Hello everyone!
So, yes, I know I'm again late! I'm so reakky sorry! RL sooo goes in the way of me writing! RL & Star Trek!
But if I can say one thing in my defence is that it was my birthday and then I had this very important work meeting and then I was celebrating my birthday with my friend and my family. But well.
I feel I don't thank you enough you reader, reviewer and other favoriter and follower! It is really amazing me and humbling me (and making me feel so guilty for not writing more) to see people favoriting/ following my stories! (and at the same time I just want to ask them whyyy? So please tell me in a review :) )
And an other person I don't than enough is my Beta. She is wonderful! Thanks!
Anyway, I hope you'll like this chapter!
Enjoy!
Chapter 9:
Entering the castle without turning back, Merlin knew he was being completely unfair to Gwaine. His friend had just wanted to help. And had succeeded in some strange way. But he just couldn't let himself think about what, or more precisely who, was waiting for him if he entered the physician's chambers to brew himself a potion.
He could deal with a headache just fine by himself. And he had other things to worry about than himself at the moment. Like the fact that he had just turned a dragon into a human without the faintest memory of how.
This is why I shouldn't go to the tavern. Gaius always told me not to drink more than one or two tankards of mead.
He forced his thoughts away from his old mentor, knowing this wasn't the time. He just couldn't let himself be distracted. He promised Kilgharrah he would be back soon with a solution.
He walked as quickly as possible without running and arrived in front of his chambers in a matter of minutes.
Once inside, he went directly to his bookcase, knowing it was the only place where he would find the answers he sought..
He began scanning the titles of the numerous old volumes he owned, mainly due to Arthur. However, he once more quickly scolded himself for not having taken the time to organize them correctly.
He supposed he was just used to have the books in an unorganized fashion after living for so long with Gaius but right now having books of herbology, spells, magical creature and history all mixed up was just hindering his search for the correct one.
He repressed a growl of frustration.
"Where is that book?" He muttered to himself as he made his way through another shelf, the third. "Ha! There!"
He took the slim volume about dragonlord's magic that he had found in the hidden room of the library to his reading table and sat down, calling a cup of water to his hand, as he began thumbing through it.
He remembered reading this same book a few weeks earlier and finding it full of spells and explanations about the unique and mysterious link between a dragon and his dragonlord. He remembered finding it all fascinating and feeling a pang of longing at the fact that, now, he, Kilgharrah and Aithusa were the last ones to feel it.
He felt sad that such wonders had to disappear from the world.
He quickly passed through the chapters until he fell on the one he needed and began reading intently.
He jumped as the door opened unannounced, looking up sharply with a throb of his aching head.
"Arthur!" He exclaimed angrily. "Couldn't you have knocked?"
"You spent years not knocking at my door Merlin, and I am the King of Camelot so I don't see any reason why I should knock at yours."
Merlin scowled but turned his gaze back to his book.
"Well, whatever it is you're disturbing me about, it will have to wait Arthur, I have something urgent that needs taking care of." The warlock said, hoping it would be enough to make his friend leave.
Merlin had no such luck, of course, as the king took a chair and sat down in front of him. The former manservant felt his friend's gaze on his neck.
"I've just talked with Gwaine and he told me an interesting story." The king announced.
"Really?" Merlin asked, hoping to divert Arthur's attention. "I hope you didn't believe him. He ended up pretty drunk yesterday."
"From what I've been told he wasn't the only one…" The blonde suggested.
The warlock sighed. Obviously there was no deceiving Arthur today.
"Yeah. Well, I promise never to let myself be tempted by Gwaine again…"
"You really turned Kilgharrah human then?" The king interrupted, his gaze never leaving Merlin's face.
The warlock stayed silent for a long moment then nodded.
"And you really don't know how?"
"Oh I do. Must have remembered something I read in this book." He said, pointing to the opened volume. "And now I'm looking for the counter-spell."
"Had any luck finding it?" Arthur asked, looking genuinely interested.
"Almost. Before you interrupted me." Merlin said.
"Keep going then."
Merlin eyed the king, thinking he would leave. When Arthur just stared back at him with a raised eyebrow, he felt compelled to ask.
"Don't you have any… kingly duties to take care of?"
The king looked like he was thinking about his answer before smiling broadly.
"Nope."
Merlin sighed inwardly. He had not wanted to involve the king in this adventure. In fact, he would have very much liked to never have this adventure at all. But that was obviously too much to ask.
He forced himself to ignore Arthur's presence and kept on reading until he finally found what he was looking for.
"Right. I'll go back to Kilgharrah then." He announced, getting up.
Arthur followed his lead and headed towards the door, opening it and waited, eying Merlin who hadn't moved since standing.
"You're not coming with me Arthur." Merlin stated.
"Oh yes I am Merlin. And there is nothing you can do to stop me so you might as well just get a move on."
Merlin let his discontentment be known by straightening his back and walking past Arthur without a backward glance.
"Oh don't be like that." Arthur teased, sounding almost amused. "It's not like I've never seen you do magic! And, who knows, maybe you'll need someone to defend you against bandits."
Merlin lifted an eyebrow at him but didn't comment.
Another quick walk later and they were both at the stables, saddling their horses with practiced ease.
After that, they quickly mounted and made their ways towards the forest.
Merlin wasn't in the mood to talk so he just concentrated on leading his horse, trying to keep his mind on the spell he would have to perform and not on what would be waiting for him the moment this crisis was resolved.
With the horses, they quickly arrived at the clearing to find Kilgharrah seated on the ground, patiently waiting.
When he heard them, he turned and watched them dismount, not even pretending to look surprised at the presence of the king.
"King Arthur." He acknowledged, his deep voice resonating in the otherwise silent space. "Merlin. I trust you found the counter-spell."
"Yes, yes." Merlin said. "If you're ready…"
"Of course." The human dragon answered.
Merlin nodded, closed his eyes and concentrated. He let his magic rise inside him, filling him with a well known and appreciated warmth. Unconsciously, he relaxed, his shoulders losing the tight clench they had adopted since the day before.
After what felt like hours but was only seconds, he breathed the words of the spell and, when he reopened his eyes, it was to the usual sight of a dragon Kilgharrah.
Merlin smiled, happy to having succeeded in the previously unknown spell.
In front of him, the dragon spread his wings with a groan.
"Well, I will now take my leave. Goodbye, young warlock."
And with that, he took off, his great wings beating, creating strong gusts of air that sent dirt over both Merlin and Arthur.
The dragonlord watched his kin fly away until he was nothing more than a small point in the sky.
Merlin let himself sit down on the soft ground and Arthur joined him after a little while.
For a long time they stayed silent.
"So…" Merlin hesitated, not looking in his friend's direction but feeling the other man's gaze on him. "What did you do with Alice?" He finally asked, despite the fact that he just wanted to forget that she was back in Camelot.
Arthur let out a quiet sigh.
"For the moment, nothing. I have to admit that I don't know what to do. By all means, I should have her arrested and executed but…"
"But you can't." Merlin finished for him.
Merlin saw Arthur nod out of the corner of his eye.
"The laws have changed." Arthur said, seemingly lost in thoughts. "So now, she isn't guilty of having magic anymore but… I guess my father's judgment still stands…"
The king fell silent.
"You can't kill her." Merlin said slowly, ignoring Arthur's curious gaze. "She wasn't responsible for her actions then and… I think she's suffered enough."
The king nodded once more and Merlin sighed.
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