"Merlin? Merlin, are you here?" Arthur called entering Gaius's chambers.

"He'd been looking for the servant all day, ever since the incident with his Soul Words Arthur had been trying to act more kindly toward his servant. Today he'd given the man a day to himself but as luck would have it Arthur couldn't find his good sword and was now reduced to looking for his servant in the hopes that he'd know where it was.

The king walked into Merlin's bedroom, clothes were everywhere and his cupboard was still empty. That made the king laugh.

Just as he was turning to leave he saw a few small pieces of parchment sitting on the table. One was in an unfamiliar handwriting while the second was Merlin's recognizable scrawl. Now, Arthur knew he should just turn around and walk back out but having some sort of insight into his mysterious friend was too good to pass up.

The letter with the unfamiliar handwriting was dated the oldest, so he started there.

Dear Merlin,

The anniversary is coming up and I was hoping you could come home for a few days. Arthur is understanding I am sure he will understand if you tell him the truth. I know you never really knew your father well but his death effected you, I can tell from your letters and Gaius's. I am thankful you gave him a proper burial, I wish I could of been there.

Come home and I can tell you about him properly, some things are not supposed to be found out through written word.

I wish you would stop insisting that it's fine, having your father murdered in front of you is not something that goes away quickly. I know it sounds harsh but it's only because I love you.

I hope o see you soon,

Mother.

Arthur blinked. Merlin watched his father be killed right in front of him? What?

Arthur had seen his father die before his eyes as well but Merlin had never mentioned it. But it must of happened years ago for it to be the anniversary. He quickly grabbed Merlin's reply.

Dear Mother,

You know I can't leave Camelot or Arthur right now with Morgana still out there. It's too dangerous, I need to stay and make sure everybody is safe.

I am fine, really. Of course I miss him but I only knew him a few days, I have the statue he carved me and I promise I'll take some time off and do a memorial of my own but I can't leave the city.

Emrys is needed here. And if he's needed I'm needed. If I find a safe time Kilgharrah and I will come and visit okay?

I have to go now, the prat is calling.

Merlin.

Emrys? Kilgharrah? What on earth was Merlin talking about?

...

"Have any of you ever heard of somebody called Emrys or Kilgharrah?" Arthur asked the knights as they walked back to the castle the next day after training.

"No." Leon shrugged, "Is he a friend?"

"I don't know." Arthur shrugged.

"Of course you wouldn't." Gwaine scoffed, "You both grew up in Camelot."

"You know who they are?" Arthur stopped and turned to the knight, he nodded.

"When you're on the road as much as I am of course you'd hear those stories." He shrugged, "But nobody would ever be daft enough to talk about them in Camelot."

"What stories? Are Emrys and Kilgharrah in them?" Arthur asked, why had Merlin been talking about fairy tales with his mother?

"Well, it's this old druid prophecy." Gwaine explained, "That one day there will be a great and powerful warlock, who will have the most powerful magic ever seen or ever to be seen. That's Emrys, and together with the Once and Future King they will restore magic to the land and unite the five kingdoms into one and form Albion. The Once and Future king will rule over all of Albion with Emrys at his side and the land will know peace for his entire reign for he is the greatest king of all time. But without Emrys to guide and protect him Ablion will fall."

"Well of course nobody would tell that story here." Leon scoffed, "Especially when Uther was king."

"Why do you ask sire?" Percival cut in, Arthur pulled a face.

"Well, I was looking for Merlin and I just happened upon some letters from his mother asking him to come home for the anniversary of his fathers death-"

"Merlin's fathers dead?" Elyan cut in, "he never mention that before."

"Murdered right in front of him apparently." Arthur sighed, "But in the letters he said he couldn't leave Camelot because Emrys was needed and that perhaps he and Kilgharrah would come and see her some time."

"I've never heard of anybody called Kilgharah." Gwaine admitted.

"But Emrys is just a story, you said so yourself Gwaine." Leon pointed out, "It makes sense that Merlin would know it, he didn't grow up here, but why talk about it like it was real."

"It's not a story, it's a prophecy," Gwaine corrected, "According to the Druids it will happen some day."

"Not while I'm king." Arthur joked, "Do you think we should talk to him about his father?"

"I don't think so," percival sighed, "Remember how well the conversation about Freya went?"

"He's been tying his belt so tightly I'm surprised he can breath." Elyan sighed.

"What about this Emrys thing?" Leon asked.

"I think we should stop prying." percival cut in, "Merlin's life is his own, as long as he is safe we should just let him be."

"Yes, you're right." Arthur agreed, feeling guilty for having read the letters at all.

...

Captured, how inconvenient. Arthur, Merlin and all of the knights were stuck in a large cell in a dungeon at an abandoned castle three days ride from Camelot. They had fallen for another of Morgana's tricks, and ended up magically transported into this cell. Teh bars were thick with little to no space between them and no amount of picking would convince the lock to open. Though in Gwaine's defense, he only has a discarded chicken bone he;d found in the corner to work with.

Their weapons had been taken so they had no choice but to sit and wait for Morgana to grace them with her presence.

"I'll give it to you Arthur, you have the most deranged sister I've ever met." Gwaine grinned.

"Well, I've been in worse dungeons." Merlin joked trying to lighten the mood.

"Now is really not the time merlin," Arthur growled, "We need to find a way out of here."

"There isn't one, I made sure of that." Morgana smirked as she appeared before them.

"So what's the plan this time?" Arthur asked dryly, "Keep us locked here and go for Camelot? You've tried twice now, you'll never win."

"No, because of that snake helping you." She hissed.

"What?"

"Emrys!" She growled, "He has been foiling me at every turn for years!"

"Emrys?" Leon gaped.

"Oh yes, thought he was just a story did you?" Morgana smirked, "Camelot, you people are so ignorant."

"You want Emrys to come here? Save us so you can trap him?" Merlin confirmed, Morgana grinned.

"That's the general idea." She admitted, "He's not abandoned Arthur once. He wont start now. I'd very much like to talk with him."

"You really think I'm this Once and Future king?" Arthur scoffed.

"Oh you are, but I know I can do so much more than you." Morgana argued, "I just need to convince Emrys of that so he can stop being a thorn in my side!"

"You wanted to talk, well here I am."

All eyes flew to the servant sitting back against the stone wall of the cell, one arm resting on his knee, one leg stretched out. He looked the same save one detail, instead of the bright blue that usually adorned his eyes, Merlin's irises now burned liquid gold.

"What?" Arthur breathed, Morgana just gaped.

"Relax, I'm only borrowing his voice to speak with you." Merlin drawled, "Did you think I would be so foolish and run straight to you?"

"Merlin? Merlin what's going on?" Arthur asked, Merlin turned to him.

"Don't worry your friend in fine." Merlin smiled, "He's just sleeping at the moment while I borrow his body."

"You're enchanting him!" Gwaine yelled looking furious, "Let him go."

"Be calm Gwaine." Merlin grinned, "Merlin gave me permission, I asked him before I did this. I don;t just go around borrowing people's bodies."

"Telepathy." Morgana growled, "You spoke to him with your mind, how did you do that! He didn't show any signs of communication!"

"Merlin is my friend and my helper." Emrys explained, "We have known one another for years, he helps me protect Arthur and Camelot, mostly from you."

Emrys in Merlin's body stood and walked to the bars.

"Now, do you have anything interesting to say or shall I proceed with freeing these people?"

"You can't, you're not even here."

"No, but my friend Kilgharrah is."

Kilgharrah!

"Who-"

"Do you remember how I stopped your army following the king through the tunnels at Ealdor?" Emrys grinned smugly.

Suddenly a roar filled the sky all the knights jumped to their feet.

"Ah, right on time..."

There was a loud bang and a deep thud as the castle walls shook, the back wall of the cell finally breaking open to reveal a very large, dull gold dragon. Arthur desperately wished for a sword.

"Relax, he wont hurt you." Emrys hushed, "Morgana on the other hand..."

She was already gone.

"Come, he'll fly you back to Camelot."

"You were the one to release him." Leon growled, "You set a dragon on Camelot!"

"No, I tamed him and sent him away." Emrys corrected, before turning to Arthur, "Did you really think that spear was a mortal blow? It was barely a scratch for an ancient dragon such as Kilgharrah."

The group all shuffled onto the dragons back as they flew, nobody feeling comfortable. Emrys explain how he tamed the dragon after Arthur and the others had been knocked unconscious and instructed Merlin to lie on his behalf.

"Merlin's been helping you all this time." Arthur sighed, Emrys nodded.

"You have no idea how desperately he wanted to tell you." Emrys added sadly as they landed in a clearing not too far from the city.

"Why Merlin?" Arthur asked, "Why him."

"He showed you great loyalty from the beginning." Emrys said finally, "He cares about you and believes you will make a great king. He has seen hardship but he will never give up on you."

"I believe you." Arthur sighed, "Ever since we saw his soul words I've been realising how much he has gone through."

Emrys swallowed.

"I should go." he said finally, "Merlin wont remember much about when I was in his body, but he's fine otherwise."

The dragon took off, probably returning to it's master.

The gold faded quickly, leaving Merlin's eyes clear and blue. He blinked a few times before shifting a bit, as if he'd just woken up and wasn't sue if he was dreaming or really awake.

"Well, I assume that worked seeings as we're here." He grinned, "Now we really should get going, I have jobs to do and all."

I couldn't help it, so many reviews...

Yes Merlin was acting that whole time. I had the idea a while back, it would be a good way to be Emrys but not give away his secret.