A/N: Thank you for your feedback! You've encouraged me to continue writing the story. I can't promise to use every episode, but I will at least try.

One more thing: I usually prefer Merthur, but I wanted to ask you what you want. I don't want to annoy or disappoint you. If you want, you can leave me a comment, telling me, whether you want Merthur or Arwen. Thank you.

This chapter basically belongs to "The Dragon's Call", because I have to add Merlin meeting the Great Dragon somehow. ;)

He didn't know how Arthur had done it, but he had somehow convinced King Uther that Merlin had helped him with the evil witch. Of course, Arthur hadn't mentioned that it had actually been Merlin, who had ended her life, but Uther seemed grateful nevertheless and offered him a job.

"You shall be rewarded," the King had said. "You should be Prince Arthur's manservant."

Merlin had no idea what a manservant's tasks were, and he certainly didn't like to be a servant to Arthur, but at least he would spend more time with him.

Although Arthur didn't really seem to care that Merlin was his friend. He made sure to act like that royal prat he had been, when Merlin had first met him. He barked out his orders, yelling at Merlin all day.

Not even once they talked about his magic, or what had happened in the woods. Arthur only said: "Don't you dare use magic to complete your tasks."

Soon, Merlin was hurting everywhere, and when he crawled back into Gaius' chambers. The court physician didn't even look at him, but told him what he had failed to do and what needed to be done before the next morning.

Merlin was too tired to listen to him. Yawning, he entered his small room. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he fell asleep.

He had a strange dream. Someone was calling him.

At first, he thought it was Arthur, and he clasped his hands over his ears to block out the sound. The spoilt prince even haunted him in his sleep. Maybe he needed the chamber pot, or maybe he wanted another pillow.

"Go 'way," Merlin mumbled. "I need to rest."

But the voice continued shouting his name, almost begging him to come. And then Merlin realized that it wasn't Arthur.

Whoever was calling him was old. He could feel wisdom and hatred. And there was something that made the hairs In the back of his head stand up, and his insides churn.

Magic. Powerful and ancient magic. It seemed to be buried deep under the ground, yet it was alive and burning like a blazing fire.

Merlin's eyes flew open. It hadn't been a dream. The voice was still in his head, curling itself around his brain.

Hastily, he stood up. He didn't know where to go, but the voice was leading him. He tiptoed past a snoring Gaius, and left the physician's tower.

The voice became louder, more demanding, cheering him to climb down the steps to the dungeons and further. After he had tricked some guards, he picked up a torch, and hurried into a narrow tunnel that ended in a huge cave. It reeked of foul water, feces and death.

The voice was laughing at him, as if he had made a joke, before something was flying towards him. Merlin could see enormous wings, and a head with pointy teeth. It was a dragon. A big dragon. It landed on a rock in front of him, eying him curiously. Merlin wasn't afraid. He felt a strange connection between them. The magic seemed to bind them together.

"There you are," the dragon said. "And you've already met him. Who would have thought of that?"

"What do you mean? I met a lot of people since I came here," Merlin said, taking a step back.

"I'm talking about your destiny, Merlin," the dragon explained. His claws scratched over the rock, and now Merlin could see that the dragon was chained. He was locked up in that cave.

"What destiny?"

"Your gift, Merlin, was given to you for a reason."

Merlin was almost relieved that the dragon said that. If his magic had a purpose, he was allowed to use it. A smile lightened his face. "So there is a reason?"

The dragon snickered. "Arthur is the Once and Future King, who will unite the Land of Albion, but he needs your help. Does Arthur know about your gift?"

When Merlin slightly paled, the dragon sneered. "You surprise me, young warlock. Seems as if you've already accepted your destiny."

"No… I don't know anything about destinies. You got this all wrong," Merlin stammered.

"Without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you, there will be no Albion. It is your destiny to protect him," the dragon said, flapping his wings. Before Merlin had the time to react, he leapt into the air, rising higher and higher.

"No, wait. I need to know more," Merlin shouted, but the dragon was flying as far as the chain allowed him to, and vanished from Merlin's sight.

The torch cast its flickering light into the darkness of the cave, as Merlin stood at the edge, trying to process what had happened. He had talked to a dragon. A dragon, who knew more about him than himself. And why had he called him? What did the dragon want? And then there was this – his destiny. What did it even mean? It hadn't been some sort of coincidence that he had been sent to Camelot. It had been his destiny all along. All those years he had spent in Ealdor, hating the others, who had bullied him, hating his mother for locking away his magic, hating himself for being different, it hadn't been his choice; it had been his destiny. Did that mean he would never be able to do what he wanted? Was every step in his life already planned? Merlin's head spun. He felt tired and worn out. Had his mother known about this destiny? Did Gaius know? And what about Arthur? Did he know he was supposed to be the Once and Future King?

What if Merlin didn't want to fulfill some destiny? What if he just wanted to be himself?