Chapter Four~ well I forgot to mention it before, but maybe you guys picked it up: I have put many little Merlin or Disney in joke references throughout the story and next week when I post Act Two I can feature you if you can pick them all out! :D

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Albionian Nights

A Merlin Aladdin!AU

Chapter Four: Cave of Wonders

In the castle dungeons, Arthur was very much alive, although he wished for the opposite.

"The princess! She was the PRINCESS!" he scoffed, letting his head beat against the stone wall. "She must have thought I sounded so pathetic! Who am I kidding? There's no way she could have felt something for me…" Arthur buried his head in his knees. "I'm nothing but a dead street rat…and a fool."

"You're only a fool if you give up, boy," a ratty old voice hissed from the shadows of the prison cell. From the pale silver light of the moon that snuck in through the tiny window, Arthur could make out the visage of a hunchbacked old man.

"Who are you?" Arthur whispered in confusion. The old man waved his hand aside.

"Just a fellow prisoner like yourself. But maybe together, we could be more!" Without any so much as a warning, the old man quickly rushed over to Arthur and undid his shackles. The teen, a bit shocked, rubbed his wrists.

"I'm listening."

"There is a cave, boy, a Cave of Wonders!" the old man remarked, rubbing his hands together. "And it is filled with innumerable treasures beyond man's comprehension- treasures that would no doubt impress your princess." Arthur looked away.

"That doesn't matter, I'm nothing but a peasant, the princess has to marry a prince. It's the law-"

"Haven't you ever heard of the golden rule?" the old man interrupted giving a wicked grin. "Whoever has the gold makes the rules!" Arthur considered this.

"Why would you share all these riches with me?" he inquired.

"Well, I need a strong young pair of legs and a strong young back to help me along, as the Cave is quite a ways away." Arthur raised a golden eyebrow.

"That's another thing- how are we going to get there, when we're in here?" he asked, crossing his arms. The old man cackled as he went over to the wall and pulled away the stones, giving a knowing smirk to the teen.

"There are plenty of things that aren't as they seem in this world," he explained with a dark grin, gesturing to the outside. "Now then, shall we go?" Arthur gulped, a lump of fear settling in his chest, but putting it aside, he nodded, and followed the old man into the night.

Arthur followed the old man through the twisting forests outside of Camelot, fearful of what he had gotten himself into. After what seemed like endless wandering, the two finally stopped in front of a stone wall, in the middle of a clearing. The old man pulled out two halves of a metal phoenix, and as he fit them together, they burned brightly and the whole bird flew out of his hands and into the rock. The old man cackled and Arthur watched in horrified awe as the rock face transformed into a large stone dragon head, with large glowing eyes.

"Who disturbs my slumber?!" it bellowed with a deep guttural voice that shook Arthur to his core. The old man nudged him forward with a head gesture to the giant dragon. The blond teen shakily took a step forward and presented himself in front of the magnificent creature.

"It is I, Arthur Pendragon!" he belted with as much courage as he could muster. The Great Stone Dragon took a wary breath, opening its mouth up wide.

"Proceed," Kilgharrah's voice boomed, allowing Arthur to take a breath of relief. "You must touch nothing but the lamp!" With a mighty roar, the Cave opened itself up, revealing a long staircase. Arthur took a hesitant look back at the old man.

"Go on!" he goaded, nodding at the stairs. "Remember, you must first bring me that lamp- and then you shall have your reward!" Arthur took a sharp breath and steeled his nerves, taking slow steps into the Cave. As he descended, the old man opened up his robes to reveal Morgause the parrot, remaining unknown to Arthur that he was truly Agravaine in disguise. "Follow him, and make sure he does not leave alive once he finds the lamp!" he hissed to the bird, which nodded and grinned wickedly. Morgause's eyes glowed gold and she disappeared from sight, silently following the young teen into the depths.

The staircase was long and winding, and Arthur found himself intrigued as he continued to walk down. He was skeptical at first- but after seeing the rock wall contort into the dragon, he was notably impressed. Arthur clenched his fists determinedly. He hoped beyond hope that this would help him be worthy enough to be with the princess.

When he reached the bottom of the staircase, finally, he stood at the archway, blinded by the sight. The room conjoined to the end of the staircase was massive, filled with mountains of gold coins and jewels and treasures that Arthur could have barely imagined! He gave a low whistle.

"Now how am I going to find a lamp in all of this?"

The plot thickens! Next chapter- Chapter Five: Into the Mist!

-DMRA