A/N:

I warned you guys that I'd take longer to post. It's been a week, yikes I'm sorry.

Btw I read your reviews and I totally agree! Guinevere is not queen in this story. She was banished and I plan on keeping her banished :) but remember this still takes place after season 4. ENJOY AND REVIEW PLEASE!

After the embrace, Merlin stood rooted to the spot, still too dumbfounded to move. His mind was racing with so many questions, so many assumptions. After all these years, why did Alex come back now? There had to be a reason.

The warlock's eyes surveyed Alex's form, taking in the slight, subtle changes. His hair seemed blonder, but blonde hair always became lighter in the summer. He was still slim but it was obvious that he had built up more muscle over the years. Overall, he didn't look much different.

"Wow," Merlin breathed, the ghost of a smile on his lips, "It's like you haven't aged a day."

Alex seemed to be eyeing Merlin's form as well. "I could say the same about you."

It was silent for a moment, only the sounds of clinking metal from the night patrol's armor could be heard from the balcony.

Merlin leaned his forearms over the rail. His gaze traveled the vast amount of trees that littered the forest. The moon was shining, illuminating his milky white skin. It was a crystal clear night.

Alex soon joined him, causing Merlin to remember a question he'd been meaning to ask.

"Five years."

The Prince looked over at his old friend, his brows furrowed in confusions.

"What?"

Merlin sighed, "it's been five years, Alex. I know this is not some sort of reconciliation, otherwise you would have visited years before. But for some reason you wait till now. Don't think me stupid enough to not know what time of the year it is."

Alex set hard eyes on the outlying forests, his hands gripped the rail like a vice.

"I do not think you are stupid, Merlin. I realize what time of year it is too, and I will assure you that is the least of my worries right now." The Prince replied in a firm tone, though Merlin could pinpoint the hurt that was evident in his voice.

"I'm sorry," Merlin apologized for his earlier accusation. He contemplated for a moment. "You said The Games were the least of your worries. You did come here for a reason, what is it Alex?" He finally turned to the man beside him. "What is it you need from me?"

Alex was quick to turn towards him.

"What makes you think I need something from you?" He asked incredulously.

Merlin shrugged, his gaze going back out towards the forest.

"When you knighted me you said that you may need me, so I figured that now was the time."

Alex shook his head.

"No. I'm not here to send you on some mission or to do me a favor." The Prince waited till Merlin's eyes found his once more. He took a deep breath before responding, "I'm here because your in danger."

The warlock bit his bottom lip. That was not something he was expecting. Usually it was things that concerned other people, not directly him. But from the recent reports about the murdered patrols, and from what he discovered today...

"What kind of danger?"

Alex tensed up for a moment before visibly forcing himself to relax. He turned away from the warlock and leaned on the rail once again, facing the never ending forest. He might have thought he had Merlin fooled, but Merlin was no fool.

"Tell me, Alex." He spoke in a somewhat harsh tone, but then he lowered his voice to something more soothing when he realized that that probably wasn't the best approach. He brought a hand to Alex's shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze. "I can take whatever news you have brought me."

The Prince hung his head and stared at the stone ground of the courtyard below. Merlin knew he had gotten to him when he heard the man sigh.

"My father knows about you, Merlin. He knows that you are Emrys."

A chill ran up Merlin's spine at the mention of King Edward, especially hearing that he knew who he was. Better yet, that he was still alive. His hand slowly slipped off Alex's shoulder. He had to put a shaky hand on the rail to steady himself.

"H-how did he come across this information?" The warlock stammered.

Alex ran a hand through his light blonde locks, gripping onto the strands at the back of his head.

"It was James, Merlin," Alex spoke and he sounded so distressed. His bottom lip was quivering and Merlin could see the glossy texture of his eyeballs. He was on the verge of tears. "He isn't himself. Hasn't been since..."

Since he died.

Merlin ignored the sting of betrayal and grabbed Alex's shoulders, turning him to face him.

"What happened that day, Alex? How did I survive?"

He needed to know.

The Prince let out a shaky breath.

"He used dark magic, Merlin." Alex finally admitted. "You temporarily died until he found someone else to take your place."

Merlin swallowed the uneasy lump in his throat.

"W-who died in my place?"

"Merek."

Merlin let his hands fall down to his sides. He let out a deep breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

"I can not say that I'm glad he's gone, because I'm not. A life is a life, and even though he wronged me in many ways, I still don't wish death upon anyone, even him."

Alex nodded.

"I know, I know."

"What happened to my brother?" Merlin asked even though he was afraid of the answer.

"I guess you could say he became corrupt." Alex replied. "During the first two years after the spell he became uneasy, had nightmares. The lust he felt to use the dark magic became worse overtime. His body punished him for not using it. One day, he just couldn't take it anymore."

"Then what?" Merlin prompted.

"He started practicing it. Small spells at first but then the more he practiced, the more he became addicted. This went on for two more years. The Knights and I tried to get through to him but our efforts were futile. He rejected us like we were nothing but a mere insect. Until recently, he is now in the hands of my father."

Merlin nodded.

"That's when he told him all about who Emrys was." The warlock concluded. "I wondered who was killing our patrols and it makes sense now that it was your father."

Alex closed his eyes in despair.

"I just recently learned what he has been doing, that is why I came here." He opened his eyes and stared intently into the warlocks. "He wants you found Merlin, he wants you dead."

Merlin narrowed his eyes, sensing that there was something else he wasn't telling him.

"There's more."

Alex nodded in confirmation, "there is." He paused for a moment, thinking. "If you don't surrender to him in a week or so, he will gather his sorcerer army and attack Camelot. The thing is he doesn't expect you to. He's gone forth with his plans and has James training them."

Merlin shook his head.

"This is bad." He murmured.

"I mean there's some good news." Alex's voice seemed a bit more relieved at this revelation.

"Like what?" Merlin asked, his curiosity spiked.

A devious grin broke out on the Prince's face. "I have a plan."

Merlin was shaking.

He wiped the perspiration that had formed just above his brow with his sleeve. He was extremely nervous, worried that something would go wrong. He was worried that Arthur wouldn't accept them, that he would send them away. They needed their aid and he hoped that Arthur realized that too. They weren't going to win this war without it.

Merlin practically jumped from his place behind Arthur's throne when the double doors opened up. The Prince of an unknown kingdom had asked for a private audience with the king. Merlin, of course knew who it was, but Arthur certainly did not.

The guards stepped aside to allow the party of five in. Merlin almost jumped up and down in delight when his eyes set on the faces of his old friends. The giddy feeling that had welled up in his stomach caused Merlin to smile.

Merlin noticed his brother's absence. He had been informed about James' betrayal the night before and barely had time to grieve. He refused to think about it too much, and he certainly didn't have the time to be depressed when a war was starting.

In his brother's place, was Lord Mason. It was weird to see the man in armor, but he figured it was probably for the best. The lord was, after all, a great fighter and deserved to be a knight.

Merlin smiled to himself when he realized he was a knight just as they are. He was one of them, a comrade, a friend. He was a knight of Arudus.

He hoped that it didn't change anything. He was still extremely loyal to Arthur to a fault. There was no doubt in his mind that he would do anything for him. But Alex was his friend, and he had vowed to be his knight, to help when needed. Alex deserved his loyalty just as much as Arthur did.

Merlin visually saw Arthur tense when the king laid eyes on the dark green cloaks. His fingers were white from gripping the arms of his chair a little too hard.

The warlock had no clue why Arthur was distressed. It was true that Arthur had met his friends once, but James made sure he forgot them. Unless...

No. Merlin shook his head to prevent himself from thinking anything rash. His brother may have turned to the dark ways, but there was no way he had the time and energy to come here and revive Arthur's memories.

Merlin's brows furrowed in confusion when he thought about how Alex had gotten to Camelot last night. If James wasn't here, then who else had the ability to teleport? His eyes went immediately to a smug looking Cade. The dirty blonde haired knight still looked nearly the same as he did last time, just somehow he and the others looked more... mature.

Could it have been him who teleported the group? Did they finally know about Cade's magic?

He was snapped out of my thoughts by Alex's voice.

"King Arthur," he spoke solemnly, bowing respectfully. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

The others followed suit.

Arthur bowed his head in acknowledgment.

"Forgive me, sir knight, but I do not believe we have met."

"No," Alex said with a sly smile. His eyes flickered to Merlin for a moment before he took another step forward. He straightened his posture and held his chin up high.

Merlin had never seen Alex look so powerful, so regal.

He wanted to take a step back himself.

"I am Prince Alexander Lockheart of Arudus."

And there it was.

Arthur seemed to be in deep thought for a moment, his eyes roaming to each and every face of his men. For some reason he was studying them all intensely.

Arthur finally met the eyes of the Prince when he was finished.

"I have never heard of your last name or of such a kingdom. Forgive me for asking, where are you located?"

"Far north of these lands."

Arthur nodded.

"May I ask, why have you traveled all this way to my kingdom? Are you here seeking peace? Perhaps a treaty?"

Alex smiled, a true, genuine smile that Merlin would see a lot when he was around.

"Perhaps, one day," the Prince replied, his smile soon turning into one of seriousness, "when I take my father's place as king."

Merlin really hoped that 'one day' was really soon.

"Then, there must be some other reason in which you are here. Please, do tell."

Cade shifted from foot to foot impatiently behind Alex. He hoped that these royals would get on with it already. He was really looking forward to tackling Merlin.

Matthew shot him a sidelong glare. The ever perfect knight was always trying to get him in order but... he should know him better by now.

Cade rolled his eyes at his friend.

When he faced forward again, King Arthur seemed to be staring at him with a slightly raised eyebrow.

The knight just shrugged, causing the king to snort in amusement.

A grin broke out on Cade's face when he realized he had just made Arthur Pendragon snort!

The king realized his mistake from the panicked look on his face, but Arthur quickly covered it up by giving a small cough.

Cade's Prince soon proceeded with his answer.

"I have come to warn you, Arthur. Your kingdom is in danger."

Arthur's jaw clenched, and Merlin disliked the fact that Alex decided to throw propriety out the window and just address the king in a very undignified way. He hated to think what Arthur would do.

Surprisingly, Arthur seemed to be fine with it, in fact, he looked to have calmed down a bit.

"Well, Alexander, it was very nice of you to come all this way to warn me. Now, what is it that is a threat to me?"

"My father." Alex grit out.

A wave of emotions washed over Arthur's face when the king thought about this man betraying his father, his king. It was something Arthur would never do, something that took a great deal of courage.

"Why is the king of Arudus a threat to me?" He asked.

"Because," Alex began, "he is the one responsible for the murders of your men."

Arthur sat up more forward in his chair, eyes dead set on Alex.

"How can I believe that your telling the truth when it is your father that is at stake here?"

The Prince sighed, "He's never been a father to me, not really. He cares for nobody but himself, money, and power." Alex looked down, looking much younger than he was, like a young boy. "He killed my mother." It was quiet, but everyone still heard.

Arthur looked taken aback for a moment. The Prince and him had a lot in common, sure, but his father had loved him and didn't kill his mother. He couldn't imagine what this Prince was going through.

"I believe you," The king finally responded.

Alex sighed in relief.

"But why?" He asked, "what quarrel does your father have with me?"

The Prince opened his mouth to respond, his eyes flicking over quickly to Merlin's worried face. He couldn't tell Arthur the truth, he wouldn't. He would never betray his friend.

"My father is against your beliefs on the persecution of magic users, he wants revenge."

The typical reason other kingdoms attacked Camelot, it was the perfect cover up, Merlin thought.

Arthur narrowed his eyes at the Captain.

"And you? Do you not want revenge against my kingdom?"

"I do not believe that what your law states, and what you and your father have done is right." Alex uttered, "but even though your father has sentenced many innocents to death, a life is a life and I still don't wish death upon anyone, even you."

Merlin smiled to himself when he realized Alex was reciting his words from the night before. He was proud but also a little nervous for what Arthur would say.

"I have heard many good things about you, Arthur Pendragon. Your honorable, courageous, and have the heart of a lion. You are a worthy man and deserve a long and prosperous reign. One thing I know for sure is that you are certainly not your father."

Arthur thought for a moment.

"I thank you for your kind words, Alexander-"

"Please," the Prince interrupted, "call me Alex."

"Alex," the king corrected with a small smile, "I believe you have done the right thing by coming to me with this information, but, what is it your father is planning? There has to be something greater than just... killing off my patrols."

Alex nodded, hesitantly speaking, "He plans to attack within the week."

"Attack?" Arthur sounded alarmed. "How strong is his army?"

Alex diverted his eyes, finding the stone wall behind the king much more interesting.

"He has an army of sorcerers." He muttered.

Arthur's eyes widened. "A sorcerer army?"

Alex nodded in confirmation.

The king slumped in his chair. An army full of sorcerers... he had never gone against something like that. The odds would not be stacked in their favor. As great as his men were with a sword, they were no match for magic. The occasional sorcerer or two were a struggle but eventually they'd always triumph. But an army? Hundreds of sorcerers? Perhaps thousands would be... impossible to beat. Not without magic.

"Yes, but I have a comrade that is assembling an army full of Knights who are loyal to me and only me. Not my father."

Arthur just nodded, not really in the mood to reply.

"I-" the king cleared his throat when his voice came out squeaky. His face turned a light shade of red from embarrassment. "I'm sure you and your comrades are tired from the long journey here. Let my manservant, Merlin, accompany you to your chambers."

He gestured to the warlock that always stood behind him.

"We will discuss this tomorrow."