Crown Prince Merlin

Chapter 1: Meetings

Merlin P.O.V.

I walked down the corridors towards Arthur's chambers as the sun rose in the sky. I was brought back into a memory of the same setting only a different castle.

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The sun rose over the horizon marking the dawn of a new day, the crown princes' birthday. The castle occupants began to stir. All except one, the crown prince of Avantia, Prince Merlin. A group of young soldiers stood outside his room arguing over who would be the one to wake the prince. In the end, it was a young recruit who was sent to wake the prince. 

He approached the bed slowly and tipped the bucket of icy water over the sleeping prince. The princes' eyes flashed open and he glared at the soldier. "You have 10 seconds to run." Merlin said punctuating each word. The soldier screamed and ran from the castle.

Outside the princes' chambers the elder soldiers were all laughing and comparing stories. A few moments later, the young prince himself emerged from his chambers. Casting an angry look at the soldiers, he stalked towards the training grounds. Suddenly bells were ringing and screams pierced the air. The soldiers immediately leapt into action, pushing the prince towards the east corridors. "Go and fetch your brothers. I will get the queen." One soldier cried pushing Merlin down the hall. A single nod and Merlin ran for his brothers' chambers.

He didn't bother knocking but instead burst right into the room. Both boys looked up at him in surprise. "Merlin...what is magic's name?" "Come along, now!" Merlin said dragging Todd from his bed "Where is Richard?" "Right here." Said boy appeared from the bathroom "What is wrong?" "We're under attack." Merlin said "Come....hurry." He led the triplet princes through the castle to the secret tunnel that led tot he stables. 

Racing towards the soldiers and their parents, the four princes looked at their father who just shook his head. "You will go with your mother to Ealdor, it's in Cendreds' kingdom. Please be careful." "Father!" Merlin stared at his fathers' tight features "Where will you go?" "Somewhere where Damion is to scared to go." King Balinor said softly "Be strong my sons. I love you all. Please don't worry." "But dad...." Merlin choked on his fears. "Yes Merlin." Balinor nodded to his eldest "We will see each other again. Our family will return here together one day." "I'll miss you dad." Merlin whispered, well aware that his brothers had heard him. He had stopped calling his father 'dad' when he turned 8. At 11 years of age, the prince was still merely a child. "Go. Fly fast and Fly swift. Remember, we are all equals and no one is ever above the others." "Goodbye dad."  "Goodbye father." The triplets chorused sadly as the followed their brother into the forest. Balinor nodded once at Merlin before he disappeared.

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I shook my head to clear the memory away and sighed. It had been 6 years since that day. Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door to Arthurs' chambers and set the breakfast tray down on the table. Walking over to the bed, I gave his shoulder a slight shake. "It's time to wake sire." "Merlin.....what.....huh?" He blinked blearily before rolling over. "Either get up sire, or I open the curtains?" There was no response to I walked over to the heavy drapes and wrenched them apart. Arthur had just sat up and now shrieked in anger. "Was that necessary, Merlin?" "You have a thousand things to do today, sire." "Merlin....is everything okay?" He peered at me strangely. I raised an eyebrow "Why wouldn't it be sire?" "Because of that!" He cried "You never call me sire. Yet this morning, you've been using at the end of every sentence." "Sorry si-I mean Arthur." I quickly corrected myself and smiled tightly "Any orders for today?" "Polish my armor, muck out my stable, sharpen my sword, wash my clothes....um...my bedding needs changing, polish my boots, fix my shield..on second thought the shield can wait and so can the washing and bedding. So just everything else." "Yes sir, your royal clotpoleness." I mocked as I bowed once more before leaving his chambers.