Thalia rode back through the market to the castle to find Merlin waiting for her.

'So word came I was coming back, then?'

'Mm, and you're just in time.'

Thalia swung her leg over Leroy and let her feet touch the ground. 'Why?'

'There's a new guest staying here in the castle.'

'Judging by your face I'm going to say there's something suspicious about them?' She loosened the girth under the horse's stomach.

'I'm afraid so. For starters, Arthur's falling for one of them.'

As Merlin had expected, Thalia just looked amused. She lifted her eyebrows and lowered her head. 'What?'

'Well it seems like it. They went out for a ride yesterday and she's in the chambers next to his.'

'… Mine or the ones on the other side?'

'The other ones.'

'Well, that's fine then.'

'And Gaius had a look at their walking staffs. They're magical and they're from Avalon.'

'Ohhhhh boy, sounds fun. Remind me to read up on it.'

'Read up on it?'

'I have these special books, three different ones and two of the same. So four in total. Between them they can give me any spell and any known information apart from some ancient knowledge, but that would be easily found in Gaius' records.'

A guard took Leroy away to the stables and Thalia straightened her grey cloak. 'Right, then. Let's face it.'

'Oh, do you have an excuse I could use?'

'What are you on about now?'

'Umm… well… yesterday Arthur went for a walk with umm… oh I've forgotten her name. Sofia! And he's gone off somewhere with her today again and I need another excuse for Uther.'

Thalia groaned. 'Oh, you're kidding me.'

'Right then. Let's see… nope. I'm going to see Uther now and tell him how my trip went so come with me and I'll help you out.'

'My Lord.'

Uther, who was reading in his throne in the council chambers looked up. 'Thalia! How was your trip? Is the sorcerer dead?'

'No trouble at all.'

'Really? The reports were that they were very dangerous.'

'Yes, but he was a coward once you began to overpower him.'

Uther smiled. 'I see. Well done, my dear.'

'Thank you, My Lord.'

Then Uther noticed Merlin.

'Ah, you. Where's my son?'

'He's um… um…'

'So! What have I missed?'

'Well, Nimue poisoned the water supply and Gwen got framed,'

Thalia's head had snapped at the mention of Nimue.

'Then she tried to poison me but Arthur went and got the antidote ingredient, and then…'

The next day Thalia went to see the king early in the morning.

'Sire?'

The door opened and Thalia stepped inside to the room that was Uther's favourite to sit in.

'Come in.'

'Thank you. I was wondering what you could tell me about the new guest… Sophia?'

'Oh, yes. She and her father are travelling… somewhere... if I'm honest with you I have forgotten.'

'Oh well. Nevermind.'

'Is there something concerning you?'

'Not particularly.'

'Not worried Arthur's falling for her are you?' Uther was smiling.

'…No, sire?' Thalia pushed her eyebrows down and lifted the right corner of her mouth, knowing full well that Uther was teasing her, 'why would I?'

'Oh, don't worry, Thalia, I approve.'

'Sire?' Thalia's expression deepened.

'Feel free to marry my son as soon as you like.' He turned to the window, now chuckling to himself.

'Sire!' Thalia looked at him with amused shock, mouth open and smiling.

He looked at her with a wicked and mischievous grin. 'I'm sorry, my dear, I'm only joking.'

'No you're not.'

'No, I'm not.' He put an arm around her. 'I approve, my dear. If there is anyone I can think of that I'd want to marry my son and for him to be happy with it would be

you.'

'My Lord if you are matchmaking again then I really must protest, the last time you did, I-'

He started laughing at Thalia's outraged yet thoroughly amused expression and she knew he wouldn't stop.

'Off you go, go make sure my son doesn't kill himself with his newfound love. Although everyone knows he loves you.'

'Sire…'

He waved a hand toward the door cheerfully, still laughing.

Thalia sighed at the nearly red-faced king and walked out, grinning herself.

Outside waiting for her was Merlin.

'Ah, how goes it, Merlin?'

'I followed Sophia's father. I've seen Avalon dwellers.'

'Oh, the evil pixies? The Sidhe?'

'That's what they look like, yes. Anyway, they plan to sacrifice Arthur to Avalon so that they can re-enter Avalon as immortals.'

'Ah, that makes sense. My books said as much.'

'So what do we do about Arthur?'

A guard walked past holding a scroll.

'Oo, watch out, we're about to find out.'

'Huh?'

'Merlin, that's a request for an audience with Uther. Who else would it be from this early in the morning?'

'So what's he going to do?'

'I don't know. Let's find out, shall we?'

'I requested this audience, Father, to discuss a matter of great importance.'

Uther looked up from his papers.

'It cannot have escaped your attention that I and Lady Sophia Tirmawr have grown very close.'

Uther raised an eyebrow at Thalia who shrugged, also bewildered yet thoroughly enjoying herself as much as he was. 'Not too close, I hope.'

'We're in love.'

Uther rolled his head with a sly grin on his face and looked at Thalia once more who wore the same expression.

'Which is why I come before you today to ask your permission to marry.'

While Thalia held in her chuckle Uther didn't. Arthur stared at his father, face impassive but eyes incredulous.

Uther managed to get a grip on his laughter. 'I assume you're joking.'

'No. I'm going to marry her.'

'… Yet you only met two days ago.'

Arthur's face turned malicious. 'We're in love.'

Uther kept sniggering. 'In love. We had no idea that you were such a romantic, had we, Morgana?'

Thalia knew Uther was kicking himself laughing inside.

Morgana wasn't laughing, just looked rattled. 'No. He's full of surprises.'

'I'm going to marry her.'

Uther was still struggling to keep his face straight. 'I thought you'd come to ask my permission.'

'Out of courtesy, nothing more.' Arthur turned, took Sophia's hand and marched out. Or rather attempted to.

'Guards, door.' Uther still held an underlying tone of laughter.

Uther stood up. Arthur turned around.

'You won't stop me. If I want to marry her, I will.'

'… Arrest Sophia and Aulfric Tirmawr.' As Arthur began to protest he added; 'and inform the executioner that his services will be required tomorrow morning.'

The once cheerful atmosphere turned into tension. Thalia stood patiently.

'You can't do this!'

'Yes, I can!'

Both Father and Son stood in front of each other, now staring each other down. One was clearly winning.

'And unless you show me some respect I will!'

Arthur yielded by lowering his head

'Release them. You've got your whole life ahead of you. Sophia is, no doubt, your first love.'

Uther looked at Thalia with an amused smirk for a fraction of a second. She returned it.

'But she certainly won't be the only one. Enjoy yourself while you can.'

With a bow and a glare Arthur walked out.

Thalia turned away and controlled her laughter. Oh Arthur. You just couldn't fight the love spell, could you?

'Merlin, go talk to the prat.'

'Me?'

'Yes, you. I'll come.'

'Oh thank you.'

'I'll be a few seconds after you; I need to talk to Uther for a minute.'

'Okay.'

Thalia finished talking to Uther and ran after Merlin. She hurried when she noticed Sophia and her father entering Arthur's chambers.

She heard; 'No! Don't listen to her. She's controlling you,' from down the hall.

She burst through the door and ran next to Merlin. Arthur frowned slightly and Thalia knew he was fighting the spell.

But then Sophia stepped forward. 'We can elope together, get away from this place, these people.'

Merlin pointed a finger at her Father. 'I saw you. I followed him. They're planning to sacrifice you.''You let your servant talk to your guests this way?'

Thalia gripped the hilt of her sword. 'You, shut up.'

'I know what you're going to do because I followed you to the lake and I heard everything.'

Thalia turned to Arthur who was looking scared and moving his head. 'Fight it, Arthur. Come on, fight it.'

Those familiar blue eyes met hers as if she was a lifeline and she stared into them with determination. 'Come on…'

'Let's go. Let's leave tonight. You're not each other's, Arthur. You're Myn. We're each other's.'

'I am not his!' Thalia gritted her teeth angrily but didn't move her eyes from Arthur's.

'She's going to kill you. Sophia plans to sacrifice you to buy a life of immortality.' Merlin kept 's gaze wavered and he shook his head.

'If you go with her, you'll die.

Arthur shook his head once more. 'It doesn't make sense. We're in love!'

'Arthur, it's Thalia. Arthur, look at me.'

He met her eyes.

'They're magical beings! Look at the writing on the staff!'

Merlin made a grab for Aulfric's staff who pulled it away and his eyes flashed red.

Thalia blinked but did not move her eyes from Arthur's.

'Merlin… anytime…'

'Working on it…'

'Na mben sis!'

'Aaaargh!'

'Merlin?!' Thalia did not dare move her gaze away from Arthur.

'… ghhh…'

'Merlin?!'

Thalia knew she was in trouble. 'Arthur… come on. Come on.'

But then his eyes started glowing red. Thalia couldn't help it but notice it suited him. But then she ducked under his punch and turned around to see a staff pointing at her.

She swore and dove behind Arthur.

'You won't hurt Arthur.'

But he turned around and shoved her against the wall.

'Rrrrr… Argh!'

Though she couldn't move away she blocked Arthur's attempted punch to her in the stomach.

Then he held her tightly and turned them both around. A spell hit her in the back and she was blown to the wall beside Merlin, unconscious.

She was woken by Gaius who was shaking both her and Merlin. Before Gaius could speak and Merlin could stand she had scrambled up from the floor and ran through the castle to the horses. She saddled up Leroy and trotted him back to the castle doors.

She cast her mind out. 'Merlin, hurry.'

'How are you doing that? You're speaking inside my head.'

'It's magic, now hurry up!'

Merlin ran out moments later and without a word she pulled him up behind her and they galloped out of the gates.

Morgana watched her go with a beacon of hope springing back up into her. With Thalia there Arthur would be safe.

Thalia knew she was hours behind them but her horse was one of the fastest.

'Merlin I'm heading for the lake. Is that correct?'

'Yes.'

'Good.'

They arrived to see Sophia standing alone in the lake and her father nearby.

'Where the hell is he?'

'You said Avalon is underwater.'

'Oh.'

Thalia vaulted off Leroy and rolled along the ground, picking up Sophia's discarded staff. She threw it to Merlin and collided with Aulfric, sending them crashing back to the ground. She rolled away and Merlin's spell hit Aulfric who disintegrated. Sophia noticed but Merlin turned on her immediately.

'Og kelis!'

Thalia meanwhile was already at the shore of the lake. She had noticed which way Sophia was facing and knew where Arthur was. She ran a few paces into the water and dove straight in. She kept swimming, with her eyes open, and found him. She dragged him back up to the surface and the first thing she did was cast a spell to make sure he was alright. Then she swam with him as hard as she could back to the shore. Merlin had waded in to help and so the two of them got Arthur onto the sand.

Thalia's crouch gave way and she collapsed beside the Prince, chest heaving as her lungs tried to help her body recover. All the riding and now she'd just gone into a lake after a heavily armoured Arthur. Heavily as in the weight. She pushed herself up to sit on the ground.

Merlin watched her closely.

She coughed and glared at the Prince. 'You… idiot… I… hate… you…' she gave another cough.

'I'm going to kill him when he wakes up.'

'Ah, but then the great kingdom of Albion will never be united,' said Merlin happily.

'Humph.'

'And besides, it wasn't his fault.'

'Never mind that you two, have we perfected our cover story?'

'Don't worry, Gauis, we've got it sorted. Even Uther will accept this.'

The physician frowned. 'What are you going to tell him?'

'Most of the truth.'

'Oh, I think I see...'

'Here's your chance, he's coming round.' Merlin pointed to the moaning Arthur who lay in the middle of his bed.

'Uh huh. Lucky us. We won't tell him he nearly drowned, I'll tell him one day but not until I think his ego needs taking down.'

A louder groan came from the Prince and they sat down quickly and put on solemn faces.

Merlin and Gauis looked at each other.

'Arthur?'

'Prat?'

At the sound of Thalia's voice Arthur's eyes opened. 'Mm… what happened?'

Gaius left the talking to them.

'Where am I?' he lifted his head.

'Can you remember anything?'

'Oh! Oh, my head! … There was a girl. Sophia… she, er… I asked my father something about her. I asked him, er…'

Thalia fought hard to hold in her smile and chuckle.

Arthur's movements ceased as he suddenly remembered. Then he shot up to a sit. 'What was I thinking?!'

'Well… we did wonder…'

'Shut up, Merlin. Sophia and her father were sorcerers. But they weren't umm… they weren't originally human.'

The look on Arthur's face was priceless.

'Anyway, they cast a love spell on you and that's why you asked your father "said question". Fortunately before they could kill you Merlin and I tracked you down by the lake and stopped them then umm… well anyhow, they're dead and the spell on you has been lifted. I didn't even have to use magic, they were so weak.'

'Why can't I remember any of this?'

'Umm… Well it could be because you were under her spell… or…'

Gaius spoke up. 'Must've been some blow.' He glanced at Merlin and Arthur followed it, now looking uncertainly at Merlin.

'What. Blow.'

Thalia grimaced. 'Yeah… that's the bit I wasn't going to tell you about. Um… well…'

Merlin finished her sentence. 'Well, when we caught up to you, we couldn't risk you going all red eyed again and trying to kill Thalia-'

Arthur's eyes slipped up to Thalia's with pure alarm for a second then he went back to staring at Merlin incredulously.

'-You were beyond reason so I had to make sure.'

'… You managed to knock … me out?!'

Merlin was enjoying himself. 'Yep. With a lump of wood.'

'He only did it to bring you back safely.'

Gaius' remark did little to ease Arthur's dread. He leant forward quickly and pointed a finger at them.

'No one can know about that. No one.'

'Well we'll have to explain to Uther what happened,' Thalia said, 'perhaps we could say I knocked you out?'

Arthur gave up. 'Oh fine, if you have to.' He then fell onto his back once more and stared blankly at the ceiling.

'When you failed to show up for patrol this morning, I feared you'd eloped with Sophia in a fit of passion.'

Arthur's head recoiled slightly and shook his head. 'No, father. In fact, there's an explanation for my absences and actions in the last few days.'

'Oh is there? I'd be relieved to hear it.'

'Uhmm… Thalia?'

She stepped forward. 'My Lord… Arthur was put under hypnosis by Sophia. Not magical, she was just desperate to win the Prince's heart. It is the simple hypnosis trick many interrogators use actually. There was not time to tell you this because I was busy with Sophia. She left the castle yesterday evening and Arthur came out of the hypnosis with a terrible headache. He then went out for a hunt.'

'And killing things mends a 'broken' heart?' Morgana asked, frowning.

'No, but it's good fun. Merlin was meant to inform you that I would be back later today.' Arthur gestured to his servant who realised he'd be in the stocks again for Arthur's sake.

'Have you some… kind of mental affliction?'

'Probably.'

Gaius leaned forward. 'I'm looking in to it, sire.'

Thalia and Arthur exchanged a look, both trying not to laugh.

'Well I hope for our sake you find a cure. Or we'll find ourselves with a food shortage on our hands.'

Two sets of laughter burst out and rang through the hall like a melody. Uther, with a look of bewilderment turned to see his son and the crowned warrior leaning on each other for support and laughing their heads off. Clearly they found Merlin funny. And his habit of misfortune.

'So, back to normal, then? Love sick Arthur is a pain.'

'Oh thank you.'

'That will never be a compliment.'

'I still can't believe Merlin managed to knock me out.'