A/N: Never get a job kids, you'll get flippin' rekt like I am right now. I had fun with this chapter, though. I am super excited to start season three as some of my favorite episodes are there and there are a lot of scenes that I want to rewrite. Anyway, here is the end of season two. Woohoo!


The Last Dragon Lord

Part Two

We rode hard until the sun fell out of the sky and it became too dark for us to see in the thick forest. Arthur had then deemed it necessary for us to stop, both for the horse's safety and our own. After we had built a small fire and set up camp we sat in silence, the air heavy around us.

"I had always thought that silence would be a blessing with you people." Arthur said as he removed one of his boots. "But it's just as irritating."

"The last hope for Camelot is gone, I'm sorry if I'm not in a chatty mood." I muttered. Arthur had been far too chipper since we left Ballinor. I did not understand why, but it was definitely gotten on my nerves.

"Forgive me." He said with a false bow. "What about you, Aleya? No witty response?"

"Nope." Aleya said as she stared down at the ground.

"Fine, what about you Merlin. I've come to rather like your nonsense." The crowned prince said as he looked at his servant.

"And I've come to realize that you're not as arrogant as you sound." Merlin said, leave it to him to play along with it.

"You still think I'm arrogant?" Arthur asked sounding vaguely offended.

"Not arrogant, more supercilious." Merlin said in a matter of fact tone.

"That's a big word, Merlin. Are you sure you know what it means?" Arthur asked.

"Condescending." Merlin said confidently.

"Very good." Arthur said.

"Patronizing." Aleya said.

"It doesn't quite mean that." Arthur responded.

"No, these are other things you are." Aleya said in the same patronizing voice that Arthur had been using with Merlin.

"Overbearing." Merlin said.

"Very overbearing." I said, but as the words escaped my mouth I saw Arthur draw his sword out of the ground and become alert.

"Be quiet." Arthur whispered.

"I thought you wanted us to talk?" Aleya said.

Another stick broke in the woods and Merlin followed Arthur's example and stood up grabbing his sword as he went. Merlin with a sword was a terrifying thought, and it looked terribly awkward in the warlock's hands. I pulled out my sword as well when another stick broke from behind us. I swung around on my heals, ready to fight when I realized that the cause of the sounds was Ballinor.

"Careful, girl." He said as he pushed my sword down. "I thought you might need some help, this is dangerous country."

"And will you return to Camelot with us?" Arthur asked.

"You were right, Merlin. There were some in Camelot who risked their lives for me. I owe a debt that must be repaid." He said, Merlin smiled.

"If you succeed in killing the dragon you will not go unrewarded." Arthur said as he sheathed his sword.

"I seek no reward." Ballinor said.

"Great." Arthur responded.


Arthur had gone to bed rather early, I was not sure why considering the fact that he had slept the better part of the day. Samantha and I sat up for a while and she talked Ballinor's ear off, but I knew that we needed to give Merlin time to speak with his father. To let his father know who he was, that certainly was not going to be an easy conversation.

I shot Samantha a glance which she caught onto very quickly. She forced out a very exaggerated and dramatic yawn and then retired to her bed roll. I kissed Merlin on the top of the head and did the same, but sleep evaded me.

It was not just the fact that I kind of wanted to hear what Merlin and Ballinor would talk about, but the worry that was welled up within me. With the night came the attacks for Camelot. People were dying right now, and we were trying to save them, but we would be too late for the people tonight. That thought disgusted me. I thought back to Lillian, her death had etched its way onto my mind and I would never be able to forget it. If I would have been sooner she would be alive, but I was not good enough.

I drew my mind away from grave matters and focused in on the sounds of the night. I heard an owl hooting in the distance, some crickets singing their song not to far away. Most importantly, I could hear the muffled conversation between Merlin and Ballinor. I shamelessly listened, eager to hear.

"Why did you never return?" Merlin asked.

"I thought her life would be better without me." Ballinor said referencing Hunith.

"Why?" Merlin inquired.

"Uther wanted me dead, if he'd found me he would have killed me and your mother. I wanted her to be safe." Ballinor explained, "I think you can probably understand that."

"I do." Merlin said.

"She's a fine girl, Aleya, and she loves you dearly." Ballinor said, I felt myself begin to blush. "Hold onto her."

"I'll never let her go." Merlin said. "When we've finished in Camelot I'll take you to Ealdor." Merlin said after a long pause.

"She won't recognize me." Ballinor replied with a small laugh. "I see her in you."

"Yeah?" Merlin said questioningly.

"You have her kindness." Ballinor said.

"How did you become a dragon lord?" Merlin asked.

"You don't choose to become a dragon lord, it's not something that you're taught. It's a sacred gift." Ballinor said. "For thousands of years it's been handed down from father to son. That is what you must now become, Merlin."

"I would like that." Merlin said.

"And like all dragon lords, you won't know for sure that you have that power until you face your first dragon." Ballinor said. "You get some sleep, we've got a long day ahead of us." He finished in a very fatherly tone. I heard the sound of rustling leaves as Ballinor walked over to his bed roll. "Good night, son." he said after a moment.

"Sleep well, father." Merlin responded.

I could not help the smile that went across my face. I was happy for Merlin, he finally was going to have the family that he so desperately deserved. I understood what it was like to not know your father, and that was something that Merlin would never struggle with again. I hoped that once the dragon had been defeated they would go to Ealdor and be a family.


I woke up early, probably because I had gone to bed so early and because sleep was something easily hindered by worry. Aleya had been giving me a look the night before, which was my cue to go to bed. I sat up and stretched out my back, oh how I missed my nice comfy bed. I looked around and saw Arthur sitting at the fire poking it with a stick. I walked over to him and sat down next to him, nudging him slightly as I went.

"You want to tell me what's bothering you?" I asked as I rested my head against his shoulder. I felt him inhale deeply.

"I'm just worried about Camelot." He responded.

"We've done it, though. Ballinor will take care of the dragon and this will all be over." I said.

"But how many have already perished?" Arthur asked. I raised my head up and looked him in they eyes.

"You can't save everyone, I know that that is a hard thing to swallow, but it is the truth." I said, "But you've done everything in your power to save as many people as you can, even at the risk of your own life. That's what matters." There was a moment of silence before Arthur tensed up and looked behind us.

"Did you hear that?" He asked. I turned my head and heard the distinct sound of someone walking.

"A squirrel?" I whispered, hoping that it was just a furry woodland creature.

"Wake Aleya." He whispered as he moved over to Merlin.

I ran over to my sleeping sister and put my hand over her mouth in an effort to stop her screaming. Her eyes flew open and she struggled for a moment before realizing that it was me. I placed me finger over my mouth and slowly moved my hand away from her as she sat up.

"Cenred's men." I whispered.

She picked up a sword off of the ground and stood, I mimicked her actions. I would not exactly say that I was comfortable wielding a sword, but I was better than I used to be. Arthur and i had been working a bit on it since I expressed an interest, but I was far from ready to bet my life on it.

A man ran out of the woods yelling and I immediately blocked his blow at me. He was definitely not as difficult an opponent as Arthur. I quickly got a blow to the stomach on him and he fell to the ground with a slight cry. As soon as I turned around another man came running at me, nothing like a bit of sparring in the morning.


I was fighting out of nothing more than self-defense as I did not have the upper hand on my attacker at all. Our swords locked in the air and I struggled to hold the blades away from my face. If this was going to be a battle of strength I was most certainly going to lose.

"Ferburne." I muttered, channeling the familiar feeling of magic rushing through me.

I was not sure if that would even work, but I had heard Merlin say it before and I thought that it was worth a try. The man dropped his sword with a call of pain and I could see steam rushing off of his hand as he clutched it. I took my opportunity and hit him on the back of the neck with the hilt of my sword. Great, I did not have to kill him. I looked up and saw a man readying his sword to stab at Merlin.

"Look out!" I yelled desperately.

Before I could react Ballinor jumped in front of his son and took the blow to the stomach. He fell back into Merlin's arms and I quickly ran over and drew the attacker away from them. I was being powered by nothing but pure rage when I sliced the man's stomach. He fell to the ground with a cry of pain and I felt guilt well within me, but that guilt quickly turned into worry as I knelt down to Merlin who was holding Ballinor in his arms.

"Merlin." Ballinor said weakly.

"Please no, please." Merlin pleaded in vain, "I can save you."

"Listen to me, when you face the dragon, remember, be strong." Ballinor said, "A dragon's heart is on its right side, not its left."

"I can't do it alone." Merlin said.

"Listen to me, you are my son. I have seen enough in you to know that you will make me proud." Ballinor said before he went limp in Merlin's arms. I looked up at Merlin.

"No…..Father." He said. Tears were not rolling down his face. I wrapped my arms around him and he began to sob into my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Merlin." I said.

"No!" Merlin yelled from behind us.

Merlin pulled away from me and wiped the tears from his eyes. He stood up silently and looked to Arthur.

"Camelot is doomed." Samantha muttered with shock on her face.


It did not take us very long to get back to Camelot, or at least it felt terribly quick because we knew what we would face when we got there. We were so close to saving the people, the kingdom that we all loved so dearly. Now Camelot was going to be destroyed, it seemed pointless to return.

Arthur had led the way straight back to Uther's chambers where he would undoubtedly inform the king about our failure. Aleya and I stood out in the hallway, enshrouded in silence as we waited for someone to emerge from the room.

"Ballinor wasn't just the last dragon lord, was he?" I asked. I had seen how upset Merlin had been when Ballinor had died, there was something more there.

"He was Merlin's father." Aleya said.

"Damn." I muttered. It seemed like everything we touched got destroyed. "I thought the dragon was our friend, why is he doing this?"

"He has been trapped in the basement for twenty years, would you not be angry?" Aleya said. I shook my head.

"What are we going to do? We need a plan B." I said with resolve. There had to be something that we could do.

"Last night, I heard Ballinor and Merlin talking." Aleya said, "Ballinor said that the dragon lord gift is passed down from father to son."

"So, Merlin can stop the dragon?" I asked allowing myself to become hopeful.

"If he is strong." Aleya said, she then looked me in the eyes. "I have never known Merlin not to be strong."


After the council was dismissed I had rushed to Merlin's chambers. I knew that he was not okay, how could he be? I had been absolutely destroyed when my father had passed, and all of Merlin's wounds were fresh. When I knocked on the door a worried looking Gaius let me in.

"Is he alright?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"I don't know." Gaius said. "You should speak to him."

I nodded and walked back to the door. I pecked on it and found no answer so I slowly opened the door. Merlin was sitting on the bed holding the wooden dragon that Ballinor had made for him just hours before his death. I walked over to him and sat down next to him on the bed.

"He said the dragon lord's gift is passed down from father to son." Merlin said after a long moment of silence.

"So you can stop the dragon?" I asked as I stared into those blue eyes which were so filled with pain.

"I can't." He said whilst shaking his head.

"Once again you are Camelot's only hope. I believe with all my heart that you are capable of stopping the dragon." I said.

"I don't know how to, Ally." Merlin said with defeat in his voice. "I wish I knew."

"You heard what your father said." I responded as I grabbed one of his hands. "When you face the dragon you will know what to do, be strong."

"They could have been happy." he said after a long moment.

"What?" I asked.

"My mother and father, they could have been happy." Merlin said.

"I'm sorry, Merlin." I said.


I walked into Arthur's chambers, my heart heavy. It had been decided that our best hope was for the knights to ride out and face the dragon. We all knew that this was a mission from which they would not return, but what other hope was there? When I entered I saw Arthur struggling with the fastening on one of his gauntlets. I smiled a bit and then walked over to help him.

"I don't know where my useless manservant is." he said as I fastened the piece of armor.

"You need to be careful." I said as I looked him in the eyes.

"You realize that this mission is almost hopeless?" Arthur said. I shook my head, I knew that he was right, but I had to hope.

"I realize that you are destined to do great things and you can't die here." I said, "And if you do I'll march into the afterlife and drag you out." Arthur laughed.

"I certainly believe it." Arthur said. There was a long pause but I found peace in the silence. "I'm sorry that I have to say goodbye like this."

"You're not doing that, you're not saying goodbye." I said whilst shaking my head. "Not until I say you can."

"Yes ma'am." He said. There was another moment of silence.

"Come back." I commanded, I would not give him a choice.

"I'll try." He said before kissing me, perhaps for the last time.


I hugged Merlin tightly before we walked out of the castle. He was going to be okay, he had to be. There was no way that our destinies could end here, not like this. Merlin and Arthur would return victorious, I knew it.

"You've got this." I said as I looked up into his eyes, "I know you can do it."

"I love you, Aleya." He said. I stood in silence for a moment and just looked at him.

"I love you too." I responded and then hugged him one last time.

Merlin led the way out into the courtyard where he met Arthur and the knights. I stood beside of Samantha as we watched them ride out of the castle. I had no doubt that Merlin would be able to do this, my warlock was strong. He just had to figure out how to use his gifts, and I knew that he would.

The moments passed infinitely slower than normal as we awaited their return. Samantha paced around the room as I stared anxiously out the window biting my nails. Fog had rolled into the courtyard, but I felt my heart leap as I saw two figures emerge from it.

"They did it!" I yelled as I ran out the door.

I did not pay any mind to whether or not Samantha was behind me, or who saw me as I ran across the courtyard towards Merlin. He met me in the middle and we spent a long moment in each other's embrace.

"You did it." Is said without letting go.

"Kilgarrah left and will never return." He said with a smile on his face.

"I'm so proud of you." I said, and we stood there like that for a long moment. Neither of us really cared about anyone seeing us, just that we were together.


"Looks like you were right." Arthur said with a quirky smile as we moved towards each other. "I did come back." I looked him over and shook my head.

"Shut up." I said before kissing him. I pulled away and looked into his eyes, I had honestly thought that I would never see him again. I never wanted to face that feeling again. "Camelot is safe again."

"I'll always keep you safe, Samantha." He said before kissing me again.


A day had passed since the dragon had been banished and Camelot was still recovering. I had to do something, this was something that I had really dreaded doing since I had agreed to it, but Lillian deserved that much. I walked up to one of the houses and knocked on the door. A man with sandy blonde hair opened the door and looked shocked to see me.

"Are you Joseph?" I asked.

"Yes, my lady." He responded.

"I just…" I searched for the words, "When the dragon attacked I helped people who were injured and…I helped Lillian." His face dropped. "She wanted me to tell you that she loved you." There were now tears welling in his eyes.

"Thank you." He said before hugging me. I tried to hug him back in a way that would comfort him, but I could not imagine the pain that he was going through.

"You're very welcome." I said.


Blue Timing: Oh my word, you are seriously the best! I am so glad that you like the story!

: I feel like Arthur's general cockiness translates well into flirtatious tendencies, to be honest. It's like my favorite thing. I will try my best to keep updating frequently, thank you so much for still reading despite my random update times!