Arthur's Sons (Book 2)

The Last Dragonlord (Part 1)

It had been three nights since Merlyn and Arthur had released the Great Dragon and each night the scaled beast had returned spewing fire and raining destruction upon the innocents of Camelot. Rowan had woken on the second night and had immediately begun helping the wounded in the infirmary with Merlyn and Arty while muttering curses at the dragon under his breath.

"I don't think people can suffer a third night of this." Gwen said as she dressed another burn wound.

"We must trust in Arthur." Merlyn told her firmly as she tended a dying soldier.

"I do. But even he has little chance." Gwen whispered softly.

Rowan came hurrying in as the sunset, taking over from Arty who had been healing the sick and injured all day subtly with his magic. Arty quickly removed his blood-stained apron and tossed it in the laundry basket before running out to go help his father.

Arty dressed in his armour found his father upon the battlements readying the men with flaming arrows. Arty hurried over and Arthur's eyes widened as he saw his son. "Arty what are you doing here?!" He hissed.

"Helping you, Rowan's taken over the night shift in the infirmary." He explained as he drew his bow from his back and stood with the others.

Arthur was about to shout at him when the roar of the Dragon sounded above. "Flame up!" He orders, the men light the arrows and take aim. "Stay strong! For tonight is not your night to die, I will make sure of that! Hold firm! Hold! Hold! Now!" They loose the arrows, Arthur notices one of them is blue and realises Arty had used magic to see if it would hold up.

Arthur watches grimly as the arrows all shatter against the beasts hide before spewing fire toward the battlements. They all duck for cover while Arty stands and creates a powerful shield that has the fire rolling over them harmlessly. Arthur watched from between his fingers that were shielding his face and was grateful for the help but knew his son was weaker at night so he wouldn't be able to keep this up for long.

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"Shit, we're out of clean water!" Rowan growls as he finishes amputating a man's badly charred arm. The man below him screamed as he finished tying off the bandage before moving to clean his hands in the blood-filled water. "I'm going to get more!" He called out to the others.

"Rowan it's too dangerous!" Merlyn cried as she tried to hold down a screaming soldier.

Rowan merely huffed before grabbing the bucket and racing outside into the square leaping over rubble while people flee for the castle. He makes it to the well and begins drawing water up as fast as he can while the Dragon circles overhead.

"Clear the square!" Rowan lifts his head at the familiar shout of his father. "Rowan?!" Arthur cries as he spots his son by the well drawing water.

Rowan lifts his eyes to the sky as the dragon banks and begins diving straight for him, Rowan grabs the water bucket and runs for the castle but he knows he won't be fast enough. He hears the heavy footfalls of his father seconds before there's a might roar and he suddenly crashes to the ground with his father shielding him. He hears his father grunt in pain as he starts to sit up, Rowan gasps and sees the spilt water before quickly looking around and using his magic to lift the water back into the bucket while simultaneously cleaning it.

"Come on, inside quickly!" Arthur tells him as he grabs his elbow pulling him to his feet. Rowan snatches up the bucket as he hears another roar and turns to find the Dragon standing in the square glaring at them.

Rowan snarls and stops pulling his arm from his father's grip before shoving the bucket in his hands. "Get that to the wounded." He orders his father who stares at him in shock.