Impersonating Emrys
Setting the scene: Arthur is King and knows about Merlin's magic, he does not know the full extent as to their entwined destinies and the druid legends.
The council chambers fell silent as the doors burst open to reveal two figures. They both wore high quality clothes but one was evidently of a higher status than the other. It was the other one however that took off his glove and threw it at the feet of the king's manservant. The room full of knights seemed to frown collectively at the object but to everyone's surprise Merlin just let out a small snort of laughter. He could sense the magic in this person even if it was very weak, even less so than King Alined's jester, Trickler.
Merlin shook his head, "Don't make me fight you." He said good naturedly.
"What? Scared to the face the mighty Emrys?" Asked the cocky young man speaking for the first time.
"Excuse me?" Merlin laughed.
"You heard me! I am Emrys, most powerful warlock ever born an this is the Once and Future king." He gestured to the man behind him.
Merlin's face dropped into a scowl of annoyance and he bent down and picked up the glove, "Fine, I look forward to you challenge, Emrys." He made air quotes around the name.
The challenger and his king left looking smug and Arthur dismissed the council.
"Are you actually that stupid? Arthur asked as they entered his chambers.
"What do you mean?" Merlin aske.
"You! Excepting a challenge from the most powerful warlock ever!"
"Oh. That."
"Yes. That!"
"Don't be thick Arthur."
Merlin used magic to catch the goblet in the air that came sailing in his direction.
"That man is not Emrys." He continued.
"How do you know?"
"I know Emrys. In fact we're pretty close. He has more magic in one strand of hair than that man does in his entire body."
"You know Emrys?"
Merlin nodded.
"You're close to him?"
Another nod.
"Is it Gaius? Bacause honestly he doesn't seem all that -"
Merlin looked pointedly at the goblet that was still hanging in mid air.
"Oh!" Arthur exclaimed finally catching on, "is it you?"
"Well done captain obvious, once again your powers of deduction astound me." Merlin rolled his eyes and plucked the goblet from the air.
"So this guy really doesn't stand a chance?"
"Arthur, Nimueh didn't stand a chance let alone this imposter."
"Oh. Well... Good luck."
"Thanks."
The so-called Emrys strode arrogantly into the arena where Merlin was waiting. They both turned to face the king as he explained the rules but neither listened, they both knew them already.
"The druids are here." Merlin noted.
"Probably wanted to see Emrys fight." The imposeter said and Merlin smiled slightly.
Then the fight began.
Merlin looked around casually as a ring of flames errupted around him at the challenger's first incantation. It was showy magic that required little skill and minimal power.
He sighed and clicked his fingers, his eyes glowed gold and the fire disappeared. The man threw a small ball of energy. For someone with such meek power it must have been exhausting but Merlin deflected it with just a slight twitch of the hand.
"Fight back!" The man bellowed.
Merlin shook his head, "I don't want to hurt you."
"You can't hurt me, you're just being a coward!" The man panted, his earlier magic had taken a lot out of him.
"Look at you, you're exhausted." Merlin tried to make him see sense.
"I'd like to see you do better!"
"If you insist." Merlin sighed.
He raised both hands in front of him, palms facing towards the man. He began to mutter under his breath and his eyes started to glow.
The ground began shaking and for the first time the imposter looked scared. As Merlin's eyes grew brighter still people in the stands grabbed onto the closest thing they could to reamin upright. Even Arthur was gripping the arms of his chair tightly but Merlin took no notice.
As he continued muttering holes appeared in the ground at the man's feet. Golden light streamed out of them like ribbons and weaved itself into a cage to contain the weak sorcerer.
Merlin stopped and was showing no signs of fatigue. He walked forward to where the man was trappedas the foreign king stood."Well what are you waiting for? You told me you were the most powerful warlock ever! So stop him!"
Arthur looked back at him in distain, "Just shut up would you?"
The man backed away as Merlin approached and held out an arm. But he didn't do anymore magic he simply wrapped a hand around one of the golden strands and the whole thing dissapated into a golden mist. He looked down at the man, "Don't ever impersonate me again." He muttered holding out a hand to help him up from where he had fallen to the ground. The man ignored him and stood alone.
"But I am Emrys! The great dragon told me so!"
Merlin could practically hear the druids roll their eyes.
"I killed the great dragon years ago!" Arthur stood up.
"Not now Arthur," Merlin admonished him. "What did the great dragon say?"
"Well I was hiding in the bushes but I'm pretty sure he knew I was there - he is a dragon - and he said that I was Emrys the greatest warlock to ever live and that it was my destiny to protect the Once and Future king."
"And do you remember the name of the Once and Future king?"
"No, I fainted from shock."
Merlin gave him a look. "That was a conversation that I had with Kilgharra -"
"Who?"
"-The dragon. You must not have seen me because of the bushes you were hiding in."
"So I'm not Emrys?"
"No."
"Oh. And he's not the once and future king?" He pointed to his king.
"No, that's Arthur."
"So I couldn't have won against you?"
"I doubt you could have won against a kitten."
"Oh."
"Indeed."
There was a bit of an awkward silence before Merlin stuck his hand out for the man to shake who took it this time.
"So Emrys," Merlin looked down at the man as the walked from the arena, "Will you teach me?"