One Prison is much like another - part 31c
Author: 
archaeologist_d
Title: One Prison is much like another - part 31c
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur
Summary: Dragons are a handful, whether they be days old or centuries.
Warnings: none
Word Count: 892
Camelot Drabble Prompt #606: Born this way
Author’s notes: Arthur is regent in all but name. AU and all. The second part of 31 since I had planned on writing more last week but was too sick to finish the scene.
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From over his head, Chara chirped a soft ‘papa’, a question in the way he said it. Merlin couldn’t let them come down anywhere near Arthur, but he didn’t want to tell Arthur anything. The man had been trained to kill since birth or so he said, and Merlin wasn’t letting his charges get hurt.
“So you would kill innocents because of your own fear?” Merlin said, trying to get Arthur to focus on him and not the younglings.
Arthur seemed to jolt at that, sputtering a little in irritation. Shoving his sword up toward the ledge, he said, “That bloody dragon nearly destroyed Camelot or have you forgotten how I lost a dozen knights before killing him? And these innocents will not remain so. Even an idiot can see that.”
Taking a cautious step toward Arthur, Merlin tried to reason with him. “Perhaps they could be allies with Camelot. They would certainly be good at defence.”
Arthur looked at him as if Merlin had lost his mind. “You can’t seriously think I’m going to take vipers into the heart of my kingdom on the off chance that they’d actually help. Honestly, Merlin, your softheartedness is too much.”
“It worked with the unicorn. I told you not to kill it and you did anyway and look where it got us,” Merlin pointed out, trying to keep his voice calm and reasonable.
But things were getting out of control fast.
“The unicorn didn’t breathe fire and fly. And the only reason that dragon stopped attacking Camelot was because I killed it.” Arthur stopped at that, staring into Merlin’s face. He must have seen something there, the guilt pressing against Merlin’s heart, his fidgety hands, and the way his eyes kept sliding away from Arthur’s. It took a few moments but glancing up at the dragonets and then back again to Merlin, he said, his voice hard as stone, “You told me I dealt him a mortal blow. Was that the truth or a lie? And don’t bother lying because I can see it in your face. You told me he was dead and he’s not?”
Merlin flinched back. Hunched in, his hands tucked in under his arms, trying to make himself as small as possible, Merlin said, softly, “I… umm… may have exaggerated a bit. I did say he wouldn’t be back?” His voice squeaked at the end.
The change was almost instantaneous. Arthur’s whole body stiffened, his sword-until then wavering just a bit- pointing straight at Merlin, and he seemed to be boiling over with fury and condemnation.
“For all that is holy, you lied to me? He’s not dead?” Arthur snarled out.
Voice wobbling, caught again in the net of lies and impossible choices, Merlin said, “He won’t attack Camelot again.”
“And how do you know that?” If anything, Arthur’s anger seemed to go from volcanic explosion to supernova. “Only a dragonlord can control them and Balinor’s dead. There’s no one else.”
In that moment, Merlin wanted so desperately to tell Arthur the truth but his sword was pointed straight at Merlin’s heart and he wasn’t sure that Arthur wouldn’t run him through at the end of it.
Instead, Merlin, his lies choking him, said, “There’s another dragonlord. He’s been helping to keep the Great Dragon at bay but he doesn’t want to be found because… you know, Uther would kill him.”
When Arthur just stared at him, looking dumbfounded, at least Merlin thought he’d pushed aside the immediate danger of Arthur fathoming him out. Trying to look as earnest as he could, Merlin said, “Look, Arthur, you know Uther would kill him. You know it. But that’s beside the point. These little ones are harmless. If you kill them, you will be forever haunted by it. Is it really worth that?”
“I can’t rely on some unknown dragonlord to keep them at bay. What if he turns against Camelot? I can’t think of a single reason why he’d help us in the first place if he’s that worried about my father. And putting the safety of my kingdom in some unknown stranger’s hands?” Arthur’s face was still flushed with rage but at least he’d seemed to be placated a little. It didn’t seem to matter, though. “No, no, it’s not possible. I must do my duty to my kingdom and my people and that means no more dragons, even baby ones. Now stand aside, Merlin.”
“I can’t. I won’t.” Merlin straightened, standing right in Arthur’s way, ready to keep the prat from hurting the little ones. The looming crisis of dragonlords and Kilgharrah could wait.
Arthur looked at him as if he’d grown two heads. “And how are you going to stop me? Trip? Make up some kind of ridiculous story? Hit me over the head with a lump of wood-as if I ever believed that? I’ve years of fighting prowess and you wrestle with laundry.” He went to shove Merlin away, but Merlin wasn’t having it, just stood there, a solid wall between Arthur and the dragonets. Even as Arthur pushed at him, Merlin didn’t move.
“I can’t let you do this, Arthur,” Merlin said.
“I won’t ask again. Stand aside,” Arthur snarled, looking as much a warrior ready to do battle as Merlin had ever seen.
But Merlin wasn’t going to bend, not this time. “No.”
archaeologist_d
Title: One Prison is much like another - part 31c
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur
Summary: Dragons are a handful, whether they be days old or centuries.
Warnings: none
Word Count: 892
Camelot Drabble Prompt #606: Born this way
Author’s notes: Arthur is regent in all but name. AU and all. The second part of 31 since I had planned on writing more last week but was too sick to finish the scene.
--------------
From over his head, Chara chirped a soft ‘papa’, a question in the way he said it. Merlin couldn’t let them come down anywhere near Arthur, but he didn’t want to tell Arthur anything. The man had been trained to kill since birth or so he said, and Merlin wasn’t letting his charges get hurt.
“So you would kill innocents because of your own fear?” Merlin said, trying to get Arthur to focus on him and not the younglings.
Arthur seemed to jolt at that, sputtering a little in irritation. Shoving his sword up toward the ledge, he said, “That bloody dragon nearly destroyed Camelot or have you forgotten how I lost a dozen knights before killing him? And these innocents will not remain so. Even an idiot can see that.”
Taking a cautious step toward Arthur, Merlin tried to reason with him. “Perhaps they could be allies with Camelot. They would certainly be good at defence.”
Arthur looked at him as if Merlin had lost his mind. “You can’t seriously think I’m going to take vipers into the heart of my kingdom on the off chance that they’d actually help. Honestly, Merlin, your softheartedness is too much.”
“It worked with the unicorn. I told you not to kill it and you did anyway and look where it got us,” Merlin pointed out, trying to keep his voice calm and reasonable.
But things were getting out of control fast.
“The unicorn didn’t breathe fire and fly. And the only reason that dragon stopped attacking Camelot was because I killed it.” Arthur stopped at that, staring into Merlin’s face. He must have seen something there, the guilt pressing against Merlin’s heart, his fidgety hands, and the way his eyes kept sliding away from Arthur’s. It took a few moments but glancing up at the dragonets and then back again to Merlin, he said, his voice hard as stone, “You told me I dealt him a mortal blow. Was that the truth or a lie? And don’t bother lying because I can see it in your face. You told me he was dead and he’s not?”
Merlin flinched back. Hunched in, his hands tucked in under his arms, trying to make himself as small as possible, Merlin said, softly, “I… umm… may have exaggerated a bit. I did say he wouldn’t be back?” His voice squeaked at the end.
The change was almost instantaneous. Arthur’s whole body stiffened, his sword-until then wavering just a bit- pointing straight at Merlin, and he seemed to be boiling over with fury and condemnation.
“For all that is holy, you lied to me? He’s not dead?” Arthur snarled out.
Voice wobbling, caught again in the net of lies and impossible choices, Merlin said, “He won’t attack Camelot again.”
“And how do you know that?” If anything, Arthur’s anger seemed to go from volcanic explosion to supernova. “Only a dragonlord can control them and Balinor’s dead. There’s no one else.”
In that moment, Merlin wanted so desperately to tell Arthur the truth but his sword was pointed straight at Merlin’s heart and he wasn’t sure that Arthur wouldn’t run him through at the end of it.
Instead, Merlin, his lies choking him, said, “There’s another dragonlord. He’s been helping to keep the Great Dragon at bay but he doesn’t want to be found because… you know, Uther would kill him.”
When Arthur just stared at him, looking dumbfounded, at least Merlin thought he’d pushed aside the immediate danger of Arthur fathoming him out. Trying to look as earnest as he could, Merlin said, “Look, Arthur, you know Uther would kill him. You know it. But that’s beside the point. These little ones are harmless. If you kill them, you will be forever haunted by it. Is it really worth that?”
“I can’t rely on some unknown dragonlord to keep them at bay. What if he turns against Camelot? I can’t think of a single reason why he’d help us in the first place if he’s that worried about my father. And putting the safety of my kingdom in some unknown stranger’s hands?” Arthur’s face was still flushed with rage but at least he’d seemed to be placated a little. It didn’t seem to matter, though. “No, no, it’s not possible. I must do my duty to my kingdom and my people and that means no more dragons, even baby ones. Now stand aside, Merlin.”
“I can’t. I won’t.” Merlin straightened, standing right in Arthur’s way, ready to keep the prat from hurting the little ones. The looming crisis of dragonlords and Kilgharrah could wait.
Arthur looked at him as if he’d grown two heads. “And how are you going to stop me? Trip? Make up some kind of ridiculous story? Hit me over the head with a lump of wood-as if I ever believed that? I’ve years of fighting prowess and you wrestle with laundry.” He went to shove Merlin away, but Merlin wasn’t having it, just stood there, a solid wall between Arthur and the dragonets. Even as Arthur pushed at him, Merlin didn’t move.
“I can’t let you do this, Arthur,” Merlin said.
“I won’t ask again. Stand aside,” Arthur snarled, looking as much a warrior ready to do battle as Merlin had ever seen.
But Merlin wasn’t going to bend, not this time. “No.”