This would have been longer, but I liked where it ended, so...

Anyway, thanks a bunch to everyone who reviewed, alerted, and/or favorited last chapter. I'm sorry this storyline keeps dragging, but there will be a Merlin, Arthur confrontation in the next chapter. I will attempt to avoid writing a fight (not sure how IC that'll be), but I make no promises.

So, thanks for reading, I still don't own anyone, and leave me a comment if you can.

See ya!

More memories started coming back to Merlin over the next few days, but, frustratingly enough, nothing remotely helpful. A conversation between him and Percival about Gwaine before leaving Odin's castle; brushing the horses while Arthur said a last minute good-bye to Odin's son; making stew for lunch halfway through the journey to Odin's territory. It was a bit like reading a really boring book, and Merlin never really realized just how tedious his life was when magic wasn't involved.

The only upside, or Merlin was going to pretend it was an upside, was Gaius giving him permission to go back to work as long as the younger man agreed to do light duties. He still wasn't looking forward to seeing Arthur, in fact he was downright dreading it, and it still bothered him he couldn't remember why.

He entered Arthur and Gwen's quarters early his first morning back, Arthur and Gwen already gone, a hastily written list left on the table. Relief flooded Merlin, something he was not okay with, and he crossed the room. He picked up the note, scanning what needed to be done, snorting when it turned out to be menial tasks a six-year-old could do; either Arthur was taking Gaius' 'light duty' rule to heart (something he did from time-to-time) or he was still feeling guilty for whatever the hell he did.

"Why are you so guilty?" Merlin whispered figuring it was probably a little of both; a part of him really pleased he was feeling guilty.

Merlin turned to collect Arthur's laundry, the hardest of the jobs on his list, but froze when he heard Arthur's voice snarl, "Stay out of this." To Merlin's surprise, that one sentence triggered another flash.

"Do you have a problem, Sir Lucian?"

"No sire, nothing at all."

"Then perhaps you can explain to me what you were muttering to Sir Victor. It must have been riveting if you were willing to forgo your duty to have a conversation."

"It won't happen again, sire."

"I should hope not."

"It's just funny, sire."

"Funny? May I ask what is so funny?"

"It's just funny…"

"Lucian no."

"…how every other sorcerer, witch, warlock, and anything remotely not natural gets slaughtered in front of everyone, but this servant works for King Arthur so he gets away with no punishment. I just find it funny, and it makes me wonder just what Uther would think if he could see the mercy you showed the traitorous bastard."

"Do you dare question my decisions, Sir Lucian?"

"I am merely suggesting that you have a soft spot for the cretin. Or, perhaps he's using magic to manipulate you."

"That's a lie!"

"Merlin, stay out of this. And you, if you ever question any of my decisions again I shall send you to the stocks for a fortnight. And that goes for all of you!"

Merlin lowered himself into a nearby chair, replaying the scene in his head. It didn't exactly tell him what Arthur did, but it was a hell of a lot more useful than everything else he had been remembering lately. He tried to wrack his brain, conjure another memory, any other memory, but his mind stubbornly kept replaying the same scene over and over, and Merlin sighed in frustration.

The door flew open and Merlin looked up, eyes settling on a frozen Arthur. They stared at each other for nearly a full minute before Gwaine broke the silence. "Merlin, there you are…" he trailed off, eyebrows furrowing with worry. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Merlin responded pushing himself to his feet. He waved the list in the air, deliberately avoiding Arthur's gaze, and said, "I have to get these chores done."

"Do you want help?" Gwaine questioned ignoring the look Arthur shot him.

"No, I'm fine," Merlin repeated and walked past the two, very much aware of the two continuing to bicker the moment they thought he was out of earshot, and the warlock slowed down enough to listen.

"Obviously something happened," Gwaine hissed and Arthur scoffed. "Did you and Merlin have a row? Is that why you're acting like someone melted your sword down? Do you think he's not going to forgive you? Because you obviously don't know Merlin if…"

"Just leave me be, Gwaine," Arthur stated softly, almost tiredly. "Whatever forgiveness Merlin has for me is undeserved." That made Merlin stop completely, and he nearly turned around, nearly ran back to Arthur's chambers and demanded to know what happened, but his plans were put on hold when a new servant approached him to ask if he was willing to help clean the chandelier in the banquet hall, and he found himself following the servant back down the stairs.

However, he did make a mental note to confront Arthur later.

Merlin

The chandelier took longer than Merlin anticipated, a family of spiders making their home in one of the candle-holders. Add that to the list of things he had to complete, and Merlin didn't have a free moment until sometime after lunch. The entire time, Merlin had rehearsed what he was going to say to Arthur in his head. It was his attempt at avoiding unnecessary babbling (or the need to yell because that urge was becoming more and more apparent the less helpful his flashes became).

By the time he was standing outside of Arthur's chambers, he had nothing remotely coherent planned; mostly it was him loudly stringing nonsense sentences together in hopes that an actual question existed somewhere in his rambling.

He raised his fist to knock, hoping the words came to him once he was facing Arthur, only to drop his hand when he heard Arthur shout, "Can we please talking about this late?!" The flash hit hard and fast, leaving Merlin with only enough time to grab the nearest candelabra.

"Arthur, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Fine. What is it?"

"Sir Lucian was talking about me, Arthur, and I know you were just doing what was right, but you can't just tell me to stay out of it."

"Merlin, can we please talk about this later?"

"Are you sure? It's just, the last few times I tried to talk to you about my magic you told me no."

"Merlin, later."

"You don't think Lucian was right, do you?"

"You know what I think, Merlin. I think that I asked if we could talk about this later."

"It's a simple question."

"Merlin…"

"Arthur, I just…"

"Yes, all right!

"Merlin, I…"

"Then why did you even keep me alive."