Hehe! just like i said, tomorrow! thankfully, nothing went wrong, so i was able to write this! less explained than i would have hoped unfortunatly, but this chapter just got really long! i think that the other chapters are going to be longer too, well, that's good news right? :D

Disclaimer; IDOM

enjoy!

"I'll tell you what though, they're apples are great!" Gwaine announced happily as he took another bite of his apple.

Arthur rolled his eyes. They'd been brought a bowl of fruit and some water a few moments ago, and Gwaine, Elyan, and obviously Percival had all tucked in, not having eaten since breakfast at the inn they'd been staying at. Arthur himself plopped another berry into his mouth, savoring the juices as he bit through the skin.

Percival grabbed another strawberry and bit into it. "These are amazing!" Then he grabbed his goblet and downed the contents.

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation.

"Come in!" Gwaine called smiling.

The door opened to reveal the dirty blond head of Simon. He walked further into the room, casting his eyes past everyone and then settling on Arthur.

"Rowan would like to meet you, my lord."

"Just Arthur, please."

"Well, let's go!" Gwaine said standing up.

"Oh, just the King," Simon interjected. "Sorry."

Gwaine sat back down in his chair and it almost looked like he was pouting. In truth, he was just extremely bored. He wasn't one to wait for something and sitting boxed up in a room waiting for something to happen wasn't helping.

"Alright." Arthur said curiously. He stood up and before following Simon out the door, he turned back to his knights. "I'll be back soon."

"Sure princess." Gwaine said glumly.

Elyan and Percival rolled their eyes and nodded at Arthur. "Ok."

Simon walked calmly out the door, Arthur following as the two guards that had been posted outside shut the door.

Simon led him down the first corridor, maids and manservants still walking about, carrying different items; sheets, bedding, pillows, towels, trays of food.

Not so different from Camelot, Arthur thought.

Arthur saw one servant using magic to help him wash the high windows on the inside, while a maid was magically watering a bed of flowers that hung outside the window, while yet another servant magically folded a bedcover that had fell from his impressive stack.

Ok, a bit different from Camelot, Arthur rethought, slightly amused.

"So where are we going?" Arthur asked Simon.

Simon swiveled his hips a bit and gave Arthur an almost amused look before answering him. "To the throne room. We're almost there."

Arthur nodded but he didn't think that Simon would see that, so he added, "Alright."

They turned one more corner and came to a set of double wide doors, a guard at each end. Arthur guessed that this must be the throne room. As if on cue, the guards opened the doors and Arthur silently followed Simon in.

In the room was a large rectangular table, and behind that a large fireplace, also clad with Terryn's flag.

"My lord, King Arthur." Simon announced.

It was only then that Arthur noticed a man standing in the back corner of the room talking to another servant with his back turned. When he heard Simon's voice however, he turned to face them, dismissing the manservant.

Rowan's brown hair bounced on his head as he walked over to them, it was about the same length as Arthur's. His chocolate colored brown eyes held curiosity. Rowan wore a plain green shirt with brown trousers and a brown belt at his waist.

"King Arthur," Rowan said. "A pleasure to meet you."

He and Arthur shook hands as Arthur answered, "Thank you, I feel the same. And just Arthur, please."

Rowan smiled. "Alright, just Arthur."

He thanks Simon and dismissed him. Simon gave him a respectful nod and then left without a word.

Then Rowan walked over to the table that was set against the wall and grabbed two goblets, filling them with what looked like purple wine and Arthur resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he thought of Gwaine. Rowan walked back over to Arthur, handing him a goblet as he leant against one of the circular pillars.

"So, Camelot then," Rowan began smiling.

"Yes." Arthur nodded. He almost scrunched his eyebrows at the oddity of the plain statement.

Rowan sensed this and kept talking. "Magic is outlawed there, correct?"

"Uh, correct." Arthur answered shortly.

"Well, I hope you don't feel offended here. We have our own customs; magic is used freely, but only for the good." Rowan added.

Arthur shook his head, smiling. "No, no I understand that, the magic I saw in the courtyard was beautiful. In fact, I should probably get used to if I ever hope to repeal the ban."

Arthur was extremely surprised he's said that; he'd always been taught that he shouldn't reveal matter of state to anyone who wasn't concerned with it, but there was something about Rowan that seemed trustworthy, open.

Rowan himself smiled even wider. "That's wonderful!" He said, and then he threw in, "Oh, I have a friend coming, if you don't mind."

"No not at all. Who is this friend might I ask?" Arthur answered.

"Well, you've already met him, well...been acquainted with him, I suppose. He was the man wearing the green hood." Rowan answered.

Arthur nodded remembering as Rowan continued amused. "He's very fond of cloaks, though I'm not sure why."

Arthur huffed a laugh. "Well, when do I get to meet this mystery man?"

He was silenced as the doors opened once more.

"Ah, here he is." Rowan announced walking past Arthur and closer to the doors to meet the newcomer as they grasped forearms in greeting.

Arthur slowly turned around and his smile dropped instantly. In fact, his goblet of wine slipped from his fingers as he eyes the man, its contents splattering on the ground.

The man not eight feet in front of Arthur wore dark brown trousers, a plain deep blue tunic, a light brown jacket whose length was a foot from the ground, and a faded, ratty grey neckerchief.

His face was triangular shaped and his cheekbones prominent on his pale, lightly stubbled face. His eyes were a brilliant blue as the corners of them crinkled with his smile. His large ears stuck out from his short black hair. His gait was more confident than Arthur remembered and he had grown a few centimeters taller in the months he'd been gone.

And to put it lightly, Arthur couldn't believe who he was seeing.

"Merlin!" Arthur boomed. He ran over to his long lost friend and wrapped him in a tight hug, surprising both Merlin and Rowan. Then as he pulled away, he held his friend at arm's length, his arms still grasping his shoulders tightly.

"We've all been worried sick about you!" Arthur said, the words coming out sharper than he intended but he hugged him again nevertheless.

"So I'm guessing you do know me." He said nervously. His voice was a bit deeper as well.

"What do you mean you guess I know you?" Arthur said slightly concerned. His eyes searched out Merlin's blue ones, trying to find the answer.

"Merlin here lost his memories." Rowan said. "He doesn't remember anything other than the last few months."

Arthur switched his gaze from Merlin to Rowan, and then back again. "What?"

Rowan just plowed on. "We were kind of hoping that you and your Knights would be able to fill in the blanks."

"You lost your memory?" Arthur said.

"Yes, well, I remember segments, I get flashes every now and then, but nothing substantial," he answered.

"But you remembered me?"

"Well, I don't remember you really, but I've seen your face in my dreams, and you seem...familiar."

Arthur looked sad as he continued talking. So, my best friend doesn't remember me. And then he thought back to this morning; Rowan had said that Merlin had been the one in the green hood, but the man in the green cloak had killed the Griffin...with magic.

"And," Arthur started dumbly, "you have magic?"

Merlin scrunched his eyebrows together. "Um, I was born with it, that much I can remember, but...you didn't know?"

Arthur frowned and shook his head slowly. He'd been born with it? What?

Rowan could sense Arthur's dismay and changed the subject. "So what is Merlin to you then?"

Arthur had to pull himself out of his silent musings to comprehend the question. "He, um, he's been my manservant and best friend for the past seven years."

Rowan and Merlin exchanged looks; Rowan's amused and Merlin's surprised.

"Manservant? How'd he get that job?" Rowan asked smirking at Merlin.

"Merlin, he uh, saved my life," Arthur answered, remembering the day that the stubborn, idiotic, brave peasant had pulled him out of the way of a very sharp dagger. Had he used magic then too?

"Hm, well, that sounds like Merlin!" Rowan laughed. "Well, I'm sure you two, well, and your Knight's I suppose, have a lot to talk about. Why don't we have dinner together? How about here? In say an hour? It'll give you time to relax for a little while, and I'll provide each of your men with a change of clothes."

Arthur nodded. "That would be wonderful, thank you."

"My pleasure. A friend of Merlin's is a friend of mine."

"I've got to go help Bryce with his rounds, his knees bugging him again, you know how he is."

Rowan laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "Yes, yes, just don't forget about dinner, and shave why don't you."

Merlin huffed a laugh and fingered his stubbly chin, almost surprised to find it rough. "Geez you're starting to sound like Grace."

"Grace?" Arthur asked.

"My fiancé." Rowan answered grinning. "She won't be joining us for dinner though; she's visiting some family at the moment and won't be back until tomorrow."

Merlin nodded at both Arthur and Rowan and then left, the guards shutting the door behind him. Arthur fought the urge to go after him with the worry he'd disappear again.

"I trust you'll be able to find your rooms?" Rowan inquired, breaking Arthur out of his thoughts as he gazed at the door Merlin had just left out of.

"What? Oh, yes." Arthur stumbled, his brow furrowed.

Rowan, concerned, placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "I can only imagine how shocking this must be for you, what with finding him after so long and then finding out about his magic with him having been in Camelot for so long."

Arthur turned to Rowan in surprise; he'd practically read his thoughts. Arthur only found compassion and empathy in his brown eyes and took comfort.

"But it there's one thing I've learned about Merlin these past few months, it's that he's extremely loyal."

"To a fault." Arthur quipped, laughing lightly.

Rowan smiled. "Well, I've got things to attend to before dinner, and you get to break the news to your Knights. I'll send clothes shortly, dinner in an hour...and after dinner, I'll have separate rooms arranged for each of you to stay in."

"Sounds wonderful. Thanks again." Arthur smiled politely.

Rowan nodded, and then they shook hands before parting.

Arthur walked down the corridor, his smile becoming more genuine as he thought back to their reunion. He'd found Merlin. He couldn't stop the bubble of joy and giddiness that grew in his chest. He'd found his best friend.

Then his smile lessened as he thought about Merlin's magic. Merlin's magic; those two words didn't even sound right together in Arthur's head.

He didn't have much more time to think about it though as he spotted the doors to his chambers. He almost didn't think it was theirs as the guards had left, but then he heard Gwaine's voice on the other side of the door, and then slowly walked in.

The conversation stopped as the door opened and they all watched Arthur walk in and then slowly shut the door behind him and lean heavily against it, his face pale, and his eyes glazed over in thought.

"What's the matter Princess?" Gwaine asked, almost sounding concerned. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Arthur looked up and eyed his Knights, only then noticing that Leon was up and about.

"Merlin," he said cryptically.

"Well, that certainly explains everything," Gwaine said sarcastically. "What about Merlin?"

"He's here."

"He's what?" Elyan said surprised.

"Merlin's here; in Terryn. I j-just met with him."

"How is he sire?" Leon asked.

"Oh, he's fine, more or less." Arthur said absentmindedly.

"Well, let's go see him!" Gwaine said, making for the door. Arthur stopped him as he grabbed Gwaine's upper arm.

"There's something else." Arthur said.

"What?" Perce asked.

"H-he doesn't remember us. H-he lost his memory somehow."

Silence.

"And then, we've seen him before; in the forest. Apparently, Merlin was the one wearing the green cloak." Arthur said, wondering if they'd catch on. Arthur knew they had when Elyan spoke.

"But the man in green...," he trailed off.

"...used magic." Leon finished.

Arthur nodded. "We're supposed to meet them, Rowan and Merlin, for dinner in an hour, fill him in on what he doesn't remember and stuff."

"Alright." Gwaine nodded reluctantly. He wanted to go and find Merlin now, but he guesses he could wait an hour.

"Until then, let's just wait." Arthur finished.

did you guy's like the reunion? next chapter will be the dinner and things shall be explained! finally! :D oh...and for Merlin's cloak...just imagine David Tennants long jacket from Doctor Who...XD

Please review!