Title: Anastasia [Merlin AU]

Author: TheAmazingCory

Disclaimer: I am not BBC, Netflix, nor the directors of Merlin. And so, I do not own Merlin. I also do not own the plot for Anastasia. All I own are the words that I use to write this tale.

Warnings: character death, darker themes, fluff, boyxboy

Main Paring: Merthur

Summary: An evil sorceress called Morgause puts a curse on the royal family, Ambrosius. The young prince, Merlin, disappears when their palace is overrun. Years later, the King's Ward offers a reward for Merlin's return. Two scheming paupers of Camelot, planning to pawn off a phony, hold auditions and choose an orphan boy with a remarkable resemblance to the missing prince. They bring him to Draconia for the reward, not knowing he's the real Merlin.

Anastasia

A Merlin AU

The chapter begins as we're pulled into the town square of Ambrosia. Houses line the streets and citizens can be seen going about their normal day. An upbeat tone starts to play, as we zoom into the area, backdropped by some buildings under construction. We seem to be in the strain station as the tracks appear and a grand steam train can be seen lying in the tracks. 'A Rumor in St. Petersburg' plays, modified.

"Dear Ambrosia is gloomy." a man carrying threads begins.

"Dear Ambrosia is bleak." a woman working on a grand sewing device continues.

"My underwear got frozen standing here all week," a man standing by an open window, in a cold December day, is shown to have icicles coming from his pants.

"Oh, since the revolution our lives have been so gray." multiple people claim as we enter a closed room with nick-knacks lying about. The people pull cloaks from hangers in the brick walls and quickly put them on.

"Thank goodness for the gossip that gets us through the day! Hey!" they check their way out and head outside.

"Have you heard, there's a rumor in dear Ambrosia," the scene changes into a grand street lined with tallish buildings. A trolley lies in the middle of the street, awaiting passengers.

"Have you heard, what they're saying on the street!" the people can be shown holding newspapers as they gossip to another.

A young man with scruffy blond hair to the length of his chin, wearing a wide grin pays for an apple as he passes and takes a bite of the fruit. He leans down and listens to a man, who is selling the newspapers, and the man says, "Although the King did not survive, one son may be still alive."

"Oh?" the young man asks, as if intrigued.

"The lost Prince Merlin," the crowd proclaims, "And please do not repeat."

"It's a rumor, a legend," the scruffy haired youth sprints threw the streets as the singing continues. "A mystery!"

"Something whispered in an alleyway or through a crack." the singing lowers and the young man puts his head against a door, as if to listen. Not a second after wards, the door opens and he enters the building.

"It's a rumor, that's part of, our history!" the crowd of people sing, dancingon the snow covered streets.

"They say his royal grandmother will pay a royal sum," a woman selling snow-gloves claims to a crowd in front of her stand.

"To someone who can bring the young prince back!" the crowd in front of her stand disperse, twirling, each with a snow-glove in hand. A man from the stand comes towards... the camera, and holds up the glove to show a small trinket made in the image of the 8 year old prince.

The scene changes and the scruffy haired youth from earlier is making his way up a staircase. As he reaches the top he is called aside by a young man with golden hair, dressed in a trench coat and cap.

"Gwaine!" the golden haired man whisper-calls.

The young man with the scruffy blond hair gasps as he lays eyes on the other and whisper-shouts, "Arthur!"

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AN: I'm sorry... I don't know what I'm doing... *covers face* I'm just laughing my arse off at my expense!

Please... *wheezing in laughter* Continue!

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Both young man greet each other and quickly exchange muttered words before running inside the building. Meanwhile, the singing continues.

"A ruble for this painting, it's Ambrosius, I swear." an artist says as he attempts the sell a painting of the dead king, Arthur watches upon the scene and shakes his head.

"Count Gaius' pajamas comrades, buy the pair." a woman selling rags claims as she shows a couple an old pare of pajamas, Gwaine inspects on of them but gets pulled away by Arthur.

"I got these from the palace it's lined with real fur." this time, a coot holding a fur coat attempts to get Gwaine and Arthur to buy it.

"It could be worth a fortune if it belonged to him." Arthur says as he holds up the cloak. They purchase the coat and head on their way.

"Well, Arthur, I got us a theater!" Gwaine says happily.

"Everything's going according to plan. All we need is the boy." Arthur claims, heading up a wooden spiral staircase. "Just think, Gwaine, no more forging papers, no more stolen goods."

"We'll have three tickets out of here. One for you," he continues, as they enter a cluttered room. "One for me and one for Merlin!"

"It's the rumor, the legend," Arthur sings. "The mystery."

He leans out an upon window in the room and looks down on the center of the town where hundreds of citizens are gathered. "It's the lost Prince Merlin who will help us fly."

He turns to his friend and dances with him as he sings, "You an I, friend will go down in history!" he stops dancing and backtracks and grabs something from a bag, "We'll find someone to play the part, and teach them what to say."

From the bag he pulls out the golden-blue music box, "Dress them up and take them to Draconia. Imagine the reward his dear old grandmother will pay! Who else could pull it off but you and me."

"We'll be rich." he runs to the window with a bag in hand.

"We'll me rich!" Gwaine agrees, suitcase in hand.

"We'll be out."

"We'll be out!"

"And dear Ambrosia will have some more to talk about!" they finish together as they jump down from the window and into the snow-covered roofs beneath, they slide their way down both shouting and laughing.

"Shh, have you heard, there's a rumor in dear Ambrosia," the crowd below begins as they dance around a statue of a night in a horse. "Have you heard, what they're saying on the street, hey!"

The loud chatter of gossip can be heard, then interrupted by, "Hey!" more chatter can be heard, louder then before, also coming to a stop at, "Hey!"

"Have you heard, there's a rumor in dear Ambrosia." the crowd continues, Arthur and Gwaine can be seen making their way threw the crowd. "Have you heard comrades, what do you suppose."

"A fascinating mystery," the music intensifies and the duo can be seeing getting on the trolley, Arthur shouts, "The biggest con in history!"

"The lost Prince Merlin," the music reaches its brink. "Alive or Dead!"

"Who knows? Shh!" an old man working on a tower whispers and the music concludes with a bang. The scene changes and we are to finally see what has become of the lost prince...

To be continued...

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Sorry... I was unsure of what to do! And I'm tired and have school tomorrow. Sooo sorry, honest to goodness sorry.

Bye!

Singed,

TheAmazingCory