One Prison is much like another - part 36
Author: 
archaeologist_d
Title: One Prison is much like another - part 36
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur
Summary: Dragons are a handful, whether they be days old or centuries. Arthur wasn’t having any of it.
Warnings: none
Word Count:
Camelot Drabble Prompt #615: Stream
Author’s notes: Arthur is regent in all but name. AU and all.
----------------
They often call midnight the witching hour and for a second, Merlin almost wished it were true. He could have used a witch’s power to erase this madness from Arthur’s mind and everyone else’s, too, but then it would still be real even if no one but Merlin knew it.
Sighing, he slumped a little against the cold stone, watching a shaft of moonlight work its way across the mouldy straw. He knew he’d left it too long, but he’d hoped against hope that Arthur would change his mind, that he’d accept Merlin as dragonlord and let the baby dragons live.
It was impossible and he knew it. Still he longed for a better ending than this, but with each breath he took, his faith in Arthur began to leech away until there was nothing left but resignation.
As the bell struck the hour, he knew it was time to move on.
The guards changed shifts then and there was a stream of mutterings high up the corridor as they grumbled about cold nights and prisoners. One even came to check on Merlin, peering into the cell as Merlin pretended to sleep, before the guard returned to the gambling and the grousing.
As things quieted, Merlin stood up, then using his magic, whispered, “Tospringe.” The door to the cell flew open, luckily not loud enough to alert the guards. Merlin gathered his courage, turned his face once more to the moon’s bright light, then drifted away, down into the bowels of the earth. He did lock the door to his cell, though. No need to make things easier for them.
Not unexpectedly, the entry to the cave was bolted, locked up tight with a heavy iron padlock and thick chains.
Merlin wondered if it would be opened come morning and Arthur there with a phalanx of solders, ready to cut down the young ones. It wouldn’t matter, though. They’d be gone by then.
Using his magic, he thrust a hard spell toward the lock, feeling his way along the mechanism, and after only a second, the chains loosened and the lock fell into the compacted dirt. He quickly hurried through the doorway, breathing a sigh of relief when no guards came to investigate. Apparently, they were too busy losing coin to each other, if the shouts of cheating echoing down the hallway were any evidence.
Luck was with him, and the folly of the guards.
As with his cell, he relocked the doors behind him, the heavy chains swinging in the movement. And with that, Merlin hurried down the stairs and into the depths of the cave.
------------------
Augo was the first to notice Merlin’s stumble into the cave proper. Wings madly flapping, he swooped down, chittering at Merlin, even coming close enough to ruffle Merlin’s hair.
Normally, Merlin would laugh at such antics, especially when Lamporos and Chara began to crisscross in front of him, their gold eyes glowing softly in the gloom. Bremon even attempted to land on Merlin’s shoulder but he wasn’t having any of it. None of the dragonets were tiny enough for that, not after their latest growth spurts.
Waving everyone off, Merlin sat down along the ledge and let them settle themselves around him, little bodies warm and anxious, each of them arguing with the others to be closest.
Finally, Chara babbled something about ‘Kilgah’, the young ones not able as yet to say Kilgharrah’s full name, then ‘papa’ and ‘sad’. It must have been worrisome for them, knowing that Merlin hadn’t been there and likely imprisoned and Kilgharrah still away, that they were on their own.
But no longer.
Merlin’s first duty had to be to the young ones, no matter how much he would miss Arthur, the pillock.
So wrapping his arms around the dragonets as best he could, Merlin said, “I know it’s a little soon but we are going to move to another cave, a better one. One with light and air and you’ll be able to chase the bats just like here but better bats. And we’ll have more food, not just boring old rats and eels but different things. Better things. And I’ll be there full time, not just half time so that you’ll be able to show me how well you fly and practice your words and we’ll have cuddles and scritches whenever you like.”
He knew they didn’t understand, not really. They’d never been outside and after the debacle with Arthur, he wasn’t sure how they’d react to other humans. But they must have heard the love in his voice and his sadness. They huddled closer, each of them nudging him with their soft noses, gazing up at him with love in their eyes.
It made him want to weep but he didn’t have time for that. He had to get them to safety before the morning light made it easier for them to be tracked.
So with a heavy sigh, he stood up again, wandered over to collect the only blanket that they hadn’t ruined, tucked it around his shoulder and into his belt so that he wouldn’t lose it, and then began to use the rocky and somewhat slippery steps down, down, down. Past the eel pond, past the stream where they used to bathe and play, the pond where they’d sail leaf boats across the water, past the rocks that Merlin had to scramble over, and toward the entrance to the cave.
Toward the unknown and away from everything Merlin had grown to love.
For them and the future of dragonkind.
archaeologist_d
Title: One Prison is much like another - part 36
Rating: PG-13
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur
Summary: Dragons are a handful, whether they be days old or centuries. Arthur wasn’t having any of it.
Warnings: none
Word Count:
Camelot Drabble Prompt #615: Stream
Author’s notes: Arthur is regent in all but name. AU and all.
----------------
They often call midnight the witching hour and for a second, Merlin almost wished it were true. He could have used a witch’s power to erase this madness from Arthur’s mind and everyone else’s, too, but then it would still be real even if no one but Merlin knew it.
Sighing, he slumped a little against the cold stone, watching a shaft of moonlight work its way across the mouldy straw. He knew he’d left it too long, but he’d hoped against hope that Arthur would change his mind, that he’d accept Merlin as dragonlord and let the baby dragons live.
It was impossible and he knew it. Still he longed for a better ending than this, but with each breath he took, his faith in Arthur began to leech away until there was nothing left but resignation.
As the bell struck the hour, he knew it was time to move on.
The guards changed shifts then and there was a stream of mutterings high up the corridor as they grumbled about cold nights and prisoners. One even came to check on Merlin, peering into the cell as Merlin pretended to sleep, before the guard returned to the gambling and the grousing.
As things quieted, Merlin stood up, then using his magic, whispered, “Tospringe.” The door to the cell flew open, luckily not loud enough to alert the guards. Merlin gathered his courage, turned his face once more to the moon’s bright light, then drifted away, down into the bowels of the earth. He did lock the door to his cell, though. No need to make things easier for them.
Not unexpectedly, the entry to the cave was bolted, locked up tight with a heavy iron padlock and thick chains.
Merlin wondered if it would be opened come morning and Arthur there with a phalanx of solders, ready to cut down the young ones. It wouldn’t matter, though. They’d be gone by then.
Using his magic, he thrust a hard spell toward the lock, feeling his way along the mechanism, and after only a second, the chains loosened and the lock fell into the compacted dirt. He quickly hurried through the doorway, breathing a sigh of relief when no guards came to investigate. Apparently, they were too busy losing coin to each other, if the shouts of cheating echoing down the hallway were any evidence.
Luck was with him, and the folly of the guards.
As with his cell, he relocked the doors behind him, the heavy chains swinging in the movement. And with that, Merlin hurried down the stairs and into the depths of the cave.
------------------
Augo was the first to notice Merlin’s stumble into the cave proper. Wings madly flapping, he swooped down, chittering at Merlin, even coming close enough to ruffle Merlin’s hair.
Normally, Merlin would laugh at such antics, especially when Lamporos and Chara began to crisscross in front of him, their gold eyes glowing softly in the gloom. Bremon even attempted to land on Merlin’s shoulder but he wasn’t having any of it. None of the dragonets were tiny enough for that, not after their latest growth spurts.
Waving everyone off, Merlin sat down along the ledge and let them settle themselves around him, little bodies warm and anxious, each of them arguing with the others to be closest.
Finally, Chara babbled something about ‘Kilgah’, the young ones not able as yet to say Kilgharrah’s full name, then ‘papa’ and ‘sad’. It must have been worrisome for them, knowing that Merlin hadn’t been there and likely imprisoned and Kilgharrah still away, that they were on their own.
But no longer.
Merlin’s first duty had to be to the young ones, no matter how much he would miss Arthur, the pillock.
So wrapping his arms around the dragonets as best he could, Merlin said, “I know it’s a little soon but we are going to move to another cave, a better one. One with light and air and you’ll be able to chase the bats just like here but better bats. And we’ll have more food, not just boring old rats and eels but different things. Better things. And I’ll be there full time, not just half time so that you’ll be able to show me how well you fly and practice your words and we’ll have cuddles and scritches whenever you like.”
He knew they didn’t understand, not really. They’d never been outside and after the debacle with Arthur, he wasn’t sure how they’d react to other humans. But they must have heard the love in his voice and his sadness. They huddled closer, each of them nudging him with their soft noses, gazing up at him with love in their eyes.
It made him want to weep but he didn’t have time for that. He had to get them to safety before the morning light made it easier for them to be tracked.
So with a heavy sigh, he stood up again, wandered over to collect the only blanket that they hadn’t ruined, tucked it around his shoulder and into his belt so that he wouldn’t lose it, and then began to use the rocky and somewhat slippery steps down, down, down. Past the eel pond, past the stream where they used to bathe and play, the pond where they’d sail leaf boats across the water, past the rocks that Merlin had to scramble over, and toward the entrance to the cave.
Toward the unknown and away from everything Merlin had grown to love.
For them and the future of dragonkind.