. "Are you alright?" she asked carefully.

"You see much, Guinevere," he said in an amused way. "I am simply old."

"You don't mean..."

"That I'm dying?" he asked. "I've been dying for nearly a decade. My time is finished. I shall return to the energy of the Earth, where I began. It is only the circle of life."

"Has this exertion made the day come sooner?"

He huffed. "I fear so," he admitted.

"How long do you have?" she asked.

"Even I do not know when I will die, and that is not why I came to speak with you."

"Then what is it, Kilgharrah?"

"Camelot will rebuild, and Arthur will retake his place on the throne."

She nodded. "I knew he was avoiding it for some reason."

"Indeed, but Lancelot has spoken with him and made him see reason."

Hearing his name made Gwen smile. "That's good," she said.

"You know, I have lived a long time," the dragon said suddenly, "and still, even I feel warmth in my heart at the sight of love." The words surprised Gwen, and she looked up at him, waiting for more. "You know who your King loves." Gwen nodded. "And even though you are going on separate paths now, you must still share the throne."

"You think so?" Gwen asked.

"Arthur needs your wisdom. And..." Kilgharrah added, "I don't think everyone would be happy about the announcement that the King and Queen are separating."

"I know," Gwen agreed.

"You must hide it from the people." Kilgharrah's head waved and his eyelids drooped. Gwen feared he had even less time than he had insinuated. Why else would he be talking about something like this while three young dragons terrorised Camelot?

"I will," she agreed.

"Now I will try to stop the other dragons."

"But Kilgharrah, your strength. You can't."

"And yet I must."

And before she could say anything else, he flew away. Thinking of losing the dragon and his wisdom really did make her sad.

Merlin found the clearing where the sorceress waited, chanting to the dragons. The destruction had continued, and even though Kilgharrah seemed to have stopped helping, even three small dragons could do damage, and he could hear it being done as he entered the area where she waited.

He told Arthur and Lancelot to stay in the woods. They both tried to argue, but he said that they would only be another target for Greyda and that they could run out to his rescue if it looked like Merlin was losing.

"Merlin," she said when she saw him. "I knew you would get out eventually, but I hoped it would be after your city had fallen.

"Greyda, this is insane," Merlin said. "Queen Guinevere has done nothing but try to help your people."

"My people? All my people are dead!" she screeched.

"I'm not," Merlin said, stepping forward. "I'm very much alive, and you're the one who threw me in a well to die, not Gwen. Think about what you're doing. Abusing the dragons like this. As the one of the last dragonlords, you should be helping them to grow up safely, not making them kill for you the moment they're born."

Her upper lip twitched, like she just barely heard what Merlin had said and understood it. But that was enough. If she could be reasoned with at all, Merlin would find a way.

"What Uther did to our people was beyond wrong," Merlin said. "I know that. They were my family too. But that does not pass on to Gwen. She is a great queen."

"Gwen," Greyda spat. "You have a nickname for her."

"I knew her when she was just a servant to Morgana."

Greyda froze. "She worked for Morgana?"

"Yes. Back before greed and hatred consumed her."

Greyda sneered again. "Oh, then. Morgana mentioned the days when she was weak, conformed to what Uther wished."

Merlin figured this woman had known Morgana, but if she was going this as revenge because of Morgana's death, she had waited an awful long time to exploit it.

"That doesn't change that Gwen isn't just a royal who doesn't understand the people. She was the people. And she is my friend, not just my queen."

"And you are weak too!" yelled Greyda.

Merlin sighed. "I'm trying to help you here, Greyda. Because if you don't agree to stop this, I'll have to stop you myself."

"You cannot stop me! Your powers do not work the way they should. I can see just by looking at you. There is a block in the heart of your soul, black with grief and mistrust and fear. You cannot stop me with your heart battling your soul!"

Even this Greyda could see the problem when he hadn't been able to?

But he shook his head. There had to be another way. It was too sentimental to be the truth.

So Merlin chanted something quickly to send Greyda flying, but just like before, she was able to send him back first. This time, he didn't knock his head quite so hard, but he felt like he was being forced into the ground, unable to move.

Then Merlin nearly choked on nothing when he heard the voice.

"Let him go!" Arthur yelled to the sorceress.

"Arthur!" Merlin pleaded. "Run!"

But it was too late. Greyda sent Arthur flying through the air, and he knocked into a tree hard, falling to the ground.

Merlin glared up at her, almost feeling Arthur's pain with him.

"You'll regret that," Merlin hissed, starting to get up. Greyda looked at him with wide eyes, trying to continue her spell, but Merlin was still standing up slowly. "You do not hurt the people I love!" Merlin was surprised at how easy it actually was to say. "Arthur," he called over his shoulder at the prone figure by the tree. "I love you, you clotpole."

Then he looked back to Greyda, who was gaping at him. He almost felt as the black mass in his chest started to dissolve away, as if all the hurt he had been holding in from the years without Arthur was disappearing.

Merlin did an incantation and before Greyda could even think to counter it, she was flying halfway across the clearing, hitting the ground with a bang. Merlin smiled. Now that was how his magic was supposed to work.

He ran up to her and she already had open eyes.

"Please," she said. "I am your kin."

"No," Merlin disagreed. "You lost that privilege when you hurt Arthur."

And Merlin didn't know how he knew how to do it, but he muttered ancient words and the ground began to swallow Greyda. She looked up at him with wide, scared eyes, but she had very little time to do so, as soon all that was in her place was a dark crack in the ground.

There's probably only one or two more chapters left. Please review!