A/N: Thank you for the reviews. I know the two year (!) hiatus was pretty unexcusable so I wasn't expecting any readers to stick around. Thank you to the guest reviewers as well, although I couldn't respond. Please know that I have an outline for the rest of the story and that I am planning on regular installments until the Dragon of Avalon's conclusion. -X
Arthur didn't know what to do, how to reach Merlin if he was even still alive somewhere inside of the creature sitting in front of him, so he just started to talk- about nothing of any consequence, but part of him hoped that the sound of him droning on would be enough to make the sorcerer snap out of whatever trance he was in just to tell him to shut up.
"We kept your room the same, you know. Yours and Gaius's. Guinevere wanted to tidy up in there but I thought it could be a good example for George to learn how not to clean. Sometimes I'll just send him in there and tell him he's not allowed to clean anything when he's being too annoying." He laughed. "I never thought I'd say it but I miss having you as a servant. George is just so boring sometimes. Well, all the time, actually."
There was no response from the dragon so he cleared his throat and kept going.
"We all miss you. I know you probably don't believe me because you're an idiot, and if you ever tell anyone I said so I'll have you executed, but.. I do. Gwen does. Percival, and Leon. Nobody's mad at you, you know. You don't have to atone for anything."
A lazy tendril of smoke drifted from the dragon's nostrils. Arthur didn't know what that meant, if it meant anything at all. He felt like he was talking to someone that was asleep. Or a housecat.
"Hunith is living in Camelot now. I think she's waiting for you. Guinevere took her on as her maid and she's doing well."
The dragon blinked languidly, eyes half closed.
"Haven't had any adventures since you left. Camelot's been... well, it's been boring."
The dragon yawned.
"Am I boring you?" He asked incredulously. "I'm sorry, I thought you wanted me here. Should I leave you to get back to..." he waved his arm petulantly towards the woods. "I don't know, hunting rabbits or whatever it is you do all day?"
Emrys' eyes slid closed with a contented purring noise and Arthur crossed his arms.
"Unbelievable." He looked to Aithusa, half hurt, half confused, but something in her gaze told him to wait. He sat down and watched the dragon sleep, his eyes running over each scar on its side as it rose and fell. As the breathing became deeper and more guttural, Emrys shifted. It reminded Arthur of when his dogs fell deep asleep- paws twitching in sequence, eyes skittering beneath heavy eyelids.
When the dragon's eyes snapped open, they looked human. Not pupilless like before, not empty like an animal, not soft like a child's. They looked haunted.
"Merlin?" He asked softly, and the dragon jumped to its feet, tail knocking over trees as it thrashed. "Hey! It's okay. I'm here."
The dragon whined, a keening, broken sound, and started moving backwards. Arthur reached out and touched its snout and the scales rippled like they had before, and for a second it seemed like the dragon was going to change back into a boy.
It was only for a moment. The dragon blinked, shook its head wildly, and then settled back onto the forest floor. Its eyes were empty again. Merlin was gone.
Aithusa made a low, breathy noise, and while Arthur couldn't understand her exactly he sensed that this was why she had sought him out. The ghost of his truest friend was haunting Emrys, and he felt a surge of pity. He had no idea what to do or who to turn to for advice. His first thought was Gaius, but the old physician was dead. Merlin was trapped.
"I don't know how to help him," he said feebly. Aithusa dipped her head as if to say that she didn't, either. "And if I help him... what happens to your friend? The dragon?"
Emrys, awake again, was watching Aithusa intently. She dropped her head low and Arthur understood some of the sacrifice she was offering.
"You'd lose him, wouldn't you? You'd be alone. They can't both exist, can they?"
She stared back at Arthur as Emrys nuzzled his head into her neck, sensing her sadness but not the cause. Arthur suddenly wanted nothing more than to be in bed with Guinevere. She'd know what to do, what to say. He felt helpless as he got back onto his horse and rode away.