Arthur arrived to find his father, Morgana and Agravaine already waiting. He would have been far happier to have met his prospective bride to be with less of an audience but knew his sister was far too curious to pass up the chance. He expected she wanted to weigh up the opposition, after all if she could stop any chance of marriage her son was a step closer to achieve what she herself could not. The throne of Camelot.

They all heard footsteps approaching and turned to face the door. King Balinor and Queen Hunith entered in far more impressive regalia than their traveling clothes. It was of an earlier style than the Pendragons were used to seeing, in style a bit like the grab Camelot's Court Physician wore, and was very seldom seen, the King had a thick, almost floor length tunic, although heavily decorated in gold and silver with high leather boots. Queen Hunith's gown was of a finer fabric but loose and not close fitting and she wore a wimple that covered nearly all her hair and covered her neck. Both worn very ornate crowns. Balinor looked round the room before calling out to his son. It was clear he had checked that only the people he wanted would see the prospective bride. Prince Gwaine walked in with his sibling on his arm. Although the Crown Prince wore breaches and a tunic similar to Arthur they were to be disappointed in their view of the bride. For although the travelling cape was gone it had been replaced by a floor length garment that once more gave nothing away, other than the slim build of the person wearing it. It was not as ornate as the Queens and even looser, clearly designed to hide the figure below. Although there was a wimple present it was again not as ornate as the queens, and had a veil included that covered all but the smallest glimpse of hair and allowed the fabled blue eyes to be seen but little else. Arthur was surprised that the garments did nothing to show the femininity of the wearer but was almost masculine in its plainness, in fact his own garments had more adornments even the wimple didn't add to the feminine style.

Arthur stepped forward and greeted the person his father hoped he would share his life with. He went to take the pale hand that seemed to be clutched in nervousness. "My lady" as he went to take the hand Gwaine stood forward as if to stop him, but Balinor said something that Arthur didn't understand and Gwaine stepped back with a scowl. The hand Arthur took was very slender with long fingers and a small wrist. He kissed it gallantly as he looked into the captivating blue eyes. The eyelashes were long and added an air of seduction to an otherwise strange meeting. "A pleasure to meet you at long last"

What he could see of the face clearly blushed and the hand was withdrawn. But Arthur did receive a small nod.

The meeting was stilted with each side only understanding half of what the other said. As 'the Pure One' was present the interpreter had been denied entry. Prince Gwaine appeared to have the best knowledge of both languages. But it was clear he wasn't happy that his sibling was present. Once they were sat Balinor and Uther started to speak and Gwaine looked at Arthur after glaring at Morgana. Arthur wondered if disapproved of the amount of flesh she was displaying in her more daring, but to Arthur still decent, gown or whether it was because she was present at all.

"Emrys will not talk direct you but you may ask questions and I will convey the answers" Gwaine was almost smirking at Arthur's frustration. But adding as he saw his mother frown "Emrys does not speak you language very much"

"Then I look forward to helping you to learn" Arthur told the silent figure with a smile. He wasn't sure if it was the mystery or what it was, but something was drawing him to Emrys. He wondered if Emrys was another little or her actual name so he asked Gwaine.

"You should use the name Emrys or the title 'The Pure One' unless you marry then you will know the private name of my sibling, the one only used by those closest and dearest"

Arthur remained frustrated as all though the meeting he never heard the voice of the mysterious Emrys once. The meeting was over far too soon as far as Arthur was concerned and Gwaine took his sibling back before joining them at the feast. Arthur found himself sat next to the Queen and took the opportunity to try and find out more about his prospective bride. Hunith proved to be better that he expected at their language which was just as well, Arthur himself could make no sense of the Gangani tongue. "The Princess appears very shy I hope if she stays here she will not be lonely"

Hunith smiled "I have no worries my youngest child is loved by all and makes friends easily." She told the prince hesitantly as if she was having to think of the words to use.

"I am glad, it must be hard when you are separated from all you know" Arthur sympathised not sure whether he should be discouraging the marriage or not. Like Leon had said he would have to marry sooner or later and at least Emrys didn't seem like she would bore him with her constant prattle. And there was something about her that drew him in.

Hunith vice broke into his thoughts as she smiled "Emrys will have friends, my husband will insist some stay here." He eyes twinkled "You father will not get all his way"

Arthur liked the woman, she was what he had always imagined his own mother would have been like. Then Hunith continued "I was separated from my people at a young age but my husband, the King, is a good man and I love my children dearly. Have children soon, help Emrys settle"

Now it was Arthur turn to blush but he recovered to ask "May I ask you something personal?"

"You may, I will answer or not" Hunith told him.

"Your culture is different than ours, I know many have wanted to have a treaty with your Kingdom why us? and why have you picked me as a husband for Emrys"

Hunith smiled "That is easy, it has been foretold since time began. You will rule together with Emrys by your side you will rule a Kingdom such has never been seen, it is destiny." She put her hand on Arthur's arm "Remember to let go of your …" clearly thinking of the word she continued "prejudices and old ideas and welcome new. Love my baby and be loved"

Arthur frowned

"I cannot say more" the Queen told him "But trust the physician when time comes"

"You know Gaius?"

Hunith looked at her husband as if to check if he was listening before looking back at Arthur "Say no more, but please love my baby" the Queen looked concerned so Arthur dropped the matter but swore to ask Gaius when he had the chance.

Meanwhile Morgana was talking to Gwaine who she had been sat beside. After indulging in small talk Morgana asked the Crown Prince "Is your sister happy with this match?"

Gwaine had a look in his eye that Morgana couldn't decipher as he replied "Emrys knows what duty is. Why? is your brother not happy?"

Morgana laughed "My brother has been avoiding marriage, he has turned down many hand. But my father is insistent. If Arthur does not marry soon my son will be named heir"

Gwaine smirked "He has been waiting for Emrys, it is destiny" Gwaine was no one's fool and he sensed the animosity between the Pendragon siblings. "Your brother will be a good King when time comes. Yet you think you can do better?"

"I could and would have, had I not been born a woman" Morgana told him

"But what a waste that would have been." Gwaine was well known as a flirt. "Many woman rule through their men"

"Is that what your sister will do? She seems very timid" Morgana told the knight

Again Morgana noticed a fleeting look cross the brunettes face "Emrys will rule with Arthur when time comes. There is more than you know to my sibling. I hope you will be friends"

"Of course" Morgana decided to go back to small talk, realising that the Prince was well aware of what she had been trying to do.

The two kings were talking with the help of the translator and appeared to be getting on well, but both were not willing to give an advantage to the other prior to the treaty negotiations. When Balinor realised how much his wife was talking to the Pendragon Prince he turned to her and said something which made her give him a wry look and then she only spoke generalities to Arthur.

The feast broke up later and the next day the treaty talks were to start. Although the Queen was not involved in the talks she did accept Morgana's offer of seeing the town. Although they were to go alone. Once again the 'Pure One' was to stay in the allocated chambers. Morgana was beginning to feel sorry for the Princess, wondering what sort of life she had being so closely guarded and controlled. She suggested to Queen Hunith that they all take a ride out the next day. "I would love to see more of the Unicorn and well as your daughter"

Hunith smiled "I will ask the King, it is true Emrys would love to see the countryside."

That evening Hunith asked her husband if Emrys could go riding the next day "Princess Morgana has said the knights will protect us" she pleaded. "Emrys will be getting so fed up"

"No! you are aware of the reasons, once the wedding has happened Emrys will be free, but until then no one can see or speak to the 'Pure One' you know full well what the Priestess said" Balinor told his wife. "So much depends on this marriage."

"But you are imprisoning our child, it is not fair!" Hunith exclaimed

"Life is not fair! And sixteen is not such a child." Then Balinor looked pensive "It is not fair that Emrys should have this destiny, would that it was never on the shoulders of our youngest. To think I have to agree to Uther Pendragon's terms and leave Emrys with his son!" Balinor looked out the window then at his wife "Emrys asked me what if the seers were wrong? That the pyre was the end?" his voice broke "I love Emrys so much if that man harms a hair on our youngest child's head I will kill him, I will lead our Kingdom to war!"

Hunith held her husband, all their married life she had never seen so distraught. "The Priestess's and the Seers are so sure, as is Kilgarrah" she told him

"Kilgarrah is a cryptic beast at the best of times. I sometimes think he has forgotten more than he remembers. As for the Priestess's….. Do I trust the life of Emrys to them?, because that is what I am doing." Balinor said brokenly "I wish I had never agreed to this."

"You will leave Gwaine here as we planned?"

"Uther has agreed to only for a month, besides he is Crown Prince. But have no fear Gwaine will not see anything happen to Emrys, the love our siblings have for each other runs deep" Balinor looked at his wife. "You are a good woman"

Hunith hugged her husband and father of her children "Not as good as you are, you are doing this for the good of Albion. I will try to speak to Gaius tomorrow, he will help Emrys"

Balinor smiled "Yes that is one secret Uther Pendragon does not know, yet he claims to have a friend in his physician. What sort of friend knows so little of one so close to him?"

"Yet my brother has never hid our relationship. I know that from his letters. Uther has never asked, that's all it would have taken" Hunith smiled "I am glad as it will give Emrys someone to turn to"

"Gaius knows? You have told him all?" Balinor demanded looking worried once more.

"Of course at the time it was no secret, we had no idea what would change, nor of the involvement of the prophesy. Gaius's last letter urged caution he fears that the Princess Morgana might well cause problems, but he also feels that Arthur will be good for Emrys and vice versa. He has always been a good judge of such things"

"You are to kind to your brother. He has watched his brother and sisters burn and hidden in the shadows. If he betrays our child he will suffer the consequences regardless of your relationship. Oh I know his reasons but I cannot understand them nor will I ever"

"As you say he had his reasons and each of us must live with the results of our actions." Hunith smiled "come lets go and see Emrys"

Hand in hand they walked to the chambers next door and passed the guard. Balinor stopped and spoke to them "Lancelot, Percy has anyone attempted to gain entry?"

The taller of the men answered "None but a servant girl with food and fluids, she was denied entry and we tested the food before Emrys ate"

"Keep it that way. Who will guard overnight?"

Lancelot looked at their King. "We will Sire. One will sleep on the floor in the anteroom blocking entry the other awake out here. We would never trust Emrys to others"

Balinor nodded "Good" then he gave a knowing smile "Not that Emrys would agree it is needed, but I would rather not take the risk"

As the king and Queen went through to the inner chamber they found Gwaine already present. He turned to his parents "I came to stop Merlin climbing the walls" He told then using Emrys's personal name.

"It won't be for much longer. The talks are going well, it seems our seafaring abilities and the lure of our metal workers is something Uther Pendragon is keen to get hold of. The fact that we ask for his son's hand in return and a small amount of trade makes the offer very attractive to him. He wishes to gain what his rivals could not" The King walked towards the younger of his children who had changed into a tunic and loose hose. "I am sorry this is necessary, are you still content to go ahead having met the Prince?"

The King was met by a beaming smile "Father I know my duty, he is a prat in many ways but seems kind, I have to do what is necessary, after all it will be he who gets the unpleasant surprise if either of us do, I know what I am getting into" there was a pause "I hope he can come to love me"

Hunith hugged her youngest child to her bosom. "Merlin we will not make you do this if you do not wish to. Do you want to come for a ride with myself and Princess Morgana tomorrow? I am sure your father will agree as long as we take care"

Merlin gave the matter consideration "No I think it would not be wise, the Princess has hidden abilities, I do not think she knows, but I feel it best not to risk the negotiations." Looking at Balinor "When will the wedding be father?"

Balinor looked sorrowful "Within a few days, I am sorry, we will leave Gwaine with you for a month and Percy and Lancelot will remain permanently, or until you wish to release them. Of course Aithusa will come as soon as she can. But that might not be for some time"

"Then I must make sure I am ready, can you ask Freya to visit me tomorrow Mother, when you don't need her. My wedding outfit needs sorting from being folded so long" Merlin looked at Hunith "I will miss you all so much"

"We will ensure you have ravens to use as messengers. Once the wedding night has happened we will return home. By then we will know if Uther's word is worth anything. He has no idea we have a small army close by, thanks to you, we will be in no danger"

"I hid the army for mothers sake not my own, I couldn't bare it if the Pendragon King should go against his word" Merlin took a deep breath "I fear he might, if his pride is worth more than the treaty."

Hunith snorted in a most unqueenly manner "He is a fool if that happens you will be the best thing that ever happen to his son. I am sure Arthur will love you deeply"

"Just make sure that Uther never finds out about your magic, until Arthur is King all you can do is try to influence your husband, to get him to understand our ways are not evil" Balinor said firmly. "If Uther ever finds out then you must leave by whatever means. You safety is worth more than any prophesy to your mother and I"

"If you don't I will kill you myself" Gwaine said his voice rough with emotion. The looking at his parents "I say again I do not approve of this!"

Looking at Gwaine Merlin said "I have no choice it is destiny, the fate of Albion is at stake"

"Bugger destiny! You are too important to us to lose you" the Crown Prince turned and punched the wall "This is not right!"

Merlin took Gwaine's bloody hand in his and with a flash of golden eyes the bleeding stopped and healed the hand. "Gwaine take care of yourself I will not be there to do it for you" Merlin smiled with great fondness at the man in front of him. "I can't cure your handovers from here either"

"I won't drink again until I know for sure you are safe" Gwaine hugged Merlin.

Balinor smiled at his two children "We will leave you alone, your mother will see you in the morning Merlin, remember change your mind and I will not sign the treaty"

Once their parents had left Gwaine noticed real fear in Merlin's expressive eyes "Tell me what is worrying you most little one"

"I am not so little! If anything I am taller than you!" But the voice hitched

"You can't kid a kidder, tell me" Gwaine hated everything his sibling was being asked to do, sixteen was too young to be expected to make such sacrifices.

Merlin sat on the bed "What if he hates me? My big ears, skinny body, who I really am? What if he feels tricked and ashamed of me? He should have been told everything, it's his life as well" there was a small pause "Why did Nimueh insist on this charade?"

Gwaine sat next to Merlin "Pull out Merlin, father will not be cross, and come back with us"

"I cannot, to many lives depend on me"

"That's only according to the High Priestess! You have a right to a happy life to!"

"I am being silly, the seers have seen my life, and it will be good once Arthur is King. I will make a difference to magic users everywhere. If I don't do this Uther's hatred of magic will spread and magic will die from the world"

Gwaine shook his head "They don't call you the Pure One for nothing. You are the most selfless idiot I know"

"All I really want is to be Merlin, titles mean nothing" Merlin slumped into Gwaine's side and the brunette comforted his sibling until he heard the sounds of sleeping. Settling Merlin onto the bed he covered the slender form and then kissed Merlin's forehead whispering "No one will hurt you, I won't allow it"

Going out of the room he looked at Percy and Lance who were guarding the outer door "Percy, Lance, my friends, whatever happens protect that idiot for me. I don't care who you have to kill to do it"

The knights smiled and Lance said "You have no need to say that Sire, Emrys will be protected with every last drop of our blood"

"I will raise Camelot to the ground if Emrys is hurt and kill the Pendragons very slowly" Gwaine walked off to his chambers, feeling so frustrated that he couldn't stop what was happening.

Round the corner Arthur had heard the conversation as he was about to enter his own chambers. He paused wondering why Prince Gwaine should think that Emrys was in any danger after all as his wife she would be well protected and cared for. That night he slept poorly as what he had heard kept going through his mind. The next morning before the negotiations restarted Arthur made sure to meet up with the other Crown Prince. They met on the practice field, both men were very evenly matched. In fact Arthur was surprised to find someone who he thought could beat him. For so long he had been unassailable, the undisputed best on the practice field. As they stopped to rest and sat watching the others practice Arthur decided to ask the brunette why he was so concerned for his sister.

"When returning to my chambers last night I heard your comments to the Princess's guards, why are you so concerned for her safety? I will look after her if this treaty is ratified"

Gwaine looked at Arthur scornfully "Do you want to marry Emrys? And why? you cannot be in love. I have heard of your fathers attempts to marry you. Why will you marry this time? Will you care if anything happens to Emrys, it will set you free. Will you protect my sibling with your life or be glad to be rid of an unwanted bride?"

Arthur felt a wave of shame "No I don't love the Princess, I have always wanted to marry for love but it seems I don't have the choice. But I swear on my honour look after her. As to why I am agreeing this time, one it would be good for our people to be allies and while I don't love Emrys there is something about her, I'm sure I will do so in time"

"We all have a choice, I will marry at the end of the year, the difference is I love her and would willingly die for her" Gwaine said "I am not marrying to please my father or keep my crown but because I want to." He hesitated "Would that Emrys have that luxury"

"So why is your father putting his daughter up in such a way, if he is allowing you to marry for love? She is young yet" Arthur asked puzzled

"Because our religious leaders have decreed it, they are convinced it is written. Emrys has agreed but it doesn't mean I have to like it. If you hurt Emrys…"

"I heard you last night" Arthur said. "I am sorry for Emrys but at the same time your father is as responsible as mine for this marriage so don't just blame us"

Gwaine glared at Arthur as he stood up "Remember I will hold you to your promise to care for Emrys, remember that on your wedding day when you take your oaths" Gwaine stormed off and Arthur couldn't help but think he had missed something important in all this.