Dawn of the Dragons

Summary: This takes place after Merlin finds the dragon egg. Arthur is suspicious of Merlin's odd behavior. What will happen when Arthur follows him out into the woods in the darkness of the night? What secrets will be revealed?

Chapter 1

~ Arthur ~

"What the hell happened?" Arthur asked incredulously.

"The tomb is a trap," Merlin quickly explained. "He set it off. He never got out."

"What about the egg?" Arthur asked. That was the most important thing. He couldn't let a dragon hatch when it could wreak havoc on his people. He had witnessed first-hand the damage a dragon could cause.

"It would have perished with him," Merlin told him. Arthur looked at Merlin confused. There was something strange there.

"Are you sure? We need to be certain," Arthur warned.

"Nothing's going to survive under all that," Sir Leon said, staring at the rubble of the tomb with shock.

Out of the corner of his eye, Arthur watched Merlin look down at his bag then back up at the building. There was a strange look on his face. It was a mixture between pride and relief, but what could Merlin have to be proud about? Arthur watched Merlin puzzled as they headed back to Camelot.

Merlin was acting normal when he knew someone was watching but what concerned Arthur was what happened when Merlin thought no one was looking.

His normal, clumsy manservant façade disappeared. It was like he was an entirely different person. A smile would frequently spread across his face as if he had just remembered something that made him very happy. Arthur didn't see his manservant in those moments. He saw a man who was strong and brave, a man almost unrecognizable.

Arthur pondered the mystery that is Merlin. There was something about Merlin. He sensed it the first time he met Merlin seven years ago, and hasn't thought anything of it since. But there was definitely something there. Something Merlin was hiding. That realization hit Arthur like a ton of bricks.

Arthur trusted Merlin unconditionally, but he realized he couldn't say the same about his loyal manservant. Arthur didn't really know anything about Merlin. For some reason, that bothered him. But it shouldn't. Arthur shouldn't want to know more about Merlin. Merlin should just be his manservant. Nothing more. But deep down, Arthur knew Merlin would never just be his manservant. And that scared him.

As they neared Camelot, Arthur pushed thoughts of Merlin out of his head… or at least he tried to. Somehow the annoying, big-eared manservant kept pushing himself back into Arthur's head. Arthur groaned with frustration. Why did Merlin have to be so mysterious? Why couldn't he be like every other servant and be boring and uninteresting? Arthur sighed. At lease they would be back at Camelot soon. There were plenty of things to distract him there.

"It will be okay. We'll be back at Camelot soon and then everything will be okay," Arthur heard Merlin whisper. He was looking down at the horse. Several of the knights heard Merlin as well and were looking at Merlin as though he had a mental affliction – which he very well might have. Who in the world was he talking to?

After a moment, Merlin seemed to sense the silence. He looked up, surprised to see Arthur staring at him.

"What are you doing Merlin?" Arthur asked, preparing himself for one of Merlin's lame excuses.

Merlin looked at Arthur confused. "I have to pee," he said to Arthur.

Arthur looked at Merlin incredulously. "Do you mean to tell me you were talking to your bladder?" Arthur asked him uncertainly. Merlin nodded. Arthur shook his head. "There is something very wrong with you."

Merlin shrugged. "I really have to pee," he said.

"Well then go in the woods," Arthur told him like it was the most obvious solution in the world.

"I didn't think you would want to delay our travels," Merlin pointed out.

Arthur felt a burst of shame. He knew it was his fault his manservant thought so little of him. "I don't want you to soil yourself Merlin. Then you would have to ride back to Camelot naked from the waist down and that would be unpleasant for everyone," Arthur pointed out, pretending to gag at the thought of Merlin being exposed.

Merlin dismounted the horse and then headed to an area in the woods where no one could see him.

Arthur couldn't help the image of Merlin that entered his head. He could so clearly see his manservant, standing before him, completely naked. Arthur shook his head, but couldn't help the faint blush spreading to his cheeks. He really didn't want to think about his manservant like that.

Merlin had only been gone a few minutes when he returned and mounted the horse. Their journey back to Camelot ended just a few short hours later. Arthur's mind was still overwhelmed with his thoughts of Merlin.

~ Merlin ~

Merlin couldn't stop grinning. He knew he shouldn't let his emotions play on his face like he does, but he really can't help it. He's careful, only letting his guard down when no one is looking. Only letting himself feel happy and proud when the only witnesses are the trees. He was being careful.

He couldn't believe it. He did it. He actually did it. He found the last dragon egg. He hoped with every fiber of his being that the dragon was female. If this baby dragon were female, it could mean the dragons could live once more. It would mean these two dragons are not the last of their kind. But Merlin could hardly let himself hope. He knew if the dragon was male, he would be crushed. The dragon's birth would be a miracle, but they were the last hope for the dragons.

Merlin glanced down at his bag where the dragon egg was safely nestled. He realized that was a big destiny to place on someone not even born yet. He understood what that felt like. His destiny had been written long before his birth. "It will be okay," he whispered to the bag. "We'll be back at Camelot soon then everything will be okay."

Too late, Merlin realized how quiet it was. Merlin looked up to see Arthur staring at him while the other knights silently observed.

"What are you doing Merlin?" Arthur asked.

Merlin looked at Arthur nervously. What could he possibly say? He decided on the first thing that popped into his mind. "I have to pee," he said trying to sound convincing.

"Do you mean to tell me you were talking to your bladder?" Arthur asked him incredulously. Merlin struggled to keep his face composed and not let Arthur see his lie. He nodded.

"There is something very wrong with you," Arthur said shaking his head.

Merlin shrugged. He really didn't have to pee, but might as well play the part. "I really have to pee," he lied, pretending to be in a little bit of pain from the need to pee.

"Well then go in the woods," Arthur suggested matter-of-factly.

"I didn't think you would want to delay our travels," Merlin said, looking at Arthur surprised. Usually Arthur lashed out at Merlin at even a hint of a delay.

Merlin saw a strange expression cross over Arthur's face. If he didn't know better, he would say Arthur felt bad. But he did know better… Right? Merlin felt the need to comfort Arthur. To make him feel better.

"I don't want you to soil yourself Merlin. Then you would have to ride back to Camelot naked from the waist down and that would be unpleasant for everyone," Arthur told him, making a disgusted face.

Merlin rolled his eyes. And to think just a minute ago he wanted to comfort the prat.

Merlin got off his horse and wandered a short distance away in the woods. He didn't have to pee, so he just had to pass enough time to make his story believable. Merlin glanced around and made sure he really was alone.

"Blostma," he whispered, watching a small flower grow at the root of the tree. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. His powers amazed him sometimes. That he could create something so fragile and precious made him feel a flood of joy.

When he was certain a reasonable amount of time had passed, Merlin went back to his horse, relieved to see the king and his knights hadn't left without him.

Just a few hours later, they arrived back at Camelot. Merlin tried to take off so he could go see Kilgharrah.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?" Arthur asked, clearly having noticed Merlin's attempted subtle escape.

"I have to run an errand for Gaius," Merlin said quickly. It was the first excuse he could think of.

The narrowing of Arthur's eyes suggested that Arthur didn't believe him one bit. "I'm sure your friends at the tavern won't miss you tonight," he pointed out, his tone laced with disapproval.

"I wasn't trying to go to the tavern," Merlin protested.

Arthur rolled his eyes and ignored Merlin. "Besides. I need you to be sober so you can straighten out my bed chambers, sharpen my sword, polish my armor, scrub my boots, and muck out my stable," he told Merlin as he turned around and walked towards the doors.

Merlin glared at Arthur's retreating figure. Sometimes he just couldn't stand the King of Camelot.