Merlin Headcanons

AU: Both Sides

Arthur wondered whether dragons were born cryptic or if it was something they grew into. Had one of Kilgharrah's elders ever looked at him and said, "Well done, young dragon, but that prophecy was still a tad too understandable. Try it again but with more metaphors,"? Was there some kind of test?
Arthur also wondered if he could get away with napping during the next council meeting. Sneaking around to go meet a dragon was all very well, but it was leaving sleep deprived and . . . Not loopy. Princes of Camelot were never loopy. His razor sharp focus had just been dulled a little, that was all.
Regardless, the dragon wouldn't let him sleep until he'd had a say. Why he insisted on a face to face conversation when he could just as easily speak into his mind, Arthur didn't know.
He stalked into the cave. "What do you want now?"
"Emrys has arrived, young prince."
That caught his attention. "Emrys?"
"The most powerful warlock to ever live. Your guardian and your guide. The other half - "
"Of the coin, you've told me this before. He's here? When will I meet him?"
"You have already met him."
Arthur racked his brain. He hadn't met anyone he would have pegged as Emrys, but he supposed it made sense for the man to be in disguise. This was Camelot after all.
"Who is he?"
He could have sworn the dragon smiled. "Merlin."
"Merlin?" he sputtered. "That idiot is Emrys? You're joking."
"Why do you call him a fool? For protecting the weak? For defying a great warrior despite his lesser skill? For bravely standing against one more powerful than he twice over?"
Arthur ignored him. "There's no way. If he was that powerful - "
"He is not," the dragon interrupted. "Or rather, he is not yet. Just as you are not yet King, he has yet to come into the fullness of his power."
That made sense. The fool probably didn't even realize he had magic yet. That would explain why he came to Camelot.
"Acknowledged or not, his power will not go unnoticed in the world. The depths will awaken to challenge him. You must defend him until he can defend himself."
Arthur sighed. "I can manage that. It seems we'll be spending some time together. Father hired him as my manservant. Merlin saved my life, apparently."
"Oh, the irony," the dragon chuckled. "But see? Already it begins. This means you will have to protect him from more prosaic dangers as well, however. If your father discovers his abilities, all will be lost."
"I'll keep him safe," Arthur promised before turning to go. "Assuming I don't strangle him myself."

"Arthur?"
"Mm?"
"I have magic."
Arthur looked up. "That was good timing."
Merlin gaped at him. Whatever reaction he was expecting, that clearly wasn't it. "What?"
"I was worried you'd develop it while my father was still king. It would have been difficult to hide it from him. As it is - "
"What?"
Oh. Right. "This . . . is going to be a lot to take in, but don't panic, all right, Merlin? Remember the dragon?"
"You mean the one that burned down half the city? Kind of hard to forget it."
"Well, it used to live under the castle. I know what happened can't have left a great impression, but he did occasionally have something worth saying. The Druids have a prophecy - "
"Wait. You were talking to the dragon."
"It's not what it sounds like - "
"Who told you about the prophecy of Emrys and the Once and Future King." Merlin looked incredulous.
Arthur froze. "How did you know?"
"Let me guess. You weren't supposed to tell me before now because it would have been dangerous or something, and, I don't know, you had to protect me from a bunch of threats behind my back."
Now Arthur was the one gaping. "How did you know?" he demanded again.
Merlin lowered his head into his hands. "You weren't the only one who's been talking to the dragon."
It took a moment for that to sink it.
"You've had magic all along, haven't you."
"Yep."
Arthur looked up at the ceiling for a moment. "I would kill that dragon," he said, "if it weren't already dead."
"About that . . . "
"It's not dead?"
"Nope."
Arthur grabbed his sword. "Excellent. I've been wanting to stab something for ages now."
Merlin considered protesting.
But all things considered, Kilgharrah deserved it.