[His lifts their clasped hands and kisses the back of hers with a bit of an exaggerated flourish. Then he leans in and presses his lips against hers lightly.]

Glad to hear it. [Merlin stays close, fingers curling around hers.] I won't give you reason to regret it.

One other thing, though. [Now the teasing smile makes an appearance.] Will you try to get along with the Queen now? I can tell you that neither of us have intentions toward each other, and you've probably just been confusing her.

[He leans in so he can whisper in her ear.] You have nothing to worry about. I'm yours to do with as you wish.

[Though he smiles cheerfully when he pulls away, there's a darker undertone to his words that he thinks only Morgana would understand completely. They might choose to ignore what has happened and what will happen in Camelot, but that doesn't mean they'll forget. It's a part of them now, shaping their actions, and Merlin still intends to make up for it somehow.]

I am not confusing her, you simply cannot see it - get along is a bit too much to request given the circumstances I'll be -

[ hold on let her think. ]

Well-mannered. Well-mannered should do. I will call her a cow to her face.

[ smirk. see? well behaved. ]

[He chokes on a laugh.]

At least give her a few days to recover before you unleash your temper--unwarranted temper, Morgana--on her again.

[His thumb strokes across the back of her hand in a soothing gesture.] I told you, there's no need for you to worry. You believe me, don't you?

I believe you. It's her I am doubting. I've seen enough royal girls in my life, Merlin -

If she will remain proper, I shall too.

[Well, he knows better than to argue with her about this. There's no winning when she's got her mind made up already.]

That's all I can ask for.

[He's silent for a moment, letting their new closeness wash over him.] So what do you think--let the others know or [grin] let them puzzle it out later? I think Arthur might suspect something already, though, after...earlier.

If Arthur suspects he may yet try to beat you up, knowing him. He used to torment every knight who looked at me - that in mind, I think you should speak to him, Merlin and -

[ shrug ]

Make certain to be near a door at the time.

[ .... ]

Or a window.

[He laughs softly, a wry twist to his mouth.]

This isn't exactly inspiring a lot of confidence in me, you know.

Merlin - some men had to fight dragons for ladies in the past.

[ she is very, very amused. ]

What is one king that is interested in preserving you since you have enough patience to be his friend?

[His smile curls into a secretive smile--it's about ask close to a smirk as he'll give her right now.]

What if I told you I already fought a dragon?

The little white one who came here?

No. There was one that attacked Camelot later. [His smile dims a little when he remember Balinor, but he shakes the melancholy feel off with the ease of practice.]

Besides, Aithusa seems pretty fond of you. I don't think she'd harm you at all.

And you fought him? Merlin - tell me. How?

[ grinning as he mentions Aithusa. ]

I found her sleeping on my pillow once. She is quite a darling. But she seems very attached to you.

I didn't fight him...not really.

[Oh well. Arthur already knows, so it's not like Merlin has any reason to hide.]

Have you heard of the Dragonlords?

[ she frowns a bit, leans on her door frame and then, eventually, shakes her head. ]

I never heard of the concept. What are they?

They're of magic too, sort of. They can speak to dragon as kin.

[Then he sighs, looking away.]

They didn't survive the Great Purge either.

Uther.

[ She grows silent, some of her old resentment coming back. She and her guardian (father, she almost corrects herself) had a fond farewell before the end of the battle. But it is always the same with her and Uther, she forgives him from time to time and in between she is angry. She searches Merlin's face for something, explanation as to why this is a burden and she is certain it is. ]

Then he killed the dragons and those who could speak to them for having magic.

[ sounds like something Uther would do. Another moment of silence and she reaches for his hand again, entwining their fingers. ]

Can you? Speak to dragons?

[Merlin studies her face, watching the emotions flickering there while his free hand traces down her cheek again.]

Hey. What he did was wrong, but what happened to the Dragonlords was years ago. Because of you and Arthur, he's begun to change his mind here. Uther deserves anger for what he's done before, but we should give him a chance if he's willing to listen now.

My father was a Dragonlord. [He finally answers it simply, quietly.] The power woke in me when he passed. So, yes. I can speak to them, but I think they're able to learn the common tongue when they're old enough.

[ He's right and even she can admit it, there is something different in Uther. He's listening at times which is already more than Morgana ever imagined he would do. You're too kind, Merlin, she wants to say, suspicion of Uther being her oldest friend but she doesn't. Instead she frowns a bit, fingers momentarily tighten over his again. ]

You never spoke of your father.

I never really got to know him.

[Again, the regret leaks into his voice.]

I only got to see him for two days before he was taken from me.

[ She knows what it feels like to lose a parent, she also knows what it's like not to know one. Her mother is a figure she sees only in her dreams, not someone she can recall the sight or sound of; just imagination, childish nonsense, but she thinks of her from time to time even so.

At times she wants to ask Uther about her; but she knows his answer will likely upset her and so she doesn't. She pushes away from the walls, takes half a step closer. ]

How? What happened?

[Merlin looks down at the floor, thinking of that small, wooden dragon carving sitting on his desk.]

The knights of Camelot are brave, but they could not stand up to the dragon. My magic was no use against him either. Arthur was desperate...so we followed Gaius' directions and sought the help of the Dragonlord who had supposedly escaped Uther's purge.

[A quiet, shuddering breath. If only he'd been faster or better with his sword, his father would not have had to take that blow for him.]

We were attacked by Cenred's men on the way back to Camelot.

Cenrad? Of Essetir? But he made a peace accord with Camelot -

[ A very tentative, fragile peace that Uther would not risk breaking for the people of Ealdor, she remembers. It angered her in the past to the point when she and Gwen left Camelot to help without Uther's permission. ]

He was always known as more of a barbarian than a king.