A/N: So! We only got to see Gilli for one episode… And on top of that, I'm making him a twelve year old boy… AAND I keep picturing Bradley James acting when I write this… So it may see OOC for Gilli, if you've gone and done and in depth character study of it. But seriously, most of this chapter is for the laughs.

Reviews: TN Sarah, Oh yeah. Someone notices. Thanks for the title ideas. The Path of Supreme Conquest, if they worked out their problems, what would I write about? Audoo, glad you're back too and you didn't give up on me... Yeah. Life is hectic. Just last night I was talking about how bad I am at adulting... Also, after I posted this I watched The Bachelor Australia. And there was one chick, Lana, who every time the Bach would see her would say, 'Your eyes are so beautiful'... and he'd look like he'd just been hit by the HypnoToad from Futurama... I decided if that is what it is like to be enraptured by someone's eyes, I want none of it. Drooling in public is not cool. RandomFandoming, so I went back and watched the episode you were talking about and was both disturbed and intrigued to find I agreed with you. He moaned... It was a moan. I know there are a lot of Merthur shippers but seriously, Mergana was just right there. mizzymel, so glad I made your day. Kay is going to be here. I feel so terrible for what I'm planning to do to Lance. Arthur was fifteen and hanging out with twelve year olds, so he's a grown up baby - but I love him. I needed to put Morgs on the back burner for the second. Her and her problems will be back in a minute. You are awesome, not stupid... But no, I will not be using your title ideas :P Patiku, HERE IS THE FRENCH STUFF! I screwed up a little with my chapter notes. Thanks for the ideas. The Hope Lions, it is small but there is an Uther/Merlin scene in here with a bonus sort of awkward-Uther/Arthur scene. :D Tyler Behind You, hahaha! Whilst I am glad you have a reader of my story in your class, nope. Not me. :D But I'm glad you are reading and Bianca, if you are reading this, Tyler is Behind you. :P Wigglesmum, I can't promise if I will let anyone live or die in this fic, but I can promise Balinor is coming back and Merlin and him will have time together. ReaTreoni, I am updating now! And also, it's awesome to know someone who likes my Batman fics is also reading this. :D , I really need to update Letters to show Uther's change... Each of those chapters is like 12000 words each and then I also have to write the letters, which is a lot harder because currently, everyone is still in the castle and only Hunith is away. But soon, they'll all be in different parts of Albion and the letters will come much easier... Basically, just read Letters of Camelot to see Uther's change. :P

ALSO! So last chapter, when I was putting in page breaks, I accidentally deleted the ending of the Arthur/Gwen in the forge scene. It's a big deal so if you want this chapter to make sense and Arthur's anger the night before to be given a little more context, GO BACK AND READ IT! I am so very sorry. :(

Something not quite right

Gaius had to force Merlin out of his chambers. He had all but refused to get out of bed when he was supposed to. Arthur was no doubt going to be late for breakfast, but Merlin wasn't in the mood. He was in half a mind to quit working for Arthur altogether. Then no more Arthur, no more destiny, no more Morgana – and that was probably the biggest reason for it.

He thought of Will's letter to him when he first told his friend he was toying with the idea of asking Morgana on a date.

Look, his messy scrawl read, you're not a bad bloke. But you're Arthur's friend and she's basically Arthur's sister. Now I know if I had a sister what I'd do to you if you got your grubby little hands on her. Remember what Jack did to me after he found me and Vanessa kissing behind the stables? And after he clobbered me, Jack said, 'I like you mate, I really do but that's my sister.' Just make sure, whatever you do, you don't go messing things up for yourself.

Now Arthur, most likely annoyed at his own situation with Gwen was being snipey about things that set off Merlin's bad mood.

He really should never have asked Morgana on a picnic.

Forcing himself up and out of bed was difficult, but he didn't run to Arthur's chambers despite the time. He knocked on the door lightly and paused to hear a response. When he didn't, his stomach sank because that meant Arthur was still sleeping and the King, Accolon, Fedel and Morgana were heading to the dining room for breakfast.

As Merlin pushed open the door, a strange noise could be heard. It wasn't strange in the way he hadn't heard it before but in the way, it didn't belong in the room. It reminded him of the pigs in Ealdor, greedily snorting at the trough of scraps left for the beside their pens and when he opened the door completely he was greeted with a similar image.

Arthur was indeed awake.

Wide awake.

He was almost lying on the table, cutlery abandoned as he leant over a banquet of food, picking and choosing and devouring what he pleased. George – the servant who took over if Merlin wasn't around – looked up with a pinched face of horror and disgust that matched what Merlin was feeling inside as Arthur licked his meat-greased fingers and used the corner of his now stained good shirt to wipe the corners of his mouth.

And not a shirt he was wearing either.

Arthur wasn't actually wearing a shirt.

He had picked up a shirt that he had strewn across his lap as a makeshift napkin to clean his face with and Merlin knew with a glance it was one of the one's he'd received as a gift from the Caledonians who had come on treaty talks a few months back. It was some special silken fabric that was washed separately to everything else in Arthur's closet. Merlin had tried hiding it under the bed so the Prince wouldn't ever feel the need to wear it. Clearly he had.

His eyes followed on from the shirt to the other clothes thrown about the place, his sword tossed in a corner, his bed smashed and crumpled as if someone had fought in it and his hair brushed back with some oil that might have come from the meat juices that had just been on his fingers. "Arthur?" Merlin said slowly. At first, Arthur didn't budge. "Sire." Merlin tried again and the Prince jolted.

He turned to Merlin with a cheery smile on his face. Cheerier than he'd seen on him in a long while. Possibly, actually, the cheeriest Merlin had ever seen him in his life in Camelot. "Hullo." Arthur said around a mouthful of food, still wearing the same stupid expression. "What's happening?"

The sound of the door hitting the wall beside Merlin was oddly loud, even with the cacophony coming out of Arthur's mouth. Beef and pork splattered onto the table and Arthur wiped it with the back of his arm and onto the floor. "I was about to ask you the same thing." Merlin said, looking around the room.

"I'm eating. What does it look like?" Arthur said, but when Merlin continued to fix him with the same confused stare his confidence seem to falter. Only there were no witty comebacks, no teasing or yelling coming from the Prince. Only a face turning into worry. "What – What are you doing?" he retorted, his approach lacking his usual headful of confidence.

"I'm here to wake you up, sire," Merlin said. "And escort you to breakfast. But it looks as though you've done both."

Arthur beamed, more food in his mouth. "Yeah. It's great isn't it? Well, you can go now." He grabbed a loaf of bread and ripped it with his teeth and chased it down with a glass of wine.

Merlin looked at George who was just as confused. "What is going on?" he asked again.

Arthur started to frown but, with his mouth filled to the brim, he couldn't reply. "No. Not you. Clearly you're drunk or have been hit over the head, because your father is going to kill me for getting you to breakfast so late." Arthur froze, food half dangling from his mouth. Merlin looked back at George. "What is all of this?"

George glanced at Arthur nervously but technically, Merlin outranked him in the hierarchy of palace servants. Not only was Merlin the Court Physicians Assistant but the Prince's servant. The only servants that did outrank Merlin were Terrin and Cedric and as Merlin got older, he realised that more often when people looked at him with the same look of nervous fear that George had on. "Say it," Merlin insisted. "He's clearly too busy to object." Merlin said, watching Arthur hastily chew and try and swallow down the food like a bird.

"The Prince was roaming the castle early this morning looking for something to eat," George said quickly, "and I just happened to be going up to the kitchens, feeling peckish myself, and his highness just asked for… Well, everything."

Merlin looked over the table, spotting loaves of bread and some of the better cuts of pork on the table, along with chicken and venison and even the pheasant cut that Arthur usually ignored. "Everything." Merlin echoed dumbly.

"He woke up Mary." George whispered.

Merlin smacked his head. Mary was going to have his head for 'not taking proper care of Arthur'.

"It was no problem." Arthur said, finally having swallowed and rushed it all down with another slurp of wine. "I just asked for whatever was there already. And fresh bread. Because day old bread is no good."

"Oh yes. Fresh bread is best." Merlin rolled his eyes. He looked at the mess of the room. "What's gotten into you?"

Arthur froze and turned his head slowly, a look of absolute terror shining through in his eyes, but before Merlin could say anything Cedric pulled up short behind him, wearing the same expression of lost confusion Merlin had minutes before. "What in the name of God… Sire," Cedric said, finding Arthur amongst the mess. He made a face, clearly as disgusted as Merlin and George. "Prince Arthur." he started again. "Your father, the King, the Lady Morgana and the Prince and Princess of Gaul are waiting for you in the dining hall for… breakfast." He looked around the place and fixed Merlin with a glare. Speaking of ranks, Merlin thought bitterly but shrugged is shoulders.

"Tell them I can't come." Arthur said, panicked. "I'm… ill."

"I wonder why." Merlin muttered, seeing chunks taken out of all the food. Chunks bigger than what Merlin sometimes had eaten in a week in Ealdor.

"The King will still expect your presence considering our current guests and the treaties that we are attempting to make between Gaul and Camelot."

Merlin perked up. "Treaties?"

Cedric glanced at him, but did a double take back to Arthur who was turning pale. And green. "Yes. Accolon wishes to make trade treaties with Camelot. Armour, textiles, animals, slaves…"

"Slaves?" Merlin questioned. Cedric glared at him and Merlin shut his mouth.

"Sire, please get ready. I will tell your father you were… busy." Cedric gave Merlin a pointed look and nodded out the door.

"But–" Arthur started but Cedric fixed him with a glare. Arthur said nothing else and

"I'll be back." Merlin said and looked at George. "Get the Prince cleaned up." He followed Cedric out, closing the door behind them and they weren't three feet away when the older servant rounded on him.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"I honestly don't know. I just found him like that." Merlin shrugged.

"Is he ill?"

"I don't think so."

"Drunk?"

"No."

"Did he hit his head?" Cedric fumed.

Merlin opened his mouth and then thought of whatever Arthur had lost it about the knight before and with it being about Gwen. "I think… I think he's heart broken." Merlin whispered.

Cedric reared back as if Merlin had told him that the Camelot Knights had insulted his etiquette. "No. No, no, no, no, no." Cedric hissed. "The Prince of Camelot cannot be heartbroken because that would suggest he had been in love and considering Fedel's hand in marriage may be on the table in these treaties, his heart isn't even allowed to flutter."

"Arthur's going to marry Fedel?" Merlin gaped.

"Nothing is off the table. Now get in there and get the Prince ready." Cedric said and turned on his heel and left. Merlin huffed and went back into the room where George was standing in front of the servants door, blocking Arthur's path.

"He's trying to run off." George said.

Merlin groaned and went and grabbed Arthur by the back of his belt and dragged him towards the bed, ignoring his heavy limp. "Get some clothes George!" Merlin shouted, despite the fact Arthur was trying to run away. "You're having breakfast with your father, whether you like it or not."

It took half an hour, but Merlin managed to clean Arthur up and drag him out giving George orders to clean up the room. Arthur had his heels dug into the floor, "But I don't see why I have to go."

"Because you're the Prince." Merlin snapped.

He burped in response and covered his fist over his mouth. "I don't feel well."

"You ate an entire feast before sunrise. I'm not surprised." Merlin glared at Arthur over his shoulder. "I know you're upset about the Gwen thing but lashing out at me and eating your feelings isn't going to help."

"The Gwen thing?" Arthur asked, baffled just as they reached the doors of the dining room.

"Yes. Oh and also, you need to be careful because if you don't handle this right, you could be marrying the Princess and I don't want you the be marrying someone you're not in love with just because I woke up late." Arthur looked baffled. "I'll explain later, but for now, Gwen is going to be in there, so just act like your normal prattish self. Please. Or it'll be my head your father has."

"He'd do that?" Arthur whispered quite loudly. "The King would kill you because of me?"

Merlin frowned. "Well, I'd hope you'd argue on my behalf."

Arthur shrivelled back, staring around the hall and the colour drained from his face. "I don't think I'm ready."

"Too bad." Merlin flung open the doors without prompting or announcement drawing the attention of those already eating. Fedel and Accolon both beamed at his arrival but Morgana looked a touch concerned whilst Uther looked downright annoyed. Cedric was giving Merlin a hard glare and he grinned back, trying to charm the man. It never worked.

Arthur stood there, eyes wide in alarm and jaw agape as he stared at his own father. "Arthur. How kind of you to join us." Uther said, his voice thick with sarcasm. "Come, sit with us." He pointed to the chair at the end of the table, far off from his usual spot. Merlin glanced at Arthur who, instead of getting angry started turning green and Merlin followed his line of sight to Gwen who stood between Morgana and the King.

Oh no, Merlin thought.

Arthur swallowed and put one hand up in front of his face to block his view of Gwen and limped towards his seat, not even trying to disguise the bad ankle, sliding down in the chair as Merlin rushed in behind him to tuck him into the table. He swapped his hands so that his view so that she was still covered and started nodding his head. Even the Prince and Princess of Gaul were starting to catch on something wasn't quite right.

Merlin caught Gwen's gaze and when she raised her eyebrow and Merlin had no idea how to reply. He went and took a flagon from the table, approaching the awkward situation nervously and hoping to ease the tension. "Um…" he sniffed the jug. "Wine, sire?"

Arthur blindly reached out for his goblet, hand smacking over the table and grabbed his goblet, thrusting it out to Merlin. "Please."

Merlin almost jumped. Hearing Arthur say please wasn't unheard of, if it came before or Arthur a glare and filled with sarcasm but he was shaking with fright. How did Gwen have such an effect on him? Arthur sculled back the wine, hard and fast, swallowing at twice the speed as normal and downing the whole goblet. He then held his hand out again for Merlin to refill.

"Care to tell us why you were late, Arthur?" Uther demanded, getting more and more annoyed by the second.

Arthur stiffened and slowly pulled his trembling hand down to look at Uther, blatantly looking over Gwen. "I… overslept."

Uther's gaze shifted to Merlin. "So it was your manservant? Again?" Merlin almost took offence but Arthur objected quickly.

"No! No! It wasn't Marsden. Don't behead him on my account!" Arthur practically shouted, his hand almost knocking Accolon's crown off.

"Behead?" Uther frowned.

"Marsden?" Morgana added.

Merlin was lost. Even he wasn't sure where the name Marsden had come from.

"No one's beheading anyone." Uther said then glanced at Accolon, laughing nervously. "We don't behead servants for such trivial things. Arthur, why would you even ask such a thing?"

Arthur started to open his mouth but then quickly dropped his full goblet to slam his fist against his lips. The whole table pulled back as Arthur tilted forward and threw up on his still empty plate.

Merlin shut the door to Arthur's room with a quiet click and startled when the King stepped in front of him. Merlin took two steps back, his back hitting the door and looked up at Uther. Sir Walden was just behind him, standing guard as usual. "Sire," Merlin said. "Sir Wal–"

"What's wrong with him?" Uther demanded.

"He over ate." Merlin said, trying to smile.

"No. What's wrong with him?" Merlin knew why Uther was King and how he got so many King's to defer to him. It was that look.

"He's drunk?" Merlin offered. Uther's eyes narrowed and Merlin groaned. "He hit his head?"

"This afternoon he is to be in training with Prince Accolon. After his embarrassment this morning, I don't care if his ankle is sawn off, we need to make a better impression of Camelot's strength if we are to secure these trade deals. If whatever is wrong with him isn't finished by then, you will spend the next week in the stocks." Uther threatened.

"But–"

"But what?" Uther snapped.

"It's just, respectfully sire… I don't have a father."

"What does that have anything to do with it?" Merlin knew then where Arthur got his anger.

"Well," Merlin had to say it delicately. If only because, Merlin himself had no idea how to deal with it. "Well there are certain things, I don't know how to explain. Because of my lack of father. About.. About, well… Women."

Uther froze and turned bright red. He stiffened up and suddenly found his sleeves were uneven, tugging at them then fixing his jacket pver and over in that order. "Gaius informed me he went through that with you. Both of you. Together."

And hadn't that been a fun afternoon, Merlin thought with a shiver. Having your Uncle who was considered one of the oldest citizens of Camelot go through that with you while sitting next to your friend who was just as stunned as you were, was awful indeed. He couldn't look Morgana in the eye for a week. "No. Not that. I mean, in regards to the heart. And how to… woo women."

"Woo women?" Uther repeated dumbly. Sir Walden wore his usual stoic expression behind him, but Merlin was quite certain he saw a flicker of a smile. "Arthur is trying to woo a woman?"

Merlin knew he was treading a fine line. He didn't want to tell the King the woman was Gwen, but maybe Uther could at least give his advice on getting over a broken heart in a not so disastrous manner. "And I don't think it turned out well." Merlin went on. "I think this is his… reaction to it."

"Arthur was… rejected?"

"Yes."

"By a woman?"

"Yes."

Uther gaped. "What kind of woman does not want a Prince?"

Merlin wasn't sure how to answer. "It's baffling, Sire."

"I will speak with him. After he wakes up." Uther said, his face resolute. "In the meantime, I want the dining hall cleaned, Marvin. By lunch and by you." Uther said, turning on his heel and walking down the hall. His cape flew out behind him and Walden winked at him before he left too on the King's heels.

"It's Merlin." Merlin muttered, glaring at the door that separated him from Arthur. He had been hurt himself over Morgana but he hadn't gone and gotten Arthur in trouble over it. Prat, he thought darkly then went to go make sure someone was at Arthur's door before he went to clan.

Gilli needed to go. He was feeling groggy from whatever potion the old man had given him but it had settled his stomach from the ache.

He didn't know food could do that to him. His entire life, Gilli had only ever eaten just enough to keep the hunger pain away. Now he was taking potions to keep the aching full pain away.

He couldn't help but fall asleep when he'd been settled into the bed. His plan had been to fake his rest then escape but too much food apparently had the same effect as no food, in which it made him pass out, his eyes too heavy for his body let alone his face. Nimueh was going to be so mad at him.

Pushing himself out of bed, Gilli went to the closet and found himself a jacket. He hissed as his ankle smarted. He had discovered the bad ankle sometime during the night when he was jumping on the bed. That was somewhere in between staring at himself in the mirror and discovering the chest full of swords that were a lot of fun to play with. The jacket had a hood and Gilli pulled that down over his eyes then looked at himself in the mirror.

Arthur was quite handsome. He could probably get a lot of girls to like him.* Gilli twisted from side to side, rubbing at his chin and lifting his head and inspecting the scruff of beard that the Prince had that Gilli had yet to develop. He flexed in front of his reflection, the tone of muscle showing through even the thick of the jacket and he turned to do the same when the door opened.

Gilli shrieked and there was a hiss of metal, the King sweeping into the room and looking around on high alert. Gilli shrivelled back as the King turned on him and Gilli fell to his knees, hands up above his head pleading. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please, don't kill me!"

"Arthur? Who shouted?" Uther demanded.

Gilli's eyes almost popped out of his head as his brain worked fast and realised, the King had reacted to Gilli's screams and hadn't realised that Arthur wasn't Arthur but was in fact Gilli… Oh lords, that was confusing. "Um… shouted?" Gilli asked, trying to deflect. "I didn't hear anyone shout."

"Why are you on your knees?" Uther frowned, putting his sword back into its sheath. He stalked towards him and Gilli had no idea what to say.

"Um… I…" he dropped further down, onto his stomach and reached an arm under the dresser. "Lost a button!" he muffled. He couldn't believe he was in the same room as the King. That said King had his sword withdrawn and that Gilli's neck was still on his shoulders. Or at least, Arthur's shoulders. "I can't reach it. This might take a while." Gilli couldn't look up. If he looked up, he'd throw up again. Apparently, the sight of the King had that effect on him.

"Get up, Arthur. Marvin can do that later."

Gilli almost whimpered but held back, pushing himself to his feet slowly and dusting off his clothes. "It's Marsden." He lifted his head and caught Uther's eye for the first time and the look of strange concern melded together with the cold dead eyes of the man who had ordered his father's death.

"Actually, it's Merlin." Uther said slowly, with a frown.

"Is it?"

"Yes." Uther was glaring at him like he was having him on.

"Oh." Gilli frowned. He was certain he'd heard Marsden. Of course, he had thought that was a rather strange name but Merlin was not quite better. He thought that maybe Merlin was a type of bird.

"Have you two had a falling out?" Uther asked.

"I don't know. Have we?" Gilli looked around to find George. Marsden – Merlin, was good and all but he asked too many questions and stared too long. George just did what Gilli asked him to do and ran off. Clearly Arthur and Merlin had some sort of relationship. "We had a fight."

Uther frowned. "He told me you were having… woman troubles." Gilli raised an eyebrow. What kind of a relationship do these two have? "That you were rejected by someone, which is why you are acting so strangely."

The Gwen thing. "Yes. I was." Gilli tried remembering what Mars- Merlin said exactly. Something about… "The Princess." he blurted out.

"Fedeline?" Uther asked, stunned.

"Who?" Gilli asked.

"The Princess Fedeline rejected you?"

Gilli wasn't quite sure but nodded. "Yes."

"You are heartbroken over the Princess Fedeline?" Uther didn't look as if he was buying it but Gilli was fairly committed to the lie now.

"Yes." Gilli thought of the two women at breakfast that morning and could only assume one of them was the Princess. He couldn't pick which one was witch so just said, "Isn't she beautiful?"

Uther started to make a face but then stopped himself. He offered a warm fatherly smile that Gilli thought was wrong for such an evil man's face. Even though it looked genuine – albeit, a little forced - even though he may have honestly cared for his son, Gilli found it hard to reconcile this man with the one who had ordered his father and mother dead. He crushed his fingers around his pant leg in a fist. "There will be other women, Arthur. Maybe you should look closer to home In Camelot maybe. Just for some… fun. Until you are older and more prepared to be wed."

Gilli nodded, unsure of what was happening. "Of course… father."

"Good. Be ready for the fight this afternoon and, maybe drink some ale. Not too much, but just enough to numb the pain of a… broken heart." Uther still looked confused but nodded and left, leaving Gilli standing alone in the Prince's chambers, a little stunned.

"I have to get out of here." he muttered and pulled his hood back over his head and shuffled to the door. He opened it and screamed, again, as the sight of George startled him out of his skin.

"Sire, Marvin has sent me with your armour and will meet you at the training field." George said.

Gilli groaned and marched back into his room. "His name is Merlin." he huffed, collapsing on the bed. He'd escape after dark. The cloak wouldn't hide him in broad daylight anyway.

"Well that was interesting." Merlin looked up from where he was just finishing up the scrubbing the floors of the dining hall. He was bent over, on all fours splattered with vomit and saw Gwen walking in holding another bucket. Merlin turned back to the vomit tainted water and blanched. He hadn't had breakfast that morning and he barely thought he could stomach dinner that night.

"Interesting is a poor choice of words." Merlin said, leaning back on his feet. "Disastrous. Catastrophic. Calamitous."

Gwen sat down beside the puddle, grabbing a sponge and going over the floor with clean water and soap. Merlin had to admit, it was smelling better than it had when he was going over it with the dirty water. "Will's right. You do use a lot of big words."

"When did you speak to Will?" Merlin frowned.

"He wrote me once or twice. He checks up on you because he thinks you lie to him." Gwen smiled. "It's sweet."

"It's unnerving." Merlin muttered then looked around the floor. "You don't have to help me, Gwen. My master, my problem and whatnot."

Gwen shrugged and kept scrubbing. "How is Arthur?" she asked. Try as she might to sound casual, merlin saw straight through it.

"Gaius gave him something to settle his stomach and he's been sent to bed. George and Leon are watching him, but he should be up about now to get ready." he thought, looking out of the window. He could see the edges of the training field and Lancelot was taking equipment down to be set up.

"This is my fault." Gwen sighed. Merlin just nodded. Gwen paused in her scrubbing to look at him. "What? Aren't you going to object or argue or–"

"Why would I do that?" Merlin asked. "It is your fault. He's only upset because of you."

Gwen gaped. "That's not fair!"

"You said it first!"

Her jaw clicked shut as she huffed. "Fine. I did. But as my friend, you're supposed to comfort me."

"Arthur's my friend too." he pointed out.

"Morgana's my friend and I'm not blaming you for hell she's been raising because of you." Gwen retorted.

Merlin stilled his hands and stared at Gwen. "You know?" he whispered.

"So what? Clearly you know about Arthur and I's kiss."

"I guessed and he confirmed it when he ranted at me!"

"And you just confirmed it now when you lost your jaw to the floor."

The two were glaring at each other, brows furrowed in suspicion and lips turned to scowls. Merlin gave up first throwing the sopping wet towel into his bucket of dirty water. "It was stupid. I just thought… You know she's the one who snuck me out of the castle last time. In the middle of the night! Because she had a nightmare." Merlin crossed his legs and hung his hands between his perched elbows.

"Well I just… well I don't know. Arthur kissed me. I was supposed to have a day off and go on a date with Lancelot but Arthur rescued me and kissed me." Gwen said, very flustered.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "He's liked you for months. Maybe even a year. Though, he hasn't really said anything. When you had a crush on Cador, he got all huffy."

"Really?" Gwen asked. When Merlin nodded back she looked out the window, to the training field where Arthur was heading. Her eyes shut. "He acted all… huffy, last night. When I mentioned Lancelot. Lords, Lancelot. I need to speak with him. He came to see me last night and caught Arthur at the door. Before he could say a word to me though, I told him I had to go and ran back home. I left things so strangely with him." She shut her eyes as if she had a migraine, though Merlin couldn't blame her if she did. It was all getting too much for him too. "It's not right, Merlin. You and Morgana… Me and Arthur."

"Is she really making life hell for you?" Merlin asked.

Gwen shook her head. "No. Actually, she's just being very skittish when she's alone and brasher when she's with the King." Merlin was quite certain Morgana was always like that, though he wouldn't say it out loud, least of all to Gwen. "For what it's worth, I know she fancies you. When she thought you and I were… a thing, a few years ago, she was so furious with me. You wouldn't have been able to tell but she ordered a ridiculous amount of dresses to be made with a days notice and her chambers were a right mess."

Merlin pointed to the puddle. "Well here's your proof Arthur clearly likes you."

Gwen smiled sadly. "How about we just toss some water on this, skip the training and go to the kitchens? Mary's making those jam breads you like."

"First part sounds like a good idea, but I have to go tend to Arthur." Merlin said, pushing himself to his feet. "Cedric's already on my back for letting Arthur make a fool of himself. Better not let it continue." He held his hand out and Gwen let him drag her up and straight into his arms.

She rested her cheek on his shoulder and Merlin kept his arms wrapped around her middle. "Status or not, Morgana is a fool for treating you so poorly."

"And Lancelot would be a fool to ignore you, just for acting a little strange." Merlin said into her hair. After a long pause he added, "I mean, if he can't handle a little bit of your strangeness, what's he going to do when he experiences the whole lot of it?" Gwen whacked him in the chest then stomach and Merlin laughed and groaned in pain.

"Deserved that."

He smelt like vomit and Gwen had wet patches all over, but Merlin and Gwen eventually made it to the training grounds, Gwen's arm looped around Merlin's. When they were near enough, she made her way to the spectators box to serve Morgana while Merlin walked over to Lancelot who was sorting out the weaponry his eyes on Gwen's back. "Merlin," he said, distractedly. "Can I ask–"

Merlin immediately threw his hands up in the air. "No, you cannot ask. I am waving a white flag. I'm Gwen's friend, and yours and I will not get in the middle of whatever it is that's going on. But I suggest you cut her some slack because she did almost die and that does tend to mess people up in the head."

Lancelot's face softened just the slightest bit and he looked over to the stands where Gwen was already serving Morgana some drink. Merlin felt torn. Arthur and Lancelot both seemed to be soft on her and immediately his mind told him all the ways both could be perfect for her. Lancelot could never love anyone more while Arthur could make her the Princess she deserved to be.

But Morgana's words came back to haunt him again and the words he'd thrown at Arthur twisted through them and Gwen's own belief that it wasn't right. "Just give her some time." Merlin said finally. "She'll come around."

Lancelot nodded slowly. "I have time."

Merlin smiled back then grabbed Arthur's sword and went to find the Prince. He had seen Arthur heading down earlier with George and normally by now he would have been on the edges of the field, swinging his armoured arms about in order to stretch and complaining about Merlin's tardiness.

However instead of Arthur, Merlin found Fedel standing around and stretching, beaming as she wore trousers and a shirt beneath her armour. Fedel turned her head to her cousin Accolon and said something in Gaulish, nodding to Merlin with a pinched expression and Accolon laughed at it heartily. Unsure of whether or not he was being insulted, Merlin was going to ignore it until the Prince Accolon said, "Serving Boy, Marsden, is it?"

Merlin flinched but turned to Accolon and bowed. "Merlin, sire."

"Ah, Merlin. You have something on your pant leg. A gift from the Prince, I think."

Merlin looked down and rolled his eyes, seeing the splash of vomit still left on him from the morning that was caked with dirt already from his shoes kicking up dust storms in the field. "I apologise, sire. I did not have enough time to change between breakfast and now, but assure you I will by dinner."

The Gaulish Princess said something else in her native tongue and Accolon laughed again his garish gold armour clanking as he moved. Merlin had half a mind to spell him then and there, just to prove that gold had no affect on magic, but didn't want to be an idiot. He swore that if Arthur married Fedeline, he would take Arthur's sword and run himself through because there was no way he was dealing with the Prince Accolon visits for the rest of his days.

He saw Arthur behind the audience stands and Merlin bowed again to the Prince and Princess then went over to him. Arthur was focused in on Accolon's back, his fingers gripping his real sword instead of the practice one. "What are you doing back here?" Merlin inquired.

Arthur startled. "Why does everyone in this damn kingdom feel the need to sneak up on me?" he hissed.

Merlin ignored him. "You look like you're going to throw up again."

Arthur swallowed, still staring out at the Prince. "How good of a fighter is he?"

"I dunno." Merlin looked over his shoulder at Accolon who was still swinging his sword. "But if what Fedeline did yesterday is anything to go by, I suppose pretty good."

"And how good of a swordsman am I?" Arthur whispered. Merlin frowned. Arthur may have ben cocky and liked to brag, but he had never directly asked for praise, least of all from Merlin.

"The… best?" Merlin replied. "Arthur, what's wrong with you today? This can't just be about Gwen."

Arthur took in a deep breath. "No, it's not. I'm just a little dizzy from whatever Gaius gave me. Maybe I should go lie down." he turned to leave but Merlin grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

Merlin was starting to get fed up. Something was wrong and it was clearly more than just Gwen. "Arthur, stop. It's not like you to try and back out of a fight, no matter what's going on." Arthur stiffened up but it was strange. Everything about Arthur was off. Normally when he froze up, his arms grew tense, his jaw clicked and his mouth fell into a firm line. But now he was hunching his shoulders and pulling in on himself. Even with his awkwardness, Arthur wore his anxiousness openly on his chest but now he looked as if he was hiding.

Arthur lowered his voice, "Just, tell me. What do I normally do in these kinds of situations?"

"You go out there and wollop them." Merlin replied slowly.

"And there won't be any repercussions?"

"As long as neither of you kill each other. It's a training session after all."

"What happens if I don't manage to win?"

"Shame and humiliation, possibly for the rest of your life."

Arthur stared out determinedly at the Prince of Gaul and nodded. "Well, if I die tomorrow that won't be very long." He straightened up and pulled down his helmet, marching straight into the field.

"That's the spirit." Merlin murmured then rushed after Arthur's limping figure with the practice equipment. "Sire, you have the wrong sword!"

After a small apology – since when did Arthur apologise? – the Prince went and stood in the middle of the training field and Merlin caught Uther's eye briefly as he looked over to spot Gwen. The older man nodded then raised his glass slightly and Merlin had no clue what that meant but nodded back cautiously. He kept his eye wandering and found Gwen tugging her collar.

None of it felt right.

He climbed up and sat on the fence of the training field to stand away from the action and found himself in beside Garreth and Leon who were passing coins between them. "You're not betting on this, are you?" Kay groaned as he came up from behind.

"Leon's betting. I'm earning coin." Garreth smiled.

"Which of you is betting against Arthur?" Kay asked.

"Garreth." Leon replied.

"He has a dud leg, I'd be a fool not to!"

"He lost ten coin yesterday betting on Fedeline." Leon grinned, shaking a bag of coins. "It's double or nothing."

Merlin hummed and drew the attention of all three knights. "I don't know. Today I might take that bet."

"Why would you say that?" Kay asked.

Merlin didn't reply. At that point, Accolon had joined Arthur in the centre of the training ground and the two were already circling each other. Merlin had never seen Arthur so passive. He was circling Accolon too, of course but with his sword down gripped between his two hands as if it was the rope holding him on the edge of a cliff. His footwork was off, which was to be expected considering his ankle but it was still clunkier than usual.

No, not clunky.

His footwork was like that of a child, still learning the steps. As if he was reciting them in his head and was still unsure of all the moves. It was more like his dancing, actually. "This is more boring than I expected." Garreth said, but his words seemed to spur both Accolon and Arthur into action, the later attacking the former with a wild swing of his sword.

Kay flinched beside Merlin as Arthur's sword was knocked back by Accolon's shield, sending Arthur flying with little coordination back a few steps. He cried out as he landed on his ankle and doubled over to grab at it but Accolon chose to use the Prince's weakness and run at him. It was only at the last second did Arthur manage to pulling his shield up like a tortoise shell over his head and block the powerful blow and if it wasn't for Arthur's strength, his arm would have buckled.

He pushed Accolon back and hopped up on his good leg and swung low at the knees, where Accolon's golden suit was weakest. He missed the first two hits but managed to momentarily confuse Accolon with a feint and made the Prince buckle. Merlin hissed along with Leon and Garreth. It was a dirty move to go for someone's knees and not very knightly let alone princely. Accolon must have been surprised by it too because he pushed up his helmet. "I did not know we were fighting brawlers rules Prince Arthur."

Arthur shrugged in reply. "I didn't know there were any rules at all."

Something washed across Accolon's face as he pulled his helmet back down and got up, doubling his effort down on Arthur. Arthur was forced to defend, getting pushed back until he was up against the fence, holding up against the onslaught. "He's getting destroyed." Leon whispered.

"This is too horrible to watch." Garreth mumbled, tilting his head down. "Just give me the money Leon, and let's go."

But Arthur ducked down suddenly and swept his leg out underneath Accolon. He fell backwards, his helmeted head slamming into the ground and laid sprawled out, his arms spread out around him. Merlin stood up on the fence and even the King got up, everyone leaning forward to see what the Prince of Accolon was going to do but it quickly became apparent, he wasn't going to get up at all.

Arthur lifted his helmet off his head leaning over the foreign Prince as he took gasping breaths. He leant down and pushed the helmet's visor up above his head. Merlin waited for Arthur to say something.

Anything to give clue as to what happened to Accolon.

The Prince of Camelot's face split out into a grin and he raised a hand above his head and cheered.

Loud.

"I knocked him out!" Arthur beamed.

"Kay." Merlin said, jumping to the ground.

"On it." Kay launched himself over the fence, running beside Merlin to help carry the Prince Accolon up to Gaius's chambers

"So it appears that whilst gold may have benefits in keeping magic out of your head, it is not conducive to keeping your head safe in a fight." Gaius said. Accolon was propped up in bed, cold ice block from the icehouse pressed to his temple. Princess Fedeline was close by his bed as well as two of his guards. But the Princess was holding his hand and Arthur sat in the window, his legs swinging beneath him looking very bored. He had been ordered to stay by Uther and wasn't very happy about it, a more Arthur-like thing but instead of pacing and watching the goings on around the chambers with a grimace on his face, Arthur had picked up a book about plants.

Merlin watched him out of the corner of his eye, unsure of the Prince's behaviour and he could tell Kay, who hadn't left after bringing the Prince over, wasn't sure what to make of it either. "Your head, sire," Gaius went on explaining to the injured Prince. "Collided with the ground quite a bit harder because of the weight of your helmet. You may need to look into getting a lighter one."

Accolon nodded blearily. "I barely remember it… It must have been a very good fight, Prince Arthur for you to have so thoroughly removed my memories." He tried to grin but it fell flat in his exhaustion.

Arthur perked up when he realised he was being addressed. "Yeah. Sorry about that mate."

Gaius, Kay and Merlin all looked at Arthur, Gaius's eyebrow raising upwards towards his hairline. "Look, I need to be getting off. Things to do. So if you don't need me here, then I should be…"

"I walk with you?" Princess Fedel asked standing up quite suddenly.

Arthur shrugged. "Er, alright then. Bye." He went to the door and opened it, walking out and closing the door behind him. Fedel made a confused noise in the back of her throat but Arthur stuck his head back in. "Come on then."

Accolon said something in Gaulish and Fedel nodded quickly with one of the men, going after Arthur who had already turned and left. She raced after him, the door slamming shut in their wake and leaving Kay, Merlin and Gaius to stare at each other questioningly.

Gilli was feeling very sure of himself. He had managed to spend a day as Prince Arthur of Camelot, eat foods he'd only ever dreamed about and won a fight against another Prince and no one suspected a thing. Not even the King!

Now he was walking a Princess to her rooms in a castle.

Not just a castle.

His castle.

Feeling good with himself, Gilli offered out his arm to the Princess who readily took it, a small giggle bursting out of her thin but pretty lips. Actually, everything about the Princess was pretty.

She was a little taller than Prince Arthur, but had a nice long neck for it that let her wear these fancy looking long earrings that most women looked ridiculous in. And her eyes were silver and round like the moon or like two big dinner plates in a fancy castle. And her smile…

When the Princess of Gaul smiled, it seemed bigger than her entire person. Gilli wasn't even sure he had ever seen dimples so deep before.

Her fingers were rough and worked and reminded Gilli of his mother's own when she slid them around the curve of his elbow. It was nice.

He worked out quickly she didn't speak much English when she started to speak with a nervous tremble in her voice and a thick accent on her tongue. but it didn't matter. She could just smile at him for hours and would still think she was beautiful.

"You… me… talk." she said quietly, pulling up and stopping mid walk. Gilli wasn't quite sure what to say. He looked over his shoulder where the guard was standing, hands behind his back looking pointedly away from Arthur.

"Okay." Gilli said. "Talk away."

Fedeline frowned but then her face broke out into a smile again. "The… papers. Your father, my cousin, sign papers."

Gilli had no idea what she was talking about but nodded anyway. "Yes?"

"You… me… Marry?" Fedeline asked.

Gilli was only twelve years old and over his very few years he had heard about proposals, but he was quite sure the man always asked the woman and that there was some sort of exchange of favours between the families. He could only assume those were what the papers were for. In all seriousness though, Fedel was beautiful and even though Gilli knew that Arthur was going to die in a few days, he nodded. "Yeah. Sure. Why not?"

The Princess Fedeline threw herself at Gilli and he barely managed to catch her as she peppered his face with kisses, her biceps almost cutting off his airways around his throat. But it still felt great. Gilli grinned and took it all in. He fought a Prince that morning and now a Princess wanted to marry him. If it wasn't for the fact he would die if he stayed in the body of the Prince for the next two days, he thought that maybe he could bare being Uther's son for a little while longer if this was the way he lived.

"Oh, I'm sorry your highnesses," Fedel pulled away sharply and Gilli pouted as she did but her hand found his down by his side and they both stood shoulder to shoulder facing some handmaiden or another who had just walked out of Fedeline's room. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I was just bringing the Princess some fresh towels as a gift from the Lady Morgana."

"Ah," Fedel said uncertainly. "I don't know."

The handmaiden glanced at Gilli, and Gilli thought he saw pain in her eyes. It was making him uncomfortable so he looked anywhere but at her face and caught something on the hem of her top. "Erm, lady… You seem to be bleeding."

The woman became very flustered and touched the thin line that was bleeding through her shirt. "Lords," she whispered. "Sorry. It seems my stitches have opened again."

"Stitches? What happened?" Gilli asked.

The handmaiden's head snapped up and a cold ice ran through his body. Gilli had said something wrong. He knew it then by her questioning gaze and then it clicked who this handmaiden was. "I'm joking, Gwen." He knew he got it right when she relaxed slightly. "I know how it happened. Obviously. The incident." He winked at her and Gwen became flustered, glancing between Gilli and Fedeline quickly.

"Yes. Well…" she gathered up her skirts in one hand ad nodded. "I best be off. Your highness. Princes Arthur." she nodded once to both of them and Fedeline gave Gwen a quick wave that made Gwen stop, but she ran off again after a quick shake of her head.

Gilli watched her leave and had the worst feeling in his stomach that he'd stuffed up.

A lot.

A/N: *I love Supernatural and I just thought of the body swap episode where Not-Sam goes to the lady, "Krystal I would love to have The Sex with you." The line coupled with the face he does, is one of my favourite moments in TV history. Actually that entire scene… "Evening barkeep. I would like to purchase some alcohol please?" "Uhuh, what can I get you?" "Well, I'm twenty-six. As you can see. From my licence." "Congratulations, what can I get you?" "A banana daiquiri my good man."

Also, I've given up the notion that I can update more often than I do. I know, I'm a failure at time management. I am trying for once a week, I really am, but I mostly get to write this on the fifteen minute train ride between home to uni/work and back and I don't always get a seat in peak hour. And when I try to write this before bed, I always fall asleep (laptop + writing = effects of a sleeping pill, apparently) The only reason why I'm getting this out is because I took today off (I went for a two hour run in the sweltering heat the other day for God knows what reason and my body is punishing me for it with a migraine and making me throw up anything I try to eat). But check out my DeviantArt page for something for my Merlin fans... But don't blame me for whatever happened to Arthur's face. Just... I don't want to talk about it. :P

Love,

ithoughtslashmeanthorror