Chapter 3: The Dragon's Call
Authors Note: Hi, so, this almost didn't get written in time, what with everything currently going on, HM Queen Elizabeth II passing away, and all. But hey, I made it! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Merlin and its characters do not belong to me
The next morning, Merlin was once again woken up by the strange, whispery voice. Only this time, it seemed to be coming from the floor of the dungeon, and it continued for a while after he had woken. Confused, Merlin scrambled to his feet and backed away against the wall, before curiosity took over, and he began to move back, pressing his ear to the floor in an attempt to locate the voice.
"Merlin!" Gaius exclaimed as he hurried over, disrupting his search.
Once the guard had unlocked the cell, Gaius stepped inside, a disappointed frown on his face.
"You never cease to amaze me! The one thing that someone like you should do is keep your head down, and what do you do? You behave like an idiot!" He started to lecture.
"I'm sorry." Merlin murmured, hoping to stall the lecture before it gathered more momentum.
Gaius sighed.
"You're lucky, I managed to pull a few strings to get you released."
Merlin grinned.
"Oh, thank you! Thank you!"
He only stopped thanking Gaius when he frowned at him.
"I won't forget this." Merlin assured him.
"Well, there is a small price to pay." Gaius hedged.
Soon, Merlin discovered just what the 'price' Gaius mentioned was. Locked in the stocks, being pelted with rotten fruit and vegetables by laughing children. Oh, well, at least someone was amused by his predicament. Speaking of, Gaius came walking over, making sure to keep away from the flying fruit.
"Thanks!" Merlin called out, watching as Gaius walked past chuckling.
It wasn't until the children had to leave for more ammunition, that his second visitor arrived, a pretty, darker-skinned girl with curly black hair, wearing a simple pink dress and red felt cloak.
"I'm Guinevere, but most people call me Gwen. I'm the Lady Morgana's maid." She introduced herself.
"Right. I'm Merlin." He replied, before reaching his hand further out of the stocks to shake hers. "Although, most people just call me Idiot," he added sheepishly.
"No, no, no. I saw what you did. It was so brave." Gwen hurried to reassure him.
Merlin sighed.
"It was stupid."
"Well, I'm glad you walked away. You weren't going to beat him." Gwen dismissed.
"Oh, I-I can beat him." Merlin snorted.
"You think?" Gwen asked, glancing over him, and obviously noting his non-existent muscle. "Because you don't look like one of these big, muscle-y kind of fellows."
"...Thanks." Merlin said, frowning slightly.
"No! No, I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It's just, erm...Arthur's one of these real rough, tough, save the world kind of men, and...well..." Gwen backtracked hurriedly.
"What?"
"You don't look like that." She finished apologetically.
Merlin cast an eye around, before motioning her closer.
"I'm in disguise." He explained.
Gwen laughed.
"Well, it's great you stood up to him."
"What? You think so?" Merlin grinned.
"Arthur's a bully, and everyone thought you were a real hero."
"Oh, yeah?" Merlin asked.
Humming, Gwen smiled back at him, nodding. Spotting the children returning with full baskets, Merlin's grin widened.
"Oh, excuse me, Guinevere. My fans are waiting." He didn't want her, with her pretty dress, to get hit by any wayward bits of flying vegetable. Giving another smile, Gwen turned and continued back towards the castle. Merlin raised a hand in farewell as a tomato hit the stocks by his head.
Once he had finished his time in the stocks, Merlin retreated back up to Gaius' chambers to get cleaned up – followed by dinner. As he sat down at the table, Gaius approached, with a strange twinkle in his eyes.
"Do you want some vegetables with that?" He asked, motioning to a small pot, containing several of the same types of vegetables the children had been throwing at him.
Merlin looked up and grinned.
"I know you're still angry with me," he snorted, as Gaius sat down.
"Your mother asked me to look after you." Gaius retorted heavily.
"Yes." Merlin admitted, starting to eat.
"What did your mother say to you about your gifts?" Gaius questioned, watching him closely.
Merlin put his spoon down and looked back at him.
"That I was special." He remembered, raising his eyebrows slightly.
Gaius nodded.
"You are special. The likes of which I have never seen before."
Merlin returned to the food nervously.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Well, magic requires incantations, spells. It takes years to study. What I saw you do was...elemental, instinctive." He tried to explain.
Merlin nodded slowly.
"What's the point if it can't be used?" He asked, feeling frustrated. All everyone ever told him seemed to be to keep it hidden, and not use it at all. He'd tried that before, back when he was three, and had absolutely no desire to repeat that particular experience.
"That I do not know. You are a question that has never been posed before, Merlin." Gaius told him sadly.
"Did you ever study magic?" Merlin asked, wanting to get the focus off himself.
Gaius sighed.
"Uther banned all such work twenty years ago." He explained.
"Why?" Merlin asked, food forgotten.
"People used magic for the wrong end at that time. It threw the natural order into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy everything from back then, even the dragons."
"What? All of them?" Merlin asked, his curiosity peaking.
"There was one dragon he chose not to kill, kept it as an example. He imprisoned it in a cave deep beneath the castle where no one can free it." Gaius sighed again. "Now, eat up. When you've finished, I need you to take a preparation to Lady Helen, in the guest chambers. She needs it for her voice."
Merlin nodded. Everyone and their mother was talking about the Lady Helen of Mora, and how she had come to sing at the feast by request of the King.
Once he was finished eating, Merlin picked up the bottle and headed off to the guest chambers, easily finding the right one, as the door was left open. Stepping inside, he looked around for the Lady, so he could return for the other potions and tonics Gaius needed him to deliver.
Finding no one, he moved over to the table and placed the bottle down, before turning to leave. As he did so, a small doll made of straw caught his eye. Curious, he picked it up to examine. Quickly losing interest, he placed it back down, before spying a book, half hidden under a shawl, which seemed to call to him.
Checking that no one was coming, he picked it up, and was just about to open it when he heard footsteps coming down the hall. Putting the book back, he hurriedly turned to face the door, just as Lady Helen entered.
"What are you doing in here?" She asked, glancing at the table.
"Um...I-I was asked to deliver this." Merlin stammered, turning back to the table and picking up the bottle, before walking over and handing it to her.
Lady Helen looked down at it for a moment, before smiling at him. Taking it as a dismissal, Merlin hurried off.