A/N: This is the last story of the in-between two series. I just wanted to add that I'll be updating less often during the next month or so. I'm teaching again for a whole month, and will have less time to write/update, even if I'm a little ahead with this story. Enjoy this one though!

12. Married life

A year passed this way, then another.

Lily and Gwaine were happily married, she training the younger Knights, he going onto short missions with the others and sometimes Arthur.

Camelot had been peaceful ever since it had been retaken to Morgana.

Of the witch, none had heard ever since.

Things didn't change though, they just...shifted.

"Lily, wake up!"

The Lady Knight groaned, and opened an eye.

She had been cuddling her husband all night, her head safely tucked onto his arm, her own wrapped around his naked waist.

He hadn't woken.

She grunted again, then carefully moved out of the bed.

When she opened the door, Merlin started a little at the air of complete sleepiness on her face.

"What. Is. It."

The warlock swallowed, then moved closer to her, obviously wishing for more secrecy. "I can't feel Aithusa anywhere."

Lily felt her mind wake a little more at that information. Her own soul was linked 24/7 to her dragon Kilgharrah. There wasn't a waking hour when she didn't feel his presence in her head.

She furrowed her brow. "When has it started?"

"Yesterday. I thought that perhaps it was because she was asleep or something, but..."

"I can feel Kilghie even when he sleeps."

"Yes. So...I'm worried."

"You mean, more worried than when you felt her being tortured?"

The young dragon had indeed been tortured a year prior, during painful weeks in which Merlin had felt every pain, every nudge, every burn.

And then...nothing.

He nodded painfully. "Yes, even more worried."

She sighed. "I'll ask Kilghie. I've promised a visit anyway. I'll ride out this afternoon."

A few months back, Lily had decided that making him come to Camelot was too dangerous. Even if her magic was accepted within the Knights, the people ignored it and the dragon that came with it. So, ever since, she rode away towards the forest of Essetir to meet him there.

When he was not abroad.

Merlin bowed his head. "Thank you."

Lily waved him away and yawned. "Now, if you please.. I still have some sleeping hours ahead of me."

But when she got back into her bed and Gwaine's arms, sleep didn't come back to her.

Instead, she started worrying too.

A dragon. One of the only two left. Missing. Bad thing.

Morning came, and Lily decided to move out of bed when it was certain that the whole castle was buzzing around.

She turned in Gwaine's arms and put a kiss on his cheek, waking him.

"Is it dawn yet?"

Lily chuckled, kissing him again. "Dawn is a couple of hours behind us already."

He grunted, pulling his wife into his side and snuggling his face into the crook of her neck. "I don't want to move."

"Neither do I, darling, but we have to. Do not forget you are to test the youngsters this morning."

Gwaine grunted again. "Percy can do it. Or better yet, Lancelot. He hasn't done a bloody chore for an awfully long time."

"Sooo..." Lily moved out of his arms and sat up, her hands going to her hips, "doing your knight's duties is a chore, then?"

"Not what I meant."

"Yes, that's exactly what you meant. Now move out of bed before I lose my temper and make you fly off it."

A brown eye opened. "Woman..."

Lily made a face, then chuckled when he sleepily sat up, trying to shake any remnants of sleep off his eyes.

Once both were dressed in their customary armour and had kissed each other goodbye for the day, Gwaine hurried towards the Knights' hall, while Lily went her way towards the stables.

Her horse was already saddled, thanks to Merlin who had sent word to the lads.

So Lily climbed onto her horse's back, and kicked its side, leaving the castle and city for a little more than a couple of hours.

Arthur...needn't know.

Summoning Kilgharrah had never been Lily's favourite in the world, but this time, she did so. Not taking the chance that he would not be close and couldn't come to her.

The hour was too grave.

So when she stepped into their now usual clearing and saw the Great Dragon lying down, his huge head resting on his paws, a small smile formed on her lips.

"I'm glad you could come, Kilghie."

Two enormous golden eyes opened, and a warm breath touched her form as he exhaled. "I guessed you needed me. You sounded worried."

"I am. Merlin can't find Aithusa anywhere." She sat before him, stretching her legs before her. "You know it isn't the first time she disappears, but this time...nothing."

Kilgharrah's eyes widened, and he seemed deep in thought for a moment, although Lily knew, as she felt it at the back of her mind, that he too was looking for the younger dragon. "Strange indeed. I can't seem to find her either. Although I am certain she has not passed."

Lily's brow furrowed. "How can you be sure?"

"A dragon balances magic in its own way. Ever since she was born, Aithusa has been influencing Merlin's magic as I do yours. If she had passed, the warlock would have lost some of his powers."

"So she is alive."

"Yes. Though I cannot think of a thing that could hide her from all sights, especially mine."

Lily nodded. "So something bad has happened. Again."

"Yes, I'm afraid so. When you told me she had been tortured, I already feared something. A dragon that young cannot yet control her powers over others, or the visions she might have had. Aithusa surely has fallen into the wrong hands, and those surely tried to pry things off her."

"Are you thinking about Morgana?"

Kilgharrah huffed, signifying his disagreement. "No, it doesn't resemble the witch to harm a creature of magic, however wrong she is. No... And I fear something else."

He paused, and his huge eyes met Lily's again.

Silent words passed between the two, and soon, the sorceress understood his point.

She gasped. "You believe Aithusa and Morgana have both disappeared because they have been taken by the same person?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Then the hour is really grave. If Morgana knows of Aithusa, maybe she has told her about Merlin's identity."

"No, Vivian, she cannot."

"She can't?"

"No. A dragon cannot, in any way, harm its Dragonlord. Aithusa can't give the witch any information about Merlin, even if she wished to."

Lily sighed in relief. "That's a good thing."

"Which doesn't change the gravity of the situation."

She stood, solemnly looking at her dragon. "What can I do?"

"As a Dragonlord, nothing. As a Knight of Camelot..."

She smirked. "I can send search parties."

"You told me your fellow Knights are all versed in your secret when they apply." She nodded. "Then they should know. Tell them how important a dragon is to the balance in their world, even if it is changing." He stretched, standing high on his paws, ready to take flight. "And be careful. Whomever imprisoned two beings as powerful can harm you too."

Lily nodded. "I will be careful, I promise."

Kilgharrah bowed his head before taking flight.

A last thought reaching his Dragonlord.

"I was glad to see you, Vivian."

Three hours later, Lily was standing in the middle of the Knights' hall, all of the knights standing before her, quizzical gazes on their faces.

Turning even more quizzical when she took off her gloves and cast a spell on the door, making sure no one would hear them.

"Fellow Knights, I have summoned you because the hour is grave."

Before her, her four friends of the Round Table looked at each other, guessing in silent words that if she was summoning them, the hour was grave indeed.

"You all know here of my powers, and of my parentage. Some of you have already met my dragon, Kilgharrah."

Some nodded, among which Percy, Lancelot, Gwaine and Elyan, others sent their fellow knights surprised glances.

Where was she going?

"None of you though know that, a few years back, another dragon was born." A gasp erupted within the knights. "That dragon balances the magic of Albion and all beings that live within its borders. And a few hours ago, she went missing."

"How can a dragon go missing?"

Lily sent a warning glance at the young knight. "Young dragons are like children, Sir Evan. They can be manipulated into trusting the wrong people. I have been made to believe that the dragon Aithusa has been abducted. By the same people that probably abducted the witch Morgana Pendragon."

This time the rumour that spread was buzzing into the hall in a mess.

Lily raised her hand to bring back the silence. "Therefore, I propose search parties. Retrieve the dragon, and Morgana at the same time. This would bring good omens on Camelot and bring back what was stolen."

Gwaine took a pace forward. "Do you have any idea where they could have disappeared?"

She sent a small smile. "None. And that is part of the problem."

Percival chuckled. "Well...this search shall be nice."

"I know I am asking a difficult task, but I trust you will be able to find them. I have entire trust in you. You can of course plan the searching parties as you wish. All I ask is ten knights to remain here, among whom one Knight of the Round Table."

A single glance within said Knights clearly told her Gwaine would stay.

She wasn't displeased.

The Knights were dismissed, and soon, Lancelot met Lily in the corridors of the castle.

"Lily, wait."

The Lady Knight whirled around. "Lance?"

He walked up to her, close enough so he wouldn't be overheard. "Is this dragon Merlin's?"

Lily wasn't surprised he had put two with two. Lancelot was far from being an idiot, after all. She nodded.

The Knight nodded back. "Then I'll find her. For him."

Lily smiled. "Always the Knight in shining armour."

"Always." He smiled back, then passed her towards his chambers to gather whatever he might need for this journey.

"I hope you're not unhappy I'm the one staying..."

Lily whirled around from where she had been standing, before her mirror, braiding her hair for the night. A small smile formed on her lips. "I knew it would be you. You could not remain away from me for such an amount of time."

Gwaine walked to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and bringing her back to his chest. "What has Arthur said about that search party?"

She sighed. "That he trusted my judgements but that he hoped I was wrong. He has no wish to see Morgana again. And how I understand him..."

"Enough about that. I can see how worried you are. So let's change the subject. I have one question for you."

Lily smiled to his reflection, then turned into his embrace, bringing her arms around his neck and drowning into his eyes. "Ask away."

"Have you considered having children with me?"

She was taken aback by this to the point where she untangled herself from him and went to sit on their bed.

Gwaine followed, leaving her to ponder his words. He knew better than to pry an answer off her.

After long moments, Lily turned to her husband, and smiled shyly. "I would love to have your children, Gwaine. But," she stopped him before he draw her in for a kiss, "not right now. I still have to...get used to this life."

"I know. I wasn't asking right now. Merely ever." He grinned from ear to ear, and she grinned back, before he did bring their lips together.

Married life suited Lily, after all...