Arthur Pendragon was a very successful businessman, as CEO of a large multinational company, which was still family owned, he was a rare beast indeed. Although his grandfather had started the company and his father had expanded it, but it was Arthur that had really made the company what it was today. He started as a teenager with a skill and aptitude for computers, and after developing several totally new systems in a rapidly growing market had changed the company overnight from a good one to a great one moving from mechanical systems to sophisticated computerised systems, that led the way in the rapidly growing market of the computer based world. His father had retired as soon as he realised he couldn't keep up with this new world and left his son to run the company, even though he was only twenty nine, after all he thought it was a young man's world.

As one of the richest men in the world, he was attracting the wrong sort of attention, and after a recent kidnapping attempt he had finally agreed to increase his protection. Up to now it had consisted of two men, Percy Richardson and Eylan Smith who were his body guards or personal protection officers as they now called themselves. A friend of the family John Kilgarrah ran a company specialising in such people, and had agreed to find him the right man for the job. What Arthur didn't want was another giant with muscles to match; who would scare everyone off, Percy did that well enough already. What he wanted was someone who could blend in but be efficient. Both his present team were ex army and had become good friends and whoever else he had would need to fit in. Kilgarrah had promised he could find such a person.

Arthur was expecting to meet him today. Kilgarrah spoken to Arthur over the phone had told him not to take the man at face value, but to see deeper, that they would be two halves of the same coin, whatever he meant by that, Arthur would soon find out. John Kilgarrah was a strange man at the best of times, but Arthur liked him. He had known the man all his life; even though Kilgarrah hadn't liked Arthur's father it never stopped the two men getting on well. Kilgarrah was like an uncle to Arthur, he was a bear of a man well over six feet tall and built to match. Arthur thought he might well have been a bodyguard himself at some time, although his past was a bit of a mystery. He certainly had the scars to show from some serious fighting at sometime in his life.

Arthur was sat looking out of his office window, he loved the view it was why he had bought the building. He could see across London and the Thames snaked across in between the buildings. He had his office on the top floor just to get the view. It was a large and comfortable office well furnished with the best quality furnishings and equipment.

Kilgarrah was bringing his man to Arthur's London office himself. Leon, Arthur's PA, and long time friend, rang through to say they had arrived. As Kilgarrah walked in he was followed by a man who no one would ever take for a body guard. He was slim, to the point of skinny, just over six foot and young, very young. Arthur estimated he couldn't be much over twenty if that. He was ghostly pale with high cheek bones, large ears that seemed to fit his face perfectly and cerulean blue eyes that had a hit of wariness in them, as if he had too many secrets or had too many tales to tell. His black hair looked like he hadn't bothered to comb it that morning and his suit looked like it had been borrowed for the occasion, fitting loosely on him.

Kilgarrah stopped in front of Arthur's large and impressive desk and held out his massive hand. "Hello Arthur it's good to see you, I'd like to introduce Merlin Emrys, and he is the gentleman we discussed on the phone."

Arthur shook Kilgarrah's hand and then took Merlin's hand shaking his as well. It was a firm handshake, but not excessively so. The lad wasn't trying to impress with a show of strength. Turning back to Kilgarrah Arthur spoke once more:

"Forgive me Kilgarrah but I know I said I wanted someone unobtrusive, but this young man doesn't look anything like a protection officer."

"Well you asked for someone to blend in. And I know you have an open mind. Merlin here has strengths you would never guess at. He is a very talented man with hidden depths." Kilgarrah smiled fondly at Merlin.

Merlin sat quietly not saying anything, but looking decidedly uncomfortable. He was studying Arthur carefully. He saw a classically good looking man, with golden hair and blue eyes, fit and well built like someone who obviously did some sort of regular exercise. Very confident and sure of himself, he looked very good in his suit, which Merlin felt probably cost more than he would ever earn no matter how hard he worked.

"Merlin is special, so special there isn't anyone else like him, I have told him we can trust you Arthur, so I hope we can, even if you decide not to use his services." Kilgarrah continued. "He can be with you and no one will be aware of his role."

"Gaius I have known you all my life, of course you can trust me. But you're going to have to spell this out for me, because I can't see it." Arthur said to Kilgarrah.

"I am here you know Prat!" Merlin said in an annoyed tone.

Kilgarrah ignored Merlin and looking at Arthur "Merlin is a special person he is also very important to me, Here is his official CV, you will see he qualified top of his class, despite his age, in business management, he is being head hunted for those skills alone, however he has a far more impressive range of skills it might be best if he gives you a demonstration." Kilgarrah turned to Merlin "Something non aggressive might be best Merlin."

"Are you sure?" the young man looked uneasy as if he didn't really want to do this.

"Have I ever let you down Merlin? You are special to me you know that, I wouldn't ask you to otherwise." Kilgarrah actually looked as if he was protective of the boy, for that's how Arthur thought of him. Arthur had never seen Kilgarrah look at anyone in the way he looked at the raven haired man.

Merlin stood up, and looking at Arthur, as if trying to make up his mind about something, he took a deep breath he did something Arthur would never have expected, something that changed Arthur's opinion, something that would change both of their lives forever.