'That stew was nice, Merlin,' said Arthur as he stretched his neck at the table.
'I'm glad, sire,' Merlin replied, filling a cup with eyes darting to the sky through the spotless glass of Arthur's windows.
A moment later they felt the room vibrate, as if something had struck a whole wall of the citadel nearby. Merlin lost his balance in surprise and as Arthur frowned, the bells began to ring, and the frightened screams of people all around echoed through the stone walls. He stood up and ran out of his chambers, Merlin throwing the pitcher down and following after him.
'Thalia!'
Thalia did not ready for bed that night. She heard confused sounds of people doubting their eyes, and stood from the chair by the unlit fireplace to walk to the window. Against the dark clouds of the night, she saw the silhouette of Kilgharrah. She traced him with her eyes until he circled down and began to attack the citadel. Her eyes flew wide as she moved as quickly as she could, bracing herself as the fire hit the wall no further than two rooms down from her she ducked underneath the window sill, as screams and bells rang through the air, her window smashed loudly above her and smoke filled the room.
The siege had begun.
'Arthur!' she yelled when the fire had snapped away in Kilgharrah's jaws.
He burst through the door a moment later, catching sight of her ducking under the window. 'Are you alright?!' he called. He'd seen how close it was to Thalia's chambers.
'I am,' she coughed. 'Let's see if we can stay that way.'
They sprinted out of the room. Arthur noticed she hadn't changed out of her armor from the day. 'What's happening?' he asked as they ran to the council chambers.
'We're under attack,' said Thalia, before peopled around them staggered from another shockwave in the stone and they stopped and struggled to keep their balance.
'From what?' exclaimed Arthur, looking around with his arms held out, waving through the air as the castle shook.
The shaking stopped and with one look they kept running.
'The dragon.'
'It escaped?!' Arthur yelped in surprise.
Thalia didn't bother replying. Guards rushed around them in blind panic.
'Why is it attacking us,' Arthur said suddenly, 'surely it'd be safer to flee.'
'When you're a fire-breathing crate of magic on wings there's not much to flee from.' Thalia replied, 'And there's something here he wants.'
'Revenge,' realised Arthur.
'Exactly. We need to find Uther.'
The first night was filled with chaos.
'Thalia!' Uther yelled the minute they came into view. He was dressed in his normal clothes, sword in hand with Sir Leon striding next to him.
'The dragon escaped.'
Uther merely nodded as she showed no signs of slowing down and stepped to the side to let her, Arthur and Merlin sprint past.
They ran to the courtyard and looked to the sky.
'Where is it?' Arthur panted, searching against the black.
They couldn't hear a sound from the sky.
'GET DOWN!' Thalia yelled to the square, diving for cover behind the well as Arthur followed her lead, pulling Merlin down with them.
The dragon appeared above them from nowhere, coating their surroundings in fire.
They yelled in shock and packed themselves closer to escape the fire as it enveloped them from the other side of the well.
'How did you know it was there?' Arthur asked, as the fire roared.
Thalia took a couple of shallow breaths as the heat seared them. She shook her head, looking at them. 'I don't know.'
The next morning all three were collapsed on Arthur's bed, staring at the fabric above them.
'How did it escape?' Arthur asked eventually.
'It's a dragon and Uther had it tied up with a chain,' Thalia sighed, irritated at the idea.
Arthur was silent for quite a long time.
Merlin edged closer to his friends, trying his best to wrestle his guilt.
'Can't say I blame him,' Arthur said sadly.
Thalia lifted her head to frown at him.
Arthur looked up in tired resign. 'He was held there for over 20 years. It's enough to make anyone go insane.' He put his head back down. 'Will it return?'
'I've no idea,' she sighed.
The following day, after another night of attacks Thalia and Merlin looked morbid. It seemed Kilgharrah had decided to place the whole of Camelot under siege.
That evening Arthur walked in to fetch Thalia for the next night of attacks to find her looking disappointed, angry and a displaying startling amount of resign. She had not donned her chain armour, nor her dragon patterned bracers. Instead she wore unique leather armor and strange, eerie bracers.
'What're you wearing?'
'An artefact, a battledress of the old religion,' she replied.
Arthur blinked in surprise, studying the design. 'Won't someone recognise it?'
'It only holds significance to those of the Isle.'
'R~r~r~right…. And what are you doing?'
She didn't reply, not looking away from her wrist, setting her jaw and sucking on her cheek as she tightened the bracers Arthur had never seen before.
They were made with scale-shaped metal plates. They had a strange glow to them that made Arthur frown.
'Are those magic?'
She grunted.
Arthur swayed on the spot, unsure of whether there was any need for her to hide them. Then he noticed a bright blue cloak hanging off the table next to him. The blue clashed with the armor, and Arthur understood why she wasn't worried. Under the bright blue, the brown and black leather armor wasn't worth noting.
She wore no other metal. The armor fitted well, with belts around her hips and around her middle ribs. It had black leather pants beneath a loose skirt that opened at the front. It was unusual for her, but the only colour in what she wore was brown that clothed her upper torso and lined the split in the skirt.
Arthur realised that it made her look less of a knight and more of a significant figure, though certainly not a noble one. Both of their armour was designed to unify with the knights. Now she held no sign of the knights. And her face held a grim disgust.
Her mindset was clear. She wasn't standing as the Crowned Warrior of Camelot anymore. She stood as Thalia, as the last great priestess. Arthur could see there was something deep in her mind.
'What's wrong?'
'Uther I can understand,' she said, pulling the final strap of her bracer with one hard, angry tug. As it sounded like a whip through the air she looked up, eyes fuelled. 'Uther I can even approve of. But the innocent lives the great dragon has taken I cannot ignore.'
Her eyes moved again and she walked forward, the skirt of her garb circling her legs as she moved, sword swaying from where it hung on her hip. She swept her cloak from beside Arthur as she passed.
He turned and watched her go, cape already fastened. He was worried, as he always was when Thalia was in her element. Yet, it was always an incredible sight to see.
The sun had set when Kilgharrah swooped again. Thalia stayed with the knights only for a small amount of time, during which Uther had frowned at her with wide eyes. He and the knights had also noticed Thalia's hard eyes, though no one had the time to question it.
'Thalia?'
As the moon rose higher, Arthur turned back to notice she was gone. He looked around frantically, but to no avail. The knights watched him as he had no choice but to keep walking to the battlements.
'Merlin, where did she go?' he demanded.
'I don't know,' the servant replied.
Very unhappily, Arthur continued on.
The dragon swooped, and they fired their arrows.
Arthur ducked behind the stone battlements until the fire subsided. Just as the giant dragon began to rise a cry was heard from high above them, in a voice that made Arthur's relief flood through him, while at the same time his blood rippled in fear.
He looked up in time to see her leap across from the roof, lit from the fire underneath. Her eyes reflected the flames, and her perfectly cared for sword glinted in her hand as the usual tongue of flame.
Kilgharrah saw her and twisted through the air, giving her no choice but to crash into him.
She grunted as she landed on the dragon and Arthur noticed the bright blue of her cloak hanging from the edge of the roof.
Arthur yelled and watched on in horror, reaching out to grab Merlin in shock.
'Wait-!'
The dragon writhed and whirled through the air, then started climbing higher and higher.
Arthur's knees gave way slightly and Merlin yelled after her.
High in the sky Thalia cursed and swung around to Kilgharrah's right hand side and tapped her sword against the skin.
Still the dragon swung.
'You promised me!' she shouted over the wind in her ears.
'And Uther once promised me!' yelled the dragon.
'I am not Uther,' the Priestess breathed, and heaved herself higher, toward his back.
Kilgharrah writhed and spun as he climbed and Thalia could feel the weight leaving her head.
'Leave… Kilgharrah.' She glanced down to the castle where Arthur and Merlin stood watching her. She could only see the rooftops of the citadel and the fires the dragon had left behind.
'N-… You cannot best me for long,' snarled the creature as it climbed.
'Then…,' said Thalia, taking deep breaths, once more to Arthur, 'then we both go down.'
With her last remaining strength her eyes flashed with the storm and she shredded all she could reach of his left wing.
Fire erupted from the dragon's jaws and he thrashed.
From below Arthur gasped and Merlin began to panic.
'They're coming down!' he yelled.
The knights and Merlin watched as the dragon and the Crowned Warrior plummeted through the sky.
'TAKE COVER!' yelled Arthur.
Kilgharrah could not balance himself with Thalia on the split wing and fought to dislodge her as they fell. Finally he managed to flip, moments before impact with the roof and battlements and she landed away from them on the angled roof. With a triumphant roar he turned his attention to the lower town, able to fly.
Arthur and Merlin watched with wide eyes and frozen faces as Thalia hit the roof limp, bounced away from it and landed on the stone a few metres from them on her stomach, still.
Arthur rushed to her and turned her over while Merlin shrieked after the dragon in anger.
Arthur, conscious of the knights crowding them, cradled Thalia and put two fingers to her neck.
He sighed in relief when he felt a pulse at least. He lowered his head and began to lift her up.
The dragon's roars lit up all around them with searing fire once again and Arthur looked up, glaring in the direction of the lower town.
'Merlin,' he said, shifting, 'take Thalia inside, get her to Gaius.'
Merlin nodded and carefully picked her up with Arthur's help. Arthur passed him her cloak, tossing it over her armor.
'And you?'
'I'm going after that dragon.'
'What news of Thalia?' asked Arthur.
It was the first few hours of the morning and still the dragon swooped.
'She looks almost ready to wake,' Merlin replied, leading Arthur to a bed amongst tens of others. Gwen and Gaius ran around them, tending to burns and cuts.
They stopped in the corner. Behind a screen they saw a single bed.
'A High Priestess is a wonder, eh Merlin?' asked Arthur, as he studied her position.
'There's not a scratch on her,' Merlin agreed.
'She's indestructible,' grinned Arthur, as her eyes squinted and snapped open. 'Welcome back.'
'Ugh.' Thalia glared at him with uncomfortable, sleepy eyes. 'Where's my cloak?'
Merlin jumped into action, reaching under the bed. The beautiful blue came into view and Merlin held it wrapped in his arm.
'Thank you, Merlin,' smiled Thalia, patting his other arm.
Arthur couldn't help but grin. 'You scared the knights to death, jumping on the dragon like that. You certainly had me worried, but they'll be talking about it for months.'
Thalia chuckled and sat up, fiddling with her bracers.
'Ready to get back out there?'
Thalia's eyes flicked up to the windows, circling them for sight of the dragon; already focused.
'The dead number 49 men, 27 women, a further 18 women and children are unaccounted for, despite Thalia and my best efforts. Most of last night's fires are now out, the castle walls, in particular, the western section… are near to collapse, I could go on.' Arthur trailed off, slumped as he stood, exhausted. The presence of the sun did little to relieve their tension.
'Do we have any further idea on how the beast escaped?' Uther looked up, glancing at Thalia.
She shook her head, her eyes glazing over every few seconds with fatigue.
'I regret to say, Sire,' said Sir Leon, 'we don't.'
'There must be some way to rid ourselves of this aberration.' Uther looked around the room. No one moved an inch. 'Thalia? Gaius?'
The two glanced at each other, communicating. Thalia nodded to Gaius.
'We need a dragonlord, Sire.'
'You know very well that's not an option.'
'Sire, what if...there was, indeed, one last dragonlord left.'
Thalia shifted uncomfortably, wincing and rolling a shoulder from underneath her blue cloak.
'That's not possible,' said Uther.
'But if there was.'
'What are you saying?'
'It may just be rumour.'
'Go on.'
'I'm not exactly sure, but I think his name is Balinor.'
Thalia watched Uther carefully.
'Balinor?' he echoed.
Thalia frowned at the king, a tired, chagrin expression in her eyes. Merlin caught sight of her expression and studied Uther, who looked normal.
'Where does he live?' asked Arthur.
'He was last seen in Cenred's kingdom in the border town of Enged, but that was many years ago.'
'If this man still exists, then it is our duty to find him,' said Arthur.
Thalia rearranged her cloak again, keeping her arms beneath the fabric, her bracers chinking slightly as she moved.
'Our treaty with Cenred no longer holds. We are at war. If they discovered you beyond our border, they would kill you.' Uther spoke slowly.
'I will go alone,' shrugged Arthur.
'No.'
'That way I will not be detected.'
'No, Arthur. It is too dangerous.'
Arthur raised his eyebrows. 'More dangerous than staying here? I'll not stand by and watch my men die when I have the chance to save them.'
Merlin shuffled closer to Thalia, uncomfortable.
'I have given you my orders.'
Arthur quietened his tone. Do not make this a test of wills, Father.'
'I'm not talking to you as a father, I'm talking to you as a king!'
Arthur said nothing for a moment. 'I will ride immediately,' he nodded, and began to walk past his father.
'My concern is for you.'
'Mine is for Camelot.' Arthur looked him in the eyes. 'I'll send word when I've found him,' he nodded and continued out, stopping and sighing at Uther's worried expression. 'I'll take Thalia,' he said, trying to ease Uther's concern. 'Prepare the horses,' he told Merlin.
Thalia nodded to Uther, a single, quick nod and turned out without a word.
As her cloak shifted, Uther noticed her bracers. He frowned at their sheen, but chose to say nothing.
'The dragonlords could speak to dragons, couldn't they,' nodded Arthur as they packed. He had changed into his blue shirt with the leather vest, Thalia had changed into her green shirt and black leather pants,
'Yes. Uther had the bright idea to kill them all, but not all of the dragons.' She was cleaning her sword. 'If you can count trapping him for eternity sparing him,' she added, looking up as an afterthought.
'I'm sorry,' Arthur sighed, now used to apologising to her for something his father had done.
Thalia sent him a glance and kept working at her sword.
They rode through Camelot without any problems, and entered thicker forest within a few hours.
They rode until Arthur slowed his horse. Merlin frowned, studying the expressions of the two in front of him.
'This is it,' said Arthur unhappily, 'One more step and we're in Cenred's kingdom. This Balinor better be worth it.' He moved his horse forward, eyes on the horizon and a tense shake of his head.
By night, rain had drenched their clothes. Merlin shivered as they rode into town, eyes squinting against the water flooding his eyes.
'Where's the tavern?'
'Oh yeah,' Arthur yelled over the rain, 'first place you want to go is the tavern!'
'Would you rather sleep in the mud?' Merlin angrily retorted.
'Don't get clever, Merlin!'
'Don't go on about me and taverns, then!'
'The pair of you shut it!' Thalia hissed and turned her horse suddenly, leaping off, glancing at the unhappy Merlin.
They tied their horses up and hurried inside to the noise which was louder than the rain.
The moment they entered, the chatter and laughter fell silent.
Merlin and Thalia stared straight ahead, doing their best to ignore the attention.
Arthur put a smile on his face. 'Greetings!' he announced to the blank faces.
No one said a word. A man pulled a knife from his table.
'Nice one,' Thalia muttered, walking further in. 'A room for three, please,' she said, making her way to the innkeeper, 'my friends here decided it would be a good idea to go travelling in the rain.'
The man nodded. 'And what can I getcha?'
'They'll want mead,' she said.
He turned away without a word.
Arthur and Merlin awkwardly found a table.
The innkeeper followed Thalia and put the mugs down with a slosh.
Arthur ignored the hospitality. 'We're looking for a man named Balinor. I'm willing to pay...,' he threw a sack of coins on the table. 'Handsomely.'
The innkeeper nodded and looked around, leaning in. Arthur did the same. Merlin looked like he was holding his breath. Thalia raised an eyebrow, feeling no tension whatsoever.
'Never heard of him,' said the man, and took the coins laid out on the table for the room and mead.
Arthur's jaw clicked. 'If you say "nice one,"' he warned, putting his gold back in his pocket.
'Wasn't going to,' Thalia replied in a slightly patronising tone.
Merlin was looking around the tavern with an ill-eased expression. 'You think one of these men is Balinor?'
Arthur looked around, too. 'I hope not.'
'So do I.' Merlin looked into his mead.
Thalia frowned slightly, but said nothing about it.
'Right. Merlin, you take the bed by the window in case the rain comes through.'
'Oh, nice, thank you,' replied the warlock with a glare to the prince and delivered himself to the furthest bed.
Arthur threw himself on the closest bed, with a frown at Merlin's easy defeat and left Thalia to the middle bed.
Merlin said nothing as Arthur and Thalia chatted, happy to get a chance to take their boots off. Arthur glanced over at him as Thalia pulled her blanket over herself. 'What is wrong with you today?'
'What?' asked Merlin, already under his blankets.
'It pains me to admit it, but I do enjoy your surly retorts. In fact, it's probably your only redeemable feature.'
Merlin turned his head to face the ceiling again. 'Thanks.'
Arthur pulled his other boot off and laid down. 'There are loads of servants who can serve. So few are capable of making a complete prat of themselves.' He noticed no change in Merlin as he settled on the mattress. 'What is it?'
'Nothing.'
'It's something,' persisted Arthur.
Thalia said nothing, closing her eyes and keeping her face to the ceiling and her eyes closed.
'Tell me.'
Still nothing.
'Alright, I know I'm a prince, so we can't be friends. But if I wasn't a prince...'
'What?'
'Well, then...I think we'd probably get on.'
'So?' Merlin scoffed.
'So that means you can tell me,' Arthur said, waving a hand in Merlin's direction.
'Well, that's true. But you see, if you weren't a prince, I'd tell you to mind your own damn business.'
Thalia snorted and jolted forward as she laughed.
'Merlin!' Arthur put on a teasing voice. 'Are you missing Gaius?'
Merlin's voice sounded like it came from behind gritted teeth. 'Something like that.'
'Well, what is it, then?' Arthur asked, reaching under his head for his pillow.
Thalia ignored it as it sailed over her head.
Merlin angrily shoved it off him and sighed. 'I'll tell you. I'm worried about everyone back in Camelot. I hope they're alright.'
He spoke too quickly for Thalia to even begin to believe him.
'So do I,' said Arthur.
'That's nice,' Thalia said, voice flat, 'now go to sleep.'
Arthur rolled his eyes and Merlin pointedly closed his.
Arthur fell asleep first. Thalia would have, but just as she was about to lose all consciousness Merlin's voice rang in her head.
Thalia?
Huh? … Yes Merlin?
Have you ever heard of Balinor?
In passing, yes. It's said he was the one to lead Kilgharrah to Uther in the final days of the great purge.
Gaius told me… … … Gaius told me that Balinor is my father.
Your father?!
He said he helped him escape, and that my mother hid him from Uther.
I knew I liked Hunith. No wonder you've been on edge all day.
Merlin smiled. I'm scared to meet him.
Well he won't be in a tavern, so you're safe from that at least. If he's anything like you he'll be miles away throwing witty insults at anyone who walks past his dwelling.
Merlin tried to laugh as quietly as he could. I'm excited to meet him; I've always wondered what my father would be like.
Time will tell, Merlin. Until then, we just have to find him.
A creak in the door made Thalia want to groan, but as her sleep left her she grew aware of her surroundings and remembered her circumstances. They were in a tavern, in the middle of Cenred's land. She kept her eyes closed and didn't move.
The figure reached for her bag, on the left side of her bed. As he neared the strap, she snapped up and caught it, wrenching it behind his back. Arthur appeared from nowhere and vaulted over her bed, shoving him back over Merlin and holding a dagger at his throat while Merlin woke with a start.
'What's going on?'
'Do you know what the punishment is for theft?' Arthur asked, bearing down on the man.
'No, please. I've got children to feed,' the man whispered, leaning further onto Merlin's bed.
'Tell me where to find Balinor,' Arthur ordered.
Merlin looked on, unable to do much else. Thalia had sat back down on her bed, watching the man with an intimidating expression.
'Balinor?'
'What do you know of him?' hissed Arthur.
'Nothing. I-,'
'Do you value your life?'
'I-It's been many years since I saw him!'
'You know where he lives?'
'… You must travel through the Forest of Marendred, to the foot of Feyora Mountain. There you will find the cave where Balinor dwells.'
Arthur let go of the man, and he shot upright, backing away to the door.
'But don't get your hopes up.'
'Why?' asked Merlin, eyes worried.
'He will not welcome you. Balinor hates everyone and everything. A cave's the best place for him.'
Go back to sleep, Merlin, was all Thalia said.
Arthur grunted and put his dagger back from wherever he had grabbed it and laid down again.
Thalia groaned and did the same.
Merlin was watching the door.
They trudged through the forest with their horses behind them.
Arthur groaned as they walked, leaning on his horse's neck for a moment.
Merlin looked back, as did Thalia from her lead.
'It's all right,' said Arthur, shaking his head.
'No, it's the wound,' said Merlin. 'Let me have a look.'
They stopped their horses and walked off the path.
As Merlin studied the claw marks in Arthur's neck they heard a branch snap.
'Get down! Get down!' Merlin hissed.
Thalia helped him shove Arthur behind the log before they watched the path.
Men passed them, clad in armor and bearing the symbol of Cenred. Thalia sized them up when Merlin noticed Arthur was slumped. He shook him and called his name.
Thalia cursed. 'You're carrying him.'
Merlin tutted at her and began heaving Arthur's arms around his shoulders.
Arthur was then slung over his horse and they kept moving.
'Trying to heal the scrape from a dragon's claw can be very difficult,' Thalia was saying as they walked. 'Every part of a dragon is magical. If it was a bruise it would be like any other, but once it cuts the skin it becomes a unique wound. That's why a simple spell won't work.'
'What about griffins?' asked Merlin, trailing around an old root, 'or hippogriffs?'
'Mmm… a little. But they are much smaller creatures, and hold nothing like the significance of magic the dragons do. A dragon bite or scratch is closer to that of a Questing Beast than a hippogriff.' Thalia spoke with the bright tone of a teacher.
'And killing a dragon?'
'I've often wondered how Uther managed it. The dragons themselves are secretive and almost impossible to find. He could have used the dragonlords, but he was busy killing them at the same time.'
'He thought their abilities were too close to magic?'
'Mm. Annoyingly, he wasn't wrong. To speak and connect to the heart of a creature of pure magic requires your own heart to be one of magic, and a particular type at that if you want to speak to a dragon.'
'Why were your frowning at Uther when Gaius mentioned my- Balinor?' asked Merlin, hastily glancing at the unconscious Arthur.
'He was the only dragonlord Uther left alive,' Thalia said, studying the treetops, 'Uther told him he wanted to make peace and tricked him into bringing Kilgharrah to Camelot. Today he doesn't remember the man's name.'
'Isn't that normal for Uther?' he replied bitterly.
'Very normal,' she agreed, 'but the name of the last dragonlord isn't just a name of another sorcerer.'
'I didn't recognise his name, either,' said Merlin, in a quieter tone.
'You'd never heard it,' she replied simply. 'Uther, on the other hand…'
They reached a fork in the path, surged their magic forward to check the route and continued left.
'When were the dragons born?' asked Merlin as they began to move again, calling to regain her attention.
'No one knows for sure,' she called back, moving further ahead as they were entering deeper woods, 'Kilgharrah is thousands of years old. In natural terms, the dragons were immortal. They were there at the dawn of magic, as early as anyone can guess,' she continued, 'although it's hard to say for sure because they have very little involvement in the Old Religion's activity. The times they are mentioned in the lore, known even only to High Priestesses, just talks of their nobility, power and magnificence, occasionally forging a sword in their fire, or rather burnishing, and ancient ceremonies.'
'And the dragonlords?'
'As far as I know, they weren't common on the Isle of the Blessed. They are brother souls to the dragons, friends of them. So, like the dragons, they held a different place in the Old Religion. Where you found a dragon, of course, you'd often find a dragonlord nearby.'
Merlin nodded as he listened. 'I'm grateful I have you to teach me,' he said.
'Gaius could just as easily. I've barely taught you anything, Merlin.'
'You always act like you don't know,' Merlin said, tilting his head, 'like you always have to go and check your books. But whenever Uther asks you something, you know immediately, I can sometimes hear your thoughts when you think too hard.'
'It's easier to pretend I don't know when Uther's agitated. It gives him time to calm down and I can plead ignorance. His lack of understanding of the Old Religion, while insulting, is an advantage to me. To have the title of High Priestess you can't just be a powerful sorceress. You have to possess a herculean amount of knowledge.'
'Will you teach me?'
'Of course, Merlin, but you're doing very well as you are.'
They reached the cave within a day. Merlin watched it apprehensively. Thalia took his reins.
'Go on.' She nodded at the dark mouth. 'I'll watch the prat.'
Thalia watched as Merlin trudged over the stream and disappeared into the cave.
'Hello?!'
She heard his call echo through the cave and waited.
Merlin appeared again a minute later, waving at her to bring Arthur in. She tethered the horses and heaved him off the saddle, carrying him bridal-style into the cave.
Merlin led them back through the damp and dark until they reached Balinor, who watched Thalia with a slight crease on his brow.
Thalia set Arthur down in the sand and stood up to look Balinor in the eye. She nodded at him in greeting, and he swallowed and hastily did the same.
When Balinor had turned his attention to Arthur, Thalia smiled sadly. His years of living in solitude had made him gruff and awkward, not used to greeting people or being asked for help.
Merlin watched his father work, noting similarities to Gaius' technique.
By night Balinor had put a herbal paste over the wound.
Thalia was sat on a rock far away, keeping her sword away from the bright fire and in the dark as she twirled the tip through the sand.
With a hasty glance at Merlin and Thalia, Balinor put a thumb to Arthur's forehead and spoke in a subtle change to his gruff voice.
'Ahlúttre þá séocnes. Þurh- hæle bræd.' He turned and Merlin averted his eyes. 'He needs rest.'
'Will he be alright?' Merlin asked as his father stood.
Balinor walked past him. 'By morning.'
'Thank you,' said Merlin.
Thalia watched Balinor move, trailing him with her eyes. When her gaze moved back to Merlin she found he was watching her with a startled expression. She tilted her head slightly in response, looking away.
Balinor returned shortly after with food, holding a bowl toward Thalia. She stood and joined them by the fire.
'Looks good.' Merlin took a bite, and then picked up his courage. 'How long have you lived here?'
'A few winters.'
'Must be hard.'
Thalia eyed Merlin's choice of words as Balinor put his spoon down, interrogating Merlin.
'Why are you here?!'
'Just travelling,' Merlin replied. He waited and, watching the man in front of him, spoke carefully. 'We're looking for someone.'
Balinor looked up.
'I was told, well...they said that he lived somewhere hereabouts. A man, named… Balinor.'
There was a long silence as they ate.
'You never heard of him?' asked Merlin. 'He was a dragonlord.'
'He's passed on,' said Balinor, looking as sad as he could.
'You knew him?' asked Merlin, eyes wide.
'Who are you?!' demanded the man.
'I'm...Merlin.' His eyes hoped that his father would recognise the name.
'And you?' Balinor rounded on Thalia.
'Tilli,' she said, blinking at him in pretend surprise.
Merlin let out a tiny, shaky breath in relief. Unlike Arthur, who could be recognised by appearance, the only thing that travelled far about Thalia was her name. If Balinor was so unwelcoming, in the middle of Cenred's kingdom, it was safer for her true nature if she kept her identity hidden.
Balinor pointed at Arthur. 'And him?'
'He's my master,' said Merlin.
'His name!'
'His name is… Lancelot. He's a knight. You know, a nice one.'
'His name… is Arthur Pendragon. He is Uther's son.'
'Yes,' murmured Merlin.
'This is Cenred's kingdom. He's asking for trouble. What do you want from me?'
'Are you Balinor?' asked Merlin.
The man looked down.
Trying not to gasp, Merlin spoke again. 'The Great Dragon, Kilghrarrah, is attacking Camelot.'
'How do you know his name?'
'I don't know,' Merlin huffed, 'is it important? We can't stop him. Only you, a dragonlord, can.'
'He doesn't act blindly. He kills for a reason. Vengeance. This is of Uther's making.'
'We know,' Thalia said darkly. Balinor studied her for a moment.
'But he's killing innocent people. Women and children,' Merlin added.
'Uther pursued me!' Balinor exclaimed, voice torn and strained. 'He hunted me like an animal!'
'I know,' Merlin breathed.
Balinor stood up. 'What do you know about anybody's life, boy?! Uther asked me to use my power to bring the last dragon to Camelot. He said he wanted to make peace with it, but he did not! He lied to me! He betrayed me! You want me to protect this man?'
'I want you to protect Camelot,' Merlin corrected, watching intently.
'He killed every one of my kind! I alone escaped!'
'Where did you go?' Merlin asked quietly.
Thalia put her head down and ate.
'There's a place called Ealdor.'
'Yes,' Merlin breathed.
'I had a life there. A woman. A good woman. Ealdor is beyond Uther's realm, but still he pursued me. Why would he not let me be? What was it that I had done that he wanted to destroy the life I built, abandon the woman I loved? He sent knights to kill me.
'I was forced to come here, to this! So, I understand how Kilgharrah feels. He's lost every one of his kind, every one of his kin. You want to know how that feels?' He knelt to look Merlin in the eye. 'Look around, boy. Let Uther die. Let Camelot fall.'
'You want everyone in Camelot to die?' gulped Merlin.
'Why should I care?'
'What if one of them was your son?'
'I don't have a son,' Balinor scoffed.
'And if I told you...'
'Merlin.' Arthur voice interrupted them as he stirred in his sleep, coughing.
Thalia looked over, frowning in concern.
The moment had been killed and Balinor walked away.
Thalia put a hand on Merlin's shoulder and let him sleep, standing up to follow Balinor.
He was at the edge of the cave, staring up at the stars and down at the stream that flooded out.
'What do you want?'
'To talk about Uther,' she said calmly and stood beside him.
Balinor eyed her warily.
'What made you believe him?' she asked, watching the water.
'I'm sorry?'
'What made you believe that he wanted to make peace?'
Balinor drew in a breath, heavy emotions flitting across his expression as he glared at her. 'And why would you want to know?'
'Because I've seen that dragon,' she replied, tilting her head higher. There were lots of sentiments behind her words and Balinor deciphered enough of them.
He let out his breath. 'Uther had won. Cut down the Isle of the Blessed, captured and burned all of the sorcerers. The dragons… all of their kin and mine, slaughtered in a rage. If we knew what was coming we would have been able to defend ourselves. But he cut the numbers so quickly.
'After the raids and the death…' he turned to watch the water as well. 'It was clear Uther had won. It didn't occur to me he'd keep fighting. It was only after they took Kilgharrah to chains that I realised it wasn't a war on magic. He just wanted it extinct. Kilgharrah was his trophy.'
Thalia looked down. 'I agree with you.'
'So who are you?' he asked, noticing her movement in the corner of his eye. 'Merlin serves the prince…?'
'You could say I save the prince,' she replied.
'Ha.'
'I serve Camelot. A trophy, like Kilgharrah.'
'Like Kilgharrah?' Balinor echoed, 'you have magic?'
'I do,' she nodded. 'The day I use it to aid Uther's cause is the day I die.'
The dragonlord turned to her again. 'So, then… why do you serve Uther? You don't seem afraid of him.'
'Uther may think of people like us as nothing more than trophies that have bent to his will. But Arthur… It's written in destiny that when Arthur becomes king the world will change. It seems to have fallen to me to see that time comes.'
'There's not a lot a young sorceress can do, serving Uther like a cook,' Balinor frowned, watching her in concern. 'The danger you're in outweighs your ability.'
'Perhaps,' she said, smiling softly. She moved to meet his eyes. 'When the time presents itself, I will tell you more.'
She left Balinor at the cave and trudged back to Merlin.
'Well?'
'He's traumatised, Merlin. One mistake cost him everything, cost Kilgharrah more than twenty years. His heart is strong, though. Your father is a good man.'
Merlin smiled, looking down. 'And how are you?'
'Me?'
'Two days ago you fell from the sky,' he said, watching her.
'You make it sound like a feat,' she said, raising her eyebrows and looking away.
'It was terrifying to watch,' Merlin grinned.
Thalia considered him, a slight tilt in her head.
Merlin suddenly became serious. 'But not surprising. You… you do make a habit of this,' he grinned.
'I do?' she encouraged.
Merlin nodded, letting his gaze fall. 'I worry you think that that's all you have to do. Fight…' he looked her in the eyes. 'Keep Arthur out of harm's way. … … If magic is to return, it will need someone to follow. No one else is like you, Thalia. There is no one else.'
'What are you talking about?' In expression Merlin read a far-away sadness, the isolation that he'd long since suspected to surround her, adding more to the weight she was known to walk with.
Merlin shook his head with a tiny laugh. 'You just… You know you're supposed to be part of Albion, too?'
'Hm! You and Arthur will build Albion, Merlin, not me,' she said, smiling warmly at him.
Merlin's eyes blinked wider. 'What?'
'It is my duty to see you both get there.'
'No,' Merlin insisted suddenly, 'no, no, that's not true. I think we'd be lost without you. You know us now, imagine us lost!'
Thalia laughed, the richness of her laugh making Merlin join in.
Merlin sat in the cave mouth in the daylight, watching as his father stood further down the stream. Thalia was nearby, inspecting the plants around them sitting on rocks closer to the cave, twirling her sword tip on the stone.
Against the quiet noise of the stream Arthur's energised voice cut through the morning.
'I feel great! What the hell did you give me?'
'It was all down to Balinor,' Merlin replied.
Arthur glanced up at the man nearby. 'So we found him, then? Thank heaven for that.'
'That doesn't mean he's willing to help,' said Merlin sadly, still on the rocks.
'What?'
'You won't persuade him.'
'Does he know what's at stake?' he asked, incredulous.
Merlin merely nodded.
'What kind of man is he?'
'I don't know. I thought he'd be something more,' said Merlin quietly.
'He's a man hurt by Uther,' said Thalia, twirling her sword.
Arthur turned to look at her. She was sitting on the rocks higher up the cave mouth against the trees, leaning down and resting her arms on her legs, sword twirling in the centre of her widespread feet.
'Who lost everything at his hands,' she finished, moving her gaze from Balinor, to Arthur, to the ground in front of her.
'I'll try talking to him,' muttered Arthur, not sounding hopeful.
He returned not long later.
'What did he say?' Merlin asked.
'He'll change his mind.'
Thalia looked up and over at them, unconvinced.
'He said that?'
'Just...give him a moment.'
Balinor walked over. He stopped and looked at the warlock and the prince. 'Farewell, then.' He continued past.
Thalia's chuckle didn't escape Arthur's ears.
'That's your decision?' he asked in disbelief.
'I will not. help. Uther,' Balinor said, turning to face them for a moment.
'Then the people of Camelot are damned.'
'So be it.'
'Have you no conscience?!' Arthur called.
'Arthur…,' came the patient call of Thalia.
'You should ask that question of your father!' Balinor growled.
'And you are no better than him!' snapped Merlin.
Surprised, Thalia whipped her head to see Merlin still sitting, head turned as he glared at Balinor. She realised Merlin was right, and turned to the dragonlord, blinking.
Arthur wanted to yell after him, but instead waited for Thalia to stand, walking next to her.
'You fetch the horses,' she said.
Arthur nodded and ran ahead, shaking his head in dismay.
Thalia waited for Merlin, watching as he stood and called after Balinor as he made his way back into the cave.
'Gaius spoke of the nobility of dragonlords! Clearly he was wrong!'
Balinor stopped, and turned around, waiting for a moment. 'Gaius?'
'Yes.'
'A good man.'
'Yeah. I was hoping you'd be like him.'
Thalia sighed and walked away.
Moments later, Merlin appeared beside her.
'Good men can be pushed too far by the wrong,' she said.
'I know,' Merlin sighed, voice tickly, 'I just wish he wasn't one of them.'
'So do I, Merlin,' she replied sadly.
They rode until the evening showed and stopped to set up a camp. Merlin hadn't said a word.
Arthur picked up a stick for the fire. 'I always thought that silence would be a blessing with you, but I find it just as irritating. You're a riddle, Merlin.'
'A riddle?' Merlin didn't bother to turn around as he worked.
'Yes. But I've come to quite like you.'
'Yeah?'
'Now I realise you're not as big a fool as you look.' Arthur poked him in the back with the stick, making Thalia chuckle.
'Yeah, I feel the same. Now that I realise you're not as arrogant as you sound.'
'You still think I'm arrogant?'
'No. More...supercilious.'
'That's a big word, Merlin,' teased Arthur, as Thalia laughed, 'you sure you know what it means?'
'Condescending.'
'Very good.'
'Patronising.'
Arthur squinted. 'It doesn't quite mean that.'
'No,' Merlin turned to glance at him, 'these are other things you are.'
'Hang on!'
'Over bearing.'
A twig snapped nearby, and Arthur and Thalia picked up their swords.
'Shh…' Arthur hissed.
'Very overbearing.'
'Merlin!' Arthur growled.
'But you wanted me to talk,' Merlin replied, sounding pleased with himself.
They heard another twig snap and Merlin sat bolt upright, looking around. Thalia passed him his sword and they moved into the woods.
'Careful, boy.'
They turned around to find Balinor standing there, grinning at Merlin. 'I thought you might need some help. This is dangerous country.'
Arthur strode forward. 'And will you return to Camelot with us?'
'You were right, Merlin.'
Arthur turned to frown at his servant.
'There are some in Camelot who risked their lives for me. I owe a debt that must be repaid.'
'If you succeed in killing the dragon, you will not go unrewarded,' assured Arthur.
Balinor scoffed. 'I seek no reward.'
'Great! Let's eat.' Arthur marched back to the camp.
Thalia smiled at the dragonlord and followed suit.
Merlin and Balinor went to collect more firewood and returned with Merlin looking very happy.
Thalia watched as they returned to camp, a smile spreading onto her face.
By night Arthur had fallen asleep as Balinor began to whittle a small block of wood.
Merlin watched him craft as Thalia sat watching the fire.
'You know,' Balinor said, 'you remind me of Gaius.'
He hadn't given indication as to who he was speaking. Merlin and Thalia frowned at each other.
'Sorry?' said Thalia.
'You. You stayed in Camelot with Uther as king to protect your kind.'
'She's more than that,' grinned Merlin proudly, as Thalia made to offer a vague reply, 'she's a High Priestess.'
Balinor's eyes widened. 'What? I thought… they were all gone.'
'They're not.' Merlin looked too happy for Thalia to stop him, so she remained silent, watching father and son with a smile.
'I don't remember ever hearing your name before,' he frowned, thinking.
Thalia laughed. 'I said it was Tilli.'
'Her name's Thalia.'
'Thalia? You're Thalia? The Crowned Warrior of Camelot is a High Priestess?'
Merlin couldn't contain his chuckle. 'That's right.'
Thalia smiled at the dragonlord.
'The dragons talked of you, of the Darkslayer.'
'What?' asked Merlin and Thalia at the same time.
'In the time of the great purge. They talked of their kin.'
'I'm not dragon kin,' she said, turning her head slowly.
'No, but you were born a High Priestess, were you not? You weren't chosen?'
Merlin listened intently, having never heard Thalia speak of her early childhood.
'There was no one left to choose,' she said conversationally, though a little lost. 'I went to the remains of the Isle once, my father took me. But there was nothing there. Uther had destroyed the walls, the artefacts were all stolen, destroyed or hidden. Some of the dust still hadn't settled. The next thing I can remember is cooking dinner at home about two years later; I was very young.'
'If the world had gone differently, you would have been chosen,' Balinor said. 'But after the destruction of the Isle of the Blessed, it fell to a dragon to discover you. Had you never wondered why you know enough to have your title but can't remember learning it?'
'I know I learnt about the Old Religion at that time,' Thalia explained, recalling as best she could, 'but I was too young to remember anything well.'
'The dragon Ryujin found you shortly after you were born, and bonded your magic with his. Then, when you went to the Isle of the Blessed a years later after the purge, his magic combined with the magic in the Isle, and you were given the title, and all the knowledge and power that comes with it.'
'Ryujin…' breathed Thalia, recognising the name.
'What happened to him?' asked Merlin.
'Uther cornered him toward the end of the great purge,' she said quietly.
Merlin lowered his head.
'When he died, all the magic that resided in him was left to you. When you use magic,' said Balinor, 'your eyes do not flash gold, do they?'
'They flash like a storm,' said Merlin.
'That is Ryujin's magic,' said Balinor. 'You are not dragon kin. You have the magic of a dragon. Perhaps Kilgharrah cannot disobey you, even if he does not know why. Please, cast a spell. It would be an honour to see Ryujin's magic.'
Thalia, with a wondrous glance to Merlin, held out her hand. Her eyes flashed with the storm, and a faint ball of light glinted from her palm.
'It is my pleasure to meet you, Darkslayer,' said Balinor with a sincere look in his eyes.
'Know this, dragonlord,' she replied, 'it is the greatest honour I will ever know to hold the magic of Ryujin.'
Thalia smiled, nodded once and stood, leaving Merlin with his father.
Thalia woke first in the morning. She sat up and stretched, glancing over at Merlin and Balinor. She fed the horses and covered the fire, then waited, sitting like she had outside of Balinor's cave. Arthur was the next to open his eyes. He yawned and sat up, frowning when he noticed her staring at the leaves on the ground, not moving a muscle.
He blinked his sleep away and sat beside her in the gentle rain.
'What is it?'
She didn't move. 'The reason my eyes don't glow gold like everyone else, how I became a High Priestess after the great purge, why my magic is so unique…'
Arthur frowned, realising they finally knew the answer. 'Balinor knew?'
Thalia lifted her head in a half nod, keeping her eyes on the same leaves. 'There was a dragon. When the Isle of the Blessed fell, he bonded his magic with mine so that my destiny would be kept, and one day I would gain the title of High Priestess.'
Arthur's eyes widened in surprise. 'So that's how...'
'And when he died, he left me his magic.'
'Did my father kill him?' Arthur nodded sadly.
'Yeah.'
Arthur sighed, leaning back. 'What was his name?'
Thalia glanced sideways at him, knowing Arthur would recognise it. 'Ryujin.'
'What? The one that defeated an entire army, who my father hunted for the entire purge?'
'Ryujin,' she affirmed.
'So every time you seem different from the world, when it seems to distort slightly around you, it's his magic?'
'I didn't know that happened. But that sounds right.'
They sat in silence as Balinor woke. Before they could greet him, they heard movement through the forest.
'Soldiers,' said Thalia. 'Wake Merlin.' She pulled her sword from her belt and crept across the forest floor toward the noise.
The men were on them in moments, heading straight for the camp. She waited until they were past her and stabbed the last on in the back. He hit the ground with a clump that made the others turn and Arthur leapt to catch the first one by surprise. With two down, the fight began.
Arthur and Thalia fought near each other, and counted two other fights hitting their ears.
Thalia heard Merlin's yell, and turned wide eyes toward the source.
Arthur noticed and became worried.
With a yell, Thalia pulled Arthur back, struck her sword straight through the armor of the soldier he was fighting and slammed it sideways on the ground. 'Awendaþ eft wansæliga neat!'
All the soldiers went flying back, crashing into trees or rocks with sickening crunches, the spell made stronger than usual.
They ran to Balinor to see Merlin crouching beside him as he lay on the ground, eyes glazed.
Arthur threw his sword into the ground and fell to his knees. 'NO!'
Merlin jumped and covered his mouth as he cried, while Thalia simply stood there with wide eyes. He stood up, facing them.
'Camelot is doomed,' Arthur said.
Thalia knew Arthur was wrong, as Merlin would be a dragonlord like his father. But she didn't register any of that, as she looked at the body of the only dragonlord to have survived the great purge.
As Arthur recovered, and Merlin had smothered his tears away, she unknowingly dropped to her knees with a thud, sword slipping through her fingers, eyes still not wavering from Balinor.
They reached Camelot in the rain and found Uther in the war room. Merlin and Thalia hadn't said a word, leaving Arthur to talk to anyone they passed since the morning.
Uther turned as they entered.
'I'm sorry, Father. I failed you. The last dragonlord is dead.'
Gaius looked to Merlin and saw him trying not to cry. He lowered his head and turned to Thalia, who offered a defeated tilt.
Uther deflated. 'There are many years where I might've wished for that news.'
Anxiously, Arthur glanced at Thalia, seeing the unmistakable fury he suspected he'd find. It was only in her eyes, so none of the knights noticed.
'Thalia,' said Uther, 'is there… any way… you can kill the dragon?'
Fearing any word that would come from Thalia's mouth at his father's question, Arthur spoke before she had considered replying.
'All is not lost, Father. We have to fight the monster ourselves. So let us ride out and fight on our own terms: on open ground, on horseback, where we can manoeuvre better.'
'There is no point.'
'So what?' shrugged Arthur. 'We stand here, watch Camelot fall.'
Uther straightened and nodded. 'You have my blessing.' He was watching the floor, from a great distance.
Arthur waited a moment before he addressed the court. 'I need a dozen knights!'
Thalia retreated from the conversations, standing beside Merlin.
'Those who do not wish to fight can do so without stain on their character. For those brave enough to volunteer should know, the chances of returning are slim.'
The first to step forward was Sir Leon. Thalia looked up as he moved, and watched as the other knights in the room surrounded Arthur in a circle.
Uther hadn't looked up, but she noticed the formation.
'Thalia.'
She looked up as she fastened the blue cloak around her shoulders.
Merlin appeared through the doors. 'Gaius says the gift is passed when the father dies. I'm a dragonlord.'
She nodded.
'I will challenge Kilgharrah tonight, so I need your help in keeping me undiscovered.'
'I can't believe you're stuck here next to me,' said Arthur as they waited in a tight circle, on their horses in the dark. 'If we didn't have to worry so much about getting you in trouble, we might stand a chance.'
'It's the way the world works,' she replied.
'Some system we've got going on. If you didn't have to sit here with the Knights of Camelot you could unleash.'
'Thanks for bringing that up, Arthur, I had no idea.' Thalia's tone was flat.
He laughed. 'I just can't believe this. Why can't you let loose? We're about to die, what difference does it make?'
'Some of us might not die,' she huffed, 'then what?'
Arthur groaned as he searched the sky. 'Let's hope Ryujin's with you,' he muttered as quietly as he could, 'then you could survive at least.'
'Ryujin's not the problem,' Thalia muttered back as quietly, as Kilgharrah appeared above their heads.
'HOLD FIRM…! This should be fun. If both of us don't make it out of this alive, I'll be incredibly jealous. HOLD…!'
Kilgharrah drew closer.
'Why don't you be jealous now, before I've gone out of my way to save you.'
'HOLD…! If you manage to save me from this one, I'll buy Merlin a tavern.'
Their heads raised to the sky as Kilgharrah descended on them.
'Yeah, buy Merlin a tavern, but don't give me any thanks. You know, maybe I'll let you fend for yourself.'
'HOLD! Well we all know how well that turns out.'
'Yes, I do. We're all going to get burnt to a crisp if that's the case.'
'Your belief in me is always encouraging, Thalia, NOW!'
The horses galloped apart and they began to circle the dragon.
Kilgharrah landed and swerved around, knocking Merlin and Arthur from their horses. Already the Knights' number dwindled.
A torrent of fire leapt from the dragon's jaws and Arthur and Merlin watched in horror as the horses and men screamed.
'NO! STOP!' Merlin yelled as the rain did little to stop the fire on the grass.
Merlin continued to watch the fire, as Arthur squinted at the knights. No part of them was burnt or destroyed, but they lay on the ground, as did the horses.
He frowned and looked around, seeing Thalia on her horse away from the battle, putting her arm down and turning back toward the dragon. He grinned when he realised she'd saved them and flicked his sword around.
Kilgharrah turned toward them and Arthur picked up a spear, aiming it as the dragon drew closer.
Behind them stood Merlin, who glanced around for Thalia. She galloped toward them.
Kilgharrah grinned at Arthur, who stood his ground, waiting for the strike.
'Arthur, no,' she yelled as Kilgharrah shot fire toward the prince.
Arthur rolled over the ground, and instead of plunging the spear into Kilgharrah ran back.
Thalia vaulted from her horse to land behind Arthur. 'KILGHARRAH!'
The dragon watched her and released another torrent.
'Argh!' She pulled Arthur back, and her eyes flashed with the storm as she shielded them from the flames.
The heat stopped and Kilgharrah blinked at the High Priestess. Unknowingly, her eyes flashed again. Again, Kilgharrah blinked.
Her eyes flashed another time and beside her Arthur fell to the ground, asleep.
'This isn't fun!' she called at Merlin, who stuttered and ran forward.
With a roar that made Kilgharrah step back in surprise Merlin began to speak. 'Dracan! Nán dyd ǽlc áciere miss! Eftsíðas eom ála cræt! Géate' stǽr ábære gárrǽs! Géate cyre. Mé tácen átende diegollice. Car grise áþes.'
Exhausted, and with a grin, Thalia fell to the ground as Kilgharrah bowed to Merlin.
The dragonlord picked up a spear and held it toward the dragon.
'I am the last of my kind, Merlin,' pleaded Kilgharrah. 'Whatever wrongs I have done, do not make me responsible for the death of my noble breed.'
Merlin thrust the spear into the air and he flinched. 'Go!' yelled the warlock, 'Leave! If you ever attack Camelot again, I will kill you!'
Again, Kilgharrah bowed.
'I have shown you mercy! Now you must do the same to others!'
'Young warlock, what you have shown is what you will be. I will not forget your clemency. I'm sure our paths will cross again.'
Thalia fell further to the ground as Kilgharrah flew into the air, away from Camelot.
Merlin let out a deep breath. 'I… wow.'
Thalia chuckled. 'Once again, Merlin, you save the day. It's a pity only Gaius and I know.'
'So long as you get credit, I feel I get mine,' Merlin panted, smiling and pulling her up. 'One day I will tell Arthur, but not until Uther is gone, and Morgause.'
'Well until then, it falls to me to thank you, Merlin.'
Merlin's smile grew wider.
'Arthur,' Thalia kicked him lightly in the arm, 'get up.'
'Huh? What happened.'
'Kilgharrah is gone.'
'What?'
'It took a lot of energy, so don't expect Merlin and I to be able to explain. Just…' she looked at Merlin and laughed. 'Do us a favour, and tell your father the dragon's dead.'
'Anything, Merlin?'
'Maybe, wait a moment...'
'There you are, what are you doing down here?'
The next morning Thalia was nowhere to be seen. Arthur had found her down in the vaults, walking between the shelves.
'Looking for something.'
'For w-?'
'Here!'
Thalia ran toward the sound of Merlin's voice.
With a curious expression, Arthur followed. When he rounded one of the shelves he saw her and Merlin, holding a dusty cloth, looking at a freshly wiped dark wooden box, with silver detailing of trees. It was fairly wide and shallow, made of a dark wood that made the embellished silver shine further.
Neither of them said a word, so Arthur had to ask. 'What is it?'
'Taken from the Isle of the Blessed, it was supposed to keep herbs.' Still Thalia didn't take her eyes from it.
'And… what's in it now?'
'When a dragon dies, it burns to a silver ash.'
Now Arthur couldn't take his eyes from the box either.
'This is what remains of Ryujin.'
Painfully, 'My father took the ashes. Another trophy.'
They stared at the box a moment longer. Hesitantly, Arthur moved. He stepped toward the shelf and carefully picked the box up.
'Well, then, I, Arthur Pendragon, give this to you, Thalia, to leave the clutches of Uther and be where it belongs.' He passed her the box, and smiled when he saw that Thalia and Merlin were yet to take their eyes from it.
Tears from Thalia's eyes landed on the wood as she looked down at it. Merlin wiped them away with the cloth as she looked up at Arthur, a warm, understanding smile passing between them as she held in her hands the giver of her title and the guardian of her life.
Arthur looked down again, grateful to Ryujin and Merlin hid behind Thalia to shed his own silent tears for the dragon.