Twisted Memories(A Merlin Fanfic)

"Everything will work itself out in the end."

Arthur POV

I pace up and down my chambers, despair and panic clutching at me. Merlin can't have gone insane. We've gone through everything together. I've faced immortal spirits, ruddy goblins, bandits, undead armies, and evil sorcerers. But this...this is the worst. He hates me. Merlin. Hates. Me. He hates me so much that he wants to kill me. And by the looks of it, he's also desperately terrified of me.

What did Morgana do to him?! I yell, kicking my foot against my bed post, sending a jab of pain up my body. I ignore it however and sink into my bed, tears streaking my cheeks. I will kill her. I will have my revenge.

A knock sounds at the door and I quickly wipe my eyes, erasing any clues that I had been crying.

"Come in." Except that. My voice sounds hoarse and rough. "Gaius." I try for a smile as the old physician enters by the most I can manage is a weak twitch.

"Arthur." He nods his head to me gravely, sitting himself into a chair facing me.

"How's Merlin?"

"Sleeping. There's something I need to tell you though Arthur. About him."

"Yes?" I ask impatiently. I need to know if he'll be alright. I'll still kill her either way though.

"After...after your little accident, I put Merlin to sleep, so I could come up with a diagnosis."

"And?"

"And...he hasn't gone insane." I swallow hard. I'm afraid of the answer.

"I fear, what's been done to him is worse than insanity."

"What could be worse than insanity?" I question incredulously. At the same time, I'm really terrified.

"There is a spell, sire, a most terrible one, that can twist the way a person sees and thinks. The way it was used on Merlin is much worse. Morgana has used the spell to twist his memories. By the looks of it, she only twisted the memories which included you. He said you had tried to kill him exactly 527 times meaning Morgana has manipulated the memories until they portrayed a sense of you being his would be assassin."

"So your saying...Merlin actually believes I want to kill him?"

"I'm afraid so sire." Gaius lowers his head in shame and allows a single tear to fall from his face.

"And...for everyone else. She didn't..."

"No sire. Only memories of you."

"Is there a cure?"

"The only cure...the only cure is by using magic."

"Then we'll use it!" I shoot up angrily. "I don't care if it's forbidden or not. Merlin is my best friend. I can't lose him."

"Sire, you don't understand the certain extent of the spell cast on him. It would take a power greater than Morgana's to reverse the affects."

"Then find someone! I can't lose him! I can't!"

"As you wish." Gaius nods his head respectfully to me, and attempts to leave but I stop him. "Wait Gaius. I didn't mean to lose my temper. He's the...he's the only person I have left. I'm lost without him. If you ever tell him I said that I'll have you in the stocks understand? But that's not the point. I'll go find someone Gaius, by myself if you will."

"Of course sire. But I already have someone in mind, if you don't mind me announcing it. His name is Alastor, he'll be glad to help."

"I'll set off for him now-"

"No. Not yet. Give me two days with Merlin. That's all I ask. It's likely Morgana will use this spell on others, we need to be prepared incase someone like Alastor isn't around to reverse the affects."