First Official Visit

By Montez

Disclaimer: see chapter one

A/N: Well this is the final chapter on this grad adventure through Camelot. I want to take a moment to thank everyone who stayed with me through this journey and enjoyed the story. I was a late comer to the Merlin series, but of course fell in love with it right away. I Love Anthony Head and wished we could have seen more of the caring Uther we only got glimpses of during the show. I concluded this story with the Uther were came to know in the show just to bring my story into the show's universe. It would have been fun to see a kid version of Arthur and Merlin, plus I adore Leon so he had to be along for the ride. Again, thank you for your time and I hope you enjoy this final chapter.-Montez

Chapter 27

Epilogue #2

Sir Leon had just gotten back from a three-week patrol, he hated long campaigns but with the constant threats of magic against the Kingdom they were needed as every lead needed to be checked out and any responsible parties brought to justice.

"Can you believe it, I've never seen anyone stand up to Prince Arthur like that boy did." Sir Benjamin was talking with another Knight as Leon was storing his gear.

"I heard he took at swing at the Prince." Sir Niles replied.

"And yet after all that the King, himself makes the boy the Prince's manservant, and from what I hear the Prince absolutely hates the boy." Sir Edwin added.

This finally peaked Leon's interest, "What's going on?"

Sir Benjamin came up beside Sir Leon, placing a hand on his shoulder and Laughing. "Gentleman, poor Sir Leon is out of the loop, being away for three-weeks he hasn't heard of that happened just in this past week".

Leon shoved his friend, continuing to store his beloved crossbow, "Are you going to tell me or not? What is this about someone trying to hit Arthur, did the poor person have a death wish?" Leon smiled knowing just how good the Prince was in nearly all means of fighting, not just weaponry.

"From what I heard," Sir Edwin began, "About a week ago this newly arrived peasant tried to step in when the Prince was having some 'fun' with one of the servants who was 'helping' with target practice." Unfortunately, Leon knew that Arthur's type of fun was using the poor bloke as a moving target when he'd practiced his knife throwing.

"the boy had the nerve to tell the Prince that was enough, then went on to actually call him an 'ass' to his face." Leon actually dropped his quiver of bolts at that.

"Someone called Arthur an ass to his face and is still alive?" Leon knew the Prince's temper was comparable to his father's and neither tolerated insolence.

"surprisingly," Benjamin continued, "Then he took a swing at the Prince, but to the poor boy's defense Arthur was taunting him at the time."

"kid ended up in the dungeon for the night before Gaius pleaded the boy's case to Arthur. Apparently, the boy is new to Camelot and had no idea he was picking a fight with the Prince, so the kid ended up in the stocks for a day." Sir Niles added.

"Yeah, but he knew he was a Prince the second time he tried to fight him," Benjamin responded.

"Seriously, this new boy actually tried to fight Arthur a second time?" Leon was beginning to think his fellow knights were just pulling his leg at this point. Nobody and he meant nobody ever attempted to fight Arthur a second time.

Niles smiled, "Nearly bested him too if you can believe it. I've never heard of the Prince tripping and stumbling so much in my life, if the boy hadn't been distracted, I hear he nearly had the Prince."

"Okay, now I know you guys are just making this up. Arthur has the best footwork of any of us, no way he trips or stumbles in a fight, even if he's injured." Leon knew of Arthur's footwork, he's the one that taught him until the boy perfected it.

"we're not, I swear on my poor granny's grave." Benjamin placed his hand over his heart.

"So how is the boy not locked in the deepest parts of the dungeon then. You said something about him being Arthur's new manservant?" Leon leaned against the wall to hear just how that miracle of miracles happened and suspected if it was really true, the boy would go running back to where he came from since Arthur went through manservants like water through a leaky bucket.

"That's the crazy part…" Niles responded as if he, and the other's, were still trying to process how it all happened. "Two nights ago, there was a feast in honor of Lady Helen, the famous singer who was visiting at the King's invitation. Well turns out she was actually the witch, Mary Collins in disguise who made an attempt on Arthur's life because the King had executed her son for sorcery. Somehow this peasant boy was helping at the feast, and he was able to pull the Prince from the path of the dagger the old witch had thrown, saving his life. The king gave him the position as a reward."

"Wow, I'm gone a few weeks and all the craziness happens" Leon went to leave the armory, then turned back, "You all didn't tell what this poor soul's name is so I can offer my sympathy to the lad." The Knight still loved Arthur like a little brother, even as their relationship changed drastically after that terrible week nearly ten years ago. Leon's influence was overshadowed by all the training the boy started, then he surrounded himself with people who only cared that he was royalty, and they could say they were friends to the Prince, so to put it mildly Arthur had become a very unpleasant person to be around, and it had broken Leon's heart to see that happen and be unable to stop it.

"What is the boy's name? I know he lives with Gaius, he's taken him in as a favor to the boy's mother I think I heard him tell someone who asked why he was taking an interest in the boy's welfare." Edwin responded.

"Started with an M I think, was kind of a strange name…" Niles's replied.

Just then the armory door was jerked from Leon's hands as a gangly boy stumbled in like he was lost then smiled the goofiest of grins, "Oh hi, I umm…Prince Arthur sent me to get some armor so I can help him practice, whatever that means, I don't know anything about armor or swords, but here I am." The dark-haired boy looked perplexed for a second seeing so many Knights staring at him, then he smiled again, thrusting his hand in Leon's direction, "By the way I'm Merlin."