Arthur was suddenly awoken from his sleep by a deep voice off in the distance speaking in a strange tongue. He quickly looked for Merlin and he wasn't where he was. 'Strange language means sorcerer and no Merlin means the sorcerer has him.' With that thought in mind, Arthur quickly rose to his feet and grabbed his sword as he silently mad his way through the forest with haste.

Arthur followed what he knew to be Merlin's foot prints but there wasn't another set. 'Must be a spell of some sort to conceal the sorcerer's foot prints.' He continued following Merlin's foot prints until he was brought to a clearing and Merlin was standing in the middle of it, looking up at the sky. 'What is he doing?'

The next thing Arthur heard was the sound of a large animal above him and soon he saw a dragon land in front of Merlin. 'That's the dragon Melrin said I killed! Oh God...it's going to kill Merlin!' He started to draw his sword when he noticed the smile that crossed Merlin's faceand Arthur's heart plummeted. 'He's happy to see a dragon that killed so many?'

"Hello, Kilgharrah." Merlin said with a smile.

'Merlin, what are you doing? Why are talking with a dragon? Why did you lie to me? Did he cause your scar on your back and somehow you're enchanted?'

"Merlin, as much as I enjoy your presence, I highly doubt you've called me here to have a nice chat."

'Merlin called him!? He was the one speaking the strange language!?'

"Do you have to be right about everything?" Merlin scoffed as he looked up at the dragon.

"Not usually, but it helps." The dragon laughed and leaned his head down towards Merlin. "What's troubling you?"

"It's Arthur..."

'And why in the hell is Merlin talking to a dragon about me? Is he going to betray me?' Arthur's heart continued to plummet and he could feel his skin grow cold in contrast to the already cold air.

"What is it this time?" The dragon calmly asked in a concerned manner.

'THIS TIME?' Arthur felt sick. 'How long has this been going on?'

"Arthur isn't himself. We came out here hunting and earlier he was so lost in thought we almost headed to a druid camp, and then when we did go hunting and he just stared at his crossbow and let an animal get away when I knew he had a clear shot. This isn't how Arthur usually acts."

"I'd have to agree. That isn't like the young Pendragon we know. Perhaps he discovered your secret?"

'You mean other than Merlin talking to a supposed to be dead great dragon!?' Arthur thought angrily when suddenly he remember Merlin's back and his shirt. 'Perhaps the secret behind his scars?'

"No. If he did I don't think we'd be talking right now. I think I'd be facing the pyre by noon." Merlin joked.

'Merlin, you summoned the great dragon, you lied to me, you know its name, you seem to be a dragon lord...but that doesn't mean you should joke about the pyre!'

"The young Pendragon would never send you to the pyre even if he knew. Nor would he hang, behead, or banish you." The dragon said with a smile.

"I know." Merlin answered, which caused a sense of cucuriosity and confusion course through Arthur.

'How could he be so sure of me when Sorcery is still outlawed?'

"Well...if he hasn't discovered your secret I'm afraid I don't know what else might have happened to him. Have you tried seeing if he's been enchanted again?"

'AGAIN!?'

"I checked and no...he's not enchanted."

'Why do I suddenly feel violated? What the hell Merlin!?'

"Hmm...Well then I'm afraid I have no answers for you." The dragon shook his head lightly and gave Merlin a concerned expression. "Merlin, let me see your serket sting mark."

'His scar on his back...its the exact size and shape for a serket sting...but why isn't he dead!?' Merlin took off his shirt and Arthur noticed there were many more scars he hadn't noticed before because he only caught a glimpse of the dark mark on the pale boy's back. 'I've seen less scars on a seasoned knight.' When Merlin had turned his back to the dragon Arthur looked at the mark on Merlin's chest. It was a huge bright pink scar that took up most of his chest. 'His shirt with the stitches...he got burned that badly and never told me...he got stung by a Serket and never told me' Then Arthur remembered that Merlin had asked him...

"What if I was dying?"

"Then I wouldn't be complaining."

"I was dying."

'He told me...and I didn't believe him...I made him work that day...I threw things at him...'

"It seems to have healed well." The dragon said.

"Thanks to you. I was about to die."

"I know, but you called just before passing out and I heard you. I healed you, and then you treat me like a horse...making me fly you back to Camelot."

'He's ridden the damn thing!?'

"You said it would've taken days to walk back." Merlin laughed. "And besides I saw you grinning."

"You did not."

"Did too."

"Merlin..."

"Kilgharrah?" Merlin asked with smug grin.

"I may have...taken some enjoyment out of your laughter."

"Ah there it is." Merlin clapped.

"You know, for someone who holds such a great destiny you act very much like a child."

"Well, it's gotten me this far."

"And how that is, I will never know. Come, let me see the burn Nimueh gave you."

'N-Nimueh gave him that burn? How is he not dead?'

"Kilgharrah, I got this while you were still chained underneath the castle. It's healed by now."

The dragon gave him a knowing look and a light chuckle. "I realize that, young warlock, but I still take great pride in knowing that you mastered the power of life and death itself, and you defeated a high priestess..."

'Warlock? mastered the power of life and death itself, and defeating a HIGH PRIESTESS?'

"...This scar is proof of how loyal you are to the young Pendragon. You had originally sought her out when Arthur had gotten bitten by the questing beast correct?"

"Yes..." Merlin answered bitterly. "I bargained my life for his..."

Once again Arthur had felt as if he was going to be sick. 'He had bargained his life...'

"But she didn't honor it." Merlin continued. "Instead my mother was dying, and then Gaius went to go bargain his life for hers and once I got there she's already killed him and asks me to join her and rule the world with her...I couldn't do it. Her magic is selfish and cruel and I could never be that..."

"I know, young warlock I know..." The dragon patted his wing lightly against Merlin. "However..."

"However what?" Merlin asked.

"Smiting her down with lightning was a bit much."

Merlin laughed loudly. "Yeah, perhaps a bit."

'SMITING her was a BIT MUCH!?'

"One day Merlin, Arthur will know all that you do for him."

Merlin sat against the dragon's arm and looked up at him. "Yeah, but that's the thing...He will know, but will he accept it?"

The dragon grinned at him and chuckled. "Why don't you ask him yourself young warlock? He's been hiding behind the trees for some time now."

"WHAT!?" Merlin shouted, and he calmly waved his hands at the trees making them move, causing his eyes to change to gold, and revealing a startled Arthur. "Arthur, how long have you been there?" Merlin asked in horror as he realized that not only had Arthur been there but he used magic directly in front of him.

"Um...since the dragon landed." He answered, still feeling slightly nauseous at the fact that Merlin...the Merlin he thought he knew...had been lying this whole time, yet was willing to bargain his life and refuse to rule the world with someone who was clearly evil.

"Merlin, are you going to speak to your king, or will you let your mouth freeze like that, your jaw nearly to the ground?" The dragon questioned with amusement in his eyes.

"Um...right." Merlin stammered. "Well, um...I am what's known as a Warlock. I'm more powerful than an average sorcerer. I was born this way. I'm a creature of magic and a creature of the old religion. I have used my magic only for you, Arthur I promise!"

"And..." The dragon added impatiently.

"And..." Merlin glared up at the dragon. "You and I share a destiny. We are two sides of the same coin. The druids call me Emrys and apparently I'm the most powerful warlock to ever walk the earth and I am destined to stay by your side and protect you. Please don't kill me."

Arthur fell to his knees in disbelief. All of the information was coming at him at once. 'Merlin...scars, dragonlord, powerful, warlock, Emrys, destiny...don't kill him...' The last thought shook him from his shock as he looked up at Merlin with more disbelief. "You'd think I'd really kill you?"

"No...but I figure it doesn't hurt to ask."

Arthur got up as calmly as he could and walked towards Merlin and the dragon. "I noticed your scar this morning and that's what was bothering me...I couldn't figure out where you would've gotten it...and then I figure out all of...this...and honestly, I'm at a loss for words."

"HA! For once!" Merlin laughed.

"It's not funny. How could you have not told me?"

"Um...let's see...Oh that's right, your father would've executed me, or you would've had to make the decision between friendship and duty and I didn't want you to have to make that decision."

"T-Thats what worried you!?"

"Basically." Merlin stated in a matter-of-factly tone.

Arthur sighed and looked up at the dragon and then back at Merlin. "I'm not going to kill you, but you will no longer be my servant."

"You're banishing me?"

"No you idiot. You're getting a promotion."

"Come again?"

"You will be announced the court sorcerer after I remove the ban on magic."

"Are you serious?"

"Merlin, I'm not going to repeat myself."

"Young warlock, perhaps you should be thanking him and not asking questions before he changes his mind."

"Right...um...thank you?"

"You're welcome. Now don't think you get out of explaining everything to me. I want to know EVERYTHING."

"Right, of course." Merlin answered with a wide smile and the next day Merlin told him everything. A week after that the ban on magic had been removed and Merlin was made the court sorcerer.