"A slave should not look at their master in the eyes. They must obey their masters and perform their duties with the utmost care. Slaves are nothing, they are property. Remember this my little Bird."

Dirty hands clutched together. A young girl kneeling before 'the Master'. Harsh hands tracing the back of her spine. Hate, pure hatred runs it's course through her, How long has it been? An hour, a day, a week, a year? she can no longer feel the time pass, not with that damnable piece of metal on her wrist, burning her up from the inside out, with icy coldness.

"You thought you could run? How cute. You are mine, mine."

Shouts and screaming are heard from outside the tent. It no longer matter to her. All she wants is peace. Rough hands are quickly withdrawn from her skin. A flash of black comes across her field of vision. 'Master' quickly withdraws his sword from it's scabbard, not elegantly, but with enough speed to block the attacker's first strike. The opponent is fast and skilled. The black cape blocks her view as 'Master' chokes on his own blood, and is quickly killed.

Black boots comes closer to her. Soft hands, roughened enough to show his long dedication to swordsmanship, grasps her wrist. The manacles binding her magic falls off with a quiet thud. Instantly she is gasping, clutching her chest as her magic wounds itself around her. Like a soft warm caress. Color crashes into her vision with such vibrance it is almost blinding. She looks up to see a kind face. Blue eyes like the sea and blonde hair as bright as the sun. He swooped her up in his arms and with long strides left the tent. All she could do was sigh into his neck as she closed her eyes. It is the first time meeting the man, it was only the beginning. He would be hers, she would make sure of that. Her savior that saved her from this hellish place. Her God.

Merlin cried out and fell out of his bed. Again and again, his dreams plagued him. He was sure that they were not like Morgana's yet they seemed familiar to him. He looked at the ceiling and heard the 'Thud' as the door was slammed open and Gaius looked down at him and raised his 'Eyebrow of Doom'. "What are you doing boy? The Prince is waiting for you and you are late!" Merlin groaned, another day of working for the Pratling Prince.

He ran out the room, snatching a piece of bread his guardian threw at him, with a quick, "Thank you Gaius, I wouldn't know what to do without you." He ran to the kitchen stumbling a few time before righting himself. Snatching the Prince's breakfast from the kitchen he ran towards the Prince's bedroom.

Prince Arthur looked at him, turning away from his window as his servant barged in without as so much as a knock. "Where the hell have you been?! I am needed right now and I need to be dressed for the visitors of Cornwall!"

"Yes, yes, your Royal Pratness. I understand." Swifty Merlin dresses him with nimble fingers.

In a softer tone Arthur says, "Cornwall is where my mother once lived." Merlin stops for a mere moment before resting a hand on his shoulder. Arthur for a moment lets himself enjoy such intimacy before leaving the room, Merlin at his heels.

Walking towards the castle steps, Arthur quickly joins his father on the top of the castle steps, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Merlin quickly went to side where his mentor was, and only moments later several horses appeared. A young man approached on a horse, dressed in nobleman's clothing, he was a handsome man if not a bit plain looking with pale skin and dull blonde hair, and freckles splattered on his cheek. The only intriguing feature he had were his eyes, green and bright. He looked calm, yet his eyes betrayed his nervousness as he approached the king. The serving boy behind him, ducked his head down, but Merlin was quickly enraptured by the boy as even though he dressed in serving clothes, he made his own presence known, even when tryin not too.

The men dismounted their horses and approached the royal family of Camelot. Uther smiled,"You must be Ashton the Duke of Cornwall."

A calm, almost tranquil smile was on his face, "I wished to see my late cousin's son, Prince Arthur of Camelot for Camelot's Anniversary, as well as discuss some...personal business with you my lord." As they began to talk, Merlin curiously frew his eyes to the Duke's serving boy only to see ice cold blue eyes gazing at him, a smirk goring on his face. Black hair falling on his his forehead, he was a handsome man.

Merlin was brought back to reality, as he heard his name come from Arthur's lips, "...Merlin shall show you too your rooms, if you need anything at all, he is at your disposal." Sighing softly he walked in the direction of the guest rooms and finally to where the nobleman would be staying, but as soon as the area was empty, he was shoved against the stone wall of the castle, a hand tightening its hold on his upper arm. Wincing Merlin looked at his attacker to see the nobleman looking at him with cold eyes, as the serving boy approached forward. The serving boy lightly touching his face as the nobleman stepped back.

"You still look as lovely as ever, even with such a disguise. When will you drop the act?"

Merlin panted, but could not speak. The nobleman and his servant the proceeded to walk into the room. All Merlin could feel was confusion. Yet the servant boy felt so familiar, too familiar.

In the throne room only a few hours later, the king sat on his throne, his guests standing in for the of him. In the throne room besides the royal family and the King's ward and her maidservant, Gaius and Merlin himself are inside, Gaius being the court physician and Merlin because he was the physician's assistant.

The nobleman stepped forward, "My king, as you know there once was a...man, who loyally served you as a knight and was the late Queen's Champion. I have heard word from the east that he is here. in the heart of Camelot."

The King tensed, face turned into a grimace,"That is not possible...that knight is long dead."

"Ah, but my Lord, do you not remember how anormed the Druids were with her? They would have kept her alive in anyway possible."

The King had a pained look in his face, that quickly became cold,"Are you implying that...he has come back for vengeance?"

The serving boy suddenly stepped forward, outraged by the accusation,"Vengeance? On Camelot? The same knight who swore his fidelity to his Queen and Camelot? You dishonor his memory by saying such things, he was a man who loved this place, and fought, bled and died for you!"

The King's face grew tight,"Guards arrest this man!"

The boy gave the King a smirk, "Is that how one treats family?" The guards open the doors and were about to arrest the man, only to be stopped by the king himself.

The King could only bark out, "Ashton of Cornwall, why have you deceived me?"

"Well, I thought the young Prince here, deserved to know the truth. Aren't I kind? I thought the young Prince Arthur deserved to know who his manservant really is. To he, he himself truly is. That I deserved an explanation, to why She abandoned me!" At this he turned away from the King and turned towards Merlin, tears glistening in his eyes, but not yet shed. "Was I not loyal? You promised me! You promised! Why Him! Did Tristan not warn you?! So why? Why?"

Merlin could only look back confused. Arthur then stepped forward, ready to protect his servant, in case this 'Ashton' proved to be dangerous. Only to be knocked to the floor. Ashton's eyes looked at him with pure hatred. "And you, she always did have a soft spot for you. She never took our warnings to heart. Always believing that you were a good man."

Merlin tensed, ever ready to protect his prince, from the mad man. "I do not know who you speak of, Merlin here is clearly a man, and is my manservant. You are clearly mistaken."

Ashton snarled and the man beside him grasped his shoulder, "My Lord, this is not the way a respectable nobleman reacts. Calm yourself. We have not come here to quarrel remember? Only to guide."

"Yes, you are right...as always," Ashton whispered. "Yet, I can not allow such betrayal to go unpunished for much longer. I have waited for over twenty years for such a day. He killed not only his wife, but our Queen. The one that was supposed to lead us all into the Golden Age, he killed her and left us with a...a...peasant!"

Uther frowned not pleased with the situation at hand. In fact he was seconds away from having the irritable duo thrown into the dungeons. Only his curiosity kept him from doing so nothing else. "Do you have any proof?" he asked. "All I have heard from you is accusations, nothing else."

"Solid proof?" asked Ashton, his voice quivering, as if holding back laugh. "As you wish."

Ashton approached Merlin walking in steady steps. The knights tensing, watching to see what he would do. He grabbed Merlin's wrist and dragged him to the center of the room. Arthur quickly moved for his sword, "What do you think you're doing to my servant?"

Ashton smirked, "Showing you, your 'proof.' Is this not what you want?"

Uther waved his hand at Arthur, curious to see what would happen. Ashton took a small dagger from his boot and sliced Merlin's hand. Blood fell to the floor, and Ashton murmured words under his breath, his eyes flashing gold, and faster than Uther could shout, 'Sorcerer' the wind picked up from inside the room, and in a seconds the King his son and ward, as well as their servants, Gaius and the two guests disappeared. The guards in the room looked dumbfoundedly at one another, not knowing what exactly to do since their King was gone.