Merlin had never seen the castle courtyard so alive. The acrobats rode in upon carriages, throwing confetti and ribbons as they went, jugglers, fire breathers, clowns and all sorts were dancing about the entrance to the castle among it's people grinning as they went. A man flipped onto another shoulder and proceeded to jungle several silver batons with ease.

"Woah! Did you see that?" Merlin grinned as he leaned out Arthur's window watching the festivities below. Arthur leaned over his brothers shoulder with a bored look on his face.

"There's a man, throwing some sticks in the air." he drawled before walking back into his room.

"What's wrong?" Merlin moaned, "It's your birthday! A huge feast is being held in your honor, you've got dancers, jugglers and acrobats to entertain you."

Arthur pulled a face.

"It must be a terrible burden." Merlin mocked.

"Maybe I'm less easily impressed than you." Arthur suggested with a hint of a real smile.

"I'm really looking forward to it." Merlin continued.

"Because you have the mind of a child." Arthur ruffled Merlin's hair which always made him annoyed.

"And yet I'm still more intelligent that you." Merlin grumbled as Arthur left the room.

"I heard that!"

...

He knew that he was a man and that his birthday should stop bothering him so much but it was hard to forget the pain his birth caused. How can you celebrate his birth when it was the cause of his mothers death? In order to distract himself he sat with his father, Even after Merlin's return his mental health was terrible.

"The Court discussed the annual levy this morning. The council has suggested we raise it, but I feel the people are already overburdened-"

"We should not talk of matters of court today." Uther cut in weakly, Arthur blinked in surprise at the eloquent reply. These days Uther hardly spoke at all let along so properly.

"Father?"

"You think, that I would ever forget today is the anniversary of your birth?" Uther smiled softly.

"I take it there are suitable celebrations for this evening?" Uther continued.

"Since Merlin is sharing it we ordered some entertainers." Arthur replied, "For the feast. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow."

"Nonsense." Uther dismissed, "You think I would miss my own son's anniversary?"

...

The feast had been amazing and as promise, the entertainment was exactly that. Even Arthur smiled when a man breathed fire. Though Merlin decided the appearance of their father was mostly responsible for Arthur's mood. Uther was sitting at his place between his sons, smiling, laughing and drinking. For a little while Merlin could pretend everything was alright, as it used to be.

"I require a volunteer!" The head entertainer announced, "Prince Merlin, people always say you are the shadow to your older brother, why not come and prove them wrong?"

"Uh, is that safe?" Merlin whispered.

"It's knife throwing of course not but you can hardly refuse." Arthur replied riding his brother of his cape and pushing him to the middle of the room where the entertainers then proceeded to rope him to a large wheel.

"Never fear my lord, I never miss my target." The entertainer smiled, then pushed an apple into his mouth. Merlin's face reddened as he heard Arthur laugh, he couldn't dwell on it though because then the wheel began to spin. A loud thump told him the first knife had been thrown, he couldn't help but sigh in relief that it hadn't hit him.

The next embedded itself right next to his face and then there was a pause which made him even more nervous than he already was. Then a loud tearing sound, he blinked and to his shock, the final knife was sticking out of the apple in his mouth.

The room erupted in applause and Merlin let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"See Merlin, told you there was nothing to worry about." Arthur laughed clamping him on the back.

Merlin tossed the apple into the air before biting into it, it tasted a little bitter for some reason but he didn't really think about it. He probably should of.

...

"You're drunk." Arthur laughed as the princes leant on one another as they walked up the corridor.

"No, you're drunk!" Merlin slurred.

It was odd, He'd only drank a few goblets of wine, unlike his brother who had practically drank an entire barrel.

"Was good to see father enjoying himself." Arthur mused, "Got a little quiet toward the end though."

"Perhaps we should go see 'im?" Merlin suggested.

The two staggered toward their fathers chambers, doing their best to appear more sober as they passed the guards. They found their father asleep in his chair, unable to face standing any longer they both flopped down into the wooden chairs opposite him.

"Dunno why I drank so much." Arthur muttered, "That last glass had an awful bitter taste to it..."

Merlin was about to reply when he saw the reflection of a person walking toward then in the shiny metal goblet. He barely managed to get himself to his feet in time to draw his sword. Arthur rose as well, yelling for the guards, something was wrong, neither of then could walk straight. It only took the man, whom Merlin now recognized as the head entertained, to knock him down followed by Merlin.

Merlin pushed himself up on his palms but his legs wouldn't work, he only had enough time to look round as the entertainer bought his sword down on him. Just in time for it to be stopped by his own sword, now in Uther's hands.

"It will take more than a coward like you to kill my son." He seethed, knocking the attacker back.

Merlin pushed himself into the sitting position, Arthur had gotten to his feet and was aiding their father. Whatever drug they had been slipped was still active however and suddenly Arthur was unarmed again. Uther was forced back onto the table, desperately Merlin tried to call upon his magic but he was barely able to shift the sword on the ground a few feet from him, let alone levitate it toward him.

The man knocked Arthur to the ground.

"Anything to say to your son before I kill him?" The man taunted.

Uther swung his sword at him, barely able to block in time the entertainer was knocked to the ground. Uther readied his sword for the final blow and everything seemed to speed up, too fast for either brother to act. Uther bought the sword down as the entertainer bought his up, straight into the kings chest.

As promised, The Wicked Day! I told you I'd do it, just not in order. Im not sure what other episodes from this season I'm going to do. Deff The Sword in the Stone and Herald of a New Age but I cant decide whether its worth doing Lamia