I thought of this idea about two weeks ago, and when I saw that (SPOILER ALERT) Old Merlin would be returning for Season 4, I took it as a sign to go ahead and right this. Yeah, it's short, I know. Review anyway?

And thanks to Kitty O for reminding me to write something a little less dark.

Splashing his face with the cool creak water, Prince Arthur shakes his head in attempt to cool his sweating head off. He had decided today that he would ride his horse in the woods alone (really, he was alone. This time he hadn't even brought his insufferable manservant, Merlin) in order to clear his mind over past events.

Morgana.

Arthur's first tightened into balls, wishing all thoughts of his sister's betrayal away. He left Camelot, so he could stop thinking about her- not continue torturing himself with the thoughts of the terrible monster she has become.

Crack.

The prince raised his sword quickly, all the muscles in his body tensing. Slowly he lifts himself up, his right hand tightly gripping his weapon. Turning around, Arthur holds the blade in front of himself as a shield.

"Who's there?" he demands.

Out of the woods steps an old man who looks vaguely like-

"Dragoon?"

Dragoon the Great cocked his head slightly before his face breaking out in an enormous grin, "Arthur!" He chirped, running at him.

The old wizard stops right in his tracks when he sees the rapier pointing directly at him, ready to strike, "Oh put that thing away, will you? Jeez, I forgot how hothead you used to be."

A bemused look crosses Arthur's face, "Excuse me?"

Dragoon walks away from Arthur, plopping himself on a rock, "Aren't you going to sit?" He asks, gesturing to the log in front of him.

Arthur moves slowly to sit, "I should drag you back to Camelot right now, you're a sor-"

"-Sorcerer. Yeah, yeah I know. But I'm not Dragoon the Great!"

Shaking his head in exasperation, Arthur demands, "Then who are you?"

"Well, you won't believe me anyway, so I might as well tell you! I'm Merlin!"

"…Merlin?"

"From the future!"

After staring at him for a moment, Arthur bursts out laughing, "Merlin? Magic? Future?" He continues to bellow with laughter before standing up and patting the old man on the shoulder, "Thanks for that, I needed a laugh."

Still laughing, the naïve Prince of Camelot continues off into the forest.

"If only that had been reaction thirty-five years ago." Old Merlin says to a squirrel perched next to him with a chuckle.