I know this is supposed to be a Gwen/Merlin fic but I want it to be completely canon, which is why it probably seems like I just copy and pasted the script. Don't worry, Gwen scenes are coming soon. Also, although I want it to be canon I'm not going to include many scenes that either Merlin or Gwen are not present in, unless they are important to the story line. Enjoy.


I approached Camelot through the woods, following the track that had been beaten down by travellers and horsemen before me. I was heading towards not just a new place, but a new life as an assistant to the court physician Gaius. As the forest ended and the town began I was taken aback by the bustling, busy nature of the market, it was so different to my small country village. I reached the end of the town and found a bridge, leading into the courtyard of the castle. The castle itself was amazing, unlike anything I'd ever seen or imagined before. It was huge, with beautiful stained glass window breaking the high grey walls. I noticed a crowd gathering around a small wooden stage, under a balcony jutting out of the castle. A man dressed in armour, a cloak and a crown, who must have been the king was standing on the balcony.

"Ladies and gentlemen", he said without shouting, he had the kind of voice that didn't need to shout to be heard. "I Uther Pendragon, King of Camelot hereby find this man guilty of using enchantments and magic. A crime which is not tolerated in our kingdom", he signalled to two soldiers who half-dragged the man onto the wooden stage. Uther nodded towards another man who was holding an axe. The crowd gasped as the axe hit the mans neck and his head fell to the ground with a gentle thump.

"So this is what will happen if they find out about me", I thought, "Why did mother think it would be better for me here".

My thoughts were interrupted by Uther's voice, he was making a speech about how he had driven magic out of Camelot. About how he had captured and imprisoned the last great dragon twenty years ago. He declared a festival to mark the event. A festival to celebrate the suppression of magic folk didn't really make sense to me, surely not all people who had magic were bad people?

I didn't have long to ponder on it. As the crowd dispersed a woman began to scream.

"There is only one evil in this kingdom and it is not magic, it is you!", she cried, her voice was filled with pain. "My son was innocent of all crimes, he hurt no one. And I promise you Uther before these celebrations are over you will feel my pain. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son",

"Seize her!", Uther ordered, two knights made their way towards her. But, before they got close to her she said some sort of incantation in a language I didn't recognise and disappeared behind a puff of smoke. Uther looked angry. He turned around and returned to the inside of the castle. I didn't know what to make of what had just happened.


I made my way towards a small, servants entrance into the castle. Two guards stood on either side of the entrance,

"Where can I find Gaius, the court physician", I asked one of them,

"Down there", he growled, pointing his lance slightly in the direction of a narrow corridor,

"This way?", I asked pointing my finger down the corridor to confirm, I was ignored. "Alright then", I said to myself. I made my way through the corridor and up a set of narrow stairs, noticing a sign that read "Court Physician", accompanied by a small painted hand pointing towards a door.


I knocked twice then entered. There was an old man standing in front of some shelves on a sort of balcony. "Hello, sir?", I said, raising my voice slightly to make sure he could hear me. He turned slightly, and fell backwards off the balcony. I panicked, without thinking I willed the double bed sitting in the corner of the room to move over and cushion his fall. It did as I wished.

The man, who I assumed was Gaius, sat up groggily. He looked at me, confusion in his eyes,

"How did you do that?", his tone was a mixture of curiosity and accusation,

"I don't know" I said, I wasn't lying,

"Where did you study it?", he sounded almost angry,

"Study what?", I was confused and a little scared,

"Well magic of course", he said as though it was obvious,

"I've never studied it", in fact I'd spent most of my life trying to hide from the other kids,

"Don't lie to me boy!", he shouted,

"What do you want me to say?",

"The truth perhaps",

"I am telling you the truth, I never studied magic, I was just born like this",

"But that's impossible", I didn't know what to say, I just stood there playing with the straps on my back pack.

"Who are you?", he asked,

"Oh!", I remembered I was supposed to give him a letter from my mother, "I have a letter for you", I swung my bag over one shoulder and brought it around to the front. "Here",

"I don't have my reading glasses", Gaius said, he sounded like he was deliberately trying to be a pain, I smiled, I had I feeling I was going to like him,

"I'm Merlin",

"Ah, Hunith's son?", I nodded and smiled a little wider, "But you're not supposed to be here until Wednesday",

"Today is Wednesday", I reminded him gently,

"Well you'd better put your bag in there", he pointed towards a small door at the other end of the room,

"You won't say anything about umm...", I pointed at the bed and broken railing,

"Uh, no", he replied, "Although Merlin", he said after a pause, "I should say thank you". I smiled at him again before I went into the room. My stupid smile, I don't why I smiled so much, Gaius probably thought I was insane.


The room was small, but it fulfilled it's purpose. It contained a small, single bed, a small cupboard, a small desk, and a small bedside locker. The locker and desk both looked as though they were simply old crates turned upside down. There was a window, out of which I could see all the way out to the small town I had passed through earlier. It was already dark, the fires were lit in the houses making them look like jack-o-lanterns. It was a beautiful sight. I did not spend long admiring the view and instead tried to sleep. It had been a long day with a lot of walking.


Gaius' Point of View

As Merlin began to fall asleep in the small room I had set aside for him, I put on my glasses and read the letter from Hunith he had given me. Her letter made it seem as though Merlin had been telling the truth. She spoke of she was afraid his gifts would be found in their small village, of how he needed guidance and to find a purpose for his gifts. She begged me to keep him safe.

"I'll try Hunit, I'll try", I whispered quietly to the letter in my hands.