Hello wonderful, neglected people. I'm sorry for the age it took me to update and I'm sorry that this chapter is short
It's kinda rusty, I'm out of practice with Merlin fanfiction. Hopefully it's okay though :)

I've been crazy busy lately. I've entered two story competitions, one I only just sent off was to write a script that may get turned into an actual play if I win so fingers crossed :P

This chapter is dedicated to KatieElizabethRose because I got warm fuzzies from her review

I don't own Merlin or the ending would have been good (like this) ;)

Enjoy ^.^

'Do you remember anything Merlin?' Arthur asked. It had been five days since Merlin had lost his soul completely, given in to the nothingness that he had become. Arthur felt worse with every passing hour that they failed to find a cure. Gaius, Gwaine, Percival, Leon and Geoffrey were living down in the library and many of the servants volunteered to work shifts after they came into concact with this new, not-Merlin. It only cemented to Arthur how well-loved Merlin was. He had heard countless stories of the bumbling manservant coming to the rescue of those who had forgotten a chore or gotten on the bad side of the cook or who had a large debt. But time was running out, and so was hope.

They had all made a considerable dent in the library but with nothing to go on and a few false hopes from the less experienced it was wearing on everyone's raw nerves. Gwen became the library maid, looking after those reading for the day, changing the sheets on the makeshift bed and bringing them all food. Arthur would have joined them but since his proposal to the council his days had been filled with honouring Merlin rather that working to cure him. This thought always bothered him, it made him seem as if he had already given up, and he hadn't, he still clung to hope, the tiniest shred maybe, but hope nonetheless. Even Gaius had begun to give up. The physician seemed to have aged a decade in the past few days, he now moved with a stick and his eyesight was

worsening. Arthur knew that Gaius was wearing himself out. He barely slept anymore, continuing to read by candlelight, until almost dawn and he would wake when the first rays of sunlight peeped over the horizon. Arthur worried about him and had asked Gwen to keep an eye on him. The king of Camelot had been woken a few moments before by a gentle shake to his shoulder by his manservant. He was eating his breakfast when he finally asked the question. Merlin had told him before that he would lose all of his memories. But Arthur felt something nagging at him that said that that couldn't be true.

He had sent for Hunith in Ealdor, reasoning that even if nothing came of it, she would at least get the chance to say goodbye to her only son. She should arrive on the morrow. And Arthur was dreading it. How could he even begin to explain how this had happened? How could he give her a reason as to why he was whole and well and Merlin was … not. Merlin only blinked in response

'Sire?'

'I mean, can you remember your childhood?' Merlin shook his head, expressionless … almost. A frown … the slightest of twitches to Merlin's eyebrow but Arthur saw it, and his heart swelled to see it, he had grown almost used to his silent companion, and his frozen face, although he had liked him less and less, resenting him, resenting himself, missing him most of all.

'What about yesterday?'

'I remember yesterday sire'

'The day before?'

'Yes'

'Last week?'

'I-' Merlin stopped, a flash in his eyes, it could have been anything, but it was something and Arthur clung all the harder to the jagged edges of hope 'I remember the woods, sire'

'Do you remember anything you said?'

'No sire. But I remember -' he stopped again and Arthur held his breath. This is the first time Merlin had elaborated on an answer, or anything for that matter. He just didn't have initiative anymore.

'What?' he urged 'What do you remember?'

'I remember you asking me if I knew who you were'

'And do you?' hope rose in his chest, painfully, he recalled the flicker in Merlin's eyes when he had asked that question, the instinctive insult. Arthur would give anything for Merlin to insult him now, his riches, his kingdom, his crown, anything.

'You are Arthur Pendragon. King of Camelot and my master' Merlin spoke matter of factly, this was knowledge, a fact. No emotion. No insult. Arthur deflated,

'I suppose you're right' he said, feeling like a child, wanting Merlin to say that that wasn't right at all, that he was a royal prat and a dollop head who didn't deserve such an amazing and understanding and all-powerful manservant. But he didn't. He just stood there, hands clasped at his front, waiting for his next question or order from Arthur. Arthur looked at him sadly, lost in his memories, before he shook himself. He had a meeting with the king of a neighbouring kingdom this morning. He had to be dressed in his best. He wanted to impress this one. A good friend of his fathers with the same views on magic, although he had a theory that king Rothorne was just scared that if he allowed magic to run free it would overtake the kingdom. Arthur had to dispel that fear and offer proof that magic could be beneficial to a kingdom.

'Help me dress, Merlin' he said

XXX

Halfway through the meeting Arthur could feel anger rising within him, Rothorne kept insisting on the same points over and over, that Arthur should follow in his father's footsteps, that magic was evil and that change was unwise when the current system worked

'Your highness' Arthur said politely though his gritted teeth 'the current system is not working. Our people live in fear that they will be branded sorcerers. Real sorcerers have fled in terror with memories of their loved ones being slaughtered for a skill they were once revered for. A skill that can help with countless daily works. It can help with construction, with crops and harvests and entertainments and illnesses. Think of the diseases we could cure if we allowed sorcerers to be free!...'

He carried on at length. Rothorne protested for a while like a petulant child but eventually, he began to run out of reasons to keep magic banned, he needed the alliance with Camelot, his kingdom had less fields to grow crops and relied on Camelot surplus to keep his kingdom fed during the long winter months. It also had a much smaller army and Camelot could always be counted on to lend a small force of knights to dispense justice against Rothorne's enemies. The alliance meant much, and Rothorne was not a stupid man. Greedy maybe, but not stupid. He agreed to trail it for half a year and extend that trail if no harm came to his kingdom.

Arthur left the conference room exhausted. He sent orders to the kitchens and mummers to organise a feast for that evening in celebration of the unity of the kingdoms. He had another lord arriving around noon, it may be presumptuous to order the preparations now but lord Martith dwelled in one of the kingdoms that were lax in the laws of sorcery. They allowed them to live and work as long as they hid well and committed no crimes. Arthur expected that they would be thankful for this chance to allow it's people freedom. As Merlin would have been.

So ... what do you think? Please let me know, I love getting reviews, they make me so happy :)

I can't promise that I'll update soon I'm afraid :( I have my A2 theatre exam coming up and I am SUPER stressed out about it :/

Love Tibbins xx