I do not own Merlin- just my own mistakes and the loosing battle with auto-correct

Twelve Dancing Princesses

Prologue

The kingdom of Camelot was a prosperous one. They had rolling fields and high yielding fruit trees that fed the kingdom throughout the whole winter until the next harvest. People from far and wide would journey to Camelot for trade or work and many decided to stay and live there when they found out how nice and generous the people in the kingdom could be. Everyone was praising the king and queen for keeping the peace and prosperity, and was grateful that the royals didn't take this new peace for granted.

King Uther and Queen Ygraine of Camelot would never forget the high cost that this peace and prosperity cost. To them it was personal; a tragic beginning to a peaceful end. The kingdom had been at war for three long years. A war that started, and also put Camelot in some dark and turbulent times, when the oldest of his first set of triplets-one of his twelve daughters-Esmeralda, was murdered by her husband; the Crown Prince of Trigore, Prince Valiant.

The marriage was to form an alliance with the kingdom of Trigore but Prince Valiant had a legendary cruel temper and appetites. Plenty of doubts and worry was cast for this union but it was put aside because Uther really wanted the alliance. But no one expected Valiant's temper to go this far.

The cruelty of Crown Prince Valiant caused the war between kingdoms of Camelot and Trigore. The death of Princess Esmeralda was not the only loss the royal family suffered during the war; Morgause and Helen's husbands also became victims of the war when they were fighting for Camelot.

In some degree or another, all of their deaths were caused by sorcery.

Uther decided to ban magic because he considered it evil and no good ever came from it. It has caused nothing but heartache for everyone in the kingdom. His son-in-laws died by magic avenging Esmeralda; who was dead because of magic. Magic. Was. Evil. Uther would make sure that would never happen again to his remaining eleven daughters. They were no longer the bargaining chips to build a stronger kingdom.

He would keep them safe; and any granddaughters he might have. He put his daughters in the highest tower in the castle and they would only be allowed out to be with his queen and him. After dinner they had to go back to the tower. Eleven daughters in one room with eleven beds; locked in every night so they would forever remain safe...

Ygraine's protestations fell on deaf ears. So did Arthur's. Arthur's wife Guinevere and their children would be locked in the Crown Prince's private chambers at night and surrounded by extra guards. None of their protesting would sway the king. He vowed that his ego would never put his children in harm's way again. He would keep them safe from now on. The past would never repeat itself.

His ego died when Esmeralda did….

Time-warp to the past…

King Uther was a man to take advantage of any situation that would benefit him or his beloved kingdom of Camelot. So when King Vestein of the neighboring kingdom of Trigore proposed an alliance between the kingdoms through the marriage of his son, the Crown Prince Valiant to Uther's daughter, Princess Esmeralda, Uther eagerly accepted even though Queen Ygraine had some trepidation about the union.

The kingdom would benefit from the alliance; money brought in thru exports and imported goods and taxes, Uther argued.

The prince was reputed to be cruel and violent, Ygraine would argue back. Why have such alliances with the kingdom of Trigore when King Vestein and Queen Catrina thought nothing wrong about the behavior of their son, the crown prince?

But in the end Uther had his alliance. His ego stoked about such a strong ally that he decided to create more alliances with other strong kingdoms. He had eleven more daughters he could marry off. So he plotted and planned; what daughter to marry to what kingdom. There was an offer for the hand of both of the remaining oldest triplets from the kingdom of Mercia that Uther was thrilled about. King Bayard of Mercia and his dearly departed queen had almost as many sons as Uther did daughters. The Crown Prince of Mercia, Prince Herryk, was engaged to another kingdom, so the deal that was struck was going to be between Uther's next two daughters Helen and Morgause to Bayard's next oldest sons Erling and Bryan. These marriages would forge a stronger military alliance between the two kingdoms.

Ygraine was incensed at Uther's willingness to barter off her daughters but allowed their only son, Crown Prince Arthur, choose his own bride. She was a servant and the daughter of a blacksmith. A lovely modest girl, yes, but of no noble blood that would be to the benefit to the kingdom. Didn't her daughters deserve the same choices? Ygraine was thinking deeply about that decision. How could she defy her husband the king?

Prince Arthur had just come into marrying age but many of the kingdoms had no suit able ladies available. Some had woman too old to bear an heir, some were too young and the prince didn't want to wait for a couple of decades. His parents actually agreed with him. Uther didn't really mind because he had several daughter's in - and coming to – the age of marriage. When Arthur saw Guinevere, it was love at first sight. He received his parents blessing after they met Guinevere. The couple courted for six months when Arthur proposed marriage but this time, Uther did mind. Arthur was still too young. The Crown Prince should be older than nineteen. Arthur reminded Uther that when he was only a couple of years older than what Arthur is now, he seized Camelot and became king. And then Arthur reminded him that he might be young but he still fought in minor skirmishes and was the leader of Knights of Camelot. His parents relented and blessed the union.

This was another opportunity that Uther took advantage of. The people loved Guinevere for she related to the less privileged and their problems and worries than any of the nobles or royals could. She was approachable and the people would do anything for her. They put forth extra efforts of keeping the lower town clean and safe with the hopes that she would visit more often. And she did when Arthur was away. These were her people after all.

Ygraine, who was sitting on her throne in the throne room on Uther's left side waiting for court to start, was brought out of her musings when the citizens started showing up. It had been over a year since Esmeralda's marriage and there were these... rumors. Well, rumors were rumors right?

Uther felt like he sat on his throne for hours listening to argumentative nobles, whining lower town's people who wanted less taxes and more service like extra guards and a more available physician for the children. The king wanted to tear out his remaining hair, grab his queen and lock them in their chambers and ignore the court. He didn't think that he had ever had so many people come to court complaining about what he felt was nothing. He looked up at the doors an saw a guard escorting a man with clean but tattered rags and sun weathered face and calloused hands. A farmer, Uther thought, probably wants to complain his cows ran away. He had a look that said that he was from the outer villages of Camelot.

"Your Majesty," he bowed and scraped all the way to the floor. He waited for the king to acknowledge his presence before speaking.

"Get on with it." Uther said indifferently. "Say your piece.'

"Sire, my name is Hroald," he began, "I am from the small village of Rodney that borders the kingdom of Trigore. There are rumors telling of the Crown Prince of Trigore, Prince Valiant, frequenting the taverns on both sides of the border. He is known for his love of drink and women and is thought to be the cause of many disappearances." He finished in a quiet rush.

"Hold your tongue peasant!" Uther demanded, "That happens to be my son in-law for whom you speak. And you will show respect."

"Yes, Sire" he said meekly. "It's just that he was apparently overheard talking about certain abuses that he enforces on his princess." At Uther's thunderous look the servant looked to the floor once more.

"Continue peasant, I don't have all day. What abuses is the princess Esmeralda suffering?"

Uther's voice was getting dangerous. "If I find out your wasting my time, I'll have you hanged."

"Yes, Sire," the man let out chokingly. "Sire, when the prince was questioned about what his wife thinks of his carousing and womanizing, Prince Valiant was said to start bragging about knowing how he knows to keep his women in place and indicated certain abuses he would as punishment for her stepping out of line." The peasant's voice was barely above a whisper, "Your Majesty, he had a whip and struck a candle; indicating how he 'keeps' his wife in-line."

There was a gasp throughout the room. Queen Ygraine started fanning her face as if to stop from swooning. King Uther ordered a servant to fetch a messenger. Patrols were sent out to the border towns to check out these rumors.

"If we find this information to be false," Uther threatened, "your life will be forfeited."

"I understand, Sire." The peasant replied.

"You may go." Uther waved his hand at the doors of the throne room and the peasant left as quickly as possible and headed for his small village.

Uther did not want to upset Camelot's alliance with Trigore and he had King Vestein's assurances that all was well with the couple but the rumors would not go away and started coming in more frequently. He sat in his private chambers and made a decision. There would be an investigation; a more vigorous and thorough investigation on these troubling rumors. He called in his security team and gave them some crisp orders to ready a patrol. Minutes later some guards were ready to be dispatched to the border.

Uther was sitting at the table looking at a map of the border and wondered where the most strategic places would be, should Camelot have to defend it in case of war. There was a disturbance at the doors to the king's chambers. A knight stationed in one of the border towns needed and immediate audience with the king. The king looked up and seen a knight came running in and bowing quickly and said in a rush, "Sire, I bring bad news." The king sat up straighter in his chair, listening. "We fear that Princess Esmeralda has been murdered by her husband, Prince Valiant."

"What!" the king shouted, "How has this happened? Do you know for sure?"

"Only rumors, Sire" the knight began. "In the small village of Boarstag, Prince Valiant came into the tavern very drunk and bragging about needing a stronger woman because he didn't want to have to keep replacing princesses."

Pain and rage filled the room. Both of the king and queen's reactions was immediate; Uther felt guilty and Ygraine felt a raging sorrow. Why didn't they step in when the rumors were starting? Why didn't they investigate more? With dignified purpose, the royals gathered their remaining children and had them meet in the throne room. Guards were sent to fetch the knights and council members to the throne room.

The knight that brought the terrible news continued on with what happened in the tavern with Prince Valiant. "After a particularly stormy confrontation with Prince Valiant, Princess Esmeralda stormed into the throne room where King Vestein and Queen Catrina was holding court and told them her marriage was over. She was tired of the abuse and the affairs. Valiant followed with his armor and shield begging her to stay. Esmeralda refused so Valiant whispered magic words to his shield and three snakes jumped out." The audience gasped. The knight continued with the story when the king motioned him to continue. He told how the princess was bitten by all three snakes. The bites were in key parts of her body like; the throat, the under arm and inner thigh. Everyone present was in a state of shock and the queen and princesses could be heard crying and murmuring their sorrow.

"It was sorcery, Your Majesty." The knight finished. "Valiant used sorcery to conjure the snakes."

"Thank you, Sir William." The king said brokenly.

Prince Arthur was raging mad. His grief was palatable throughout the chamber. What monster would attack a harmless woman because she was fed up with the behavior of her husband? What coward would use sorcery? Esmeralda would be avenged and an entire kingdom would pay the price for being tolerant of the evil and violent prince. Arthur would march in this campaign against Trigore himself. Not even his father was going to stop him. His attention snapped back to his father as he heard Uther's commanding voice.

"I want a runner sent to verify this information so we can make our move." Uther called out. "We are to prepare for war. If this information is accurate we will attack immediately!"

The room was a buzz of activity; maps were studied, horses readied, weapons discussed and places where effective ambushes could take place. Mercia had been contacted and they were sending many of their finest warriors. Included amongst those, commanding the forces, were the princes Erling and Bryan.

"Your Majesty," Erling said to Uther in a long sweeping bow, "The Mercian sword is at your service to right this wrong"

Uther welcomed the Mercian princes to his court and the planning of the attacks.

When the messenger returned with the news that Princess Esmeralda was indeed murdered by Prince Valiant, the war preparations were already done. Moments after confirmation, war was declared and Camelot and her allies started to march towards Trigore.

Uther refused to let his grief and regret distress him and turn him from his goals. He had his attacks planned. Revenge was not going to be sweet; it was going to be deadly.

Camelot and her allies marched on Trigore in a multi-prong attack. But Trigore had their own allies to help with the war, so victory was not imminent. For every skilled fighter Camelot and her allies had, they couldn't readily defeat Trigore because that kingdom employed mercenary sorcerers to help their defense and possible defeat of Camelot. This added another notch in the 'belt of prejudice' Uther held against magic.

In the second year that the kingdoms were at war, Prince Arthur joined the fight- against his father's wishes. The Crown Prince has no business fighting in a war; Uther argued. The prince has produced a son and heir, not to mention his wife, Guinevere, is ready to give birth to twins; Arthur argued back. Now Arthur was one of Camelot's best and strongest fighters. His forte was the mace but he was skilled many weapons. He would use that skill to Camelot's advantage.

War had raged on for three years. Camelot and Mercian forces were finally breaking through the defenses of the heavily guarded citadel of Trigore. The forces of Trigore and their main ally Northumbria were being defeated. Finally. Trigore had sorcery on their side and it kept the war going for longer than it should have. But even sorcery couldn't hold out against the Camelot/Mercian forces.

A knight of Camelot, Sir Pallinor, and Prince Erling of Mercia were the first to storm into the throne room. King Vestien and Queen Catrina were there with Prince Valiant. Valiant went to hide behind the curtains after their guards were defeated. Their guards were taken out by the combined forces of Camelot and Mercia. Sir Pallinor of Camelot went up to the throne were the king pulled out a sword and fought him. The knight struck him down and when Queen Catrina attacked Sir Pallinor, he swung his sword in his defense and struck her down with one blow.

Prince Valiant, seeing his parents defeated came out from behind a curtain and stabbed Sir Pallinor in the back. As the knight fell dead to the floor, Prince Erling seeing this, screamed in rage and charged the prince. Thrusts and parries and the clanking metallic noises of the swords could be heard throughout halls. They battled for what seem like an eternity when Valiant swung low but Erling swung high. His sword found its mark and pierced Valiant's heart. And the Crown Prince of Trigore, Prince Valiant…was no more.

Prince Bryan ran through the doors at that exact moment and gave a shout of victory for his brother. Erling raised his sword to give a returning victory yell but it was cut off mid-way. No one had seen the sorcerer in the corner of the room as he threw a killing spell at Erling. The prince's head snapped around and there was a sickening crunch. The prince fell dead to the floor.

"NO!" Prince Bryan screamed. He threw his dagger at the sorcerer and it found its mark in the sorcerer's heart but not before the sorcerer threw one last killing spell and Prince Bryan's head snapped sideways with a sickening crunch. Bryan fell to the floor dead.

The war was finally over and Camelot and Mercia and their allies celebrated. It was a subdued affair for both Camelot and Mercia. They were mourning the losses of both Princess Esmeralda of Camelot and the Mercian princes; Prince Erling, husband of Princess Helen of Camelot and Prince Bryan, husband of Princess Morgause of Camelot.

With the fall of the House of Trigore, the kingdom was no more. Camelot and Mercia divided up the kingdom with Camelot getting the land next to its borders with Mercia getting the inner part of the fallen kingdom. King Bayard put his next oldest son Ifor, who came of age just before the war and battled at Trigore with his brothers, on the throne. Bayard wanted to marry Ifor off to another one of Uther's daughters but Uther refused. He wouldn't barter his daughters anymore. Pain and suffering was all he had managed to accomplish the other times instead of more power. The losses of his daughter and son-in-laws were too great. These losses affected Uther terribly and caused him to make rash decisions.

Since magic was the cause of his losses, magic was evil. Magic has no place in Camelot, thought Uther. So he made a decree and banned all magic. Users were punished by death; no exceptions!

Keeping his family safe is the reason why Uther decided that he needed to lock his remaining daughters in the same room at night and put them in the highest tower of the castle. The council disagreed of course because having so many of the royal family in one place at the same time was not a wise decision. Uther would not back down and threatened anyone who opposed him.

Time-warp back to the future…

Arthur's children, three year old William and twins; one and half year olds Bryan and Gwenllian were running around and playing by their aunts and their grandmother, Ygraine. There was a collective groan when Uther told everyone that it was time to go to make their leave and head to their chambers. Protesting louder than the princesses was the children who didn't want their fun to end. It took Arthur, Guinevere and Ygraine to capture the children and cart them off to their chambers. The princesses just glared at Uther and stormed out of the room to the tower. They were especially angry because they were escorted by the castle guards.

a/n: The prologue was a bit long I know but it was needed to set the plot.