It made no sense. The more Arthur looked at it, the more confused he became. Somebody had gotten him a complete layout of a castle they wished to invade, but it utterly confused him.

Most kingdoms had the guards stationed facing the outside. This one had more facing the inside. The whole set up was wrong. Everything was literally backwards, and it would be rather easy to invade.

In fact, his father had instructed him to do just that. So he'd be on his way tomorrow morning. Getting there would take about three days on horseback. Four to get all the knights there.

Morgana hadn't been happy of course. She had argued that they should attempt a treaty with them, but her effort was fruitless. Uther had been a pain as soon as the word 'magic' came up. There had been rumours of a magical weapon in the castle that could take out an army with a single use. Uther hadn't liked the sound of it and immediately sprung into action.

.......

The time passed by rather quickly and soon they were camping just out of the unordinary castle's sight. There weren't many people going in and out as would be suspected of a castle. Still confused, they had never figured out where the town's people stayed. It was almost as if it was just a backwards fortress. Was that part of their strategy? Perhaps they let the invaders in and trapped them there? That sounded only slightly reasonable, but it was more reasonable then anything else they had come up with so far.

Leon stood with him going over the plans again, trying to figure out what their strategy was. Even the experienced knight was confused. So far it looked like they would just have to follow through with their current plan and hope for the best

"Sire, perhaps you should get some rest before the attack tomorrow."

"You're right Leon. Please wake me before sunrise."

More recently George had become Arthur's newest servant. The annoying bootlicker did everything perfectly, and had horrid brass jokes. I mean who makes jokes... about brass? Until Arthur could find a decent reason as to why he should be fired, he'd have to deal with him.

Luckily Leon was there. Without him, Arthur would have gone insane years ago. He was respectful, yet honest. Even if it could get him in trouble. Arthur relished in the little time they had together. They were almost like brothers. Yet, if Arthur were to get too close to Leon, then Uther would no longer allow them to hang out together. Something about 'you can't get too attached to civilians, they are not worth your time'.

Another person who got him through his years in the castle was Morgana. A fresh view was simply enticing. Her views on magic were so different from Uther's. A lot of her views made more sense to Arthur than Uther's. Until he was old enough to take over, Arthur would have to survive underneath Uther's tutelage.

Like this mission. Arthur's main stuggles were simply a result of a man gone mad from grief. One day be would be king. One day Camelot would become a better place.

.......

The attack had gone smoothly. They'd knocked out all the guards they'd planned to, they'd disabled all the weaponry that could be used against them, and no emergency bell had been sounded yet. So far the mission was going well.

They were in the dungeons where the weapon was said to be. What the weapon was, they didn't know, but multiple people had confirmed it was there.

This place was grim, and bleak. Windows would have made the place feel a little less forbidding. There was a smell of moist dirt and fire. Most cells were empty. The ones that had objects in them usually had broken shackles, burnt holes in walls, bars broken, and in some it looked like the wall had been smashed down. What had done those things?

As they got further, they came upon more gaurds. They were surrounding a single cell which most likely contained the weapon. There were at least fifty. The weird thing, they were all facing the cell as if it could explode at any moment. Many seemed to be shaking in their boots.

That's when a thought came to Arthur. What if the defense wasn't meant to keep something out... but to keep something in.

A simple smoke bomb would do. Within a minute they had easily gotten past them. The cell the gaurds were around contained only a box. It wasn't all that large to be honest, but it looked like they could fit a small person inside. There were strange shapes engraved into the iron. It had had few holes that seemed like they were for ventilation.

"Thomas, open it," Arthur demanded. His knight was rather talented with locks, and that box had seven.

Thomas had once mentioned an insane man called Gwaine had taught him both how to fight and how to pick locks. Apparently he loved apples and situations that looked hopeless. Also he was said to be a traveling alcoholic. Considering how Thomas fought when he had started his training as a knight, Gwaine seemed like he would definitely have the skill to be a knight.

Clang. The last lock fell to the cement, and Thomas wasted no time. The lid was lifted. They hadn't known what to expect. Perhaps a stone, a knife, a staff, maybe a cloak but not this. Inside was a boy. He was extremely bony, and looked bruised. Like he was beaten, or had been fighting. There were shackles around his neck, wrists, and ankles. The poor lad looked like he'd been in here a while.

"Untie the chains and we shall continue our search," Arthur once again demanded. They needed to go, but they could easily take the boy with them. If he was the weapon, then perhaps he could be useful.

In minutes the task was completed, and the group continued through the dungeons. They managed to get through a large portion of the castle before they had to leave. Unfortunately, they hadn't found a weapon, and there was nothing indicating anything the least bit dangerous.

The boy was thin and struggled with running. Once again indicating that the blue eyed boy had been in that box far too long. After a bit of time sir Gabriel flung the boy over his shoulder to speed up the group.

Getting out seemed like it was going to be a problem though. The bells were ringing, and all the gaurds had started to come out.

"What kingdom are you guys from?" The boy asked rather calmly for this situation.

"Camelot," A random knight stated proudly.

"Great," the boy replied sarcastically.

This reaction surprised a lot of us. "We just saved your hind end, and you get sarcastic?"

"What am I a boot licker? Am I supposed to kiss your feet in fondness?" The boy snorted from Gabriel's shoulder which he was still on. "Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful, but it was people like you who locked me up in the first place."

That was a good enough reason for the knights, and they got back on task.

Gaurds were blocking the only way out of the kingdom's walls. They would need a plan to get out and quick.

"There's a wagon with horses around the corner. Just plow through the line of gaurds, and the gate was stuck so it most likely won't close."

That sounded like a decent plan, but who had said that? Looking around, most knights were looking wide eyed at the boy they'd saved from the box.

"And how do you know that?" Arthur asked skeptically.

"Believe it or not, but I've tried to get out a few times already and gotten varying degrees of success."

Multiple eyebrows were raised. The majority of the knights that raised their eyebrow like that hurt themselves a lot and were in Gaius' care far too often.

There weren't many options, and that seemed the best. So if there was a wagon, then they would have to try it.

The large group raced around the corner, and found the wagon the boy had been talking about. On the side were six horses that they swiftly attached to the wagon and they fit in as many knights as possible.

Soon they were off, and they discovered the blue eyed boy had been right. After charging at the line, they had jumped out of the way. The gate had creaked ominously, yet nothing had happened. Freedom had come quickly and easily. Unfortunately, they had not found the weapon they were looking for. Yes, there was the strange sassy boy they'd found, but there was no way he could be the weapon.

There was only one thing left to do. Head home.

.........

The trip back was just as long as the trip there. Going home required less work for Arthur though. Most people knew what their jobs were and finished them quicker due to less chaos. Usually the trip back was rather bland for Arthur. He had nothing to do so he would usually just wander, or find something to do.

This time, Arthur decided he'd bug the boy they'd gotten out of the weird box. At the moment the twig was wolfing his down soup ravenously in front of the fire.

"So why would they lock you of all people in that box?"

The boy didn't even look up from his soup. "I know, it makes no sense why they didn't lock you inside that box instead."

That response rather surprised Arthur. "Excuse me?"

"You're excused."

Arthur's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Close your mouth, you might catch flies."

"Who are you?" Arthur asked. This boy was insufferable.

"Merlin."

He waited for a polite 'and who are you' but it never came. "Don't you want to know who I am?"

"No. I'd rather not become acquaintances with a prat."

Arthur was speechless. No one had ever spoken to him like this before.

"Are you just going to sit there with your mouth on the ground all night, or are you going to leave?" Finally the boy looked up at him with a glare.

Arthur understood why the boy was so bitter suddenly. Everyone had left him or hurt him. Somehow he had ended up chained up in a box. The story more than likely would not be a tale of sunshine and rainbows.

"I understand that you've most likely been through a lot, and I'd like to help. Unfortunately with my father I won't be able to do much. I'll get you a suitable place to stay and I will have to leave you, but I'll find you someone who won't leave you until you're ready to leave them."

Merlin had been utterly surprised by this. He wanted to help? That was definitely new. Could this man truly find him a place to stay?

"I doubt you can find me a job. I don't have many skills, and I don't have the muscle to farm. So unless you're the king's son, stop giving me false hope for a place to stay."

"Well I guess you're in luck. Because I'm Prince Arthur. Son of Uther Pendragon."

Wow. Merlin had insulted the Prince of Camelot multiple times so far. He wasn't about to change his behavior for a simple change in view about status.

"Oh so you're a royal prat."

A look of disbelief fell on Arthur's face. When he looked at Merlin, he noticed the cheeky smirk and realized he was just joking. Despite his best effort not to, a chuckle left his mouth. This kid was funny.

........

Arthur decides to put Merlin with Gaius, hoping he could help the twig get some more food in his system, and Gaius gets saved by him doing magic, and helps him out. Basically follows series from there. (Subtract Arthur being an insufferable prat to the servant helping them train, and Merlin never has to stop him)

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