Hey guys! So, as a Christmas/Kwanzaa/Chanukah/Hanukah/Winter Solstice/Eid/Birthday/New Year present to everybody, I've wrote a Christmas based Merlin fic! I just want to thank all my readers for being so awesome! So Merry, or should I say Merlin, whatever holiday you celebrate!

This is the story of Merlin's first Christmas at Camelot. (Takes place during Season 1)

Camelot was under a blanket of snow, and the people place Christmas decorations everywhere. Each window you passed by had some sort of decoration. Those who had a prosperous year were fortunate enough to have a fully decorated tree in their window. Most of the people just had small trees with little homemade decorations, and a few presents under the tree. Even the poorest would have a little red ribbon or something to show their Christmas spirit.

Christmas was a big deal in Camelot, and if you didn't celebrate it you would seem unpatriotic. In fact, there were two things that might irk Uther to chop your head off. One: You have magic. Two: You're not celebrating Christmas. Most people celebrated Christmas willingly, but there were a few in which they were just weary of the executioner's axe.

Seeing that Christmas was a big deal in Camelot, the palace obviously had to have the biggest, bestest, tree. Usually Uther chose the tree, but let's face it, Uther was getting old. His knights knew it, his people knew it, his servants knew it, his ward knew it, and even Uther himself knew it.

So this year he decided that he'd have his son do it. Honestly, why not? Arthur was going to be King some day, so he needed to practice picking out the tree. Uther thought this was a grand idea and so did all of Camelot. Well, not all exactly. Two boys did not like this idea so much.

And this, my friend, is where our story begins.

…

Merlin got dressed slowly, dreading the day ahead of him. He really didn't understand what the big deal was. Back in Ealdor Christmas was about celebrating the birth of Christ, not how big your tree was. But things were a lot different in Camelot; Merlin found that out the first day he had arrived. But this? This was absolutely ridiculous.

As the sun began to peak over the horizon, Merlin knew he could not stall anymore. He still had to wake Gaius up, stop by the laundry and fetch Arthur's clothes, and run by the kitchen's and get Arthur's food. So the young Warlock set about his tasks, in hopes that today would not be as horrible as he expected.

Soon the sun was fully above the horizon, and at that time Merlin was pulling open Arthur's curtains, letting the sun and brightness of snow shine in.

"Good morning, sire!" Merlin greeted with a grin.

"Is it really?" Arthur muttered, pulling a pillow over his face to block out the light.

"Yes, it is! The sun is shining, the ground is covered in snow, all is well in Camelot and-"

"-And I have to pick out a perfect tree, or I will look like a failure to all of Camelot."

Merlin sighed, "Breakfast is ready."

Arthur waved his arm at him, his head still face down in a pillow, "I'm not hungry."

Merlin felt a spark of hope. He had carried the food all the way up, and it had looked and smelled quite appetizing, "Really?" Merlin asked edging towards the food, "If you'd like I could just…"Merlin's fingers hovered over a sausage, "take care of it for you."

"Merlin. Do not. Touch. My food."

The young warlock pulled his hands away disappointedly. He turned around to see Arthur in the same position and threw him an exasperated look.

"Arthur, you're going to appear as a coward if you don't even try."

The young prince's head snapped up and faced his manservant, "Shut up, Merlin."

Shrugging, Merlin began to pull clothes out of Arthur's wardrobe. This time, when he turned around he saw a bored Arthur waiting for him impatiently. Biting his tongue, Merlin helped Arthur dress.

As Arthur ate that delicious looking and smelling food, Merlin made the bed. He tried to ignore the comments Arthur was making as he ate.

"Mhmm, this is really good, Merlin."

Instead of responding, Merlin fluffed out the last pillow and set it down gently. He turned to face the Prince.

"Ready when you are, sire."

Arthur sipped the remaining liquid in the goblet and wiped his mouth, "Well, let's go then."

The two of them marched out to the pine forest just outside Camelot. At first sight Arthur's mouth dropped open, "I had never realized how many trees this forest had."

"And to think," Merlin added with a grin, "That you have to look at all of them, just to see which one is the best."

The young Prince turned to glare at his manservant, "And you'll be with me, Merlin, every step of the way. Even if it takes us all day and all night, we'll find the perfect tree. And you forget Merlin, who had breakfast and who did not."

The grin quickly faded from Merlin's face, "Better get to it then, hadn't we?"

Arthur was going to reply with a snotty comment but realized that Merlin was right. Despite Arthur's threat, he didn't really want to be out here during the night. He was cold already and shuddered to think about the temperature at nightfall.

So, they began their search. The forest contained many trees, and Arthur would only spare a tree a single glance and then continued on. After about an two hours of this, Merlin got fed up with the lack of progress.

"Arthur, you just passed another perfectly good tree!"

Quickly the prince spun around and pointed a finger directly at Merlin's chest, "Merlin, I don't think you get it, do you? This tree just can't be perfectly good, it has to be absolutely perfect! It has to be fat and tall! The right shade of green! The branches need to shape elegantly outward, and it can't have too many pinecones, nor too little! So, if you see any trees that fit's this category, then by all means, point it out!"

Merlin looked over Arthur's shoulder, "How about that one?"

Arthur, expecting it to be another non-perfect tree, rolled his eyes and turned around. His eyes rested on the. Perfect. Christmas. Tree.

It fit Arthur's description perfectly. It was a little over ten feet tall and very wide. Not only that, but it had a deep, dark shade of green with the perfect amount of pinecones. Arthur's mouth dropped.

After a couple moments of silence the young prince spoke up, "Good job, Merlin." With that he began to trudge towards the tree. Merlin followed faithful as ever.

When they had reached the tree Arthur held out his hand, "Axe, Merlin."

Merlin gave him the axe, and watched as Arthur striked at the base of the evergreen tree. It didn't leave a mark. Arthur stared at it for a moment in disbelief. After a seconds hesitation Arthur lifted the axe once more and swung it with all his might.

The base of the tree had a little tiny mark.

"You've got to be kidding me." Arthur muttered.

"Should we try a different tree?"

"No, Merlin. We should not try a different tree. Do you think my father became King by being lazy? Know, he took hold, and he didn't give up. That's exactly what I'm going to do."

The warlock raised his eyebrow but said nothing. He watched as Arthur continued to hack at the tree.

After about five minutes of chopping at the tree with all his strength, the lactic acid began to build in Arthur's arms and back, beads of sweat appeared at his forehead, and his breathing became rigid. The tree barely suffered a dent.

Merlin knew the prince could not go on much long like this, so he whispered a magic spell to strengthen the axe. With a flash of gold in his eyes the axe had a faint glow, but it disappeared quicker. Arthur's efforts were no longer in vain. Arthur froze and turned around.

"Merlin, did you notice anything?"

"Other than you losing to a tree? Not a thing."

Arthur glared at Merlin, but began to chop once more. Because of Arthur's magical strengthened axe, the tree fell down in no time. When Arthur turned around looking very serious, Merlin was afraid he'd been found out.

But then a triumphant grin spread across the Prince of Camelot's face, "Did you see that? I chopped down the perfect tree, all by myself!"

Merlin grinned back, "Great job, Arthur!"

Arthur laughed victoriously and dropped the axe on the ground where the magic quickly left it. "I did it! I won't appear as a failure!"

Merlin grinned.

"Merlin, tie the rope around the tree." Arthur ordered, still smiling over his victory.

The young Warlock did as he was bid, and once he was done he stood up and wiped the snow off his knees.

"What are you smiling for, Merlin? You're going to drag the tree back to the castle. All. By. Yourself."

"What?" Merlin gasped in disbelief.

"You heard me. Now go."

Unable to perform magic to carry it, Merlin picked up the end of the rope. He pulled as hard as he could.

Nothing happened. The tree didn't move. Not even an inch.

The poor guy tried again.

No results.

But Merlin kept on trying, and Arthur watched his manservant in amusement. After Merlin had move it three inches, his knees were in the snow and he was gasping for breath. Arthur smiled in amusement and helped him up.

"Alright, I guess I'll help you now."

Merlin excepted the outstretched hand and stood up, "You weren't really going to make me drag the tree back to the castle, were you?"

"Nope, it was just purely for my enjoyment."

"Prat!" Merlin exclaimed.

Arthur grabbed the rope, "Hey, idiot, you're still helping."

Merlin grabbed the rope and began to help Arthur pull the tree back to Camelot.

When the castle appeared the sun was halfway below the horizon.

"Merlin." Arthur said.

"Yes, Arthur?"

"Thanks for helping."

"You're welcome Arthur."

"Merry Christmas, Merlin."

The young warlock was quite astonished that Arthur cared enough for him to wish him a happy holiday. A smile spread over his face. Perhaps the dragon was right. One day he and Merlin will be great friends.

"Merry Christmas, Arthur."