Weeks passed and Merlin became accepted as nothing but Uther Pendragon's son. Arthur latched onto Merlin from the moment the future king first saw his new brother and instantly wanted to do everything with Merlin. Naturally, the toddler was confused why a baby Merlin couldn't play knights despite all the attempts by Uther and Gaius to help him understand. But it was clear the two princes were going to be inseparable.

Gaius struggled to find a potion that would bind Merlin's magic and Dragonlord abilities. The physician tried everything he possibly could to mask and hide Merlin's magic but no matter what potion the former sorcerer created; the infants magic found a way around it. Several heart stopping moments occurred when Gaius found toys and ribbons floating above Merlin's cradle as Uther happened to breech the doorway.

Thankfully, Gaius had been able to snatch the objects out of the air before Uther fully realized what had happened. Merlin seemed to have the presence of mind to only use magic when he was alone or with Gaius. The physician didn't know how Merlin knew when to use magic and when not to, but he thanked whatever deity that preserved the child's life so far for the miracle.

Finally, Gaius had run out of options and knew it was only a matter of time before Merlin was discovered. So, he did the one thing he'd refused to even think of since Balinor's death.

He went to see the Great Dragon.

oooOOooo

"Hello!" Gaius called into the darkness. His senses searched the oppressive darkness for the slightest sound or flicker of light reflected in his torch signaling the dragon's approach.

Nothing.

The darkness remained as heavy and oppressive as it was since he started his trek to this cavern and deafening silence was all that met his ears.

"Please! I beg of you! I don't come for myself, but for Balinor!"

A blast of air pressed Gaius to the ground as his body struggled to remain upright. And a sickening snap of jaws brandishing teeth larger than a sword flashed above the former sorcerer. The dragon tried to bite him!

"What right do you have to speak that name!" The Great Dragon growled. "My Lord is dead."

Gaius looked up at the dragon in fear. The former sorcerer thought to stand but one look at the dragon made him feel content to remain prone on the ledge.

"And you are as much to blame for my Dragonlord's death as that traitor Uther Pendragon! You have turned your back on your kin to save your own miserable life. Tell me why I should not kill where you stand?!"

Gaius nervously licked his lips. "I'm not here for myself! I'm here for Merlin! Please, his life will be forfeit if you do not help me. I have nowhere else to turn!"

The Great Dragon growled again. "Speak quickly traitor. I will tolerate your presence for my future dragonlord, but no more!"

"Uther tracked Balinor to Ealdor and found he had a son. Balinor's woman was sickly and dying, but the child was healthy. After both of Merlin's parents died-" Gaius' voice cut out as the dragon roared.

"He left the woman to die as well!"

Gaius nodded rapidly, voice failing him in his fear. When he could finally speak it was raspy and weak. "He killed Balinor and left after the woman died of a difficult childbirth. Uther knows Balinor's son, Merlin, is the last Dragonlord. He has taken the baby as his own and silenced all those who know of Merlin's parentage. Uther ordered me to bind the baby's abilities so he will never know he isn't a Pendragon."

The physician waited for the dragon's inevitable anger.

He wasn't disappointed.

"UTHER PENDRAGON! I WILL BURN YOUR PRECIOUS CITY TO THE GROUND UNTIL IT IS A PILE OF RUBBLE. I WOULD BURN YOUR FIELDS TO STUBBLE SO THEY ARE LEFT BARREN AND NOTHING WILL EVER GROW IN CAMELOT FOR THE REST OF ETERNITY! HOW DARE YOU STEAL WHAT IS MINE, UTHER PENDRAGON! HOW DARE TO STEAL THE PRIDE, IDENTITY AND DIGNITY OF SUCH A PROUD AND NOBLE LINEAGE AND TAKE THE SPOILS FOR YOUR OWN!"

Gasping in raspy breaths of air, Gaius watched the dragon rant with such power it stole the breath out of his lungs. It felt like the air was being sucked out of the cave leaving Gaius nothing to inhale.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, UTHER PENDRAGON! FATE WILL NOT BE CHEATED! I WILL SEE MY DRAGONLORD RETURED TO THE ORDER OF HIS TRUE HOUSE, AND WHEN HE DOES...YOU WILL RUE THE DAY, YOU DARED ERADICATE MAGIC BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN FOLLY! NEVER, WILL MY DRAGONLORD HOLD THE NAME OF PENDRAGON, TRAITOR KING! I WILL NOT ALLOW YOUR NAME TO SULLY THE DIGNITY OF THE CHILD'S FATHER AND HIS FATHERS BEFORE!"

"Great Dragon, please!" Gaius gasped as the dragon's magic slowly pressed the air from his lungs.

"I HAVE NOT FINISHED, SORCERER! I WILL RAGE IN DARKNESS FOR THE CRIMES THAT HAVE BEEN COMMITTED AGAINST MY KIN BECAUSE THAT WORM HAS PREVENTED ME FROM DOING IT IN THE LIGHT! AND YOU CANNOT STOP ME!"

"Merlin is...in danger." Gaius forced out, hoping it would stop the dragon from killing him.

The effect was immediate. The dragon stopped raging and the wild power that suffocated the mortal sorcerer was immediately lifted.

"HOW." The Great Dragon growled, but without the power he'd ranted with before.

"Merlin...has...magic. Uther...doesn't know...but he... will soon if...I can't bind it. It's wild...and cannot be predicted. I fear for his life." Gaius bit out, gasping on the ledge for air like a fish out of water. His hands clawed into the rocks trying to find a position that would help him breathe better.

"I will not bind the powers of my own kin! That is against the ancient laws. Doing so would allow Uther and his ilk to win."

"We have no choice. Uther may accept a Dragonlord, but not magic. I have never seen such wild and reckless power."

The dragon cocked his head to the side, as if listening to something Gaius couldn't hear. "Hmmm...Wild and reckless you say?"

Gaius watched in silence as the dragon crouched down on a large protruding stalagmite that looked more like a rounded boulder.

"It is not my place to bind the abilities of my Dragonlord. To do so, would bring punishment upon my head for crimes against the magic of the free world. Not even dragons are immune to the fury of fate.

However, Uther Pendragon has changed destiny when he took Merlin and choose to raise him as his son. Destiny will be not cheated and Merlin is destined for greatness, but to do so he must have his magic. Yet, destiny cannot allow Merlin to die. Nor those who will need Merlin's magic to survive the days to come." The Great Dragon pondered.

Gaius lay on the ground, waiting for the dragon to make his decision that would rule the fate of an infant.

"Indeed...it seems I have no choice." The Great Dragon pushed himself upright.

Gaius watched as the dragon breathed out, surrounding the air between them with a thick golden mist. Slowly, the mist pulled inwards, condensing and darkening until it became a golden looking coin the size of a silver penny. The newly formed pendant grew a thick leather cord before it stopped changing shapes and floated in the air between the former sorcerer and the dragon.

"This coin is made of magic and will succeed where you have failed. Take heed, physician, do not touch the metal yourself for it is meant to absorb and hold the abilities and magic of my dragonlord alone. Place the coin around my dragonlord's neck and ensure the metal touches his skin until dawn. His magic and dragonlord abilities will be taken from him and stored inside the coin until fate decides it is time for Merlin to fulfill his destiny. Once the deed is done, return the coin to me and tell no one of this day." The Great Dragon instructed.

Gaius stood on shaky legs and watched as the leather cord around the coin floated into his hand. The physician bowed to the Great Dragon for his aid and went to leave when the dragon stopped him.

"Physician." Gaius turned around to stare at the Great Dragon. "Beware, that in time Merlin will gain back his abilities when fate deems it so. When that time comes, Merlin Pendragon will die, and Merlin Ambrosius, son of Balinor will be reborn. Without his inherited magic and dragonlord abilities, he will be vulnerable to threats from friends and foes. Take care to ensure Merlin survives to take back his birthrights. His life, and the destiny Merlin is a part of, rests in your hands until that time physician."

The old man didn't have a chance to reply before the dragon spread his wings and flapped into the darkness, trailing the long chain the kept him bound in the icy cavern. The physician gathered his partially burned torch and trudged up the staircase. Once he'd snuck out of the dungeons, Gaius traveled up to the nursery in the royal wing.

As expected, the nursery was bare and quiet. The door leading to a connected servants chambers were open but Gaius could see the young nurse was asleep on her cot. The physician crept forward until he could see the young infant sleeping in the ornate crib. Slipping a hand underneath Merlin, Gaius slipped the leather cord over Merlin's head and let it rest around his neck.

Finally, he gripped the leather above the coin and slipped it under the infant's tiny nightshirt so it rested on his bare chest.

Merlin's small face scrunched up in disgust and he whimpered slightly as the coin came to rest on his soft skin, and began to remove what was rightfully his to have.

"Please forgive me." Gaius whispered to the unconscious child.

A second later, Gaius left the chambers, placing a light sleeping spell on the nurse to ensure the coin would remain on Merlin until he could come to collect the coin at dawn.

Once Gaius made it to his personal quarters on the far end of the castle, the aging man found it hard to sleep, contemplating what he's just done. All he could hope was that Merlin would find it in himself to forgive him when the truth came to light.

oooOOooo

Early at the break of dawn, Gaius left his chambers quietly to remove the pendant from Prince Merlin's neck and hopefully have enough time to return it to The Great Dragon before the castle became busy with servants and knights bustling through the hallways.

As usual, he had his physicians bag slung over his shoulder and nodded greetings to all those who acknowledged he passed before continuing on his way. While the amount of people traveling the halls were significantly less than what they would be in a few hours, it still made him nervous to pass so many people who would be bound to testify against him if they discovered the truth of what he was doing.

It didn't take long before he was walking into Prince Merlin's nursery and was pleased to see the young nurse was still asleep in the same position Gaius had left her late last night. A bead of sweat trickled down his face and his hastily brushed it away before leaning over the crib.

The aging physician nearly gasped at the changes that the infant had undergone in just a few short hours the coin remained on his fragile chest.

The infant's skin was thin and pale. The poor boys, chest rose and fell in ragged gasps and the glimmer of sweat could clearly been seen on Merlin's skin.

He looked...awful.

Gaius knew without a doubt this was the price to pay for removing Merlin's magic. A part of the physician was tempted to find a way to make the coin to release the infants magic and Dragonlord abilities so the innocent child wouldn't have to suffer like this. But alas, Merlin needed the protection from Uther that being a normal human could only bring. Gaius had no choice, and there was no going back.

Swiftly, Gaius pulled the leather strap off the young prince and carefully wrapped the golden coin in a spare strip of cloth. He didn't know if the coin would continue to steal the abilities and magic of whoever it touched after last night, but he wasn't willing to test the Dragon's patience if it could.

The former sorcerer knew while he couldn't cure the young prince, the only thing he could do now was to treat his symptoms and keep him as comfortable and healthy as possible.

The shifting of blankets woke Gaius out of his musings as he became aware the nurse was beginning to stir as his spell wore off. Stowing the wrapped coin in his bag, he slipped out the door and headed for the dungeons to surrender the coin before he was inevitably called to the youngest prince's side.