The next morning, he awoke extra early by Gwen's incessant shaking.

"Merlin Merlin Merlin! Wake up! We were just told to set up the ball room! We've got to go!" Gwen hurried Merlin. Merlin awoke, and he jumped out into clean clothes.

"Hold on. I've got to go collect the bathes." Merlin told her. He hurried up to King George's room, and snuck in .Thankfully he was still sleeping. He quietly picked up the tub of water, using a little magic to aid him, and he poured it quietly down the drain in the corner. Then he returned the tub to the kitchens, and did the same with Arthur's.

Merlin ran to the ballroom, and busted around with the other servants, getting the room made. Uther was already awake.

"Merlin. Come here." Uther told Merlin. Merlin stopped what he was doing, and went to Uther.

"King George and I talked late last night, and decided to set this ball up. His favorite servants, and a couple family members are coming here early in the morning. I need you to go to Arthur's wardrobe, and find some of his smaller clothes. You need to look nice, and those servant uniforms are hideous. Greet the new guests at the gate on horse, and lead them to the castle. Have Gwen show the women to their rooms, and you show the men to their rooms. Once you are done, I'll need you to oversee the ballroom. It is going to be a masquerade, we decided. I want you, Gwen, Gibralter, and Anna to be the only servants that are not serving. All the other servants must wear something somewhat nice, and they will serve. Arthur wanted you three to have fun this time since you are our best servants. But there's one special task I need you to perform." Uther said. He leaned into Merlin's ear.

"I feel like King George may have an idea in his head that could hurt Arthur if executed. I need you to stay around Arthur, and make sure he is safe. And if you have a bad feeling about someone, but steer Arthur away. Can I count on you? I know you are, somehow, very good at protecting Arthur." Uther asked him. Merlin nodded.

"I'm glad you trust me so well. I will stay by him the whole ball, and risk my safety if necessary." Merlin told him. Merlin told the other servants what to wear, and then Merlin headed to Arthur's room, and snuck in.

Thankfully, Arthur was a heavy sleeper.

Merlin carefully opened the wardrobe doors filled with smaller clothes, and he found some small enough for him. It wasn't too baggy or too short. It felt nice. He choose a long sleeved navy blue shirt, with a black jacket that had brass buttons on one side. Merlin also found a smaller pair of black boots, and black pants that weren't too baggy or too loose. He even found a nice brown belt to go around his waist. Merlin quickly changed into the clothing, and looked into the mirror. He thought he looked very nice. The snugger fitting of the shirt showed off his muscles that many people didn't know he had. Although without his necktie, some scars were visible, he thought that would make him less identifiable. He almost looked like a prince. The one thing he was missing was the mask. Merlin scrambled around to try and find something, but couldn't. He headed to Gwen's home, and knocked on her door. She opened it, and saw her wearing a very nice dark purple dress.

"You look great Merlin." She beamed. Merlin smiled and walked in.

"I can say the same for you. I was wondering, do you have any masks?" Merlin asked. She nodded, and pulled some out.

"I made these for fun as a child. The ones my dad made with me are more masculine. But they're perfect for this occasion." Gwen said. She laid some out. She picked one really nice purple one, and placed it on her face. Merlin looked at the three. One of them matched perfectly. It was navy blue, with black and gold trimming. It was very elegant. Merlin placed it on his face, and looked in the mirror.

"We look like royalty in a way." Merlin commented as he looked in the mirror. They took the masks off, and pocketed them away.

"We still need to set up a little. I need to go greet the other guests at the gate, so I need you to find another male servant to wake up King George and Arthur. I'll see you at the ball." Merlin said.

Merlin ran to the stables, and hopped onto his horse. He rode to the gates, and placed his mask on. Soon a fancy carriage rode up, with horses leading and following it. Merlin hoped off the horse to greet the guests. He helped the men down, and the men helped the women.

"Hello there. Who might you be?" A posh sounding woman asked him. Merlin smirked, and bent down to kiss her hand.

"My name is Merlin. I will be escorting you to the castle, and to your rooms." Merlin told her. He took the mask to his advantage, and put on a little flair. The women and their husbands climbed onto the provided horses, and Merlin lead them to the castle. He got another servant to dock the horses while he lead them to their room. The couples stayed in the same room, since they were only there to get dressed for the ball.

"The ball is a masquerade. I hope you were notified in your letter. If you need anything, just ask." Merlin told each of them. Everyone finally made it to their rooms, and Merlin was able to oversee the ball. It was almost complete. He walked around, and helped the servants carry some more chairs in. Soon, everything was set up, and it was time for the ball. Arthur was already there with Uther, and they greeted everyone who came into the room. Everyone except for the servants wore masks. And the select few that were permitted to join the ball. Merlin made his way through the crowd, and found Arthur.

"Hello there." Merlin said.

"Merlin? Is that you?" Arthur asked incredulously.

Merlin nodded happily.

"What in gods name are you wearing? I remember those clothes from many years ago." Arthur exclaimed laughing.

"Uther told me to wear something nice, so he permitted me to wear your smaller clothes since you couldn't fit into them. I look very different don't I?" Merlin said. He sort of presented himself, which made Arthur chuckled.

"You definitely look good. You clean up well. I didn't notice how much muscle you have though." Arthur said, pointing to his chest. Arthur was able to see some scars protrude.

"Well Uther said he hated the servant clothes, and the uniform was outdated. Gwen was permitted a dress as well. And Gibralter some nicer clothing. Although none are yours. Uther also wanted me by your side. He said that I seem to do a good job of protecting you." Merlin said proudly. He noticed that a slight blush crept under Arthur's mask. Arthur just grunted in agreement.

Most of the ball was spent with Merlin watching Arthur switch between dance partners.  A lot of women wanted his attention, and it almost looked like a line had formed. Although Arthur looked not so interested. He finally pulled away from one particularly clingy hag, and took a break with Merlin.

"The ladies are infatuated with you." Merlin giggled. Arthur sighed, and drank a cup of water.

"Sadly it's not them I want the attention of." Arthur sighed. Before Merlin could ask anything, someone announced for the men to line up on one side, and the females across them. Arthur ran onto the dance floor, dragging Merlin with him. Everyone lined up, and the music began.

It started with the men bowing to the women, and the women curtsying. Then they walked to the women in front, and began to waltz with them. Merlin learned on the spot how to lead, and soon he was having fun. He did get a lot of attention when he would have to change dance partners. Just like Arthur, many of the women wanted to dance with him. Then came the part where the groups split, and the same sexes danced with each other. The women quickly found their friends, and curtsied to the other. Arthur and Merlin got jumbled up in the mess, and they ended up being partners. They both bowed to each other, and began to waltz.

It was quite funny. The women were perfectly glee dancing with the other, but the men did not look so happy. Except for Arthur and Merlin. They were laughing as they danced, and spun around happily. Once it was time to switch partners, Merlin found Gwen, and danced with her.

She was an okay dancer, but Merlin had to lead her a lot stronger so she wouldn't look out of place. Once the song was done, everyone clapped. The servants clapped from the sidelines, as they did not dance. Arthur and Merlin stepped off the floor, and went to rest by the wall.

"That was quite fun." Merlin commented, slightly out of breathe.

"Yeah. I don't dance at all, so I think today was enough for me." Arthur laughed. A servant swung by, and handed them each a drink. Arthur grabbed wine, and Merlin water.

They noticed a woman walk up to Merlin and him.

"May I have a dance with you?" She asked, looking at Merlin. Merlin blushed.

"Um well I sort of have to stay here-" Merlin started, but Arthur pushed him towards her.

"I won't die in the next 4 minutes. Go dance." Arthur told him. Merlin didn't even want to dance anymore, but before he knew it he was being lead onto the dancefloor. She immediately placed her hands on his shoulders. Merlin awkwardly put his hand on her hip, and they waltzed around. She smiled many times to Merlin.

"Um, may I ask what your name is?" Merlin asked, trying to start small talk. She giggled.

"My name's Elizabeth Bell. And what is yours?" She asked.

"Merlin." He told her.

"No last name?" She asked. Merlin shook his head.

"I was born without a last name sadly. Although I do go by another name. But if I told you I would have to kill you." Merlin joked. She laughed at his joke. Merlin looked for Arthur, and saw him giving a thumbs up. Merlin smiled at him.

"Mysterious. So who are you? A lord? I heard you talking about protecting Prince Arthur." She said.

"Well I'm no lord, that's for sure. Far from it." He said.

"Then you must be a knight. Or perhaps a bodyguard." She said. Merlin let it rest on bodyguard.

"Bodyguard suits." Merlin forced a laugh. He looked for Arthur, and saw him talking to one of the knights that arrived today. Arthur looked a little worried. He looked around, and saw that many of the Stavia Empire was grouped in that area, making it hard to see Arthur.

"I'm not so sure you are just a bodyguard. You must be someone special. The one without a last name, but the druids call you another." She said. Merlin looked down at her with wide eyes. They stopped dancing, and stood in the middle of the room. Merlin looked for Arthur frantically.

"What on earth are you saying?" Merlin asked her incredulously. She smirked, and leaned into his ear.

"Looks like you are not doing your job." She said. Merlin took that as a threat, and ran towards Arthur, pushing the guests out of the way.

"Arthur! Arthur!" Merlin called. He finally saw Arthur, and noticed that behind him one of the knights held a concealed knife.

"Watch out!" Merlin yelled. Arthur did not react in time, so Merlin pulled him out of the way. Before Merlin himself could react, he felt the knife drive through his abdomen. Someone screamed, and people rushed to him. Percival was on the case, having watched what happened, and he threw down the knight. He and Leon escorted him to the dungeons. Arthur kneeled down to Merlin on the floor, and pressed his hand onto his stomach.

"Hold on Merlin. All will be fine. We just need to get you to Gaius." Arthur spoke quickly. Arthur scooped Merlin up, and ran right out of the ballroom.

Uther watched the whole thing.

"What in hell is wrong with your knight!?" Uther yelled to King George. He sat there unfazed, and took a sip of wine.

"Must have gone rouge. The poor boy." Although George did not tell who he was referring to.

Arthur busted down Gaius's door, and laid Merlin on the cot. Gaius flew awake from his nap on the table, and rushed to him.

"What happened?" He asked.

"He was stabbed by another knight." Arthur told him quickly. Arthur ripped Merlin's shirt down the middle to expose the wound. Merlin was still awake, but he was able to block the pain. He pulled onto Gaius sleeve to whisper to him.

"I can fix it, but Arthur needs to leave the room. Send him to my room just for a moment. Before I pass out." Merlin whispered. Gaius understood.

"Arthur. I think there are some cloth wraps in Merlins drawers. Can you go find me some?" He asked. Arthur gladly left to search for the cloth that was not there. Merlin placed his hand on his wound.

"Vulnus Sanandum. Vulnus Sanandum." Merlin repeated. A quick flash of light shot out of his hand, directly into the wound. The burst of energy sutured the wound roughly, and caused Merlin immense pain. It ended in a second, and Gaius started to cover the rapidly healing wound with paste and a cloth. Arthur came back into the room.

"I couldn't find any." He said worried.

"I'm sorry. I realized I moved them. Merlin is wrapped up." Gaius assured him. Arthur kneeled down to Merlin's level.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. Merlin smiled weakly.

"Like I just got stabbed." He joked.

"Will he be alright?" Arthur asked Gaius. Gaius nodded.

"I inspected the inside of his wound. The knife didn't hit any organs. It looks like he tensed beforehand, so the knife didn't drive in as much as it could have." Gaius lied. It didn't matter what it hit, because Merlin would be fine.

"That's good. I'm glad." Arthur said. Uther and Gwen walked in. Gwen rushed to his side, noticing the bloody cloth.

"Arthur are you hurt?" Uther asked. Arthur shook his head.

"Merlin took the knife for me. I would've died if it weren't for him." Arthur said. Gwen looked to Gaius, and he smiled. It was the universal expression that meant Merlin was fine. She could breathe easy again.

"I need you to calm down the guests. I am going to have King George witness his knight get his death sentence. He'll be hanged in the square tomorrow." Uther said. Merlin mustered his strength to speak.

"You must get Arthur to a safe place." Merlin said slowly. "There are more assassins from Stavia with us. The woman I danced with foretold the attempt. She guessed that I was Arthur's bodyguard, then told me grimly that I wasn't doing a good job. I left as fast as I could, and stopped the attack. You must keep Arthur in a safe place away from the others. Just for the time being. I will be healed enough soon. With numbing paste I can walk around in a couple hours." Merlin told them. He strained to speak, and kept his eyes closed as he talked.

"We can't do that. Arthur needs to help the other people-" Uther said. Merlin interrupted him.

"I understand that you want Arthur to learn, but it is in your very best interest to keep Arthur away from the others. If so, keep him here. He will be the safest here since someone could enter his room with a key or with sorcery. And if anyone comes here, there is a better chance of them loosing a fight. You must trust my judgment right now." Merlin urged Uther. The pain was subsiding, and he sat up in the cot, pressing down on his wound.

Uther looked to Gaius for his thoughts.

"I fully agree. He is the safest here. We have weapons here, and Merlin will be able to go around very soon. He can protect Arthur even while in immense pain. He's done it many times before." Gaius told Uther. That seemed to convince him.

"Very well then. I will send two knights to guard the doors. No one is the get in or out except Gaius. Gwenivere. I need you to help the shocked women back to their rooms." Uther said. Gwen obeyed, and left the room. Arthur pulled up a chair, and sat next to Merlin.

"So you can fight in immense pain." He said, trying to make the situation lighter. Merlin grinned.

"I've done it many times, as Gaius said." Gaius smiled at the two. It was almost like yesterday that Arthur was throwing knives at Merlin as he acted like a target. Now they were the best of friends.

"I'm going to go to the ballroom, and see if anyone has passed out. I'll also go around to hand these out to the guests." Gaius said, carrying a basket full of tonics, probably for stress and shock. He left the room, and it was only Arthur and Merlin left.

"Beside the knife in your side, how was your night." Arthur asked.

"Pretty fun. I've been to anything like this before. I wasn't allowed to go to my village dances, so I've never had this experience." Merlin said.

"How come you weren't allowed?" Arthur asked.

"I was a bastard child with no last name. No one wanted to be friends with a bastard child. Plus the village thought I was weird." Merlin said. Arthur understood.

"That makes some sense. But it is not your fault that you are a bastard child." Arthur said. Merlin nodded.

"It wasn't anyone's fault. My birth father was on the run without telling anyone. He had a bounty over his head. He met my mother and they fell in love. She got pregnant with me. But then the bounty hunters found him. He had to flee, or they would kill him, my mother, and I. He left to save us. I have only met him once, but it was when he died that I realized it was him." Merlin said. It invoked a kind of anger in him. He knew it was Arthur who had killed him. But then again he knew Arthur was doing as he was told. He couldn't help it.

"May I ask who killed him? What was your father's name?" Arthur asked curiously. Merlin turned his back to Arthur, laying on his side.

"If I told you, you may either hate me, exile me, or kill me. And I would rather have that not happen." Merlin said. Arthur was saddened.

"I would never hate you. How could his name hurt me somehow?" Arthur said.

Merlin sighed. He couldn't look at him.

"Arthur. His killer was you. You killed him. In front of me. And I stayed behind to talk to him. I realized it was him, and he spoke to me. Then he died in my arms. And I was forced to continue with you back to Camelot because if you found out he was my father, you would have killed me as well." Merlin said. He felt like tearing up but he didn't.

Arthur went silent. He felt so much guilt. He had killed Merlins father.

"Who was your father? I want to know who he was." Arthur pleaded. Merlin sat up on the bed, but he faced away from Arthur. His shoulders slumped.

"If I tell you, please do not keep me out of your life. I have a destiny to fulfill, and I cannot do so if I am not there to save you from your death. If you die, I will have failed miserably. You can treat me like scum. Demote me, and denounce me as your friend. But please keep me here." Merlin begged. He still couldn't look at Arthur. He felt like Arthur needed to finally know.

Arthur noticed the seriousness of the situation. He readjusted his seat.

"I promise to keep you in my life no matter what." Arthur vowed. Merlin smiled grimly. It sounded almost fake. Merlin straightened his back, and held his head high.

"My father was Balinor. The dragonlord. A sorcerer by birth." Merlin said proudly. Arthur froze. He remembered that day. The day Balinor died. Merlin was depressed for days on end, but never said why. It look him weeks to come back as his own self. And Arthur understood why.

"I killed Balinor. In front of you. I spoke ill of him after his death, and you listened because you could not go away." Arthur told himself. He didn't move. He felt so many different emotions. Anger, disgust, guilt, sadness. Mostly despair that he caused his best friend that much harm.

Merlin took a shaky step, and stood up, using the table as support.

"You probably hate me. I don't blame you. Sometimes I hate myself for being his son." Merlin said. Arthur stood, and walked over to Merlin. They faced each other. Merlin's face was pale and dull. Arthur's face was unreadable. Merlin looked down at his feet, and awaited to violence that would most likely ensue. He waited for a moment, and nothing. Then he felt arms wrap around him. Merlin froze. Maybe Arthur was going to squeeze him to death. Or crush him with his strength. Oh well.

Instead Arthur embraced Merlin. Merlin did not do anything. He awaited a response. And he got what he wanted.

"I'm sorry."

YEAH YEAH I KNOW THE ORDER ISNT THE SAME AS THE SHOW BUT FUCK OFF ITS MY LIFE I DO WHAT I WANT. bye muchachos

~Alex