Note: For some strange reason, I noticed the absence of the first chapter/ prologue. Sadly, only the first draft remained after a virus attacked my pc; so it has been almost completely re-written. I think that its much better than the original, an I will be posting the next chapter in two weeks time tops.

An unconscious Arthur Pendragon was found lying flat on his bed, with a half emptied golden goblet braced in his limp hand. Some people looking at the prince may have thought that he was 'peacefully resting'; but that was not the case. The truth was that the royal's wine had been spiked with a deadly poison, which would be fatal and kill the prince with a slow and painful death within a week, and to escape that demise, there was only one cure available.

Magic.

There was one problem that would halt the healing of the ill prince. It wasn't the poison itself, to the fact that the prince in question was unconscious. No, it was the fact that the prince's father King Uther Pendragon; ruler of Camelot hated everything to do with magic, and banned the substance from his kingdom with a penalty of death.

Unsurprisingly, the odds of a full recovery were against the poor prince.

It had been a little over one full hour since Arthur Pendragon had been found in his enchanted slumber, and already there was hell in the castle. Maids and manservant's were shocked senseless, the guards were blaming themselves at the loss of the prince, the knights were wondering what on earth happed, as they had only seen him up and running a few hours previous.

After forty five minutes of detours that had taken place around the castle, Gaius who was Camelot's finest physician had just reached the outside door of the young Pendragon's chambers.

After knocking several times on the door, Gaius opened the large door and was unprepared for the sight that he saw. Knelt beside the limp body of the prince; lay king Uther who had soft tears that were gently streaming down his cheeks. To Gaius it was obvious that the king thought there was no hope left for his son.

Not wanting to stumble in the room uninvited, Gaius loudly knocked his fist against the door and said "excuse me milord, you wanted to see me."

As soon as noise and the words were heard, Uther silently stood up from his position and let the elderly physician examine the only heir to the throne. Several minutes past before Gaius was done, and the second it was completed; the King moved to his son's side and stared at the physician with cold, calculated eyes, waiting for the old man to explain what was wrong with his son.

Cold tension was evident in the room, as all three occupants were silent as the grave. But it was quickly broken with the remark "What's wrong with him?" from the king.

Unsure how to break the news to the king, Gaius just acted as he normally did, tell the full truth right there and then. "He has been poisoned milord, by a deadly unknown source. All I know that it is lethal, and will kill him painfully." He said, unable to look the king in the eye as he sentenced his son to death.

Silence was all could be heard throughout the room as the king pondered through the statement that the court physician had just said. "Is there any cure?" asked the distraught king, his voice hoarse from crying.

"Yes sire, but you will not like it"

"Tell me." It was not a plea, but an order that came out from Uther's mouth.

"Magic" Gaius simply stated, as from the examination performed only a minute ago; he knew that to save the prince that Merlin's secret would be thrown out of the window.

"You used to practice magic, so will you be able to heal him? I won't punish you for using it forbidden." Uther said quickly, a pleading look taking place in his usually cold eyes.

Shaking his grey hair in disagreement, Gaius responded to the hurried question just announced. "I'm sorry sire; but that type of magic is too advanced for a sorcerer of my standards, only a priest or priestess of the old religion can perform a spell of those standards." As the words came out of his mouth, the king bowed his head down and closed his eyes for his son. No one would want their son's last moments to be in pain, and that included Uther Pendragon.

"There is only one person I know of sire, a man that goes by the name Emrys. Emrys has only started practicing magic for two years, and was born with it. He has saved you and you're son's life countless of times, he has stopped sorcerers from attacking Camelot time and time again without getting any praise of what he's done. He is also the one that killed Nimueh, after bartering his own life for Arthur's."

Uther, the master of keeping expressions under his cold mask was beyond shocked. Why would a sorcerer help the Pendragon's when he would be executed without a minutes thought? How could the warlock look at Uther himself and not hate him for killing all of his kind without a minute's hesitation?

"Fetch him quickly; I want to see this sorcerer in person." That was true Uther thought, as he was quite curious of who this 'Emrys' could be.