Thought I'd finished with my 2010 Advent Calendar Ficlets but just read this again today and thought it might go down well, despite it's brevity.

Could be set at any time after S 3

The Great dragon swooped down low over Camelot but this time the citizens cheered rather than cowered as he helped turn the tide of battle.

"Why have you now decided to save Camelot rather than burn it? shouted Uther as Kilgharrah made a final pass. "Why are you helping me?"

"I do not help you, Uther. I do not serve you or your cause. The fact that my actions have saved your life and your throne is simply an unfortunate side effect of my instructions - nothing more."

"Instruction? Who is it that sent you?"

"A Dragonlord and the most powerful sorcerer that ever has or ever will be."

"Impossible, the last Dragonlord is dead and such a sorcerer would neither dare come to Camelot, or have any wish to save it."

"You believe it impossible because you do not understand him or magic. Magicians regularly walk though the rooms of your palace, threaten your family and plot your downfall. A powerful sorceress created your son, another instructed your daughter in the art of magic and, all the while, the greatest warlock of all time; my master, walks your corridors, befriends your kin and defeats each and every one of you enemies."

"No, it is not true."

"You were blind to what Morgana was - what she was capable of. You saw her as good when she was evil. You would believe this warlock to be evil when he is nothing but good."

"There can be no such person living here. I will have his name dragon."

"You do not have any power to command me, but I shall answer you anyway. The druids call him Emrys and believe the prophesies that say he will be the one to bring magic back to Camelot."

"No! I will never let that happen."

"Over your dead body, Uther? For that is what it will take. Do not believe you will find him. No matter how hard you search he will remain invisible to you."

"Why? Because he is a coward? Because he uses magic to hide?"

"No, because you, Uther, do not have the eyes to see him for what he is. You cannot understand his magic, his destiny or his love. He has saved the lives of you and your kin so many times, against that advice of many others, simply because he could not bear to see their pain.

"I shall find him."

"You cannot understand him and so you will not recognise him for what he truly is. Your son will be a different matter however. Already the blindfold you created for him is becoming thinner. Already he is starting to become aware of the true nature of the world around him. Soon he will cast his blindness aside and see Emrys clearly for the first time.

"Then he will understand.

"Then Camelot will be free."