"Goddess!" Merlin cried out, desperation and anger mingling in his tone, as he stood up from where he had been crouched beside the now dead king.

"You called Emrys?" three voices spoke in unison.

"Arthur is dead!"There is only anger in Merlin's voice now. "Albion had a chance but now its king is dead." Power radiated off the warlock. A howl of pure grief escaped him and a wave of magic hit the Triple Goddess. She gasped as she realised what Magic was unintentionally doing. She tried desperately to stop him but Emrys was too strong now.

Arthur's eyes snapped open in some confusion. He hadn't expected Avalon to look like his bedchamber in Camelot. A knock at the door prevented Camelot's king from thinking too much about it.

"Come in," he called then stared in shock at the person who came in. It took Arthur a moment to work out who it was. The boy had been manservant to Arthur before Merlin. He had been one of the victim's of the plague that had happened about a month after Merlin arrived.

"Good morning Sire. Your father wishes you to have breakfast with him this morning."

Arthur frowned. His father was dead. But then again, so was Arthur. Perhaps Death was just like life but with all the people who were Dead there. Maybe he'd finally get to meet his mother.

This train of thought occupied Arthur whilst he dressed and walked to the dining chamber; his former manservant at his heels. When he arrived the guards opened the door to reveal Uther and Morgana sat conversing together. Now Arthur was completely discombobulated. What on Earth was Morgana doing there?

Uther looked up.

"Ah, Arthur, come and sit down. I was just telling Morgana that I intend to invite Lady Helen of Mora to Camelot to sing at the festival to celebrate 20 years of the purge."

Arthur felt as though he'd missed a step going down the stairs. He remembered the 20 year festival. A sorceress whose son had just been executed had impersonated Lady Helen to try and kill Arthur. Merlin had saved Arthur's life and been rewarded by being made Arthur's manservant. Neither man had been happy about it at the time, but they had eventually become good friends.

Suddenly, something clicked in Arthur's mind and he realised something very important. This wasn't the afterlife. It was the past. Somehow or other, and Arthur would be willing to bet Merlin had something to do with it, instead of dying, Arthur had been sent back in time to the day he'd first met Merlin. He really hoped Merlin had come back too. It could be really awkward if he hadn't. Plus Arthur didn't really want to have to go through that fight in the market square again. That had been embarrassing. And now that he thought about it, Arthur felt sure Merlin had been cheating in that fight by using magic.

Arthur returned to his chambers after the meal on the pretence of doing paperwork; really he just wanted to think in peace. He was going over all his adventures and trying to work out when exactly Merlin had used magic, or things hadn't been quite as they seemed.

Morris brought luncheon to him in his chambers. The other reason Arthur was staying inside was to avoid the execution of the sorcerer that was taking place that morning. He was glad his father hadn't insisted on his attending.

After he'd eaten, Arthur decided he needed to stretch his legs so he set off down to the training grounds. When he got down there, he heard a group of young nobles jeering at a servant. They were making the servant run about holding a target as they threw knives at it. A rush of guilt hit the prince as he remembered that it had been him doing this last time round.

Just then, the servant dropped the target and it went spinning off, eventually dropping to the ground where it was stopped by a familiar booted foot. This time though it was Arthur who spoke up.

"That's enough. What did you think you were doing? Do you realise how dangerous that was? Get out of here and never let me catch you doing that again!" The group of nobles left, grumbling under their breath, and Arthur recalled vaguely that they had been sucking up to him to try and get into knighthood around that time. He definitely wouldn't be making any of those idiots knights.

Arthur walked over to where Merlin was now checking on the other servant.

"Are you alright? They didn't injure you did they?" Arthur questioned the servant who didn't respond.

"I think he's in shock sir," Merlin said. "I'll take him to Gaius." Either Merlin hadn't come back in time so genuinely didn't know who Arthur was or he didn't know Arthur had also come back so was pretending not to know.

"I'll come with you," Arthur suggested. The two young men got the servants arms over their shoulders and between them escorted him to the physician's chambers. Gaius raised an eyebrow when he saw the unlikely group.

Merlin, it transpired, still had chores to do for Gaius so Arthur offered to show him around the castle. Gaius lost his eyebrow in his hair.

"You know, I don't think you told me your name," began Merlin as they walked along the corridor.

"Call me Arthur," replied the owner of that name.

"Arthur. Arthur Pendragon?"

"Got a problem with my name?"

"No. I just thought you'd be more of a prat."

"There's an idiot you can thank for that," replied Arthur with a smile.

"You're from the future too aren't you?" Merlin questioned.

"You're still an idiot Merlin," replied Arthur.

"Well that does make this easier. I don't actually have an errand for Gaius."

"What are we doing then?"

"Saving Lady Helen of Mora."

"We should get going then." Merlin grinned and Arthur found himself grinning back. The two men made their way down to the stables where Arthur ordered two horses be saddled. Once the horses were ready, the warlock and the future king mounted and set off towards the woods.

"How are we going to find them?" Arthur asked Merlin.

"I can look for them using magic," replied Merlin.

"That's handy," commented Arthur. Merlin didn't reply; he was too busy looking with magic.

"This way," he said suddenly, kicking his horse into moving. Arthur raced after him. A sudden stop took Arthur by surprise.

"We should walk from here so they don't hear us coming," Merlin told Arthur. The two young men tied their horses to a tree and walked together through the trees. They came upon an old woman watching a camp guarded by knights. By silent agreement they crept up either side of the old woman.

"We know you're upset," began Merlin.

2But that's no reason to go around killing innocent people," finished Arthur.

"An eye for an eye is wrong and we're not going to let you do this," Merlin told her.

"I have nothing left for me but my revenge," the woman replied.

"That's not true," retorted Arthur.

"We're going to take you to the druids," Merlin informed the woman. "They'll help you." The warlock knew they were close to a druid encampment. The two young men took the woman by an arm each and led her to the druid camp. The druids were very confused when Emrys and the Once and Future King walked into their camp, escorting an angry and upset sorceress but they agreed to look after the woman.

Merlin and Arthur walked back to their horses and rode home to Camelot. They were sat talking in Arthur's chambers when a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," called Arthur.

"Arthur, may I speak with you," said Morgana as she looked around the door.

"I'm not alone," Arthur responded, indicating Merlin.

Morgana looked at Merlin then came into the room. Suddenly she was sobbing on Arthur's shoulder, and she held one of Merlin's hands in hers.

"I'm so sorry."