This chapter is different from the others as it is told from the point of view of the people of Camelot and a foreign king instead of Merlin, Arthur or Uther.

"I feel weird" Merlin complained fiddling with his coronet.

"Just be thankful you don't have to wear this" Arthur sighed indicating to the much heavier crown, "Not for a few more months anyway"

"Why did we have to get new clothes for King Oswald's visit anyway?" Merlin whispered as the two kings greeted one another, Arthur shrugged and signalled for his brother to follow him and introduce himself to the king.

Both princes looked like the pride of the kingdom, and they were. Both dressed in black pants and long sleeved shirts with bright red capes tied with gold. It matched their golden crowns perfectly. The people were proud of their princes. In many kingdoms brothers were rivals and some even killed one another in an effort to gain the throne, not these two.

Arthur had been groomed since birth to be king, he understood the laws and he was kind. One day after his father's death he would be a better king than he. In a way Merlin would make a good king but he lacked the confidence and bravado needed, instead, completely by accident he had been groomed to be the perfect advisor to his brother. Raised by as one of the people he knew how the smaller societies worked and what they needed to keep the people calm and happy. Most importantly, he had no desire for the throne. He was content to stay at his brother's side and be his shadow.

When ever one of the pair was injured or sick the other stayed with them. Merlin was sicklier than his brother, mostly because he often was injured protecting him, showing the depths of his loyalty. However when Arthur had come down with a fever a few months beforehand after training in the snow Merlin never left his side. Nothing in Camelot stayed quiet for very long due to chatty castle servants and guards and they were proud to tell the stories of Merlin sitting at his brothers bedside reading to him, talking and joking even when Arthur was only semi-lucid.

Uther was in his own way a good king, but he relied on fear, Arthur would need no such trick to keep the people loyal to him.

…

King Oswald was looking forward to visiting Camelot, he had not done so since he himself was a prince and the elders of the Pendragon sons had not even been born yet. He had heard great things about the two princes both from rumour and from the king himself. When he stepped off his horse he spotted the two, waiting patiently behind a tired looking Uther. The elder stepped forward first, he was obviously Uther and Ygraine's child, bright blonde hair, strong body and his mannerisms mirrored that of Uther at a younger age, if not somewhat more polite.

The younger confused him, pale, skinny with dark hair and bright eyes he held an air of wisdom and calmness about him. He was as handsome as his brother in a different way but he was obviously not Uther's son. Not biologically anyway. He stepped forward with his brother holding out his hand politely.

"I'm Merlin Pendragon" He said, "This is my older brother Arthur"

"Nice to meet you" Oswald replied, "I see you haven't come of age yet, you can't be far off though, how many years older is Arthur"

"Three years my senior" Merlin replied,

"He'll come of age in five months" Arthur supplied before grinning, "I plan on getting him as drunk as he got me at my party"

"Hey!" The brothers teased and poked at each other, they were much closer than any other siblings Oswald had seen.

"Arthur, Merlin" Uther scolded, they stilled, Merlin itched at his coronet.

…

A feast was held in celebration of Oswalds arrival, the evening had been pleasant so far, the food had been eaten and now they were all sitting together along with a few nobles and knights simply enjoying company. He could have been wrong but Oswald was sure he saw Prince Merlin sneak a few grapes and strips of meat to the servants. Arthur followed suit as well, giving shares of his dinner to the younger servants.

"I've been meaning to ask" Oswald said to Merlin, "You don't look like your Uther's son, at leats not physically…"

"Oh yeah" Merlin replied seemingly unfazed, "Uther adopted me when I was a baby, then he found my….family, and I went back there. But they died a few years ago and so, here I am"

"You get along well with Arthur" The king noted

"I found them both sleep on the floor in Merlin's room the other night, they fell asleep reading" Uther laughed, Arthur and Merlin turned bright red

"Father!" The exclaimed at the same time

"Just cause I'm not going to be king is no reason to hate Arthur" Merlin muttered, "I don't even want to be king, ever"

…

The princes had spent the next day training with the knights; Arthur managed to win a bet with Leon and was now bragging. He quickly shut up when Merlin managed to trip him over resulting a lot of laughing knights. Next thing they knew the two brother had swords drawn and were playfully fighting all over the pitch. Up and down targets, climbing fences, all while grinning, attacking and defending.

"Do they do this often?" The king asked his host, Uther sighed.

"When Merlin first returned a few years ago I had to break them up because they were fighting in the market" Uther shook his head, "With maces"

"They are fine princes though" Oswald noted, Uther nodded.

"Yes, I am proud of them" He smiled, "Both of them"

I know this is a short chapter and its filler but I wanted to do a small thing about how the people see the Pendragon family.