Leon was not sure whether he knew what was happening around him. Merlin seemed to be ill, at least when he was seen. Their royal guests were behaving strangely, especially if Merlin's mother was nearby. In addition, the woman seemed to have changed strikingly. Gwaine, it seemed, no longer knew where he should go and he was unusually quiet. Percival, well, he was Percival. Leon doubted that the knight was in love; he was surprised to see Percival in the garden smelling the roses. Tristan roamed around the castle like he had always lived there; he seemed to be providing things to Gaius. And trying to avoid Queen Annis. Leon had also noticed how Tristan kept disappeared around a corner only to come running back. After a while, Annis inquired whether Leon happened to see him. Sir Heylan seemed to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Cooperation with the Druids went smoothly, but Morgana had apparently shown her face at last. Why now? They expected because there were more druids or something. Leon found that as long as Heylan performed his duties, he was not going to interfere.

Citizens seemed to be accepting the new law with anticipation, and at least they had still avoided an open protests against the druids. Leon considered that perhaps the tournament was a good time to make a declaration on the matter, as most of the people were still focused on the competitions, and on the prize. Leon sighed. He had noticed a few good candidates, and discussed the matter with the King. While walking towards the stables, he recalled the previous day's last match. Gwaine and Tristan. It was worth seeing. Both very skilful with their swords, Gwaine had eventually lost. He didn't mind, but had been the first to congratulate Tristan. Neither of them, however, had remained to celebrate.

Leon frowned. Something was going on. He looked up worriedly when he hear the thunder. It was starting to rain so Leon hurried inside.

The stables were unusually quiet because the majority of horses were positioned closer the new tournament field, but Leon had insisted that his stallion should be at castle's stables.

When he entered, he didn't see anyone. While walking over to his horse, he overtook Arthur's stallion; the one that whinnied demanding. Leon stopped to scratch it.

"Don't worry. It's just a little rain."

At the same time he heard much louder thunder and the rain hardened.

"Doesn't sound like a little rain, do you think?" someone asked quietly, and Leon started and looked into the stall.

Arthur was sitting on the floor.

"My Lord?" Leon asked when he recognized the man.

Arthur lifted his head to look at him.

"Sire, is everything alright? I though you should be in…"

"No. Everything isn't alright Leon." Arthur rose and walked out of the stall. He looked confused.

"Then what's wrong?" Leon followed Arthur when he walked forward, watching the horses.

"Everything. Nothing. My father." Arthur stopped. "He lied to me. He lied to me about my mother's death."

Leon froze.

"Then Merlin lied to me that I wouldn't kill my own father. And now Merlin is… I'm just tired."

Arthur sighed heavily. Leon though fast and hard. Something fell in the place in his mind and he remembered that day years ago.

"You mean when Morgause…"

"Right then. And only Gaius and Merlin knew the truth." Arthur's voice was hollow.

They stared into the rain, watching how the people outside ran for shelter.

"Then how do you know now?" Leon asked.

"I saw it in a dream. A nightmare. It was the night when my father's rage hurt this country and its people for the first time. It was all so vivid, so real. And there was a witch, Nimueh." Arthur frowned.

"What about this Nimueh?"

"Gaius said ..." Arthur laughed. "Gaius said that Merlin killed Nimueh years ago."

"How?"

"I don't know. Gaius refused to say any more. He said that Merlin would have to tell me himself. But Merlin, Merlin ... is ... " Arthur voice broke.

"Arthur?" Leon stepped closer.

"Merlin has forgotten us," Arthur whispered.

"What?"

"He was poisoned. He survived, but ... he does not remember anything. "Arthur looked far beyond Leon. He looked like a lost child. "Not me, not Guinevere, not Gaius, not even his own mother."

They stood silent. Rain drummed on the stone paving. Leon moved nervously; the case troubled him. In the end he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"If Nimueh was a witch, how Merlin was able to kill her? I mean, I know that Merlin is able to kill, but why? And how?"

Arthur didn't look him. "I wonder. There are also a few other thing that I have begun to doubt," he mumbled.

Someone ran through the rain again, this time towards them. It was Gwaine.

"We lost him!" he roared.

Arthur started. "What?"

Gwaine stopped, out of breath, and shook his head. "We lost Merlin. We can't find him."

#

Dark clouds covered the sky.

He was just hoping to get out. He had only hoped, and in a moment he stood in the middle of the forest, in the pouring rain, alone.

He walked forward, becoming wetter and wetter. He didn't dare to think about whether he had ever been in more trouble. Perhaps he had, but now he doesn't even remembered the place where he should have to go? From where did he come from?

When he slipped and hurt his knee he didn't make a sound. He just sat there listening to the thunder and how the rain lashed the trees.

Then he heard another sound.

Someone was walking closer to him. He couldn't move.

The woman was beautiful. She was dressed entirely in black, her black hair was wet and glued onto her pale, emaciated face. She was barely older than him, but in her eyes was something which made her old. Old and lonely.

He looked at this woman and she looked back. The woman was staring at him as if frozen, like she had seen a ghost.

He tried to smile kindly.

"Hey, I think I'm lost. Do you think you could help me? "