"You will behave yourself Arthur." Uther's voice broke no argument.
Arthur crossed his arms across his chest. "I really don't see why we have to form an alliance with them father! You are the one who always told me how magic cannot be trusted and how manipulative these who practice it are, so what changed?" Arthur asked with one eyebrow raised and Uther regretted ever letting him be around Gauis.
"Because-" He started to say when said man intervened.
"My boy, there are forces out there who are more powerful than us or the Emryss and these forces wish to destroy us, therefor we must unite against them, it is that simple my boy. They are doing it for us as much as they do it for themselves." Arthur didn't look too impressed but nodded anyway.
"Of course father, if it pleases you."
Uther nodded. "Be ready within the hour, we will greet them at the front steps." Arthur bowed and left the room.
"Really Gauis?" He said with his own eyebrow raised. The old man smiled slyly.
"Well sire, what do you think would have been his reaction if you told him that he had to choose from the Emrys's children his future spouse if he wanted to keep this world under his reign?"
Uther winced and wrinkled his nose. "It would have gone a bit..."
"Bad. He would have thrown a tantrum worthy of his teenage days." Uther chuckled. "I guess it went the best way possible."
"Indeed it has my lord."

"I can't believe it!" Merlin sighed with frustration as he looked down at his mud covered clothes; this was his favorite tunic!
"Now now Merlin, it's not that bad." Morgana said snickering from a top of her horse.
"Not that bad?" Merlin screeched. "Not that bad? I look like the stable boy on a bad day!"
"Oh, you mean the one where Joe was too sick to use magic and he cleaned the stables by hand?" Morgana asked with faked curiosity.
"Ha bloody Ha Morgana. Yes, that day. I look nothing like the heir to Avalon's throne!" Merlin pulled another chunk of dried mud from his hair.
"Oh, afraid your prince won't like you?" Morgana said and started laughing.
Merlin was silent for a moment and Morgana glanced down to see a slow smile building on his face.
"Oh no! No, no, no! I don't like that smile and I'm sure father won't like it either, or Mom." She turned her horse and meant to ride ahead towards their parents when Merlin's eyes flashed gold and Morgana's horse was stuck in the mud. "Merlin!"
"Come on Morgana, you didn't let me finish!"
"Technically I didn't let you start."
"You see? My point exactly!" Merlin waved his hand and Morgana's horse started walking again.
"All right. What is your brilliant plan?"
"I'm going to annoy prince Arthur SO MUCH that he wouldn't want anything to do with me!"
"And he will be forced to choose me? Not going to happen little brother."
"Come on 'Gana! I don't want to be stuck with golden boy for the rest of my life even if he is my type!"
"He can't be that bad Mer, give it a chance! I can't marry him! I already have my future planned!"
Merlin sighed and looked ahead, Camelot's golden towers were visible behind the hills and Merlin shivered, the essence of magic in this place was strong.
"All right, but only for you Morgana."
"Thank you Merlin, You are the best brother ever!"
"I'm your only brother."
"That's beside the point." Morgana waved her arm casually and glanced down at Merlin. "Are you sure you don't want to ride?"
"Nope. Don't think my horse would appreciate my muddy self on top of him right now."
"Only you, my dear."
"Let's see you try to ride and hold that bridge open long enough until father can take it back."
"Yadda Yadda Yadda Mer." Merlin rolled his eyes and moved away from the horse. "Fine next time I'll leave your favorite gown at home!"
"What? Merlin!"
And Merlin took off running, Morgana close behind him on her horse,the both of them laughing the whole time.

"They are at the gates my lord."
"Good. Call the crown prince."
"Yes sire."
Uther took a deep breath and stepped outside the front doors of Camelot's castle. Gauis stood beside him and Arthur soon joined them, the three of them stood and watched as the dots in the distance grew larger and larger until they were a group of fifteen man and women accompanied with different wagons and horses.
"The two riders at the head are king and queen of Avalon, Balinor and Hunith." Gauis whispered.
"the rider after them is their eldest, Morgana, she is a powerful seer sire," He added with another whisper and Uther nodded, his eyes scanning the group. "And where is their son? Prince Merlin?" Arthur snorted and Uther shot him a look. "What? I mean, what kind of a name is MERLIN anyway?" He added more quietly.
Gauis shot him an amused look. "You'll do wise to keep this thoughts to yourself my boy. Merlin is the heir to Avalon's throne and he is extremely powerful if the rumors are to be believed."
Arthur rolled his eyes. "I could take him apart with one strike."
Uther looked at his son. "And he might take you apart with less, so behave Arthur." He said with a lowered voice.
"I can't seem to find the prince sire, maybe he will be joining them later?" Gauis said with a slight frown on his face.
Uther moved down the steps to greet Balinor and Hunith.
"Balinor! Hunith! It is a- pleasure to have you here in Camelot after all this time." Balinor and Hunith dismounted gracefully from their horses and approached Uther. "A pleasure indeed King Uther, It's been a long time." Balinor's deep voice echoed through the yard.
"Indeed it has. But, what's past is past, let us move on to a better future for both our people." Balinor was silent for a moment before his face broke out into a grin and he clapped Uther on the back. "Right you are Uther, Right you are!" Gauis approached then and they fall into deep conversation while Camelot's servant's helped Avalon's to take their belongings inside.
Arthur eyed the princesses and with a sigh he moved to help her off her horse when he noticed a young servant standing next to her.
"Come on Morgana! I want to get it over with!"
The princess looked down at him and didn't look too impressed .
"Just because you and Archi want to go explore doesn't mean I have to be rude."
Arthur glared at the insolent servant. How dare he demand anything of the princess? It was obvious that Avalon's servant's didn't know their place or perhaps their royalty were too kind, either way, Arthur wouldn't allow it.
"Hey you!" He said and strode over to the young bo-man, he was a young man and quite lovely if Arthur was forced to admit if he ignored the fact that the man was completely rude!
The young man's eyes opened wide and he stared at Arthur. Blue eyes, Arthur noted.
"Are you talking to me?" The young man asked incredulity.
"Yes! You idiot! Do you see any other bumbling fools around here who don't know how to treat a princess?" Arthur asked.
"Idiot- Bumbling- Foo-" The boy spluttered and looked at Arthur wide eyed.
"Do you have something in your head? Did your mother dropped you on it when you were a baby?" Arthur asked with a sneer. He hated when servants were idiots!
The servant looked at Morgana again and Arthur noted that she looked a bit nervous, a quick glance around told him that the entire yard was silent, waiting apparently for the man's reply.
"Well?" Arthur demanded.
The man took a deep breath before he opened his mouth.
"Do you know who I'm?" He asked very slowly and Arthur noticed that his fists were clenched tightly. What was wrong with this man?
"You are a servant who fails to do his job properly and who is clumsy to top it all off if the mud on your clothes is any indication." Arthur finished confidently and glanced around him before frowning. Something wasn't right, everyone were looking at him and the man, Arthur could actually see the tension in the air.
He looked at the boy again and saw that Morgana was holding his shoulder.
"Don't."
The young man's mouth curled into a smile and Arthur felt shivers running down his spine.
"Don't worry 'Gana." He stepped away from the horse and closer to Arthur.

Arthur gulped. The man's eyes flashed gold and the mud cleared away from his clothes, revealing deep blue tunic and breeches adorned with golden embroidery and soft looking black boots. Arthur swallowed, these were clothes feet for royalty, he found the missing prince.
"I'm Merlin Emrys, son of Balinor and Hunith and heir to the throne of Avalon." He said and pulled himself higher. Arthur wanted to hit himself, or Merlin for looking like a servant in the first place!
"And you, Arthur Pendragon are a prat! And a royal one at that!"
With that he stormed off and entered the castle.
"Nice going golden boy!" Arthur looked up to see a red falcon flying over him and entering the castle.
"What the-"
"Don't mind him, that's just Archi," Morgana said while she hoped down from her horse.
"But he does have his point you know, that wasn't the best way to start with Merlin." She said and waved over to her parents to let them know she was okay. Arthur didn't dare to look at them or his father.
"That wasn't my fault! How was I supposed to know he isn't a servant?"
Morgana looked at him before she offered her hand with a pointed look.
Arthur took her arm and they climbed the steps together.
"Even if he was this is not how we treat servants in Avalon, one of Merlin's best friends is a servant, you'll do well to remember that Arthur Pendragon." And with that she left him standing there and wandered off down the corridor.
Arthur shook his head and went to his rooms to change his clothes before dinner. He winced just at the thought of it.