AN: sorry I haven't posted in a while but anyway here's the next chapter hope you enjoy and don't forget to review :)

Explanations and realisations

For a while the young dragons simply looked at each other occasionally glancing at Merlin to see if he could help them, tell them how to answer, anything really, it didn't help matters that they could all clearly see Arthur becoming more and more impatient but to their immense credit they all remained, on the outside at least, perfectly clam. Finally Arthur had had enough and broke the silent tension.

"Well, if you expect me to believe you I need an explanation and the truth if you will" Arthur had meant for it to sound commanding but even he heard the slight hint of desperation that made itself know in his voice.

To everyone's surprise including the dragons it was Katla who stepped forward, and glancing once again to Merlin she then turned her attention to Arthur and spoke "In answer to your first question young prince, we are alive because the dragons of old were a wise race and knowledgeable in the great prophecies they anticipated the purge your Father wrought on magic and hid our eggs in the hope that one day the race of the mighty dragons could begin anew, that day has come."

When Katla paused Merlin and the other younglings looked at her with pride, as while she was the smallest of the dragons she was, even by their standards incredibly intelligent and had a way with words that even Kilgharrah predicted he would one day envy. It seemed that when she spoke her magic was woven into every word and combined with her young innocent voice caused all in the group to stop and stare in wonder; Merlin had even noticed that the knights' swords had lowered slightly.

Arthur looked at the youngest dragon as though truly noticing her for the first time, which admittedly was probably true as she had allowed the others to hold Arthur's attention before now, at last he asked "Why now?"

Katla looked at the others who nodded to her before continuing "For a dragon to hatch they must be called forth by a dragonlord, as I mentioned before our eggs were hidden it is only recently they were discovered and we called into being."

"But I thought the last dragonlord was dead." Elyan cut in who looked as amazed and curious as Arthur.

At this all the dragons looked sadly at Merlin, they all knew the story of his father and felt his pain for the loss, the knights heard Katla's heavy tone as she spoke "The power of the dragonlord is passed from father to son… in death, when Balinor died his son became the last dragonlord." Katla paused allowing this information to sink in before continuing her voice stronger and prouder as she spoke of her dragonlord.

"It is because of him we help you, he is loyal to you and believes in the kingdom you will one day build, he does not judge you on the actions of your father nor does he wish you harm."

After once again getting over the shock of hearing her speak and the information the youngling had given him Arthur merely stood there trying to process the fact that not only was there a sorcerer out there who wished to help and was loyal to him but he was apparently a dragonlord who had gotten the dragons on side. Several questions and theories occurred to Arthur who was still wary of magic at this point but realising that the dragons could have already harmed them if they truly wished to he decided to continue hearing them out.

"This dragonlord, why did he not help before when the Great Dragon was attacking Camelot, if his father was willing why wasn't he?" Arthur decided he needed to confirm the loyalties of these dragons and their master.

This time it was Ketu who replied in her soft tone "He did help you, it was he not you who defeated Kilgharrah that night, he sent him away, he who has pacified Kilgharrah's anger towards Camelot and has helped save Camelot because of his choice to spare the Great and at the time the last Dragon."

Ketu spoke calmly explaining Merlin choices in a way she hoped would prevent Arthur getting too angry at Kilgharrah's continued existence.

Arthur once again seemed frozen in shock and thought, his mind thrown even further into turmoil when Percival voiced a question that he had over looked.

"Didn't you strike a mortal blow to the Great Dragon Arthur?"

Lost in his own thoughts Arthur remembered that night vividly, waking up in the middle of that clearing to Merlin telling him the Dragon had been mortally wounded that it had been Arthur who struck the beast, Merlin had never mentioned anyone else in the field. Then he remembered Merlin on the trip to find Balinor, he had been so quiet and lost in thought and how disappointed he had been when Balinor didn't help, his excitement when he showed up and his incredible grief at his death. At the time Arthur had put it down to needing Balinor to save Camelot now he thought differently.

He also thought about how the dragons had talked of this dragon lord's belief in Arthur and his loyalty to him. He remembered all the times Merlin rode into battle with him, when really as a servant he shouldn't have, and came out unharmed surviving more than most seasoned knights. The times when Merlin had lifted his spirits by helping Arthur believe in himself and the times Merlin had shown a ridiculous tendency to want to die for him.

Finally Arthur cast his mind over the talk with the dragons, when the dragons had glanced around he thought they were watching for danger but now he thought about it he realised the eyes always rested on Merlin.

Although it felt like hours to Arthur all his thinking had in reality only taken a minute, and in that minute Arthur realised what he had been missing for four years, that something about Merlin he couldn't quite put his finger on, and that realisation hit him like a ton of bricks.

He turned to Merlin a look of shock, realisation, anger and confusion on his face and looking into Merlin's blue eyes as if searching for some evidence of the truth there he simple said "You"

AN: hope you enjoyed thanks to all my followers for sticking through this long, long absence hope this chapter makes it worth it and sorry bout the cliffy I'm evil I now :)