A/N: And, the ideas just keep coming. Here's chapter three. Oh and just a note, Arthur is around eighteen or nineteen, at any rate, the same age as season 1. A bit of scene setting occurs for what's to come.


Chapter Three: Servant's Fears and Magic's Tears

"Sire," Arthur looked up and over to see Elred hanging about the door frame, his expression contrite.

"Well, don't just stand there." Arthur waved him forward, keeping his voice purposely neutral. He wanted to see what Elred would do… before he gave him a word.

"I...I just came to say that your father and the Lady Morgana have returned. You should be down to receive them." Arthur could see the lad's Adam's apple bobbing. "And…" Elred wet his cracking lips. "I wanted to apologize."

Arthur nodded clapping the boy on the shoulder as he got to his feet. "Thank you Elred."

"Of course Sire." the boy gave a satisfied smile.

"Oh… and before I forget…" Arthur said. "You should probably check on the horses before you leave for the night."

Elred nodded, his smile wavering just a bit. "Yes Sire."

Once Arthur was gone, Elred's smile dropped completely as he grabbed something out of his pocket. It was a small black bead with silver leaves on the edge.

"Excuse me! Excuse me please!" Elred was walking back home after another day when someone gripped his hand from behind. "Are you Prince Arthur's servant?"

It was a young girl.

"Who is asking?" Elred raised an eyebrow as he pulled his hand from the girl's. It felt as though his wrist were about to be set alight.

"He is in danger." The girl said, looked around the square in fright. "You have to believe me!"

Elred shook his head. "Perhaps, if you tell me your name."

"Aerona." The girl gripped the hood of her cloak in fright. "Take this." She held out a small circular bead and dropped it into his hand. "It will protect him, but you must place it under his pillow before the moon peaks." The girl turned to run away.

"Wait!" Elred called. "How do you know this?"

The girl turned swiftly. "The bard arrives in a fortnight." And she was gone.

"The bard arrives in a fortnight." What an odd phrase… and such an odd child. Elred sighed rolling the strange artifact in between his thumb and forefinger. It seemed a joke, perhaps someone pulling a prank, why not tell one of the knights? But then… he wanted to protect Arthur. And if it was a prank, the bead wouldn't do anything, perhaps just be a minor annoyance. It was always entertaining when he could annoy the prince. Maybe it truly would help him as well. There was no way of knowing for certain. Agh, why was he even considering it?

"Rubbish!" Elred tossed the bead as he left the room. The bead didn't stop, but instead rolled under the prince's bed unattended.


Arthur sat at the table across from his father.

"I take it preparations have been made for our trip to Essetir." Uther grabbed his goblet and took a sip. "Considering you found time to get thrown from a horse hunting a wild boar."

Arthur shifted in his seat. He was sure he had told Leon and Elred to prepare, hadn't he?

"Arthur…"

"Yes Father." Yes, he was certain he had, and as the might be truth, might be lie rolled off his tongue, he couldn't help wondering what would come next.

"I'm sure you will find the trip a learning experience. After all, as the future king, it is important to be able to maintain alliances."

"Father," Arthur spoke. A question had come to mind. "I had thought Cenred's kingdom was already aligned with Camelot."

"You would be right of course." Uther nodded. "But the peace we maintain with Essetir is a fragile one. We must show our solidarity with Cenred, which is why nothing can go wrong on this trip. Do you understand?"

There it was. Arthur sighed. "I do Sire."

Uther stood and walked over to where his son sat. "Good man. Help Leon with supplies. We've a long journey ahead."


Merlin sat at the table staring at nothing. His mother had accepted Kanen's offer, his mother had accepted. To make matters worse, he had done something. He didn't know how or why, but somehow he had made a branch fall, a perfectly sturdy branch, nowhere close to rotting, to trip the Brute. If there was any chance that he might talk his way out of this, it had vanished the moment Hunith had glanced in his direction. How could he have been so stupid? She had seen him. He was positive.

"Oh," Hunith walked through the door holding a bucket of water. "You're awake Merlin."

"Morning Mum." Merlin glanced over.

"Is something the matter?" Hunith observed her son. He had barely smiled. His eyes were elsewhere, clouded with thoughts.

"No!" Merlin shook his head hopping down from the chair to assist his mother with the water bucket. "Everything's fine, really."

Hunith raised her eyebrows, still skeptical. "You know, I saw the strangest thing when I was walking back from the well."

Merlin swallowed. "Really? What was it?"

"As Kanen was walking, a branch fell right in front of his path, just snapped clean off a perfectly healthy oak. Of course, the big lug tripped right over it. Fell flat on his backside." Hunith grinned slightly, her son's fidgeting not going unnoticed. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that?"

"N...No! No." Merlin shook his head stammering. "But it must have been funny."

"It was a bit." Hunith said. She sighed. It was time to tell him. "Merlin, there's something you should know. I accepted Kanen's proposal. He will be moving in tomorrow."

Merlin stood, the force knocking over the chair on which he had sat as tears of disbelief, the tears he had been holding back and wiping away since he left that cursed hiding spot, finally spilling over hot and free. "Mother! You didn't?"

Hunith gasped as she looked around her home. The cupboards flew open and shut at great speeds as dishes and silverware flew around their heads. The water bucket crashed from the table to the floor, the wooden planks breaking with the force of the fall and spilling water all around their feet. The candle on the hearth that had been unlit just a moment before was lighting up and blowing out at increasing rates. Hunith felt a cool breeze blowing around her at hurricane speeds as she saw her son's eyes glowing a brilliant and frightening gold.

Despite her fear, Hunith's instincts won out. She ran to her son, wrapping him in a tight embrace, and guiding them both to the floor. She began rocking them both, a quick back and forth motion that was applied when Merlin had nightmares. Appropriate, since she had just thrust him into a living nightmare. "It's alright, it's alright. Shh… shh." Hunith ran her fingers through Merlin's hair. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Mum… mum, what…? Merlin seemed to snap out of his trance, staring at the flying objects, the mess that had been created with wide, terror-stricken and tear stained eyes, now back to their normal blue. Then all at once, every dish dropped, some shattering, some surviving. Every cupboard slammed closed, even the candle extinguished, the wax unmelted. Merlin buried his face into Hunith's shoulder, his exclamation audible before his repeated apologies died, buried in sobs. "I'm sorry! I didn't… I didn't mean it."

"I know." Hunith placed a kiss in her son's hair. "I know."


Gaius sighed, allowing himself to finally have a moment's peace. His rounds had been particularly busy as it was near time for fever season to begin in earnest. He laughed. Between the prince's tumble, Uther's constant questions about his son's condition and the constant reassurances that no Arthur had suffered no adverse effects, since the medicine had been administered in time (other than being grumpier than usual), the physician was exhausted.

He was just about to drift off for an afternoon nap when he heard a knock on his door.

"Yes?" Gaius asked as he walked over to the door opening it a crack.

"Gaius?" The woman standing in front of him was one he hadn't seen in years. "It's Aveline, from Ealdor."

Gaius shook his head stepping back to allow the woman entry. "Yes, yes of course. I remember. What are you doing here? If I may ask."

"I bring a letter." Aveline removed her hood rummaging for something and then finally holding out a scroll. "From Hunith."


A/N: I'm sorry I know I said we'd see Morgana and Arthur, but the muse forced me to push it to the next chapter I'm afraid. This is getting interesting. At least I hope so. Aerona means battle ending. It is a Pagan name, whether that provides any hints you'll just have to wait and see. What do you think of Elred? Do you think Aerona's trustworthy? Any predictions? Also a question, if any of you have written Merlin fics, how do you find the incantations? Just curious since unfortunately Netflix does not actually subtitle them. Anyway, let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear them! Next time: Gaius reads the letter and Merlin tries to "make the best" of a bad situation when Kanen joins their household. As well as the aforementioned Morgana and Arthur conversation.