"Accidental Eavesdropping" (Rose)
Arthur falls asleep to the crackling of the fire without difficulty. I am not so lucky in my endeavors. I am lying with my back to Merlin and his father. I do not stir to avoid letting them know I am awake. The last thing I want to do is ruin their time together. They have their lifetimes to fill each other in on.
I hear Balinor whittle and blow on the piece of wood he secured and spared from the flames. Merlin pipes up, "Why did you never return?"
"I thought her life would be better without me," Balinor's voice is fraught with melancholy.
"Why?" Merlin asks.
"Uther wanted me dead," he states. "If he'd found me, he'd have killed me, and your mother. I wanted her to be safe."
"We could've come with you," Merlin suggests.
"What kind of life would you have had here?" his father inquires with almost a laugh, but not one of scorn- one of tenderness.
"We'd have been ... happy," I can hear Merlin's smile in his words. Silence fills the air again, but not for too long. "When we've finished in Camelot," the boy continues, with that same giddy grin, I've no doubt, "I will take you to Ealdor."
"She won't recognize me," the Dragonlord whispers. "I see her in you." I picture his smile, small but apparent.
"Yeah?" Merlin says hushed.
"You have her kindness," he lifts his tone slightly, warming my heart.
"How did you become a Dragonlord?" Merlin returns to his questions.
"You don't choose to become a Dragonlord," he clarifies. "It's not something you're taught. It's a sacred gift. For thousands of years, it's been handed down from father ... to son." I had completely forgotten about that. This means that Merlin possesses the same abilities. "And that is what you must now become, Merlin."
"I would like that," he says quietly.
"Like all Dragonlords, you won't know for sure that you have that power until you face your first dragon," Balinor continues wistfully. Merlin says nothing. All is silent once more until Balinor blows on his sculpture again, "You should get some sleep. We've a big day ahead of us," I listen as he rises from his seat and to his spot where he sleeps. "Goodnight, son," he says in a paternal voice, sounding so much like my own father.
I peek at Merlin as he smiles slowly, grinning like a child, "Sleep well, Father." If I were to accidentally eavesdrop on any conversation, I'm glad it was this one.
"Unexpected" (Merlin)
A drop of dew splashing onto my cheek awakes me. I open my eyes to see a small carving of a dragon, the finished product of what my father had been working on the night before. I smile. A hand claps over my mouth, and I begin to protest in a muffle when Arthur says, "Cenred's men." He pulls me up, drawing a sword. A war cry rings out from behind us and we turn to see a soldier barreling down the steep incline near us. Arthur meets him at the level ground, their weapons clashing straightaway. It's always something unexpected. I toss a sword to my father, who immediately is on the attack. Rose draws back, weaponless, trying her best to keep her vow of safety. I watch on as the other men defend us and find the spare sword.
I am watching my father fight when Rose calls my name in alarm, alerting me of the soldier attacking me from behind. To my surprise, I am fairing well in fighting him off. Just when I think that, he disarms me with ease. "Merlin!" Rose dashes towards me. My father steps in right before he runs me through. He takes the blow instead. The sword cuts straight through him mercilessly. I scream with rage, throwing the enemy backwards and into a tree. "No," the girl mumbles when she reaches my side. She helps me lower him to the ground. "Balinor," she touches his face, moving her other hand to his wound.
"Here," I pant, helping him lay back properly.
"I see you have your father's talent," he struggles to say. He exhales in pain, "Merlin ..."
"Please, no, please," I plea. "I can save you." The tears I'm holding back are causing pressure to push into my brain, my head throbbing.
"Listen to me," he secures a grip on my shoulder, "When you face the dragon, remember, be strong. A dragon's heart is on its right side, not its left."
"I can't do it alone," I cry, the tears spilling from my eyes.
"Listen to me," he urges in a whisper full of hurt, "You are my son. I've seen enough in you to know you will make me proud." I nod as he looks at me with a face of regret and sadness, yet fulfillment and pride. He gently brushes my cheek with the tip of his fingers, "Look after him," he says to Rose, the tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I will," she chokes out. With that, he begins to lean back, going limp, the life draining from him.
"No. Father," I helplessly beg in a soft voice. I know it's too late as his eyes shut for the very last time.