"Arthur." It was barely more than a whisper, yet it was enough to wake the prince from his peaceful sleep. He frowned when he saw that no one was there. He shook his head. It must have been his imagination, he decided. He closed his eyes again. "Arthur." He opened his eyes again and looked around. Except for himself, there was no one there."Arthur."

"Who's there?" He felt stupid taking to thin air, but the voice calling his name unnerved him. "If there's anyone there, show yourself!"

"Arthur."

"Show yourself!"

"Arthur."

"Show yourself or go away and leave me alone!"

"Arthur. Arthur. Arthur. Arthur. Arthur!" Each time it said his name, the voice got louder and louder to where the last time it was pretty much a scream. Arthur dove under his covers and covered his ears with his hands. He was shaking violently as an unexplainable fear gripped him.

He took several deep breaths willing himself to calm down. The voice had come from nowhere, yet Arthur heard it as clearly as he could now hear his own heart racing. Was he going mad?

"You look terrible." That was the first thing out of Merlin's mouth the next morning and he said it without thinking. His eyes widened as soon as he realized what he had said. Arthur glared at him, but his heart didn't seem to be an it. He was still shaken up from the event of the night before. Merlin frowned, something was wrong.

But it wasn't until he noticed Arthur eating his breakfast in silence, which was extremely unusual, that Merlin realized it was serious. He cleared his throat and Arthur looked at him questioningly. "Is...is something the matter, sire?" Arthur sighed.

"It will sound crazy. You'd just laugh at me."

"I won't. I promise." Arthur go see the concern in Merlin's eyes. Merlin knew that something had shaken Arthur up and he wanted to be able to help.

Arthur took a deep breath, then he told Merlin about what had happened the night before with the voice. Merlin listened in silence and when Arthur was done, he furrowed his brow, thinking hard.

"I'm going crazy, aren't I?" asked Arthur.

Merlin shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Then what other explanation is there?"

"I don't know." Merlin admitted. He was silent for a few seconds. "The voice...can you describe it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well...could you tell if it belonged to a man or a woman?"

"A woman. It was definitely the voice of a woman."

"Have you ever heard it before?"

Arthur frowned. "It sounded vaguely familiar, now that I think about it, but I honestly can't remember where I've heard it before." Merlin thought about this, but nothing seemed to make sense. He was sure Arthur wasn't making it up and he was even more certain that Arthur was not going crazy.

"Merlin." Merlin looked up wondering if Arthur had more to add. "Do not tell anyone else about this." Merlin nodded.

"Of course not, sire."

The next morning, Arthur woke refreshed. The voice had not come again to haunt him as he had feared, but instead he had slept in peace. He was beginning to believe he had merely dreamed the whole thing. The door burst open and Merlin looked deathly white. Arthur felt a chill running down his spine just looking at him. "Merlin? What's wrong?"

"The voice...I heard it last night. It was calling my name...just like it called yours." Merlin was shaking and Arthur knew instantly that he was telling the truth.

Arthur just stared at him, unsure what to say or do. "This is bad." he said finally and Merlin nodded his head in complete agreement.

"Very." Merlin added. "Very, very bad. What do we do?"

"I...I don't know." said Arthur. "The voice...did you recognize it as well?"

Merlin nodded. "Yes, I did, but like you I have no idea where from." Arthur and Merlin spent the rest of the day discussing the voice and where it could have come from, but nothing made sense. The more they talked, the more they realized the would have to act.

That night, two figures huddled in Arthur's room, hidden behind the side of the bed furthest away from the door. "What makes you think it will come back here?" Merlin whispered. "It might go haunt someone else."

"True," Arthur whispered back, "but I don't think it will. I can't explain it, Merlin, but I have a feeling that it will try to talk to me again."

"Arthur." It was the voice. Arthur was right, it was back to talk to him. Merlin nudged him.

"Hello." said Arthur, hoping he didn't sound as frightened as he felt. He would never admit it, but the voice absolutely terrified him. One glance at Merlin, and Arthur knew he felt the same. Merlin was shaking from head to toe. Arthur realized he would have to be brave for both their sakes.

"Hello, Arthur. Where are you? I can't see you."

Arthur looked at Merlin who was shaking his head frantically. He took a deep breath and stood up. "I'm here. What do you want with me?" A form shimmered in the air, then it was gone, but for a brief second Arthur had gotten a good look at it he and felt as if someone had just torn his heart out. He waited for the voice to reappear, but it was gone.

Merlin nearly jumped when he felt someone touch his arm, but relaxed when he saw that it was just Arthur. "What happened?" he whispered. "You look like you just saw a ghost."

"I did." Arthur said simply. Merlin blinked in surprise.

"What?"

Arthur looked at him, his blue eyes brimming over with tears. "Merlin, for a second, just a brief second, I...I saw my mother."

"But how?" asked Merlin. "She's...Arthur, I hate to remind you, but she's dead."

"I know, Merlin, but she was dead the last time we saw her too."

"But that was because Morgause 'summoned' her. We only saw her because of magic." Merlin and Arthur exchanged glances and an unspoken thought past between them. Had she been summoned by magic again? And is so, who had summoned her?

"No one did." Both young men nearly jumped out of their skins when the voice sounded close to their ears. They turned to see the shimmering form of Ygraine standing nearby. She eyes were filled with infinite sadness.

"How...how did you get here?" asked Arthur, his voice choked by the tears that were following unhindered down his face.

"Every once in a couple of decades, a spirit of the dead is allowed to visit their loved ones three nights in a row."

"But why did you come to see me?" asked Merlin. He was certainly not one of Ygraine's loved ones. "Why didn't you go see Uther instead?"

Ygraine sighed. "I would have, but his mind has become rather fragile of late. If I were to appear before him, he would have been scared out of his wits."

"But why me?" Merlin repeated.

Ygraine smiled kindly at him. "Because Merlin you are just as important as Uther and Arthur. Without them, they would be alive today. They need you, Merlin. They may not realize it yet, and I doubt Uther ever will, but in time Arthur will understand."

"What are you talking about?" asked Arthur. "Mother?"

Ygraine smiled sadly at her son. "I must go, Arthur."

"No!" said Arthur, trying to reach out and touch her, but his hand just passed through her. "Stay!"

Ygraine shook her head. "I cannot. I would vanish whether or not I wished to. Arthur, trust Merlin. He means well and whatever he says done, whatever he has told you or not told you, it has been to protect you. Remember that. I love." Then she was gone.

"I love you too." Arthur whispered, then this head fell to his chest and he cried. Merlin tentatively put his arms around his shoulders.

"What...what did she mean?" asked Arthur, between sobs. Merlin sighed.

"I...I cannot say...not yet anyway. It...it isn't the time, Arthur. You're...not ready yet, but when you are, I'll tell you I promise."

Arthur nodded and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. He knew he would just have to trust Merlin. Even if his mother hadn't told him to, he would. Cause Merlin was Merlin, the most loyal person he had ever known.
-

Author's Note: Merry Christmas, Everyone!