Hidden Prince
[here is the first chapter tell me what you think]
Chapter 1
The day began the same way it usually did for the undercover warlock and manservant, Merlin was awoken by Gaius the Court Physician of Camelot.
"Merlin get up unless you wish to be late again"
Merlin responds by grumbling into his pillows before standing and beginning to dress.
It isn't long before he finishes and descends the stairs and into the main area of Gaius' chambers.
He sits down a eats some the porridge Gaius made for breakfast once Merlin has had his fill he makes his way toward Prince Arthur's chambers.
He creaked open the door and peaked in to find his master still asleep, tangled up in his bed sheets and blanket. Merlin crept as quietly as he could into the room, he made his way to the window parallel to Arthur's bed.
The warlock then pulled the curtains wide
"Rise and Shine" he said with his usual smile on his face which was met with a groan from the groggy prince.
Arthur was still for a moment until he noticed the bright sunlight coming through the window.
The prince shot out of bed and flew to the window all the while pushing Merlin out-of-the-way with a little more force then necessary causing the aforementioned manservant to lose his balance and crash into the nearby table and chair.
The sound of the crash went unnoticed by the prince as he was staring out the window as if he didn't believe the sunshine was real, you see a colossal rainstorm had raged for weeks so needless to say Arthur hadn't been able to go outside to train or anything else with rain going as hard as it was.
In the meantime Merlin had managed to right himself, correct the chair and table and leave and come back with Arthur's breakfast before the oblivious royal snapped out of his trance.
The warlock knew what the next words out of his master's mouth would be.
"You know Merlin, I think to celebrate this break in the ceaseless rain we should go on a hunt what do you think?" stated the prince his cobalt eyes flashed mischievously.
Merlin knew a set up when he heard one and this one was so obvious he would've tripped over it.
"Does it really matter what I think you prat, you'll force me along like always" Merlin responded cheekily which earned him a goblet thrown at his head.
"I guess you're right" was the response he received.
forty-five minutes later Merlin had readied the horses Arthur was taking along a few of his knights just in case they ran into trouble which happened often enough on these hunting trips the prince loved so much they were Sir Leon, Sir Gwaine, Sir Lancelot and Sir Percival it wasn't long after that they set off.
Arthur decided they wouldn't go too far so in the unlikely event that Camelot was attacked they could retrun swiftly.
The forest they entered was actually quite beautiful after a rainstorm.
The elegant and powerful limbs of the great oaks had small drizzles of rain-water running their way down making the trees glisten in the sunlight.
The band rode their way into a deep part of the forest when Percival noticed a few bucks in the clearing to his white. "Wait!" Percival said quietly as not to spook the deer.
The other member of the party now saw the deer as well. Arthur hopped off of his horse and drew his crossbow and crept closer.
Merlin turned head away he didn't like to see such innocent creatures die.
The prince wasn't paying attention to his servant has he loosed a bolt and took down one of the largest of the four bucks in the clearing the other three bolted but couldn't escape the range of Leon and Lancelot who downed two of them.
"three out of four that's good enough" Arthur commented "Merlin set up camp here"
the young warlock nodded and began to do just that while muttering something that sound strangley like
"Barbaric, prattish clotpole"
It took Merlin twenty-five minutes to set up the entire camp.
"I'm going to collect fire wood" the dark-haired warlock stated
"I'll come with you" Arthur said not wanting Merlin out in the wood alone despite how close they were to Camelot.
After about ten minutes of walking Arthur decided to spark up a conversation.
"You've been strangely quiet today Merlin, is everything alright?" asked the prince with genuine concern in his voice.
Merlin glanced at his royal friend contemplating his next words
"I have feeling about this little trip"
Arthur laughed which the manservant shot him a slightly hurt look.
"You always have bad feelings on hunting trips Merlin, ninety-eight percent of the time it's just your overactive imagination" the prince clapped the warlock's shoulder.
It was then they heard a twig snap.
"Wait" Arthur said
"I heard it too" Merlin stated carefully scanning the area until his eyes fell upon small form five meters away.
Merlin's heart gave a jolt of shock as he recognized the small person but he had to make sure so the young warlock began to walk closer.
He was now close enough to make out the newcomer's appearance.
The person was definitely much smaller than your average man in fact some may mistake him for a child.
The little man wore a shiny silver armour vest underneath a fancy crimson button-up shirt, his jacket and trousers were the same light brown color.
He had pale skin and gentle azure eyes that had spark of mischief in them and crowning his head a mop of neck-length, curly brown hair the same shade as melted chocolate and a pair of large hairy feet.
Merlin stopped and took in the form in front of him
"It's a hobbit" the warlock stated in a tone of wonder.
"A hobbit?" questioned Arthur "I thought they were myth"
Merlin shook his head
"Hobbits are as real as dragons...but I believe I know this particular hobbit"
Arthur looked at Merlin like he'd grown a 2nd head.
The manservant walked closer before speaking "...Frodo?" he enquired looking at the Hobbit now only a few steps away.
The halfling in question peered up into Merlin's startling blue eyes hesitating before shouting
"MERLIN!" The hobbit surged forward and wrapped the warlock into tight hug.
Merlin himself was shocked for only a moment before returning the embrace.
Arthur stood stunned as the warlock and halfling embraced each other.
"Ahem! Merlin mind telling me how you know the hobbit
[Here is the first chapter of my Merlin - Lord of the Rings story]