In this chapter, Merlin was raised by a kind lady in Ealdor, not by his mother. He hadn't met anybody else in his family except for his father who recognized him almost immediately. The rest is generally the same, except none of the Arthurs bane has really happened yet. It's another story about Merlin being a Prince. (Not my idea.)

It had been a boring morning, watching Arthur train. Until a group of knights from another kingdom came along, and had asked for a meeting with the king. As Arthur hurried to the throne room for their guests, he told Merlin to be at his side the whole meeting.

When the king was seated, and Merlin at his side, the guards opened the door. In walked five men dressed in chain mill. They bowed before the king, and then they stood again.

"What business have you in Camelot?" Arthur demanded authoritively.

"We wish only to find our lost Prince, my younger brother. We are from a kingdom called Trudom. My name is Hayden. Unfortunately it has been so long that my brother would have forgotten me, our family, and our kingdom. If you would allow us to search your kingdom for him, we'd become a great ally." This Hayden looked familiar for Merlin, but he was unsure of where.

Hayden had raven hair that was untamed. Green sparkling eyes filled with hope were looking up at Arthur. He had prominent high cheek bones. Muscle covered his thin frame, which to Arthur showed hard work, and he assumed that Hayden would be speedy in a fight. While Merlin just thought that he would use it to gloat to girls.

Arthur thought this over for a few seconds. "I will help you to find your Prince. You will stay in our castle tonight in the guest chambers. Merlin my servant will lead you there, and we will search tomorrow." Arthur explained what we would do. Although the knights seemed shocked momentarily when they heard about the guest chambers, well it seemed they were more surprised at the name Merlin, but it couldn't be. The knights soon regained their composure as Merlin led them to their rooms.

"So Merlin, where did you grow up?" Hayden asked curiously.

"In Ealdor," Merlin replied. "If you find anything to your disliking let us know."

Leading them into the guest rooms, Merlin was too curious not to ask, "Have we met before?"

Hayden turned back to Merlin, "I believe we have, but we'll see tomorrow."

That was when Merlin left. Although he wanted to ask more, Arthur had threatened to put him in the stocks for a whole day if he were to mistreat the guests at any point.

So Merlin was left to wonder all night.

Awakening was easier then usual, due to Merlin's burning desire to find where he met Hayden. Soon Merlin was in Arthur's room with his Breakfast. "Rise and shine! We have a busy day ahead trying to find the Prince of Trudom."

Knowing that Merlin would drag him out of Bed if he didn't do it himself, he slowly, and painfully planted his two feet on the cold floor.

'Gasp' "Sire! You got out of bed yourself! Such an accomplishment!"Merlin sarcasticly screamed.

"Shut up Merlin and help me get dressed." Came the sleepy reply.

After Breakfast, Arthur and Merlin headed to the place they had planned to meet the knights. They were already there long with a few servants and a few of his own knights. When Arthur and Merlin entered they started immediately.

"How did the Prince do missing?" Was Arthur's first question. If he was going to help, he needed facts.

"The kingdom was taken over when he was at the age of eight summers. He was hit hard on the head and he didnt remember anything except facts that he already knew along with most of his skills. We believe we have the remedy to make him remember." Hayden explained. "I know for a fact that he will be easy to find."

"How can you be so sure that you can find him?" Arthur asked.

"Because he is among us this very moment." This shocked everyone except for the five knights from Trudom. Servants, knights, Arthur and Merlin started looking around. "We wish to speak to your Servant Merlin privately."

"What could you possibly want with Merlin?" Arthur was truly shocked. Why would they want to speak to Merlin?

"I believe I already told you, now may I?" Hayden asked again.

"It is his choice," Arthur decided. Although Arthur was extremely worried for Merlin. What did they want from him? Would they try to hurt him? Could Merlin help in the search?

Now Merlin and the knights were in a private place.

"Merlin, was the woman taking care of you called Mary?"

"Ye-yes, how did, how did you know?"

"Mary was assigned to watch over the Prince of Trudom if our kingdom were ever in danger. I can return your memories of it if you wish, but it take would magic."

Merlin was astounded that he had magic, but he nodded anyway. From the short amount of time he'd been with these knights, he felt like he could trust them.

"Prepare yourself, it may hurt slightly at first, but it will fade as the memories come back to you." Hayden had one of the men do a spell.

At first it felt like a wall he didn't even know he had in his brain had broken, and a waterfall of memories came through.

Memories:
Merlin had a royal symbol tattooed on his left rib when he was six. Getting this tattoo was proving to the everyone that he was willing to endure pain for his people, and proved he was royalty. Although he never acted like it. Anytime someone called him sire, your highness, or any name along those lines, Merlin would giggle for a bit, and would tell them to call him by his name.

The queen had not always been royalty, for at some point she had been a peasant, but she managed to prove that she and her entire family were extremely noble by saving the king at that time. Her husband had become a knight, while her only son had only been three months old. It was a sad day when her husband had died. But Hunith knew she had to move on. Hunith fell back in love with a man called Balinor. At the time she hadn't realized that he was the Prince. It had been quite a scandal at first, but the king allowed them to marry, and she became a princess, and gave birth to a heir. Merlin.

On his tenth Birthday, he had been having fun with his half brother Hayden. Training to become better at fighting. At ten Merlin could already fight a full grown man, and do fairly well, he simply lacked the strength to win.

Merlin remembered the day everything changed. A trusted ally had turned on his father after he became king. War had come unwelcomed into the kingdom, and now it was takeing everything Merlin had ever known away from him. The catapults throwing flame like dragons would. Men losing their lives for a bit of territory. Merlin hated every second of it, as he was forced to run from the only place he had ever known and watch people he had known die.

The only things he had left of his old home was his trusted friend Mary, and his brother who soon returned to fight for their kingdom. It had given him Nightmares for a year afterwards, and Mary had a simple solution. She could help him forget almost everything. After a long time of thinking about it, and escalating Nightmares Merlin finally decided he was going to do it. And he did. That's why he didn't remember anything from the first ten  years of life.

He still didn't remember much from the first five years, but that was due to multiple concussions he'd had.

Merlin was a Prince. He was the heir to the throne. Now Merlin remembered Hayden, and realized that even though he had temporarily forgotten him, he had still missed him over the years.

Looking up, from the chair he was in, and saw Hayden looking down worriedly at him. Merlin attempted to stand, but he nearly fell. Kyle one of his best friends caught him, and helped him stand. As he looked around he saw all his old friends, not just a random group of knights.

Fin had filled out more, and he no longer looked like a girl, he had also cut his dirty blonde locks which definitely helped make him look more masculine.

Cameron now had a small ginger beard, his brown eyes still looked too big for his face. Although he seemed a lot sadder than the goofy friend he had once known him to be.

Clumsy David had more grace then he used to. He now towered over Merlin by at least three inches. His greasy blonde bun still there, except larger then before.

And Kyle. Kyle basically looked the same, except a little taller. He still had the same muscle, and had blue eyes to compliment his Blonde hair. Probably still a heartbreaker. Merlin thought to himself.

"Thank you Kyle. Or are you sir Kyle now?" Merlin asked

"Sir Kyle," he smiled. Kyle was ecstatic that Merlin remembered him.

"I'm still calling you Kylee though." This caused a chuckle to come from all five knights.

When Merlin could fully stand, he hugged each one of them except Hayden.

"I've missed you guys!"

Knock knock knock.

"Are you alright Merlin?" Arthur demanded from the other side of the door.

"Never better!" Merlin replied even though he wobbled with each step.

Arthur's voice was laced with fear for his servant. "Will you come back soon?"

"Yes, just give us a little longer." Sir David called.

Merlin then moved toward his brother, "I know the last time we met we fought, but I wish to apologize,  and if you agree, move forward. Hopefully we-," Merlin was about to start ranting about how sorry he was and how he wanted to stay acquaintances, but before he could go any longer his step brother wrapped him in his tight embrace.

"I forgave you a long time ago. I was only hoping you would forgive me, I was unreasonable too." Hayden whispered. Then Hayden giggled as he used to, "Although we should head back to your new king before he barges In here and tries to save you."

The group headed back towards the room they had met Arthur in.

As they entered everyone turned to Merlin to see if he was alright. They seemed surprised at how Merlin was now composing himself.

Merlin stood tall, while he walked with grace and agility. Not his usual shuffle. His usual smile goofy demeanour was still there, but by how he walked, he could've been mistaken as nobility in disguise of a peasant due to loose clothes.

"We found the Prince and we have returned his memories." Kylee stated.

Arthur looked shocked again. "Who is it?"

"Merlin."

There were multiple gasps around the room.

Merlin was still not a fan of attention in front of large crowds. The stocks hadn't helped him with that. "Arthur, May I use the spare armour and weapons in the armoury to train? I now remember how to fight, and believe I'll be a little rusty since the last time I truly fought was when I was ten."

Arthur was deathly pale, but he nodded. As Merlin and the knights left, he was trying to grasp what he had just learned... Merlin... Scrawny, clumsy, annoying Merlin... Was a Prince.

Down in the Armoury, Merlin changed into some tighter clothing he had, honestly Merlin had a lot of Muscle on his small frame just as his half brother did. Only he wore looser clothing to avoid larger jobs from Arthur, while his older brother showed off his muscles.

Around the Armoury was a lot of armour (obviously), but he had a lot of trouble finding Armour his size. After he finally found some his size, he noticed Gwaine, Arthur, and a few other knights come in. Readying himself was finished rather quickly, but Merlin noticed Arthur struggling. Unfortunately, he knew if he tried to help Arthur would tell him he's a Prince, so he shouldn't be helping, and blah, blah, reputation, blah, bad, blah, blah, blah. So instead Merlin went straight to the training field and started practicing. Just like riding a horse. Once you know how, you never forget.

Most of the knights were watching Merlin with stupified looks, but Gwaine was grinning. He had told Merlin that he would be great at sword fighting if he learned, but Merlin had shrugged it off saying 'that's never going to happen'.

Gwaine stepped up, he wasn't just going to sit around, he wanted to see how Merlin fought."So Merlin, instead of just swinging the sword around at a dummy, would you like a challenge?"

Merlin nodded and motioned him over.

"Ready? Set? Go!" Merlin shouted.

The two started to circle each other. Each looking for weaknesses. Although Merlin already knew all of Gwaine's weaknesses from watching him fight Arthur in the past.

Gwaine like usual made the first attempt at a blow, which Merlin easily dodged, and hit Gwaine's backside with the hilt if his sword. This angered Gwaine, but made Hayden start cheering for his half brother. He's still got it! Hayden thought

Once again Gwaine attacked first. Merlin easily countered it, and aimed to get a hit on Gwaine, but he countered that.

This continued for a while. Multiple times they countered an attempted hit  and went for their own blow. Then people began to realize that Merlin was toying with Gwaine. Gwaine was out of breath while Merlin was getting faster. Soon Gwaine's sword was on the ground, and a frustrated, huffing Gwaine left for water. Merlin was back at the dummy practiceing nonstop.

"He's worse then Arthur!" A miffed Gwaine huffed to Percival.

This had been a strange day for the knights, Merlin, and especially Arthur.

In the future, he had a feeling he would need a new Manservant. Arthur did not like the sound of that. A replacement. He knew it would be necessary, as long as he didn't get George. In fact he should start searching soon, but for the next few days, he spent the last bit of time that he could, with his best friend.

If you like it, comment, and I might continue it. Almost 2500 words! Longest chapter so far!