Hi everyone :) I had a few people interested in seeing this continued - seeing how Merlin and Arthur met and became boyfriends so I decided to continue! Sorry it took me so long to get another chapter up as well but a recent review got me going :)

Sorry for any mistakes and I hope you all enjoy :)

2: Oblivious Meetings

Merlin looked around his new school with awe. The place was huge and much more advanced then the small public school he had transferred from. The school was swarming with students and it looked more like a castle than an actual school. Merlin's old school only had sixty students and he was surprised by the vast crowd that the students of Avalon high made.

Ealdor was a small town in the middle of nowhere, away from the city life. Merlin was used to the secluded country life that he had grown up in and having only just moved to the city of Camelot he was still getting used to the fast past life.

Merlin shook himself out of his thoughts and made his way into the school which looked more like a castle than a school. He was jostled in the large crowd, several people knocking into him and not one stopped to apologize. Merlin moved through the hallways, searching the row of lockers for his.

Eventually Merlin found his locker and he grinned brightly. Clumsily he pulled out the locker code he had been appointed and carefully spun the dial. The lock popped open and Merlin un-hooked it. He winced when it slid out of his fingers and onto the floor with a loud clutter. He went to pick it up but someone had beaten him to the punch, scooping it up off the ground.

Merlin looked up to see a beautiful girl smiling at him. She was pale with long dark hair and dressed in a fresh uniform. Merlin glanced at his own uniform that was second handed and much faded.

"Hello," she smiled. "I'm Morgana le Flay."

"I'm Merlin," he grinned happily. "Thanks."

Morgana handed over his lock with a slightly surprised look. "Welcome to Avalon High. What's your first class?"

Merlin scrambled for his timetable and he read over it carefully. "I have double English."

Morgana smiled happily. "We have class together. I can show you around and help you get settled if you like?."

"Really? That would be great," Merlin breathed with relief. "This school is already so much different from my last one."

Morgana watched as Merlin stuffed his belongings into his locker and pulled out a fresh new notebook and his pencil case. He shut the locker door and hooked the lock back into place and snapped it lock with a click.

"Where did you move from?" Morgana asked, falling into step with Merlin and she led him towards the classroom.

"Ealdor," Merlin said. "Not many people have heard of it."

"It's a really small town," Morgana sad and Merlin's eyes widened with surprise, a small grin spreading across his face. "Out in the middle of nowhere."

"Yeah," Merlin beamed.

"Coming to the city must be a big change," Morgana frowned and Merlin nodded.

"It's different, that's for sure," Merlin told her. Morgana turned into a classroom and took a seat, indicating for Merlin to take a seat next to her. Merlin dropped down into the seat and shifted to get comfortable. Merlin scanned the unfamiliar faces as they entered the class room.

A girl came and sat down on the other side of Morgana, smiling at them both.

"Hey. I'm Gwen," she introduced herself and Merlin smiled.

"Merlin," he said and Gwen nodded. Merlin watched as she shot Morgana a look. Morgana gave a brief shrug and look of confusion before it was gone and they were both smiling at him again. "What's our teachers name?" Merlin asked.

"Mr Anhora," Morgana explained, smiling gently at him.

"He's a bit odd," Gwen said, biting her lip. "But he knows his stuff."

"His voice could send you to sleep though," Morgana smirked. "If he didn't teach interesting things that is."

Merlin chuckled. "Does he only teach English?"

"and History," Gwen added and Merlin nodded.

"My old English teacher taught art, history and science," Merlin told them and both Gwen and Morgana rose their eyebrows. "There weren't many teachers in Ealdor."

Another wave of students came in and Merlin scanned them, trying to remember their faces for future references. His gaze caught a pair of blue eyes and Merlin swallowed. He was blonde, fit and tanned and utterly gorgeous. He came striding over to them, his gaze locked on Merlin.

"Who is this?" he asked and Merlin frowned at his tone. It wasn't nearly as welcoming as Morgana and Gwen's had been.

"This is our new student Merlin," Morgana told the blonde. "Merlin, meet my brother Arthur."

"Hey," Merlin grinned but Arthur didn't smile back.

"Take a seat, Pendragon," a deep, mystical voice said and Merlin's head snapped to the front of the room to see an elderly man standing at the front of the room. Merlin hadn't seen or heard him come in. It seemed that he had just appeared in thin air.

Arthur nodded respectfully, casting another quick glance at Merlin before taking his seat in the middle of the room.

"We are continuing again today with Hamlet," Mr Anhora spoke and everyone opened their notebooks and took out a pen. Merlin scrambled to follow them, knocking several of his pens to the floor. There were sniggers around him but he ignored them, used to them, and hurried to pick them up. He saw Arthur's smirk and he frowned, not entirely sure why it bothered him so much.

Double English passed quickly and Merlin found himself falling under Anhora's spell. He enjoyed him as a teacher. He was completely different to any of the teachers in Ealdor and Morgana had been right when she said he knew about his stuff. It was almost like he had been around Shakespeare when they play had been written.

"Careful you don't drop anything else," Arthur drawled as he strolled past Merlin and out the door.

"What's his problem?" Merlin muttered to Morgana and Gwen. The two girls looked at each other and spoke carefully.

"Arthur is just a little...protective," Morgana said slowly.

"There is a bit of a history with people using him," Gwen added. "and Morgana. He's just –"

"A prat?" Merlin offered and Morgana snorted with laughter. She linked arms with Merlin and propelled him out of the classroom and back towards their lockers.

"You could say that," she giggled and Gwen was torn between looking shocked and amused. "You don't need to worry about him."

Merlin nodded and beamed.

"You know," Gwen said, smiling at Merlin. "Morgana and I usually watch Sherlock tonight. Would you like to join us?"

"What's Sherlock?" Merlin asked, looking between the girls who looked shocked.

"You've never watched Sherlock?" Gwen gasped.

"You are missing out," Morgana told him gravely. "It's the greatest show. There a three episodes a season and they run over an hour."

"We don't have a TV," Merlin explained and the girls stopped suddenly causing Merlin to be flung back and he yelped.

"You don't have a TV?" Gwen asked.

Merlin shook his head. "We can't afford one. I mean, I've seen TV before. Will, my best mate, had one and we would watch it sometimes but not often."

"What did you do?" Gwen asked, eyes wide.

Merlin shrugged, beginning to feel embarrassed. "Went outside. There was a lake nearby so everyone was usually there."

"That sounds nice," Morgana smiled at Merlin and he began to feel his embarrassment fade. "Do you still want to join us tonight?"

"No," Merlin shook his head. "I've got to help my mum. We are still unpacking boxes and she wants everything unpacked as quickly as possible."

"Maybe next time," Morgana said and she began to walk again. Merlin nodded and they walked to their lockers, putting their books away and getting ready for their next classes.

Arthur watched as Morgana walked with Merlin outside to eat their lunch. Arthur was concerned about the boys attachment to his sister, the princess. As the Prince, Arthur was good a leader and protected his people and was always looking out for them. Especially Morgana. It wasn't the first time that someone had used friendship as a pretence to worm their way into the Royal family and get something.

This had happened far too many times and Arthur wasn't about to let this happen again.

"Who is the new kid?" Gwaine asked, nodding his head in their direction. They had chosen a small table for just Morgana, Merlin and Gwen. Arthur glared through the sun.

"His name is Merlin," he drawled and from his left Leon sniggered under his breath.

Sitting with Arthur was his closet and most trusted of friends; Gwaine, Leon, Lancelot, Percival and Elyan. Around the school they were fondly nicknamed The Knights of the Round Table.

"Want us to keep an eye out on him?" Elyan asked, looking over his shoulder to make sure his sister was okay. Elyan was very protective of Gwen and never wanted to see her hurt.

"Morgana is capable of looking after herself," Lance said calmly. "As is Gwen. They are both very good judges of character."

"I still want to know about him," Arthur spoke again. "Just in case."

The boys nodded and they all peered at the table of three before Percival pulled them back into a conversation.

Merlin had no idea that he was in the presence of royalty. For a first day of school, he was surprised at how well it had gone and was thrilled with his new friends. At the end of the day they walked out of the school together, chatting happily.

They took a side gate out of the school, towards the parking lot. Merlin let out a whistle when he saw Arthur standing beside a very fancy and expensive looking car. Morgana gave a small wave to Arthur who nodded back.

"How are you getting home?" Gwen asked.

"Walking," Merlin smiled at her, hitching his bag up onto his shoulder. "I guess I will see you tomorrow."

"Would you like a ride?" Morgana asked and Merlin shook his head.

"No, I'm right. Bye," he waved cheerfully and began to stroll away, out of the gate and down the road. Morgana and Gwen walked to Arthur who slid into the driver's seat. They piled into the car, shutting the door and Arthur started the engine.

"So how much did he fawn over you?" Arthur asked, pulling out of the parking lot.

"None," Morgana said with surprise in her voice and Arthur quickly glanced at her. She looked surprised as he felt. "He didn't once ask about us or our family."

"To be honest, I don't think he realised," Gwen spoke up from the back. "Or if he did know he was polite enough not to say anything."

They drove past and glanced as they passed Merlin who was happily in his own world, kicking a rock as he walked. Arthur pursed his lips and gripped the steering wheel tighter.

"I wouldn't get to cosy just yet," Arthur said. "You don't know him and I won't have another person trying to worm their way into our family just so they can have their five minutes of fame."

"I am quite capable of taking care of myself," Morgana huffed. "and I'm not stupid. Of course we will be careful with Merlin, but I honestly don't see him being the type to use us."

"I agree," Gwen said. "From what he was telling us about his life. He grew up with just his mother and he didn't have a lot growing up from what I can tell."

"All the more reason why he would want what we have," Arthur huffed and Morgana rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you say."

Merlin walked home, only getting confused twice and lost once. He walked up the garden path and jogged up the front steps, stepping into the house.

"Welcome home," Hunith, Merlin's beautiful mother, called from the kitchen and Merlin beamed, dropping his bag and heading in her direction.

"Thanks. How was work?" Merlin asked, coming into the kitchen.

"Long but good," Hunith smiled. Hunith was a baker and spent her days making tasty treats. Hunith had secured a job in a very well known bakery in Camelot, prompting their move from Ealdor to the city. The job paid more and the hours were still long but Hunith was happy to work them if she could provide her son with a little something extra. "How was school?"

"Good," Merlin said, taking a seat at the table. "I made a couple of friends. Morgana and Gwen. They're really nice and are in my classes."

"That's good," Hunith beamed. "And the school? Is it okay?"

"It's a lot different from Ealdor but It's a good different," Merlin assured his worried looking mother. Her face relaxed and she smiled at him with relief.

"I'm so glad you like it there," she said and Merlin beamed at her. "I'm making hedgehog. Would you like to help?"

"Beats doing homework," Merlin grinned and quickly jumped up to wash his hands and help his mother in the kitchen. Hunith knew she had made the right decision coming to Camelot and she felt a lot better knowing that Merlin was happy here too.

What did you think? Hope you enjoyed and please review :) Happy reading!