AN: Woohoo, next chapter! Yes, we're slowly getting to the main plot. ^^ Hope you have fun reading.

Chapter 4

Merlin was humming. He had catched a tune in the morning, when he had entered the palace walking past a bard, who had been sitting on the steps to the castle. He had annoyed Arthur all morning with the melody, although he had not set out to do so (well, at least not very seriously), and now the prince had sent him away to get some water. Arthur was obviously getting thirsty by shouting at his manservant.

Nevertheless the warlock was in very good humor, when he was suddenly drawn into an alcove next to the corridor. In shock he stared at the familiar face in front of him, a face he had not thought to see here. "Meg?", she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" The blond-haired girl in front of him smiled widely at the surprise she saw in his face. "It's good to see you too.", she answered calmly ans still very happily.

Slowly Merlin placed the cup of water in his hands on the window sill and then hugged his friend with a slightly deranged look on his face. The last time he had seen Meg he had taken leave of Ealdor. "How come you're here?", he asked again taking some distance to look at her. She was not altered. Her wide smile, her high, but pleasant voice, that always reminded him of a little bird, her long, light blonde hair, her blue, slightly greenish eyes, her tiny, yet womanly figure – all this was the same. Only at the second look he noticed her finespun dress, which was obviously a bit pricier than what her family had been able to afford, when they had last met.

Megs smile meanwhile faded a bit, when she began to answer his question. "A few months after you left, father died.", she began and was interrupted by Merlin, when he expressed his sorrow. He had liked old Jim Dove, but he didn't linger on that and allowed Meg to narrate her story to the end. "Mother, Alric and me then went to her brother in Powys. It was quite a long journey, but Uncle Henry was able to provide us all with work in the castle." Proudly she added: "Now I'm the maid of the princess Rowenna. She has brought us here with her, you know."

Merlin hesitated for a moment, then he asked: "So your mother is here with you?" That was, what he hoped actually, but he was disappointed. "Oh no", Meg laughed, "it's Alric. He should be somewhere in the stables right now." As if they'd like to met... Merlin, for his part, didn't have such a desire. And he tried to express that diplomatically.

Meg seemed to understand him very well and grinned again. "But now tell me, how did you fare?", she asked, while a knight in armor passed the alcove hastily. And Merlin told her about it roughly. What he didn't narrate to her where all the magical adventures he had had, as she'd only worry about him then and it wasn't to smart to speak about that in the midst of Camelot as well.

They were interrupted by a loud voice, the young warlock knew very well. "Merlin! Merlin!", Arthur shouted. "Um, that's me.", Merlin said to Meg, sighing. "I'll better go and see what he wants." The prince was striding along the corridor, when his manservant stepped out of the alcove. "Where have you been?", he asked angrily, although the answer to that question was quite obvious. "Come on now!"

And Merlin followed Arthur, leaving Meg behind waving with a grin. His prince was blustering in the meanwhile. "You're the most lazy servant I know. Dunno why I didn't fire you long ago." The servant answered, although there was a tone of hopelessness in his voice: "Maybe because you like me?" - "Oh, dream on, Merlin!"

When they were leaving the castle behind and entered into the city below, Merlin finally asked something, he had wanted to know all the time. "Where are we going, by the way?", he said. The reply left him shocked. "We", answered Arthur, "are going to do some shopping."

"Shopping?"

"Well yes, Merlin, that's what I said, didn't I?"

Prince and servant ended up in a jewelers shop. It was obviously a man, who did his job very very good and demanded – accordingly – quite impressive prices for his creations. While Arthur described the man a ring, he wanted to have made, Merlins grin grew brighter and brighter. And when they finally left the shop again, Arthur was so much annoyed by this, that he rudely said: "Don't look so damn pleased, you idiot."

Their next few steps were made in silence. Then Merlin inquired: "It's for Gwen, isn't it?" His prince glared at him and then declared: "That is not your business, Merlin." The manservant grinned even more broadly. They were walking a short distance in silence again.

"Why did we have to go down to the city? You could have summoned the man to the castle.", Merlin inquired.

"Because she would have heard of it, isn't that obvious?"

"So it is for Gwen?"

"Shut up, Merlin.", Arthur roared, instead of paying attention to the people in the streets, who looked at him with big eyes. The prince regent in their street!

"And – given all the people staring at you – you suppose she won't find out, that you've been in the city this afternoon? In the shop of a jeweler?"

"Shut up, Merlin!", the prince murmured. He was even more angry now, because he had not thought of this weak point in his plan before.

After a moment, Merlin said: "So you want to marry Gwen?"

"That's not your business!" Arthur was near yelling now.

"But it's wonderful!", Merlin exclaimed. "And, let's be honest, it's practically everyones business. Your wife will be the next queen after all."

Arthur ordered him to be quiet once again and this time Merlin obeyed. Something in his friends voice was different this time and he thought, he had spotted a weak point.

So they made their way back to the castle in silence. Just as they were going along the corridor to Arthurs chambers, Sir Leon met them. He bowed to the prince regent and then said: "I've searched for you, mylord. There are... news." Something about the way he pronounced the last words made Arthur and his servant follow him to the throne room immediately.

The old table they had found in that abandoned castle of the old kings was placed there now, but as it was by far not big enough for all the knights of Camelot, their prince had instructed the carpenters of the city to build a much bigger version. This version was not yet ready though and so the eight or nine men had to stand around for the greatest part. Among them were Gwaine, Lancelot, Percival and Elyan, as well as some of the "old" knights, those with noble lineage and far too much pride. They were standing around separated into two groups and for one moment Merlin doubted, that they would ever be one.

But of course they would. They would all follow Arthur and fulfill their destiny. The young warlock felt the pride about it rising in his chest as he watched his prince approaching the knights.

"So, what is the matter.", Arthur murmured, apparently not so pleased about the fact, that everyone but him had been here in time. He was the regent after all.

Sir Leon, as his second in command, began to speak:

"While you were absent a man has knocked on the doors of the castle and asked for an audience with you.", he said, when he was interrupted by his eyebow-raising prince. "So then why this meeting? I still don't see the sense in it."

Sir Leon focused his glance on Arthur and mildly explained: "Because the man talked about some great sorcerer, whom, he said, had sent him." The knight pointed on an object lying on the Round Table. "He brought this with him."

The object turned out to be an envelope, a bit rugged by the journey but not too dirty. It had been treated with care by its messenger. Arthur acted differently nonetheless. His face had clouded itself when he heard the words "great sorcerer" and now it was half-concealed concern. The letter, which he took out of the envelope, read and then gave to Sir Leon who passed it around to the other knights and eventually even to Merlin, read as follows:

To Arthur Pendragon,

current regent of Camelot

A new force rises on the horizon, a force mightier and more determined, than everything you have faced before. I am this force.

My arrival has been foretold by many a seer. I possess more magic than any other human, may he be alive or already death or still unborn. I am the greatest sorcerer of all time. There is now way to resist me.

It would be wise to lay down your weapons and give in to me. If you won't do that I will wipe you from the countenance of the earth.

Do not make the error to underestimate me. My arrival and my triumph have been foretold. There is no way you can escape your downfall, if you do not yield to me.

I will unite Albion and defeat everyone who stands up against this goal and my mastery.

Fear me. Fear my name.

I am Emrys.

Morgana stared at the letter in her hand. It's contents were the same as the ones of the letter, Arthur had received, save the address at the top. There it read: To Morgana Pendragon, current regent of Escetia. But apart from that the two letters were exactly the same, although their receivers didn't know that.

The Lady Morgana hissed and threw down the paper angrily. Ansley, who had been sitting on the steps to the throne some steps away from her, grabbed it and threw a submissive look at her. "May I read it?", asked he, but she forbid it and stretched out her hand for him to give her the piece of paper back. He did so with a somewhat disappointed look, but without any sign of resistance. He really is a despicable little creature, she thought.

Morgana called for one of the maids and ordered her to bring her a bowl with clear, cold water. Then she sent Ansley away, who – again – looked disappointed, but did not object. Shortly afterward, when she had seated herself at a little table by the window, the servant girl reappeared an brought her the bowl. She had already turned to leave, when her lady called her back.

"Did you ever her the name of 'Emrys'?", the regent asked, following a sudden impulse. The maid bowed and answered, clearly daunted by her appearance and rank. "I have heard a legend about Emrys, mylady. Everyone here has." Morgana frowned. So why didn't I?, she asked herself rather angrily. For she had never heard that name until this day.

But for... No, she did not remember it, but for one fuzzy memory, she couldn't quite grasp. Something her mother had sad long ago, a story about a person named Emrys. "What is this legend about?", she asked the maid, before she could loose herself in her remembrances.

"It is more a prophecy really.", the girl answered, slowly becoming bolder. "It is about a sorcerer, who is named Emrys. He is the greatest sorcerer of all time and it is said, that he will unite Albion under a great king, a king so great, that his name will never be forgotten." Morgana sent her away.

That explained why she had never heard anything of this prophecy when she was at Camelot. Uther had never been very keen on any stories, in which sorcerers did any good or even won. And now this Emrys had appeared – or at least someone had appeared, who called himself like that and wanted to make everybody believe, that he was the prophesied.

Interesting.

With a sigh Morgana cleared her mind and mumbled a spell, while she held her hand over the water. Soon her spirit was wandering, searching for this Emrys, the one who had sent her that letter. She wouldn't believe, that he was some great sorcerer, until she had seen him and had felt his power with her own senses. But she couldn't find him with her mind, as if he had hidden himself. And he had done so masterly.

That was even more interesting. But it was also very annoying.

AN: Do you see the little button right under this? It reads 'Review this story', doesn't it? And we all know, that one should obey little, inconspicuous-looking buttons, don't we? So please review and tell me what you think. :)