Disclaimer: I own nothing

Me: *stunned* Wow. I was amazed at the amount of responses the last chapter got! It was only the third chapter and I managed to collect over 60 comments! 8D

Thank you so much!

And now for some Q&A…

The story is placed between 'The Lady of the Lake' and 'Sweet Dreams'

Yes. Merlin will be able of using his magic.

He and Arthur will remain friends. But they will have to work things out first.

Oridian does allow magic.

Gwen and Morgana will have a small part in this. They will act as a sort of mediator for the two. (And Morgana is not evil)

Concerning the lack of athletic ability of Merlin… Well… Just wait for the next following chapters…

Me: *coughs loudly as trumpets sound on the background* *sitting on her throne* Attention, my virtual kingdom! As you probably notice, I uploaded a revised edit of the last three chapters. Well, that is because I have found a second person who has demonstrated an interest and the willingness to shift through the uncooked disaster batter of the chapters before cooking them to perfection.

Me: So Euonym, please step forward…

Euonym: *steps forward and kneels*

Me: *gestures to The Labyrinths Scribe* *she steps forward holding the great book of Beta-ness*

The Labyrinths Scribe: Do you, Euonym, swear to uphold the laws of the virtual kingdom. To always be at the ready to revise and reply to the queen's chapters and to refrain from pestering her for details concerning the future of the story?

Euonym: *nods while kneeling* I do so swear…

Me: *steps forward and places a hand on her shoulder* Then arise my friend *to the crowd* My people! Before you stands the newswest Beta for the royal court! She, alongside The Labyrinths Scribe, will work click by click to uphold my kingdoms reputation! *crowd cheers*

Me: And *shifty eyes* Lets just say for the sake of the story… That we have never seen Merlin without his neckerchief…

Anyways… Enjoy!

Staring at the bowed knights, Merlin couldn't help the loud sigh that escaped from his lips. He stepped forward, feeling every eye in the room follow him, and extended a hand towards the kneeling leader. Her eyes shot open as she felt his presence in front of her, her head raised and she noticed his outstretched hand and raised eyebrow.

"I clearly remember saying that there was no need for you to be so formal with me," he said with a fond smile as Anthea took the offered hand to stand up. Feeling slightly sheepish at his tone, she remembered the many times he had told them to drop his title.

"Sorry sire, but it has been a long time," Eldwin answered from behind as he and the other began to stand up. Stepping closer to his prince, he clapped his back in joy. Merlin staggered from its strength. Smiling grudgingly at the man, Merlin couldn't believe how easy it was to fall back on old routines. But before they could continue, Arthur's boisterous voice made itself known.

"Now wait just a second!" Arthur exclaimed almost hysterically as the group turned their attention to him.

"Do you really expect us to believe that Merlin here is your long lost prince?" He felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. Merlin had become an important part of his life these past few years. He had become the only servant willing to put up with his temper. The only person who was willing to overlook his title and treat him like anyone else. The only person who had, on occasion, shown the wisdom to give him council during his greatest times of need. The only person who had dug his way so deep into his heart that Arthur could say without question that he had finally found a true friend. A brother.

He thought he knew him. He had grown accustomed to the familiar sight of the ever cheerful man who always remained by his side. The sarcastic remarks on the many adventures they'd been in. He had shared his doubts. His deepest desires and secrets, thinking Merlin was doing the same. He had become his confidant and his unofficial advisor in matters of the court. His faithful companion, always by his side. But it turned out to be a farce. Merlin hadn't trusted him at all. And it hurt so much that it almost left him breathless.

Hearing his demands, Eldwin's eyes flared in anger at his superior tone. "You dare question-!" But before he could step closer, he felt his prince's hand on his chest, stopping him from continuing.

When the blond knight stepped down, Merlin turned to the two stunned royals. "You need proof, right?"

An uncomfortable look flashed between the two knights as Anthea stepped closer to Merlin, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Sire…" He knew her concern but Merlin understood the need to prove the truth of their story.

"It's ok, Anthea. They need to be sure," he assured her, patting her hand warmly and trying to make her understand. Sensing his quiet resolve, she merely nodded and stepped blackguards, letting him continue. On the sidelines, the court was watching the interaction with curiosity, wanting to see what the young prince could do to prove his lineage that made the two knights so nervous.

Slowly, Merlin raised his hands to the back of his neck and began to untie the knot that held his ever-present neckerchief. Pale hands made quick work of it, ridding his neck of the blood red fabric. But what they imaged would be smooth, alabaster skin was not so. Dark tendrils slivered across his entire neck, forming a circle as the blackened scar took form. Gasps filled the room as they realized that the mark was the shape of great claws, and parts of them had clearly pierced the skin. From the thickest marks, the blackness could be seen branching outward, like poison, trying to get its victim. A few seconds passed before he returned the neckerchief back to its place, covering the mark.

"When the beast placed its curse, it left a mark…" As he said this, Merlin placed a hand upon his neck, as if trying to push back the feeling of the beast's claw upon his neck.

Sensing the tension thick in the room, and seeing Arthur's eyes still wide with shock, he couldn't help but break the tension the best way he could. "Come on," He exclaimed with a smile, surprising everyone in the room. "Did you honestly believe that I'd wear a neckerchief all the time without a reason?"

His attempt at humor did alleviate the tension, but his words resonated in their minds. To be truthful, none of them had actually seen Merlin without a neckerchief of some sorts. They always thought that it was just another quirk of his. However, their thoughts were interrupted as their heard the king speak.

"Then why not tell the truth?" He asked, truly baffled by the news. "Surely you could've made your life easier if you'd just told us your tale?" The monarch couldn't believe that the odd boy before him could be of royal blood, let alone a prince.

But Merlin merely gave the king a saddened smile, "Because I had no proof." He couldn't stop the weary sight that escaped from his lips.

"I arrived in Camelot with only a spare set of clothes and a mark to shield from prying eyes." He explained with a small smile "If I'd come forth with this kind of story, I had no doubt that the stocks would've become my permanent place of residency." A small bout of giggles erupted throughout the court; the knowledge of his frequent visits to the stocks was well known by all. Arthur couldn't help the roll of his eyes at hearing the blatant attempt at humor from the young prince, but stopped as he noticed the look of fondness that was directed at him.

"Besides…" As he said this, Merlin's eyes burned with the fierce loyalty that he had always shown toward the blond prince, hoping to project his friendship "I find no shame in working as a servant," he stated making everyone's eyes in the court widen. "Especially when the man I serve has shown the makings of a great king."

The king's expression changed upon hearing this. What was once a look of apprehension and suspicion now morphed to that of rare pride for his son at the praise.

Merlin turned to look at the king as he continued, "Now with your permission, sire, I would like to speak to my men."

The king merely blinked for a few moments before the request even registered in his mind, the revelation had left him shaken so. "Of course. By all means…"

Merlin figured it would be best to show some subservience, so he gave the king a brief bow before turning towards his men. Taking this as a clear dismissal, the knights followed after their prince. The hall became silent as they saw the group walk out of the room, the doors closing behind them.

Immediately, Uther turned towards Gaius and called the elder physician forward. "Gaius!" He exclaimed as he pointed to the door. "You've lived with the boy. Did you know about this?"

With a small sigh Gaius, nodded his head. "Yes, sire," He answered. "My sister was the one appointed as his nursemaid when he was born. I often visited her before settling permanently here in Camelot. After the overthrow, she was the one appointed as his guardian while he was in exile." Well, that explained Hunith's role. Arthur placed a weary hand over his face as he slumped down into his throne.

Uther paid no attention to his son as he continued to berate the physician with more questions concerning the newly discovered prince. But Gwen and Morgana couldn't help the looks of worry at the sight of the blond prince deflating in his throne. Thankfully, all the others were clearly engrossed in the king's discussion.

Meanwhile, a few rooms down the corridor, the group of knights followed their prince knowing that he knew where they were going. Soon, Merlin found one of the great rooms that were usually reserved for visiting guests and led the others inside.

"We should be okay here," he said as he closed the doors behind him. Turning to the group, his eyes zeroed in on Anthea and Eldwin, his face breaking into a brilliant smile. They saw his smile and immediately gave one in return. The three approached each other, and Merlin embraced them strongly.

"I have missed you!" He exclaimed happily as he released his old friends.

Anthea smiled at her young lord and placed a hand on his shoulders, squeezing gently. "So have we, sire!"

"Anthea! You look as lovely as ever!" Anthea couldn't help the blush that graced her pale skin at his enthusiastic compliment. Merlin couldn't help but compare the younger girl who always accompanied him throughout his childhood to the strong woman here before him. Turning towards Eldwin, he couldn't be surprised at his stature since he was always taller than most. But he felt a pang of sorrow seeing the scar along his jaw line, knowing that it must have happened while they were claiming back the kingdom. Not wanting to lose himself in his past, Merlin focused on the knight.

"And Eldwin…" He said as Eldwin merely smiled at him. "You've gotten old!" Eldwin's smile immediately fell upon hearing the familiar quip, and he glared at the prince.

"Hey! Watch it, kid." Eldwin exclaimed as he pointed a finger in his face. "I still haven't told anyone about that time with the visiting royals."

Upon hearing this, Merlin's eyes widened in worry. "W-which royals? There has been so many o-" He stopped in mid-sentence as Eldwin's face moved closer to his, a playful smirk clear upon it.

"One word," As he said this, Eldwin poked Merlin's nose. "Frogs."

Before Merlin could defend himself, however, Anthea stood between her two boys and acted as the adult. "Now, boys, behave." Hearing her tone, the two men lowered their heads sheepishly. Anthea noticed that the other knights watched the prince's antics with amusement and she decided that it was about time to make the proper introductions. Getting Merlin's attention, she gestured to the others in the room. "My lord, I would like to introduce you to the newest addition to the white knights." At her announcement, the knights stood to attention, wanting to make a good first impression on their prince.

"I present to you Sir Gareth, Sir Trahern and Sir Wallace. They joined the resistance from the very beginning and have accompanied us through the years. They are some of the strongest and most noble men to join the ranks." They each bowed at the mention of their name, and Merlin's gentle smile never left his face.

"My prince," Sir Gareth addressed him "We've heard the stories of your bravery and your courage, and we have longed for the day when we could finally prove our loyalty to you." The others agreed with their compatriot's words as they took out their swords and placed them in front of them. They each bowed to the floor, striking their swords upon it.

"We are honored to serve you, my lord."

Merlin's eyes softened at their display of subservience and stepped forward. "Arise, my fellow knights, as you have no need to swear your loyalty to me." Offering his hand to them, the others took it with confusion.

"My lord?"

"For Anthea to speak so highly of you I am sure you must be of unshakable honor. And you have served my father in our time of need, for which I thank you." As he said this he grasped Sir's Gareth shoulder in a thankful gesture and stared directly into each of their eyes. "But I have yet to prove myself worthy of your loyalty." Seeing the confusion in his eyes he continued.

"You've only heard stories about me. Those which, overtime, tend to exaggerate the facts. And from that alone one cannot truly swear true loyalty to another," Merlin explained. "But I swear, I will prove myself worthy of your praise when we set out to kill the beast." Merlin at this point, started to walk towards the window leaving the three young knights staring at him in surprise. A few seconds passed before the knights broke into a comfortable smile, their eyes brimming with newfound loyalty for their young lord.

"That is of little matter now my prince." Sir Gareth thought to himself as he looked how the sunlight was showering Merlin. His servant clothes did nothing to stifle the air of royalty that the young man had gained in the few hours since their arrival. "With your words, you have just sealed our loyalty."A few seconds passed in comfortable silence before they heard Merlin sigh wearily and turn to look at them.

"There is another matter we must discuss, however." They heard Merlin projecting his words into their minds, and everyone stood to attention. "As knights of Oridian, you all must possess some form of magical talent. But you must also be aware of the laws against magic inside of Camelot, correct?" The all nodded in reply allowing Merlin to continue.

"Then I must ask you to refrain from using any magic when we face the beast." Seeing Anthea and Eldwin about to argue, Merlin quickly explained. "Since Arthur offered his knights for the hunt, we can't be seen using our magic. So unless there is a life or death situation, I must ask you not to use your magic." The others wanted to argue about the use of magic, but seeing the look of sadness in Merlin's eyes, they knew that he had to have a reason for him to be willing to risk his freedom. Grudgingly, they nodded in reply.

"Yes, sire." Giving a sigh of relief, Merlin gave them a relieved look.

"Thank you," he said with a brief smile as he addressed the three knights. "Now go. Rest. You're surely tired from your long journey. The king has no doubt already assigned some living quarters for your stay here." Giving their prince looks of relief in return, the three knights gave him a brief bow before turning towards the doors. As the doors closed, Merlin's smile fell from his face as he sensed the remaining two walk closer.

"So," He heard Anthea speak. "Shall we talk of our battle strategy or would you like us to-" Before she could continue however, the two were stunned to have the young prince embracing them with as much strength as he could muster.

"Sire?" Anthea asked. Worried at the silence that answered her, she placed a hand on his shoulders. "Sire, what's wrong?" His shoulders shook beneath her hands as they finally realized what was happening. A single tear fell to the floor. Merlin tried his best to hold the others back, but quickly failed.

"I've missed you…" Merlin whispered, anguish clear in his voice. "I've missed you so much!" The other two felt a pang of sorrow in their hearts at the loneliness their young prince had to withstand these past years. Forced to stay away from his family and friends, not knowing if they were alive or dead. They immediately embraced the young man in their arms, their hearts breaking as they heard him break down completely. Anthea began rubbing his back soothingly as she whispered into his ear.

"So have we, Merlin…"

"How was he treated?" Hearing the sudden question, Arthur could only blink at his father in confusion.

Seeing this, Uther rolled his eyes in exasperation and explained, "Merlin. The prince. How did you treat him while he was your manservant?"

The question made Arthur stop and think for a second. It was well known inside the castle that his treatment of his servants left a lot to be desired, but ever since Merlin arrived he had started to change his brusque demeanor. But try as he may, he still knew that he sometimes treated Merlin harshly. Knowing his father was waiting for an answer he began speaking.

"I treated him like all my other servants. It was just my luck that he had the patience to stand my temper…"

Hearing the truth in his son's voice, Uther began to shake his head, "This is not good. The few things I've heard of his kingdom tell me of the incredible strength of his army. An army said to have defeated legions with only a hundred men." The sure statement of the strength of Oridian's left them stunned, but Gaius started, seeing the fear appearing in some of the courts' faces.

"Sire, King Balinor only uses his army to defend his kingdom in case of an uprising or siege," he began explaining. "He feels the need for further conquest is unnecessary and is happy to just keep his kingdom safe."

Hearing this, Morgana stepped forward, "Do you actually think that Merlin would want to attack us because of how he was treated as a servant?" She knew that Merlin was too kindhearted to even consider doing something against them.

But Uther merely shook his head, "No, that much I can tell by the look in his eyes, but it might damage our chance of creating an alliance with his kingdom." Of course his father would be concern about that. It took every ounce of his will power to stop Arthur from rolling his eyes.

"Arthur!" Uther exclaimed, and idea forming already in his head. "Go find him. Try to befriend him, and see if you can convince him to form an alliance with us. He might respond to you." If only Uther knew the irony of his statement. He and Merlin had already become as close as brothers could, but they had hidden it because of their difference in status. But now that Uther knew he could get something from their friendship, he was as supportive as he could be. Lowering his head to hide his glare he gave his father a brief bow.

"Yes, Father…" Arthur began to walk out of the room, Morgana and Gwen quickly on his heels to insure he was alright.

Once the three were out of the room, Uther turned to Gaius with a greedy smirk on his face "I can see it now," he started saying. "With Oridian's alliance, no kingdom would dare challenge my ruling and try to attack." The pure glee in his eyes was clearly visible for those who knew him, and Gaius merely sighed in defeat.

"Of course sire…"

Uther then turned and addressed a cluster of servants amongst the crowd. "We must make arrangements for our guests. Rooms shall be made to accommodate their stay, and the prince shall be given the royal treatment. He will not be spared any luxury." He ordered as he gestured with his hands. "Come, we shall start immediately. There's no time to waste."

Right then, Gaius felt sorry for the king, so blind by power and social status that he believed that Merlin could be persuaded by luxuries. But he knew the boy well. It didn't matter if he was sleeping on a mattress lined in feathers or straw, his instincts would tell him if he was being used for his connections. Besides, without them knowing, Merlin had found his destiny in Camelot. The loyalty that Merlin possessed for the blond prince always amazed Gaius, and he was thankful for it. When he was forced to leave his people, Merlin had become lost, not knowing where or what the future wanted from him. But since he came to Camelot, he found a new purpose for his magic, and his happiness was slowly returning. But Gaius was concerned about what the new developments and newly discovered secrets would do to the pair. Hopefully, destiny will find a way to sort each other out while still keeping the bond those two had created.

Me: *giggling* Oh, I am just loving writing this! I can be as evil as I possibly can and I have to! It's the way that the story flows in my head! *cue evil laugh and ominous lightning*