Never shall we die chapter 2. Someone died

Written for those who asked who Merlin's father was.

Yo ho, yo ho

The city was under attack, people where dying, and once again, Merlin could do nothing. He listened in to the meeting that was going down in the war room and sighed. The king was being a block head again and Gaius was doing everything in his power to fix the problem. He gave off a name that made the room go quiet. "It may just be a rumor though." He quickly added.

"Where does he live?" Arthur asked, his curiosity peaked.

"He was last seen in a town by the ocean that is a well know navy gallows and beyond that he is said to have gone into pirate waters."

"If this man still exists, then it is our duty to find him."

Uther, not surprisingly, shot down the idea immediately. "Our treaty with navy no longer holds. If they discover you they are just as likely to give you over to the pirates as they are to hang you."

"I will go alone."

"No."

"That way I will not be detected."

"No, Arthur. It is too dangerous."

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

"I have given you my orders."

Sensing the important part of the conversation was as well as over, Merlin pushed himself up and onto his feet before carefully running across the breaking roof and to the nearest open window where he swung down and met up with the prince. "Should I go get the rope?"

"We leave tonight." Arthur said.

A pirate's life for me

After Gaius had told him the truth about who his father was, the sea was the only thing on his mind. Sure they were at war with a dragon, and if anyone found out who he was related to he would be burned at the stake. Not a pretty way to die mind you. And he would have to leave Camelot afterwards cause a dead man can't just go wandering around the streets either.

However, before heading to the sea, he first had to get out of the castle. Uther had not been happy about them leaving but in the end they gotten the go ahead, which had disappointed Merlin cause he wanted to sneak out again but beggars can't be choosers. But thieves can.

Arthur waited impatiently by the horses, wondering where his manservant was. Merlin was currently doing something that should kill him.

He ran, head on, through an already cracked window and plummeting to the ground. When he got the halfway point of the fall he reached out and grabbed a hanging piece of rope and then swung to a window sill before jumping to the ground.

He landed more or less gracefully, brushed himself off, and went to go meet the prince.

We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot

There was one thing Merlin would have to get across Arthurs thick head before they get anywhere. "The ocean is a big place, we're not just going to be able to drop by a few ports and expect to find him throwing back a pint at one of them."

"We don't have time for your negativity Merlin, the faster we find him the faster we can save Camelot." Arthur said, stopping his horse at a cross road. "So, which way to go?"

"You think I know?"

"Didn't you use to live out here? Shouldn't you know your way around." He laughed, trying to keep the mood upbeat despite how weak he was feeling. The attack earlier had given him a pretty serious injury but it was nothing he couldn't power through. "But really, aren't there pirate in these waters? How are we going to tell him from another?"

"Most pirates have a price. I mean, as long as it isn't about their crew." Merlin trotted up behind Arthur and looked at the two paths. "Go left." He said, before continuing. "But you have to understand, pirates only live for three things. Money, rum, and the freedom of the sea. To some pirates, they're crew is a part of their freedom, you can't just take that away and expect there to be no consequences."

"So what are we going to do if he's joined a crew?"

"Find a crew that hates his. It's not hard to make enemy's when you steal from your friends." He chuckled to himself, fingering the silver pin he had swiped from the prince back when he had first came to Camelot. A piece of royal jewelry was valuable at sea and could get a lot of people talking. Sure, he had swiped some gold before leaving by jumping out a window but this had a royal crest on it.

Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.

The duo entered a bar and sat down. It had been raining outside and the prince was relieved with the chance to dry off. Merlin didn't quite get that pleasure though as one of the drunks spilled a drink over his head and a knife got lodged into the table. "Sorry about that love." The bar tender said. She was dressed in typical coastal bar tender wear, which was to say Arthur felt the need to advert his eyes. "Would you like a rag?"

Merlin nodded and was handed the one she kept on her person. Before he could thank her however, Arthur felt the need to be in charge. He slid a large coin pouch onto the table. "We're looking for someone," He said, "and I'm willing to pay, handsomely."

The lady looked at the bag, then back to the prince. "Never heard of him." She snarled, taking some loss change that was already on the table.

"You don't even know who I'm talking about!"

"This is a bar, I don't take names."

We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot,

"Hey Arthur? How did you know that I use to live out here?" the not pirate asked as they were getting ready for bed. Luckily the lady and liked him enough to point them in the direction of a safe-ish inn, under the condition he shove Arthur in a puddle on the way there. Which he did.

"What do you mean?"

"I only ever told you about Ealdor."

"Gaius told me. Said that you knew your away around the ocean."

Merlin was silent for a moment "Is that all he told you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"No reason."

Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.

It was in the middle of the night when the attack happened. Some idiot who spelled of booze, had tried to sneak into their room and rob them of the money they Arthur had waved around stupidly in the bar.

Arthur flung the thief onto Merlin in his bed and pointed a knife at his throat. "Please no! I have children to feed!" Arthur saw this as an opportunity and asked for information. "It's been many years since I saw him!"

"You know where he lives?"

"Take the current south, past the boucanier port and to the stone cove. He lives in a cave in the forest like the rest of the hermits!" Arthur shoved him off of Merlin's bed. "Don't get your hopes up through."

"Why is that?" Merlin asked.

"He will not welcome you. He's in hiding, hates everyone and everything. Even his own crew wants him dead."

The thief quickly left them, but not before Merlin slipped some coins into the man's pocket. He could sense an honest man when they found one. Arthur decided it was time to leave the small town. But first they stopped by the bar.

"Why are we here Merin?" Arthur asked. "We should get going already."

"I can smell the blood from here Arthur." Merlin replied before opening the door and locating the bar tender. "Sorry to bother you miss. But can bother you from some rum and a wet rag?"

Yo ho, yo ho,

Despite Merlin's best efforts, Arthurs wound was not getting any better. Merlin didn't pay much attention to the physician's work, restarting his life was much easier than trying to save it.

The two had acquire for and boarded a small ship that Merlin could sail before setting off. It didn't take long for Merlin to begin to notice just how weak Arthur was feeling. He wasn't able to stand very well when anything more than a tiny wave pressed against their boat. And his sea sickness wasn't helping him. "Arthur, maybe you should lay down." He suggested "On your side." He added.

A pirate's life for me.

The duo were sailing across the sea, making their way to the next port along the shore line when Merlin spotted something coming around the bend. "Arthur get down." He said quickly.

"What why?"

"Just get down." He said, shoving the prince to the floor and covering his with a tarp. It wasn't long before a large pirate boat floated up next to them. "Hello there." Merlin greeting.

"Aye. What's a pale brat like you doing out here?" came a voice from up on the massive boat.

"I'm going to meet my father. My home has been attacked and I'm trying to see if he has any way of helping us." Merlin smiled, trying to seam innocent. And hey, the best lie is often the truth.

"Got anything in that boat of yours?"

"Just some water and dried fish. I should be arriving today so I'm almost out of supplies."

The man grumbled something, examine the manservants poor state of cloths and boat before turning his back and talking to someone just out of sight. Merlin waited patiently for the man's attention. "Alright." He said once he returned "We'll let you pass, just be careful out there. Not all are as kind as us."

Merlin thanked that man and the two boats went in different directions. Merlin waited for the large ship to be out of sight before uncovering the prince. "Arthur." He said, trying to shake him. But he didn't respond "Arthur!"

We extort, we pilfer, we filch, and sack,

Merlin had managed to dock his stolen boat, steal a pair of horses (he tried asking but no one was home, so he left some money on the kitchen table), put Arthur on said horse, and ride far into the forest line all in a few hours. He jumped off his horse once he reached a decent sized cave. The thief had told them that a lot of hermits lived in these woods, but any help for Arthur was help. "Hello?" he asked.

Suddenly he was grabbed from behind. "What do you want here, boy?" Asked a male voice.

Merlin managed to break the man's grasp and he spun around. He couldn't help but stare at the man in front of him. There was just something about it. It was more than the salt water in the air that was making the magic in him swell. "My friend," he managed to get out, pointing to Arthur "He's sick! He needs help!"

"Show me, boy." Merlin couldn't move. "What are you waiting for? Fetch him!"

Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.

The man had done what he could for Arthur and let Merlin stay in the cave with him while he waited for his prince to recover. They made some small talk but it quickly ended when the man demanded why they were here.

"Just travelling." Merlin said "We're looking for someone. He's a dragon lord. Have you heard of him?"

"He's passed on." The man said simply.

"You knew him?"

"Who are you?!" He yelled.

"I'm...Merlin." The man servant said slowly.

The man pointed at the still sleeping price "And him?" He demanded.

"He's my master." Merlin tried to lie and say that his name was Lancelot, but the man quickly saw through him.

"This is pirate water! He's asking for trouble. What does the prince of Camelot want from me?"

"The Great Dragon is attacking Camelot." He started. The man quickly cut in but Merlin continued on. "Well, we can't stop him. Only a dragon lord can."

"Kilgharrah doesn't act blindly. He kills for a reason. Vengeance. This is of Uther's making." Merlin tried to argue but the man didn't listen. "Uther pursued me! He hunted me like an animal!"

"I know." Merlin laughed. "Trust me I know."

"What do you know about anybody's life, boy?!"

Merlin quickly tugged his sleeve up, showing the man hid brand "I got this at the age of six." He said in a low voice "I was standing at the gallows by age 8." His voice gradually got loader "I had to flee inland by age ten. I have magic and I live in Camelot!" he yelled.

"You want me to protect me the man who would kill you?" he demanded.

"I want you to protect Camelot."

"Uther asked me to use my power to bring the last dragon to Camelot. He said he wanted to make peace with it, but he did not! He lied to me! He betrayed me! He hunted me like an animal! He killed every one of my kind! I alone escaped!"

"Where did you go?" Merlin asked calmly.

"A port town, I had a life there. A woman. A good woman. It was beyond Uther's realm, but still he pursued me. What was it that I had done that he wanted to destroy the life I built, abandon the woman I loved? He sent knights to kill me. I was forced to come here, to this!" he gestured to the cave "Let Uther die. Let Camelot fall."

"You want everyone in Camelot to die?"

"Why should I care?"

"What if one of them was your son?"

"I don't have a son."

Before Merlin could correct him however, Arthur began to wake up.

Maraud and embezzle, and even high-jack,

The next day Arthur met Merlin outside. "Glad to know you're feeling better." Merlin said quietly. "We need to get back to Camelot now."

"What do you mean? We still need to find-"

"We did find him. And he's hopeless."

"Does he know what's at stake? What kind of man is he?"

"He's worse than a pirate." Merlin said just load enough to make sure that the dragon lord heard him. "No wonder he ran from his crew."

The two decided to stay outside for a while but soon Arthur got bored and wandered back into the cave. Soon he came back out "What did he say?" Merlin asked.

"He'll change his mind." Merlin doubted that "Just... give him a moment."

The man soon came out "Farewell, then." He said.

"That's your decision?"

"I will not help Uther."

"Then the people of Camelot are damned."

"So be it." He shrugged.

"Then you're worse than Uther!" Merlin yelled. "Your killing people over a fact that they can't control!"

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled. He sighed and faced the man. "Gaius spoke of the nobility of dragon lords. Clearly he was wrong."

"Gaius?" Arthur nodded "A good man."

"I was hoping you'd be like him."

"There's no point Arthur." Merlin said, grabbing his arm. "We need to get back to Camelot."

Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.

Arthur and Merlin were arguing in the woods when Merlin's ear twitched. "Arthur, shut up."

"What? Merlin?"

"Shh." He insisted as another twig snapped. This one Arthur heard and remained quiet. The two picked up swords and readied themselves.

Merlin waited for another twig before pushing himself from behind the tree and pointing the sword at the man. "Careful, boy." The dragon lord said "I thought you might need some help. This is dangerous country."

"Are you willing to return to Camelot with us?" Arthur asked, lower his sword. Merlin did so as well but kept a tight grip on his.

"There are some in Camelot who risked their lives for me. I owe a debt that must be repaid."

"If you succeed in killing the dragon, you will not go unrewarded."

"I seek no reward." He scoffed.

"Great! Let's eat." Merlin interrupted, pulling out a small bottle of booze he had kept stashed under his jacket.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me

As Arthur went stomping around doing whatever Arthurs did. The remaining two of the company went looking for fire wood. Merlin brought up the old religion for a little bit before turning it in the direction of his birth. "You mentioned... You spoke of the port town. You took refuge with a woman."

"That was a long time ago."

"I grew up there. I know the woman."

"Hunith? She's still alive?"

"Yes. She's my mother."

"Then she married. That's good." He tried to smile, even though Merlin could tell it was completely fake.

"She never married. I'm your son." Before he could reply however, Merlin heard a twig snap "Don't tell Arthur. About me being your son or that I'm a pirate."

Later that night Merlin made a promise to his father that he would take him to Ealdor to see his mother. But that promise would never be fulfilled.

We kindle and char, inflame and ignite

The next morning, Merlin woke up to find a small carved pirate ship by his head. Merlin quickly hid the small object, not wanting Arthur to find it. He was lucky he did that so soon because next thing he knew, Arthur had clasped his handed over his mouth. "Shhh." He whispered and looked over into the woods. Men on horseback with heavy swords were making their way through the trees. Merlin quickly handed the dragon lord a sword and hid behind a tree.

Arthur draws his sword and the men attack.

The battle was a mess, Merlin didn't have his favorite sword on him and was forced to use a heavy one that he picked up from a solider he knocked out with a branch.

Merlin used the unfamiliar sword to fight off a man but was soon distracted by the sounds of Arthur yelling, trying to warn the Dragon lord. The warlock quickly threw his enemy to the ground and ran to his father's side. He was too late though, he could get to him in time to stop the enemy, but he could get in front of him.

He could feel the rough metal scrapping through his body and out through his back. The sword had gone through his sides so it wasn't an imminent death but feeling the uneven blade get ripped out of him made him wish it was.

His body hit the ground and he heard people yelling. It hurt, so much, and the dirt digging into his flesh was only making it worse. Shoot, he wanted to avoid Arthur finding him dead but oh well, he'll just lie his way through this one like he does with his magic and thief like tendency's. Hopefully the prince wouldn't find the silver pin that was in his pocket. He had grown attached to the little thing.

Someone rapped their arms around him as Merlin slowly closed his eyes. "Merlin!" his father yelled "Merlin, please stay with me!"

"Its ok, I'll be back." Merlin breathed out "I never stay dead for long." He laughed, trying to open his eyes.

"Merlin, Merlin remember. Be strong. A dragon's heart is on its right side, not its left."

"Dad, what are you saying?"

"Listen to me! Oh, my son. I've seen enough in you to know that you will make me proud. Come back and be brave."

"Dad." He cried as darkness enveloped his world. The last thing he heard was his father reciting a spell.

Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho

The jostle of a horse was not the most comfortable was to wake up. It was a slow coming to, but once the horse hit a bump, Merlin let out a cough. His lungs filled up with salty air, warning him that he was near the sea.

"Merlin!" He heard Arthur yell. The sound of the prince getting off his horse and running over to him barley registered in his mind. Soon the cold hands grabbed his skin, lifted him off the horse and he was able to open his eyes. "Merlin!" the prince smiled, relief filled his eyes. "Merlin I thought you were dead?" he breathed out, touching Merlin's face.

Merlin pushed himself up from his position on the ground. "Hey Arthur." The manservant smiled. He wasn't tired anymore, at all. Slowly he looked around, "Where's the Dragon Lord?" he asked.

"Merlin… Merlin he's dead."

Merlin felt his world drop. "What?"

"Merlin, we watched you get impaled. We thought you were dead. He used magic to fight after it, but when you jumped in front of him to stop the sword, you didn't stop all of it. He got injured Merlin, and he couldn't keep up anymore. He, he died not long after you hit the ground."

"No. That can't be right!" he yelled, trying to push himself off the ground. However Arthur held him down. Merlin tried to fight "He's too powerful to die from a scratch! He's a dragon lord, he was our only hope!" Merlin's breathing started to get heavy, he still wasn't fully recovered from his death. He was awake yes, but healthy, no.

"Merlin!" Arthur grabbed the pirates shoulders "Balinor dead and Camelot is doomed." Merlin went silent, he pushed Arthur away gently and slowly raised himself from the ground. "Where are you going?"

"To give these horses back to the farmer I took them from."

"You stole them?"

"I left money on the kitchen table." He said. They weren't far from the farm so it should be much of a problem. He easily slipped the animals back behind the fence and got Arthur onto the boat. The two boarded the stolen ship and left for the port town.

We burn up the city, we're really a fright

Arthur had to break the news to his father that the last dragon lord was dead and that he was going to fight the dragon himself. Meanwhile Merlin went to see Gaius. "Merlin what happened?"

"I died Gaius. I died to save him and I stilled couldn't stop him from getting hurt." Gaius knew about Merlin's inability to stay dead but not the full extent of it. "I told him I would be back, I told him and I think he understood, but I don't think that made a difference." He sighed "He said the dragon lord's gift is passed from father to son."

"That is true."

"When I faced the Great Dragon, my magic was useless."

"Your father wasn't dead. It's only then you can inherit his powers."

"Why am I like this Gauis? Why can't I die?"

"You have a destiny Merlin. And I don't think you can't die until its complete."

Merlin nodded and went down to help Arthur with his uniform. "Well, look on the bright side, Merlin. Chances are you're not going to have to clean this again." The prince laughed.

"You must be careful today. Do not force the battle."

"Yes, Sire!"

"I'm serious."

"I can hear that." Arthur joked as he went to pick up his sword. Merlin followed, grabbing his favorite "What are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you."

"No you're not. Merlin I thought you were dead earlier today, I'm not letting you out there."

"And I'm fine, even Gaius said so. The Dragon lord probably used some kind of magic to save my life."

Arthur gave him a sad look and sighed. "Merlin, the chances are I'm going to die."

"Yeah. Yeah, you probably would if I wasn't there."

"Right." He scoffed.

"Do you know how many times I've had to save your royal backside?" Arthur chuckled, and the two headed out the door to face the dragon.

Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho

Honestly guys, did you think it was going to be anybody else? Merlin is magic. He was born from it and being a dragon lord is a huge part of who he is. Kind of need a dragon lord father to have a dragon lord son. And no, Captain Jack Sparrow would never be one. Once again, I still have no direction for this story so if you enjoy it, you are welcome to adopt it. Just drop me a DM first.

Don't forget to review!