His Love

Chapter 16

A/N: Sorry about the wait!! I've been very busy but Im back now with a new chapter. Will the fairies undo there curse? You will have to wait and see...

They rode hard through the day towards the tree and the fairies, but althought the journey had been swift for Arthur, it was less so now, as Merlin needed to stop frequently to rest. Luckingly they had planned for this potential outcome, so they had bought all of the overnight supplies and sufficient food for a 2 day journey. As the soft darkness fell around them they trekked through the words passing under the dark trees just starting to burt into leaf. Small animals were scurrying through the bushy undergrowth, and birds were gliding gently between the newly leafed branches, tweeting their contentment at the spring. Dusk had fallen and was leading tha day into night. The sky was lit up a brilliant mauve in the dying light.

"We need to make camp" Said Arthur pulling his horse To a stop beside Merlin. Merlin nodded and dismounted from his horse and set about making up the campsite. Even though they were equals as husbands, Merlin was so used to setting up camp and cooking that he usually did those job automatically, though Arthur would get involved and do them aswell, especially no they were approaching Merlin's birth. He lit a fire using his magic and Arthur smiled softly. Even though he'd always know Merlin was magic he loved to see him use it, so trusting and unguarded, and his eyes flashed that briliant gold colour that Arthur loved that never failed to make him breathless. As the pair settled in on the dry ground to enjoy the rabbit stew that Merlin had conjured over the fire, Arhtur cleared his throat and brought up something that had been troubling him since they had left Camelot.

"I have had an idea .. About tonight." He rumaged around in his bag and pulled out a length of rope.

"I have brought this rope Merlin, I want you to tie me to that tree. So then if I turn into a dragon I won't hurt you." he said, earnestly.

Merlin raised an eyebrow and tried not to smirk.

"It's rope, Arthur, what's rope going to do against a drogan?" He asked.

"It's magical rpoe." Arthur insisted.

"It's not magical rope, it's just rope," Merlin countered.

"You could enchanted it. Then it would be magical rope, and I'd be tied to that tree and you'd be safe." Arthur looked at Merlin with wide puppy-dog eyes. He was really trying to make sure Merlin followed his will, because he was terrified of hurting his husbnad.

Merlin paused, watiting for Arthur to come to the logical conclusion. It didn't happen.

"I'm a dragonlord." he said finally. Arthur looked at him blankly.

"I'm not a dragon, Merlin." he said slowly. Merlin let out a groan and buried his head in his hands. Arthur set down the rope and shifted closer to log his husband sat on.

"No, listen to me again. I'm not a dragon. I am a man who has been curse to be dragon at night. We don't know if it's different. I might attack you. I might hurt you or our son. You have to think about him, Merlin, if there's even a chance I could hurt oru son I want to do eveything I can to prevent it. Even if it does seem sutpid."

He explained gently as he pulled Merlins hands away from his face and interwoved their fingers. Merlin looked at him with wide eyes and a downwards turned mouth. The danger had not occurred to him.

"Okay, Arthur." he agreed as he reached for the rope. Merlin and Arthur got up and walked to the tree Arthur standing with his back to it while Merlin muttered something under his breaht in a language Arthur didn't understand until his eyes and the rope both glowed a brilliant gold and Merlin present it to Arthur still looking like he wanted to agure.

"It'll hold pretty much anything." he explained as he tied ARthur to the tree trunk with the rope, making sure to alllow enough give for the upcoming transformation. He sat back down on a soft and mossy log that was nearby and smiled at arthur uncertainly.

"So...now what happens?" Merlin said. Arthur rolled his eyes and smiled at the raven man in a cocky way that made Merlin's heart skip a beat and he could feel his love glowing from his heart and filling his bidy.

"I don't know Merlin, I'm normally asleep when it happens?" Arthur said back. Merlin blushed and smiled at Arthur through his eyelashes, he had forgotten. His smile dropped from his face as he saw the blonde man's face contort in pan.

"Arthur...?" He said worriedly and carefully stood to approach his husband.

"No Merlin, Stay back! Ahhh!!" Arthur looked into Merlin's eyes pleading, terrified for Merlin as he bid him stay away as his transformation begin.

Suddenly Arthur's face contorted as if in extreme agony, Merlin gasped in sympathy and ttried to rush forward to the tree where Arthur was tied, but his husband gestured for him to step back, remembering the other man's concerns from their earlier conversation he stepped back, as he did so Arthur's entire body rippled in paid and motion, his limbs gave a sickening crucnch as they elongated and morphed, his skin bubbled and transformed into scales, at an agonising rate he grew taller until he dwarfed Merlin, and a large and strong pair of wings sprouted from his back, ripping and trearing as they grew and split the tree into two.

"RAWrRWR" roareded Arthur, his human voice lost in the transformation. Melin gulped. The magical rope had held fast, but the tree itself had shattered into splinters and the dragon before him was getting increasing angry at being tangled up in the binding rope. All of a sudden it's great big eye was drawn to Merlin's small form shaking nearby and, forgetting about the rope around it, the dragon approached Merlin and blasted flames up into the sky in a threatening display of his raw power.