Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.
Chapter five: Morgana has a dragon?!
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Percival was working hard, moving rocks far heavier than most men could lift. He was trying to take his mind off the fact Gwaine still hadn't returned. If the Saxons had found him, Gwaine could be dead and days without treatment if he was injured was a death sentence here.
Part of him hoped Arthur had sent men to try and save them, but the other half hoped he hadn't. No more men from Camelot could fall prey to Morgana's traps, they were all lost causes here. No hope of rescue and being worked to the death.
Suddenly a hand lands on Percival's back, causing him to spin, knocking the hand away. He's about to throw a punch when he sees who are behind him, both dressed in Saxon armour.
"Arthur!" Percival exclaimed in shock. "Merlin!"
"Didn't think we'd just leave you here, did you?" Arthur replies. "Where are the others?"
"They're..." Percival hesitates from a moment, thinking of the right words. "Scattered around."
"Gwaine?" Merlin speaks up from behind Arthur, worried for one of his closest friends.
"Saw him a couple of days ago, but..."
Merlin bows his head knowingly. Gwaine was missing, that wasn't a good sign here. Arthur places a reassuring hand on Merlin's shoulder before drawing a sword he had found and placing it wagon in front of Percival.
"See if you can use it to find some more." Arthur instructs, keeping eye contact with Percival.
"Arthur." Merlin warms as Saxons appear at the far side of the area.
Percival nodes and glances back at the Saxons heading their way. He had a plan for them.
"Do what you can to free the others," Arthur calls over his shoulder as he and Merlin vanish down a tunnel out of sight of the Saxons. "We'll find Gwaine."
Merlin and Arthur slowly creep through the tunnels, keeping out of sight of the Saxon guards, who seemed to be swarming the place like ants. Back where they had come from, Percival was putting his plan in motion. He pushed one of the wagons along the tunnel, keeping himself hunched over and the sword Arthur had given him hidden.
He whistled to get a Saxons attention. The Saxon guard turns towards him with a grunt.
"Down here." Percival mutters.
The Saxon moves down to Percival, but before he can do anything, Percival knocks him out with the hilt of his sword. He glances round before beckoning one of his fellow knights forward and handing them the sword he had taken from the unconscious Saxons' belt.
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"You must wake." The creature, who was named Euchdag, spoke waking Gwaine from his sleep.
"What is that?" Gwaine groans, as he wakes to the sounds of a bell ringing.
"The warning bell." Euchdag answers.
"Where are they coming from?" Gwaine asks, looking back at Euchdag having glanced down the nearby tunnels.
Not far from where Gwaine and Euchdag were hidden from the Saxons, Merlin was leading the way. He was following his senses, it was like when he sensed the cup of life or the eye of the phoenix bracelet. Whatever he was sensing had powerful magic, maybe it was the key Tristan had told him Morgana was looking for.
Arthur pulls Merlin back into the shadows as a group of Saxons walk past. Merlin nodes his thanks, before pointing to a tunnel across from them, almost hidden completely from view. If Merlin hadn't pointed it out, Arthur knew he might not have noticed it.
"Don't worry, no-one's going to harm you." Gwaine told Euchdag, as footsteps sounded in the tunnel. "RAAHHH!"
Gwaine let out a cry as he jumped from his hiding place, wilding a flaming torch. Arthur reacts on reflex and grabs the torch and spins Gwaine around into the wall of the tunnel. Gwaine relax as soon as he sees who it is.
"Trust you not to be doing any work." Arthur greets, relieved to have finally found Gwaine.
"It's about time!" Gwaine answers, grasping Arthur by the forearm.
Merlin quickly pushes past Arthur and Gwaine and stares at Euchdag, who bows their head slightly to Merlin before disappearing deeper into the tunnels.
"What was that?" Arthur asks, staring at Merlin.
"I'm not exactly sure." Gwaine answers, missing the fact Arthur was asking Merlin. "But I owe it my life."
Merlin turns round and meets Gwaine's gaze. "I have my suspicions, but now's not the time. We need to get out of here."
As Arthur turns to lead the way back down the tunnel, Merlin and Gwaine share a quick hug. As they make their way back through the tunnels, Merlin glances round uneasily. He stops for a moment while Gwaine and Arthur walk on ahead. This place seemed to empty.
Running a couple of steps, Merlin catches up with the others.
"Something's wrong." Merlin speaks up. "The Saxons! Where have they all gone?"
"First there are too many, now there aren't enough." Arthur answered turning to face him. "Are you ever happy?"
Merlin pauses again, as Arthur and Gwaine keep going. A roaring wind blows through the tunnel, but to Merlin it seemed familiar, but he couldn't place why.
"What was that?" He asked, pushing through Gwaine and Arthur and standing at the mouth of the tunnel.
"What?" Arthur asked.
The roaring wind blew through the tunnel again, it felt warm.
"Feel the wind." Merlin mutters.
"That wasn't the wind." Gwaine speaks up, his voice deadly serious for once.
A shadow moves at the far end of one of the tunnels and suddenly a dark roaring shape was running towards them. Arthur drags Gwaine down the tunnel throwing down his torch, with Merlin hot on their heels. Spotting a small opening, Merlin uses his magic to throw Arthur and Gwaine through it before following them.
Whatever was chasing them runs straight past them in a burst of flames. Once it was gone, Merlin slowly edges forward and looks out the opening making sure the way was clear.
"Was that what I think it was?" Gwaine asked shocked.
"Where did Morgana get a dragon from?" Arthur demands.
"I've no idea." Merlin answers, before turning to Arthur. "Get Gwaine back to Percival. I'll lure the dragon the other way."
"Merlin," Arthur replies. "I knew you were stupid, but not that stupid."
"No," Merlin grinned. "You really are that stupid, I'm a dragon lord, remember? And if you don't believe me, watch..."
Merlin gets to his feet and runs.
"Merlin!" Arthur yells. "I'm going after him."
"Let him go, princess," Gwaine reaches and grabs Arthur shoulder. "It's a dragon, Merlin's a dragon lord, he'll be fine. You on the other hand..."
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Merlin followed the dragon through the tunnels, using his ability as a dragon lord to follow its trail. It felt like Aithusa, but what would he be doing here and working for Morgana no less? It was now Merlin really did feel like he had failed the young dragon.
"Aithusa." Merlin breathes, as he finally catches up with the dragon.
Hearing it name being spoken the dragon turns to Merlin, but does not recognise him and shots a torrent of white hot flames his way. Merlin throws his hand up and his eyes flash gold, the flames flow harmless around him, but Merlin could feel the heat.
"Nun de ge dei s'eikein kai emois epe'essin hepesthai!" Merlin yells the command.
Aithusa instantly calms down and looks at Medline curiously, before sitting down and letting out a painfully chirping noise.
"What happened?" Merlin asks, worried for the young dragon he had failed to protect. "Who did this to you?"
Aithusa flinches back and lets out a low growl, in fear and anger. Merlin had no doubt whoever did this to him would pay if they ever crossed paths with the young dragon again.
"I won't harm you." Merlin mutters, kneeling down and holding out his hand.
Aithusa moves forward and rubs his head against Merlin palm and to Merlin it seemed like the dragon was purring.
"What does that mean?" Merlin asked.
Aithusa answers with a painful whine.
"You can't speak." Merlin finally concludes.
Aithusa bows his head and whines again. All Merlin could do was stare at the dragon before him, whom ever did this would pay. Harming or killing creatures of magic was a crime, punishable by death in some kingdoms, just like murder was. And if Merlin ever found out who it was, they'd never escape without a trial.
"Merlin!" A voice echoes down one of the tunnels.
It sounded like Arthur, but Merlin couldn't be sure.
"Go!" Merlin tells Aithusa.
If the dragon tried to kill a knight, they'd kill him. It would be self-defence, Aithusa would be deemed an enemy of Camelot and if word had spread Morgana had a dragon…
Aithusa shakes his head and lets out another whine.
"Ithi!" Merlin orders.
Aithusa disappears down one of the tunnels and away from where Merlin was standing.
"Merlin?" The voice calls again. "Merlin!"
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Hello, I hope you enjoyed reading that chapter and thank you mersan123 for reviewing. Until next time,
Blessed be,
TreeOfLife1997.