Damn attack of the plot bunnies : P

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin

Few glad that's done

Hope you enjoy!...

To Forget

When Arthur woke up it was with a sword in his hand on the floor of some distantly familiar hallway. And- ok his head reaaally hurt. Cursing Gwaine quietly under his breath (Because with that knight around they all seemed to be getting drunk with increasing frequency) he sat up with a faint moan.

It seemed he hadn't been the only one to drop in the corridor and Arthur looked round at the shifting forms of every knight of the round table each groaning miserably. Finally Arthur's eyes caught on the offending character.

"Gwaine." He growled warningly, "What have you done?"

Every now and then after one of their celebration binges Arthur or the other knights would wake up with a distinct lack of memory (as Arthur had now) but Gwaine could always be relied upon to remember the exact details of their previous nights stint, experience he supposed. So it was a little troubling when Gwaine sat up rubbing his face in confusion.

"I… don't know."

"You what?" Elyan blinked at him as if having to confirm the man sitting next to him was in fact Gwaine.

"No I-… do you remember?" He asked, Elyan shook his head and turning to the other knights Arthur watched as they each shook their heads.

"I don't even remember going drinking last night." Leon rumbled propped up against the wall, and that was something distinctly disturbing because Leon was always the responsible one who made sure they all got back while causing the least amount of trouble. Arthur after such an occasion would be dumped back in his room by a grumbling (or giggling depending if Arthur allowed him to drink) Merlin. This was another abnormality as unless he was passed out drunk with them Merlin rarely failed in this, and Merlin wasn't in the hall way with them.

The last and maybe even more worrying point was that while not entirely decked out in armor each and every one of them had some form of weapon drawn.

"This isn't right." Murmured Lancelot slowly pushing himself to his feet.

The knights gathered together with Arthur in the lead and swept down the corridor. They didn't get far when they barged in to a group of servants talking nervously in the hallway.

"Sire!" A young serving girl piped, curtsying low as the others hastened to follow her example.

"What's happened?" Arthur asked in his most regal princely voice, if Merlin were there he would have rolled his eyes.

"We don't know sire, we just woke up out here we can't remember even how we got here." The girl's voice tapered off in a distressed squeak. Arthur heard the knights exchanging glances behind him but didn't look back.

"All rights we'll look in to it, carry on with your work."

There was another chorus of 'sires' and the servants bobbed away. Arthur turned back to his knights.

"You don't think everyone's forgotten do you?" Elyan asked watching the servants as they disappeared round a corner. The knights shrugged.

"We'll go to Gaius then find my father." Arthur said decisively setting off down the corridor.

As it turned out there was no need to look for the king as Uther was perched on the bench in the physicians quarters looking dreadfully confused while Gaius stood grounding herbs in to a paste. Both looked up as the group entered and Arthur noticed as Gaius carefully scanned each of their faces before frowning worriedly.

"Father?" Uther waved away his concern showing he was quite all right. Arthur turned to Gaius with a raised eye brow but the physician nodded his confirmation. Nothing was wrong with the king, on the surface anyway.

"Gaius we can't remember…"

"The last day I know." Gaius cut him off not turning from his work, "It seems everyone in the castle I have run in to so far are experiencing similar difficulties."

Well that confirmed it then, something was definitely wrong. Arthur massaged the aching muscles in his arms wincing slightly, they had certainly been up to something in the time they'd forgotten. Glances back at his knights found them to be experiencing similar difficulties.

"How do you know it was a day?" Gwaine asked sounding curios. Gaius glanced his way sparingly before turning his eyes back to his project.

"I had a rather time sensitive experiment, it has since failed and the level of material decomposition puts it at one day." Arthur wasn't sure he really wanted to ask what the experiment had been. Instead he looked up finding something else to occupy his mind.

"Where's Merlin?" He asked frowning at the absence of his wayward manservant. Gaius sighed.

"I was rather hoping he would be with you Sire." He said with an under tone if worry in his voice. Arthur's eyes darted fleetingly to the small door to Merlin's room and behind him Lancelot and Gwaine did the same. Unease shifted in Arthur's chest but he squashed it down for now, instead looking to Gaius.

"We will find him." He assured. But before he could leave and make good on his promise Uther stood stopping him.

"We have no time for that now Arthur." He said in his most kingly tone that brooked no argument, "We must gather the council and look in to this unnatural business." Arthur bit his tongue, (something he's found himself doing with more and more frequency over the last few years.).

"Yes father." He murmured as the king swept from the room he followed throwing Gaius and apologetic look. The knights followed with the exception of Gwaine who Arthur knew was going to ignore the meeting all together in favor of finding Merlin (something he was rather glad about despite the blatant miss use of regulations)

-M—

Hours later Arthur skulked through the corridors feeling more exhausted then he had in years. He was also beyond stressed. The council meeting had gone on all day and despite Gwaine's efforts Merlin was still missing. Arthur had discreetly had some servants sent out on the lookout for him (not that he was worried of course not, he just needed someone to deliver his breakfast in the morning, obviously)

They were no nearer to understanding what had happed the day before or what had caused everyone to lose their memories of the events but all suspicions pointed to sorcerery. Uther refused to accept any other explanation.

So dragging his feet back to his room tired, frustrated and (yer ok) worried he hadn't been quite prepared for what he found. The doors to his room were locked, which for a start gave him pause but he took out his set of keys and opened them all the same.

They swung open to a veritable disaster zone of chaos and not the usual 'Merlin accidently on purpose forgot to clean my room again' sort of chaos. No this was the 'someone's set a tornado off in my room' kind of chos that not even Merlin had managed to quite perfect in the past. His table and chairs had been upturned, the door had been ripped off his wardrobe and splintered wood lay scattered on the floor amongst other debris.

The second thing that caught his eye sent a chill through his veins.

Blood. There was blood on the stone floor. No sooner had Arthur been able to process this then a pitiful choking noise broke through the silence of the room. Arthur stepped forward eyes wide just as he caught sight of the limp form lying just below the window in a huddled mess, long limbs splayed out and skin even more sickly pale then was normal. Arthur stared at the familiar mop of hair in horror.

"Merlin!"

Damn it what is it with me and beating up Merlin!

Spose it's the angst, and the fact that partly Arthur suffers along too :D

Readers of Best Laid Plans I WILL finish that story first and the next chapter is on the way : P

Annnnyway

Review if you think I should continue am just finishing up other Merlin fic if you think this should also be a priority…

Well say so :P

Good-readin