Arthur just may have been beyond the lines of his kingdom, but he was going to catch that stag. He was sure of it. Had been sure of it. Was much less sure as he was bellowing—not screaming—his fool head off in the claws of a dragon. Which, he belatedly remembered was the kingdom into which he had crossed. "Let me down! I'm the Crown Prince of Camelot! I just want the stag! You idiot dragon—you probably don't even understand me! Let! Me! Go!"

"I really don't think it's a good idea to let a human go from this height. You'll get rather squishy. But if you really want me to..."

"No! No!" Arthur blurted, surprised by the rumbling words from the beast. "Um... You're not going to eat me, are you? Because I can... I can get you gold and gems and...stuff..."

The dragon rumbled mightily and as Arthur passed into unconsciousness from lack of air—not the rumbling noise, he realised it might have been laughter.

Arthur woke later, warm in furs and pelts. Snuggling deeper with a smile, he could almost forget he'd been kidnapped by a dragon.

He woke instantly.

"Shit!" Rolling from the make-shift bed, he examined his surroundings, but saw no dragon. He then crept towards the front of the cave, stopping in dismay at the very long, rather vertical rock face that extended to the ground.

"I wouldn't attempt it, if I were you," a warm tenor said.

Arthur wouldn't have considered the sound he made a shriek as he whirled, stumbling slightly. "Who are you?" He took in the young man's appearance—skinny and weak-looking, unruly black hair sitting atop bright blue eyes. He wore some sort of leather breeches and jerkin, a cloak of abnormally large feathers and furs draped around his shoulders. "Are you another captive?"

"What?"

"Did the dragon take you too?"

"I'm Merlin." The man blinked.

"Are you sure you're not Idiot? Where are we?"

"In a cave."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Where's the dragon?"

"Right here."

Arthur gave him a Look.

"I'm the dragon."

Laughing, Arthur patted the man's shoulder. "Clearly, you've been here too long."

Merlin just smiled. "I am the dragon though. Are you hungry?"

Arthur realised he was and said so.

Merlin nodded and then took a running leap out of the mouth of the cave, ignoring Arthur's frantic cries. They silenced as a giant iron-grey dragon with gold wings appeared in the air where man had been.

When Merlin returned, Arthur had a ton of questions for him.

"You're the dragon!"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you eat me?"

"You would have tasted bad?"

"Why did you kidnap me?"

"I had to make my claim."

"Claim?"

"Yes. The other dragons would have taken you and probably eaten you—Gharfois definitely has a taste for human."

"Are you always a dragon?"

"Do I look like I'm always a dragon?"

"No—can you breathe fire?"

"Yes."

"Awesome. Can you how me?"

"No."

"What did you mean by claim?"

"If I claim you, no one else will be able to lay a hand on you. Or. Well. Claws. Talons?"

"Claws. Why do you turn into a human."

"I am human."

"You are?"

"Yes. I was born human. I'm not really a dragon at all. I'm a sorcerer. But I can turn into a dragon."

"So you live with them?"

"Yes."

"Wow."

"Are you done? I thought you were hungry."

"I am. What did you get?"

"Your stag."

"You bastard."

Merlin grinned. "I don't know if it's really your stag." Then his eyes glowed gold and the stag floated itself to a self-assembling turn-spike, fire springing up to cook it.

"Wow. You bastard," Arthur repeated in an awed sort of voice. "Why'd you kidnap me again?"

"Your own safety."

"My knights are probably running back to Camelot to tell my father. They'll be here to kill you as soon as they can return." Arthur stared at the stag, hunger and reluctant admiration taking most of his focusing power.

"I figured as much. Good thing there's no dragon here, huh. Just two men?" Merlin looked over at him, eyes sparkling even though his expression was serious.

Arthur found himself laughing. "This is the worst kidnapping ever."

"You were the one who said you were kidnapped. I just saved your life."

"These dragons respect you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I can command them."

"Wow."

Merlin smiled. "I'm also more powerful than them all."

"I don't believe you."

Merlin shrugged. "That's fine."

The knights did come the next morning, Arthur waking late, but recognising the bird-call from Sir Leon. He poked his head out of the cave, after rolling out of his furs and waved to his knights.

"My lord! Are you alright!"

"Fine, Leon! Just fine! I can't figure out a way down just yet, but I'm fine! Just sit tight! And don't get eaten by dragons!" Then he headed back into the cave and nudged his foot into Merlin's ribs. Merlin made a sleepy noise and rolled over, away from the intrusion. "Merlin!" He knelt next to the sleeping man, reaching out to jostle him. He was surprised instead when he was suddenly being straddled and staring up at the ceiling. "Wha..."

"Oh. Arthur."

"Good morning..."

Merlin grinned sheepishly, releasing the front of Arthur's tunic. "Morning."

"You going to get off?" Arthur asked, feeling his cheeks heat.

Merlin tilted his head. "Do you want me to get off?"

"Wha—my knights are here."

"I suppose they are. Sex later then?"

"What?"

The man grinned. "I'll come visit you at Camelot later, Crown Prince." He then rolled off of Arthur rather gracefully and summoned a length of rope to his hand. "Here. Take your knights. Go home. I'll see you again."

Arthur flushed more, taking the rope as he stood. "Right. Well. Um. Thank you." He backed towards the opening, watching Merlin fold his arms, amused.

"Tie the rope to that stalagmite. It'll hold."

Arthur tied the rope, fumbling as his gaze was still on Merlin, thoughts buzzing about his head as he finally stopped looking and focused on climbing down.

"You found rope?"

"Yeah... It must have been hidden," Arthur lied to Leon as his knights reached for him. "I'm fine. Really. Let's just... Let's get home."

"We're glad to have you back, Sire."

Arthur smiled and mounted the horse they had for him and galloped back to the castle, his mind still very much on the dragon-man. Merlin.

A month later, the bells of Camelot clanged to show their mourning for her newly-missing prince. King Uther was furious, and upon rescuing the Prince, ordered the griffon that captured him executed.

Meanwhile, Arthur hung quite sullenly from the griffon's paws, glowering down at the lovely landscape. "Really? In front of all my knights?" He said again.

The griffon just shook him, causing him to yelp in what was an apparently entertaining manner, because the griffon just made a suspiciously laughing-like noise. Depositing him in the familiar cave, the griffon shifted back to the man he knew as Merlin. "That was fun."

"Says you."

"Shut up, dear prince."

"You can't talk to me that way."

"I can turn into a dragon. I can talk to you any way I want," Merlin said with a cocky grin as he puttered around the cave and set a fire to blaze on an apparently designated fire-burning rock. If the scorch marks were anything to go by.

And, Arthur admitted, the ability to turn into a dragon was a pretty good reason to talk to the Crown Prince of Camelot any way he wanted. "Why this time?"

"I said I'd get you, didn't I?" Merlin was adjusting some of the furs on which Arthur had slept last time.

Looking around, he realised they were the only furs. "Oh shit. You were serious about the sex thing, weren't you?"

Merlin looked up at him, gaze hooded. "You mean that that hasn't been the only thing you've been thinking about since you left?"

"Well..." Arthur can't deny it. He nodded. "It's your fault, really."

"Of course it's my fault," Merlin said, grinning again.

"You...enchanted me?"

"Gods. Don't be silly. Power of suggestion is enough. You're looking for it anyway."

Maybe he was. Arthur swallowed. Because when Merlin stalked towards him, he didn't move away. And when Merlin pulled him down onto the furs, he went willingly. And when Merlin had him gasping and writhing and moaning, he whispered his name with reverence as he came.

Later, when Arthur was capable of thought again, he realised several things. He liked that Merlin was a snuggler. Magic was handy. And he didn't mind so much getting kidnapped.

"Are you going to come back with me to Camelot?"

"I have dragons to rule," came Merlin's half-muffled reply.

"Oh."

Merlin looked at him, chewing his lip at Arthur's disappointed expression.

"Well. I suppose you'll just have to kidnap me again then."

Merlin grinned and then kissed him soundly. "What do you think. A giant serpent or a pegasus?"

Arthur laughed. "Something fearsome at least."

"I'll try, my prince. I'll try."

Oh. There was one other thing Arthur realised. He was maybe a little bit in love with Merlin.