I can bring tears to your eyes; resurrect the dead, make you smile, and reverse time. I form in an instant but I last a life time. What am I?

Memories

"Merlin."

"Merlin!"

"Huh?!", Merlin exclaimed having broken from his reveries at Arthur's exclamation. He looked to Arthur only to see him giving a patronizing smile.

"Have you spent the night in the tavern again Merlin? I don't pay you so you can waist your coins away on mead."

"No, prat. You pay me so i can do everything your to lazy to do yourself", Merlin said moving to start doing said things.

As he was collecting Arthur's laundry he heard the aforementioned prat mock, " you can't speak to me like that".

"Just keeping you on your toes. Wouldn't want your cabbage head getting too soft now would we?", as he was leaving the laundry room.

"Oh and Merlin don't forget about the visiting nobles. They'll be here within a few days and I expect you on time for once to greet them".

For his part Merlin wasn't really listening to most of what Arthur said. He had heard that some lord and lady from the house of Flame were coming but got lost in his own thoughts.

It was mostly of atavistic themes. Every time someone new comes around things go wrong. There will probably be an attack on Arthur's life. Who will save the king then? Not the knights or the guard just Merlin. The worst part is everyone will continue treating him like a dim-witted servant after. Then somehow he started to think of another visiter that left him worse off than when she came. That was back in Ealdor and even she was a lady of Camelot before she ran away. That served only to worsen his mood.

-o0o-

It was three days later when the nobles finally arrived. Much to his dismay. The Lord marched in with more pomp and circumstance than Merlin thought was necessary. The Lady is what surprised Merlin. It was Clarissa. He tried not to think about her for so long that it didn't even cross his mind. He started to remember her full title.

The Lady Clarissa Flame. The older Lord must be her father. Lord Keegan Flame if he recalls correctly. He couldn't help but think that if he had been able to make the connection earlier he might have had enough sense to ask for a sick day. Whether Arthur would actually agree is the real question.

She strutted into the throne room with a bounce in her step that could only be born of unwavering confidence. She had a lazy smirk on her plump lips. Her dark green eyes seemed to have gotten darker with age but he could still recognize them. He could recognize the thin, angular face and smooth, curly brown hair. He could recognize those lips even without recognizing the smirk that possessed them.

She strode up to where Arthur and Gwen were stood in front of the thrones. Merlin was to the left slightly behind Arthur. Luckily nobody seemed to notice him. He couldn't help but observe her while he could.

Her curls bounced atop the alabaster skin of her breast leading eyes to where her neckline made a scooping shape. Merlin's eyes jumped downward, ashamed. That's when he spotted the hemline that showed off her shapely curves. Over all she looks more ravishing than she has any right to be after she broke his heart. Her blue dress led into a puddle around her feet as she was stopped by Arthur's hug. Somewhere from the indistinct nebulous of his mind he remembered Arthur mentioning they were good friends in childhood.

Gwen stood beside Arthur looking tense at Arthur's show of affection with the resplendent beauty. That was about the time Merlin started to berate himself. He shouldn't be thinking about her like that. She left him after he spilled his most important secret.

That's when it hit him.

She still knows his secret. She could tell anyone she wants. If she does that his head will be on the chopping block. Literally. It's sad to think that someone he used to trust, to love, was now someone he thought was not only capable but likely to do it. He heard Lord Keegan let out a gruff," Your Highness". Finally, her mellifluous voice was heard over the buzzing in his head,"I apologize for not visiting for a while, Your Highness. I was ... busy", she said the last part with strong aversion while turning her head to her father.

Merlin recalled Lady Clarissa telling him that she ran away because of her father. She never specified what happened between them and he was never brave enough to ask.

"It's alright your here now. This is my wife Guinevere", Gwen gave a small smile,"there is so much to talk about but you should probably get settled first. My manservant, Merlin will show you to your chambers. If you require anything you may ask him", Arthur looked over to see Merlin's panicked face.

Merlin didn't feel ready to face her at all. He could still feel the myriad of feelings that he felt just after she left. Now she was looking at him along with her father. When he finally looked into her eyes all he could see was her bored expression. Did she not remember him? Somehow instead of feeling like it was a blessing, he felt more than a bit livid. He still has trouble not thinking of her, of dealing with his fear and heart break, and that made him feel more that a bit bitter.

"Merlin you idiot. Don't just stand there with you mouth open. Lead them to their chambers", Arthur ordered loudly. Merlin snapped his mouth shut and murmured an apology towards the nobles at the reprimand.

"Right this way my Lord... My Lady", with a truculent tone.

He walked through the halls past the busy servants who sent him smiles and nods. He happened to notice that Lord Keegan has similar soft looking curls to Clarissa. The only difference was that his was closer to dirty blonde. Other than that he had brown eyes and a strong jaw. He also wore gaudy clothes that showed off his wealth. The nobles followed along until he dropped off Lord Keegan at his chambers. He continued on in the hallway and only when they entered a hall that was completely abandoned.

"So...", she whispered near his ear seductively making him jump," what's a guy like you doing in a place like this?"

"What do you mean", he questioned innocently hoping she didn't mean what he thought.

She have a sanguine smirk, "Oh. I mean your magic of course", she mentioned angelically.

He snapped his head towards her with wide eyes and then continued to swing his head around to see if anyone over heard.

"Your not the only one who can play innocent," she said in a nonchalant manor not loosing the easy smirk," Relax, Merlin. Nobodies around".

That was the same moment they reached her assigned chambers. He stopped by the door and opened his mouth to speak but was cut off. "Goodbye", she uttered sweetly as she opened the door.

"Wait!", I yelled louder than intended. I took another look around and added," are you going to to tell... You know?"

"Don't worry Merlin I have no plans of telling at the moment. What could I possibly get out of that".

"What could you get from keeping it a secret", he couldn't help but wonder.

She just smirked and closed the door.