I'm sorry! Please read this!

I corrected a mistake in the last chapter after posting it! But put the wrong document in it's place! If you were one of the un-lucky ones you probably read the first couple of sentences to this and not the last chapter! I was horrified when I realised, I can't begin to explain how sorry I am!

Please go back and read the previous chapter. Sorry!

"It's lonely being the most powerful man you know and to have to live like a shadow.
To be special and to have to pretend to be a fool."

- Merlin

Chapter 20

Peace Offering

The wind streamed past him, buffeting him and trying to force him on another course. But he resisted it. Easily slicing the air with a powerful shift of his muscles and a heave of his wings. He stretched his neck far out and twitched his tail. The air current around his body changed as he moved his tail and he tilted his body to the side. He turned sideways and pointed towards the high mountains and hills in the distance.

He felt through the connection that Emrys was awake. He hoped the Dragonlord hadn't hurt himself. A strange admiration for the human welled up in Brynmor's being. The white dragon was another matter. She had woken not long after Emrys.

He would have to apologise. Not that he wanted to. He hadn't been there when she woke up the first time, thankfully. He didn't want to be there when Emrys wasn't awake to control her.

He wasn't afraid. But since Emrys had forbade him from harming any of his friends, he was not able to defend himself against them.

The humans didn't seem to hate him but nor did they like him. He didn't care either way. He had been alone for longer than he cared to admit, what was a few more years?

Brynmor looked down at the ground and spotted movement. A herd of deer were running through the browned grass of a dead meadow. Brynmor grinned.

He tucked in his wings and dived towards the ground. The wind tugged at the membrane of his folded wings and tried to force them open. The ground was rushing towards him. Every detail of the ground below him becoming clearer with every second.

Just a couple of hundred feet from crashing - Brynmor whipped out his wings and caught the air. He continued to drop but slowed down. He kept his eyes on the deer as he pulled his hind legs forward and landed with an earth shuddering crash!

A clawed foot slashed out and killed two deer in less than a second. His snarling maw opened wide as the remaining deer scattered in fright. He chuckled as he watched them. Then snapped his jaws and looked down at his catch.

They were scrawny animals. The magic-sapped earth providing little nutrition. He had been careful to take out the slowest ones at the back of the herd. If the earth had any chance of surviving it needed the fittest.

Carefully, Brynmor picked the deer up in his long claws and beat down with his wings.

He hoped the deer will provide a peace offering to Aithusa. If not, the humans can have them.

When he was soaring below the clouds once more, Brynmor enjoyed the sensation of the air running along his scales. It felt good to be in the open again. To stretch his wings as far out as he could and feel the warmth of the sun. Not that there was much warmth coming from the sun.

Brynmor glanced up at the brown dirty clouds and felt a pang of saddnes. This world he had emerged into was rotten and dying. The magic that had once drummed through the water, plants, rocks and air had dwindled to almost nothing. Except for the valley he had ridden next to for all these years. The magic Emrys had used filled the land briefly. The grass turning a different - greener - shade before it began to fade again. The magic was wearing out.

"Magic will never die, my lad,"

His Dragonlord's voice echoed in his mind. Brynmor couldn't help thinking that he was wrong. Magic was dying, it was happening now. But no, his Dragonlord had said 'Die' not 'dying'. Perhaps there was hope.

Valley's and hills washed beneath him until he suddenly hit a change in the air. Magic vibrating in it like firefly's. It was weaker than it had been a couple of days ago, he noticed.

Angling his body down, Brynmor gently descended towards the camp. Landing on his hind legs a few dragon-lengths away from the camp. He dropped the deer and put his forelegs down. Folding his wing's in neatly before picking the deer up in his mouth.

A feeling of dread crept up his spine as he stepped forward. He hoped he would survive Aithusa's wrath.

Arthur and Merlin had been chatting about everything and nothing. Mostly Merlin would listen as Arthur talked about some of the things he had missed while he had been... ill.

Merlin smiled and asked some questions but mostly left it to Arthur.

Gwen had returned as Arthur had launched into a story about Gwaine and the Toad. Her face had broken into the happiest of smiles Merlin had ever seen. Arthur's amusing tale of Gwaine and the Toad was cut short as she threw herself into Merlin's arms and kissed him on the cheek. Merlin hugged her back and blushed humbly. Saying that he was fine and he would explain when everyone else arrived.

Aithusa's awakening had been abrupt. Her eyelids flickered for a fraction of a second before snapping open and lifting her head up lightning quick.

She had lifted a foreleg to see Merlin's empty bedroll and growled softly. Her eyes scanning the campsite for the warlock and finally resting on him.

Merlin stood beside the camp fire and wrapped the blanket about him tighter. Gwen had given him a clean shirt but he was still cold. He longed to curl up beside Aithusa's warm scales, he had learnt that her internal fire was the best thing on cold nights. All those times Merlin had visited her in her cave had usually ended up with Merlin sleeping on her bed of rocks rather than his.

He tucked his head now and waited for the scolding. It didn't come.

She took three steps towards him before dipping her head and bringing her clawed foot around Merlin gently. It was her way of hugging him.

"Merlin, I was so worried,"

Merlin threw his arms up and wrapped them as far round her neck as he could, just behind her jaw. His blanket dropping to the floor.

"I'm sorry, Aithy,"

She hummed in contentment and lowered her head so she hid him from Arthur's and Gwen's view. Her eyes shut and breathing - deep.

"Merlin, you're freezing," she muttered. "We need to get some meat on you before you die of hypothermia,"

"Yes, Mam," Merlin muttered back sarcastically.

"I'm serious," Aithusa still had here eyes shut.

I know, Merlin switched to mind speak. I've eaten a bowl full of soup already, I'll eat more in a minute.

I hope you don't plan to make a habit of this again.

No, Merlin paused, just conscious of Arthur hearing every word of you mothering me.

Aithusa chuckled through the connection.

They broke apart and Aithusa curled up next to the fire. Merlin grinned in delight as she plucked his bedroll up with a claw and laid it down next to her. Merlin sat next to her, with his back leaned against her side. Warmth filled his body and he felt his eyes droop.

But he forced them open when he heard the shuffling of feet on dead leaves. Merlin looked up to see Gwen and Arthur looking at him worriedly. "I'm not going back to being that, if that's what your worried about,"

"No, of course not," Arthur answered too quickly. Then shrugged and glanced at Gwen.

Gwen just rolled her eyes and sat back down next to the fire. "He'll be fine, Arthur,"

Merlin grinned smugly.

That made Arthur certain. Grinning like a fool was Merlin.

Sitting back down, Arthur prepared to continue his story about Gwaine and the Toad when Merlin prompted him. But was cut off again when there was a loud rustling noise through the trees.

A deep growl developed in Aithusa'a chest and Merlin glanced up at her face. "Can you try to be nice?"

"No," she deadpanned.

Merlin sighed and picked himself up, walking back to the fire and wrapping the blanket around him again. He sat down next to a confused Arthur and slumped his shoulders. "Brynmor," he offered as an explanation.

Just as the Green Dragon stepped through the tree's and Aithusa growl deepened.

AN: Sorry that it isn't very long. Got loads to do and it felt like a good place to stop!

I don't know what "Gwaine and the Toad" was. If I think of something, I'll tell you. :D

By the way - I've just gone back and added a bit of "normal" writing to Throughout the Ages. Not all the chapters have something and most of the one's I added to only have a couple of sentences. Only two have a few paragraph's. But if you want to go back and read them, you're welcome to. And perhaps review? :)

The two chapters with a few paragraph's are - Bosworth and Black Death.

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin!

Star24

I'm glad you're enjoying it! :D More baddies next chapter! Thanks for reviewing!