Merlin, it's time, he heard his father say.
He woke Morgana gently.
"Is it morning? It's still dark," she asked, groggily.
"It's still long before sunrise, my love. But it's time to hatch our dragon. Father has called Kilgharrah. We're to meet him in the field outside the castle," he said, quickly dressing.
She dressed herself quickly, and grabbed a cloak.
They walked to the field, to join Balinor, as well as Arthur, Gwen, Gaius, Kara, and several of the Knights.
"Please don't be nervous when the Great Dragon arrives," Balinor said, holding the egg. "He cannot harm you, not under my control."
Arthur nodded, although he looked far from comfortable.
Just then, they heard wings flapping and an unexpected breeze. There in front of them, appeared an enormous dragon, landing gracefully onto the field. Everyone was speechless.
"Good evening, King Arthur, Once and Future King of Camelot. Am I to understand you approve of bringing another dragon into the world?" Kilgharrah said.
"Uh, yes. We found the egg with the intention of hatching it," Arthur said, clearly discomforted by the giant dragon.
"It is truly a sight to see, you shall not be disappointed, King Arthur," he said. "You are on the path to undoing the damage to Camelot by your father's purge."
"It is time," Balinor said. "Son, would you care to do the honors?"
"Me? But you're the Dragonlord," Merlin said.
"As are you. Go on."
"I… what do I do?" he asked, looking at the egg with wonder.
"Call her by name from the egg," he said, handing Merlin the egg.
Merlin looked at Morgana, who was waiting breathlessly. He held up the egg and shouted, "Aithusa!"
He felt the egg rumble from within, until the shell began to crack. The shell broke away until a tiny white dragon emerged, blinking as though she'd just awoken from a long nap.
Morgana gasped with delight. "Aithusa! My darling girl!"
The dragon looked at her and chirped happily.
"Do I have your word the young dragon is safe in Camelot, King Arthur?" Kilgharrah asked.
"Yes, as are you. You have my word," Arthur said.
Balinor nodded. "The old agreements are restored, Kilgharrah. You have safe passage once again, old friend."
"I will return when the time comes to teach Aithusa the old ways. Until then, I trust she will be safe in the witch's care during her infancy," Kilgharrah said.
"I will take very good care of her," Morgana said, stroking her head as she chirped.
With that, Kilgharrah left them to care for the baby dragon.
. . .
"It's remarkable how bonded the dragon is to you, Morgana," Merlin commented, looking at his future wife, and her dragon, with amusement. "Perhaps you are of the dragonlord lineage yourself; certainly more powerful than me."
"I suspect Aithusa knows Morgana well. She would have seen the same visions, even from within her egg. Dragons are great seers," Balinor said. "She's connected to her in a way I've never seen with one who is not of our lineage."
"I'm glad you're here to help with her care, there's so much I don't know. In my visions, Aithusa never learned to talk. But I could communicate with her anyway. I could sense her, as she could sense me," Morgana said, feeding the little dragon pieces of raw meat from her hand. It seemed to make Arthur a bit queasy, which was even more incentive for her to do it. She grinned as he winced every time the little dragon gobbled up more meat and then sloppily licked Morgana's palm clean.
"She can certainly learn to speak, in time," Balinor said, scratching Aithusa on the head now that her belly was full. The little dragon belched and a little puff of fire came out, enough to light a candle.
Arthur cringed in disgust. "Is that really necessary?"
"What?" Morgana asked innocently.
"Your dragon! Eating at the dinner table! Belching fire!" he said with horror. Gwen stifled a smile with her napkin.
Morgana looked at him with indignation. "She's just a baby! And your table manners are hardly exemplary, Arthur Pendragon. At least Aithusa has an excuse," she said, cooing at Aithusa as though he had hurt the little dragon's feelings.
Arthur stuffed a large roll into his mouth and sulked.
"Kara," Morgana turned to her ward. "Merlin and I are meeting with a local Druid leader tomorrow, and I wondered if you wanted to accompany us. We are looking for someone to officiate our marriage ceremony. Maybe there's someone there you know, or who could at least give you clues about your family."
Kara nodded, looking down at her plate.
Morgana smiled warmly at the young girl sitting across the table from her, next to Gwen. "Regardless of what you find out, if you don't want to stay with them, or wherever your people are, you are welcome to stay with us. Continue your studies with Gaius," she said.
"I don't wish to be a burden," Kara said, unsure.
"Nonsense, we enjoy your company, and Gaius enjoys having you around," Merlin said. "Morgana and I don't have as much time to help him these days, and he could definitely use the help."
Gwen chimed in. "We all enjoy your company, Kara. We'd be happy for you to stay. And if you choose not to, we certainly hope you'll visit often."
"Thank you. I'm happy here as well," she smiled brightly.
"Kara," Arthur began, hesitating.
"Yes, Sire?" she turned to him.
"Would you tell us about your upbringing in the Druid camp?" he asked, then hesitated again. "You don't have to. I understand if the loss of your family is too painful to discuss even the happy memories."
She smiled sadly. "What would you like to know, Sire?"
"Learning magic. Are Druid children taught by their parents, or are there instructors?"
"A combination. We're taught magic just as we're taught language, and writing, and other skills. If we show a particular talent, we might be chosen to study further with one of the Druid Elders, or we may just continue to be taught by our parents."
"Do all Druids have magic?"
"To some degree. It may not be powerful, but it's present in all of us, we're all capable of magic. Even you, Sire."
Arthur looked surprised at that. "Surely not."
"Magic lives within you. You were born of magic, were you not, Sire? The Druids speak of it. The King who would unite us, born of magic, would bring magic back to Albion. I have to admit, I didn't believe it myself, not after my parents were killed by your father. I thought…" she looked down at her lap.
Arthur frowned. "You thought I would continue where he left off. I understand why you would think that. For years, I carried out my father's orders, to persecute your people. And for that, I am truly sorry."
She nodded. "I believe in you now, Sire."
Arthur smiled. "I am honored to have your faith."
"I believe it's time for dessert," Gwen said, gesturing to the servants. They brought in a beautiful cake, in the shape of a dragon.
"Oh look, Aithusa, my darling, it's you!" Morgana exclaimed, holding up the little dragon to see. Aithusa yawned and curled up on Morgana's lap, closing her eyes. "Well, I'm impressed at least," she laughed.
. . .
The next day, they took a trip to find the nearest Druid settlement. Morgana provided Kara with new riding gear, and Arthur had decided he would go as well, in order to assure the Druids they were finally safe in Camelot. Morgana mounted her horse, wearing Aithusa bundled up in a sling like a human baby. When Merlin teased the possibility of Morgana nursing the baby dragon, Arthur threatened to banish them both, riding off ahead of them as Merlin laughed.
Kara rode beside Merlin, asking him questions about some spells she was working through with Gaius. When they stopped to water the horses, being close to the last known location of the Druid camp, Merlin helped Kara with some spell work, and Morgana took the opportunity to talk to Arthur. Aithusa took the opportunity to stretch her wings and do some flying, interested in what Merlin and Kara were doing.
"Arthur, you still seem… discontent with me since I was enchanted," she began. "Is there something I can do to make it better between us?"
"The only thing standing between us is Morgause," Arthur said, staring straight ahead.
She sighed. "What would you have me do?"
He turned to look her. "Stop meeting with her for starters. She may be your sister, but she's not your friend. She poisoned your mind! And I almost lost you!" he shouted. He didn't have to look back to know Merlin and Kara had stopped casting, looking up at his outburst. They exchanged a glance and walked further downstream.
"But you haven't lost me," she said, reaching for him.
He held her hand tightly. "Maybe not this time. But the visions you had, of us both dying on the battlefield of Camlann…"
"That won't come to pass, not now. I haven't dreamed of it in so long, even before Morgause gave me the bracelet," she assured him.
He shook his head. "That's not even what I fear. I fear losing you to Morgause. I fear you leaving me and taking up arms with her. I fear having to fight the only family I have left."
"Then don't push me away, Brother. You have only to tell me your fears so I can allay them. I made you a promise, that I will always be by your side, and I intend to keep it."
He nodded. She sighed, and hugged him. He relaxed in her embrace. "You won't lose me. I will be faithful to you."
Looking over Morgana's head, Arthur gasped, causing Morgana to turn and look. "We mean no harm!" he exclaimed.
Morgana put up a hand and deflected the arrow released towards them. "We come in peace, a chàirdean," she said.
"Morgana?" a voice said, emerging from the trees.
He was much older, practically a grown man, but she would recognize him anywhere.
"Mordred?" she gasped, straining to see him better. "Is it really you?"
His face broke into a huge smile as she ran forward to hug him. "Look at you! You've grown up! You're a man now!"
"Thanks to you and Arthur," he said, smiling down at her tenderly. He looked over at Arthur and nodded. "Sire."
"Mordred, we are here on a diplomatic mission. Now that I am King, I'm here to make amends for the harm my father, and I, have caused your people."
He looked surprised at that. "I will take you to Aglain. Follow me."
"Oh, first, we need to find Merlin and Kara," Morgana said. She called to them. It's safe to return, Arthur and I have resolved our differences. And we've found the Druids.
Waiting for their companions, Morgana and Mordred continued to catch up, sharing stories and laughing.
"Ah, Merlin and Kara have returned," Arthur interrupted, pointing. Mordred stared in confusion. "Yes, Merlin is still as stupid as he looks," Arthur said, seeing Mordred's expression of bewilderment. "And Morgana has a flying lizard as a pet. She lets it eat at the table with us, it's quite disgusting." Morgana rolled her eyes.
"No, that's… that couldn't be… when you said Kara, I didn't realize," Mordred said with emotion. "She's alive."
"Oh, you know her?" Morgana asked brightly. "That's wonderful. We were hoping to reconnect her with her people."
"She disappeared years ago, along with her parents. We feared the worst," he said, watching her approach, as she talked and laughed with Merlin.
"The worst did happen; her parents were executed by my father's order," Arthur said, sadly. "You have that in common."
"Mordred?" Kara said suddenly, seeing him for the first time. She broke out into a smile, and ran to embrace him.
"It really is you," he said into her hair, gripping her tightly.
Merlin looked at Morgana questioningly. I'll explain later, she said.
Morgana cleared her throat. "Shall we go and find Aglain?"
Mordred pulled away, blushing. "Yes, yes, of course. Follow me."
The Druids were shocked to be welcoming them into their camp. King Arthur, The Great Uniter, they called him. Emrys and the Sorceress Morgana. And their long lost child, Kara. An impromptu celebration was declared in their honor, with music and dancing. Morgan and Merlin were mesmerized by being there with the Druids, who were their kin. It was so different than either of their upbringings: Morgana's in a cold, formal court, and Merlin's as a peasant in a farming community. They soaked up all they could, in appreciating their culture, while Arthur made assurances for their economic involvement in Camelot. Others, however, spent their time reconnecting.
"They're obviously sweet on each other," Morgana whispered to Merlin at the camp fire that evening, nodding towards Kara and Mordred. "I'm afraid we might lose her after all."
"Probably for the best. She belongs with her people," he said with a sad smile.
"I wonder what it would have been like," Morgana said. "If we'd been raised among magic users. Have you ever wondered?"
"Often," he said, squeezing her hand.
"I don't want to leave Arthur, certainly, we belong at his side. But I still want that, for our children, to have what we didn't, that sense of community."
"We'll build our own community," he said. "The Druids don't have to live in the shadows any longer, no magic user does."
Aglain approached them, bringing a plate of sweet fruits, and scraps of meat for Aithusa. "I hear congratulations are in order, that the two of you are to be bound."
"Yes, we'd hoped you would be willing to perform our ceremony. We wish to be married in the Old Religion," Morgana said.
"I would be honored. I have been told by our best seer that you are to become a High Priestess. Your power will be unmatched by any but Emrys."
"Even my sister, Morgause?" she asked, skeptically.
"Morgause is formidable, but her ambitions will be her undoing," he said.
"I don't wish to see her undone. I wish to see her as our ally, as Arthur's ally," Morgana frowned. "But she has already betrayed my trust."
"There is a great war coming, you have already seen it, Morgana. Loyalties can change, but the war is always there."
"War is always there," she agreed sadly.
"In the meantime, we celebrate our newfound freedom from fear in Camelot and work to build a future that will survive the dark times ahead. And, of course, celebrate your nuptials," Aglain said, drinking from his cup.
They spent the night in the Druid camp, celebrating, while Arthur spoke with the Druid elders about his plans for integration. In the morning, it was time to leave, and Morgana pulled Kara aside as they packed the horses.
"If you wish to stay, Kara, you are welcome to do so. These are your people, your family. Just know that Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, Gaius and I, we are your family too, and you will always have a place with us," she said, smoothing a loose strand of the girl's hair.
"I wish to return with you, at least for now. I want to study more with Gaius," she smiled.
Morgana hugged her. "Selfishly, I'm so glad."
Mordred approached Arthur. "Sire. Morgana tells me the Knights of Camelot are no longer restricted to nobility."
"That is correct," Arthur said.
"Does that include those with magic?" he asked.
Arthur raised his eyebrows. "I don't see why not. Magic is now legal, and those with magic have the same rights as all others."
"Then I want to be a Knight," Mordred said, breathlessly. "I want to serve you, and Camelot."
Arthur smiled. "Then you should return with us and train, to prepare for the challenge of knighthood."
The color drained from Merlin's face.