Prologue:

Merlin. Merlin. MERLIN!

Merlin awoke in the cell he was put in by the prince, he got up any slowness lost to the voice calling him.

He pressed his ear to where he thought the source was, which happened to be through the wall closest to him. He tried listening for more but Gaius came in telling him that he managed to secure his freedom.

He was very grateful, despite the price.

Later, that night when he sat down to eat Gaius looked at him with a smile, "Want some vegetables with that?"

Merlin couldn't help but snort, "I know you're still angry with me."

"Your mother asked me to look after you."

"Yes."

"What did you your mother say to you about your gifts?"

Merlin looked down at his food, "That I was special."

Gaius nodded, "You are special, the likes of which I have never seen before."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, magic requires incantations, spells. It takes years to study. What I saw you do was elemental, instinctive."

Merlin gave a helpless sigh, "What's the point if it cannot be used"

Gaius looked at him sadly, "That I do not know. You are a question that has never been posed before Merlin.

Merlin looked at him inquisitively, "Did you ever study magic?"

"Uther banned such work twenty years ago."

"Why?"

"People used magic for the wrong ends at the time. It threw the natural order into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy creatures of the old religion."

"What? All of them?"

Gaius shrugged, "The old religion not just animals, but whole people, civilizations. I doubt that they are all gone. Whether there are any in Camelot, well who can say? There are of course rumors of an ancient creature in the depths of the dungeon, but I doubt they are true. Now eat up. I need you to take a preparation to Lady Helen."

Merlin was laying awake in his bed thinking about his day when he heard it again.

Merlin… Merlin.

He got up from bed, following the voice.

It led him to the dungeon where a couple of guards were on duty, he dealt with them by making their dice move down a flight of stairs.

He went deeper and deeper into the dungeons, and the deeper he went the louder the voice was.

It was female, and smooth, it lacked the gravely roughness that age provided, yet he felt the age that it held, her voice was old and young, calm and excited, it was mature and childish all at the same time. What he was hearing against what he was feeling.

Then, it happened he came to the door.

He walked up to it, slowly, pushed his ear up against it.

"Door's unlocked you know.'

He jumped at the voice that came from the inside.

Merlin hesitated, only for a moment though before walking in.

What he saw surprised him, instead of hay and cold stone floors he saw a well decorated room.

There was plenty of lighting, books, a very comfortable bed in a corner, even pictures on the walls and a rug.

The surprise showed openly on his face because the woman sitting down on the floor with a book in her hand laughed, "Uther knows better than to scorn me, even locked up like this."

She sat up, sat her book down on a nightstand and gave a respectful nod, "A pleasure to meet you Merlin," she held out her hand, "My name is Elin."

He looked at her hand, slowly taking it, "How do you know me?"

"I don't. Not yet anyway, we've only just met after all. But, I know your destiny, your gift, I know the things you will accomplish Merlin."

"My gift? So there is a reason for it?"

"Of course, you and the young Pendragon will unite Albion, bring back magic.

"When you say young Pendragon do you mean..."

"Arthur, yes."

"That's funny, it really is."

She raised an eyebrow, "How so?"

"Arthur is a prat, a selfish, rude prat."

"Tell me Merlin, how long have you actually known him?"

"Long enough."

"I see, well I cannot force you to like him, nor can you avoid your destiny. Arthur Pendragon is the Once and Future King, and you are Emrys, he will need you to protect him from the enemys he cannot slay with a sword, and you need him to change the very course of history."

"I'm sorry I don't think that this is the right Arthur because this one's an idiot."

"Maybe you are supposed to change that Merlin," She gestured towards her door, "The guards will be coming soon, you should leave."

She sat down, her book in hand, leaving Merlin no choice but to leave.

Later that day Uther went down to the lowest point of the dungeon, and stood outside the door that held one of his oldest friends.

He hesitated like he always did when he visited, he knew what to expect, Elin, reading or drawing, maybe even working on her experiments, he knew she would look like she always did, her brown hair pulled back in a braid, her narrowed gray eyes, her red-tinged lips forced into a polite smile that she only used with the people she considered an annoyance.

But, that was not what bothered him, it was the air of disappointment he always felt when she was near.

A feeling that he hated despite himself, she was once a good friend and valued council member, but magic was evil, she was evil no matter who she was.

He stepped forward, walking into the room, "Elin."

"Uther, to what do I owe the pleasure."

"My guards reported voices."

She turned from the desk opposite from her bed," Really? How odd."

He stepped closer taking a more threatening manner, Don't be coy, Elin who were you talking to?"

She rolled her eyes, "No one, and if I was talking to anyone it's your guard's fault I got the company."

Uther's hand went around her neck, "Remember who is in charge here Elin, I can have you beheaded in an instant."

Elin met his eyes, "Then do it."

Uther growled, walked out the door slamming it shut and snapped at the guard, "No food for her for a week."

"Oi!"

Merlin wakes up with a jolt.

"Have you seen the state of this room?"

Merlin shrugged, "It just happens."

"By magic?"

"Yeah."

Gaius looked around and shook his head, "Well, you can clear it up without magic. And then I want you to get me some herbs: henbane, wormwood, and sorrel. And deliver this to Morgana, poor girls suffering from nightmares."

Gaius threw some clothes at Merlin.

"Mmm, I know the feeling."

When he got up he decided to deliver the remedy first.

As he walked into Morgana's room she spoke, "You know, I've been thinking about Arthur. I wouldn't touch him with a lance pole. Pass me that dress will you Gwen?"

Merlin's eyes widened before he look at the dress and hesitantly put the dress over the screen.

"I mean, the man's a total jouster. And just because I'm the King's ward doesn't mean I have to accompany him to the feast, does it.

After a small panicked silence.

"Well, does it?"

Merlin tried to intimidate Gwen, "Mm-hmm."

"If he wants me to go, then he should invite me, and he hasn't."

Merlin looks around desperately looking for a way out, "So do you know what that means."

Another high pitched 'yes' sound.

Morgana looked out from the side of the screen, "Where are you?"

He pulled a nearby cloak to hide his face, "Here."

"It means I'm going by myself."

Merlin sighed in relief at the ended conversation moving outside.

"I need help with this fastening."

"Gwen?"

Merlin was truly panicking, but to his eternal relief, Gwen came in, "I'm here."

She looked at Merlin mouthing 'what are you doing here?'

Merlin gesturing towards Morgana and then the potion he brought.

Gwen nodded her understanding as Merlin left the room.

"So, it's whether I wear this little tease.."

She put up a maroon dress against her.

"Or give them a night they'll really remember."

It was the night of the banquet when Morgana entered.

The whole room stared.

Arthur gulped viably, "God have mercy."

Merlin's whole face followed Morgana when she passed but Gaius rolled his eyes and said, "Merlin. Remember you are here to work."

"Oh, yeah."

Gwen came up to him, "She looks great, doesn't she?"

"Yeah."

"Some people are just born to be queen."

"No!"

Gwen smiled, "I hope so. One day. Not that I'd want to be her, Who'd want to marry Arthur?"

Merlin chuckled, "Oh, come on , Gwen. I thought you liked those real rough, tough, save the world kind of men."

"No, I like much more ordinary men like you."

Merlin snorted, "Believe me Gwen, I'm not ordinary."

"No, I didn't mean you, obviously. Not you. But just, you know, I like men like you."

"Thanks."

They gravitate from each other awkwardly.

Uther sat up and the court quieted down.

"We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity. It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures, but few can compare with the honor of introducing Lady Helen of Mora."

The court applauded, music begins and the court sits down.

Lady Helen sings.

And the court begins to nod off to sleep.

Merlin noticed, the cobwebs coming out of no where, the way Lady Helen's focus was on Arthur.

He put his hands over his ears.

He looked around for a solution, and as Helen pulled out a dagger he made a chandelier fall.

The court wakes up, pulling of cobwebs when Arthur and Uther see the woman from the square on the floor instead of Lady Helen.

Mary pushes herself up and throws her dagger in Arthur's direction.

But, Merlin was quicker, and he slowed time and pulled Arthur out of the way.

Uther looked at him, "You saved my boy's life. A debt must be !br0ken!

Merlin's eyes widened as he blushed slightly, "Oh, well..."

"Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded"

"No, honestly, you don't have to, Your highness."

"No, absolutely. This merits something special."

Merlin gave a small smile, "Well..."

"You shall be rewarded with a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince Arthur's manservant."

The court applauded.

Which drowned out Arthur's protest.

They looked at each other unhappily.

"Seems you're a hero."

"Hard to believe, isn't it?"

"No. I knew it from the moment I met you. When you saved my life remember?"

"But...that was magic."

"Perhaps that is it's purpose."

Merlin sighed, "My destiny."

Gaius nodded, "Indeed. This book was given to me when I was your age, but I have a feeling it will be of more use to you than it was to me."

Gaius handed him a book.

Merlin looked down at it, "But this is a book of magic."

"Which is why you must keep it hidden."

"I will study every word."

Just then a guard knocked the door.

"Merlin, Prince Arthur wants to see you now."

Gaius looked at him, "Your destiny's calling. You better find out what he wants."

Well, I don't know why I started this, I'm in the middle of a story and I want to focus on that. Oh well. For those who liked this (and for those who didn't) please review. I won't update this often but I will try to find time for it. So I guess for now that's it. Bye.

-Night

Merlin isn't mine