A/N: sorry this chapter took a bit longer, I had a brief bit of lack of motivation to write but here it is and then season 3!
—
Anne's POV
Anne hasn't had time to think about the loss of Amelia. She does not like describing it as a loss as it implies that Amelia had died and she has not. Merlin had freed the Dragon, holding up to his promise, but the Dragon, upset with what Uther had done to him, proceeded to attack Camelot in revenge. Despite only going through the attacks by the Dragon a couple of nights so far, Anne feels it has been much longer than this.
She can hear the people in the Square screaming as she works with Gaius and Gwen in the Infirmary that they had set up. They are overwhelmed by the injured and Anne can see that the people are mentally, as well as physically exhausted, from the attacks.
"I don't think people can suffer a third night of this." Anne hears Gwen say as she passes with a bowl of water.
"We must trust in Arthur," Anne replies. And Merlin, she adds in her head.
"I do," Gwen argues. "But even he has little chance."
Anne does not know what to say to her.
—
"We have no clean water left," Anne notes to Gaius and Gwen after checking their supply.
"I know, but it's too dangerous to go out there," Gaius replies. Gwen heads for the door anyway.
"Gwen! Don't!" Gaius yells.
"I'll go after her," Anne says and runs after Gwen. She cannot leave Gwen out there on her own. She thinks she hears Gaius yell after her.
She catches up with Gwen and the two of them take a bucket each to the well in the Square, stepping over the rubble while everyone else flees. Anne looks up fearfully as she sees the Dragon flying overhead. They begin to draw from the well.
"Guinevere! Anne!" Anne hears Arthur yell over the noise. She and Gwen turn and see the Dragon heading in for another attack in their direction. They run with Arthur running just behind. The Dragon swoops and catches Arthur, who cries out in pain, causing them to fall. Arthur grabs Gwen's hand and they run for cover but Anne lingers knowing that where Arthur is, Merlin cannot be far behind. Merlin jogs out into the Square and Anne sighs in relief at the sight of him.
"Flēogé! Gar!" Merlin chants and throws a magical spear at the Dragon. It glances off the Dragon. Anne's hopes dash at the lack of injury that has done.
"Do not imagine that your petty magic can harm me!" The Dragon growls and then flies off.
"Why are you doing this?! You're killing innocent people!" Merlin yells after him.
"Merlin!" Anne yells. He looks at her and she gestures for him to follow her inside.
—
Anne and Merlin approach Gaius. Anne spots Gwen and Arthur gazing at one another and smiles to herself.
"Are either of you hurt?" Gaius asks them. Anne shakes her head.
"There's nothing I can do. My magic is no good. It doesn't work." Merlin tells him quietly.
"Which means I'm no help either," Anne adds irritably.
"Dragons aren't monsters. They're creatures of wonder and magic." Gaius explains. "You must realise that they're immune to your powers."
Anne shakes her head. What are they going to do?
—
Arthur, Uther, Knights, and advisors meet the next day. Anne stands next to Gaius and Merlin at the side of the room.
"The dead number 49 men, 27 women, a further 18 women and children are unaccounted for," Arthur reports sombrely. "Most of last night's fires are now out. The Castle walls, in particular, the western section is near to collapse, I could go on."
"Do we have any further idea on how the beast escaped?" Uther asks.
"I regret to say, Sire, we don't." Sir Leon replies. Anne glances at the guilty look on Merlin's face and has to fight the urge to comfort him.
"There must be some way to rid ourselves of this aberration." Uther declares, looking out a window before glancing around the room while Arthur plonks himself down in a chair. "Gaius?"
"We need a Dragonlord, Sire," Gaius replies. Anne looks at him surprised. It sounds a bit too magical for Uther's liking.
"You know very well that's not an option." Uther dismisses.
"Sire, what if... there was, indeed, one last Dragonlord left." Gaius continues slowly.
"That's not possible."
"But if there was."
"What are you saying?" Uther demands as he slowly walks towards Gaius before stopping halfway.
"It may just be a rumour," Gaius admits.
"Go on."
"I'm not exactly sure, but I think his name is Balinor," Gaius says. Anne feels like Gaius knows more than what he's saying.
"Balinor?"
"Where does he live?" Arthur asks.
"He was last seen in Cenred's Kingdom in the border town of Enged, but that was many years ago," Gaius replies.
Arthur stands. "If this man still exists, then it is our duty to find him."
"Our treaty with Cenred no longer holds. We are at war. If they discovered you beyond our border, they would kill you." Uther argues.
"I will go alone..." Arthur declares.
"No." Uther denies.
"…that way I will not be detected."
"No, Arthur. It is too dangerous." Uther insists.
"More dangerous than staying here?" Arthur counters. "I'll not stand by and watch my men die when I have the chance to save them."
"I have given you my orders." Uther persists.
"Do not make this a test of wills, Father." Arthur urges.
"I'm not talking to you as a father, I'm talking to you as a King!"
"I will ride immediately." Arthur declares, walking past his father.
"My concern is for you," Uther says, causing Arthur to stop.
"Mine is for Camelot. I'll send word when I've found him." Arthur turns to Merlin. "Prepare the horses." Merlin bows to Uther and follows Arthur out.
—
Anne gathers with Merlin and Gaius in the latter's Chambers as the former packs for his trip at one of the tables. She frowns as she watches Gaius pace.
"Who were the Dragonlords?" Merlin asks. At first, Gaius does not respond. "Gaius?" This pulls Gaius out of his contemplative pacing.
"There were once men who could talk to the Dragons, tame them," Gaius explains.
"What happened to them?" Anne asks curiously.
"Uther believed that the art of the Dragonlord was too close to magic. So he had them all rounded up and slaughtered." Anne shudders at Gaius' last sentence. She hates thinking back to the brutality of the Great Purge, particularly her parents' deaths.
"But one survived." Merlin points out. "How did you know?"
"I helped him escape."
"Gaius." Anne chuckles. The way he had done this for so many still sometimes shocks her.
Gaius looks cautious as he walks to stand on the opposite side of the table to stand directly across from Merlin. "Merlin, you've never heard the name Balinor?"
"No." Merlin simply replies while Anne watches curiously.
"Your mother never mentioned him?"
"My mother?" Merlin asks in surprise, probably wondering how she is involved in this. Anne is thinking the same.
"She took him in," Gaius replies, walking to the side of the table.
"She stood up against Uther?" Anne asks.
"Yes."
"She was brave." Merlin remarks in shock.
"Must run in the family." Anne remarks. Merlin gives her a warm smile.
"When Uther discovered where Balinor was," Gaius continues, "he sent Knights to the Ealdor to hunt him down. He was forced to flee."
"Why didn't my mother tell me any of this?" Merlin questions.
"Merlin, I promised her I would never speak of these things," Gaius replies instead as he walks to stand in front of Merlin. Anne gets nervous about what he might say.
"Of what?"
"I've always treated you as my son, but that is not what you are. The man you are going to look for is your father." Gaius reveals. Anne gapes in shock.
Merlin sucks in a breath and begins to breathe heavily as he tries to process this new piece of information. "My father?"
"Yes."
"He was a Dragonlord? Why did no one ever tell me?!" Merlin exclaims.
"I wanted to. Your mother feared it would be too dangerous." Gaius defends.
"I had a right to know!" Merlin replies.
"She wanted to protect you."
"Merlin—" Anne tries.
"No." Merlin interrupts, shaking his head. "I had a right to know."
—
Anne and Gaius approach Merlin in the Main Square as Merlin prepares his horse.
"You got everything you need?" Gaius asks.
Merlin nods, not looking directly at them before changing his mind. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."
"We know that," Anne tells him.
"Come on, Merlin," Arthur says as he walks over to them.
"You're ready?" Merlin asks.
Arthur gets on his horse. "No thanks to you." He cringes from his wound. Anne looks at him worried.
"You okay?" Merlin asks.
"It's just a scratch." Arthur dismisses but that does not alleviate Anne's concern. Merlin climbs on his horse and Arthur trots off.
"Merlin," Gaius says, drawing Merlin's attention before he leaves, "whatever happens, you must not let Arthur know who this man is. Uther would view the son of a Dragonlord with the deepest suspicion." Merlin nods.
"Good luck," Anne says with a strained smile. Merlin smiles back before following Arthur.
—
The Dragon attacks again that night. Once again when morning comes, everyone goes through the same process of cleaning up as they had the previous three mornings.
Anne stands with Gwen on the battlements as they gaze across Camelot with tear-stained cheeks. Anne's mind is full of worry about the future attacks and for Merlin and Amelia. She hears movement to her left and sees Gaius joining them.
"Are you two missing Morgana and Amelia?" He asks.
"Among other things," Anne replies.
"They're stronger than people think. I believe that, wherever they are, they'll be alright." Gaius replies.
"And Arthur?" Gwen asks. Anne's head jerks towards her.
"You care a lot for him, don't you?" Gaius asks rhetorically. Anne remembers her and Amelia's plan to help Arthur and Gwen be together and it feels forever ago.
"Everyone does." Gwen dismisses. Anne lets out a snort.
"I think he cares the same way about you." Gwen looks at him in alarm and then looks at Anne as if to ask if she knows and Anne simply smiles at her.
"It's alright, I won't tell anyone," Gaius reassures.
"I know we can never be," Gwen admits. Anne knows about the feelings between Arthur and Gwen but to hear Gwen voice her own feelings surprises her.
"Oh... the world's a strange place, Guinevere," Gaius argues. "Never underestimate the power of love. I've seen it change many things."
Is there hope for her and Merlin? Sometimes Anne thinks he feels the same way about her but she can never be sure.
—
Merlin and Arthur return the next day. Everyone gathers to wait for the news. Uther and his advisors stand as Arthur and Merlin enter the room.
"I'm sorry, Father. I failed you. The last Dragonlord is dead." Arthur announces. Anne's stomach drops. She looks at Merlin who tries not to cry. Anne lowers her head sombrely.
Uther leans on his table at the news. "There are many years where I might've wished for that news."
"All is not lost, Father." Arthur declares. "We have to fight the monster ourselves. So let us ride out and fight on our own terms: on open ground, on horseback, where we can manoeuvre better."
"There is no point," Uther argues.
"So what? We stand here, watch Camelot fall." Arthur counters.
Uther nods. "You have my blessing."
Arthur turns to the room. "I need a dozen Knights! Those who do not wish to fight can do so without stain on their character. For those brave enough to volunteer should know, the chances of returning are slim." Sir Leon's the first to step forward. Twelve other Knights step forward and form a circle around Arthur.
—
Merlin sitting on his bed and crying over a Dragon figurine is how Anne and Gaius find him.
"Merlin, what happened?" Gaius asks.
"I couldn't save him." Merlin sniffs.
"Oh, Merlin." Anne sits next to him and pulls him towards her with an arm so he can place his head on her shoulder.
"He said the Dragonlord's gift is passed from father to son." Merlin continues.
"That is true," Gaius says.
"When I faced the Great Dragon, my magic was useless," Merlin argues.
Gaius sits down on his other side. "Your father wasn't dead. It's only then you can inherit his powers."
"Do you think I'm strong enough to stand up to him?" Merlin asks.
"Only time will tell."
"But we believe you can Merlin." Anne proclaims.
A short while later, Gaius and Anne watch from the battlements as the Dragon slayer party rides out of Camelot.
—
Anne sees Merlin and Arthur return, crossing the Drawbridge, and rushes to meet them along with Gaius and Gwen.
Gwen runs to Arthur and hugs him and they cling to one another. Merlin pushes past them and Anne flings herself at him.
"Oh, you're okay." She gasps in relief.
"Yeah, I'm okay," Merlin murmurs back.
Anne pulls away. "I was so worried about you, though I knew you could do it."
Merlin smiles at her. Anne vaguely notices Arthur and Gwen leave but she cannot look away as she and Merlin gaze into each other's eyes. Anne realises that they are getting closer.
"Merlin?"
Merlin smiles wider and hesitates over her lips. The sight of him being nervous fills Anne with confidence, and she stands on her tiptoes and closes the gap between them. She sighs in relief as their lips touch. She has been dreaming of this.
They only pull apart when someone clears their throat and says, "I think it's my turn." Anne looks to Gaius, who is smiling at them, and blushes as she steps to the side to let the two of them hug.
"My boy." Gaius laughs in relief as the two hug.
"I felt him there with me, Gaius," Merlin says after they pull away.
"He'll always be with you." Gaius comforts.
"I hope so."
"Merlin, I know I can never compare with your father, but for what it's worth, you've still got me." Gaius heartens.
"Well, I suppose I'll just have to make do," Merlin remarks. Gaius laughs and Anne joins in as the three of them walk together.
—
Merlin will return