The Future King & The Last Dragon-Lord

A/N: I OWN NOTHING. If I did Mordred + Morgana wouldn't be evil, Merlin would be a girl and with Arthur. Balinor, Freya, Lancelot and Ygraine would be alive.

**********MA/AP*********

Merlin was sitting in her room when the alarm bells sounded. She dropped the letter from Will (1) and hurried through Gaius's chambers, through the corridors until she reached the court yard. Arthur and his knight were carrying crossbows running across the court yard trying to hit Kilgharrah who was breathing fire at them.

"I know you're tired, but make one last effort for me! Every shot must count!" Arthur shouted at the knights surrounding him, aiming the crossbows to the air. Before they could unleash the arrows, the dragon flew down and aimed a ball of fire at them which they deflected with their shields.

[INT. KING'S PALACE, INFIRMARY – NIGHT]

Gwen was cleaning a knights' wound when Gaius approached with bandages. When she finished and the knight moved away she turned to Gaius.

"I don't think the people can suffer a third night of this." She said as she treated a cut on a small girl's head.

Gaius sighed. "We need to trust in Arthur." And merlin he added silently in his head.

Gwen turned and smiled at him. "I do. But even he has little chance."

[EXT. KING'S PALACE, BATTLEMENTS – NIGHT]

Merlin was walking next to Arthur, across the battlements when she spoke. "I'm sorry you have to do this, Arthur."

Arthur turned to face her, taking her hand and squeezed gently. "Why? You're not to blame. Go and help Gaius he could use the extra hand." He smiled at her and squeezed her hand again before, releasing it and standing between Leon and Lancelot (2). Kilgharrah flew through the air approaching the battlements where the knights were standing.

"Flame up!" Arthur shouted at the knights, as they lit their arrows and took aim. "Stay strong! For tonight is not your night to die, I will make sure of that! Hold firm! Hold! Hold! Now!"

The knights shot the arrows at the dragon but, ducked as Kilgharrah unleashed at ball of fire at them.

[INT. KING'S PALACE, INFIRMARY – NIGHT]

Merlin came through the doors of the infirmary and spotted Gaius attending a patient and went to help.

"Gaius, is there anything I can help with?" Merlin asked standing next to him.

Just as he was about to reply, Gwen spoke. "We've no clean water left."

Gaius glanced over at Gwen. "I know, but it's too dangerous to go out there."

Merlin took the empty bucket and headed for the door, completely ignoring Gaius shout of, "Merlin! Don't!" and left the infirmary.

[EXT. KING'S PALACE, MAIN SQUARE – NIGHT]

Merlin made her way quickly through the square, towards the well while others ran for the doors. Once it was clear, she grabbed a spear and used magic to throw it at the dragon. (3)

"Fluge! Gár!" She shouted her eyes turning gold. But the spear glances off.

Kilgharrah roared at her. "Do not imagine that your petty magic can harm me!" He continues to circle the square.

"Why are you doing this?! You're killing innocent people!" Merlin screamed at the dragon, turning back to the well and lowering the bucket as Arthur came round the corner shouting.

"Clear the square." Arthur then glanced at the well and spotted Merlin drawing water.

"Merlin?!" He sees the dragon circling the square up above them, turning around to attack.

"Merlin!" Hearing Arthur, she turned to look at him then at the sky. Seeing the dragon fly lower and lower towards them, Merlin grabbed the bucket and ran towards Arthur, just as she reached him; Kilgharrah swooped down and caught him causing both of them to fall. Merlin looked up to see Arthur beneath her; she blushed before pulling him up and hurrying towards the infirmary.

[INT. KING'S PALACE, INFIRMARY – NIGHT]

As soon as they got to the infirmary, she told Arthur to sit on one of the beds. She gathered the things she needed before making her way back to Arthur.

"You shouldn't have risked your life." She said to him, while cleaning the wound. His eyes met hers as he responded.

"I wasn't going to let anything happen to you, Merlin." As she went to put the towel down, Arthur caught her hand and placed it on his chest, covering it with his. Seeing this Merlin smiled at him, unknown to the pair Gaius had seen the whole conversation and was smiling at them from where he was standing. When she finished, Arthur went to find Lancelot while she went to Gaius.

"Are you hurt?" He asked her as she approached him.

"I'm fine but, there's nothing I can do. My magic is no good. It doesn't work." She said to him, glancing around to make sure nobody heard.

Gaius patted her shoulder. "Dragons aren't monsters. They're creatures of wonder and magic. You must realise that they're immune to your powers."

[INT. KING'S PALACE, WAR ROOM – DAY]

Arthur, his father, the advisers, a couple of knights, Gaius and Merlin were standing around a table, listening to Arthur's report.

"The dead number 49 men, 27 women, a further 18 women and children are unaccounted for. Most of last night's fires are now out. The castle walls, in particular, the western section are near to collapse, I could go on."

Uther didn't look pleased at this news. "Do we have any further idea on how the beast escaped?" He directed this to knights.

"I regret to say, Sire, we don't." Sir Leon responded from where he stood next to Gaius.

Uther's eyes flashed with anger, at hearing this. "There must be some way to rid ourselves of this aberration. Gaius?"

Merlin looked at her uncle when he responded. "We need a Dragon-Lord, Sire."

"You know very well that's not an option." Uther said coldly.

Gaius merely responded. "Sire, what if...there was, indeed, one last dragonlord left."

Uther was shocked at this news, as were some of the advisors. "That's not possible."

Merlin and Arthur both moved their heads between Uther and Gaius. "But if there was."

"What are you saying?" Uther snapped impatiently at him.

Gaius continued keeping everyone's eyes solely on him. "It may just be rumour."

"Go on." Uther said sounding interested.

"I'm not exactly sure, but I think his name is Balinor." Gaius replied, eyes travelling between Uther, Arthur and Merlin.

"Balinor?" Uther remembered a man with that name but he couldn't be sure it was the same one.

"Where does he live?" Arthur asked curious about the man that could help them.

"He was last seen in Cenred's kingdom in the border town of Enged, but that was many years ago." Gaius answered the crowned prince.

"If this man still exists, then it is our duty to find him." Arthur said, his eyes meeting Merlin's for a second before turning to his father.

Uther sighed. "Our treaty with Cenred no longer holds. We are at war. If they discovered you beyond our border, they would kill you."

"I will go alone." He replied.

"No." Uther responded angrily.

"That way I will not be detected." He insisted, trying to reason with his father.

"No, Arthur. It is too dangerous." Uther replied stubbornly.

"More dangerous than staying here?" Arthur said angrily. "I'll not stand by and watch my men die when I have the chance to save them."

Uther had risen from his seat by this point. "I have given you my orders."

Arthur carried on. "Do not make this a test of wills, Father."

Uther and Arthur where less than a meter apart by this point. "I'm not talking to you as a father; I'm talking to you as a king!"

Arthur tried one more time turning towards the door. "I will ride immediately."

Uther then turned towards his son. "My concern is for you."

Arthur merely sighed. "Mine is for Camelot. I'll send word when I've found him." Turning to Merlin he said, "Prepare the horses."

Arthur then turned and left, leaving Merlin to bow to his father then follow after him.

[INT. KING'S PALACE, PHYSICIAN'S CHAMBERS – DAY]

Merlin was packing when Gaius came into the room and began pacing next to the fire. Merlin was folding some clothes when she asked Gaius, "Who were the dragonlords? Uncle?"

She glanced up from her folding as Gaius replied. "There were once people, who could talk to the dragons, tame them."

"What happened to them?" Merlin asked as she put the folded clothes into a bag.

"Uther believed that the art of the dragonlord was too close to magic. So he had them all rounded up and slaughtered." Gaius replied as he sat down on the bench.

Merlin finished her packing her clothes and moved to put her magic book and some apples in the bag. "But one survived. How did you know?"

Gaius waited a moment before responded. "I helped him escape."

Merlin froze at hearing this and turned to stare at Gaius in shock. "Uncle Gaius."

He motioned her to sit next to him. "Merlin, you've never heard the name Balinor?"

"No."

"Your mother never mentioned him?" He asked. Hunith must not have told her.

Merlin looked confused. "My mother?"

"She took him in."

"She stood up against Uther?"

"Yes."

"She was brave."

"Yes. When Uther discovered where Balinor was, he sent knights to Ealdor to hunt him down. He was forced to flee." He explained further.

"Why didn't my mother tell me any of this?" Merlin asked sounding slightly upset.

Gaius put a hand on her shoulder. "Merlin, I promised her I would never speak of these things."

"Of what?" She asked slightly confused by this point.

"I've always treated you as my daughter, but that is not what you are. The man you are going to look for is your father." Gaius said telling Merlin the truth.

"My father?" Merlin asked shocked by the recent news.

"Yes."

"He was a dragonlord? Why did no one ever tell me?!" She exclaimed, rising from her seat as she began to pace.

Gaius sighed and explained. "I wanted to. Your mother feared it would be too dangerous."

She stopped her pacing and moved to sit down again. "I had a right to know, Gaius." She sighed.

"She wanted to protect you, Merlin you know that." He replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I still had a right to know, Gaius. I know my mother wanted to protect me but, this is my father we're talking about." She sighed then smiled. "You know what, Gaius?"

The physician looked down at his niece. "What could I know, Merlin?"

She merely smiled at him. "Even though I'm going to find my father, you're still the best father figure I've ever had, Uncle Gaius." At hearing this he smiled and wrapped her in a hug.

They sat there for a couple of minutes before someone knocked on the door causing them to part and Merlin to go answer the door.

Opening the door she saw it was Arthur and quickly let him in. As he stepped into the room, he spotted Gaius by the fire. "Sorry to interrupt Gaius but, I wanted to ask you more about the Dragon-Lord, Balinor and ask if you can give me something for my shoulder, before me and Merlin set off to find him."

Merlin smiled at him and said, "I'm packed anyway, so I'll go and pack for you then, get the horses ready." She finished turning to the door but Arthur's voice stopped her from exiting the chambers.

"Actually, I'm already packed so it's just the horses that need to be prepared." Merlin smiled, at him and squeezed his hand before turning to Gaius.

"I'll go and get the horses ready then. See you later, Gaius." Merlin said giving Gaius a quick hug before leaving the pair alone.

Gaius turned to his potions and checked for a pain reliever while Arthur sat down on the bench. When he found the reliever Gaius handed it to Arthur and he thanked him then, swallowed it in one go. Gaius sat down across from him on a spare seat and began.

"So what exactly do you want to know about Balinor, Arthur?" He asked.

"I have a confession Gaius, even though I would like to know as much about Balinor as possible. I'm actually here about Merlin." The prince confessed to the physician.

Gaius raised an eyebrow. "What about Merlin?"

Arthur sighed before meeting Gaius's eyes. "I know. I know about Merlin's magic and everything she has ever done for me. For Camelot. For my father." He sighed. "My father's wrong about magic, and everything it stands for. You and Merlin have taught me that. Is there anything else I should know about her, Gaius?"

Gaius was taken aback by Arthur's words and replied. "There is only one thing you need to know, Arthur. The Dragon-Lord Balinor is Merlin's father, I'm just after telling her before you came in. I'm glad you're taking this rather well Arthur, but how long have you known?"

"I've known since Merlin created the tornado in Ealdor to stop Kanen's men from winning." Arthur admitted to the older man. "Do you think I should tell her, Gaius?"

Gaius sighed, and then smiled at the prince. "I think you should but, she may deny it at first. You would need to assure her that she is not going to be burned at the stake."

Arthur slowly rose from his seat as he replied. "I'll make sure to do that Gaius. I better go and inform my father that we're leaving. Thank you for this Gaius." With that he turned and left the physician to his thoughts.

[EXT. KING'S PALACE, MAIN SQUARE – DAY]

Merlin was attaching her bag, when Arthur & Gaius came into the courtyard. Trying to not meet the prince's eyes as Uther was watching from the balcony, she lifted herself onto her horse's back waiting for Arthur to get on his horse.

"You got everything you need?" Gaius asked when he reached her.

"Yes Uncle, I have everything me and Arthur need. Don't worry, we'll be fine." Merlin replied seeing Arthur on his horse, she said. "We need to go, Gaius. We'll be back soon."

Then she hitched up her reins and followed Arthur through the streets, all the while thinking of her father.

**********MA/AP*********

Hi Guys, Just giving you a bit of girl! Merlin/Arthur.

I never liked Will, Balinor or Freya's deaths so I'm tweaking the balance a little.

Sir Ewan never died in Valiant and he's Lancelot's cousin, thus he never had to lie to Uther or leave Gwen.

It was easier to switch it so Merlin fought Kilgharrah first then, got the water.

Well please review and comment I'd love to hear from you.

Bye,

Kind Baudelaire