"& how did you get this little trinket?"

"Prince Archer was able to set a trap."

"Was he now..."

"Well, your highness?"

I looked at Mytel, who was smiling, albeit, uncomfortably. "Tell her what happened with the tree." I nodded slowly. "Well... I don't really know. I just wanted to get away & my hand caught a tree. I didn't know it would open up or anything." Opal nods slowly. "Impressive. You're mother made that spell. & here you are, using it as a first instinct. It's almost like you got a boost of-" "That's impossible. & you know it." Mytel nearly growls. "We've arrived." he says, demeaner completely changing over to his usual self. I quickly hear hooves clopping on the ground & the chariot slows to a stop. Opal gets out first, followed by Mytel. "You ready?" He offers a hand to me & I hesitanly take it. What I saw outside was incredible.

There was a massive grey stone castle in fron of me. We were stopped on a small bridge that didn't go over anything, just laying across the grass. The size of the castle itself was immense; a part of me became giddy. Opal was a few feet ahead of us, waiting for us to catch up. She was fast, that or in a hurry. "C'mon. We both have much better & more important places to be." she says as we reach the door. The front door was simply black, but I noticed a few important ingravements sprawling across. "Well-" Opal said after a few moments. "Go on & open it." I don't see any kind of handle, so I place my hand to push the door. Portions of the door became a purple color, which became a bright blue; I saw a glowing silver moon on my hand... it was shimmering. The door creaked open slowly as Opal hurredly passed through them. "Come on!" she shouts. Mytel sighed, but shrugged, walking in beside me. The inside was immense... I was in awe at the high ceilings & arches all over the place. "This is-" I'm suddenly tackled & held with a crushing force wrapped around me. "DAD!" I wrap my arms back around my dad before we hit the ground. He's heavy, but I don't care; I'm too excited to see him. Tears stream down my face as he breathes heavily, mumbling something to himself for a second. "Thank god you're ok..." his voice was slightly deeper, barely noticable, but I could tell. "Stand up, c'mon. Let me see you & all your new glory-!" When we stand up, we're eye level; Dad wasn't the tallest at home, so he had clearly grown taller too. He notices it quick; I think it startled him. "You two have fun with your staring contest. Some of us have actual work to do." Opal chides before walking off. His hair was long too, completely dreadlocked. Dad wore a very regal looking suit, with a short blue cape. All of it had gold trim & lace embrodery; there was some red violet fur on his shoulder too... was it a pelt? His facial hair is a little more grown out & stylized too; I noticed a gold colored head dreess of gems on Dad's head. In the center was a viabrant purple gem, that seemed to shine with a life of its own. But more importantly... "Dad... where are your glasses?" He laughed, shaking his head. "I could ask you the same thing." I gave him an odd look. "I lost them." a chuckle this time. "& yet, you can see just fine. Right?" He pats me on the shoulder, as I touch my face. "Oh my god..." Dad notices Mytel behind us & walks over to him. Mytel gives a small bow, with a smirk. "Thank you." Mytel grins. "I'd protect him no matter what." he says. Dad walks back to me, slapping my back. "C'mon. You haven't even seen the cool part yet." I'm frozen for a moment, but I feel a child like joy surge through me quickly, quickly running past my dad, tagging him. "I'll find it soon enough." Dad's laughter echo's through the halls.

The castle had countless rooms, each one more incredible than the last. Plenty of people were walking the halls, whispering about me with excited expressions. Guess they took care of the house. They let me annoy them with questions in every room I went; but the 'Your Highness' & 'Prince Archer' was a bit odd. While leaving another library, I noticed a door at the far end of the hall that was completely diffrent from the rest; it seemed to change colors at random. Weird... it wasn't the first time I had noticed the door either. I found myself walking towards it & before I knew it, I had my hand on the doorknob. Was... was the door breathing? It pulsed with a rythm that only made me think of breathing, or a steady heartbeat. I heard murmerings on the other side, but could only hear every few words. Bubbles, detective, white, skyrig, damn, twin bears...? "Hey." I jumped at Mytel's voice. "I was wondering where you'd... oh." He gives a sad smile. "Watcher's Hall... would you like to see it?" I don't say anything, but nod slowly. He opens the door & along with a sudden hush, walks inside. The walls are a pale black color... not really grey, but close to it. Portraits line the walls & the first one catches my eye immediately; it's my mother. It's the same version of my mother from the hologram in my house but she seemed... younger. Mytel sees me take notice & stands beside me. "I'm told that pink dress was her favorite. We still have it, if you'd want it." below her portrait is a plaque. "Selene; Queen of Magic. She made more spells of her own than... well, anyone really. She-" "Was pregnant when this was made... wasn't she?" Mytel shrugged. "If she was, it wasn't very far along." I take a step back & finally notice the other portraits all hanging.

"What is this place?"

"Watchers Hall. All past rulers & their familes portraits are painted here. To remember them."

"Why's it called Watcher's Hall?"

"They're gone. But they watch over us. Supposedly, their magic was strong enough to still live in these portraits."

"So... all of these... they're my family?"

"Yeah. & each one had a Merlin to help them. Come on."

He walks to a portrait a little further down & I was thrown off. The man was asian, sitting on a red & gold throne, with his two sons sitting on his lap. They gave a mischevious look; did... did they just wink at me? Wait, how do I know that those are his sons? An younger, similar looking man was standing behind him, smiling. I looked at the plaque below his image. Jin; The Damn King. Prince Shin & Prince Shen; Answer Wisely. I had the urge to touch the portrait & could hear someone yelling, but it was playful, along with what I think was a stick being snapped in half. "H... How often do people-" "These are throughout Camelot's history. Some are also of rulers from other lands." I give him a questioning look. "Camelot is a big place. Perhaps bigger than a single country." I looked at him again... is it weird to think he's hot? Across from him was another portrait of a younger looking girl, sitting on a rock; she was in the palace garden. Flowers surrounded her as she wore a large smile, surrounded by several bubbles, each with a different element image in them. She was darker complextioned with glasses on & a simple black dress on; her plaque was different from the others. It doesn't give a name... but there's something so familiar about her. Bubbles; Queen of Connections. Ringleader of Elements. Found herself & hope. Oh... I touch her image & can hear laughter & chatting with other female voices. I take my hand off & oddly feel better. I go through the others with the same kind of attention; Mytel silently follows. There's Sky & Rig & Shira, Queen of Speech, King of Masks & Human Lockpick... their children founded the world; woah. Then, there was Princess T, Princess of Discovery, her name secrect to many; she had a giant turtle along side her. Before I could get more on a portrait full of kids, there was a loud ringing sound. "C'mon..." Mytel said, asfter being silent for what seemed like hours. We began to leave, but my mom's image caught my eye again. "You said you still have that dress she's wearing?" Mytel nodded. "I... I think I'd like to have it." I murmer. "Of course Archer. Of course." the door to the hall closes, but something warm seems to walk out with me.