Arthur's POV in Merlin's memory

I'm running and I hear children chasing after me, chanting something I can't quite hear. I can't control my own legs to stop and turn to face them. I start paying attention to my surroundings as I'm running away from the other children and I realize that I'm in Merlin's memory like the druid had said, but why is Merlin running away from children and why are they chasing him?

I can feel Merlin's feelings...He feels sad and hurt, but why? He was able to so stubbornly stand up to me when we first met. I look down, still not moving on my own, and I see cuts and bruises on what are definitely young Merlin's legs. He is barefoot in this memory and his feet are muddy from running.

"FREAK!" I can finally hear one of the children. It sounded to be a young boy, but I'm still running and I'm getting breathless. What reason would another child have of calling Merlin a freak?

Finally I or rather...Merlin stops and turns to them. It was three boys and all of them looked rather smug. "I'm not a freak!" I shout. I know this is Merlin's memory but the druid woman was right...I'm feeling and saying everything as him.

"Yes you are! You know, my father says that you don't have a father, which makes you a bastard child." The boy smiled at me and the others laughed.

"I never knew my father so what? He loved my mother enough to have me!"

"Yeah, but not enough to stay." They are all laughing at me, but I just start running again and I finally make it to what I recognize to be Merlin's home.

"Merlin! What happened to you!? You're hurt?"

"I'm sorry, mother." I say as I watch her grab some medicine, a wash cloth and a medium sized bucket. "I couldn't help it. They...hurt my feelings."

"Merlin, you are only seven years old...and I fear that even though they are older they wouldn't be able to understand. You didn't hurt them too badly did you?"

Wait, Merlin hurt another child? "No, Mother. It was just the five of them as usual but..." five of them? As usual? "I knocked out two of them and that's when the others started chasing me. All I wanted to do was go into the forest and..."

"Yes, I know, but like I said...other children and...I'm quite sure some adults...wouldn't be able to understand...and I've told you to be careful about that."

"I can't help it, you know that...I just thought that this way...I wouldn't bother anyone and I ended up doing that anyway." I start to cry and I can feel my arms wiping the tears away. "Why am I so different, mother?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure it is for a far greater reason than I could ever hope to understand." I nod my head and I notice the scene dissappear in front of me.

Arthur's POV in the tent

I wake up in the tent and I look at Merlin who is looking back at me strangely.

"Arthur...what exactly did you see?"

"I saw...I was...You were..." By this time I realize why Merlin had asked...I was crying. "I was you...and you were getting chased by children and being called a freak...and something about you being different."

"That is just one memory of his sadness. Would you like to see another?"

"Yes." I admit unwillingly, because of the damn spell.

Arthur's POV in Merlin's memory

Before I had realized it, I had fallen asleep again and this time I was gathering water from a well. "Merlin what's the matter?" I hear from behind me.

"Oh, hey Tria." I turn around with a bucket full of water, and there is a curious girl waiting for an answer. "My mother isn't feeling well and it's hard to take care of her when the others are trying to beat me up with sticks and pitch forks." I feel tears go down my face once more. "I know you're friends with them so please...just stop pretending to be nice to me. I'm better off with it being just my mother and I. I don't need people who only pretend to be my friend in order to just upset me more, and like I said...My mother isn't feeling well so please..."

"Whatever you say freak." I watch the girl walk away with a crude smile. I myself feel shocked at how someone can look innocent one minute and horrible the next, but all Merlin feels is sadness and pain. He had known her for a while now and apparently realized she was friends with his bullies. Why would these people be so cruel to him just because he didn't have a father?

I walk inside the house and I hear a deep cough coming from another room. "Mother, I'm back. The bath I'm making for you will be ready soon."

"Thank you...Merlin..." I hear her say in between coughs and for some reason...along with Merlin's sadness he feels guilt.

"I'm so sorry mother...I shouldn't have run away the other day."

"No, it's okay...You hadn't realized you had done anything until one of the adults discovered you in the forest. If I were you, I would've run to a cave too."

"But now you're sick because of me...and no one is willing to help us...because I'm a freak!"

I hear a quick movement and suddenly my shoulders are being grabbed, and I'm turned around facing Merlin's mother. "Don't you ever think that! You are more special than any of the other children. Any other thirteen year old boy would've seriously hurt their bullies and fought back, but not you. You choose to not harm them if you can help it! You are such a kind boy, Merlin... And so special!"

"So...am I coward then?" I ask as I look to the ground.

"No...sometimes doing nothing is both the bravest and hardest thing to do. Don't ever forget that, Merlin."

"Being betrayed hurts..." I look up and see her sympathetic face. "It hurts so much, Mother!" I wrap my arms around her and she feels so frail. "I'm sorry I ran away, and I'm sorry that you came looking for me in the rain, but it...hurts so much! Why can't I be normal!?"

"Because, my sweet boy, you aren't meant to be. You're this way for a reason. We both have to remember that."

Arthur'sPOV in the tent

I wake up once more in the tent and I sit up to look at Merlin. He had been called a freak for not having a father and for some other reason I wasn't seeing, but as I'm looking at him now...he seems so small like the child from before yet so grown from the hardship he's faced. He took care of his mother when no one else would help. It really was practically just the two of them. "Um...Merlin...the girl named Tria..." As soon as I mentioned her he flinched slightly. "Never mind. I understand. I'm sorry." He nods at me and then looks at the druid woman.

"My turn next then?"

"Correct."

"Alright." He says and then I watch as she pours water over him and he falls back onto his pillows.