Chapter 25

"I'm so gonna kill them." Merlin was muttering while they walked through the tunnels. He was searching for Gwaine and Allan who had decided to simply skip all of their morning duties.

James and Percival were with him. It didn't seem like they were any happier about this searching task.

"Maybe they have gone outside. You know how Allan can be, when he's already getting into trouble for breaking rules then he is at least going to break as much rules as possible." Said James.

"Yeah, guess you are right. Sadly he is not alone in his stupidity. If I didn't know better I would say that they are freaking twins that came from hell to torture us all. "

"Come on, let's search the woods."

"You are right Percy the sooner we find them the sooner we can watch them clean the stables, because I will so make that part of their punishment."

"I still can't believe that they managed to steal twenty litres of ale."

"Oh dear James you should never underestimate an as mischievous mind as theirs."

They exited the tunnels. It was nice to be out again. As much as Merlin loved those caves he still missed the green of the forest and its noises.

It didn't take them long to find the two knights who were already completely drunk. James made a face by the thought of the task ahead of them.

"Hey Perc do you think you could maybe get them unconscious you know to avoid any other... ehm... accidents?"

Merlin asked hopefully, but he already knew that that was not a real option.

"Come on, the sooner we get them back to Nankeen the sooner we can go eat something."

Merlin knew that James was right, he really was getting hungry and if they didn't hurry they would not have enough time to eat before they had to get to their next task.

It was then that the two drunkards noticed them.

"Heeeey guys. Want some ale too." Asked Gwaine who was sitting next to Allan on some roots. He had one arm around the other and ale in his second hand.

"I think I'll pass. " Said James.

"Awww, come on James. Take a drink. I'm sure it would cure some of your nerdinnes."

James had to physically restrain himself from hitting Allan over the head himself.

Percival strode forward to the two drunken friends and pulled them to their feet, one in each hand.

"We should go back now." Said Merlin, while Gwaine and Allan started complaining.

The rest of the day was quite uneventful. Most of the time Merlin was practising with the knights and his brother.

It was nice to be with Nankeen, to joke around and show fight.

They were just preparing for a flight with their dragons Saphira and Zrach. Zrach was Nankeens dragon. He was a beautiful silver-green dragon, and he was big.

"Merlin?"
"Yeah, what? Something wrong Nanee?"

"No, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to ask you about Morgana. Could it be that there is something I should know?"

Merlin let a piece of his equipment fall in shock. He couldn't believe that Nankeen was seriously asking him something like that.

"For heaven's sake, Nanee. Where did you get such an idea?"

"Well Merlin I'm not blind. And even if I was blind I could see the way you act around Morgana. You know, you have literary heart eyes when you look at her."

"That's no-..."

"Don't you dare say that Merls. I'm sure that I can tell when my brother falls in love. Even if said brother says there would be no courting while in war."

Merlin stared at Nankeen he couldn't believe what he was hearing. But he had to admit that Nankeen wasn't so wrong. He was starting to think more and more about Morgana.

"There will be no courting Nanee. But you are right, I think that I kind of like Morgana."

"No you don't kind of like Morgana. You love her."

"Shut up."

They both ended up in mutual laughter.

Soon they were in the air. Merlin always felt free up in the open air. It was just as natural to him as his magic.

What he didn't think of was that there could be someone else beside him and Nankeen in the air. It was Morgana on the dragon Nebyras. It was a white dragon just like Aiuthusa. Morgana preferred to fly with that dragon. She flew around Merlin as if she was toying him, what she was actually doing.

Merlin did definitely not ignore such a challenge. Soon the two of them were flying in loops as fast as the wind. Merlin was so happy that he didn't even notice that Nankeen wasn't with them anymore.

They were in the sky till it got dark. As they landed the crater was already coated in darkness. There was no one to be seen. Most people were already in their caves, or in the tunnels doing whatever needed to be done.

They were already getting ready to leave the crater as Merlin remembered something.

"Morgana?"

"Yes, Merlin?"

"I wanted to ask you if you would maybe like to go in the forest tonight. I wanted to show you something."

Morgana smiled at him. It was a beautiful smile.

"I would like that my lord." She said with the mocking title. She knew that Merlin hated the tittles what was exactly the reason why she loved to using them.

"See you then at the entrances."

And with that she disappeared in the tunnels.

Merlin stood there for quite some time till the message came to his brain. She said YES. He could hardly believe it. For the rest of the evening he was having that stupid goofy grin written all over his face. Nankeen could hardly stop laughing as he saw him like that.

"She really got to you little brother."

"Yeah, yeah she did."

Merlin didn't even try to hide it anymore. He was in love with the beautiful and just as dangerous Morgana Pendragon.