Merlin - Charmed
Title: Charmed
Genre: Gen
Rating: PG
Length: ~600 words
Spoilers: End of Series 3 (General)
Synopsis: Sometimes it is best just to play along.
Author’s Notes: For
themadlurker’s prompt of “Nobody said anything about a dragon,” at
camelot_fleet’s party. Original post here.
Disclaimer: I do not own this interpretation of the myths and am making no profit from this.
"Nobody said anything about a dragon!" Gwaine exclaimed. Yes, the cave system they were in was known as Dragon's Ruin and, yes, there were tiny little baubles everywhere decorated with the winged beasts but, really, no one had actually mentioned the likelihood of a physical, scaly, winged being that was soon to bear down upon them and rip them to pieces.
"Let me take care if this, you go help Arthur," Merlin commanded.
Gwaine looked to the rapidly approaching beast, and then back to the seemingly unarmed Merlin and began to believe Arthur's repeated commentary on the man suffering a severe mental affliction. "What?" he asked, unable to come up with any better retort.
"Just... trust me," Merlin told him.
Whatever deity was currently selected to rule the land must have played a role because, for no reason Gwaine could ascertain, he did. He handed Merlin his sword, grabbed the dirk for himself, and darted down the passageway, silently taking bets on ever seeing his friend again.
He had gone barely seven strides when he heard a deep and commanding voice in a language not quite like anything he had heard before but very like that of Merlin's echo through the area. He paused and glanced around the corner where Percival and the others had the whole Arthur situation relatively under control, and then glanced back to where Merlin looked to all things to be conversing with the giant beast and the giant beast seemed to be of all things listening intently.
Gwaine strained to make out the words and swore he heard something remarkably like instructions to go away, leave them alone, find a safe place to hide, and possibly have some tea. The dragon in turn nodded, slunk off into the shadows, and possibly went for some tea and biscuits for all Gwaine knew. He did know, however, that he scoffed in disbelief loud enough for Merlin to hear him.
"Er," Merlin said less than intelligently when he saw him.
"Is this one of those things we are not supposed to mention? Like the time you started a fire in a rainstorm or the time Percival screamed like a little girl at the sight of a dead rabbit?" Gwaine guessed.
Merlin looked remarkably relieved as he agreed, "Something like that."
"Do I even want to know?"" Gwaine sighed as he took back his sword and sheathed the dirk.
Merlin bit his lip and produced a tiny golden coin emblazoned with a dragon's crest. "It's a charm," he said. Then, after a suitable pause, "I have this gift from my father, you see, which helps when dragons of any kind are involved."
"Ah," said Gwaine as though that made perfect sense. He decided to keep quiet about the way the charm looked remarkably like one of the baubles laying about, complete with dust and cobwebs, and the fact Arthur had once told him that Merlin had never met his father.
"Should we go help Arthur then?" Merlin prompted, breaking the only slightly uneasy silence that followed.
Gwaine gestured for Merlin to lead the way down the passageway. He glanced behind him only once, not at all surprised that the dragon had disappeared into the ether. As they approached Arthur and the others and the tiny, almost miniaturized dragon-like rats fled at the barest utterance from Merlin, lost mostly in the clang of the other knights' swords, he finally realized the true meaning of Arthur's words when asked why he insisted on taking his unarmed servant everywhere he ventured: "You never know when a man like Merlin might come in handy."
Well now, that was just a world of understatement that Gwaine could not wait to explore.
Feedback is always welcomed.
This entry was originally posted at http://cat-77.dreamwidth.org/369990.html. Current comments
Genre: Gen
Rating: PG
Length: ~600 words
Spoilers: End of Series 3 (General)
Synopsis: Sometimes it is best just to play along.
Author’s Notes: For
themadlurker’s prompt of “Nobody said anything about a dragon,” at
camelot_fleet’s party. Original post here.
Disclaimer: I do not own this interpretation of the myths and am making no profit from this.
"Nobody said anything about a dragon!" Gwaine exclaimed. Yes, the cave system they were in was known as Dragon's Ruin and, yes, there were tiny little baubles everywhere decorated with the winged beasts but, really, no one had actually mentioned the likelihood of a physical, scaly, winged being that was soon to bear down upon them and rip them to pieces.
"Let me take care if this, you go help Arthur," Merlin commanded.
Gwaine looked to the rapidly approaching beast, and then back to the seemingly unarmed Merlin and began to believe Arthur's repeated commentary on the man suffering a severe mental affliction. "What?" he asked, unable to come up with any better retort.
"Just... trust me," Merlin told him.
Whatever deity was currently selected to rule the land must have played a role because, for no reason Gwaine could ascertain, he did. He handed Merlin his sword, grabbed the dirk for himself, and darted down the passageway, silently taking bets on ever seeing his friend again.
He had gone barely seven strides when he heard a deep and commanding voice in a language not quite like anything he had heard before but very like that of Merlin's echo through the area. He paused and glanced around the corner where Percival and the others had the whole Arthur situation relatively under control, and then glanced back to where Merlin looked to all things to be conversing with the giant beast and the giant beast seemed to be of all things listening intently.
Gwaine strained to make out the words and swore he heard something remarkably like instructions to go away, leave them alone, find a safe place to hide, and possibly have some tea. The dragon in turn nodded, slunk off into the shadows, and possibly went for some tea and biscuits for all Gwaine knew. He did know, however, that he scoffed in disbelief loud enough for Merlin to hear him.
"Er," Merlin said less than intelligently when he saw him.
"Is this one of those things we are not supposed to mention? Like the time you started a fire in a rainstorm or the time Percival screamed like a little girl at the sight of a dead rabbit?" Gwaine guessed.
Merlin looked remarkably relieved as he agreed, "Something like that."
"Do I even want to know?"" Gwaine sighed as he took back his sword and sheathed the dirk.
Merlin bit his lip and produced a tiny golden coin emblazoned with a dragon's crest. "It's a charm," he said. Then, after a suitable pause, "I have this gift from my father, you see, which helps when dragons of any kind are involved."
"Ah," said Gwaine as though that made perfect sense. He decided to keep quiet about the way the charm looked remarkably like one of the baubles laying about, complete with dust and cobwebs, and the fact Arthur had once told him that Merlin had never met his father.
"Should we go help Arthur then?" Merlin prompted, breaking the only slightly uneasy silence that followed.
Gwaine gestured for Merlin to lead the way down the passageway. He glanced behind him only once, not at all surprised that the dragon had disappeared into the ether. As they approached Arthur and the others and the tiny, almost miniaturized dragon-like rats fled at the barest utterance from Merlin, lost mostly in the clang of the other knights' swords, he finally realized the true meaning of Arthur's words when asked why he insisted on taking his unarmed servant everywhere he ventured: "You never know when a man like Merlin might come in handy."
Well now, that was just a world of understatement that Gwaine could not wait to explore.
Feedback is always welcomed.
This entry was originally posted at http://cat-77.dreamwidth.org/369990.html. Current comments