The True Pendragon

Prologue

"Sire, the sword..."

"Excalibur is not lost," Arthur said, smiling down from his throne of blue gold-an elevated form of respect in Avalon.

"But the battle... I am certain..."

"I am sure you misunderstood Merlin, Excalibur is gone, yes, but it is not lost,"

Merlin frowned, his eyes narrowing, "I...I do not understand. Arthur, you could have been killed last night. It wasn't by chance that you were brought to Avalon. Your sword was taken from you. By your father's degree, that is a form of thievery, regardless of the fact that it was taken by the same person who presented you with it,"

Arthur sighed as he got up from his throne and slowly walked past Merlin, clearly ignoring his friend's panicked look and tone of urgency, stopping at a portrait of his father.

"You worry too much Merlin, if my sword was taken from me for a reason that I didn't know, do you really think I'd be standing here talking so calmly with you?"

Merlin's frown deepened "But Arthur..."

"Excalibur will return, Merlin, I know why my sword was taken from me, it will return, not in the near future, but it will-" He clenched his fist- "And when it does Mordred will be defeated,"

Merlin wasn't convinced; he walked up to Arthur, "What if it falls into the wrong hands? What will become of the world then?"

Arthur placed his hand on Merlin's shoulder, "It will not fall into the wrong hands Merlin, rest assured,"

Merlin shook his head, "Forgive me, but how can you be so sure? There is no such logic, no proof that Excalibur will even return,"

Arthur sighed, and removed his hand from Merlin's shoulder. He had known Merlin ever since they were both young, yet he still wasn't used to Merlin being so hard to please, "Merlin, your entire career is based on prediction, surely you of all people would understand. Magic and logic have very little in common. Excalibur will only appear to one person. They, whoever they are, will have the power and the will to defeat Mordred once and for all,"

Merlin raised an eyebrow, "So the sword will just randomly appear to someone?"

Arthur laughed, "Really Merlin, you are much wiser than that, you really think that Excalibur will just pop up in front of a farmer? No, Excalibur will appear to the rightful heir. It will appear to the true Pendragon."