Prologue:
Once upon a time on the night of a half moon, the kingdom of Albion's slumber was broken by a cry. In the blue darkness, torches were being lit and shoulders were shaken and doors rattled as those who had not heard the cry were awoken. Soon the streets were crowded with groggy yet alert peasants and workers, making their way toward the beacon in the night. Nobles even joined the lower civilians, rank put behind them and their awe put forth.
Towns all over Albion were coming alive, clothes and food left at home, jobs forgotten, need calling them toward the cry. Some would travel great distances and others only had to walk a few streets but all of the masses were rejoicing for the new heir to the throne had been born.
In the lower reaches of Albion in a majestic white stone palace, a king was rushing through the gilded halls in naught but his flowing gold nightgown. His face was half distraught, half elated. He was summoned by the cries of a baby. As he passed between shadows and moonlight his long silvery hair glinted, loose from its normal plait. The sound of his bare feet against the floor was softened by the long red carpet over the cold white-gray stone. He was making his way to the servants' quarters.
Through the towering arched windows that dominated the walls there were already peasants and nobles alike lining the grounds of the castle, small orange glows that the king barely noticed as he found the small wooden staircase that lead away from the main hall and down into the dark corridor of the servants' quarters. The carpets were brown rags littered here and there, trying meagrely to keep the chill out at night. The worn wooden doors were cracked open as servants peered out in alarm and awe as their sire made his way to the only door that was all the way open. The child's cries had died down to watery hiccups and the sound of heavy breathing was coming from the small bedroom. The king didn't bother knocking and strode through, slightly out of breath himself.
On the hay stuffed bed was a sweaty, determined looking servant woman who was holding a tiny red, squirming baby. Another woman servant was mopping up the afterbirth to the best of her ability with rags and a bucket. The light from the shuttered window fell across the mother's awed blue eyes, which peered tiredly but unmoving from beneath her straggly brown hair.
"This is Merlin." She rasped solemnly, turning the tiny baby with great care toward the king. He let out a breath and noticed her share an understanding smile. She could feel it too, the strong magic pulsing from the child like a steady heartbeat.
"Hunith, my pardon, Lady Hunith. May I?" He inclined his head toward the newly royal woman, acknowledging her status. She nodded and kissed Merlin's forehead before gently handing him over to the king, umbilical cord still tied on his stomach. The king accepted the baby almost giddily. The baby's eyes were slowly blinking, not really seeing the king's beaming face. "He will be king," the current king mumbled, "his title henceforth will be Prince Emrys." He opened the shutters next to Hunith's head with one hand, the people had already migrated to the grounds beneath the room. Summoned. "HE WILL BE KING, HIS TITLE IS PRINCE EMRYS. HIS NAME IS MERLIN!"
"ALL HAIL THE KING! ALL HAIL PRINCE EMRYS!" The crowd chanted, roaring with applause and celebration. "ALL HAIL THE KING! ALL HAIL PRINCE EMRYS! ALL HAIL!"
An irate, sturdy-looking king loomed in a squat white hall. He was standing next to a small blonde child who was fiddling with his cape while the king flexed and unflexed his fists, trying to collect his nerves. This king had a strong yet polite face that was, at the moment, contorted with frustration and humiliation, his soft blue eyes shining with resentment. The fine black leather of his gloves made his hands let out a shuddery low squeak as he moved them. The blonde kid watched them.
"Arthur," the king addressed the child, "remember to stay by my side at all times, do NOT go into the crowd and do NOT say anything. Stop when I stop and go when I go. You will give the locket to the baby in the bassinet and then come back to my side." The king looked over his shoulder at the large silver embroidered blue doors. "I am sorry for this Arthur but I cannot afford another mistake when I am trying to re-build relations with other kingdoms. You'll understand when you're older." He affectionately smoothed the boy's golden hair once then dropped his hand. Arthur didn't understand.
"Why do they hate us father?"
"I—I made an error in judgement five years back."
"That's when I was born!" Arthur latched on to the only thing he understood.
"Yes, Arthur… We will talk more later," Uther noticed his son's unhappy expression, "I mean it Arthur. By my side."
"Yes father." Arthur mumbled then moved to stand nervously beside his father as they entered the grand hall.
There were royalty from all across Greater Albion crowded in the ballroom; kings, queens, and nobles intermingling and laughing politely at each other's jokes. The range of clothing differed vastly, Uther nearly felt drab himself had it not been for some of the poorer kingdoms. Uther was wearing a long dark blue tunic, the colour in honour of Albion's celebration, with a great gold, red, and silver threaded dragon embroidered on to the torso. His cloak, gold, reflected one of the colours of Camelot, his kingdom. It was buttoned with silver pendants that bore his family, the Pendragon's, crest. He wore a moderate circlet of gold with rubies studded and shining brightly over his closely cut, short gray hair. A long decorated sheath hung from his belt which, like his gloves and boots, were made from the finest black leather his kingdom could custom.
Arthur stared bewildered at the size of the ballroom. In Camelot the throne room was the biggest room and even that was only half of the size of Albion's hall. Its roof arched with thick wooden beams to meet in a point far above their heads, many paned windows were on every wall with one giant circular one adorning the wall above the throne.
Arthur was dressed similarly to his father, the only difference being that Arthur had wanted brown leather instead of black. He stared ahead to the end of the wide red carpet that lead up to the bassinet and throne. The bassinet was simple with white silk hanging off the side of it, too deep to see the baby from the sides and too tall for Arthur to see in to it without getting on to one of the steps that lead up to the throne. Standing in front of the throne, waiting to receive them was King Elrich.
No longer hurried and in shock but beaming with pride and joy over the new prince, Elrich had his long, silver hair plaited and a dim gold but large mural crown adorned his head. He had a ragged looking but jovial face that was marked with age and warfare. Elrich wore a long sleeved white tunic that was belted with fine brown leather and had a solid gold sheath hanging from it. Arthur stared at King Elrich's sleeves, they were large and cuffed at the wrist instead of the straight like his and his father's. His cape was different too, it was over the shoulder, dark blue velvet, and pinned in silver instead of buttoned.
Arthur turned to tug on his father's cloak and ask why the other king's sleeves were so poufy but then stopped, his small hand hovering in the air above the yellow fabric before dropping it. Not looking up while walking, Arthur nearly tripped over Uther's cloak when he stopped and Uther had to put his hand on Arthur's shoulder to keep him from toppling over.
"Ah, King Uther, a pleasure to see you again," King Elrich walked down from his large silver throne with his arms wide open to receive Uther.
"Likewise my dear King Elrich," Uther placed his hands on Elrich's elbows and Elrich clasped his hands around Uther's, Uther then kissed Elrich once on each cheek then conceded to Elrich kissing him on the forehead.
"Always so much forehead space to choose from, huh Uther? Ha!" Elrich burst into laughter as Uther glowered jokingly at him. Arthur stared in amazement at Elrich and his father. He had never seen anyone tease his father and get away with it before. He also didn't recognize the greeting they had done. Arthur half walked forward with his arms out wide, half turned to his father to see if he was doing it right.
"Not yet Arthur, you have to be at least my height to greet other kings like that." Uther chuckled light heartedly, it was the happiest he had been in a while. Uther had underestimated the relief being with an old friend would bring him.
"Until then young prince Arthur, you can just bow politely. I'm sure one day you will be as tall as your father." King Elrich said then reached out his hand and ruffled Arthur's hair. Arthur nearly fell over from the King's strength in ruffling.
"Arthur has a present for the young prince. Arthur would you like to give it to him now?" Uther bent down and pushed Arthur forward a bit. The boy walked up to the bassinet and stood on his tip toes to peer in. A small, no longer red but healthy pink faced baby with bright blue eyes was blinking up at him. The baby looked at him tiredly as Arthur brought out a thick gold chain with a small ovular locket dangling from it. Merlin noticed the locket once it was closer to his face and stared at it with wide eyes.
Uther watched to see that Arthur wasn't upsetting the baby before turning to Elrich.
"So where is the Lady Hunith?" Uther questioned, trying to feel casual but failing due to some of the royals nearby looking at them with mild distaste on their faces.
"She is resting. With young Prince Emrys keeping her up at nights she hasn't been sleeping as well. She did not feel up for the party." Elrich said while also staring at Arthur dangling the locket over the baby. He pondered over the two princes, then, an idea struck him. A flickering as if someone had lit a candle in his mind, "Uther."
Uther seemed to be considering something as well, "Elrich. Have I forever stained Camelot with my…regrettable actions, or do you think Camelot can be redeemed?"
"As it stands now, your army is far too fierce for the other kingdoms to take arms against you."
"That's not what I asked."
"Redeemable, perhaps, but not by you, old friend."
"Then we are thinking the same idea. Arthur and Prince Emrys could make amends where we could not."
"Uther, I've forgiven you—"
"—but they have not." Uther nodded toward the whole of the room behind them. The lords and ladies, the kings and queens, and even their servants all held hostility toward Uther and Camelot. "You want there to be a time where all the kingdoms are united?"
"Of course," Elrich nodded, stroking his bare chin, "I am not arguing with you Uther, I see where you are going."
"I don't want my son to suffer for my…mistakes." Uther said under his breath, close to Elrich. Luckily Arthur was too fascinated by the tiny pink prince to notice the two kings mutterings.
"He won't. Should Arthur become well respected and Merlin as well, they could ally and repair relations between Camelot and Greater Albion. Perhaps Arthur could spend his summers here, in Lesser Albion. Get to know young Merlin, once the babe has grown old enough to appreciate boyish company."
"…I wish Prince Emrys had been a Princess, she could have ruled with Arthur."
"Why not wish that Arthur were a girl? You could always father another—"
"I will never take another bride, nor another child so long as Igraine lies beneath the ground." Uther near shouted at his friend. Several lords and ladies glared at him. "I am sorry, old friend."
"I didn't know what to do with the necklace, so I dropped it by his head, is that alright father?" Arthur came back from the bassinet and tugged on his father's gold cloak.
"Yes, son. It is alright." Uther said, feeling heart worn, he picked up his child and held him in his arms. "We should be getting back, it is a week's ride from here to Camelot."
"You could allow me to assist and stay longer?" Elrich lifted his broad hand and Uther flinched. Elrich nodded sadly, "I understand."
"We can come back one day right? Maybe if Prince Emrys has a brother?" Arthur piped up from by Uther's arms. Elrich chuckled.
"Wouldn't be anywhere near as much celebration as this if Hunith had a second child."
"Why not?"
"Because he or she wouldn't be the chosen one."
"I don't understand."
"Our heirs aren't born, they're chosen. By...magic." Elrich glanced at Uther but he seemed not to be worried.
"How does magic know if he's the right one?" Arthur was confused. "Did magic choose you?"
"No, I'm actually a regent until Prince Emrys reaches adulthood. The late queen, my wife Isla, was the prior chosen one. She was chosen by magic to be queen but she was the one who chose me to be king. Well, her and her father had some say in the matter, thankfully I was of noble blood." Elrich had a fond smile on his face in remembrance.
"But how does magic know?" Arthur persisted.
"I don't know. It's magic, it just knows. It sends its signal then we all know. Bugger if I'm going to learn all the know-how behind it."
"We should really get going." Uther finally spoke up, "it was truly a delight to see you again my friend, and I will letter you later about our future arrangements." He whisked away making his cape fan out in a way that not only Arthur but Elrich was envious of. Dimly, Elrich heard Arthur ask his father why they stayed for so little of time if it took so long to get here. Elrich sighed.
Watching them depart King Elrich wandered back to the bassinet where Merlin lay. The baby had somehow managed to fall asleep despite the noise surrounding him. Spotting another lord and lady heading his way, Elrich quickly stroked the baby's cheek fondly and whispered, "you've got kingdoms to rule Merlin, don't get tuckered out quite yet," then turned to greet the arriving pair.