Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin, dammit. *Sobs*. It belongs to BBC.

Notes: New story. I am starting to write this because 'part one' is finished (there are about five parts to this story: The beginning,' 'the middle 1,' 'the middle 2,' 'the end 1' and the 'end 2.' The first part has 23 chapters alone so.. so this is going to be a long, long story. :] I really hope I pull it off. This is going to be a slow irregular update.

This may seem a bit confusing, but I hope it isn't too much. All will become clearer as the story goes on. if it is too confusing, tell me and I'll rewrite it.

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure/Romance

Warnings: Pre-Slash, Minor character deaths, violence, dark-ish, spoilers (in an obscure way), slow-burn romance (very slow burn, sorry about that folks), possible implied torture.

Prologue 1: The Oath

He had been but a child when the oath was made. Samhain had all but died that night and the embers of his private celebratory fire cooled on the shore. How the fire had once burned amber into the sky, thick smoke curling and reaching towards the Gods with the grasping fingers of a greedy child. He had watched with wide fascinated eyes, wondering if his wishes, his dreams and thoughts – his essence that had poured from him into the flames – had flown to the stars as well. He wondered if the gods above had heard his prayers, if soon they would be acted upon.

He would give anything to twist his fate from the path he had been designated – the failure son borne of the womb that should never have been seeded. He is yet another pawn in his pseudo-Fathers game, he knew that much, but even pawns had their hierarchy.

And he was most definitely not at the top.

He sighed – a whoosh of breath far too weighted for one so young and leant back on his hands, head hung back and limpid blue eyes fixed above. Strange child. Freak child. Mistake. Even among his 'siblings,' he was an oddity. They gazed at him with pitying, sorrowful eyes before they turned away and gathered around their own secrets, presided over by their Father-by-proxy. The man would sneer at him; mouth contorted in ugly sets, eyes black and narrowed – like a beetle, viscous with a darkness he didn't share.

Above him, the moon watched silently from its cocoon of stars – a voiceless companion that could never whisper his secrets to the wrong ears. The breeze from the sea was heavy with salt and he closed his eyes, just smelling, feeling and listening.

Somewhere far off a cricket had chirped and a few bats ducked and dove over head. The grass waved gently against him, tickling his hands and bare feet. The water lapped at the sandy bed, caressing it like a forever faithful lover; the long, sliding strokes of chilled water reflected the silver and black of the night. It's faint, rhythmic lullaby was enough to create a haze of drowsiness in him, his body and face relaxing in the lull of sleepiness.

She came to him then, a shining beckon of gold and fire and goodness. She was a beauty – untouchable and innocent. She wore a simple dress of white, cinched at the waist by a simple golden belt. Her warmth breezed through him like sunshine and his eyes eased open and his gazed remained fixed. Where his Fathers' eyes were black with hatred and darkness, Hers shone the blazing amber of magic and kindness. Her smile was soft and understated, yet beautiful.

She reached out a hand and called his name, a musical note on the wind that had made him blink and smile widely. His answer was immediate.

She called to him with all the fondness he imagined a mother to have, all the warmth of a grandmother and the sweetness of a childhood friend. She crouched beside him, enveloped him in Her arms and he was cushioned, shielded against the darkness promised to him by a man who called himself his Father.

"You are different, my child," She uttered smoothly and he remembers nodding, drowsy with warmth and love and kindness he had only before witnessed through glass and water. "So different, my child, from the others and for that, I am thankful." She had sounded too pleased, so proud of him for turning against the grain.

"You wish to be free, young one?"

He had gazed at Her that night with hopeful eyes and nodded empathically. "More than anything," he breathed.

He was rewarded with a smile. "I can give you that, child – I can free you from the darkness and replace it instead with light. All I need is an oath from you, a promise that instead of serving who you serve now you will instead serve me and my goals for peace in what is to come."

He grinned brightly. "I'll do anything." Sometimes, he would curse his naivety that evening, but never with true conviction. She had saved him and for that he will be forever grateful.

"Disown your blood, my child, with a prick of the finger and except me with the healing."

She produced a small needle from nothing and passed it to him. He recalls the faint pain at pricking his own finger, and now still finds himself rubbing at the small raised scar. The oath is one he will never speak again, but will remember forever, the words burned into his memory.

All he really remembers after that is swirling, cocooning warmth surrounding him, settling in him. It eased into his bones with a quite purring buzz, relaxing his bones and lightening his heart. The darkness in him, that black fluttering thing that had always frightened him, was banished by this warmth. It smouldered underneath it, vanquished by magic he still doesn't truly understand.

Then there were words, soft, whispering words that were comforting even if the exhaustion crowding him didn't allow him understanding.

And when he awoke the next morning, Merlin Emrys was free.

So what do you think? It is only the first part of the prologue. I hope you enjoyed it xD The next part of 'First times' will be out soon :)