A Different Ending

Tampered Memories

Merlin rode back to Camelot in silence. He was so embarrassed and angry from the night before. Of course he and Arthur had gotten into a fight so soon after being reunited. The lovable jerk just has a way of making Merlin want to scream sometimes. Merlin was so disappointed in Arthur, threatening to kill an unarmed and bound man, he couldn't even look at him. What was even worse was that Arthur saw all of his scars. Merlin had felt so helpless when he was getting tortured by the bandits, the last thing he wanted was for Arthur to see. That was the real reason he couldn't look at Arthur, out of shame.

    "Merlin?"

    —-

    "Merlin, please look at me."

    —-

    "I just want to talk to you" pleaded Arthur. Arthur had slowed down to become side by side with Merlin and his horse.

"Arthur, please leave me alone I don't want to talk"

"Merlin I 'm sorry about the way I behaved. You are right, the threatening and unarmed man was wrong and out of character. I am sorry for making him tell me what he did and then making you show everybody, especially when you were clearly uncomfortable" when Merlin did not respond Arthur continued, "You know it breaks my heart to see you in pain... pain that I should have felt and not you. The anger they showed you was at me and my family not you"

"Arthur shut up! I am so thankful it was me who was tortured and not you, you would have died from blood loss. Anyways that's not why I'm upset"

Arthur sighed, "Then what is it?"

"Do you remember when you got bit by the questing beast?"

"Um yes, but I don't see what that has to do with anythi–"

"Do you have the memory of what I did to save you from the bite?"

"Yes of course I–wait actually I don't I only have my memory...why is that so? I can remember everything else you did"

Arthur looked up at Merlin confused. Merlin looked back on Arthur with a grave smile before continuing, "Arthur I was initially upset with you because of the violence but I am not anymore. I am ashamed that you had to see my scars...Arthur please let me get through this" said Merlin, still not looking at the prince, but sensing that he wanted to speak, "I will always come to you if I need help or protecting, but little things like bandits I can handle myself. I never want you to feel like you are a burden to me or are the cause of my pain. Ever"

"Merlinnn" said Arthur, rolling out the n sound as if he was rolling Merlin into a warm protective blanket. "I will never be able to articulate how much I appreciate everything you have done for me. But I am also sorry because I will always worry about you and your well-being, and I always wonder if I am causing you more harm than good. It's just who I am, and...well I...I love you, you dollophead"

"Hey that's my word! And I love you too, you prat"

Having gotten over his embarrassment Merlin smiled looking at Arthur, who beamed back before questioning, "Why did you ask about the questing beast?"

"Because ever since I woke up at the Lake, that one memory feels like it has been tampered with. Or at least someone tried to tamper with it, there's almost like a fog in my mind that tries to cover it. However, the fog is unsuccessful. I still remember everything and I wondered if it had affected you as well. Apparently it has, which concerns me. Whoever did this really did not want us to know something in that memory, but failed and only erased it from your mind." Merlin spoke mostly to himself, but Arthur still listened with concern.

"It was you who really saved me from the bite wasn't it?" Arthur asked sheepishly

    They had been talking so intensely for so long that Merlin only realized that they had made it back to Camelot when they walked through the gates. Merlin was so happy to be back at his home, and was so distracted by all the familiar smells and sounds that he only half-heartedly responded to Arthur, "Yup, went to the Isle of the Lost, ran into our old pal Nimeuh, traded my life for yours, didn't go as planned, but it worked out in the end" Merlin responded quickly as he jumped off his horse and walked up to a flower cart, appreciated being back at home. However, as soon as he picked up a flower to smell pain shot through his body and he collapsed to the floor.