Celebration
Author: archaeologist_d
Title: Celebration
Rating: G
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Kilgharrah
Summary: Kilgharrah has a birthday but what do you get a giant lizard?
Warnings: none
Word Count: 400
Prompt 511: scorching
Author's notes: I am having a terrible time carving out writing time while vacationing
Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
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As he waited for Kilgharrah to show up, he wondered if he’d made a mistake calling for the old reprobate to meet him in the woods near the castle. It wasn’t like he needed anything urgent, He usually had to listen to the old lizard intone on some topic that made no sense to him at all. Riddles and riddles that tended to loop into each other until Merlin felt like he was an idiot or else Kilgrahhah was playing mind tricks with him. Or maybe both.
But today, Merlin felt like cheering the dragon up. Kilgharrah had made some muttering about birthdays and while Merlin didn’t think Kilgharrah would celebrate after 995 years or so-Merlin would have given up after a few hundred if he’d been the old dragon, Merlin could put in the effort.
As the dragon settled in, looking at Merlin with weary eyes, he said, “What disaster this time? Or is that young king of yours finally getting his head out of his arse and showing you some sword play?
Merlin had no idea what he was talking about, “Umm, the only swordplay Arthur shows me is how to try not to get a concussion when he’s busy bashing my head in,” The dragon just sighed so Merlin brought out the admittedly small cake and put a single candle on it. “I thought it being your birthday and all, I’d bring you a treat.”
With that, Merlin put it down on the nearest rock. He’d baked it himself and was especially proud that it didn’t list to one side when he coated it with fresh strawberries.
For a long while, Kilgharrah didn’t say anything-surprisingly considering he was always telling Merlin off. Finally, rearing back, he reached over with a claw, speared the cake, and gulped it down, candle and all.
Merlin said, “Umm, I was supposed to light the candle first and then you blow it out and make a wish.”
Kilgharrah’s huge eyes glowed in the darkness as he said, “Your human customs make no sense. But if you insist.” With that, he spit out the candle, then sent a blast of fire at it, vaporising it and the grass underneath. “Will that suffice?”
Muttering a little under his breath, Merlin said, “Did you make a wish?”
“I wished for a soft bed and a cart full of gold. Do you have either for me?”
Merlin shook his head. “But I did arrange for the night off. I thought maybe I could keep you company? You could tell me stories of when you were young and I could do the same?”
Kilgharrah stared at him a moment, then smiled. “Too often, things are dire and destiny gets in the way of kinship. Young one, perhaps a night off for both of us might be just what we need.”
As Merlin sat down next to the still smoldering ground and gazed up into Kilgharrah’s curious face, he smiled. After all, Merlin might be an idiot and always fighting destiny or fate or whatever the hell it was called, but sometimes just sitting by a fire and talking was the best thing of all.
With that, Merlin waved his hand, a now cracking blaze next to him and began.