Despite Balinor's mistrust of the High Priestess's motives Nimueh had been permitted to help Merlin to manage his powers. He had grown stronger as he had grown and now as at a point where he was able to do everything that Nimueh could find records for. In teaching him the High Priestess found she was able to access small quantities of magic herself and was working hard to improve. Nimueh's magic worried Balinor who remained uncertain about the woman. At the same time Merlin's parents insisted that he do most things without magic so he didn't get lazy, much to Merlin's dismay. He was a typical teenager after all. But even with the magic the King and Queen were careful that he also studied all other subjects so he understood others. As far as they knew he was still the only magic user. Balinor also insisted that his son had a childhood as much like other children as he could. He had several close friends and his magic was a carefully guarded secret with only a very few people aware until he reached his sixteen birthday and then it was announced to the citizens. That way he had his childhood without the pressure of expectation on him.

Thanks to Balinor's insistence not to interfere in other countries business, and the pagan beliefs his people held, Essetir had managed to avoid many of the problems of other countries. It's people were conservationists by nature, despite this Essetir was considered almost a third world country by the rest of the world, due in part to their non-reliance on technology and to its isolation in the Atlantic ocean some 800 miles west if Ireland. This had also meant they were not targeted by the mass migration that was happening elsewhere as in many ways they were considered by outsiders to be backward. As a consequence although it was about the same size as England at 50,000 square miles, it had a population of less than half a million. But it was their beliefs that bound them together and gave then the positive attitude and nonmaterialistic outlook. They truly believed that they had to look after the land and sea with all its diversity if they were to prosper.

Balinor knew this isolation was something that would not last forever. The world was a rapidly shrinking place. Nimueh didn't seem to be able to say why magic had made a comeback now and what it was his son was supposed to achieve. The only references had been found by the Court Physician Gaius who believed it was linked to an old prophesy and meant that Merlin would link with a king from another land to help save the world from the problems it was facing. But more answers had come when Balinor took his son to meet the Great Dragon.

Kilgarrah was very old and no longer as active as he had been, it was believed he was at the end of his very long life. He claimed to be two thousand years old and no one argued with him about it. Many centuries before he had lived in Britain but left and came to Essetir with Aithusa, a young female and set up home. Together they had rebuilt a small population of dragons on the island. It was he who renamed the first King as Balinor in honour of a dragonlord. When Merlin had been born he had asked the King to name his son Merlin. When asked why he had said "He was my last dragonlord, and your son will live to see many changes, I will tell you more when he reached sixteen."

Hunith had agreed with the request and so Merlin had been named. Now the day had arrived Balinor took his son with him and they stood in front of the great beast "I have brought my son to you as asked Kilgarrah, will you now answer the question of sixteen years ago?"

Kilgarrah looked at Merlin with now almost sightless eyes. "What a small boy for such a great destiny" he smiled as if laughing at a joke only he understood. "Well Merlin, you look just like your namesake all those years ago, and you have his magic. And elsewhere the other half of your coin is waiting for you. When you meet him it will be like it was before, but this time I hope destiny will be kinder to you both"

Merlin frowned "I don't understand"

"All will become clear with time. Only this time I will not be there to guide you. But Aithusa will be, she has many years left. Mother Earth has called upon the Goddess to help save her and she listened. That is why you were born as you were. You and the Once and Future King will work together to change that what needs to be changed and put right what had gone wrong." The dragon paused for breath "Listen to your heart Young Warlock, but heed my warning all will not be on your side, friends will become enemy's and enemy's friends but throughout the team from the past will stand by your side." The dragon raised himself up and looked into the corner of his cave "In the back of my cave kept safe since I arrived here are three things that will help you. I wish I had more time with you but all things come to an end. I have had a good life and lived to see you once more young friend." The great Dragon looked at Balinor "At least this time the warlock has had a father to guide him. Goodbye my friend" with that the great dragon closed his eyes for the last time.

As father and son stood and watched Aithusa the white dragon flew down form where she had been watching and a gentle flame left her mouth and the Great Dragon was enveloped and was gone. She turned to Merlin and Balinor "I will miss my mate, but his time had come. I will always be there for you young Warlock you have but to call, we are kin. If I may" she looked at him, although she had never grown to the size of the Great Dragon she was till huge in comparison to the humans before her.

Merlin looked puzzled "I don't know what you are asking"

"I will give you the knowledge necessary for us to be as kin" Aithusa said simply "It will not hurt"

Merlin nodded his permission and the white dragon sent a plume of golden mist over the young man. As it cleared he smiled at her "Thank you Aithusa"

"Go and collect that which was given you, it was once the first Merlin's, then return to your home" with that she flew off.

Merlin climbed down and was soon back with a very old back pack and a staff. He opened it carefully and inside was a very old leather bound book. Opening it with great care he smiled "It is a spell book. I recognise the language from what Nimueh has been teaching me." In faded writing on the front page was written 'To Merlin from Gaius' Merlin looked at the staff that was made of wood and had runes carved in the side and topped with a crystal.

Balinor looked at his son "I suggest you tell no one you have these items Merlin. We need to work out your enemies from your friends first. I must say all this talk of a destiny worries me. I didn't want this for you my boy"

Merlin hugged his father "From what I understand Destiny's give you little choice in the matter. But I have you and Mum as well as Aithusa to guide me" he hesitated before saying "So the story of naming me after mother's favourite bird isn't true then?"

Balinor chuckled "Funnily enough it is, when you mum found out she was pregnant we thought of lots of names. I wanted something that reflected my beliefs, something based on nature. Your mother suggested Merlin as it is a bird she loved from her childhood and so it would connect you to your welsh roots, if you had been a girl we were thinking of Robin, anyway then when I spoke to Kilgarrah he asked we use Merlin. The coincidence of it decided us so that's how you got your name." Balinor looked seriously at his son "Merlin I ask you keep this visit and what was said from all but your mother and myself. Kilgarrah never trusted Nimueh and nor do I. don't ask me why I don't know"

Merlin nodded seeming wise beyond his years. "I won't father, but if I have trouble with this book can I ask Gaius?"

Balinor nodded "I see no reason why not Gaius has always been a loyal and trustworthy man"

….

In Britain it was at one of the weekly meetings with the Prime Minister, when they were discussing the oil find in Essetir by one of the British oil company's and the intransiences of the views of their King, when it was decided that Uther should pay a state visit to the country with the Prime Minister for talks to see if that would change King Balinor's mind.

"We are hampered in as much as the King's word in law. We have no politicians we can influence. Although this does mean we only have one person to convince. He does have advisors but in the end he does have the final say. I think it might be an idea if the entire Royal family visited" The PM suggested.

Uther looked outraged "No! You should know it is policy that we don't all go on state visits in case of attacks. No I think it might be best if I went with the Prince."

In the end it was decided that Uther would take Morgana as it might be seen as a slight if the Princess of Wales didn't go. Once again Uther was foiled in his attempt to involve Arthur as much as he could. Uther spent the next couple of weeks reading up about Essetir's Royal family. The fact that they were an absolute monarchy filled him with envy, even if they were a small country.

Uther and Morgana and the official party were forced to travel by ship as Essetir had no airfield, planes were considered environmentally unsound and a danger to the unique wildlife that flew over the island. In fact their own fishermen used sail as a clean energy, rather than diesel engines. Morgana like the King had studied what she could about the country she was to visit, although not that much was known, as up until now no one had been interested in the rock in the middle of the Atlantic. It was one of her first state visits and she was determined to do well. Morgana held the belief that as she was born to be a future Queen she needed to be diligent in her duties. She just wished her brother wasn't such an arrogant idiot at times. The Princess understood her brothers frustration at being the first Prince to lose his place as heir to the throne, but it had happened before they were born and wasn't her fault.

In Essetir the King, Queen and Prince Merlin were going to meet the visitors at the port. The Duke of Lot, Cenred and his wife Morgause, Valliant Duke of Mellor and his partner Mordred and the High Priestess Nimueh were all present at the port. The sixteen year old Prince had only recently started to go with his parents on official duties. As a result he was still finding them very interesting. He loved meeting the people and they loved him. He had a very relaxed air about him and loved talking to ordinary people. But this was the first important foreign visitors he would meet outside of the occasional visits by dignitaries. In fact until the oil had been found they had very seldom had any visitors outside botanists and such who came to see the fauna and flora, or those interested in sustainable energy. Essetir discouraged tourism to the island on environmental grounds and the lack of an airfield discouraged many, especially as the Atlantic Ocean that surrounded them could be rough.

Merlin was dressed in a suit, unusual for him as he was normally found in cotton trousers, t shirts and neckerchiefs. But his mother had insisted. He pulled at the tie round his neck until his mother smacked his hand "Leave that alone" she glared at him. "What will our guests think of you?"

His father looked at him "And no using magic either my boy"

Merlin pouted and behind him his bodyguard Will sniggered softly which got him glared at by the King "I knew having him as your bodyguard was a mistake"

Merlin looked at his father "But Dad you know I don't need one! I can look after myself"

Balinor shook his head "That may be true in most cases son, but we need to be sure. I might give you Percy if Will doesn't improve" It was an old threat and Merlin knew his father wouldn't really part from Percy, who had been the Kings personal bodyguard since Percy's father had retired. Hunith had a female bodyguard called Isolde who she considered a very good friend. The trouble was Merlin and Will had grown up together and were having trouble adapting to the new roles.