First of all, yes, the previous chapter will have a second part. Second of all, yes I hit a huge writer's block and a minor case of laziness after finishing the first one. Last of all, did the title and cover page of this changed? Yes! How observant of you! :D

An awesome human being requested a fic from me a while ago and I realized that I couldn't do it in first person's POV. Then, the conundrum was 'where do I put it?' which is why I decided to re-name this little fic and make it a separate thing for all of this AU Golden Age stuff where I don't have to do it in 1st person's POV.

I realize that OC's are not everyone's cup of tea so fair warning, this kind of centers around one. However, if you'd like some fluffiness, adorable little kids and Arthur & Merlin banter/ bromance then be my guest!

Request from Oz ( Captain Ozone here if you want to check her awesomeness out.):"Speaking of, if you could write a fun, fluff piece with young!Amhar, I'd love you forever!" and I realize that's been literally forever *sheepish grin.* Sorry about that! I'm sending you a thousand hugs to make it all better!

And I think it goes without saying but this is dedicated to you, Oz. :D

Arthur, Merlin, and the New Problem.

Were it raining or snowing, cloudy or sunny, Merlin knew that Gwen's absence, sooner or later, preluded disaster. That's why he was not surprised at all when Gaius' wooden door creaked open and a pair of feet he knew better than his own heart stomped around.

"I need your help."

Only then did The Great Emrys look up from the book he'd buried his nose into and smiled as King Arthur sat dejectedly on the chair beside him.

"Nothing new there." He said softly, taking his feet down from Gaius' worktable and resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned towards his King, giving Arthur all his attention. "What's wrong?"

The High King looked around the physician's chambers with downcast eyes and Merlin followed his gaze, raising his eyebrows when Arthur cleared his throat and said, sounding as if he'd lost a melee. "Guinevere asked something of me while she's away."

Merlin's eyebrows shot higher. "…Right."

"It's something she considers really important."

"And it would be helpful if you stop rambling and spit it out, Arthur."

"Merlin." The High King glared at him. "This is serious. Guinevere asked me to make Amhar eat all of his vegetables."

Merlin couldn't help but burst out in laughter when Arthur's cheeks reddened and his pouting, reluctant expression turned into a scowl that later gave way to his growl of: "Its. Not. Funny. Merlin." as he jabbed his finger into his Court Sorcerer's chest with every word. "Shut up."

His warlock didn't seem to share his opinion and slammed his hands on his knees, shaking with laughter. "What," he managed between gasps for air. "You can't deal with a six year old?"

"I'd like to see you try." Arthur shot back, narrowing his eyes. "He argues his way out of every single meal."

"I would've thought you'd be proud. He's a good negotiator."

"Guinevere's got good advocating skills. Amhar's downright terrifying."

"So you need my superior wit to come to your aid?"

"Hardly." He let out a twisted smile fill his lips when he saw that Merlin had understood what the twinkle in the High King's eyes meant and made a face in alarm before Arthur announced it." I've got a plan."

Knowing that he would never be able to finish his volume of 'Magical Herbs and their Properties.' Merlin let the book aside and propped his feet on the table, rubbing his temples. "This will be exactly like all of those times I warn you about all the possible ways it could go wrong and you completely ignore me, am I right?"

Arthur flashed him a dazzling grin. "You're getting the gist of it Merlin. It's nice to know it only took you twenty years."

"You can't say I didn't warn you." Merlin muttered to himself when Arthur scooted closer and cleared his throat, looking as excited as when he was a young prince and Merlin a young manservant about to go hunting.

"When I was a child," he began, unconsciously gesturing as if he was addressing the Court. "My father told me stories of scary monsters to make me eat all my food. It worked- most of the time, and I ate absolutely everything on the plate whenever he came up with another legend of magical monsters that would eat me in my sleep."

Merlin thought for a bit, taking in Arthur's boyish grin. "…You want me to help you create a story about a scary monster so that you can feed lies to your six year old son?"

"Don't be ridiculous." huffed the King. "Amhar would never fall for any story. He's not stupid."

Merlin could barely contain another fit of laughter. "Did you just call yourself stupid?"

The Emrys was too busy laughing to dodge his King when Arthur leaned over and effectively cuffed him around the head before continuing, "As I was saying. Amhar is not stupid. We'll need something plausible…something that we can prove…"

Merlin -wishing that Gwen would hurry up and come back already so that she could knock some sense into her husband- let out a sigh. "I don't see what this has to do with me."

And when he was finished with rolling his eyes and caught sight of Arthur's frankly terrifying grin he made a mental note of never letting her leave again.

"My old friend." Arthur said. "How do you feel about being your eighty year old self?"

…

"This isn't going to work, Arthur!"

"It will." Arthur announced, raising his chin confidently and doubling his speed to reach the door first and prevent his warlock from opening it as he gave some last minute instructions. "You're supposed to agree with everything I say. You got that?"

Merlin grumbled, shifted on his feet and rolled his eyes twice before muttering. "Yes, sire."

Ignoring the use of his title and knowing that Merlin would forgive him eventually (once everything had gone smoothly and Amhar was obediently eating everything on his plate.) the High King of Albion let a grin unlike any other spread from one ear to another. "Good. We're supposed to make it scary yet believable. Is that clear?"

"It is, my King."

"And if he gets suspicious and gets all Guinevere like and starts asking questions you just deny deny deny. Is that understood?"

Merlin made it perfectly clear that he wouldn't answer with one glare from his eyes and Arthur accepted that as a possible 'yes'. It was good enough for him.

Amhar was sitting on the exact same chair Arthur had left him on, dangling his legs and looking as if he was assessing every scrape on the table with his keen brown eyes. The moment Merlin walked through the door, though, his face lit up and a smile immediately settled upon his lips as he extended his arms in welcome. "Uncle Merlin!"

"Amhar!" Merlin answered, just as delightedly, and Arthur had to use all of his self-control not to step on Merlin's foot and wipe the childish grin off his face.

"Do you know why we're here Amhar?" Arthur said, making his expression one of stoic authority although inside he was rubbing his hands together.

"To force me to eat this, I guess." was the overly enthusiastic reply.

"No. I'm here because I'm concerned for your safety." Arthur said in mock distress, placing his hand over his son's pale curls. "You see, Leon just informed me that the- um- 'The Robed Man.'-" (1)

A snort from Merlin had him gritting his teeth but he continued on, "-The Robed Man has been spotted around the lower town."

Amhar frowned in confusion. "What?"

"Oh, gods." Merlin said, flopping himself down a chair with an overly dramatic flair. "You don't know who The Robed Man is, do you?"

The little prince began to lose his cheeriness. "Should I?"

"He's a sorcerer." Arthur leaned closer as he spoke, trying to stop his lips from twitching upwards. "That went down a very dark road. He was cursed to...um…"

"….transform the children that are poorly nurtured into gooses." Merlin said, almost as if he'd been waiting to finish Arthur's half-baked story. "He can't really help it. That's why you have to be weary."

"Oh." Amhar stared at his food before blinking up to his father. "What if I don't want to be a goose?"

"Then you'll have to eat your vegetables."

"What if I don't want to do that either?"

Arthur frowned at the nonexistent fear that shone clear and bright on his son's open face. He supposed he should be proud but it was extremely irritating under the circumstances. "Then he'll probably devour you after he- er…"

"…turns you into a goose." Merlin supplied.

Arthur smiled triumphantly and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, that."

"Father, you do realize that there's absolutely no way this man can just come out of nowhere and conveniently appear now that you want me to eat these things, right?"

Arthur opened his mouth to close it again and scrunched his face in frustration.

"…He doesn't come out of nowhere." The High King said lamely.

Merlin got into an overly generous mood all of the sudden and took pity of Arthur's pouting expression. With another roll of his eyes the warlock stepped in. "Amhar, believe me, this is something serious."

Amhar turned towards him with a warm smile. "Oh, I'm not worried." he assured with too bright eyes. "You'd blast him if he tried to turn me into a goose, wouldn't you Uncle Merlin?"

The affection that spread throughout Merlin's chest warmed his heart and a small smile made his way through his pursed lips. But Arthur stopped him before he could lean over and hug his godson, assuring him that 'of course I would!'

"Now, see here." Arthur said, rubbing his face with studied distress. "Merlin is off to visit Hunith this evening. Aren't you Merlin?"

"I am?" This time Arthur did step on his foot. "…I am."

"I'm afraid this isn't going to be taken lightly now, my boy." Arthur sighed, shaking his head. "You need to eat all of that or-"

"Or…" Amhar's face lit up once again and Merlin could almost see a younger prince Arthur shine through his features. "I could stay with the knights! That would be great!"

"Yes- No. No….Wait, that's not what I…"

But before Arthur could finish off whatever he wanted to blurt out Amhar had already hugged his father's midsection and then Merlin's before running out of the room.

"Right." squaring his shoulders and trying his best to ignore Merlin's smirk, the High King of Camelot grabbed his Court Sorcerer by the elbow and practically dragged him towards the physician's chambers. "It's time for phase two Merlin."

…

"Arthur I really don't think this is a good idea…"

"Will you just shut up and make your fuddy-duddy potion already?"

Watching Arthur poke the fire and smirking at the sight of his seething King, Merlin whispered an enchantment for the spices that he was grinding. Looking up again, he shook his head. "As your First Advisor I am advising you-"

"And as your King I a ordering you." Arthur huffed, crossing his arms on his chest and glaring. "Now stop babbling and work."

As usual, Merlin ignored an order that most would've taken at heart. "…If Gwen was here she would tell you this is madness."

"If Guinevere was here we wouldn't have this problem in the first place."

"You're right!" Merlin exclaimed, sounding a bit too much as if he was having a brilliant idea. "Arthur, think for once. What is it about Gwen that stops this from happening?"

The High King let out a half-concealed snort. "I honestly don't know. I've tried everything I know of but nothing works. He just- he just-"

"…talks his way out of it rather brilliantly, yes." Merlin finished for him with a fond smile, turning around and holding the potion above his head, swirling its contents. "I think it's ready."

The High King only nodded with his head and Merlin grimaced before downing the bluish liquid.

Properly speaking, Arthur had never seen the transformation happening and it amused Merlin to no end seeing his King's blond eyebrows shot up almost above his hairline and his nose wrinkle while both curiosity and downright fascination swirled for dominance inside his light blue eyes. Merlin could feel his face changing, morphing into that of an eighty year old man, and when it was over Arthur's smile was so wide that his face might have split in two.

"There," he said, smirking and nodding, as Merlin hunched over his old bones and sat on a chair. " If this doesn't scare him I don't know what will."

"Ah," if Arthur's smirk grew at Merlin's hoarse and guttural tone the warlock ignored it, choosing to crack his back instead. "…the things I do for you Arthur Pendragon."

"The things you do for me, indeed." Arthur repeated, sounding oddly thoughtful. But the mischievous glint on his eyes that Merlin had learned to associate with stupid decision and expeditions to the Valley of the Fallen Kings was back a second later and with it, Arthur's resolve.

"Come on," he said, taking Merlin's bony, old arm, and guiding him out the door. "Let's go."

"Stop pushing me around, I'm fifty years older than you!"

"Shut up!"

And on they went the King and his Sorcerer, one shuffling with a cane for support, the other almost jumping in his boyish excitement. This time, when Arthur gestured with his hands so that Merlin would tiptoe towards Amhar's royal chambers, the warlock gave his King a well-deserved whack in the head with his cane.

"Don't say a word." Merlin warned with his raspy voice as Arthur rubbed his head and glared. "You deserved it."

Arthur huffed, following his own advice and tiptoeing exaggeratedly. "After this is over I'll have you in the stocks for a- OW! Stop hitting me!"

"That's not way to speak to your elders, young King!" Merlin shook a crooked finger at his nose as he lowered the cane back to the floor.

"Merlin!"

But before Arthur's face could get any redder the old warlock had already disappeared as he merged into the shadows of the corridor.

In hindsight, Merlin should have known what was awaiting him. His godson was not stupid but neither was he imprudent. When he dragged his feet across the floor and opened his mouth, beginning a guttural 'boo!' he essentially planned on kneeling by Amhar's bedside next and explain to him why he should eat everything that Mary put in his plate. However, he'd barely put a foot inside his prince's room when he found himself looking at the ceiling after a yowling figure tackled him to the ground. Amhar's soft brown eyes, so much like Guinevere's, appeared on his field of vision and one of his blond curls tickled Merlin's wrinkled nose.

The child didn't miss a beat. "Uncle Merlin?"

He groaned in response and Gwaine's face appeared besides Amhar, looking very much like an excited puppy. "Merlin, mate!"

He had barely blinked twice, cursing his old age and the way his bones creaked, when Gwaine propped him up and hugged him tight. " Princess junior here said you were going to Ealdor! I thought I hadn't gotten to say goodbye!"

"Wait, wait." Merlin said, whirling around to face a smug looking six year old prince. "How did you know it was me?"

"Oh," said Amhar, grinning toothily and climbing back to his bed with total peace of mind, as if all was right with the world once more. "It was your eyes Uncle Merlin!" (2)

"Ah." Merlin cleared his throat. "...You never did believe your father, did you?"

"I asked Leon and Uncle Elyan about The Robe Man and they both laughed." Amhar explained, suddenly very serious. "Gwaine was the only one who agreed to stay with me, just in case."

"I've seen some strange things 'round the world, mate." Gwaine explained after Merlin had raised his eyebrow in his direction. "A cuckoo man that goes around transforming children into gooses is nothing out of the ordinary."

Amhar nodded, looking every bit like Arthur when he was facing the Council.

"This was all Princess, wasn't it?" when Merlin rolled his eyes Gwaine let out a hearty laugh. "I knew it."

Not one second went by before the little prince wrapped his arms around Merlin's belly, forcing him to sit down besides him, Apparently not caring at all that the warlock had aged about forty years in a heartbeat. Then again, Amhar had probably already assumed it was the work of magic.

Sighing, Merlin placed an aged hand on his godson's blond curls, mussing them softly. "Why won't you just do as you're told, hmm?"

Amhar didn't pull away but looked up, blinking with an innocence that no one should be able to pull off. "Have you seen what Helga cooks?" he whispered, grimacing in disgust. "Sometimes...I really think the food moves."

Merlin winced and Amhar smiled disarmingly again. "See Uncle Merlin? Even you know how awful it is!"

And know it Merlin did. When Mary had gone away to visit her family for a week and Helga, the second-in-command cook, had begun making all their meals, he'd found out what true horror really was.

"Tell you what..." Merlin said. Amhar climbed to his knees and looked into his godfather's eyes, his own sparkling with attention. "I'll help you with that if you promise to eat everything. Deal?"

The little prince nodded seriously.

"Pinky promise?"

When Amhar's little finger wrapped around his Merlin's couldn't help but marvel at the sight of his old, feeble finger and Amhar's, who gazed at him with complete trust. "Promise, Uncle Merlin."

...

"What part of 'he has to eat his spinach Merlin' did you not understand?"

With a magnificent roll of his eyes and a lopsided smile Merlin placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder and sighed good naturedly, pointing at Amhar with his thumb. "He is eating his spinach, you dollop head."

The High King scowled. "It doesn't look like it."

"A simple transformation spell." Merlin said cheerfully, "I've always thought that Helga presented vegetables rather poorly. What do you have against green pudding anyway?"

Arthur's face was now beet red. "No son of mine is going to get away with this!"

"No one is getting away with anything Arthur." Merlin said calmly.

"I can't believe it! You- all of you!" he pointed an accusatory finger towards the knights and glared at Gwaine, who was cheerily chewing his own portion of green pudding. "You're all giving him what he wants- and you!" he jabbed his other half's chest with his finger. "You spoil him senseless!"

"I'm not spoiling him."

"Yes you are!"

"I'm not!"

"Are you blind?"

The knights, most of them sporting exhausted expressions, looked back and forth between them. Gwaine's hand was stopping Lancelot from standing up and breaking the argument. That's why none of them saw the frowning figure that had stopped at the door frame, slowly placing both of her hands on her hips.

"What is going on here?"

Merlin and Arthur whirled around and Amhar stood on his chair, reaching out with his arms as he let out a gleeful, "Mummy!"

The Queen of Camelot ignored Merlin and Arthur's simultaneous,"You're back!" and rushed to embrace her son with all of her heart. However, she looked towards them as soon as she caught sight of what was on the plate.

"Merlin." she said, apparently piecing together what she'd heard with what she was seeing, understanding the situation with a glance. "Come change this back."

Merlin sighed, avoided Arthur's toothy grin, and muttered the counter spell. As soon as he was done the Queen knelt besides her son and took his hand in hers.

"Sweetheart, you know you have to eat this without any magical help from Merlin."

Amhar let out a very Arthur-like huff. "I know, Mum. But have you looked at this?" he pointed at the food that had returned to its normal appearance and taste, sticking his tongue the littlest bit.

"Sometimes we have to do things we don't like." Gwen answered softly with a knowing smile. "Like when your father fills the tax reports or when Uncle Elyan wakes up early to train. But you know what?"

Amhar's eyes sparkled. "What?"

"Those things make us stronger." the Queen said, kissing her son's nose. "Especially when we do things we don't like for the ones we love. Like Uncle Merlin does for your father." and perhaps it was her way of getting a quiet revenge for both Arthur and Merlin flushed behind her and a corner of her mouth twitched. Amhar, nevertheless, only beamed wider.

"So, how about you eat that spinach now?"

"Because I love you and that'll make you happy?"

"Yes." Gwen kissed her little prince's forehead as she stood up. "Will you do that for me?"

Amhar bit his lip, almost as if he was considering a life changing decision. But in the end his face softened and he smiled as he nodded.

"Okay."

Gwen smiled again, straightened her cloak and turned around to give her husband a kiss and her best friend a hug, ignoring their wide eyes as they saw Amhar eat his food without complaining. With a short, "Gentlemen." she walked out to find her brother. Leon followed suit and so did the rest of the knights, Gwaine still stuffing his own green pudding into his mouth.

Merlin glanced at his King and gestured towards the door with a small smile. "She's right, you know?" he pointed out. "I never really liked mucking out your stables."

The High King shook his head fondly, all his anger forgotten, and placed one arm around his warlock's shoulders as they walked.

"I know." Arthur answered gently, ruffling Merlin's hair with his hand. "And I was never fond of sneaking out to go herb picking." (3)

Merlin eyes softened.

"I know." he said.

Somehow this turned out sappy. Meh.

(1) This is the same man that came up with 'the body of a lion and the face of a bear.'

(2) I just couldn't resist. This is Arthur's quote: "Your eyes. We've met somewhere before." during 3x10. Am I the only one who thinks that's one of the most bromantic quotes of the show? Is it only me?

(3) Reference to 1x4, the Poisoned Chalice.

Now, this….this was inspired by my Dad's ridiculous attempts at the exact same thing, though he went through the trouble of getting a cell phone that was supposed to be 'Santa's' cell phone, one he answered with a low 'Ho ho ho!'

But I love him for trying, even if he never realized I found "Santa's phone" about two days after he told me about it. :) (I was an eight year old when he tried his little ruse by the way. :P) I still tease him about it and he's all like "I SWEAR it was real!" even though it's been ten years since then and I'm well aware that there's no Santa. Oh, Daddy. I love him.

Anyway, Oz I know you LOVE Dragoon so I decided to give Dragoon some love! Sorry if it's downright hideous in it's OOC'ness. *another hug to make up for it* Have an awesome week!

Much love to all of you!

Ocean.