A/N Hi! So, this story is like a Merlin version of the Princess Bride, which is an amazing movie. I actually got the inspiration for this from a post on tumblr, so if you are the author of that post and you want credit, just PM me and I will definitely credit you (I tried to find it, but I lost the post on my dashboard). So, I really hope that you enjoy this. I want to clarify that Morgana is not Arthur's sister in this story, because that would be kind of weird.

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or the Princess Bride, even though they are both AH-MAZING!


Arthur was raised as a prince in the grand kingdom of Camelot. His favorite pastimes were training and tormenting his manservant, Merlin, though he never called him that. He would only refer to the boy as idiot, or buffoon or dollophead. Nothing gave Arthur as much pleasure as ordering Merlin around. He would command his servant to do the most difficult and tedious of tasks, and all Merlin would ever say to him was "As you wish".

The day came when Arthur realized that when Merlin said "As you wish", what he really meant was "I love you", and the young prince was amazed when he realized that he truly loved the servant back. Knowing that Arthur's father, King Uther, would never allow them to be together, Merlin decided to pack the few belongings he had and to go out to sea and find his fortune, so that one day when Arthur was king, he could return and they could be together.

Before he left, Arthur made Merlin swear that they would see each other again, and the servant promised that he would always come for him. When Arthur asked how he could be so sure, Merlin smiled and answered, "This is true love. Do you think this happens every day?"

But Merlin never made it to his destination. His ship was attacked by the Dread Pirate Cenred, who never left captives alive. When Arthur received word that his love had been murdered, he locked himself in his chambers for days, neither sleeping nor eating. It was then that he swore to himself that he'd never love again.


It was five years later when Uther decided that it was time for Arthur to assume the throne of Camelot. The king was very ill, and was not expected to last much longer, but he hid his illness well as he stepped out onto the balcony to make his announcement.

"People of Camelot, a month from now, our kingdom with celebrate its 100th anniversary. On that day my son, Prince Arthur, will be married, and I will step down as king so that he may assume the throne. May I present to you Arthur and his bride-to-be, the Lady Morgana, Princess of Avalon."

He stepped to the side as Arthur walked out onto the balcony with a beautiful, dark-haired woman on his arm. Morgana smiled and acknowledged the crowd, but Arthur just stared out at the people blankly. The prince's emptiness had consumed him. Although he was arranged to marry the Lady Morgana, he did not love her. Despite his father's reassurances that he would grow to love the beautiful lady, the only real joy he found was his daily ride, which gave him a taste of the freedom he hadn't truly felt since Merlin's passing.

It was on one of these rides, a few days before the wedding, when the prince came across three men on his regular trail. One was an older man with black hair and an unsettling air about him, the second was a giant, but he had a much kinder face and the third was a rogue looking man with very nice hair and a charming smile. Each carried a sword on his hip.

"Excuse me." The older man stepped closer to the prince with a grin. "We are but poor, lost travelers, my lord. Are there any towns or villages nearby?"

The prince shook his head. "There is nothing around for miles." Before the prince knew what was happening, the giant knocked him in the back of the head with the butt of his sword and the prince fell from his horse, unconscious.

The men carried the prince to their boat, where the older man began ripping something from a piece of old fabric. The rogue raised his eyebrow.

"Agravaine, what are you ripping?" he called to the man.

"Fabric from the uniform of a knight of Mercia." The older man explained.

"Mercia?" the larger man asked, causing Agravaine to roll his eyes.

"Yes, Mercia. The sworn enemies of Camelot." He tied attached the fabric to the prince's saddle and urged the horse back to Camelot. "Once the prince's horse returns home without a rider, the king will be furious. He will suspect the Mercians, and when he finds the prince's body on Mercian land, his suspicions will be confirmed and he will declare war."

The giant's eyes widened. "You never said anything about killing anyone."

Agravaine let out an exasperated sigh. "Percival, we are helping to start a war. There are going to be casualties."

Percival shrugged. "I just don't see why we have to kill him is all."

"I agree with Perce." The rogue chimed in and Agravaine looked at him pointedly.

"What happens to him is not truly your concern. I will be the one to kill him! Don't forget, Gwaine, that when I found you, you were so slobbering drunk you couldn't buy a tankard of ale! And you," he turned to back to Percival. "Do you want me to send me back to where I found you? Homeless, friendless, unemployed?"

The giant looked down at his feet and Agravaine boarded the boat angrily with Percival and Gwaine following closely behind him. The prince had yet to stir when they finally cast off towards Mercia and Arthur's doom.


Night had fallen and Arthur sat quietly on the deck of the boat, trying to think of a means of escape. The rogue sat on the back of the boat, staring behind them while the giant stood across from the prince, guarding him.

"We'll reach the cliffs by dawn." Agravaine announced before looking up at Gwaine, who was still looking behind them. "Why are you doing that?"

Gwaine shrugged. "Making sure we're not being followed."

"That would be impossible."

"Despite what you think, you will be caught." The prince spoke up. "And when you are, my father will see you all hanged."

Agravaine smirked and leaned down into the prince's face. "Of all the necks on this boat, highness, the one you should be worried about is your own." He chuckled before glancing over and seeing Gwaine looking behind them again.

"Would you stop doing that? We can all relax, it's almost over."

The rogue looked back at the older man. "Are you sure that no one is following us?"

"As I told you it would be absolutely, totally, and in all other ways inconceivable. No one in Mercia knows what we've done, and no one in Camelot could have gotten here so fast." He leaned back and closed his eyes for a few seconds before sitting up quickly. "Just out of curiosity, why do you ask?"

"I just happened to look behind us and saw someone there."

Agravaine jumped up quickly and ran back to where Gwaine was standing. Off on the horizon was a small boat that was getting closer and closer to them.

"It's probably nothing." Agravaine tried to convince himself before hearing a loud splash. He turned around to see that the prince had jumped overboard and was now swimming away from the boat. He nudged Gwaine. "What are you waiting for? Go in after him!"

"I don't swim."

They looked to the giant who shook his head. "I only dog paddle."

Agravaine let out an angry yell as he rushed over to the railing and began shouting orders at Gwaine and Percival.

Arthur was about ten yards away from the boat when he began to hear loud wails coming from the water. He gasped as something passed by his leg and he heard his captor yell from the boat, "You hear that, highness? Do you know what it is? They're shrieking eels. If you don't believe me, just wait. They always get louder when they're about to feast on human flesh."

Arthur began to panic as an eel passed right by his face. They were getting louder. "If you swim back now," Agravaine continued. "I promise that no harm will come to you. I doubt the eels will give you such an offer."

The prince looked out at the water and saw a large eel coming right for him. He couldn't think of what to do except watch as the creature opened its mouth and moved in for the kill.


A/N So should I continue this? I really love this whole idea, but if no one else does, I won't continue. Ummm... Review please, but be constructive, not destructive.

(BTW, if you have never seen the Princess Bride, you are probably cursing me and thinking that I just killed Merlin. All I can say to that is keep reading)