I sit up in the bed roll and realize I haven't moved this is the same forest, the same campfire, but this is most certainly a dream.The forest around me is far too beautiful at night to not be a dream. Some of the plants are glowing with beautiful hues I had never imagined could be found in nature."You're awake." I hear an unfamiliar voice speak.I look over and it's Emrys in his dark blue hood. "Who are you?"

"My name is Emrys. I am a powerful warlock...meaning I was born with magic. I am a creature of magic much like the dragons. We are in your dreams, and I realize you have been following me as of late."

"I have not been following you. Did you know I was dreaming about you?"

"Not really...I only found out recently. It did come as quite the shock though."

"I saw you today...in the forest, just before Merlin showed up. You were talking with a dragon. It looked like the dragon I had supposedly killed but..."

"It's the same dragon. I control him and he advises me with matters concerning you if I don't know what to do."

"So even a great sorcerer needs help sometimes?" I laugh slightly as I stand to walk over to the man."EVERYONE needs help at some point, Young Pendragon." I still can't see his face but I can hear the smirk."Merlin says he knows you."

"That he does. We know each other quite well. You could say that we have a lot in common. I have learned of something recently...Do you know why you are dreaming of me?"

"No, but I bet you're going to tell me." I answer as I lean against a glowing tree."It has to do with are destiny that we share, and also with the fact that we are soul mates...not in a romantic way, but in a way that is alike to as if we were brothers without actually being related."

"I've heard that before...hey, are you truly friends with Merlin?"

"Something like that...why?"

"You wouldn't happen to know why he was upset earlier would you?"It feels strange how I can calmly talk to this sorcerer...warlock...thing or whatever but of he's Merlin's friend maybe he knows something I don't."He heard what you said about your dreams and he knew that it involved me. He was upset because of his fear. He was worried that if you knew he had been talking with me, that you would execute us. He knows how important I am to you and the throne. I am meant to protect you with all my power, and I'm happy to do so."

"I've always been taught that magic is evil... that anyone and everyone who uses it is evil."

The man shrugged his shoulders and turned away from me to sit at the fire. "In a way it can be. It can either be used for great evil, such as taking lives or immense good, such as healing or protecting."

"Healing? Were you the one that healed Merlin's sting mark?"

I know he's smiling but he also gives a light chuckle. "No, that was not me. That was Kilghara. The dragon you probably saw earlier today. They kknow each other too. When Merlin told you that he had been away...dying...he was telling the truth."

I suddenly remembered that I had yelled at him about that. "He was truly dying then...I almost lost my best friend..."

"And he never wanted you to know the pain he was in when he returned. The burn mark on his chest is also likely to never properly heal, because it was caused by magic."

"How long as he lived with so much pain, do you know?"

I sat down next to the man, who I can see now is obviously using a spell to hide his face. "Merlin was a bastard child in Ealdor, he got picked on a lot. He was also different from the other kids so that didn't help matters. There was a time when even adults would beat him...but as long as he could make his mother happy, he didn't care. Then, a few years later his mother had sent him to Gaius to become his apprentice. The last time Gaius had seen him before then was when Merlin was born...so it came as quite a shock to him to see him become the young man he did."

"He was beaten by adults? Why?"

"For the reasons I told you already...He was a bastard child and he was different."

"How was he different?"

I watched as the man seemed he needed to find a way to answer without revealing something. "He was able to do things that the other kids couldn't and it made the other kids hate him. The other kids' parents seemed to think he caused a lot of trouble so they would chase him off with their brooms or whatever they had on hand."

"He was just a child!"

"A child that was a bastard child and different. He is only your servant why should you care anyway?"

"He is my best friend." I admit. This is a dream after all, why not? "We have been through a lot together, so naturally when I find out there is a whole entire history about my friend that i didn't know...that he felt he could tell a sorcerer and not me...its a little upsetting."

"He didn't want to burden you, plus...he knows his place. Not only that, but you never asked. Has he ever once, not told you something when you've asked? Sure he's a bit stubborn in listening but when you've asked him to tell you something, has he ever held back?"

Before I could answer I'm woken up by the feeling of a hand on my shoulder. "Arthur, wake up. I heard something just now!" I bolt up and I look at him. He seemed to be asleep just moments ago as well. His eyes were still tired, and the rabbit had been done for what looked like a few hours.

It was still dark, but I stood up and grabbed my sword with Merlin following behind me. "Where was the noise?"

"Over there behind the trees." He points and I walk to where he was directing me.

Soon at least five men emerge from behind where he was pointing. "Well, well...what do we have here lads?" A large man with a crooked beard bellowed wit amusement.

"Looks like deep pockets to me boss."

"You may be right! Alright pretty boy, hand over what you got?"

I look at the giant man and then I look to search for Merlin who was standing his ground with his own dagger that I didn't even know he had. "You do know he's the King of camelot right?" Merlin says to them with a sense of pride.

"King? This little thing?" The larger man laughs. "Kings stay holed up in castles, not out in the forest playing with commoners. Now hand over the jewels and no one meets an early death."

"Uh...boss? He's wearing the pendragon crest on his cape...if he isn't the king he's at least a knight...perhaps we sh-should..."

"You...are you the King?"

"I'm a pissed off King." I say with irritation.

"Boss, thats excalibur...he really is the King."

The larger man looks at my sword and then back at Merlin, then for some reason his face pales immediately. "I apologize your majesty."

I sigh, highly irritated and confused. "You're lucky I have bigger matters to deal with. Just go away, but if I hear about one robbery I'm going to assume it was you lot." As they run back into the forest I'm left with a few questions. "Merlin, why did they look frightened?"

"They were druid bandits, Arthur. They know your views on magic." He said simply as we headed back to the camp.

"And how do you know they were druids?"

"They had markings on their bodies. I noticed it so thats why I brought up that you were the King"

Seems like a reasonable response. "Tomorrow we head back to Camelot understood? I don't want anything to do that day...I wish to talk with you."

"What if I had other plans?" He feigned sarcasm

"You don't anymore." I retorted.