AU: Hi again this is the 12th chapter of The Forgetting Curse. Hope you like it.

I am sorry this Chapter is a bit shorter that the others, I just have a full of things to do day.J

Let me know in a review what do you think of the story!

Love from me! ^^

'My destiny is to keep you alive.' - Merlin said.

'What?' - Arthur raised his eyebrows. - 'You tell me that you saved my life?'

'I don't, but Gaius does.' - Merlin said and bit his lower lip. 'How stupid, was I to tell him something prove!" Merlin thought

'What do you want to say 'Gaius'?'

'When I lost my memory, he asked me what I remember. I told him what I told you.' - He fell silent for a second. - 'I didn't tell you I still have my magic. But however, then he asked me if I remember anything about my destiny, and when I answered negatively, he told me that what it was. I wondered why I have forgot only these two things, and then I got it. This would be the two must important things in my life, before. That is all I know, Sire.' - He said and looked apologisingly to Arthur.

'Tell me again, what was your "destiny" - he said and raised his eyebrows.

'From what he said, it was to use my magic to protect you and keep your life safe. But I don't know why... ' - Merlin said and looked at his feet.

'Have Gaius told you anything to confirm that?' - The Prince asked.

'I asked him the same, and he told me some stories...'

'Like what?'

'Well the way I remember it, is probably the way you do to...' - said he and looked down.

'Which one of all.'

'Well it was one of the last things I remember from working with you. A few months ago, on one of your hunting trips, there was something like a gigantic snake, that unfortunately bit you.'

'Yeah, I think I remember that time. But Gauis was the one to cure me.' - the Prince said and tried to cross his arms, but couldn't because of the pain in his chest.

'That's what I thought too, but as long as everything I remember is not exactly how it was, I believed him. And besides, he doesn't have a reason to lie to me.' – Merlin said and sat on the edge of the bed. – 'He told me that, to cure you, I went to the island of the Blessed where I fought a sorcerer, who practiced magic, from the Old Region. As it seems I won and I took the cure the Palace, to your chambers and it helped to get all fine. That is what Gaius told me in a few word.'

'Is that all?'

'No, he told me about tell more such stories. They all sound unbelievable to me, and perhaps to you.' – Merlin said as he was playing with his fingers.

'Tell me more.' – Arthur asked and touched Merlin's hand. – 'They told me that beast that bit me back then, its poison was deadly. And… and that was a miracle that I lived. If that was because of you, I… I will be forever thankful for what you did.'

'I don't know. I am still not sure. What else do you want to hear about?' – The boy asked and gave the Prince a small smile.

'I've always wondered something, a year ago, in the knight's tournament when I fought Valiant. How did the snakes came out of his shield just like that?'

'Gaius told me about this too. He said that somehow I managed to make them come alive and this way to expose the way he was cheating.'

They continued talking for about an hour more and them Merlin had to the Prince everything he knew. And now as there were no secrets between him, they both felt more released.

'That's all I know.' – Merlin said and stood up. – 'It is getting really late; I will leave you to rest now, Sire.'

'I still can't believe it. All you did make sense and in the same time – doesn't.' – Arthur said and looked at the boy giving him a soft smile. He took Merlin's hand and pulled him. – 'Come here.'

'What?' – He said as he fell on the blond as soon as that the Prince captured his lips.

'Thank you, for saving my life so many times.' – He said and kissed him again. This time their lips held together for longer. Merlin returned the kiss and slightly parted his lips. He felt Arthur lick his lower lip and a shiver ran down his spine. He bit his tongue and the Prince gave a soft moan.

Merlin pulled away and before Arthur could say or do anything, he left the room.

….

On the next morning Gaius woke Merlin up early.

'Come on. Even if the Prince needs sleep, you don't he said and pulled the blanket from the boy – 'Today we start preparing the potion. In two weeks you will have all your memories back.'

'Yeah. How are we going to start? – He asked and ran a hand though his hair.

'From cleaning the table.' – The healer returned and pointed the table full of thing. – 'Come on.'

'Alright.' – As he was putting the things in their places, Merlin saw his Magic book. It was going to miss him. The Magic, the ability to make thing move, to just lie in bed as Arthur's armour was cleaning it by itself.

'Are you ready?' – Gaius said. – 'I am going to prepare the ingredients.' – Now he was muttering to himself. – 'I need… hmm basil, yarrow, water from the ancient cave Curare, the Dragon Flake and the blood from the Prince, but as though it is required at the end of the potion, when I am going to get it.'

Merlin was sitting in one armchair when he heard footsteps.

'Good morning!' – Arthur said and walked into the room, when he saw the table, ready for the potion, he frowned and asked: - 'You have started without me?'

'I am just preparing the ingredients!' – Gaius answered. – 'How do you feel, Sire?'

'My chest hurts a bit and I am a little thirsty too.'

Merlin stood up and went to the water jug. After filling a glass he gave it the Prince and said:

'Here you are, Sire.' – With a soft smile.

'Thank you.' – Arthur said, but didn't mean the water only. He meant all the things Merlin had done to save his life, because now Arthur believed that he was telling the truth.

'For nothing.' – The boy said with another smile.

'Merlin, come here. I need you to get more fresh water and to go and get me some basil from the bazaar.'

'I shall go with him.' – The Prince said – 'I want to take a walk and seeing how things are going outside will make me feel a bit better.' – After he got the thought that he was badly injured he asked Gaius. – 'I may, right?'

'It depends on how you feel. If you feel good and you may. So?' – The healer said and raised his eyebrows.

'I feel ready to go out.'

'Very well than, but don't overwork yourself. It will be bad for your health.' – Gaius said and nodded.

…..

After about fifteen minutes Merlin and Arthur was ready to go out. The weather was sunny, not a single cloud on the sky.

'See, even the weather knows I feel better.' – Arthur said to his manservant as they walked on the square.

'Yes. I have never seen so clear sky.' – Merlin said. A minute later, the Prince tried to take Merlin's hand in his, but the boy pulled himself away.

'Sire, please behave yourself.' – Merlin said and laughed a bit.

'Why should I?'

'People are going to stare, when they see their future King holding his manservant's hand.'

'And why should I care. I don't. I have nothing to hide…' – He said and smirked. – 'Except of you are embarrassed to hold my hand.'

'No.' – The boy fast answered. – 'Nothing like that, but…'

'You are afraid what people might think.' – Arthur said before he was able to continue.

'Yes.' – He said. – 'I just know what happens to couples like us.'

'What do you mean, like us?' – Arthur asked and frowned as they were walking

'No, not us particular, in one of the villages that I've been though before I came here, in Camelot, I saw what people did to one couple like us.' – He said and bit his lip.

'And what was that?'

'They burned them. Like they were in possession of some evil demon.' – Merlin said. – 'It was horrible. I heard them scream even from a mile away.'

Arthur stopped right in front of him.

'I will not let anyone, ever, touch you!' – He said looking into Merlin's eyes. – 'Do you understand that?'

'Yes, but let me ask you this. Do you think your father will protect us, if the people of Camelot try to hurt us.' – This time Arthur fell silent for longer.

'I cannot promise that. You know what my father thinks of me.'

'No…' –Merlin said and pressed his lips. – 'Should I?'

'I think I've told you, but never mind. About a year ago, I told him I was gay and he got furious.'

'Oh….' – The boy was unable to say anything.

'He told me, that if he had other son, he would have me killed without a second thought. And it is just luck that I still am alive.'

'Sire. I didn't know that.' – Merlin said and put his hand on the Prince's shoulder. – 'I am sorry.'

They continued walking in silence. Merlin went to the shop he had to get the basil. When he got out, they were ready to go home. Arthur felt stupid. Merlin was taking care of everything and wouldn't let him help. He knew that the water pail was too heavy, but he wouldn't even let him take care of the basil. After all he wasn't that ill.

…..

They walked into the Healers. All the room was filled with smoke.

'What happened here?' – Merlin asked, while he was waving with his free hand, trying too see where Gaius was.

'Nothing.' – He heard his voice from about the middle of the room. – 'The combination of Dragon's flake and water from the ancient cave Curare always gets a bit smoky results.'

'You call this a bit smoky?' – Arthur asked and rose one of his eyebrows.

'Yes. You have no idea what happens in other occasions.'

'I won't ask.' – The Prince said as he walked inside.

Opening the windows Merlin asked:

'Will all that smoke ever come out?'

'Don't get ridiculous, of course it will!' –Gaius said. – 'Pass me the ladle, please?'

'Where is it?' – The boy asked and looked around. – 'I cannot see it.'

'It's on the small table to your left, I think I saw it there the last time.'

'Yeah. I saw it.'

He gave it to Gaius and at the moment when the ladle and the mixture touched a huge explosion was heard.

'What the bleeding hell?' – The three men said and looked around, just to see each other on the floor.

'Merlin! What was the ladle that you gave me?' – Gaius asked, and from his tone one easily could tell that he was angry.

….

Hope you liked it! ^^