Greetingsss, preciousssss. *gollum gollum*. We have been waiting for you, oh yessss. Now read, before we snapses your nasty little neckses, *gollum gollum*. My...Preciousssss...

Ok, sorry about that. Hey guys, guess what! Guess what, guys! I had a haircut! It is now just below shoulder length with layers and it's cuuuurrrrrrllllyyyyyy (naturally, but my hair was so frigging bushy you couldn't tell!) So I is happy.

anyhooooooo, this is the longest chapter so far with 1132 words! OOOOOH! SPARKLES!

So read it please. And can i remind u reviewing is pipsqueak. You do a smiley face if u like and a polite smiley face if u dont like, and then you simply hit Review.

Oh, and one last thing. Yesterday I went on a bike ride with my friend, and what did I wear? A RED NECKERCHIEF, BLUE TOP AND BROWN SHORTS. Coz i dont have brown trousers :D And not forgetting the belt. :D

Arthur tapped his fingers on the uneven wood of his desk. Merlin hadn't been seen all day.

He had wanted to apologize for his behaviour yesterday…he had messed up. He had ruined everything. Merlin was his friend – although he constantly denied it. Maybe…maybe he had to tell him.

He watched anxiously as the sallow moon examined the world. He watched it as it appeared out of the hazy clouds and shine its hoary radiance onto Arthur's kingdom.

He had been requesting for his manservant all day. The replies were always the same: "The last I saw of him, he had been with you, Sire."

That was yesterday. This morning, Gaius had informed him uneasily that Merlin had sprung out of his bed at the break of dawn, and wherever he had run was yet to be discovered. The sovereign had presumed the young man had gone to the tavern, to drown the alcohol and disregard the happenings of yesterday, but after Arthur had received no lunch, he had gone to see for himself what Merlin was up to.

When he had arrived at The Rising Sun, and asked where he was, the bartender had looked at him as though he was a ghost, and said that Merlin had never set foot in his tavern in his life on his own – either he had gone to supervise Gwaine, or he had not bought a drink and spoken to people.

Arthur was mystified.

So…Merlin had never actually gone to the tavern? Merlin had never actually drunk anything there?

Merlin wasn't there?

The last feared him most. His manservant was missing.

And so the noble had begun asking around, to no triumph. Nobody had seen him. Not even Guinevere, who was slowly adapting to her life as a Queen. She had been one of the most anxious. Merlin was scarcely missing. In fact, Arthur now realised with a jolt, every time he had gone to the 'tavern', he had returned with a limp, or a wince, or some kind of injury or change of personality. Where did he go?

Accordingly Arthur had sat in his chambers, waiting for some kind of indication. None had come all through the hours of daylight.

Save for now.

Percival was barging through the castle like a bull. He cared for the skinny, pleasant fool. Sometimes, he didn't show it. He wasn't the type to talk very much.

Now, he drove the door open with premeditated vigour. Arthur looked up with hopeful blue eyes.

"Well?"

"I think…Arthur, we need to go NOW," Percival wheezed. Arthur stood immediately, and a shadow of dread misted his eyes. He grabbed Excalibur, sheathed it, and sprinted to the stables.

The two men mounted, Percival leading, and they galloped through the foliage in the forest. Percival was leading Arthur through a path that was vaguely familiar…

The lake.

"Why would he be here?" the fair-haired king wondered aloud. There was no response.

As they got near the edge, he realised Merlin wasn't there…or, he couldn't see him in the dark.

But he was there.

"ARTHUR!" Percival yelled, after five minutes of searching. Arthur ran over.

"No…" he whispered distraughtly.

There, in the water, was a red neckerchief – inches away from a knife.

"NO!"

Arthur kicked off his boots without a second thought. He ripped off his jacket and waded fretfully around in the water.

"I can't see him, I can't see him! Percival…you need to get help…please, please, please…Gaius, Elyan, Gwaine, Leon…HELP!"

He sounded terrified, frenzied…and Percival had already mounted.

Arthur was alone in the dark, the moon and stars leering at his attempts…the water was waist high…neck high…

A glimpse of a hand was all he needed. He took a deep breath, and succumbed to the icy depths.

He couldn't see clearly…his eyes stung with the pressure if the water… but he saw a glimpse of dark hair. He kicked down, reaching, bubbles arousing from his mouth and nose…

He grasped with the strength of an army Merlin's hand, his wrists. He hoisted him upward, and grabbed his limp form under the armpits. He kicked heroically, not giving in to how his lungs longed for air…

Finally, he felt himself emerge with a great gasp from the depths of the lake. Merlin was unconscious. Arthur cupped his hand under Merlin's chin, and swam on his side until he could support the boy out of the water…

More hands grasped Merlin, easing him of Arthur, who had a blanket wrapped around him. But the royal shrugged it off, and knelt by Merlin's unmoving form.

He heard himself muttering. "He's not breathing…he's not breathing…" He placed a hand on Merlin's chest, and let out a dry sob.

Elyan and Leon soothed him. "He's going to be ok…"

"It's all my fault," Arthur whispered. "All of it's my fault…"

Gaius made to move him out of the way, but Arthur, nearly defiantly, had already begun to press hard down on his heart.

"Come on, Merlin…" he pleaded. As if in reply, Merlin coughed. He choked. He shivered, and he spluttered a whole lot of water onto the ground.

"YES!" Arthur cried. "Come on, Merlin…come on!"

"And he says he doesn't care," muttered Gwaine to Percival. They sniggered.

Merlin took a great gulp of air, and snapped open his eyes. He sat up immediately. "M'rg'na…M-Morg'na…"

Arthur was puzzled. "What?"

Gaius intervened. "He's sick Sire, he needs food, warmth and rest…"

"No!" Merlin cried. "No, Morgana…she – she was here…in the water…she cursed me…I'm cursed…"

Arthur laughed nervously. "Don't be stupid Merlin…she couldn't have been here…"

"She was! You think I'd willingly drown myself?! She was here! Look!" He rolled up his sleeve. Everybody gasped. The sign was black and was obvious.

"That is the sign of Laige Amhras Eagla Bás!" Gaius announced. "It places doubt into the victim's mind, all dark thoughts brought to the surface, homicidal towards the end."

There was silence. Gaius continued softly. "Merlin…Morgana wants you dead."

Merlin's eyes widened, and then darkened.

"It must be the reason for you being not yourself lately."

"I know. I knew it. I thought that…somewhere…after…urgh." Merlin groaned, and ironed his head with his hand. Arthur placed the blanket around his shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Arthur whispered in his ear. The words were for Merlin only. And it worked.

His face lit up, the beam back. Gaius looked, bemused, at the two.

"We need to keep a closer eye on you Merlin," Gwaine said shakily. Everybody nodded in agreement, and when Merlin coughed and shivered again, he was placed on Arthur's horse, and they cantered back to Camelot.

Isabel, Grace and Jemima grinned from behind the trees. Luring Percival had been the best idea. Even if it had been Grace's.

Maybe they had delayed it.

But they had not stopped it.

There you go! PLEASE REVIEW!

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