Chapter 1

As the sun awakens from behind the kingdoms pillars, the sun beams down throughout the whole of Camelot, stirring everybody in peaceful slumber to a slow and relaxed stretch. Merlin on the other hand groaned and looked up towards the low ceiling falling down on him, tracing the patterns formed on the white walls due to the suns reflected spectrums dancing gently in curved lines. He lifted his head slightly to view the solid wooden door standing there nearly on hinge, hoping that Gaius wouldn't come in to disturb his half-minded thought. Unfortunately the floor creaked with Gaius's familiar pace and the door opened almost instantly."Merlin,… come on boy, it's time to get up…..unless you want to risk Arthur's wrath again like yesterday"

A strained groan yet again sounded from Merlin's lips and into the hot air.

"ok, ok I'm getting up" while lifting his body from the trail of sheets he quickly threw the blanket over and puffed up his creased pillows he once slept on, viewing a wide-eyed Gaius with a straight-lined mouth, a disapproving glare appeared.

"what?"

"it looks like someone's been staying up too late"

"well someone's got to learn how to defend the prince 24/7"

"Merlin you've got to have a rest, besides Arthur doesn't want you to sleep on the job, don't you remember the last time you stayed up all night and accidentally fell on the princes duvet….. The king nearly had your head"

"Gaius you knew that was a genuine accident, but to be fair though you should of seen Arthur's face when he came in, but that jug was freezing you know" Merlin had a visual flashback of the princes red, distorted face, a soft chuckle escaped his lips from the memory. gee was it worth it though he thought.

"Merlin" the usual sound of Gaius warnings "I just don't want you to get in trouble again with Arthur, you do have a destiny at stake"

"I know, I know ill be more careful next time I promise"

"I hope so now off you go you don't want to be late especially after yesterdays events"

With that Merlin tugged a calm smile on his face and exited the door picking up a piece of white bread Gaius left for him on the table.

Walking down each marbled step, Merlin recalled all of the spells he recited last night. Genuinely he thought he massively improved from what he usually was at, he could now make water move instantly with only one word shaped into any design or pattern he wished to dismay, he could slow down time just using his eyes flickering and magnifying into a single millimetre of detail, he could even and more importantly begin to trust his sense of direction if he ever got lost, helped by using his crimson neckerchief to cover up his eyes, spinning around a few times, and then trying to guess which direction his wooden door was at. even though he did all of this under 10 hours it came as a consequence due to this mornings struggle to get up, that was definitely the last time he was ever going to stay up to go over his hard covered book of spells…. Unless Arthur found out a way to kill himself under 12 hours… yes that would probably be the only excuse. Without realising going down the staircase, across the court yard and up a couple of flights of concrete planks he was already arriving down towards the corridor where Arthur pendragons chamber lied. Entering in the dark, red shifted room, Merlin moved across to Arthur's near-pleated curtain and opened them up with a quick swishing sound.

"Rise and shine dollop head" Arthur stirred and then laid his half-opened eyes onto Merlin, his strange cheery smile opened up like the fresh morning wind, yet Merlins face composure led Arthur to believe that how anyone can be this happy as soon as the sun rises, it's a mystery to him, even though his servants smile was oddly infectious towards him, instead he took out his frustration onto Merlin about how oddly wonderful he was by making a crinkled up glare at him.

"How the hell can you be this happy right at the crack of dawn?" Arthur replied while stretching his arms out yawning.

"Don't know just am I suppose…why? Isn't that normal?"

"Your probably one of the most maddest people I have ever laid eyes on you know Merlin"

"Thanks, I wouldn't keep crinkling your face if I was you… that's how you get winkles"

As soon as Merlin said that Arthur jumped out of his bed like he had an electric shock and went straight for the mirror, pulling his face at different angles to make sure the current effects wouldn't last, he sighed in relief giving Merlin an opportunity for a small smile to appear on his face moving his face downwards. phew he thought, Guinevere has had enough of an excuse to wait for him not alone to put up with future winkles which he was bound to get when years to come of looking after the kingdom comes.

"wow, speedy. that was quicker than gwaine running towards the tavern"

"oh shut up Merlin" and with that Merlin began to fetch the princes clothes for the day and carefully laid them out in perfect order on the table along with his black, leathered belt twisted above Arthur's oak handle belonging to his sword.

While helping Arthur out into his duty clothes, Merlin wondered if there was a spell to give his master the knowledge about how to put his trousers on at the least without his servants help, hmm that would be a risk he was willing to take but when Arthur looked back at him and saw the smile reappear again he couldn't resist to ask.

"What are you smiling about ?"

"Nothing, gee Arthur why are you so paranoid about what people think?" re-shooting this type of question startled the prince.

"I don't….why do you think that?"

"I don't know maybe it's something to do with the fact that you keep asking me why I'm doing simple expressions and relating it back to you in some way…"

"Be quiet Merlin, I'm not paranoid, at least I can walk across a room without tripping , falling or even mortally endangering myself!"

"I don't do tha.." and with that a quick glimpse of the past flashing back to him stole his words by the images of himself falling over anything which came to contradict his path. "ok maybe your right there".A small pause occurred while Arthur gave a small victory huff and smile. "but your still a prat". Arthur gave his eyes a full circular motion when turning around to meet merlins twinkling blue eyes.

A knock on the door echoed throughout the room, reaching Arthur's and merlins ears fully.

"Come in"

With a quick cough Arthur sounded, a blood red dragon chest appeared, as a knight of Camelot came through the door with quite a humble presence about him, his blonde hair smoothed back to his parting looking thoroughly combed through, squaring with a serious looking expression towards the prince of Camelot.

"Sir Leon"

"Sire, the king requests your presence immediately down in the great hall, I must warn you Sire it is of great emergency and also the king himself doesn't look to pleased"

And with a quick nod sir Leon walked back into the corridor and down to the great hall himself.