Merlin folded his hands behind him. He lifted a bowl in one hand and a plate in another, placing one carefully in the center of the dark table. The other in front of the girl. Her hands were folded over each other and her elboes casually crossed over the table's edge. She didn't look at Merlin. But she did flash her blues at the other sorcerer in the room.

Brychan narrowed his eyes, and Merlin froze. "C'mere," said Brychan. He pulled Merlin into a chair beside him. Then buttered bread and dressed a place for Merlin.

"Did you know the power of a dragon Lord actually comes from an ancient familial curse?"

She didn't speak out loud, but Merlin tipped his ear. "I guessed." Merlin poured tea and put it in front of Shiel, Wen's mother, who didn't speak often but had a sweet disposition. Merlin followed by doing the same for the other three cups. He ended with his own.

Brychan pursed his lips. 'I thought about what you said about the court," said Brychan, likely to Wen. "If they do try to undermine you, they've already shown their colors," he said smoothly. He had a pointed look Merlin didn't like. "be prepared to either escape, and be prepared to kill." A look passed between them before Brychan continued. "They won't like being removed if they've decided they prefer a different ruler."

"I already know which ones do," she said darkly, she breathed through her nose and broke away from the exchange before pulling her cup closer.

Merlin frowned. He opened his mouth, then closed it.

"No. It's alright," said Wen, glancing at Merlin.

Merlin leaned forward. "Will you stage a coup to get rid of those who are not faithful?"

Shiel flipped her head to the side and pushed her fingers through her hair. Her hand went to her mouth to hide some expression. Merlin didn't see it, but her eyes looked worried.

Wen took in a breath. "No. I'll hold a pledge date. All the knights must swear fealty, all the guards, and the officials."

"Which is tricky because most of the guards supported the other potential before the circumstance changed in Pyre Night."

Merlin nodded. He waited for the plates to clear and quickly collected them. He went to pump water to clean them with, but Brychan caught him alone and put his hands over Merlin's. The older man met Merlin's gaze and slipped the dishes out of his grip. "Go follow my daughter into the garden before she gets lost."

Merlin didn't find her.

He shoveled out the small stable, ignoring the stout little horse.

She swept a little closer and leaned on a post curiously. "You – are a diligent worker," she eyed his fingers.

"And you're precocious and difficult. When can I go back to Camelot?"

"Be disappointed," she said. "There's no carriage back." She glowered and turned on a heal. She drifted away before he put away the pitchfork.

Merlin found her under the line of trees. He slowed when he reached the bank of light and blinked at the change in atmosphere.

Merlin settled in the moss and pushed a branch idly through the surface to watch the water part. And when he tipped his head to see clearer, Wen emerged from the haze of light.

Her palm raised in perfect stillness, the sound of the wind rustling.

He squinted at a white flash. A sturdy unicorn bowed its horn, gave her a side glance, and approached. She cooed, and it licked from her hand.

Merlin reached to a tree and propped himself.

He quickly glanced around, his heart racing.

But there was no hunt today, no turmoil, nothing to hide from.

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, the animal was still there. The princess's shaking fingers trembled at the snout, trying to touch without scaring. Its front leg curled, and its head dropped low.

Merlin drew away and ran.

She jumped and the unicorn raced away, mane and tail streaming behind it.

When Wen found him, he'd finished twining unfinished rope and swept and scrubbed the floors of the kitchen. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Merlin ignored her. "Will you be able to defeat people who stand against you all on your own?" he said.

She bit her lip. "I might," she said carefully.

"How?" he said. "Do you have some unknown magic? I've seen you, you barely can hold a spell."

"You seem to know a lot," she remarked.

He huffed and turned away from her.

She eased closer. "It is called the Regent's Call. It's like a trance. It beguiles people."

She tilted her head. "I think Rual died when we were children," Her eyes fixed on a patch of mud. "A cousin had the call; she enchanted him to drown himself."

Her eyes drooped, and her smile was tinged with sadness. "My magic overpowered hers. That's why I'm queen now."

"You aren't," said Merlin. "You didn't make the ceremony, and when they find out, they'll kill you."

"Yes, I failed. But there's no use dwelling on it. Have faith."

Brychan found them. "Come. Cut firewood. I need someone to carry it back."

They stopped in a clearing. Brychan threw the axe, and it landed with a thud.

"Sir?" said Merlin.

The other man took Merlin's arm and twisted it. Merlin recoiled, but Brychan tutted, "You're alright."

Merlin struggled. "What are you doing?"

Brychan studied Merlin and took his other hand. It took a moment of fight to get Merlin to extend his fingers. Brychan stood behind him, and a searing pain shot up Merlin's back.

There was a loud crack; a pine fell dramatically.

Brychan jumped in shock. The woods seared bright with a rising fire. Merlin saw the fire blaze ten to twenty feet high, casting orange and yellow light across the sky. He shook free, turned on a heel, and sprinted back to their fortress.

Sheil bolted to her feet from the table. "What happened?" said Sheil.

Merlin charged up the stairs and slammed the door. Merlin only heard in his head. The rest of the conversation was left out.

"He has magic…"

"They banished him for magic…"

"I did send knights back to inquire. They knew."

The sun set. They left him alone.

The stretched shadows turned into gray haze, and the firelight brightened. Merlin tiptoed out to find food and peeked over the railing. Gwendolen had settled into a bed by the hearth.

"I've never seen such powerful Magic," she said. She hugged a pillow to her chest, settling close with crossed legs. "If you had so much power, why didn't you use it to fight back? To save magic people, like yourself?"

"I had to protect the king," his voice quavered.

Her eyebrows pulled together apprehensively. "You were protecting the king?" she said in a small voice.

"The Dragon gave me prophecy that Arthur would restore the old ways. I wanted to be sure he lived until that day."

Merlin froze and waited for her reaction.

She blinked. "It's alright. Continue."

Merlin told her of Kilgharrah being trapped beneath the cave, and how Merlin had tried to free him with disastrous consequences, meeting his father, becoming a Dragonlord... She knew Aithusa had betrayed him, so talking about the dragon made sense.

"So, all you know of magic is those who attacked your king in Camelot?" she said.

He hid his face.

"Drink the broth; it'll calm you." She nodded to it.

Merlin shook his head.

She winced, tilted her head, leaned over him cautiously, and sipped it herself. She opened her mouth to show him the liquid was there and then that it was gone. Engage with me," she said conversationally. "You meet this ancient being, who already knows your name, who you are and tells you your entire prophecy lain destiny, and you aren't suspicious?"

"That does seem suspicious," he agreed.

She tilted her head inquisitorially. "The dragon would have told you what you needed to hear to make you free him. It probably wasn't about saving Arthur."

"What about the old ways?"

"Human customs have little to do with a trapped dragon."

"You're saying it wasn't my destiny to save Arthur?"

"It's an ancient magical being, sweet one. It might have been your destiny to die trying."

"Then why am I still alive?" Merlin gritted.

"—Because of how often you returned to the dragon?" She shrugged, "Pain of loss, need for guidance? Dragon, always speaking to curate events?"

Merlin's lips parted, he gathered himself, took a final glance and took a piece of bread.