"Merlin!" Gaius shouted from the other side of his door. "Wake up! You're going to be late again!" Merlin jerked upward, looking over his room for a clean pair of trousers and tunic. His grabbed his blue neckerchief and purple tunic and pulled them over his head. "And for goodness' sake, clean your room!"

Merlin grinned and turned to look at his tiny room, whispering a small spell he normally used to put his things away. Nothing happen. He didn't feel the normal surge of power he usually did when he performed magic. "Odd," he said under his breath as he tried again, but to no prevail. He groaned inwardly and hurried around his room, picking up his dirtier clothes and dumped it into a sack, stuffing it under his bed, swearing that he'd wash them later. He checked around his living area for any sign of enchantment, a poultice, or the like, but it was bare. Merlin began to panic as he loosened the floorboards under his bed for his few spell books, but it was empty. Not even the She-staff was there, and only Gaius knew of either. He huffed and stormed out of his room.

"Gaius, have you seen my grimoire?" the young man asked as he tugged his boots on.

"Your what?" Gaius asked, sounding completely perplexed.

"My grimoire. The spell book you gave me a few years ago, when I first came to Camelot?" he said with a smile, hoping Gaius' memory was simply fading. "I thought you might have moved it. I tried doing a small spell, but it didn't work, and I was hoping the book would help."

Gaius' eyebrows nearly shot off his head. "My dear boy, are you feeling well?" he asked, looking at Merlin with extreme bewilderment, and raising a hand to his forehead.

Noticing Gaius' attitude, Merlin retracted. "Sorry, Gaius. I'm fine," Merlin lied. "I just had a very vivid dream." His eyes swept across the room, noting that Gaius was missing many a book. All of them were magic related.

"As long as you're sure," the older man said, lowering his hand, but the sound of concern was prominent in his voice.

"Yeah, well, best be off," Merlin said with a grin, trying to be cheerful. He jogged all the way to the kitchen for Arthur's breakfast, and he was happy that so far, everything else was the same. Red flags with golden dragons were still waving in the wind, and he guessed that's the best he could hope for right now.

When he finally arrived to Arthur's room, still in the same place thankfully, he actually knocked, uncertain of what he would find on the other side. When there wasn't a noise, he stepped inside and placed the plate of food on the table that sat just inside. "Good morning, Arthur," he said, quite loudly, as he threw open the heavy curtains. "Rise and shine!" Merlin watched as Arthur rolled over and buried his head under the mountain of pillows. Merlin wondered how comfortable the bed actually was, seeing as Arthur never seemed to want to leave its confines.

"Merlin," Arthur drawled, his voice still thick from sleep, "why are you waking me up so early?"

"This is the time I normally wake you, sire," he replied, taking one of the rolls from Arthur's plate and began munching on it. I hope it's my normal time,Merlin thought. I hope nothingtoodrastic has changed.

"Maybe it just feels early," the prince said, finally rising from his bed to step behind his changing curtain. The act itself wasn't unusual, but the fact that he was completely... nude… made Merlin blush. He forced himself not to stare at the blonde man. Not the sparse hairs of his chest or his nice stomach or… Merlin coughed, almost choking on the stolen bread. He quickly adverted his eyes, but not before catching a nice view of his royal arse.

"You alright, Merlin?" Arthur asked, barely any worry in his tone.

"Yes, sire."

"Good, so you'll be ready to right out with us later. Now, hand me my clothes," he demanded. "It's chilly in here."

Merlin's skin was burning too much to feel the chill Arthur felt, but he wasn't about to argue. Merlin shoved the last bit of bread in his mouth and grabbed Arthur blue tunic and clothe trousers. Arthur allowed Merlin to assist in pulling the tunic over his head, but said he was very much capable of pulling his britches on. The rest of the dressing went on normally, and as Merlin was lacing up Arthur's boots, he asked, "Where are we riding to, Arthur?"

"Don't you remember anything?" When Merlin didn't respond, Arthur rolled his eyes and snorted. "Of course not. We're riding to Ealdor. Lot has finally allowed Camelot to take control of it. Seriously, Merlin, maybe you should talk to Gaius about taking something to help your memory," Arthur said between bites of food.

"Maybe I will," Merlin said in jest. "Will I have time to see my mother?" he asked politely.

"As long as you get your chores done," Arthur said with a smile. "Now, pack my clothes, ready my horse, and have it done in an hour, or we'll leave without you."

Merlin laughed. "No, you wouldn't."

Arthur scowled at him. "Merlin, do you remember the last time that happened?"

Merlin's smile faded at the seriousness in Arthur's voice. "No," he said truthfully.

"No? Of course not," Arthur said under his breath. "We did, in fact leave you. In the stocks. For three days. Now would you like to spend another three days in the stocks?" Arthur asked, shoving the empty cup and plate into Merlin's chest.

"Right," Merlin gulped. "Uh, no, sire. Thank you," Merlin said. He hurried to the kitchen before Arthur could threaten him anymore. Thankfully, he was able to pack several loaves of bread and some fruit for Arthur for the ride there and back.

He met Arthur with their horses and the other knights in forty-five minutes. Merlin had even brushed the stallion just to make sure he could stay on this Arthur's good side.

"Whose horse is that?" Arthur asked, looking at the dark mare next to Merlin.

"Um… mine?" he answered hesitantly, even though it still sounded like a question.

"Have you ever ridden before?" asked one of the knights behind him.

"Yes. Of course I have," Merlin said with more confidence and a little bit of anger. How incompetent do they think I am? He thought.

"As long as you don't whine and you can keep up," Arthur said, hoisting himself into the saddle.

Merlin followed suit, and just as he was about to take his "normal" place next to Arthur, the other knights filed in. A sense of dread filled Merlin's gut until they reached the edge of Ealdor. He was glad they weren't attacked, because he really had no idea how to protect Arthur without his magic. Merlin even wondered if their destiny mattered here, even if he didn't have magic.

Riding on horseback was much quicker than walking. It had taken Merlin almost two full days of walking to come to Camelot, but the six of them made it in half a day at a gallop. He was very excited to see his mum, even if he was a bit nervous about those chores Arthur had mentioned.

As they dismounted, he immediately pulled his and Arthur's horses into the stable, which wasn't there last he was home, and unhooked all of their gear. "Merlin," Arthur called from outside the stable.

"Yes, sire?"

"After you finish, meet me in the inn for the rest of your chores," he ordered.

"Yes, sire." That seemed unusual to Merlin. It wasn't even dusk yet, and Arthur was going to the inn? He placed the saddles in their places and pulled the sacks onto this back before drudging up to the inn, asking Robert which room Arthur—The Prince—was in.

"Same as always Merlin. Top of the stairs," he laughed.

"Er… Thanks," Merlin replied with a furrowed brow, but followed the stairs upward. He burst through the door, an insult on his lips before he saw the prat himself, lying on the bed. Naked and obviously waiting for Merlin. Merlin blushed and quickly turned around to shut the door, staring intensely at a knothole as he apologized profusely for barging in.

"Merlin," Arthur drawled in way that made Merlin's skin crawl in a good way, "Turn around."

Merlin obeyed, trying to make sure his eyes stayed away from Arthur's lower half, but even the Prince's eyes seemed too strong to hold his gaze. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, sire," Merlin told him, making his knuckles turn white with how hard he clenched his hand. What was going on here? "I just—had a peculiar dream last night, and I can't seem to get it out of my head," he half-lied.

"Well, why don't you come over here, and I can take your mind off things." It wasn't a question.

Merlin gulped and felt his skin blush deeply. He could either 1) do as Arthur suggested and fulfill every fantasy that he's ever had about him, not there's been many, or 2) run. He decided to do as he did best. He ran, all the way to his mother's home. Merlin took several deep breaths as he approached the shack. What was he going to say? What exactly is his role with Arthur? This would have him on his toes more than magic.

He knocked lightly and walked in once his mother said it was all right to do so. "Merlin!" Hunith exclaimed with a smile as she embraced her son. "It's so good to see you! How have you been?"

"Fine," he said a little too quickly. She raised her eyebrow in a way that would rival Gaius. "I had a strange dream last night, and I just can't shake it."

"Sit down and tell me about it," she said as she dished them some soup and bread.

"I was in Camelot, but things were different. There were some people who could do things, magical things, and I was one of them. I used it to save Arthur from all sorts of things, but only you and Gaius knew I could do it. Gaius must have thought I was crazy this morning," he admitted.

"You've always had a wild imagination, even as a child. You and Will would have such grand adventures," she said fondly. "Why aren't you with Prince Arthur?"

"I wanted to see you," he told her.

"Yes, I know, but when you're here, you never leave his side," she commented.

"Hmm, well if you want me gone that badly," he joked. He paled a little as he remember Arthur in his—their?—room at the inn.

"What is it, Merlin?" she asked, noticing his change in demeanor.

"Our—uh—relationship is strange," Merlin confessed.

"What do you mean?"

"Before we left, he was very rude. Mean. And when I went to his room, he umm… was in a particular state of undress…" Merlin's face and ears were a dark crimson.

Hunith's expression barely changed. "Well, why are you here?" she asked.

"Wait, what?"

"Why aren't you with him?" she chastised. "Merlin, if you're unsure about your relationship with the future King of Camelot, you should talk to him, not me. Now, off you go! See me before you leave!"

He barely said his thanks before she was pushing him out of the door. With his belly full, but his mind muddled, he trudged his way back to the inn. His heart was in his throat as he stood outside Arthur's door. What was he going to do? He ran his hands over his face and through his hair, tugging at it in hopes of circulating his blood flow back to his brain.

He dropped his arms and leaned into the frame, trying to make his body cooperate. Just as he rose his hand to knock, the door swung open, revealing a half-naked Arthur with a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Arthur!" Merlin gasped, almost falling down the stairs. Arthur immediately reached out, grabbed Merlin by his neckerchief, and pulled him into the room. Merlin was about to say his thanks before the door was shit and he was being pushed against it.

Suddenly, Arthur's mouth was on his, and Merlin's brain stopped.