Andrew glanced at Merlin and saw that his appearance had changed. He looked a little younger and was wearing simpler clothes. Light brown trousers with a dark brown jacket over a blue shirt. He also had a red neckerchief and a braided belt around his waist. He walked to the closet in the room and tossed Andrew some clothes.

"Put these on so that you stick out less. For all intents and purposes, we have just traveled back in time and are in Camelot. Which means any mention of the future won't make any sense. I'm just taking you for a short trip to see the place, nothing big. If anything goes wrong, whisper 'Beam me up Scotty' and you will be taken out of the virtual reality." He thought for a moment to make sure he had covered everything. "Oh, no mentioning my magic."

They walked out of the room and down the corridor to Merlin's room. Gaius wasn't in so he walked directly to the calendar on his bedroom wall. He thought for a moment before concluding that his aim was correct. "After the wedding, before the possession."

"Who got possessed?" Andrew asked. That hadn't been in the stories.

"No need to tell you." No use in his accidentally slipping up. "Let's go show you the castle." As they walked through the hallways, Andrew peppered him with questions and Merlin did his best to answer. Everything excited him, the tapestries included.

"Merlin!" A voice called from down the hallway. They turned to see Arthur stalking toward them.

"Yes Arthur?"

"Is my horse ready?"

"Your horse?"

"Yes, my horse Merlin," he said, exasperated. "The animal I ride. Remember? I said we were going on a hunt today."

"Now I remember. Everything will be ready in a moment."

"Good." Arthur turned to go and then stopped to point at Andrew. "Who is that? It's not some stray you met in the tavern is it?"

"No, just a friend visiting from home. Andrew, this is King Arthur."

"Honoured to meet you, your highness." He bowed in awe.

"Likewise I'm sure. Maybe you help keep Merlin here with his work." Merlin tugged on Andrew's sleeve and they hurried off.

"Is he always that demanding?"

"No, but he is king after all so that has its perks." Merlin led the way to the stables. "Do you want to join us on the hunt? We can return at any time."

"I wanna come." Merlin nodded and together they readied the horses. When they brought the horses around to the courtyard, the other knights were already there. They also asked who Andrew was. He told them the same story and added that he wanted to be a knight someday.

"Its hard work, lad," Leon said.

"Aye," agreed Gawaine as he mounted his horse. "Only the very best can be knights of Camelot."

"It's not that hard," Percival said with a deadpan expression. "Arthur let you in." They laughed and the rest swung up onto their mounts. Andrew successfully mounted his horse, though not quite as gracefully. A riding course as a young teen suddenly seemed a lot less stupid now as he tried to remember the proper way to ride. The small company took off and rode through the village as people on the side of the lane smiled at their king flying past.

Evidently it was to be a shorter trip today. They galloped out of the city but slowed to a fast trot before long. They soon dismounted in a small clearing and Merlin began to prepare lunch. The knights threw down their stuff and lay down against a tree. After a brief rest Percival said he would fetch wood for the fire. Andrew offered to go along and help. Soon enough, Merlin had stew cooking over a small fire. The smell made everyone hungry and the knights started their usual pestering.

"Merlin, when are we going to eat?" Gawaine whined. "I'm so hungry I could eat a cow."

"Well I'm so hungry I could eat your horse," Leon put in.

"That's it guys?"another added. "I would eat a whole dragon."

"I would turn the castle into a giant pie and eat that."

"But since magic is banned you will have to settle with my stew," Merlin cut in. "Bring over your bowls." They all got up and he dished them the soup. It wasn't long before they finished and were handed their bowls back with a thank you. He handed one bowl to Andrew and dished him the leftover soup, who drank it in appreciation. After Andrew finished his, Arthur announced it was time to move on. They stomped out the fire and mounted up. It was only a couple minutes until Arthur held up his hands to bring the party to a halt. He motioned to release the dogs. They sniffed around and then caught the scent of a deer. Arthur led the charge into the forest in hot pursuit. They rode for just over five minutes before the hounds, well trained, stopped short of the deer. The hunting party pulled up short and walked their horses downwind of their prey. Arthur motioned for the men to spread out and Merlin handed him his crossbow. The men quietly formed a loose circle around the prey while Merlin and Andrew hung back by the horses. The ring of men slowly closed in until, snap! One of the men stepped on a twig that broke with a deafening noise in the quiet. The deer looked up and sprinted away.

"Shoot it!" Arthur yelled as he and the others tried to fell the fleeing creature. "Merlin!" Arthur yelled as all of their arrows fell short of hitting the target.

"I haven't moved!" he shouted back.

"It's always you who makes noise," he said as he stormed back. "I don't know why I even take you with."

"Because then you wouldn't have anyone to make the food, dollophead." Merlin retorted and the knights laughed.

"I am not a dollophead! You lazy good for nothing servant!"

"Find another servant then." Merlin took back the crossbow and put it in the saddle bags.

"Maybe I will."

"You tried that once and it didn't work. Besides, how many servants can say they have saved your life?"

"That was once and I got lucky. No skill."

"Whatever you say dollophead. I've saved your life more than that first time though." But Arthur could say no more because suddenly everything froze and then disappeared to leave them standing in the gridded room. Their clothes had been returned to what they were wearing before. Merlin walked to the door and opened it to a man standing there with a message in his hand.

"For you, Master Emrys." He presented the paper to Merlin with a slight bow. He quickly read the paper and turned to Andrew. "I need to attend to this. Sam, could you show Andrew here the way to Mordred's home? It's the newest one where all the knights are staying."

"Yes sir," Sam replied.

"The knights can answer any questions you have about Camelot." Merlin turned the corner the other way. "I'll be back for dinner."

THE END

A/N: The Road to Avalon 4 featuring the Once and Future King is now up! Plus my attempt to tie up many of the loose ends left open for this very purpose by the BBC.