And now the conclusion of this little side-trip...


"Well I'll be a pixie's uncle!" Simon muttered with a smile on his face as he looked around the path entering the orchard. The aging commander set most of King Roderick's men to the forest and the river where the pig had last been seen, while he accompanied the two from Camelot on what he deemed as a fool's errand looking for some apples. Just off the trail he found the tracks they were searching for. He glanced at Merlin, the mutton-chop sideburns raised on his cheeks in a grin.

Cai dismounted and tethered his horse near the edge of the trees. "Loholt?" He called out as he started into the grove; Merlin and Simon headed out in other directions, also calling for the boys.

It didn't take long to find them, boy and pig together curled up at the base of a large tree, sound asleep. Loholt grudgingly awoke hearing his uncle's voice. He peeled open his blue eyes, not realizing at first that the man in front of him was real. "Uncle?"

"Yeah, boy, it's me," Cai grinned and engulfed the young man in a hug. "Are you alright?" He asked with concern seeing the blood stains.

Loholt nodded and withdrew, "It's…I… well, it's not mine." He started tears coming to his eyes and he began trembling as his mind finally allowed itself to process what had taken place. "He came on me in the woods, and threatened to kill me. I didn't know what to do… he had Lord Emyrs's dagger and I was so scared. I'm sorry, uncle."

"You did well, taking a man's life defending yourself is no small thing, but you survived. That's all that matters."

The pig next to them startled and began squealing as Simon came up beside them, "We've been looking for you, Prince David."

Loholt's face scrunched up in confusion and he glanced down at his new friend, "Prince David?"

David squealed again in delight, nuzzling the boy, and then spinning around in circles.

"Yes boy, this," he thought for a moment of how to best describe the situation without possibly offending his prince, "This is King Roderick's son, a sorcerer turned him into…"

"A pig?" The teenager said, beginning to smile through his tears. He looked down at his friend, "Well, don't worry, I'm sure Lord Emyrs can change you back, he's a warlock."

Simon's eyes narrowed. He first looked to Cai suspiciously then his eyes moved to the lanky man coming towards them. "So, a 'warlock' are ya, Lord Emyrs?"

Merlin froze his blue eyes wide. "Uh, yeah," he responded hesitantly.

"Well then, I suggest you do your magic before we get back to the King, if he finds out you've been holding out on him he'll toss you in the cell with the healer," the older man threatened.

"Lord Emyrs!" Loholt said upon seeing the man. He excitedly pulled Merlin's dagger from his belt. Cautiously he handed the blade to its owner, "I found this. It was a mess, so I think I cleaned it up at the same time I cleaned my sword." He seemed proud to have been of help in some way.

Merlin took it from him, swallowing hard against the rising emotion. He forced a smile of thanks. Loholt meant no harm in clearing the magical weapon of the dried blood, and he knew this, but it didn't stop the disappointment he felt at not being able to save a small bit of the red dragon for when he tracked down Morgause. He reconciled himself with the thought that it might have been tainted anyway from the bandit having taken it in the first place. "Thank you," he managed to say to the boy, ruffling the blond hair.

"It's magical, isn't it?" Merlin nodded. "Last night, I was cold and wet. The dagger felt warm though, and I think I cast a spell but it was probably just that, and not me, I'm sure." He looked nervously at the warlock, unsure if the man might be upset at him using the mystical blade in such a way.

Dark eyebrows rose up and Merlin smirked, "Well, which ever it was, we can look into it more later." He turned back to the prince. Kneeling down beside him, the warlock allowed his magic to flow out and touch the enchantment surrounding the pig form. He could feel the strength of the spell behind it. It would take more than the normal magic within him to release the curse, "Whoever the man was that cast this, was very powerful. I'll actually need Alice's help to reverse it."

Simon appeared disappointed, "Fine then, back to the castle we go."

As the others made their way back to the horses, Merlin paused to look around. A strange sensation of being watched descended upon him.

'Emrys, it is a pleasure to finally meet you.' A voice spoke into his mind.

Merlin spied the source of the voice standing next to the apple tree where they had found the boys. 'You must be Afallach,' he assumed. "Please don't tell me you turned the prince into a pig just to meet me."

An ageless man stepped towards him. His long straight brown hair flowing lightly around his shoulders and framing a long narrow face. There was something otherworldly about the man. "No, however, I am not unhappy with the results. The prince has learned his lesson and will become a good ruler someday, finally understanding how it feels to be helpless and in turn help someone else who needed a hand."

Merlin nodded slowly. "I see," he said, although he really wasn't sure if he did. "So why don't you lift the curse now that it's over? The king offered you double whatever his brother paid you."

Afallach winked, "And triple if I turned Mordei into a pig as well. However three times nothing is still nothing. Perhaps, I still feel there is something to be learned in all this."

"Hazzah, more riddles," the warlock responded sarcastically.

"Take this," Afallach chuckled and held out a small apple. Merlin took it reluctantly, wondering what he was supposed to do with it. "It's not a snack for the journey home if that is what you are thinking. The seeds you plant will grow strong in the heart of Albion. Tend to them wisely, Emrys." The man turned around and began to walk away.

"Tell me, is it a curse of magic, complete boredom, or the senility of age that make you and all the other 'ancient' mystical beings unable to give me straight answers?" Merlin startled and spun around when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Cai was standing there with a worried expression on his face, "Who are you talking to?"

Looking back towards the tree, he wasn't surprised that the man was gone. "Oh you know, just myself as always, it seems," He sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. Glancing over the unassuming apple in his hand, he couldn't determine anything special at the moment, so he stuffed it into a pouch on his belt. "We'd better get out of here before I completely lose my mind."

The knight attempted to muffle a snicker.

"What?"

Shaking his head Cai smirked, "I think it might be a bit too late for that, my friend."

"Thanks. I appreciate it. Really, I do!" He stated with mock appreciation before he scowled behind Cai's back as they rejoined the others.

(*~*~*~*)

Upon their arrival Simon sent out a rider to call off the search before carrying the pig prince into the throne room. He filled the king in on what had happened, making certain to describe that it was Lord Emyrs who managed to find the runaway swine. The mutton-chopped man also pointed out that the lord from Camelot also had magic at his disposal. The king leveled an accusing gaze on Merlin who proceeded to explain that yes he should be able to change the prince back, but he would need a work space and Alice's help to accomplish it.

Less than an hour later he found himself in local physician's quarters searching through the supplies. The physician was a middle-aged balding man with an extremely bad attitude about having his workspace invaded. For the most part Merlin ignored the man after he realized he would get no help. It wasn't long after that Alice was brought into the room.

"Ah good, shall we get to it then?" Merlin asked with a smile.

The old woman sighed impatiently, "I already told you, I don't have the abilities to lift the curse from the prince and I doubt any of the skills you might have learned from Gaius would allow you to do anything."

Merlin opened a vial and sniffed its contents, scrunching his face in disgust, before setting it next to a large bowl. "Well, it's a good thing I have other skills I've picked up along the way as well."

She looked at him with condescending eyes before giving a little huff, "Very well then, what do you require of me?"

"I would like you to help me mix together a potion." He sat another jar of red powder on the work table, "You see- I figured if we could somehow modify a potion Gaius and I used to reverse an aging spell and accompany it with a transfiguration spell casting…"

Alice's brain began to process, "I see where you're going, and yes it just might work. However my powers are focused in healing, not in changing the very nature of a being."

"AH!" Merlin said excitedly, "But that is something I am quite good at."

"You have magic?" She asked. He nodded guiltily. "Well then why not just cast a spell to reverse it all, if you have such knowledge?"

Merlin stopped and bit his lip, "I already thought of that, but the uh, 'man' who did this in the first place was powerful and to make his point, I don't think he used just a simple spell."

The healer began moving around the room and checking over the ingredients Merlin already gathered, "So he's stronger than you are? That's not surprising."

Merlin chuckled, "Naw, I wouldn't say that, he just has more years of practice."

She was caught off guard by the casual way Gaius's ward spoke. It was stated as a simple matter-of-fact, with no egotistical intention. Alice paused and studied the boy as if she had never seen him before and perhaps, she realized maybe she hadn't. She began to see why her old beau might have been so protective over this young man.

Merlin paused and looked over the ingredients. He rubbed the back of his neck and didn't appear pleased. Glancing up at the local physician he hesitantly asked, "I don't suppose you have any Lacewing flies?"

"Certainly not! What would I such a thing for in healing?" He responded haughtily before turning back to his book and once again ignoring Merlin.

Alice laughed, "Ah Gaius always had a weakness for keeping on hand the more exotic ingredients. A trick I taught him," She winked at Merlin and moved to her bag that was brought in with her. Sifting around she pulled out a small box, "Ah here we go. It's not Lacewing's but that is where we can be a little lenient. Dragonfly's should work just as well for binding."

The young man laughed, "And well, if by some chance it turns him into a dragon, then that would be easy for me to deal with."

"Would it now?" She asked, measuring out the ingredients and pouring them into a small copper cauldron set over a flame.

Merlin tried to smile innocently, "Yeah, I'm kind of a dragon lord." He shrugged apologetically as he began to stir the mixture.

"Ah, that explains it." She gave him a knowing grin.

"Go ahead say it, I know I look like my father," he rolled his eyes waiting.

Instead he was surprised when she reached up and patted his cheek, "No my boy, you're much more handsome than he was."

The warlock blushed and they continued on with their task.

(*~*~*~*)

A few hours later, and more than a few failed attempts, they believed that they had finally come up with the winning combination. "Shall we call in the prince and give it a go?" Alice asked with a twinkle in her eye. Although apprehensive at the start, she had soon warmed to the young man through their shared work. She could see so much of Gaius's influence in him and the familiar way he would process the making of a potion.

Merlin nodded and asked a guard to bring in the pig.

Others came into the room as well, including the King, Loholt, and Cai. They were followed by a woman who appeared like she was going to faint at even a passing shadow. Merlin assumed it must be the prince's mother. The boy was eager to see his new friend transformed, as was the king.

"Alright, this will more than likely be the most disgusting thing you have ever tasted, and it might get a tad uncomfortable, but here we go." He looked at Alice and nodded.

The healer held up a vial to help the little pig drink, while Merlin began casting his spell, "Edniwe hine sáwolberend."

(*~*~*~*)

Two teenage boys raced each other up and down the stairs from the courtyard, the larger of the two in obvious need of the exercise, finally came to a stop next to his father, panting heavily. His mother came up beside him with a worried expression, "Darling, you shouldn't exhaust yourself so. It's not good…"

"Oh for goodness sake Sarah, let the boy run!" The king warned his wife. He turned to Merlin and extended his arm, "Thank you again for all that you did, Lord Emyrs."

Merlin smiled and grasped the king's arm, "I'm glad we were able to help each other, My Lord. I'll tell King Arthur of your proposal for peace when we reach Camelot."

Loholt returned to his uncle's side, and stood in front of the prince, "You'll come to Camelot and visit too, won't you?"

"I shall!" The portly teenager replied, "And you must promise me, if you don't become a knight in Camelot, you must come back here and be my knight!"

The blond boy nodded eagerly, "I promise."

Soon after the two men, one boy, and the healer they came for headed out of Southron bound for home.

Appletrees
The Black Book of Carmarthen XVII

Sweet appletree, your branches delight me,
Luxuriantly budding my pride and joy!
I will put before the lord of Macreu,
That on Wednesday, in the valley of Machawy
Blood will flow.
Lloegyr's (England's) blades will shine.
But hear, O little pig! on Thursday
The Cymry will rejoyce
In their defence of Cymimawd,
Furiously cutting and thrusting.
The Saesons (Saxons) will be slaughtered by our ashen spears,
And their heads used as footballs.
I prophesy the unvarnished truth -
The rising of a child in the secluded South.


So there we go- another butchering of legends and poems twisted to serve my own creative needs. The full conversation Merlin has with the pig is rather confusing. But from them in some sort of Pinky and The Brain thought pattern and following web links, I came to Afallach and the apples and decided why the heck not! And as you can see I changed the name of Rhydderch to Roderick because I was getting sick of my spell check and tired of trying to remember or look back up at how it had I wrote it previously… so yeah that was laziness on my part LOL. (and it was with great difficulty I restrained from saying Aflac in a duck voice each time I wrote Afallach's name)

With all these semi-OCs I always try to find inspiration in known actors. I think it helps me to develop how I see and hear them in my mind and hopefully some of it translates to the page. Lisanor is based on Aurora from Once Upon a Time and the character of Maelgwn I took inspiration from someone similar to Dennis Storhøi who played Herger in 'The 13th Warrior' (he was the short blond who kept calling Antonio Banderas's character "Little Brother" [side note- one of the few movies I've seen that was SOOO much better than the book. It is the only Michael Crichton book I have lost and never thought to replace, it was that bad LOL, although now that I think about it – he did in that book what I've been doing here. He took Beowulf and meshed it with some transcripts of an Arab man who traveled with the Norsemen… although in a completely different time period.]) Anyhoo- Love him or despise him… I'm going to be having some fun with this character… especially when Merlin gets back home. Oh the fireworks are gonna fly!

Ok So there are a couple more minor side trips – although I am hoping more to write them as recaps of what the characters did and not full out multi-chapters on what they are doing.

Including, but not limited to- Merlin finally taking Arthur to Lancelot's resting place - with a bit of a surprise thrown in, taking Bran's head to visit Taliesin, and of course finding a replacement for George- which I already have the perfect candidate in mind *giggles manically* I might also throw in a bit of sweetness for the slowly blossoming Clare/Perc romance. Oh and a little girl is starting to get a bit bored...

Anyhoo- Thanks for the reviews, please continue to do so as it makes me giggle in delight! And a virtual potion of your choice if you caught the Harry Potter Easter Egg I left in this chapter ;-)