When Arthur woke up Merlin was there it just... wasn't the Merlin he was expecting. In Albion he wasn't able to watch over Merlin he had to take care of his mother and his father. So of course he wasn't expecting Merlin to be so, different.
When Arthur came up out of the lake and looked out he didn't see he a young boy with black hair and bright blue eyes. What he saw was a young woman who looks so familiar but so different it wasn't until he saw the eyes that he knew for sure it was Merlin.
After staggering to the shore he landed in front of Merlin's feet and asked "what, what happened."
Surprise in his eyes Merlin gasped, "You do recognize me?"
"Yes but why are you a woman," he asked, "Did a witch come after you, did something happen?"
"No Arthur a witch didn't come after me, I did this to myself because I wanted to, because it's who I am."
"What does that mean," Arthur asked as he looked into Merlin's deep blue eyes. "You wanted to be a woman?"
"Yes Arthur I did," Merlin replied.
"Well obviously people have to know you changed your self does that mean sorcery is accepted now?" Arthur asking looking around as if to spot somebody.
Laughingly Merlin said, "no sorcery isn't excepted people don't even know it's real. I didn't change myself using magic anyways now they have surgeries and human things to help you change your gender it's actually mostly accepted."
Stuttering Arthur asked, "You mean it's normal for people to mutilate their bodies?"
"Oh my gods, when we get back to my apartment I'm definitely going to google tattoos and piercings for you."
As the two of them began to walk away from the lake Arthur swung an arm around Merlin's shoulders and asked, "What's an apartment?"
