-51-

"The damage is substantial," Arthur told his father in the throne room. The knights had been assembled and they were reporting the damage from the dragon's night attack. "Half of the lower town has been badly burnt and everyone has fled to the castle."

"Many are dead, Sire," Leon said, stepping forward. "Twenty knights and many more citizens of Camelot."

"We cannot allow this to continue. We need to kill it," Uther said.

"We're trying, but no weapon can pierce its skin," Arthur said.

"This monster is made of flesh and bone. It can be killed," Uther insisted.

"We've taken precautions, but if the dragon keeps attacking, we're not going to last long."

"Double your efforts. Last night we were taken by surprise but tonight we'll be ready."

"Yes, Sire." Arthur motioned to the knights, and they filed out of the room.

Merlin stood at the edge of the room. Gaius was still tending the wounded with Ryll and Gwen's assistance. Several of the injured had died in their care, their wounds too bad to be healed. More would die if this continued. And it was all his fault.

He had freed the dragon. He had unleashed this beast on the city. He hadn't told Gaius yet, but it would come out eventually. He had tried to make the dragon promise not to harm Camelot, but he had asked for one too many favors. The dragon would not honor this one. When he thought of all the people who had died already, Merlin felt sick to his stomach. There had to be something he could do. He had to try using his magic against the dragon. Everything else had failed so far. Arthur put a hand on his shoulder as he passed.

"You should rest," he told him. "You've had a long night, and we need all our strength."

"What about you?" Merlin asked.

"I need to help with the fortifications. I'll rest later."

"I'll help."

"You've done enough. See if Gaius needs a hand and then get some sleep."

Merlin watched Arthur leave. He was exhausted, but he felt no desire to go to sleep. Instead he headed toward the infirmary as Arthur had suggested to check on Gaius. The physician was not in the infirmary when he entered. Ryll stood up from where she sat, looking slightly alarmed at his sudden appearance. He remembered the way she'd embraced him when he'd entered the room that morning.

"Merlin. Are you looking for Gaius? I told him to get some rest. He was up all day and night. I told him I'd watch the patients incase they got worse."

"You should rest too. I can watch them."

"No. You were the one out there helping Arthur. I'm fine. I'll sleep later."

An awkward silence hung in the air. Ryll couldn't seem to meet his eyes. He wasn't sure where they stood, and that made him nervous.

"I wonder how the dragon escaped," Ryll said offhandedly. "All this destruction…"

Merlin felt a stab of guilt. "I don't know," he lied. First Morgana and now this… He didn't deserve Ryll's forgiveness. "I need to go," he said. He suddenly couldn't breathe. Ryll watched in surprise as he left the room. He didn't go back to his room right away. Instead he wandered the castle halls without really knowing where he was going. When he finally returned to the physician's quarters, he found Gaius fast sleep on his cot. He realized that no matter how much he wanted to stay awake, he needed the sleep. He entered his room and fell onto the bed, not bothering to undress. It took a long time for sleep to find him and when it did, his dreams were fiery nightmares and everyone was pointing at him crying "traitor!" When he woke up later that evening, he felt as if he hadn't slept at all.

…

The dragon returned that night with a vengeance. Despite the fact that they were prepared for this onslaught, it caused no less destruction. The knights were ready with spears and crossbows, but the weapons glanced off the dragon's thick hide just like the night before. He seemed to have no weak spot. His wings were vast, his fire a hellish inferno, his claws and teeth sharp knives.

The people of Camelot remembered well the gryphon that had attacked the city a year ago. That creature had caused great damage in the lands and yet compared to this it was a harmless kitten. The people cowered within the castle while the knights shielded themselves from the blaze.

Ryll listened to the sound of the roar from the armory. She was alone which was for the best. She had slipped into a layer of chain mail and was clipping a shoulder plate on. She grabbed a helmet and a crossbow. She slipped the helmet on. Now it was time to face the dragon. If her elemental powers did not harm it, then she wasn't sure what could kill it. She found her way onto the parapet where the knights were cowering behind the wall until they were sure the fire had passed. Ryll stood waiting while the dragon circled back.

"What are you doing?" one of the knights asked. "Get down!"

Ryll didn't move. She drew the crossbow, settling it on her shoulder, arrow aimed at the dragon's heart. Only she wasn't exactly sure where a dragon's heart was. As the dragon flew ever nearer, Ryll braced herself. She wouldn't move, wouldn't flinch. She stared unblinkingly at the dragon. One golden eye was set on her. Ryll readied the bow. She summoned her elemental powers. The arrow blazed forth and as she released it, the flaming arrow struck the center of the dragon's chest. The dragon hissed, but the arrow bounced off harmlessly. Now it was angry and coming straight at her. A hand grabbed her and tugged her down just in time to avoid the flame it shot out of its mouth.

Ryll ducked her head to avoid the intense heat, but she could feel the metal armor heating up quickly. She felt like she was suffocating. Then the dragon shut its mouth and moved off. She looked up to see who her rescuer was.

It was Merlin. He tugged her helmet off. "What were you thinking?" he asked. "Your magic won't harm it."

"How do you know that? How did you even know it was me?" she asked. The other knights had moved off and now they were alone.

"I know magic when I see it. You shouldn't put yourself in danger."

"Why not? Everyone else is! You're up here and you can't even shot a bow or handle a sword!" She shut her mouth realizing how harsh that sounded. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that-"

"No, it's true," Merlin said. "What can I do, really?"

"You know that you're valuable to your friends for different reasons than being a warrior," she said. "You're loyal and kind and never stop fighting for what's right."

"I just don't want to see you get hurt," Merlin told her. "In fact, you probably shouldn't even be around me because people around me tend to get hurt."

"That's not true."

"Morgana, now this."

"Why would this be your fault? He escaped. You didn't do this."

Merlin shut his eyes. "If only you knew what I'd done, Ryll. I hate for you to think I'm some kind of hero because I'm not. You should go back to the infirmary. Gaius needs all the help he can get."

"What about you?"

"I need to find Arthur."

"Merlin," Ryll said before he could leave. He turned back. There was something sad in his eyes, something regretful that she didn't understand. "Just be careful."

"I will." He left her and she made her way down to the infirmary, shedding armor as she went. She dropped it in a pile at the door and wiped the sweat from her brow. It had felt like she was trapped inside a furnace, and she was glad to be free of it.

The infirmary was full to bursting point and Gaius and Gwen were rushing around, trying to treat everyone while their patients groaned. Ryll grabbed a wet cloth and began to bathe a knight's wounds. He had a bad burn on his shoulder where the metal of his shoulder plate had grown too hot. He cringed when Ryll bathed the wound.

"I must be dying," he said softly.

"You're not dying," Ryll said. "It's just a bad burn."

"Then you're not an angel?" he asked.

Ryll smiled. "No, I'm no angel," she said.

"You're the woman who entered in the tournament."

"You remember that?" Ryll asked. No one had mentioned the tournament since she had returned to Camelot. It embarrassed her to think some still recognized her from it.

"Of course. I did not enter, but I watched. You were quite the warrior."

"I'm afraid Uther didn't see it that way."

"No, well, I don't suppose he would. A lot of the knights wished he would. You would make a fine addition to the knights of Camelot and not just because you're a pretty face."

"I'm honored that you think so," Ryll said. She smiled, her cheeks glowing at the thought. "I don't think that will ever come to pass though."

"You never know," the knight said. "Sometimes you have to keep chasing your dreams. You can't just let them slip away."

"Did you dream of becoming a knight of Camelot?"

"Aye. Ever since I was a little boy. When I was old enough to join, I did. I've served King Uther and Prince Arthur ever since. My parents were so proud the day I was knighted. I will die in honor knowing I had the chance to serve such a noble kingdom."

"You're not going to die just yet."

"I suffer not from just a burn," the knight said. He moved his hand and she saw that his chest was bleeding.

"Why didn't you say?" she eased his tunic over his head to reveal his chest. A gash ran from one shoulder down to his hip. It was bleeding heavily, and she could tell it was deep.

"Because I'm already dying. No one can save me now."

"I can save you. I have to try." Ryll tried to staunch the wound, but he had already lost too much blood.

"Promise me you won't stop chasing your dream," the knight said, grasping her hand.

Ryll found that her eyes were filled with tears. "I won't," she promised him. "One day I will be a knight, and I will speak of your bravery. What is your name?"

"Sir Peter," he said, his voice weakening. His forehead was dotted with sweat, and Ryll mopped his brow.

"Sir Peter. The brave knight who fought against the great dragon. Maybe someone will write a song about your great deeds some day. I'll make sure they do."

"Thank you, my Lady. It has been an honor to meet you."

"And you." But he was already gone. Glassy eyes stared up at the ceiling. His hand went limp in hers, and she laid it over his heart.

"Ryll? What's wrong?" Gaius asked her.

"He's gone," she said. "I couldn't save him."

"We can't save them all," he said. "Lay a sheet over him, and come help me over here. There are more who need our help."

Ryll shut the man's eyelids with a sweep of her hand and laid a white sheet over him. The blood from his chest soaked it through, but she couldn't help that. She dabbed her eyes on her sleeve and went to help Gaius.

"How do you do this?" she asked him. "How can you watch people suffer and die and not die a little yourself?"

"I have to keep myself distanced from the pain," he told her. "If I let myself get too sentimental then I begin to feel their pain as well. It's not an easy thing to learn how to do."

"I can't imagine. I've seen death before, but not like this… So much destruction from one beast that probably just wants revenge against Uther for keeping it captive. He has to see very soon that a dragon lord is the only option. Will you tell him tomorrow?"

"I will. Let us hope by then that he will have seen enough of destruction to change his mind. Right now he still believes that normal weapons can kill it. This happened once before, you know, with a gryphon."

"Is that the one Lancelot killed?" Ryll asked. "He told me about it."

"Yes. This too was a beast of magic that no normal weapon could kill."

"Lancelot told me that Merlin helped him find the right kind of weapon to kill it."

"Yes, he did."

"Maybe the same weapon can be used to kill the dragon?"

"Perhaps."

"What happened to it?"

"The weapon?"

"Yes."

"I'm not sure. I think it might have been destroyed or lost its power after it killed the gryphon."

Ryll had the distinct feeling that Gaius was keeping something from her, but she did not press him. Clearly this wasn't going to be the solution. Perhaps a dragon lord was their only hope after all. Before she could consider this further, another group of wounded knights entered the infirmary and she rushed over to help them. The body of Sir Peter was moved and another knight replaced him on the cot. Ryll rolled up her sleeves and prayed that she would not have to see another dead tonight.

…

The situation was growing desperate. Merlin wasn't sure what to do. All he knew was that this was his fault and that he should find a way to fix it. He wasn't sure if magic would work against the dragon, but he couldn't find a chance to face it alone. He'd try tomorrow night if he got the chance. There had to be some way to defeat it. They couldn't keep this up forever. So far Arthur had gone unharmed, but Merlin feared for him every time he went out to face the beast. It was Merlin's fate to help Arthur to unite Albion, not to die at the jaw of a dragon. He knew that Arthur would keep fighting until he saw the dragon dead, but what if that wasn't possible? How long could they keep fighting against something as great and destructive as the dragon? After all the help the dragon had given him over the years, why now was it trying to undo everything? If he killed Arthur now, there was no way magic would ever return to Camelot. Uther would be devastated and his hatred for magic would grow even more.

Somehow Merlin's destiny seemed to weigh so much more on his shoulders than ever before. It too was beginning to feel impossible. How could he keep Arthur alive when Arthur would willingly give his life to protect his city? Perhaps Merlin would have to die to save Arthur. Perhaps that was his destiny. He didn't know anymore. He didn't know what to do let alone what he was destined to do.

He looked up at the sky to where the dragon was flying off into the distance, done with his destruction for the night, and silently asked what it was he was supposed to do. He received no answer.