A/N: thank you to everyone who reviewed – I really enjoyed your feedback. Here's the next chapter, and already it starts to get AU. XD

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

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Gaius jumped when the door to his chambers was abruptly flung open. He was even more bewildered when he saw Merlin to be the one entering the room, his ward's face unusually dark, eyes rimmed with panic, movements quick and flustered.

"Merlin?" the physician asked, voice seeming to startle the young man. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Merlin halted in his quick pace, coming to a complete stop in the centre of the room, turning to face him with a strange look on his face. "Something happened. Something terrible."

"Did something happen to Arthur?" Gaius pressed, eyebrows knitting together in concern. "What happened?"

"I…" Merlin's eyes fell to the floor. "It was a bird. There was a bird in Arthur's chambers. It flew through the window…and then it couldn't get out."

"That's it? Merlin, my dear boy, you'll need to do better than that."

"No, Gaius, you don't understand," Merlin cut in, all but glaring at him. "My mother used to tell me that if a bird flew into a room, death would soon follow."

Gaius shot him a bland look. "Merlin, that is nothing but an old wives tale."

Merlin's look was just as bland. "And I thought you of all people would believe in them."

That had Gaius pausing, remembering the many times Uther had dismissed his own warnings as superstitious nonsense. "It's not that I don't believe in them," he answered carefully. "It's just that some are backed by evidence and some are not. You cannot believe every superstition you hear."

His ward stared at him incredulously. "So you're saying that what my mother said is false?" He shook his head. "I know what I sensed. Something in that room was wrong Gaius. My magic could sense it. I know it was more than a simple bird. It was like-"

"Merlin!"

The shout came bellowing down the hallway and had Merlin cowering from the door somewhat. Gaius raised an eyebrow at the reaction, able to assume that Merlin had not been dismissed by the king before skittering back here. His ward's face appropriately rearranged itself into a mask of its usual cheerful lunacy just as Arthur strode in the door, a dark scowl on his face.

"What on earth has gotten into you Merlin?" he demanded, a hand settling on his hip.

"I…uh…"

As Arthur rolled his eyes in exasperation, Gaius chose to jump in. "I'm afraid it was my fault that Merlin came back here Sire."

Two confused sets of eyes stared at him.

"Your fault?" Arthur repeated in disbelief, Merlin's expression saying much the same, even if he didn't voice it out-loud – for obvious reasons.

"Yes," Gaius nodded emphatically. "You see Sire, I noticed Merlin coming down with what looked like the start of a fever last night. I told him he would need to take a tonic this morning to abate the symptoms. Unfortunately in his rush this morning…it seems as though he forgot."

"And so you ran back here to get it?" Arthur didn't seem to know whether to sigh at Merlin's forgetfulness or accuse them of conspiracy. "But then…" Another frown. "Then how do you explain the bird in my chambers? The thing had you downright terrified. And that's pathetic even for you, Merlin."

"A hallucination, no doubt. Brought on by the fever."

Arthur's gaze flickered to Merlin, the servant nodding seriously. Not buying the entire explanation at all, but willing to bet it had to do with some sort of illness – mental, if he had to guess – the young king decided to let the matter slide. This time.

"Alright Merlin," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But, just this once. Since I don't want an idiot blundering around my chambers who's more likely to do more harm than good, I don't want to see you until I need to prepare for bed."

Merlin's face adopted a cheeky grin. "Are you giving me the day off Sire?"

A finger was promptly shoved into his face. "If I find out you've been lying about being ill, a week in the stocks will look like heaven, do you understand?"

"I always knew you cared!" Merlin called brightly as Arthur disappeared. Once sure the prince was out of sight, he turned back to his mentor. "Thanks Gaius, I mean, really, thanks. You-…What's this?" The question came as he suddenly found a leaf of parchment shoved into his hands.

"I need some supplies from the markets," Gaius told him, returning to his work and immersing himself in it. "And since you've got the entire day off…" he trailed off pointedly.

"B-but…But I'm supposed to be ill!" Merlin protested. "What if Arthur found out I was walking around the lower town? An ill man doesn't do that!"

"They do if they're the charge of the physician. Arthur will probably just think you're going to pick up supplies for your own remedy."

Merlin shot him a half-exasperated look. "Oh the irony in that."

Gaius placed his equipment down, a stern frown now present. "Merlin, you've been lucky to get this day off at all so if I were you, I'd stop sulking. You'll still have plenty of free time this afternoon," he added kindly.

The smile he was presented with was infectious. That was, until he added:

"But that's only after you've cleaned the leech tank!"

-)-(-

"Alright…"

Merlin allowed himself to spin in a three-sixty to ensure that none of the surrounding stores were ones that he needed to enter. Glancing down once more at his list and mentally checking items off against what was in his burdened arms, he gave a nod, confident that he had now completed his task. Balancing the objects in his arms precariously so he could return his list to a pocket, Merlin gave a soft cry when one of his herb bundles fell to the ground.

Before it could be trampled though, a passing man was kind enough to pick it up. "This yours my friend?"

Merlin smiled, jostling his load once more. "Yeah, if you could just…"

He attempted to reach out and grab it with a spare hand, something that only caused another parcel to slip and fall. Catching the glass vial – something Gaius would not have been pleased to discover had been broken – the stranger kept it tightly within his own grip, a short laugh escaping him.

"Why don't I help you? Seems like you've got a lot on your hands."

Laughing himself, Merlin shook his head. "No that's alright. I've carried far worse for Arthur, trust me."

He was met with a quizzical look. "You work for Arthur?"

It was Merlin's turn to pause. "Of course I do. I'm Merlin," he added, as though that made it obvious.

"Ha…" was the response. "Well, allow me to help you anyway."

A smile was sent his way but before Merlin could return it, a jolt shot down his spine; a sliver of warning, an alert to danger. Something now akin to suspicion burnt in his eyes as he stared at this rather helpful stranger.

"I'm sorry, what did you say your name was?"

"Amyas," the man replied, holding out a hand to shake before realising how redundant said action was. He pulled his arm back with an easy chuckle but there was something in his eyes that Merlin could not quite place. And he didn't like it.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Merlin inquired; he would've folded his arms had they been free. "And what brings you to Camelot?"

Amyas shrugged his shoulders airily. "Looking for work. A city as big as Camelot…there must be something." A smile appeared on his face. "Maybe you could help me," he suggested brightly. "Since you work for the king and…"

"It doesn't work like that." Merlin knew his words were clipped but something about this 'Amyas' screamed false. "Now…" he said, managing to correctly balance everything and still hold out a hand. "Thank you, but I'll manage."

There it was: that flicker. But as soon as Merlin focussed on it, it was gone and Amyas appeared nothing but friendly. The objects were placed in his hand, but it did not escape Merlin's notice that they were done so with far more force than necessary. He gave his new friend a strained smile before slipping into the crowd.

All the way back to the palace he was aware of a pair of eyes trained on him. He shivered. There was something very wrong with this whole day. He only hoped it would be over quickly.

-)-(-

"He cannot keep coming in here, young warlock."

Merlin sighed at the voice in his head. "I know."

The sadness that followed that thought must have travelled far deeper than his mind for, in front of him, Aithusa stiffened. The sorrow had tainted his magic and Aithusa tilted his head to inspect Merlin inquiringly before scuttling into his head, bumping his nose against Merlin's chin.

"Ánapaúw," Merlin laughed, nudging the hatchling away.

Aithusa clucked in displeasure before doing as asked and desisting, slumping to the ground and staring up at the dragonlord forlornly. The look had Merlin grinning widely and he quickly gave in, scratching the dragon's crown a couple of times before waving a hand and creating a spark of light that danced to and fro. The tiny dragon pursued it without sense, leaping, racing, and pouncing, to dismal success.

Merlin watched the dragon fondly, noticing the slightly growth in size already. While Kilgharrah had told him Aithusa would grow quickly, he was already far bigger than what Merlin had expected. But greater size gave him greater flying ability, something Merlin was delighted with. After all, it made sneaking Aithusa into Kilgharrah's old cave so much easier. The little dragon could simply flit in and out under the cover of darkness, rather than Merlin having to meet Kilgharrah in their usual clearing.

After all, a dragon could only land so many times before people started noticing the unusual tracks left in the earth. Plus, the amount of times Merlin could sneak past the guards was not infinitesimal.

Now Kilgharrah could remain further away, perched upon rocks and ridges were tracks could not be so easily found, and Merlin needed only to cross the courtyard. It had taken some persuading on Merlin's behalf to even get Kilgharrah to agree, but the old dragon had finally given in, admitting that it would be good for Aithusa to bond with the other part of his kin.

"It'll be past midnight soon," Merlin mumbled, dispersing the light and rubbing Aithusa's neck gently, the tiny dragon nudging him for more affection. "It's time to get you back. Ámatroxáw ágxis."

There was a moment of contemplation before Aithusa spread his wings, giving Merlin one last squawk and then pushing himself off the edge of the outcrop. His pale wings flapped frantically until a rhythm was formed and then he was gone, gliding out of the cave and back to the dragon that was all that remained of his kind.

"Thank you, old friend."

"This, young warlock, is one favour in which you are more than welcome."

-)-(-

As the image dispersed from the bowl, a sardonic grin spread across his face.

"At last."

-)-(-

A/N: since I probably won't post a new chapter this year, Happy New Year to everyone! Have a great one. :)

~DeathGod777