Author's Note: First of all, this is a co-authored fic with PikachutheConqueror and Kashamuffin.

Secondly, a disclaimer: we do not own Merlin. After reading this fic, you may decide that this is for the best.

Thirdly, our mission statement for this prologue: this is how we believe (or not really, but whatever) series 5 will start.

It begins on a stormy night...

Camelot is being besieged. All of its enemies have rallied under Morgana and surrounded the city. Inside the castle, corridors are bustling with activity as peasants and knights alike prepare themselves for the oncoming onslaught.

Gazing out the window at the mass of armies approaching the city walls, Arthur calls over his shoulder. "Merlin!"

Merlin runs to stand behind the King. "Yes sire?"

"It doesn't look good, does it?"

Merlin shrugs. "It's not so bad." After a pause in which Arthur raises his eyebrows, however, Merlin relents. "No, not really very good at all."

Arthur turns back to the scene out the window. "Any ideas?"

Merlin shakes his head. "Morgana knows all our weaknesses and has the magic to exploit them. Even with all the strength that we have, we can't defeat her. There's only one way I can think that we might make it out of this alive..."

"And?"

"Uh, that would be...to use magic ourselves."

Arthur looks long and hard at Merlin. "So, any ideas on that front?"

"None."

"I guess you better ask the dragon, then, hadn't you?"

"I suppose so."

They stand there for a few uneasy seconds.

"Well, get on with it Merlin!"

"Sorry, I was just thinking how much easier it is not to have to hide my magic from you anymore."

Arthur grins. "I can't imagine how you managed to use it for so long without me telling you how."

"Right."

"I remember that." Gwen has joined them at the window. "You wouldn't talk to each other for days."

The three friends take a few moments to reminisce about those days of dramatic angst and turmoil. Then there is a crash from down at the city gates.

"Well anyway," says Merlin, starting down the corridor. "I suppose I'd better go save the day."

He ducks as Arthur throws a broken candlestick at his head.

Author's Note: Seeing as now you are infuriated with the possibility that this will actually happen, the rest of the chapters of this fic will be unrelated one-shots describing different possible ways that Arthur finds out that Merlin is a wizard, leading to this prologue (or perhaps afterword, if you want to be technical). However, another disclaimer: the choice to list this fic as humour/parody was a strategic one. We plan to skip all of the potential angst and concentrate on the hilarity of these possible (actually highly improbable) scenarios. For this reason, we urge you to leave the world of realistic writing behind and join us in the light-hearted fun that is laughing at our favourite characters. Updates will be weekly, with the three of us taking turns writing the chapters.

We hope to see you next time!