𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖐 𝕿𝖜𝖔
𝔖𝔲𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔶: From trolls to dragons to foreign princesses, Astraea Aphelion grows stronger as she
continues to navigate medieval Britain using her wit and heart, standing unshaken beside Merlin and Arthur as they face every threa...
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📍 Camelot
⏳October, 505 AD
"Gaius – what's a dragonlord and how do I become one?" I plopped down on Merlin's bed, letting my duffel bag fall on the ground next to me. The sorcerer was packing his own bag as we waited on Arthur to indicate that it was go-time.
My words made the elder man snap out of a contemplative trance he was in as his eyes moved from their spot on the ground to mine, then to Merlin's, who watched him intently. "There were once men who could talk to the dragons, tame them," he explained after letting out a sigh. A smirk formed on my lips. "Like Hiccup!" I noted, but of course they ignored me, used to me 'speaking nonsense'.
"What happened to them?" Merlin actually advanced the conversation. "Guess," I muttered, certain that I knew where this was headed. "Uther believed that the art of the dragonlord was too close to magic. So he had them all rounded up and slaughtered," Gaius replied. "Imagine my surprise," I scoffed.
"But one survived – how did you know?" my best friend continued to question. "I helped him escape," Gaius lowered his voice, probably worried that someone may be eavesdropping – which I doubted.
The elder man seemed to fall into a trance once again, as both Merlin and I kept our eyes trained on him, eager to hear the rest of the story.
"Gaius," the sorcerer finally called to him. The man started and turned to us again, his eyes cloudy. "Merlin – you have never heard the name Balinor?" he asked. "No." "Your mother never mentioned him?" "My mother?"
I narrowed my eyes at the physician, my mind struggling to put together a puzzle of what may have happened.
"Your mother took him in," Gaius let more pieces fall on the table. "She was brave," Merlin commented. We had both seen firsthand how fearless Hunith could be – the entire ordeal with Kanen some two years ago being a strong example of it.
Gaius then explained that Balinor had stayed with Hunith for a couple of months, but it didn't last long, as Uther had found out where he was and promptly sent knights to hunt him down, which had forced him to flee.
"Why did not my mother tell me any of this?" Merlin's frown deepened, probably feeling betrayed in some way. I moved closer to him and squeezed his hand as a way to provide emotional support. Then I turned to Gaius expectantly.
"I promised her I would never speak of these things," the elder man ran a hand over his face and sighed. My eyes widened and my heart jumped. "Wait. Is Balinor...Merlin's...dad?" I asked carefully, hoping that my deciphering of Gaius' clues wasn't too crazy.
Merlin's head shot my way, jaw clenched, before he turned back to Gaius, who stared at me with startled eyes.
