I feel the need to point out that I really own very little of this prologue. The idea to mix these two fandoms is mine, however the basic story regarding Emrys' journey is a rewritten version of the first third of the first book of T.'s Merlin Saga. I have basically inserted England and given a cliff-notes version of what happened. Admittedly this only applies up to the point where Emrys leaves on his raft so I can at least take full credit for the meeting between Arthur and Merlin as Merlin presents 'the once and future king' to his nation. I do highly recommend that if you are reading this that you should read the original books by T.A. Barron so you better understand the characters outside of Hetalia.
This story is completely written out, but you will have to wait for me to post the other chapters. They will go up, one a day until all are posted.

Edit: It was pointed out to me that is screwing up my layout and making this story hard to read, thank you cosenara for pointing out this error. I have fixed the problem.
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He absolutely hated it. He hated being run out of every village he came to and tried to live in. He was so tiny, too tiny, he couldn't take care of himself. Scrubbing tears from his eyes he runs out onto a rocky beach. His tears are soon stopped however when he lets his gaze fall onto a young boy struggling to stand from the waterline. He hurries over and helps the boy to sit.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Were you on a ship that wrecked? Are there others I should be trying to find?"
The dark haired boy shakes his head, wincing and drawing attention to the blood seeping down the side of his face. "You're hurt!"
The small boy quickly pulls down his hooded cloak and begins tearing off strips to make a bandage with. In the semi-silence between them both boys hear a low moaning sound coming from further up the beach. Quickly wrapping the makeshift bandage around the older boy's head both head towards the moaning sound. Eventually they find the body of a woman and both rush to her.
"Is she alive?"
"I think so, she seems to be breathing at least."
The smaller boy looks the woman over more closely. He knows she is from his lands at least, but the pendant she wore was so strange. It felt as if it shouldn't be there. The small blonde boy began to then look over the other boy. He had the same feel about him as the pendant but he also felt like he still belonged here, in these lands. So that meant one parent was from here and the other was from afar, right.
Silently both boys moved to move the woman somewhere safer than the waterline when a loud grunt and scuff came from behind them. Turning the boys see a large boar with bloodied tusks and a scar on his front left leg. He breathes out in a grunt and stomps the ground looking ready to charge.
The larger boy seems to be quicker at thinking on his feet as he is soon attempting to pull the woman toward an old oak tree with a hollow burnt out of it halfway between them and the boar. The smaller boy begins to help and soon they are making their way swiftly toward the tree with the boar baring down on them. Just as they feel they won't make it to the tree in time a great stag with nine points on each antler and white boots about its hooves comes bounding over them and charges the boar. With the boar distracted the two boys manage to get the woman and themselves into the hollow of the tree. The boar still makes a lounge at them but is stopped by the tree then gauged in the side by the stag. Eventually the stag drives the boar off and the dark haired boy's eyes lock with the stags before it bounds off.

Eventually the two made their way out of the tree and revived the woman from her sleep. It was then that the dark haired boy revealed he could remember nothing before waking on the shore. She told the dark haired boy that she was his mother, Branwen, and that his name was Emrys. The smaller boy also shared his name with them.
"Arthur? That's an interesting name."
"Yes well. It suits me."
The woman ruffled his hair. "That it does. You seem a rather strange little boy. I suppose though that your mother is worried about you and you should be getting along home."
At Branwen's kind words Arthur looked crestfallen and stares at his feet. "I do not have a mother, let alone a home that I must return to. I was trying to find one when I came upon the two of you on the beach."
The both of them look at him in shock, Emrys also feels sympathy as he himself knew nothing of where his home was. Arthur could tell he hadn't believed Branwen when she told him his name and that she was his mother. It saddened him, but there was little he could do to help. He knew as much about Emrys as Emrys knew of himself. In that moment Branwen reached out and took Arthur into a hug.
"If you truly have no mother and no home, then you are welcome to join us as we search for one ourselves."
Arthur hugs her back, nodding in agreement. Secretly hoping that his strangeness will not have him thrust out again when they realize it.

Five years later and Arthur hasn't aged, though Emrys has gotten bigger, if only slightly. The two were living with Branwen in a small hut near the edge of the village Caer Vedwyd. Earlier that day Emrys had gone out before sunrise. Arthur had watched as he left after a fight with Branwen. He hadn't heard most of what was said but he understood that Emrys was upset by the conversation. He had wanted to follow but knew Emrys well enough to know he was better off leaving him alone for a while. Arthur also knew better than to venture too far from the hut. The strangeness of living with who the villagers called 'witch' and 'sorceress' added to his own un-aging self meant that doing so was dangerous for him. So he spent his time with Branwen, silently studying as she mixed medicines and poultices from the many herbs hanging about the hut. Today however she had needed to go to the village to get something she was lacking and had left Arthur by himself.
Arthur was just beginning to wonder when Branwen would return when she came hurrying into the hut with Emrys right behind her. She seemed rather upset by something, but neither said anything and the rest of the night was spent in uncomfortable silence. Silence that was broken the next morning by one of the village boys coming and knocking violently on the door. Branwen answered it and after a few angry words the boys were dragging her out toward the center of the village with Emrys and Arthur following, trying to stop them from doing anything. When they reached the center of the village, where an old tree stood, Arthur and Emrys both realized what was happening. The boys planned to burn Branwen as well as them. The leader had already set fire to the grasses beneath the tree, drawing the attention of the villagers. He was laughing, but that wasn't what scared Arthur, it was the feeling of rage he could practically see rolling off of Emrys. Even if he didn't believe she was his mother she had still taken in both himself and Arthur, given them food, shelter and clothes. She didn't deserve to be treated this way. Arthur watched on in horror as Emrys anger filled gaze caused the tree to violently burst into flames from the small fire that had been started. A large branch falling and crushing the lead boy beneath it. Seeing their leader as good as dead the other boys fled and Arthur and Emrys managed to get Branwen to safety. That was when the screams of the boy trapped in the fire reached Emrys ears. Branwen and Arthur tried to stop him but he flung himself into the flames regardless in an attempt to save the other boy.
It was for naught however. And now, burdened by the nearly crippled Emrys, Branwen and Arthur take their leave of the village. They hitch a ride to Caer Myrddyn on a farmers cart and once there seek sanctuary at the convent of Saint Peter. The nuns taking pity on the small family. It is a week before Emrys wakes up and they discover his blindness. In the following weeks Arthur watches, unable to do anything to help his friend as he wastes away under the burden of his blindness and the weight of what he had done with his power. It was on a day where Emrys was being especially moody that Branwen and he got into another argument. This one about how Emrys wished he had never had his powers to begin with. Both making the promise that if only he could see again he would never use his powers again. And just as soon as it was said Emrys described how he hated seeing the tear stains on Branwen's cheeks. Gasping they realized he could see. The three quickly rejoiced and soon began testing his new-found second sight.
In a few more months Emrys had nearly mastered what vision he had regained. It wasn't perfect but he could see and that is what mattered. He also came to the decision that he should leave and seek out his past. The one he lost on that beach five years ago. Branwen tried to convince him not to go. Not to seek out his past. Arthur almost argued along side her but he knew also that Emrys needed this. Despite everything he could feel it right down to his heart that this is what Emrys needed. With this in mind when Emrys left Arthur left with him. It wasn't just to see him off safely, what help would a child that barely appears three be, but because he knew he could not stay long without causing Branwen more problems. He knew he would not age, not for a long long while as things were going. So he left with Emrys and the two made their way back to that beach where they first met.

When they arrived at the beach they took note that the tree that had sheltered them all those years ago was no more. They looked out at the sea as Emrys pondered how to continue. He fingered the pendant, the Galator, as he gazed out. It had been a gift from Branwen to Emrys before he left. On their journey to the beach Emrys had also shared how Branwen had told him of in between places. Places where gods and mortals lived side by side. He told him how Branwen had described two spirits in an opposing battle, explaining how they matched the description of the boar and the stag they had seen fighting. He told Arthur of her statement that had the boar truly been Rhita Gawr he would have surly tried to take Emrys' life. As they stood on that shore, staring off into the sea Arthur turned to Emrys.
"You'll want to build a raft if you plan to head out."
"I know. Will you continue on with me?"
Arthur hesitated only a moment.
"No. I can't leave these shores for the same reason I don't age. Branwen wasn't wrong when she said that spirits still live and walk amongst us. I am not certain of what I am, but this land, its people. I feel all of them." He rests his hand over his heart. "I am one with this land and whatever answers I seek concerning myself, I at least know lay here. You however," Here he turns to Emrys, "You will not find them on these shores. Wherever you are from it is the same place that Galator is from. I do not know where that may be but I can not go there with you."
"I see. I always knew there was something strange about you Arthur." He gives the smaller boy a wry grin. "I also hope that we will meet again, once I find out who I really am."
"Yes. I hope for that as well."
Arthur helped him to build his raft, making sure it was strong and secure before helping the other boy to launch it. He stood on the shore as the outgoing tide drew his friend further and further away, watching as he drifted from sight before heading back inland in search of a place to call his own home.

It would be many years and many lifetimes before the two's paths crossed once again. Arthur was still very much a boy, now appearing to be about seven or eight while Emrys was an old man escorting Arthur's newest leader to his throne. This leader was a youth of barely sixteen that had wrenched a sword from a stone and claimed the throne through rite. Now Arthur stood beside the throne of his king and met the unseeing eyes of a blind man that smiled wistfully at him.
"I see Arthur that you were not wrong to think we may meet again. And it seems you found what you were searching for."
"I did. And did you as well?"
The old man chuckles even as the youth looks between him and the boy.
"Ah, that I did. I am going by the name Merlin these days my dear old friend and I will be sure to share with you all the adventures I had upon claiming that name and discovering my past."
"I look forward to hearing it."
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Woot. Prologue up and running. Holy shite that was long, but necessary. I really hope that if you haven't heard of T.A. Barron's 'Merlin Saga' that you run out to your nearest library/bookstore and get it. He is a wonderful author and I am crossing this prologue with it so much its almost painful. Seriously, read it I demand it. In addition to that grab the 'Merlin Effect' cause that is making a big appearance in the rest of this fic. Seriously, if I get a review complaining about an OC in the coming chapters then I will seriously wig out on you guys. Kate Gordon won't be an original of mine she belongs to T.A. Barron. Anyway, so please review.