A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Blue Jean nailed it. Kilgharrah was spouting all that confusing nonsense just to tick Merlin off. He's excellent at pushing buttons! Many of you had great comments and they did influence some of the wording in this chapter. I'm just stealing stuff right and left! Thanks!
Sky blue eyes wearily opened. The world was lost in a haze. He must be looking up at the heavens above him. What else could be so blue? He dreamily tried to blink away the haze. Alarm shot through him when something like a massive reptilian head moved across his vision. His body seemed strangely weighted and could not react. The dull ache in his chest pained him.
"So you have awakened," pronounced a profound, gravelly voice.
Arthur frowned. "I'm not so sure about that. This seems more like a dream."
"Clarity will return," said the voice in unconcern.
Arthur blinked up at the large golden eyes of a dragon he thought looked suspiciously familiar and noted that the dragon, strangely, wasn't trying to kill him. "You're sure this isn't a dream," he questioned flatly.
"Quite sure, Your Majesty."
Arthur cursed softly.
"What concerns you?"
"No offense, but I hadn't realized that the afterlife would include talking to the dragon I'd dispatched."
The dragon snorted and the heat of his breath inadvertently warmed the king through. Which was quite nice actually, Arthur thought, because he felt stiff and cold as though he'd been laying on the hard, damp ground for hours.
"You will not be passing to Avalon for many years. Merlin has seen to that," said the dragon who, miraculously, still wasn't trying to kill him.
Arthur followed the dragon's glance and discovered his friend lying within arm's reach.
"Wait! Merlin! We made it? The Sidhe.."
"The Sidhe had nothing to do with it," the dragon snapped as the king weakly pushed himself into a sitting position. "The young warlock finally claimed all his powers and saved you. It is to him that you owe your life."
Arthur quickly placed his hand on his friend's chest to assure himself of a strong steady heartbeat, then squinted up at the dragon towering above them. "Merlin. Merlin saved me."
"Yes. Once again. Although this time it required more power than has been seen in the world of men."
"But Gaius said that only the Sidhe.."
The dragon snorted again, this time a bit more forcefully, and the heat wasn't quite as pleasant.
"Gaius knows much according to the wisdom of men, but the old man has little understanding when it comes to the power and destiny locked within the young warlock entrusted to his care. He knew of Merlin's prophesied destiny but could not truly comprehend his power."
"You mean to say that Gaius was wrong?" Was that possible? Such a thought had never crossed Arthur's mind. Gaius was the one person who had the answers to all problems of a magical nature.
"He was wrong to think that only the Sidhe had the power to save you by their arts. He was wrong to underestimate Merlin's power and thereby lead the boy himself to underestimate his own gifts. The physician has survived by being cautious. He implanted much of that reserve into his ward."
Arthur wrinkled his nose in confusion.
"How did Merlin figure it out, then? Last I remember, I was definitely dying and he- he seemed.." He broke off at the emotion choking him as he remembered their last moments together. Stay with me. He gripped Merlin's arm.
"Merlin's magic is most powerful when it is called upon instinctually. Once he ceased hesitating and doubting and began acting, he was able to harness his power as a dragon lord to his magic and command the blade.."
"Wait! He's a Dragon Lord!" Arthur scrutinized his friend's peaceful, pale face.
"Yes."
Arthur narrowed his eyes. That lying, sneaking little… A plethora of angry questions popped into his head, but they all needed to be answered by the unconscious man at his side. "I was beginning to wonder how you survived, but knowing this soft hearted fool, I think my question has been answered." He huffed. "Did I even wound you?" he asked, sounding extremely annoyed.
The dragon snorted again.
"A mere scratch."
Arthur patted his hair checking to make sure it wasn't singed. "Look, ..Dragon,.. I don't mean to sound rude, but if you need to expel breath could you do it in another direction? I'm wearing metal armor and it's getting rather uncomfortably warm."
"My apologies. And you may address me as Kilgharrah."
The king nodded. "Kilgharrah." The foreign name tripped inelegantly off his tongue. "So, back to Merlin thinking too hard. How did he manage it, then?"
"I provoked him."
"You provoked him. How?"
"I merely frustrated him to the point that he became furious and finally took matters into his own hands."
"Yes, I can see how you'd be good at that," Arthur muttered.
"You have little idea, Your Majesty."
Arthur raised an eyebrow as the dragon chuckled.
Kilgharrah regarded Merlin's sleeping form. "Our communications throughout the years have often been a source of frustration to him, but I found many of them vastly entertaining."
Arthur scowled up at him. It sounded as though the old dragon had enjoyed tormenting his friend.
"Is that so."
"I have been very forthright with you, Your Highness. Merlin often objected because I was much less so with him, however it was necessary. Much is learned when one is forced to think and learn for one's self. And his growth was necessary. Such vast power could not be safely entrusted to a naive, unthinking soul no matter how pure and gentle hearted.
Arthur leaned tiredly over his friend and pulled the neckerchief away from where it had flopped over his jawline. Pure and gentle hearted. Yes, that definitely sounded accurate. Naive and unthinking.. that sounded like the Merlin he'd first met, but the young man was very different now, much more stable and serious, mature. In a way it was a loss, but, Arthur supposed, everyone loses the innocence of youth at some point. And in some cases, such as his and, apparently, Merlin's, Responsibility demanded that it happen sooner than for most others. He sighed heavily.
A sudden loud chirrup sounded and a rapid shadow passed low overhead. Arthur ducked and fell back as a smaller dragon, shining white, circled and landed to perch beside them. He threw his hands in the air. "Oh, this just keeps getting better and better! There are more dragons?!"
The younger dragon chirruped again and moved closer to Arthur.
"This is Aithusa. Merlin is her Hatching Father."
"He..what?" The overwhelmed king shook his head and his eyes closed as he exhaustedly waved his hand. He tried to mentally count dragons on his fingers. 1. The great dragon. 2. Morgana's wretched creature. And 3. Merlin's apparent baby. Three dragons and an all powerful idiot who'd been withholding enough information to fill a royal vault. "Nevermind explaining. I'm still not entirely sure this isn't a dream and I've had more than enough revelations today. And, anyway, I should be having this conversation with Merlin," he grumbled.
"Rest, Once and Future King. You and Emrys must both rest and regain strength," said Kilgharrah.
"Once and Future…? Emrys?"
"The druid prophecies speak of.."
"Shut up," muttered the King irritatedly, then rolled over and fell asleep.
Another note: Did Kilgharrah seem a bit OC to you, being so straightforward and helpful and all? Stay tuned. We aren't done exploring.