Ha, you almost didn't get this, I've completely lost track of what day of the week it is. It's Friday again, how is that even possible?

I cannot thank you enough for all of those lovely reviews, you all really made my day when I saw them sitting in my inbox! Huge thank you to all, and I hope you continue enjoying this!

Once again, thanks to MerlinStar for her awesome help! I owe you big time, honey!

"Arthur, please, put the sword down…"

"What have you done to him?"

"Nothing! Please, Sire, if you will just come with me, I can explain…"

"I'm not going anywhere! Not until you tell me why I've just found my servant at your house who, may I add, seems to have no idea who I am!"

"Sire, please! The sword!"

Letting out a low moan as he clawed his way back out of the darkness, Merlin scrunched his eyes up at the onslaught of the noise, wanting nothing more than to tell them all just to shut up. However, he knew that Endred outranked him by more than he could probably imagine and the fact that he was addressing this stranger respectfully indicated that whoever he was, he was important. And despite knowing nothing about who he was, Merlin knew that he couldn't just tell them to shut up and go away. Luckily for the warlock, however, there was someone else present, someone who had no qualms about telling the men precisely what she thought of their behaviour.

"Enough, duckys!" Nancy practically bellowed, making both Arthur and Endred jump about a foot in the air. Perched on the edge of the chair next to the bed where they had placed Merlin after he had fallen, the maid had seen his distress, knowing that the argument was doing nothing to reassure him.

"Arthur, put the sword down this instant, pet. You know how I feel about weapons in the house. If you are not going to talk this through like the man you are supposed to be, then you can all just go away, as this isn't helping Evan."

"That's not his name," the stranger's voice snarled, but even without opening his eyes, Merlin knew he had indeed lowered his sword. He wasn't sure how he knew, it was just something in the tone of his voice. The warlock had a feeling he should know that voice, be able to explain how he knew the man was looking put out – close on pouting – without even seeing him.

"We know he is not called that, but no one knows what his real name is."

"What do you mean, no one knows what his name is, why didn't you just ask him? He may be an idiot, but even Merlin knows the answer to that one."

"Sire, you may want to sit down for this," Endred cut in softly, and hearing the chair being dragged across the floor towards the bed, Merlin decided it was time to inform whoever it was that was in the room he was awake. He wanted to be part of this conversation, it was clearly going to be about him even if no one knew who he was. This stranger might have the answers he was so desperately looking for.

Shifting under the covers, Merlin cracked his eyes open, jumping in surprise to see Nancy immediately bending over him, gazing at him in concern.

"You gave us a scare there, ducky," she murmured, resting the back of her hand against his forehead, clearly checking for signs of fever or anything else. Squirming away, but without trying to look like he was avoiding her, Merlin frowned at the laugh that echoed around the room.

"I'd give up if I were you, Nancy, he isn't a good patient. You should see what Gaius has to go through to make him stay in bed."

There it was again. That feeling. The same feeling he had felt when he caught sight of the man, that familiarity that had washed over him at Endred's proposal of him being a servant. This name, Gaius, it meant something to him. Concentrating hard, Merlin tried to focus on the name, trying to force the mist to reside so he could grasp onto the memories floating just beyond it, but feeling it once more begin to descend, he quickly gave up. He wanted to remain conscious for this talk.

"Ignore him, pet. If he doesn't start at the beginning with this mysterious tale, he'll just have to go away."

"Careful, Nancy, I'm still the prince."

"Makes no difference to me, Evan doesn't know that. Are you going to behave, or do I have to send you away, Arthur?"

"I don't think he'll go."

"What… what makes you think that, Evan?" Endred asked, his voice forcibly calm. Merlin, however, was not listening, propping himself up on the pillows and frowning in concentration. How did he know that? How did he know for a fact that the young man sitting on the chair at the foot of the bed was as stubborn as he was proud, yet that he was also fiercely protective of those close to him? Shaking his head at the randomness of his thoughts, Merlin shrugged.

"Hang on," Arthur butted in, wriggling forward so he was in danger of falling of the chair if he wasn't careful. If the prince was honest, he hadn't got a clue what was going on. Why did Merlin not recognise him? Why was he not making some feeble excuse about why he had managed to get himself caught again, how it couldn't possibly be his fault, he was just caught unaware? But instead, the boy in front of him, whilst looking like Merlin, was acting nothing like the servant Arthur had become accustomed to; he was being far too timid, too cautious.

"Why wouldn't he think that? Damn it, Merlin, snap out of this."

"Arthur, you don't understand…"

"I am the bloody prince! Merlin, I order you to snap out of this, or so help me, I'll…" Jumping to his feet in what appeared to be anger, Arthur turned away, running his hand over his eyes and sighing wearily. He had no idea what was going on, and whilst he wanted this to be all be a big joke over which Merlin would tease him for months to come, he knew that was not the case. Endred was too loyal, and besides, there was no way Merlin was this good an actor.

"Arthur?"

"Just tell me what the hell is going on." His shoulders slumping in defeat again, Arthur sat heavily back down, but it didn't escape Endred's notice he wouldn't look anyone in the eye, a clear sign the prince was feeling out of his depth.

"No one is quite sure of the whole story, Sire," Endred began softly, his voice low and soothing. His eyes flickered between Arthur and Merlin, however, and the latter of the two knew that this story was going to be for his benefit as much as the prince's. It would be good to know what on earth had been going on.

"Three days ago I was riding back from a hunting trip when we came across this young man at the edge of the road. To say he was scared would be an understatement." Glancing away, Merlin tried to hide the burning tips of his ears. He didn't need everyone in the room to know that particular fact. Endred had been right though, the warlock had been beyond terrified; not only had he not known who he was, he had just discovered that he possessed magic. Not that Endred would ever know the real reason behind his fear, however.

"He had no idea who, or where, he was and on catching sight of some of his injuries, I knew for a fact he had been through a great deal. No one gets that covered in bruises and cuts, not by accident anyway."

"One moment," Arthur suddenly interrupted, sitting up straighter again. His words were being addressed to Endred, but his eyes were locked on the servant. "What injuries?"

Looking up quickly, Merlin caught Endred's eye, who nodded. Slowly and hesitantly, Merlin drew his shirt over his head, wincing slightly as it caught on the bandage still wrapped around his torso. As the material fell away, Arthur jumped to his feet with a curse. The worst were hidden by the bandages around not only his midriff, but his wrists as well. Apart from the bandages, there was evidence plenty to show whatever it was he had been through.

"Owain!" Arthur suddenly yelled, making Merlin jump and spare Endred another brief glance, this time full of uncertainty. Endred smiled gently at him, an unspoken reassurance that he had nothing to fear, and the warlock once again relaxed. A man quickly made his way into the room, the same one Merlin knew had been there when he had first set eyes on the stranger.

"Why didn't you tell me how badly he was injured?"

"I didn't know, Sire. We knew he had been through a lot, she was determined to make him suffer, but everyone was injured. In the escape and then the fight after that, it didn't occur to me that you didn't know. I'm sorry if I have done wrong, Sire."

"No, it's fine," Arthur muttered, eventually tearing his eyes away from his servant, feeling slightly sick. How could the boy not be in agony? From the extensive list of injuries and near death experiences he had gone through himself, Arthur knew for a fact that Merlin must be sore. Endred was right: no one, not even the clumsy warlock, could get that hurt and not know about it. Thinking back on Owain's words, something suddenly caught Arthur's attention, something he couldn't believe had taken him this long to think of.

"Who's she?"

"Sire, please." Butting in abruptly before Owain could answer, Endred glanced anxiously at the prince. "Can we have one tale here at a time, please? I myself don't know what is going on and Evan is missing enough of the details as it is. Let's get one thing done first?"

"You're right," Arthur said quietly, relaxing back into the chair once more. Taking that as a signal, Merlin carefully pulled his shirt back on again, not wanting to keep on show what he had been through.

"We wanted to bring him back to the manor, get Nancy to have a look at him, but before we had the chance to ask whether he was alright to accompany us, he passed out. Our physician had a look at him whilst he was unconscious. I think it is his belief that the memory loss is due to the beating and that as he heals, the memories will come back."

"And what do you think?" Merlin had been so wrapped up in the tale that it took him a moment to realise that the prince was talking to him. Sighing deeply, he shut his eyes, letting himself feel the mist. He knew there was more to this than just a temperamental thing, it was as if the mist was deliberately preventing him from remembering things. Every time he got close, every time something was beginning to feel familiar, it would descend, blocking the memory away again. No, this was more than just a side effect. Whatever it was that was now affecting his memory was deliberate.

Arthur, however, correctly interpreted Merlin's silence, running a hand over his eyes. He didn't know what he was supposed to do now. He had found Merlin, something he had sworn that he was going to achieve, and yet things were no better than they had been before. Sure, he had physically found the servant, but this was not the Merlin Arthur knew.

"So what happens now? I've got a servant who can't remember his own name with no idea how he lost his memory. He can't even tell me who is behind it, because he can't remember. This is just great."

"Actually, Sire…"

"Owain, just shut up. Unless you have any bright ideas of how to get Merlin's memory back to find out who is behind this, then just keep your mouth shut."

"Arthur!" Endred immediately scolded. He might have had absolute respect for the prince, but there were times when the fiery young man in front of him was still the ten year old boy who didn't know where to draw the line with his stubbornness. If there was one thing Endred would not stand from Arthur, it was rudeness to a man that had obviously sacrificed a lot to keep the future king safe. Owain, however, looked unperturbed. Instead, he merely raised an eyebrow, something he would have never have dreamed of doing in Arthur's presence before all of this, and regarded the prince coolly. Somehow, he knew he would be able to get away with it this time: Arthur was too upset to notice, despite his best efforts to hide it behind his anger.

"Merlin is not the only one who has been there."

His voice quiet and soft, Merlin winced at the tone. It was almost dangerous. This man had obviously been through a lot as well, and it was affecting him enough to cross the boundaries of his status. It had the desired effect though, for Arthur immediately dropped his eyes, looking guilty.

"I'm sorry. It was just… I didn't expect… please, Owain. Tell me who is behind this?"

"Do you remember Morgause?"

"The enchantress? How could I forget her? She knows who is behind this?"

"No, Sire."

"Oh."

"She is the one behind this."

"What?" Merlin was tempted to roll his eyes as Arthur once more shot to his feet. It would be quite nice if the man could decide whether he wanted to sit down or stand up – it was making Merlin feel giddy just watching him. In fact, Merlin was too busy wondering whether the prince had managed to give himself a head rush yet that he failed to notice the man turn to stare at him with the most peculiar expression on his face.

"She's used magic on him, hasn't she? That would explain a lot." The last half of the sentence was completely lost on the warlock though, for at the word magic he had immediately stiffened up, eyes darting alarmingly around the room, paranoia making him wonder whether these strangers knew about his gifts. Casting a frantic look towards them, Merlin almost forgot how to breathe as he found they were both watching him, almost as if waiting for a reaction.

"It's alright, Merlin, she can't hurt you here. You are right to fear her magic, but you are safe here." Ignoring Arthur's words, however rude it might seem, Merlin instead found his attention locked on the other man. He was watching him through narrowed eyes, his gaze unfaltering as he very subtly shook his head, a strange expression on his features. Without knowing how, Merlin knew instantly that this man knew about his powers, and yet at the same time he was trying to keep it hidden from his companion.

Before anything more could be said though, a shrill scream suddenly echoed through the room, causing Arthur's hand to fly to the hilt of his sword and Owain to tense. Endred carefully crossed over to the door, and at Arthur's nod, pulled it open to see a terrified maid running past.

"What the-?" Muttering under his breath in confusion, Endred spared a glance behind him in Merlin's direction, catching Arthur's eye and knowing that the prince was worried about the servant as well. Sticking his head out of the door, Endred quickly pulled it back inside, blinking in astonishment even as his hand flew to his belt, grasping the hilt of his sword in the same manner as Arthur. Watching them with wide eyes, Merlin couldn't help but swallow. There was clearly something big going on, something that he was part of, and yet the man standing next to the prince seemed to be warning him not to let anyone know that he could help. It wasn't just the man though; Merlin himself couldn't help but feel it would be a bad idea to let Arthur know he had magi;, it was the same feeling he got whenever he came close to being able to reveal something.

Arthur, however, was feeling his protective drive coming back in full swing. Merlin was more defenceless than ever, an easy target for anyone or anything and this time, the prince was not going to let anything happen. Slowly drawing his sword from its scabbard, Arthur crossed the room to stand beside Endred. Glancing at the man he had looked up to for so long, Arthur nodded as Endred caught his eye, and counting down under his breath, sprung out of the door as soon as he reached three.

Peering around him in confusion, Arthur didn't relax the hold he had on the sword as he examined the empty corridor. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but a deserted stretch of hallway was certainly not it. After waiting for a few moments to see if anything was going to reveal itself, the prince slowly began searching. Something had scared the maid, and Arthur had been caught unaware enough times on this trip to make him feel slightly ashamed. He hadn't been looking very long, however, before a small chattering could be heard.

Sheathing his sword even as he rolled his eyes, Arthur placed his hands on his hips, staring in the direction he could now hear the noise from.

"Come out, Pulchra, I know you are there." As soon as the words left his lips, Pulchra did indeed reveal himself, shooting out of an ornamental vase that was standing directly next to Arthur. Buzzing around the prince's head a few times, Arthur was surprised to see how relaxed and almost happy Pulchra was. Something had once again changed within the creature; the moment he had once again been genuine in his desire to find Merlin, it was as if a great weight had been lifted off him. Arthur couldn't explain it, but felt it was almost as if the creature wanted to help him, and yet at times was somehow prevented from doing so.

Striding back into the room, Arthur shook his head at Owain's questioning gaze.

"Pulchra," he stated simply, and the knight grinned. He should have known. The small thing had been quiet for too long, it was about time he had made his presence known again.

"Who?" Endred asked, curiosity infiltrating his tone. Normally, he would just assume it was another of Arthur's knights, perhaps one he had yet to meet. This time, though, he could tell by what was left unsaid that there was something about this Pulchra that was going to surprise him. Before he could ask, however, Merlin gave a sudden gasp.

Immediately, all three of the men spun around to face the servant, Arthur leaping forward in concern. Merlin was sitting even more upright than before, his eyes narrowed as they latched onto the buzzing creature just in front of Arthur that Endred had yet to notice. The prince took in how wide his eyes were and how pale he was looking, but before he could say anything to banish Pulchra for the time being, he caught sight of Merlin's hands. They were balled into tight fists, clenching the sheets so hard his knuckles were turning white. His eyes almost looked like they were burning as his gaze remained fixated on the creature, his breathing coming in shallow gasps.

"Evan?" Endred asked softly, trying to hide how alarmed he was at the look that the servant was sporting. It was unnerving how the weakened boy with no clue as to who he was could look so powerful at that moment in time. He may not know who the boy he had taken into his care was, but Endred knew he was a lot more than a servant.

"They've met before," Arthur muttered quietly, holding out his hand to stop Endred from moving forward. He was curious as to what was going on. There was indeed some form of recognition in Merlin's eyes, that couldn't be denied, but not just of Pulchra. It was almost as if he was beginning to remember something, only that it was just beyond his reach. Wondering whether it was the effect of having something magical in the room, Arthur opted for just watching, not wanting to interfere if Merlin was starting to come back to them.

Arthur was right, Merlin was indeed remembering something. More than that, he was feeling something. A rush of emotions so strong that they were threatening to overwhelm him was crashing over his consciousness, causing him to tighten his grip on the sheet in order to stop himself from looking away from the creature. He could feel familiarity, knew that he was feeling some sort of connection to the prince, a bond of destiny binding them together. The only way he could describe it was it seemed as if he was hypnotised, his gaze locked on the creature whilst allowing his mind to access these previously hidden feelings. It was as if it was a back door to his mind had opened, letting him in without the mist descending.

"Evan! Answer me, boy!" Quickly bought out of his musings as Endred's hands grasped him by the shoulders and gave him a shake, Merlin couldn't help but gasp in surprise. The man had never shown any side of him that resembled how he looked now, one hand once again straying towards his sword, fear written on his face. The second he released the servant, Arthur sprang forward, positioning himself in between the two of them.

"What was the meaning of that, Endred? Can't you see he was remembering something?"

"That creature is clearly magic, Sire. It cannot be good, despite any appearances! If Evan is having a connection to something magic, the thing is obviously working some spell on him."

"Pulchra is my guide. He may not be what you expect, but he has brought us this far. I only ask you trust my judgement before you do something brash." Unaware of how like his father he was sounding, Arthur stood calmly and impassively. He was back in the role of the prince, trying to hide how surprised he actually was that it had taken Endred this long to react to Pulchra. He only supposed it was because the old man's eyes weren't what they used to be: locating the creature could be a challenge when the person doing so was not used to it.

"Of course, Sire," Endred muttered, backing down and bowing to Arthur's authority. He was proud of the young man, that was for sure, and the fact that he was not disturbed in the face of magic, well... Endred wondered whether there was more to the prince than he had perhaps given the man credit for. He knew Pulchra was of magical origins – it could not be denied by anyone, even the confused Merlin – meaning he knew he had to act in an offensive manner or risk being accused of treason and allowing magic to happen in his household. This side of Arthur, however, was one that he had not seen before. It was a trusting, accepting side, and one that strengthened Endred's belief that he was one day going to be a great king. It wasn't just Endred though. Merlin was staring at the man like he had only just woken up, small fragments of memory floating their way through his mind.

He could remember their first meeting, snippets of their past together as he had saved the prince and in return, Arthur had accepted and returned his friendship. There was nothing more there than that, just a feeling blossoming within him, but it was the most he had felt since he had awoken a few days ago locked in a strange room.

"Merlin?" For the first time, Merlin sat up a little straighter at that name, nodding in acknowledgment as Arthur watched him closely, concern radiating out of his blue eyes. With a sudden rush, Merlin also felt the return of the need to be somewhere, something that had all but disappeared since Arthur's arrival. Swinging his legs over the bed, his movements did not go unnoticed, but before anyone could comment, an angry voice could be heard echoing down the corridor once more.

"I will not have things like that in the master's house. Leave immediately!" Nancy's angry tones could be heard quite clearly, but what worried all present in the room was the shrill scream that followed her words. Automatically, Arthur glanced up towards Pulchra, and seeing the creature still buzzing around, knew they were dealing with something different. Unsheathing his sword in a quick movement, Arthur was by the door before Merlin could so much as blink, Owain by his side.

"Master must not go!" The sudden voice made all the occupants of the room jump as Pulchra came whizzing down from the ceiling, hovering uncertainly in front of Arthur. The way he was rapidly dipping and rising in height made Arthur realise the creature was either worried or scared.

"What is it, Pulchra?" Trying to keep his voice calm, the prince watched his guide carefully. Whilst he could tell that the thing was worried, he knew this time it had nothing to do with any actions of his own. The creature almost appeared as if it was listening to, or at least, sensing something. "Pulchra, tell me, what is it? Who is here?"

Just as Pulchra was about to answer, the whole house appeared to tremble. The standing occupants of the room were thrown to the floor; Merlin back onto the bed.

"Magic!" Owain cried, his own sword involuntary shaking in his hand. Merlin scurried back on the bed as far as he could go, worry about what he was supposed to do coursing through him, whilst Endred gave a small but noticeable shudder. Arthur and his knight jumped to their feet, weapons at the ready as they once again headed towards the door.

"Master must not go!" Pulchra repeated frantically, resuming his position in front of Arthur in order to try and protect the prince.

"Pulchra," Arthur stated warningly, one eyebrow raised. He knew Pulchra understood what that tone of voice meant, and sure enough, the creature dipped in submission.

"It's Mistress." he muttered quietly, causing Arthur to shout aloud in frustration. Was Morgause never going to give up? Sparing a glance at Owain, he immediately noted how the man paled at that name. No wonder; he had suffered at her hands, seen what she was capable of. His train of thought making him consider Merlin, he turned back to the bed to see the boy standing up, just behind them, determination blazing in his eyes in a way that caused Arthur to frown in confusion.

"Merlin, I want you to hide. I'm not going to let her hurt you again, but she doesn't need to know you are here."

"No."

"I'm sorry? That was an order!"

"I'm not going to obey you when I don't know who you are. Who says that you are my prince?"

"You are a citizen of Camelot, meaning… oh." Unsure of how to finish his sentence without contradicting himself, Arthur instead opted for glaring, unable to believe Merlin had a point. Technically speaking, Arthur was not Merlin's prince. He was only a temporary citizen of Camelot, however much he might think of the physician's chambers as his home. He wasn't born in Camelot, not even in her kingdom, owed no allegiance to Arthur apart from what he had offered freely. Now that was gone though, Arthur knew he couldn't actually force Merlin to do what he said, not without lying to him about where he was from. And lying was something he was definitely not prepared to do to the boy, especially considering the confused state he was already in.

"I think she already knows I'm here, why else would she be here? And I am not going to run again. She, whoever she is, is my only way of finding out who I am."

"But, Merlin...!" Arthur cried, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. How was he supposed to tell the boy that he was more than helpless on an everyday basis, let alone when he was injured and had no idea how useless he was with a sword?

"I'm coming," Merlin responded obstinately, and to Arthur's surprise, Owain began to laugh. Turning towards him, Arthur opened his mouth, but his wasn't the only voice that spoke.

"What?" Both master and servant demanded, making him laugh even harder, much to their confusion.

"Things never change," was all the knight made to get out, forcing himself to draw a breath and gain control of his emotions. It was just how ordinary the situation was, Arthur and Merlin arguing over whether the servant should be allowed to accompany the prince on one of his missions or not. As the ground shook again, albeit not to the same extent, the smiles were wiped away. Nodding curtly at Owain, Arthur grimaced at the nod he received in response. He had been hoping not to have to put him through anything more regarding the sorceress. Fate, it seemed had other ideas.

"We head towards the kitchens, searching and sealing off the house as we go. Endred, Merlin, stay here." Seeing Merlin begin to open his mouth in protest, Arthur invented a reason quickly, knowing he had to persuade the stubborn boy he was helping whilst keeping him out of harm's way. "She may slip past us. I need someone on this side of the house in case she gets here."

Nodding his understanding, Endred's eyes flickered momentarily over to Merlin, a clear indication to the prince that the man knew what he was really doing. Catching Owain's eye, Arthur nodded again, a clear signal that it was time for them to move.

Wrenching open the door, the prince stepped cautiously into the corridor. Just before Owain could follow him out, the door slammed shut again, and no amount of force on either side could force it open again.

"Sire! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Owain, and I'm going to find her!" For a moment, there was silence, making Arthur frown in confusion. When Owain eventually spoke, however, his confident tone the knight normally possessed was missing. There could be no denying it, Owain sounded scared.

"No need, Arthur. She's here."