Once upon a time young Merlin the Magician searched the woods for a misplaced tree.
"I know I left it around here somewhere," he muttered.
In the distance someone was bending down beside his lost, now fallen, tree. "Stop!" Merlin bellowed, as he ran over.
The other male stood staring at him, perplexed at first, and then bemused. "This tree farm belongs to my father, so I can do anything I like."
"If you so much as lay a hand on the owl inside that tree you will have wasted years' worth of my work. I have been caring for this owl, planning to make him my familiar, but the magic can't work if any other human so much as touches him!"
The other cleared his throat and shuffled his feet. "I had no idea he was yours. I met him some time ago and actually considered him to be my pet."
"Tell me that you haven't been touching him this whole time?" The answer was already apparent. Merlin turned to face his feathery friend. "Why would you not tell me this?"
"I wasn't sure how?" The owl replied simply.
"That's just great. Now I will never get to bond with you," Merlin fumed.
Arthur frowned and interjected, "What does that mean, exactly?"
"He and I would have been able to hear each other's thoughts."
There was still confusion on Arthur's face. "Why would you need to hear him in your head when we are talking to him right now?"
"It's a wizard thing, you wouldn't understand."
Merlin began to stalk off. Arthur followed.
"Look, I'm really sorry. I had no idea about any of that. Please, let me make it up to you. I owe you a debt. I'm Arthur by the way. Prince Arthur, of Camelot."
"No thanks," Merlin shot back. If he ever laid eyes on this guy again, it would be too soon.
However, every day Arthur would approach the young warlock and try to win him over. In time, his effort paid off and the two became friends, eventually to the point they confided everything in one another.
One day Arthur had a confession to make.
"Hey Merlin, I kinda think your magic is awesome." Arthur seemed nervous and shy. "I almost want you to teach me."
"Learning magic is not a game, Arthur. It takes years of training, just like being a knight."
Arthur blushed. "I know."
Merlin forced down a smile, but still shook his head in refusal. "The answer is no."
In the same way that Arthur had won over Merlin's friendship, the young prince returned to the woods every day, demonstrating his royal charm, relentless with something in his sight that he craved. He found new ways to torment Merlin until the day arrived when the mage finally exclaimed, "Fine! I will teach you."
After Arthur's first successful fireball spell, the young prince stared down at his hand. "That was it? I guess I expected more."
Merlin gaped. Arthur had just shot a fireball from his hand. How had that not been viewed as AWESOME?! He was obviously not doing the best job representing. He could do better. "Let's try again."
The mage put on one of the most epic fire shows of his magical career, making sure to hold Arthur's hand, including the prince in every spell.
Afterwards, Arthur exclaimed breathlessly, "That was hot."
Merlin rolled his eyes.
Having never explored the world of magic before, Arthur was shy at first, but as time passed he became more daring in all that he did. He had a natural skill for it and his hunger only grew.
One day Merlin posed an idea. "I think you should become my apprentice. We could travel the world together using magic to our heart's content. What do you say?"
Arthur's mouth dropped open. "I really like spending time with you and learning magic, but it has only ever been a hobby for me. One day I hope to become a great knight… not a wizard." Arthur fell silent.
Merlin nodded. "I never should have taught magic to someone who wasn't serious about it." He felt the dull ache in his chest begin to build. "If magic doesn't make you feel the way it makes me feel, if it doesn't light up your world so much that you know you could never get by without it, then… we can't keep doing this." Merlin fell silent for a moment, letting his words hang in the air, trying to process if he could really go through with them, himself?
"If you don't love magic as much as I do," he added softly, "then you don't deserve it."
The two stared at each other and all Arthur could say in response was, "I'm sorry."
So Merlin left. The time they spent apart was difficult on them both. Arthur decided to go looking for Merlin right around the same time the mage decided that he wanted to be found. They met each other in the exact place that they had first begun.
"I'm sorry for leaving," Merlin stated. "I needed to figure some things out."
"How did that work out for you?" Arthur asked, feeling somewhat guarded.
"I've decided if you won't be my apprentice then I will just have to be your squire, because my world is empty without you in it."
A hint of a smile tugged at the corners of Arthur's mouth. "That's funny Merlin, because I came here to tell you pretty much the same thing."
"Really," Merlin wondered.
"I swear. I was scared, okay? I am a prince. I have expectations of me. Learning magic was never one of them, but I want it to be. Now will you stop being an idiot and give me a hug?"
Merlin's face split into a wide grin as he rushed into Arthur's outstretched arms.
That's why the legends vary between Merlin teaching Arthur, and serving him, because in reality they lived happily ever after… doing both.