CHAPTER 1: THE REVELATION PART 1

(DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MERLIN. THE CHARACTERS DEPICTED ARE MERELY FICTIONAL AND THE FOLLOWING EVENTS NEVER OCCURRED. PLEASE FOLLOW, AND LEAVE REVIEWS. THANK YOU, AND ENJOY!)

BRADLEY

I woke up when the aeroplane attendant lightly shook my shoulder.

"We've arrived, milord." She sweetly said as I nodded.

California.

I can finally see Colin again.

After leaving the aeroplane, I insisted to my drive to drive me to Los Angeles, California instead of Beverly Hills. He gave me a look, and I just told him that I have friends there.

In truth, however, Colin lives there with some of his friends. I really want to see him before going back to England and marrying Merlin.

Merlin is a good man and a boyfriend, but I know that he was just forced in this stupid engagement as well. I'm sure; he just doesn't have the guts to refuse his father from marrying me. In truth though, Merlin and I are just best friends and that will never change.

ARTHUR

My eyes opened when I smelled dad's cooking.

"Arthur I know you're up, so come eat down here." dad shouted from downstairs in his usual British accent.

Sometimes I wonder if he's just fooling around, but I know he's not because he can talk fast in that accent when he's mad.

So I got up from bed, and got ready for work. I hate going to work, especially when I'm a waiter in a small café. But who am I to whine right? Since finishing high school, I've been saving money for college.

"I made your favorite breakfast." dad smiled and handed me a plate full of three stacked pancakes, three pieces of sausage, two pieces of bacon, and fluffy scrambled eggs.

"I love you so much dad." I smiled at him from ear to ear, and started eating like a dog.

"Arthur, please do slow down. You'll get hiccups if you do not." Dad tried to warn me, but I was too hungry to listen. Come to think of it, I don't actually listen to my dad when it comes to food.

"Dad, do we have orange juice?" I asked while chewing eggs.

"We do, and you really need to learn proper etiquette." He shook his head, and I just smiled.

My mother should be the one cooking me meals, but dad said that mom is someone that we shouldn't be talking about. Whenever I ask him, he just say the same old answer—that mom is some aristocrat and they had an affair which led to me being born.

"So, how are Lancelot and Gwen? Aren't they engaged?"

"Yeah; they're going to get married next year after Gwen's graduation from college."

"Well, invite them here once in a while. I haven't seen them in a while."

"Dad, it's only been two weeks since you saw those two. But I will tell them what you said, and I'm sure they will gladly accept your invitation."

BRADLEY

I created small circles on Colin's chest with my forefinger as he chuckled.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, as I sighed.

"I wish you were rich like Merlin, so mother would approve of you." I said to him frankly.

"Well, I'm not." He peeled my arm from underneath his head as I grunted.

"Colin, will you please hear me out here?"

"Bradley, you have no idea how much I wanted to be those things. I'm sorry that I'm just an ordinary guy without any type of college degree whatsoever." He flipped, as I hugged him from behind.

"Colin, you are my world." I kissed his bare shoulder. "We need to at least be happy with the time we have." I sadly whispered.

"I love you too, and I'm sorry I flipped out like that." He turned around and cupped my face with his hands. "I'm just frustrated that I only have two months with you until you announce your engagement to the world with Merlin."

"I know." He leaned forward and kissed me deeply. Oh, how I will miss his kisses so much.

ARTHUR

After work, I went to the kitchen and found a note on the fridge by dad.

Mr. Williams got arrested again.

I have to bail him out of jail. You know how lawyers are.

Anyways, Gwen and Lancelot called and they said you meet them in the bar you guys hang out at.

Don't wait for me, and please lock the doors.

PS,

Don't drive if you get drunk. I don't want to go back to the police station and bail you too.

I chuckled and looked at my watch.

"Well, I need to get ready then." I said to myself after checking the time.

GWEN

After fifteen minutes of driving, we finally arrived in the Rising Sun bar.

"Do you think he's here?" I asked Lance, and he just chuckled.

"Knowing Arthur, I don't think he's even close to finishing getting ready." I laughed as he parked.

"Remind me again, why did you get Arthur as your best man when he's that lazy and slow?"

"Because your best friend, Freya, is going to kill you if you didn't make her as your maid of honor."

"True." I chuckled once more, and we finally got out of the car. "We need to reserve seats; you know how much it gets crowded in there."

When we entered, I saw my brother, Elyan, working as the bartender.

"Hey Elyan, is it a busy night so far?" I smiled and he just shrugged.

"Don't really pay attention as long as I get a tip from them." He winked and he nods at the chairs near the stage. "Arthur's early today." I followed his gaze and saw Arthur sitting while drinking scotch.

"Since when did Arthur like scotch?" I raised a brow and thanked Elyan. We approached Arthur and I kissed his cheeks.

"We thought you're going to be late again." Lance chuckled as he jokingly slapped Arthur's arm.

Arthur gave us a raised eye brow combined with a confused look.

"Do I know you?" he spoke in a British accent just like his father and Lance and I just laughed.

"You are so weird Arthur." I said, and grabbed his scotch and took a sip. "Ugh! This is so strong."

"Arthur? I'm not Arthur, and thank you for sipping my scotch."

"Arthur, stop the joke and stop with the British accent already; it's so weird hearing you talk like that." Lance said in a serious tone while Arthur sighed.

"If mother sent you to spy on me, or if a paparazzi gave you money for a scoop, please do realize that I'm only here to relax." He shook his head as Lance and I just looked at each other with confusion.

"Since when did you have a mother?"

"Gwen!" I turned around and saw the shock of my life. I heard a chair falling down from behind, and Lance shouting.

"ARTHUR?" we both shouted and we both looked at the man sitting down. He looked up and looked at the man standing in front of us.

"What in the world?" the person with Arthur's face stood up, and Arthur also had that blank expression.

"I haven't had a sip even before I came." He blinked twice, and a man with an Irish accent came.

"Bradley, is something—"he stopped after seeing Arthur. "What in the world is going on?"

There, in front of us are two Arthurs with the most confused expressions.