The Dragon Prince (Merlin AU)

Chapter Six: 'Prince' Merlin or 'Just' Merlin?

Arthur looked up, "Yes?"

Merlin looked up into sir Henry's eyes and then gave the slightest nod possible. Sir Henry's eyes smiled and he went to speak again, Merlin gave a small shake of his head and sent a glance towards Arthur. Sir Henry seemed to understand.

"Nothing, Sire, I just... was wondering if we could be allowed the time to train." Sir Henry looked towards Arthur and covered quickly.

"Oh, yes, that will be fine. Merlin can escort you back to the training feild, when you feel you have finished I would like you to join me for an evening meal."

"Of course, Sire." Sir Henry said. The Knights of Drakoniel all bowed before turning to the doors and then through them as they were opened by a pair of gaurds. Merlin followed close behind.

When they reached the training feild they moved off to the side for a moment to speak.

"Sire, Is that truly you?" Adam spoke up.

Merlin nodded. "It is I, Adam, and you have no need to use my title. I believe we have been friends long enough for you to just call me Merlin."

 Kendall, Jon, and Richard all steps towards and tackled Merlin to the ground in a dog-pile. Merlin laughed along with his long lost friends. Sir Henry watched on with a smile. The Knights got off of their prince and helped him up.

Richard patted Merlin's shoulder and Jon yelled, "Don't you ever do that to us again, Merlin!"

The others all nodded in agreement. Sir Henry then stepped forward and took Merlin's forearm into his firm grip as a sign of comradory.

"I missed you too, old friend." Merlin looked up at the older man with a smile. Memories of training with the very same knight rested in the back of his mind and his smile widened as he pulled him into a hug.

Last to greet their prince was Adam. "So, you are a knight now." Adam nodded. Merlin pulled him forward into a headlock and gave him a noogie. "Now, how did that happen? You had the strength of a six-year-old girl last I checked."

Adam gripped Merlin's wrist and turned the tables quickly and skillfully so that he was holding Merlin's arm behind his back. He laughed loudly at the look of surprise on Merlin's face. Adam released Merlin's arm and turned him around, pulling him into a hug.

"Life in Drakoniel just has not been as light-hearted since you left."  Adam spoke as they pulled apart.

Merlin looked down. "Life in Drakoniel has not been as light-hearted since it was attacked, my absence has little to do with it."

"While that is true it is also false." Sir Henry spoke up. Merlin looked up at him quizically. "Life has been less joyful since the attack, but your absence leaves a greater impact than even that. You were respected, Sire, loved, and you still are. The Kingdom awaits the great return of it's Dragon Prince. Aithusa misses you as well." Merlin grinned at the mention of his childhood companion, his father hatched Aithusa the same day Merlin himself was born and they had been close since that very day.

"I didn't think it was Arthur that you seemed to be talking to, Sir Henry. So, Merlin, Dragon Prince, huh?" Gwaine's voice sounded from behind them. Merlin turned quickly.

"Gwaine!--"

"You know it makes more since now. Strength, Courage, Magic. Magic mst possess such to be called such, am I correct? You being the great and mysterious Dragon Prince only makes sense. Means you are a dragon lord, anything else I'm missing, Sire?"

"Weeeelll..." Gwaine's eyes widened at Merlin's hesitative response, he hadn't actually expected anything else. "The druids call me Emrys. Apparently I am to one day be the greatest sorceror to ever live."

"Well then... good for you, Sire." Gwaine spoke, his face showing just how impressed he was of his friend. Sir Henry was staring at Merlin wide eyed. He hit the Prince upside his head.

"Ow- wha- Henry!"

"If you intend to keep your identity a secret, blabbering it isn't the best way."

"Eh-- it-- but-- It's Gwaine!" Gwaine was chuckling his friend.

"Intend my name is Gwaine, Sire, it seems you have not lost your great skill of observation." The knights of Drakoniel, all but Sir Henry, began to laugh.

"Oh, shut up, you lot! --and you, Gwaine, stop calling me 'sire'! Titles are not appreciated by me, I'm not above you in anyway other than title, so, let's choose to ignore it. Now, weren't you going to train." Merlin raised an eyebrow at the knights' sheepish and hesitant faces. He raised an eyebrow. Shooing his hands he told them, "Go!".

He watched as they began to walk away, Adam turned back when he noticed Merlin wasn't following them.

"You aren't coming?" He asked.

"I'm a servant here, Adam. Servants don't get to train if they wish in this kingdom, at least not with the knights." Adam looked down, nodded, and walked after the others.

Merlin watched as they trained. Soon they were joined by more of Camelot's knights, and after that, King Arthur himself. Arthur was training some of the newer knights, teaching them to throw knives correctly. When one of them had a particularly hard time hitting the target he turned to him and said exasperatedly, "Dent, even Merlin can do better than that!"

The knights around him laughed and Merlin let out a small face of offense before letting his face ease into one of indifference with a shrug.

"Of course he can." Sir Kendall spoke up, looking confused. The other knights of Drakoniel shot him a look and he quickly shut his mouth. Merlin looked at him with wide eyes.

"Well, Merlin, you heard the man, show us what you can do." Arthur said, holding out a set of three throwing knives. Merlin got up, surprisingly swift, and took the knives into his hold, two in one hand and one placed ready to throw in his other. The knife he hold was balanced different then what he was accustomed to. He took up the correct stance and raised his arm in a smooth motions, his arms narrowed as he aimed, threw, and... missed. By a great deal. The knights of Camelot laughed while the knights of Drakoniel took on a look of surprise. Merlin took the second knife into his throwing hand. It felt better now that he had gotten a feel for how these blades were when thrown. He raised himself elegantly again, almost lazily, he aimed and threw. This knife pierced the bulls-eye dead center. The laughter ceased. The knights of Camelot stared as he took the third knife into his throwing hand and once again threw it in that lazy yet skilled manner that caused it to wedge itself as close to the other knife as seemed possible. Mouths were dropped on every face but that of Sir Gwaine and the Knights of Drakoniel. Merlin went forward and grabbed another handful of knives, these much thinner. This time he aimed towards the targets much further away, he took all three knives into his throwing hand. He swung his arm in a wide swooping motions and the knives left his hand one after the other, each ebedding themselves into the center of the target that stood side-by-side 30 feet away.

"Merlin... How did you...?" Arthur stared at his usualy clumsy servant who shrugged in response.

"I do actually pay attention while you're training, you know. Knives are simple." Merlin brushed off Arthur's inquiries. Arthur scoffed.

"Is there anything else you think to be simple?"

"Just you." Arthur stepped forward and reached a hand out to hit Merlin upside the head. He ducked gracefully before running away. He looked back at Arthur, stuck his tongue out, and entered the castle.