As a few people pointed out, the dragon can be an easy fix. It was not the reason I brought him into this. I just figured the conversation would be good…. Enjoy ;-)
Arthur pulled back in confusion. "What is that meant to mean?"
"The dragon," Merlin said.
"What is that some kind of title he has?"
Merlin huffed, and started to cough. Arthur looked at him in panic; Merlin shuddered and started to choke as blood bubbled out of his mouth. Arthur reached down to put an arm under his shoulders, to lift him. Merlin turned his head and coughed out what had come up. Arthur used the cloth to wipe his mouth, and brushed Merlin's sodden hair back off his face. His skin was burning. Merlin gathered enough energy to open his eyes. "It's his name," he clarified.
"Oh," Arthur said. "What about him?"
"He can help me," Merlin said. Then his eyes rolled and closed. Arthur felt a raging shot of panic.
"Merlin? How? Can I take you there? How do I get him?"
Arthur demanded what he wanted to know, wanting to shake the information out of Merlin. He fell back as Merlin's hand started to glow. A ball of light was small at first, then it started to grow to cover Merlin's palm. Arthur frowned, he had seen it before, and he knew it had been Merlin who had helped him that way once, even though he had been poisoned and delirious at the time. Arthur had demanded to know as much as he could, interrogating Merlin about any strange incident or occurrence that could be attributed to him. Now and again Merlin clammed up, refusing to talk about certain aspects, and that made Arthur drive him harder, with the training and with his work.
He was angry, as simple as that. Arthur was angry, and he wanted to take it out on Merlin. The more he heard, the more he knew what Merlin had done should have surely made him less angry, but it just seemed to make it worse. And he couldn't stop, he couldn't let up. He actually thought it would be easier if he just beat Merlin to a pulp and left it at that, but he didn't want to really hurt him, and he most certainly didn't want him to die. So, Arthur was left exorcising the demon as best he could. Merlin just quietly took it.
The ball of light flew off, Arthur turned, Merlin was muttering to himself, and then his limp body seemed to sag even more. Arthur pulled him close, resting Merlin's head on his chest and stroking his hair. Merlin coughed again, a trail of blood ran out of his mouth, and his breathing started to sound ragged again.
"Come on Merlin," Arthur begged. "Will he come?"
Merlin stirred a little, and nodded. "No choice, Dragon Lord."
Arthur wiped away the blood, getting the hint even though Merlin was only using the most relevant words. He was too weak to say anything more. He settled himself against Arthur, his breath coming in random gasps.
"Merlin?" Arthur asked. Looking down he realized Merlin had passed out. His head rested on his chest, eyes closed, his eyelashes sweeping down onto the pale skin, highlighting the dark rings around his eyes. The pale skin on his cheekbones almost looked green, since his colour had faded that much. There was no doubt in Arthur's mind, Merlin was going to die unless someone helped him.
All Arthur could do was sit by him, holding him close.
"Come on Merlin, please don't do this," Arthur asked. "You shouldn't keep concentrating on me all the time."
That was the reason; all of Merlin's focus had been on protecting Arthur, so he gave himself no defenses. He had better stop working on Merlin's attack, and give him a few lessons on defense. Arthur put that into his mind, not daring to focus on any failure, on the fact that he might lose Merlin. That was not going to happen. He didn't want it to.
Merlin didn't respond to him. Arthur could do nothing now but sit there and wait, while Merlin lay in his arms, unconscious and fighting for his life. Arthur could only hope he was fighting. It had been so strained between them recently that Merlin might easily think that this was the easiest option. So, Arthur didn't stop talking, trying to tell Merlin otherwise and hoping that he was listening.
Now and again Merlin murmured back, but he spoke so incoherently. Arthur couldn't understand the words. He could only pray that Merlin was still hanging on, and the dragon would be here. He lost track of time just sitting there, he didn't dare move as the fire he had lit started to burn out. The moon was high enough, and Arthur didn't fear anything in the woods if it came. Then he looked up as a sound, gentle at first, started to beat louder.
He knew it well enough, when the dragon had circled Camelot, destroying what it could. The beating of wings slowly increased, and Arthur looked up, seeing the great dragon pass across the moon, and he watched him circle.
Very slowly he lowered Merlin, who remained unconscious, down onto the bedding that had been left for him. Most of the knights had given up their cloaks to the cause. He put Merlin gently down on his side and moved his head, so if he coughed again, he would not choke on it.
Arthur looked back up again to watch the progress of Kilgharrah as he flew over the woods. He was circling tighter and tighter, honing in on the call he had received. However, Merlin was in no condition to command him, and Arthur didn't know what the beast would do. He was a Pendragon, and he was hated by most magical beings. All but one, which was the one he wanted to save. He resettled Merlin carefully and knelt up, reaching down to draw his sword. Kneeling over Merlin he put his left hand on Merlin's shoulder and held on, staying over him with the sword, and he waited, watching as the dragon's searching circle got tighter, and as he lowered in the air, the dragon got very large.
Eventually the dragon, banked, swooping down to glide over the clearing. The trees bowed and swayed under the pressure sending leaves flying to the floor and swirling around. The dragon curled around again, assessed the small space and as he flew over again he lowered his haunches, landing elegantly on his back feet, dropping his front a moment after. As he turned the huge beast's tail swept aside a few young saplings struggling for life.
The dragon turned and Arthur came face to nostrils with the dragon, who then carefully sat back, lifting his head to survey the scene; Arthur kneeling over Merlin, sword drawn ready. Then the dragon inclined his head politely.
"Prince Arthur."
"Kilgharrah," Arthur returned the polite nod and greeting. The dragon's head lifted higher, looking again. Clearly not expecting the use of his name.
"The young Dragon Lord called, and yet I have no instructions beyond that."
Arthur swallowed heavily at the threat, but stayed steady, meeting the dragon's gaze.
"He said you could help him, that he could call you."
"I have no option, but he is in no state to command me." The dragon cut the threat in deeper. Arthur didn't flinch. The dragon watched the scene.
"I see things have moved on apace since I have been gone. You understand what Merlin is."
"Yes," Arthur said. "So do you, only I have never betrayed him."
The dragon raised his head and snorted, fire jetted into the air. Arthur cringed a little as the huge head came down again.
"How did I ever betray him?" the dragon roared and Arthur felt the power of the huge beast roll over him. He had always known the dragon had been chained in the caves below the castle, but he had never really through about it, even seen it, until it had been unleashed by Merlin. Who had been devastated by what Kilgharrah had done, and the events that had followed.
"He released you, and you attacked those he loved!" Arthur yelled at him. "Did you think he really wanted that?"
The dragon snorted, shifting his weight on his front feet as he regarded Arthur.
"And you must know what happened next," Arthur said.
"I hold no responsibility for Balinor's death."
"No, of course not, Merlin and I do that. Merlin more than me, his father died protecting him."
"If Uther had not interfered, Merlin would have known his father."
"That's not Merlin's fault."
"No," the dragon agreed. Arthur watched as the dragon looked down at Merlin. He couldn't help but watch as something in the dragon's eyes softened, he regarded Merlin almost tenderly. One huge claw was placed down, and Arthur had to restrain the urge to pull Merlin away from it. The dragon touched Merlin gently. But there was still something of triumph in the dragon's eyes.
"Help him. You said his destiny is linked to mine."
The dragon pulled back. "Yes, it is. He is connected to me too. I am the only dragon, he is the only Dragon Lord. His destiny was to make you a great king, events have conspired against him. You cannot fail to be that now. Maybe his death is a way to secure that."
"No, it is not!" Arthur yelled at him. He thrust his sword out. The dragon pulled back a little but to Arthur it seemed the equivalent of trying to kill a wolf with a sewing needing. Arthur rose up higher, off his knees.
"He spared your life, now save his!"
Arthur threw it as a command, although he knew he was not the one able to command this huge beast. That was Merlin's job, but Merlin was incapable now. If the dragon didn't help him, then they both lost him. Kilgharrah regarded Arthur calmly for a moment.
"As you wish, Sire."
The dragon lowered his head, and flared his nostrils. Arthur felt a scream of alarm as the dragon exhaled, and also put a huge claw up to push him back. The wind rippled around Merlin, and he tensed and moaned. Arthur realised a second later that he was trapped in the grip of one of the dragon's huge claws. It held him back from Merlin, but although he couldn't fight it, it didn't hurt him. He could feel the sharp claws pressing into his back. They could kill him; he could be crushed under the grip. His mind went very calm as his thought that.
Then the dragon pulled back. Arthur crawled to Merlin's side, trying to ignore the feeling of being so tiny against that huge paw that had pushed him away. Arthur lifted the dressing to look at the wound.
"It's no better!"
The dragon sat back.
"Deception is a hard thing for you. The knights of Camelot, and your father, are on their way. It will seem strange tomorrow if Merlin is completely healed. The wound remains. But his lung had collapsed and infection was setting in, I have healed those afflictions. The young warlock will not die, but he must feel the wound. He'll be considered very lucky."
"Thank you," Arthur said.
"Don't thank me," the Dragon said, making Arthur jerk in shock hearing the echo of what he had said to Merlin a few weeks ago. "I can negate the pact we have. I have repaid the debt of mercy he showed me."
"How so?"
"You struck the bargain, you asked me to save him."
"I saw you, you care for him too. Will you deny him again, if he is helpless?"
"That, my young Pendragon, is a question for another day. I have served my purpose, again." The dragon said that, but then lingered, looking at Merlin. He was still unconscious, lying there sleeping. His breathing was easier, Arthur could see that. He had listened to the terrible hitching and wet sucking sound from the wounds for the last few hours.
"Don't lie to me, would you do anything to save him?" Arthur asked. The dragon blinked.
"I am the last of my kind and he is the only Dragon Lord. There is no one else I can have."
Kilgharrah reared back. Arthur flinched and put himself over Merlin's body. The dragon rose up, the muscles of his back legs tensing to hold him. His front feet pawed the air and the wings stretched out. They flapped and the dragon launched himself into the air. He hovered for a moment before stretching out and flying off into the night.
Arthur put a hand on Merlin's head, it felt cooler now, the fever dying down. It was better that Merlin then didn't get cold. Arthur poked the dying fire in the hope of giving it some life and he looked around for some more wood. He jumped as the dragon turned in flight, banked again and swooping down sent out a ball of fire. The embers sparked up and started to burn brightly, warmth spreading out over the clearing. Merlin stirred under his blankets and settled again. The dragon's voice floated down to Arthur.
"It will burn until dawn."