This is the first introduction of the 'ghost from Merlin's past'. I totally didn't intend this to be any sort of cliffhanger, but I guess it kind of is?
I'm sorry if this idea seems totally and ridiculously random and out of place. But it's sort of based of another Merlin fic that I've long since scrapped. I'll explain more next chapter.

All characters except my Lady Arian/Analise are owned by BBC, or whoever created Merlin.
As always, I want to hear your feedback! I can only know what's wrong and right if you help! :)

"I hope you don't mind my arriving on such short notice, sire," the lady said, bowing slightly before the king after addressing him.

"I sensed yours was a matter of urgency."

"Indeed sire. A few nights previous, a group of bandits led by a man identified as Cenred attacked our kingdom. Our knights gave a very valiant effort in the fight against them, but they penetrated the castle in time. Few people made it out alive; noble or otherwise."

The king listened to her recount her story with a rather shallow interest, and Merlin couldn't help but notice something behind her voice, something behind her words. There wasn't an entire truth to them, and, for the life of him, Merlin couldn't understand why.

Turning to his mentor, his guardian, Gaius, Merlin asked, "Who is that?"

"Lady Arian, of Astolat."

A smile crept onto the corners of Merlin's mouth; she had fooled everyone; everyone but him, and for her sake, that was best.

"Why are you smiling?"

"No reason."

On his throne, Uther continued to talk. "And what of your father?"

"Unfortunately, he was not one of the lucky ones. I believe the death of my father was what Cenred as truly after; the other attacks, they were just to hide the true motive."

"You seem to know quite a bit about the intentions of this attack."

"Forgive me, sire, if you think my words belie some ulterior motive. I'm simply trying to get into the mind of our attacker."

Uther got to his feet, and sitting to his left, his ward, Morgana, stood up as well. Merlin could've sworn there was a brief moment of acknowledgment between the two ladies.

"Well, Lady Arian, you are more than welcome to stay in the castle as our guest."

Arian bowed to the king. "That is very kind. Thank you."

"And consider my manservant, Merlin, at your disposal," Arthur added.

He stepped forward to stand beside Arthur, this time more than willing serve another.

"I'll be sure to call upon him if I need anything," Arian said.

"Merlin, why don't you show the Lady Arian to her room?" Arthur suggested helpfully.

"Of course, sire."

~O~

"It's probably not what you're used to, but..."

"Merlin. You don't have to do that."

A warm feeling crept over every part of his body and he smiled widely at her. Just the fact that she remembered him, after he never stopped thinking of her, made him truly happy. She still remembered the moments they shared and what they had been through together.

"I figured, like everyone else, you wouldn't know who I am," she said, sounding rather upset.

"Your eyes," Merlin said simply, walking toward her.

"What?"

"Your eyes," he repeating, putting the back of his hand on her cheek. "No matter how the rest of you changes, your eyes will always remain the same. I won't forget them."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug, one he more than willingly returned, pulling her lower body to his.

"I missed you, Analise."

"And I missed you."

Puling away from her, Merlin gave her a smirk. "How did everything go in Ealdor? I hope my mother treated you well," he said, joking slightly.

She didn't respond, only looked blankly back at him, and Merlin saw a sort of darkness cloud her eyes, swimming before them and dulling their brightness.

"What's wrong?"

No response.

"Analise?"

A knock on the door jolted both of them from their respective thoughts, and Morgana's maid, Guinevere, pushed the chamber's oak doors open, holding a bundle of sheets to her chest.

"Prince Arthur asked me to bring these up, for Lady Arian," she said.

Analise headed over and gently took the sheets from Gwen, and laid them on her bed. "Thank you, Guinevere," she said, smiling as sweetly as she could at the serving girl.

Gwen looked much taken aback, and eventually broke a smile, bowed and left.

But the darkness hadn't left her once bright eyes, and Merlin couldn't help but worry.

"You should probably get back to Arthur, Merlin," she said.

The coldness of her voice cut through him. Just moments ago, she had greeted him with the same warmth of voice and tone of affection that he had become accustomed to expecting from her.

"You're probably right."

He left her chambers, and after closing the doors behind him, he leaned his back against the wood.

Something wasn't right, and he felt it very much up to him to figure out exactly what wasn't right.