One Prison is much like another - part 26
Author: archaeologist_d
Title: One Prison is much like another - part 26
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Kilgharrah, Gaius
Summary: Dragons are a handful, whether they be days old or centuries. And Gaius and Kilgharrah are not friends.
Warnings: none
Word Count:1547
Camelot Drabble Prompt #600: Poison
Author’s notes: Arthur is regent in all but name. AU and all.
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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Merlin was just too tired for this shit. Ignoring the dragonets which were fluttering their wings and chittering among themselves as if unsure what to do, Merlin raced over to find Gaius standing there, glaring at Kilgharrah, and the damn lizard rearing up as if ready to squash his mortal enemy. There was even smoke leaking out of Kilgharrah’s nose, not a good sign.
It looked like Merlin arrived in the nick of time and he wasn’t taking any prisoners.
“Enough,” roared Merlin, waving his arms around and glaring at them both.
As they turned toward him, Merlin pointed his finger at Kilgharrah. “Don’t make me use my dragonlord powers on you, you pompous clackpot.”
The bloody dragon looked almost affronted but when Gaius snickered at his enemy’s discomfort, Merlin swivelled to yell at Gaius, “And you were supposed to wait two hours before coming down here. It’s bad enough I’ve been dealing with five very energetics dragons but I wanted to have time to talk to Kilgharrah first.”
Gaius gave a little sniff, frowning at Merlin as if it were he who was wrong, not Gaius. “It has been two hours. And I am here at your request. If I am unwelcome, I can easily let you deal with it.” He made as if to leave, turning and taking a first step toward the stairway.
Merlin wasn’t having any of it. Blocking Gaius, Merlin put his fists on his hips and gave the old man another, hopefully more effective, glare. “I’m drowning in this whole thing and you are supposed to be on my side.”
Harrumphing, Gaius shook his head. “It’s of your own making.”
“I know that,” Merlin snapped, a little of the poison of the whole situation, hell his whole life, pulling him into a kind of frustrating despair. Pushed and pulled, berated and made to feel like nothing he ever did was worthy of thanks or even acknowledgement, he was at his wits end. “It’s always my own making, destiny and doing the right thing be damned. But for once, I’d like a little support, and not just made to feel like I was just an idiot making things worse for everyone.”
With that, something must have got through. Bremon, little warrior, flew down and settled on Merlin’s shoulder, chittering loudly at Gaius, then rubbing his orange head against Merlin’s cheek. The rest of them were on the ledge, arguing with each other and once in a while gazing down at Gaius as if deciding whether to dive-bomb him or just give him a good talking-to.
Blinking, Gaius took a step back, then nodded toward the babies. “It would appear you have made an impression on them. Are they always so protective?”
“First I’ve seen but,” Merlin calmed down, leaning in a little to Bremon’s warmth. “they are a bit of a handful.” He reached up and gently smoothed one finger on Bremon’s head, then patted the tail which had curled around Merlin’s throat. “Little one, it will be alright. Gaius is a friend even if he is a bit of a grump.”
Behind him, Kilgharrah rumbled something about contamination and befriending a traitor to all dragonkind, but Merlin ignored him.
Instead, smiling at Bremon who chirped back, a question in his golden eyes, Merlin gave the baby another little pat, then said to Gaius, “Would you like to pet him? I don’t think he’ll tear out your eyes this time, at least not with me here.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve interacted with dragonets, Merlin. I may have lost my touch,” Gaius said, looking wary.
But Merlin just leaned forward, letting Gaius reach out and touch the little dragon’s head. Bremon didn’t seem to mind, not with Merlin stroking one wing and telling him what a good dragon he was being. Soothing nonsense but it seemed to work.
Bremon’s head swivelled between them, then seemed to come to a decision, his tail uncurling, he let go of Merlin and hopped onto Gaius’s shoulder.
Gaius stook stock-still, looking a bit askance at the situation, but Merlin thought it was going better than he’d hoped.
Of course, Kilgharrah was having fits. “You would let him near the future of dragonkind? Have you lost your mind?”
Bremon seemed to startle at that, then launched himself off and settled onto the ledge with the others. The dragonets grew agitated, their wings furling and unfurling, their tails whipping around as they seemed to gossip and glare and jostle each other while they watched the quarrel with golden eyes and distress.
Turning to glare at Kilgharrah, Gaius seemed about to say something when Merlin interrupted, “Gaius is here because you seem less than enthusiastic about helping me. I need help, Kilgharrah, whether you want to see it or not.”
Lashing his tail in Gaius’s direction but stopping short of pushing him off the cliff’s edge, Kilgharrah lumbered closer to Merlin, so close in fact that Merlin had to crane his neck up to meet Kilgharrah’s glare. “Beware his help. I needed his assistance and instead, I was chained for an eternity and all my kin slaughtered while he cowered among his potions and powders and did nothing.”
“He helped my father to escape,” Merlin pointed out, although he had to admit that Kilgharrah wasn’t wrong. Gaius had been a coward, helping Uther to destroy the dragons and magic users throughout the kingdom. Sometimes he did wonder why Gaius had done it or why Gaius was helping Merlin now.
“And all the others screaming their ends?” Kilgharrah reminded him. “He could have got them out of Camelot. Instead he lived in comfort and watched everyone else pay the price. I would not have him here. Not with the young ones’ lives at stake.”
Looking almost guilty, Gaius spoke up, “He’s not wrong, Merlin. I… I thought I could control Uther’s worst tendencies. He listened to me sometimes and I was stupid enough to think that his grief would lessen and that he’d come to see how wrong he was.” Letting out a shuddering breath, almost a half-whisper, Gaius said, “And I was wrong, so very wrong. I did what I could once I realised it but it was already too late.”
“We all make mistakes,” Merlin said. “Sometimes I wonder if what I’m doing helping Arthur is making things worse than leaving and fighting Uther. Killing Uther. And every day, I die a little knowing that I could have saved so many.”
“But it wasn’t for selfish reasons,” Gaius said. “At least you are trying.”
“But what good does it do if my trying isn’t enough?” Merlin murmured.
“You are trying now. With the little ones. Making amends.” Gaius nodded toward the ledge where the dragons were watching. “For all the problems now and in the future, at least you are trying.”
“You said I shouldn’t,” Merlin reminded him.
“Now that I see them, I can see why you did it. There are still going to be problems, big ones. And if Arthur finds out, then it could be worse for you and for them,” Gaius reminded him. “Logistics being the least of it. As they grow, once they start using fire, and people become aware of them, it could be disastrous. But if you plan it well and are careful, you might be on the right path.”
Merlin looked at Gaius as if he’d lost his mind. “You’re always telling me I’m an idiot.”
“Well, most of the time, you are,” Gaius replied. “But admitting that you don’t always know everything is half the battle.”
“So will you help me then?” Merlin asked.
As Gaius nodded, Kilgharrah was having none of it. “I will not have this filth near them. Who knows if he would poison them like vermin or else have the mob tear them to pieces? Or deliver them to that parasite king of his.”
“Gaius, will you agree only to helping while I’m here? That way, Kilgharrah will not have to see you again and I will still have back-up,” Merlin said, thinking that it might be better that way. Otherwise, he’d worry that the dragon might just kill Gaius off and claim it was an accident.
Gaius nodded again.
Smiling, Merlin clapped his hands together, startling the little dragonets. “It’s all settled then.” He hurried over to the leather bottle of oil, then wiggled it a little. “Okay, Chara, first one to get their wings done and the rest of you lot can watch.”
Of course, Kilgharrah blew out a rude noise, then turned around and flew away, yelling about absurdity and revenge and this wasn’t the last of it.
Merlin didn’t expect that it would be. But the little ones needed to be cared for and bedding arranged and more feedings, and as he turned back to Gaius, he saw the old man shaking his head.
But it didn’t matter. Chara came winging down and tried to sit on Merlin’s head, and blue Augo settled onto Gaius’s shoulder, the others chittering chaos, and there was oil and laughter and a sense of family starting to settle.
And if there were problems ahead, well, that was for another day. At least Merlin would get a well-deserved nap at the end of it.
Title: One Prison is much like another - part 26
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Kilgharrah, Gaius
Summary: Dragons are a handful, whether they be days old or centuries. And Gaius and Kilgharrah are not friends.
Warnings: none
Word Count:1547
Camelot Drabble Prompt #600: Poison
Author’s notes: Arthur is regent in all but name. AU and all.
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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Merlin was just too tired for this shit. Ignoring the dragonets which were fluttering their wings and chittering among themselves as if unsure what to do, Merlin raced over to find Gaius standing there, glaring at Kilgharrah, and the damn lizard rearing up as if ready to squash his mortal enemy. There was even smoke leaking out of Kilgharrah’s nose, not a good sign.
It looked like Merlin arrived in the nick of time and he wasn’t taking any prisoners.
“Enough,” roared Merlin, waving his arms around and glaring at them both.
As they turned toward him, Merlin pointed his finger at Kilgharrah. “Don’t make me use my dragonlord powers on you, you pompous clackpot.”
The bloody dragon looked almost affronted but when Gaius snickered at his enemy’s discomfort, Merlin swivelled to yell at Gaius, “And you were supposed to wait two hours before coming down here. It’s bad enough I’ve been dealing with five very energetics dragons but I wanted to have time to talk to Kilgharrah first.”
Gaius gave a little sniff, frowning at Merlin as if it were he who was wrong, not Gaius. “It has been two hours. And I am here at your request. If I am unwelcome, I can easily let you deal with it.” He made as if to leave, turning and taking a first step toward the stairway.
Merlin wasn’t having any of it. Blocking Gaius, Merlin put his fists on his hips and gave the old man another, hopefully more effective, glare. “I’m drowning in this whole thing and you are supposed to be on my side.”
Harrumphing, Gaius shook his head. “It’s of your own making.”
“I know that,” Merlin snapped, a little of the poison of the whole situation, hell his whole life, pulling him into a kind of frustrating despair. Pushed and pulled, berated and made to feel like nothing he ever did was worthy of thanks or even acknowledgement, he was at his wits end. “It’s always my own making, destiny and doing the right thing be damned. But for once, I’d like a little support, and not just made to feel like I was just an idiot making things worse for everyone.”
With that, something must have got through. Bremon, little warrior, flew down and settled on Merlin’s shoulder, chittering loudly at Gaius, then rubbing his orange head against Merlin’s cheek. The rest of them were on the ledge, arguing with each other and once in a while gazing down at Gaius as if deciding whether to dive-bomb him or just give him a good talking-to.
Blinking, Gaius took a step back, then nodded toward the babies. “It would appear you have made an impression on them. Are they always so protective?”
“First I’ve seen but,” Merlin calmed down, leaning in a little to Bremon’s warmth. “they are a bit of a handful.” He reached up and gently smoothed one finger on Bremon’s head, then patted the tail which had curled around Merlin’s throat. “Little one, it will be alright. Gaius is a friend even if he is a bit of a grump.”
Behind him, Kilgharrah rumbled something about contamination and befriending a traitor to all dragonkind, but Merlin ignored him.
Instead, smiling at Bremon who chirped back, a question in his golden eyes, Merlin gave the baby another little pat, then said to Gaius, “Would you like to pet him? I don’t think he’ll tear out your eyes this time, at least not with me here.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve interacted with dragonets, Merlin. I may have lost my touch,” Gaius said, looking wary.
But Merlin just leaned forward, letting Gaius reach out and touch the little dragon’s head. Bremon didn’t seem to mind, not with Merlin stroking one wing and telling him what a good dragon he was being. Soothing nonsense but it seemed to work.
Bremon’s head swivelled between them, then seemed to come to a decision, his tail uncurling, he let go of Merlin and hopped onto Gaius’s shoulder.
Gaius stook stock-still, looking a bit askance at the situation, but Merlin thought it was going better than he’d hoped.
Of course, Kilgharrah was having fits. “You would let him near the future of dragonkind? Have you lost your mind?”
Bremon seemed to startle at that, then launched himself off and settled onto the ledge with the others. The dragonets grew agitated, their wings furling and unfurling, their tails whipping around as they seemed to gossip and glare and jostle each other while they watched the quarrel with golden eyes and distress.
Turning to glare at Kilgharrah, Gaius seemed about to say something when Merlin interrupted, “Gaius is here because you seem less than enthusiastic about helping me. I need help, Kilgharrah, whether you want to see it or not.”
Lashing his tail in Gaius’s direction but stopping short of pushing him off the cliff’s edge, Kilgharrah lumbered closer to Merlin, so close in fact that Merlin had to crane his neck up to meet Kilgharrah’s glare. “Beware his help. I needed his assistance and instead, I was chained for an eternity and all my kin slaughtered while he cowered among his potions and powders and did nothing.”
“He helped my father to escape,” Merlin pointed out, although he had to admit that Kilgharrah wasn’t wrong. Gaius had been a coward, helping Uther to destroy the dragons and magic users throughout the kingdom. Sometimes he did wonder why Gaius had done it or why Gaius was helping Merlin now.
“And all the others screaming their ends?” Kilgharrah reminded him. “He could have got them out of Camelot. Instead he lived in comfort and watched everyone else pay the price. I would not have him here. Not with the young ones’ lives at stake.”
Looking almost guilty, Gaius spoke up, “He’s not wrong, Merlin. I… I thought I could control Uther’s worst tendencies. He listened to me sometimes and I was stupid enough to think that his grief would lessen and that he’d come to see how wrong he was.” Letting out a shuddering breath, almost a half-whisper, Gaius said, “And I was wrong, so very wrong. I did what I could once I realised it but it was already too late.”
“We all make mistakes,” Merlin said. “Sometimes I wonder if what I’m doing helping Arthur is making things worse than leaving and fighting Uther. Killing Uther. And every day, I die a little knowing that I could have saved so many.”
“But it wasn’t for selfish reasons,” Gaius said. “At least you are trying.”
“But what good does it do if my trying isn’t enough?” Merlin murmured.
“You are trying now. With the little ones. Making amends.” Gaius nodded toward the ledge where the dragons were watching. “For all the problems now and in the future, at least you are trying.”
“You said I shouldn’t,” Merlin reminded him.
“Now that I see them, I can see why you did it. There are still going to be problems, big ones. And if Arthur finds out, then it could be worse for you and for them,” Gaius reminded him. “Logistics being the least of it. As they grow, once they start using fire, and people become aware of them, it could be disastrous. But if you plan it well and are careful, you might be on the right path.”
Merlin looked at Gaius as if he’d lost his mind. “You’re always telling me I’m an idiot.”
“Well, most of the time, you are,” Gaius replied. “But admitting that you don’t always know everything is half the battle.”
“So will you help me then?” Merlin asked.
As Gaius nodded, Kilgharrah was having none of it. “I will not have this filth near them. Who knows if he would poison them like vermin or else have the mob tear them to pieces? Or deliver them to that parasite king of his.”
“Gaius, will you agree only to helping while I’m here? That way, Kilgharrah will not have to see you again and I will still have back-up,” Merlin said, thinking that it might be better that way. Otherwise, he’d worry that the dragon might just kill Gaius off and claim it was an accident.
Gaius nodded again.
Smiling, Merlin clapped his hands together, startling the little dragonets. “It’s all settled then.” He hurried over to the leather bottle of oil, then wiggled it a little. “Okay, Chara, first one to get their wings done and the rest of you lot can watch.”
Of course, Kilgharrah blew out a rude noise, then turned around and flew away, yelling about absurdity and revenge and this wasn’t the last of it.
Merlin didn’t expect that it would be. But the little ones needed to be cared for and bedding arranged and more feedings, and as he turned back to Gaius, he saw the old man shaking his head.
But it didn’t matter. Chara came winging down and tried to sit on Merlin’s head, and blue Augo settled onto Gaius’s shoulder, the others chittering chaos, and there was oil and laughter and a sense of family starting to settle.
And if there were problems ahead, well, that was for another day. At least Merlin would get a well-deserved nap at the end of it.