Another chapter as promised! ;D ...and I'm off to write the next one!

and I guess there are slight spoilers for Season 4 in this chapter, so you've been warned!

Enjoy!

Chapter 13

Arthur Pendragon, Prince of Camelot, silently congratulated himself for his successful plan, not that he actually had anything to do with it. He didn't even know how Merlin had managed to get those armguards, but neither did he really care. However, it seemed his servant was at least useful for something. Moments earlier the blonde had been more than astonished as Merlin gave him a pair of modified armguards. Not only had Merlin managed to get some in a quite short time, he'd also avoided discovery, which was in Merlin's case quite an accomplishment.

Thus Arthur decided he would grant his servant a day off...not now of course, but in the near future. After this whole ordeal was over-well or maybe not then, there was a tournament coming up. So, maybe after or frowning Arthur thought further, however, he couldn't actually think of a time, when he wouldn't need his servant by his side. There was the tournament, then of course he'd like to go hunting and after that he'd have to attend those boring council meetings again. And if he had to die of boredom, Merlin would have to as well. Whatever, he'd think about that one later.

Right now he was cautiously making his way toward a side entrance of the castle, through which he planned to take his leave. He knew that alone he couldn't really help the villages all that much, but he would at least try. He could and would support them the best he could and if it was only to help them escape.

Having reached the hidden gateway Arthur quickly checked that the area was clear, before he walked out of the castle. Once outside the blonde ran into the surrounding forest and soon disappeared underneath the shadow of the trees.

"Where do you think you're going," spoke an all too familiar voice from behind him.

Startled Arthur whirled around, sword in hand, and came face to face with himself. He silently cursed his bad luck, secured his sword and replied nonchalantly, "nowhere, I was just talking a walk."

"Uh-huh, and of course you just happened to stumble across those in the process." King Arthur indicated the armguards and raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"You do know that I'm basically you, only older, don't you? Which also means I know you pretty well. Don't mock me. And as I already said, it is unwise for you to leave the castle, so please get back inside or do I have to drag you!"

Younger Arthur only scoffed and said, "please as if you, old man, could take me. You look as if you enjoyed too many feasts and too few training sessions."

"You do realise your insulting yourself, right?" After looking sown at himself he continued, "and I'm not fat."

"Keep telling yourself that...oh and remind me to tell Merlin that I won't participate in all those feasts once I'm king. I don't want to end up like you."

"That's it you're dead." With that King Arthur pounced on his younger version and they both tumbled to the ground, where they both tried to hit each other and get the upper hand.

Several minutes later the two blondes were still rolling around the forest floor when an amused voice stated, "As much as I enjoy watching you literally fight with yourself, I'm the one who has to clean your clothes. So, could you maybe relocate?"

"No!" was the bellowed answer from both fight- participants.

"Okay, soo Arthur what happened to 'I'm the prince, I can't be seen conducting petty fights'," Merlin questioned mock seriously. Again both replied at the same time. "He started it!"

No longer able to contain his laughter Merlin promptly doubled over and laughed out loud. Becoming aware of the servant's ridicule of their situation the two 'adversaries' shared a look of mutual understanding and abandoned their fight to tackle the offending man instead. Cut off in mid-laugh Merlin fell on his back with a thud and struggled to get the two heavy men off of him.

Not really able to breathe due to the weight he was just about to beg for his release, when a massive explosion could be heard, coming from the main gates. Shocked all three of them stared that way before they hastily scrambled to their feet -or rather tried to as they were all hindering each other. Subsequently they all had a hard time standing up.

"Stop kicking me!" Arthur shouted indignantly.

"Then you stop dragging me down!" exclaimed King Arthur in the very same tone of voice.

"It's hardly my fault that you're too old and fat to get up by yoursel- oww I said stop it." And that's how they returned to their little fistfight, momentarily forgetting the possible danger at the gate. Thankfully their renewed fighting allowed Merlin to reclaim his feet. The warlock quickly checked that he was still intact and then started shouting.

"For god's sake stop fighting!" He received no answer, huffed in annoyance and stated, "fine, then I'll go check who's attacking your castle. And don't think that I won't kick your arses for this...as soon as I have my fancy necklace." The thinly veiled threat at last reached the two, who now slowly separated. The younger one mainly because he was too busy laughing to concentrate on the fight, but the other looked slightly alarmed and fled hastily. With one last look at his currently amused master Merlin followed the king and so did Arthur after composing himself properly.

Atop the battlements of Camelot the future soldiers stood silently, relentlessly searching for their invisible foe. Only moments after that powerful spell had struck the barrier a short gust of wind had occurred, but no one had materialised within it. And while they all fully trusted Merlin's shield, there were still ways to undergo its presence or in the worst case destroy it.

"What's happened," inquired the calm voice of their king, who was striding over from the staircase. The captain of the guard reported calmly, "Some kind of spell hit the shield, but didn't break through. No sight of the enemy so far, Sire."

"Good keep watch-" That moment another bright white bolt crashed into the protection barrier with a deafening boom. This time the following wind brought their attackers with it. Just like days before an army appeared in front of Camelot.

"Merlin," bellowed King Arthur.

"Yah, what is it?" Merlin answered reluctantly, already awaiting to be involved in another dumb plan.

"Didn't talk to you."

"But you said-"

"I know." Arthur regarded his surroundings expectantly, but nothing happened.

"Oh, he's talking to the other Merlin, who isn't here..." murmured Arthur to Merlin, simultaneously he tapped his forehead covertly.

"Exactly," King Arthur replied scathingly. "And he's not answering, which is never a good sign..." Frowning Arthur then turned to his men and told them to get ready for battle and to wear some kind of amulets.

"Yes, Sire." At once the knights whirled into motion to carry out the order.

"What amulets," Prince Arthur inquired, his older counterpart in any case wasn't listening anymore. He was already busy shouting...at his necklace.

"Merlin, you imbecile, move your arse back to Camelot, now!" Nothing. There was no reaction to his words whatsoever and frankly he looked quite crazy standing there shouting at a piece of jewellery. Seemingly not bothered by that Arthur kept barking orders at his amulet, only to be finally interrupted by a female voice, "I always knew you would succumb to madness, just like our beloved father." The people standing on the battlements turned towards the source of the voice and found a woman standing in front of the army, smirking evilly. Upon spotting the woman Arthur stated emotionlessly, "Morgana."