Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-68.229.162.187-20140609172055/@comment-5674726-20140703210057

The first time, definitely. The next few all involved more thought and planning.

Merlin had trouble believing the prophecy at first - though his misgivings were based on his belief that Arthur couldn't have it in him to be the great King he was allegedly going to be rather than that he wouldn't be able to play his own part - but I think that he also wanted to believe in it, so much so that he protected Arthur even before he came to see him as a friend.