A/N: This is not a sequel to the last one. It does, however, share some similar themes and elements.
. . .
When he is born, his eyes are gold.
No one notices, not even his mother. No one thinks it odd that he doesn't cry.
His mother does notice, however, that although he never seems hungry, he is growing very pale. She remembers what Balinor taught her, and she burns the herbs he showed her and rubs the ash beneath her eyes. She sees at last what she has given birth to.
It is hard to get blood, but he doesn't need much. Once he can walk, he gets his own. Their trouble with bandits drops drastically.
His eyes turn red.
No one notices.
. . .
There is only so long he can hunt bandits. Eventually, word spreads, and Ealdor is left alone.
The traders speak of crowded, crime ridden cities.
Hunith tells Merlin to be safe and sends him to Camelot.
. . .
What the traders do not say is that the wolf-king of Camelot claims he can sniff out the blood drinkers no matter how powerful they are. The creature staked and beheaded in the courtyard backs this.
The pale and weakened physician does not. Nor does the ward whose eyes are pinkish gold.
Uther looks him straight in the eyes, and Merlin barely breathes.
Uther gives him a job and turns away. Merlin breathes again and has to strangle a laugh.
. . .
He steals blood from the guards at night and seals the wounds with venom. They let him go where he wills after that.
He wakes Arthur every morning with eyes red as death. Arthur never notices.
Neither does Morgana. Like should recognize like, but Gaius is the only one to ever notice when he moves too fast or heals too quick.
And wouldn't notice if Hunith hadn't written and said.
. . .
Arthur's enemies are never found. If they were, it would have been noticed that they were bled dry.
Those like him are staked and burned, still never knowing that one of their own had slain them.
The blood of griffins and wyverns sparkles in his veins makes him strong. His eyes become galaxies.
No one notices.
. . .
The dragon is useful at first, but it quickly grows unhelpful.
Merlin's teeth can cut through anything. Even dragon scales.
The dragon fights at first, but it quietens over time. Even its magic can't hold out for long against his venom.
Merlin's eyes become magnetic, irresistibly beautiful. He doesn't even have to bite the new guards now.
He lets the dragon go eventually. He had promised he would, and it only seems right. It flies off, just as he wills it to, and does no harm to Camelot.
It comes back every night and lets him drink from its veins. The magic in the blood is far too sweet to give up, and its knowledge is far too valuable to let go. Merlin needs to know what the dragon knows if he is to protect Arthur.
