Sorry it took me so long to get the last part up. I've had it at 85% finished for a few months. I've had the ending written since the first day. I starting reading Sherlock fanfiction which threw me off a little. I've also just been trying to work on 5 stories at once. Now that I have this finished I can concentrate on the others.

Switched

Back

o0o

Arthur knocked on the physician's door, there was a muffled permission to enter through the wood. The prince turned the handle and stepped inside. The old man was practically hidden by a mountain of books. "Have you had any luck?"

"Nothing yet I'm afraid." Gaius shook his head, flipping through more pages. "It's a very unusual situation, having ones gender changed that is." Looking up at his prince from the book he had been reading.

"There must be something in one of these dozens of manuscripts." Arthur gestured to the over flowing book shelves that lined the walls. The room was packed full of information on every sort of subject. There should be some solution amongst them.

"These books are filled with information on every kind of magical beast and harmful spell or curse." Gaius sighed with vexation. For nights on end he had been searching for a solution. "Changing ones gender is not a life threatening situation though."

"So you don't think you'll find a solution?" Arthur asked with dread. He didn't think he could handle Merlin being a girl much longer.

"It is unlikely to be I any of these books. I'll keep looking just in case though." Gaius exclaimed with a deep sigh. "Though, I have other responsibilities I must be getting back too." The old physician commented.

"You're giving up?" Arthur enquired apprehensively.

"No, no!" Gaius shook his head in denial. "I'm just saying I have other patients who depend on me for their health. Merlin being female for the time being is not a life threatening situation."

"So it's not the direst situation you mean?" Arthur asked to clarify.

"Yes." Gaius nodded with agreement. "Merlin will be fine being the wrong gender for a couple more days."

"I'm sure he will." Arthur exclaimed sarcastically with a role of his eyes. The physician raised an eyebrow at his comment. As if he didn't know what Arthur was talking about. "Merlin is way too comfortable being a female." He exclaimed with exasperation in his tone.

"I do admit that Merlin is handling the situation surprisingly well." Gaius contemplated with a pursed look. From what he's seen of his ward, the boy had taken the whole gender swap in stride. Every morning Merlin had left with a smile on his face even if it was in a dress. It didn't seem to be distressing his ward at all, actually.

"Well!" Arthur scoffed at the word used to describe the servants coping. "Merlin is enjoying being a girl way too much."

"Yes well, if worst comes to worst, and Merlin is not able to be switched back, at least he will be able to handle it." Gaius exclaimed flippantly on the matter.

"Merlin's going to stay a girl forever?" Arthur exclaimed dramatically.

"It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world." Gaius shrugged at the prince's over reaction. He pushed a tomb aside and grabbed the next one from the top of the pile.

"Yes it would!" Arthur snapped, then took some deep breathes to calm himself down. "Merlin has just about the whole male population of the castle wrapped around his finger. Somehow Merlin (couldn't get a girl if he tried) Merlin, has managed to manipulate men better than any female." Arthur exclaimed in disbelief.

"It's more than likely, being a male himself; Merlin knows how men's brains work. What they want and desire." Gaius supposed logically. "Having firsthand experience makes Merlin better than most ladies of the court could ever dream to be."

"The only one Merlin seems averse to being treated like a lady from is me." Arthur exclaimed with frustration. Whenever he held the door for Merlin or pulled a chair out for the servant he would get a scathing look then a lecture about "How he didn't want to be treated differently now just because he had boobs now."

"You aren't a stranger. Merlin doesn't want the other knights to treat him differently either." Gaius tried to explain his wards twisted logic.

"I just want Merlin back to normal." Arthur sighed with exasperation. Since the switch he'd hardly seen his servant except in passing. When it wasn't other men clamoring for Merlin's attention it was Morgana wanting to play dress up most likely. Over the last week Merlin had more wardrobe changes than most woman had in a month. "If there's anything I can do?" Arthur inquired readily.

"If I can get permission from your father to access the magic vault I should have more luck." Gaius suggested offhandedly.

"I'll talk to my father for you." Arthur volunteered readily. Pushing himself back to his feet, he left to perform his normal duties.

.0.

The guards opened the door to the throne room as Gaius approached. The physician strolled into the familiar environment. He could see that his ward was already there along with the prince. "You summoned me, my lord?" Gaius asked the king.

"Yes, my son has informed me that you've requested permission to enter the Vaults." Uther nodded in confirmation.

"I haven't had much luck with my current literature." Gaius explained his reasoning behind the sudden bid.

"Yes, I've notices your servant has not been returned to normal yet." Uther shot a look in the ex-man servant's direction. The boy was wearing a purple dress that day and had their hair in a high bun. "So you have not come across any leads to turn, it, back?" Uther inquired to the physician's futile search.

Merlin bristled at the way the king addressed him in his new form. Now he's been downgraded from a 'they', to an 'it'. He understood it was confusing not knowing how to address a person based on their gender but it was strange how only Uther seemed to have trouble with it.

Mostly he just let people decided themselves what they felt comfortable with. He didn't take offence when people referred to him in the feminine sense like she or her. He preferred to just be addressed as Merlin though. Some people had tried to call him Merlina at the beginning but he had immediately shot that idea down before it could catch on.

He had noticed how the prince had been referring to him as just his servant instead of man-servant. At least his master didn't start calling him his maid servant; Merlin didn't think he could have stood that. Most often than not Arthur still called him Merlin luckily. It seemed he was trying to ignore the fact that anything was different, which was very refreshing he thought.

"If you must." Uther sighed in resignation. He didn't really like anyone going into that room if he could help it. It held nothing but trouble in the past "As long as you'll promise to get some results."

"Believe me sir, I want to see this resolved more than most." Gaius nodded his head in thanks and then grabbed Merlin's arm dragging his ward after him out of the room.

"Arthur go with them." Uther addressed his son. Only the king and the crown prince had a key to the vaults. For a good reason.

^.0.^

Arthur unlocked the door to the vaults and swung the door open. "Grab any books that seem useful. Make sure they're returned after you're done with them."

Gaius scanned the shelf's looking at the spines to find anything that may help. Selecting a few as he went along. When he was done he had a dozen books selected. "Everyone grab a few volumes each." The physician leisurely walked out with a couple tombs under his arm. He would leave most of the physical work to the younger generation.

The prince and the servant gathered the rest of the books. They tried to split it evenly between them. In the end they each had about a dozen books each because Gaius had left the majority for them.

"Problem Merlin?" Arthur asked as the servant swayed under the weight of the books. He knew how physically taxing it must be for his slender arms. Each volume was thick with leather covers too.

"No." Merlin denied the accusations. Flipping his head he tried to get the hair that had fallen out of his bun out of his face. It was an unsuccessful endeavor. Blowing at the piece of hair because he had no free hands to brush it back. He shuffled out of the vault slowly with a waddle in his walk.

Arthur sighed with exasperation. At that pace it would take him hours to make it back to the physician's quarters. He picked two books off the top of Merlin's load to lessen the weight. It was easy to carry for him because of all the physical training he does usually but it was close to blocking his eyesight.

It took them a while to get up the stairs. Gaius waited patiently at the top while the prince tapped his foot with impatience. "We don't have all day Merlin." Arthur snapped, rolling his eyes at the dramatic grunts of excursion the servant was making with each step.

Merlin panted once he made it to the top and lent against the wall. He never knew the stairs to the dungeons to be so treacherous. Usually he just sprinted up them with no problem.

"Come on boys, we shouldn't dilly dally." Gaius claimed and walked off briskly for a man of his advanced age. The prince followed without any difficulty. With a grunt the servant followed behind the two.

Merlin struggled under the weight of the heavy tombs. He had always been of a slender build but as a female he had even less muscle tone than before the switch. The dress wasn't helping him keep his footing either.

A young servant passing by noticed the young women's struggle. "Do you need help with that?"

"That would be a great help." Merlin smiled brightly around the large pile.

"Merlin..." Arthur turned to address his servant but stopped when he saw what was happening. Sighing in exasperation, as Merlin was forcing a large portion of the pile of books on to a man who was blushing. "Hurry up!" He snapped irritably.

Merlin rushed to obey his master with the male servant following in his wake.

Arthur glared heated at the man as he placed the books in the physician's quarters. He stood after like he expected a reward from the female for his gentlemanly help. It seemed Merlin was oblivious to this fact as he prattled on about this and that.

"Don't you have something you are supposed to be doing?" Arthur growled with irritation. The man was a servant, they always had some chore or other that needed to be done.

"Yes, right." The man stammered. A deep blush set on his cheeks as he addressed Merlin. "I must be getting back to the kitchens." He had been sent to deliver some lord's supper and had multiple meals he had to deliver still. On his way back to the kitchen he had noticed the famous Merlin's struggles. He had heard all the rumors of the prince's man servant's plight but had only caught a glimpse of her in passing. He had been hired at the castle only after the curse had already taken affect so could not picture the dainty girl as a male.

"I'll see you later…" Merlin started to state then stopped when he realized he didn't actually know the man's name. He knew a lot of the other servant's names but hadn't made this man's acquaintance yet. Servants often came and went and he thought this man must be new.

"Carl." The servant answered clutching his hat in his hands with an embarrassed flush o his cheeks.

"Carl, I'll remember that." Merlin nodded and pushed a lock of hair behind his ear. It was an action that most men would take as flirting but the prince knew that the servant just wanted the hair out of his face. Carls swooned at the action.

Arthur was starting to see now how Merlin was enchanting men; it was all a big fluke. Merlin didn't even know he was sending out signals.

o0o

Life seemed to go surprisingly smoother for him as a female. There always seemed to be a helping hand at the ready. If Merlin should chose he would never have to lift a finger. The thing is he liked doing most things for himself. A little help was never amiss though with the long list of chores the prince had him perform every day.

Men trying to court him put Merlin on edge though. He wasn't even quite sure how the mechanics worked. Never having actually coming close to courting except for with Freya. The whole process confused him.

Merlin tried to turn them all down nicely. It didn't seem to be working very well because a lot of the men just showed up again the next day.

Arthur was like a guard dog protecting what was his. If any of this happened in his sight he would swoop in and stop it.

They were leaving the training field together. The prince narrowed his eyes when he noticed one of the younger knights was reaching out to goose Merlin's behind. Snatching the boy's arm Arthur bent his wrist back. "You touch my servant, you die."

"Yes my lord." The young knight squeaked in fear. Arthur released his tight grip and he boy who dash away. He sighed when he realized that his servant hadn't noticed anything had gone amiss. Merlin was still talking to thin air. With hunched shoulders Arthur followed in his servants wake glaring at anyone who even glanced at her direction.

Once they got back to his room he addressed the situation.

"You are bringing too much attention to yourself with these outfits." Arthur accused gesturing to the over extravagant dress for a servant. Morgana had gone through the large majority of the casual dresses available to her. Now she had resorted to adorning Merlin in banquet clothes.

"It's not like I actually chose what I'm going to wear." Merlin scoffed at the remark. "I would much rather wear my normal clothes."

"Doesn't Morgana have any more decent dresses?" Arthur asked as he glanced back. The low cut of the dress left Merlin's cleavage on show.

Merlin flushed and tried to cover his bosom with his arms. Since the switch he found that a lot of men talked to his chest instead of his face. Merlin found it entertaining more than offending. It never seemed to bother him when males looked at his breasts, except for Arthur. The prince was always the exception. "It seems not." He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

The prince shifted, an awkward silence fell between them. It seemed any time Arthur brought up the fact Merlin was female, was a moment where it seemed more real. Usually they ignored the situation like they normally did. It broke their pattern so of course Arthur insulted the servant to break the mood. Merlin rolled his eyes and responded back with sarcasm starting an argument that had no real logic to it.

The next day Merlin wore his neckerchief over his dress of the day to cover his cleavage. Morgana was horrified."That colour doesn't go with your dress at all."

o0o

The prince was trying to train his knights but they weren't listening to a word he was saying. Like usual Merlin was performing some of his duties at the edge of the training field. He was trying to sharpen a sword at the moment and it looked very, the only word that came to mind was suggestive.

Merlin had a small crowd gathered around him now. It appeared they had all been roped into helping the servant perform his chores. It had become a bad habit of Merlin's lately. Whenever he was seen struggling to perform his duties a gullible male would offer to help and Merlin would readily accept.

What Merlin seemed to overlook is that a man wanted something in return. Arthur knew it was only a little time before this got his servant into trouble. They needed to have a talk about Merlin's careless behaviour.

.0.

There was a feast the next night to celebrate the beginning of spring.

Arthur realized the lord he was talking too was distracted by something behind him. Turning he saw Merlin adjusting his boobs which was gaining a lot of attention from male guests. Face palming he groaned and stood to handle the situation before anything happened.

Grabbing his servant by the arm, Arthur dragged her from the hall and into an alcove for some privacy. "Merlin what do you think you're doing?" Arthur asked with exasperation. Merlin gave him a baffled look like he didn't know what he was talking about. "Adjusting your…" He gestured to the chest area too embarrassed to actually say the words to Merlin's face.

"But they're itchy." Merlin complained as he scratching across his chest once again.

"Doesn't matter. You are a girl now and you can't be doing things like that in public." Arthur rubbed at his temples.

"Why not?" Merlin replied with a slight whine in his voice.

"It'll get you in trouble that's why!" Arthur snapped with exasperation. He didn't see what was so hard

"In what way? Scratching myself is not against the rules." Merlin crossed his arms pushing his boobs up more making them more prominent.

Arthur slammed his hand against the wall beside his servants head caging him in with his body. "You aren't a male anymore. You're a weak female who many men would like to take advantage of. If you keep teasing the male population with your careless behaviour one of them may not be able to control themselves." He glared into the wide blue eyes.

Merlin gasped when he realized what the prince was talking about. Had he really been doing that? It seemed he hadn't noticed he'd been giving some men some false hope. It had never occurred that men would seriously be interested in him knowing what he was originally.

He demurely looked down. "I'm sorry. It's just hard to change how you act. I don't mean to gain anyone's attention really." Merlin shifted uncomfortably. His chin was taken by his master's fingers raising his head to look into his eyes.

"You have to stop accepting help from other men. They want something from you that you aren't willing to give them." Arthur demanded. "Understood?" He could feel the servants head nod making him realize how close he was.

"Yes." Merlin rasped out. He could feel Arthur's breath across his face and felt a shiver down his body from his close proximity. The prince's hand cupped his cheek and he leaned closer.

Arthur looked at the wide blue eyes and felt himself dawn in. Before he knew it he had his lips pressed against his servants. Pulling back in surprise. "I shouldn't have done that." He exclaimed out loud wondering what he had been thinking. He made to move away but he was crabbed by the front of his tunic.

"Don't." Merlin tugged him closer till their chests were brushing together. Standing on his toes to reach the prince's face he connected their lips once again. He nibbled at his lips a couple times till Arthur started to respond back.

Arthur leaned down to devour his servant's mouth. His hands grabbed Merlin's hips to push her back into the wall.

They sprung apart when they heard laughter approaching their position. Out of breath they starred at each other curiously. "We better get back." Arthur suggested. Merlin nodded and followed the prince back to the feast.

They departed for the night without talking about it.

o0o

Arthur laid in bed starring at the canopy. He couldn't stop thinking about that kiss with Merlin. Once the feast had come to an end Arthur had evaded his servant. After what had happened between them he had needed time to think. Merlin was his best friend. Did he want to risk that?

Merlin was rushing around trying to get ready for work. It had taken him a long time to fall asleep the night before causing him to sleep in. Struggling with one of the dresses provided for him. When he finally barged out the door it was to find the prince just about to knock on it.

Merlin blushed deeply when he saw him. They stood gawking at each other for few moments. "Am I really that late?" Merlin exclaimed looking back in his room to see the placement of the sun.

"No." Arthur smiled fondly at his servant's reaction to his presence. Since he hadn't been able to sleep that night any way Arthur had gotten up early to take a walk. His feet had led him to the physician quarters. "Can I talk with you?" Arthur asked indicating to the door behind his servant.

Nodding Merlin left the door open for the prince to follow. They stood starring at each other in a heavy silence. Arthur had the strongest urge to just lean in and kiss Merlin. It seemed the servant could read it in his body language. They didn't even have to say anything to communicate what they wanted.

They were just leaning in to kiss again when the door banged open.

"I think I finally have a solution." Gaius exclaimed in excitement. He flipped the book he was holding opened to a page that showed a picture of a man and women. "This potion should reverse the effects of the spell."

"Really?" Merlin exclaimed with a girly squeal of excitement. The warlock grabbed the book from the physician's hands and read over what it said. "This could actually work. Hello being able to pee standing up." He exclaimed with a laugh.

"It shouldn't take me long to brew the potion. You should be back to normal by noon today." Gaius commented. "You should change unless you want to transform back to yourself in a dress." Gaius suggested looking over his wards frilly garment.

"Your right. I'm not sure how to get out of this thing though." Merlin contemplated calling Gwen back. She had stopped by earlier with another of Morgana's garments for him to wear.

"I'll help." Arthur volunteered.

Merlin shrugged not really caring if the prince saw him nude in this form since he would be back to normal soon. It wasn't his real body so he had no shame. He retreated to his room feeling the prince following him. Arthur closed the door while Merlin dug around through his cupboard for his usual attire.

"Can you help me with the laces?" Merlin asked turning to face the wall. Knowing how impossible it was to do himself. He thought that was a serious design flaw in dresses. He felt agile fingers tug at the laces until he could fully breathe again. That's one thing he wouldn't miss about being female was the long dresses.

Arthur stripped off the outer layer of the dress till he was left in just the under clothes. He turned around and looked at the wall.

When he slipped his shirt over his head Merlin felt like he was coming home again. He pulled his breaches over his legs and had to struggle to get them over his thighs and hips.

"Are you getting dressed or battling a monster?" Arthur commented hearing all the grunting and jumping around.

"My pants are too small in the thigh area." Merlin exclaimed out of breath. With one final hard tug they slid into place. His breaches where snug up on his hips making it hard to breath. "Finally." He sighed in relief.

Self-consciously Merlin looked at the prince under his eye lashes. After what happened between them the day before he wasn't sure where their relationship sat now. As a girl Arthur was attracted to him but what would happen when he was back to his normal clumsy self. He doubted the prince would be clamouring for his attention then.

He would never know until he was back to normal again though. "I'm ready." Merlin announced.

"Took you long enough to get dress. I'm already done the potion." Gaius held up the vial for his ward to see. The potion was a blue colour. He was sure it was going to taste awful like usual.

Throwing the potion back like a shot Merlin winced at the horrible taste. His eyes fell shut as he waited for it to take effect. He felt his body shift up and in which was a very weird sensation. Feeling with his hands he reached to his chest and found it flat as a boys should be. Merlin laughed in relief when he realized his hair was short again. "I'm me again."

Arthur sighed when he looked over the form of his manservant. 'Everything was back to normal' He thought sadly.

A sudden knock came to the physician's door. "Come in." Gaius called.

Leon opened the door. "Arthur, the king wishes to speak with you." He froze when he saw Merlin back to normal smiling at him.

"I got to go." Arthur sighed. An awkward silence fell between them. "You can have the afternoon off." He exclaimed as he stalked from the room.

.0.

Wondering the halls since he had nothing better to do, Merlin was congratulated on being back from multiple people like he had just been away on a trip. Also experiencing some his more amorous admirers avoiding eye contact when he passed them by. He would miss the extra help he received. No longer was he an attractive female, he was back to being a bumbling servant.

'Everything was back to normal' Merlin thought sadly.

Merlin wasn't sure what to do with himself. He assumed he was supposed to go back to his normal duties of being the prince's manservant. Checking the time he realized it was late enough in the day that it was almost time to bring Arthur his dinner. He hadn't seen him since that morning.

Knocking on the prince's door with dinner in hand he began to feel self-conscious. Entering after being given consent. Merlin walked to the table to put the tray down. Usually he would babble away but after what happened the day before he didn't know what to do with himself.

Standing up from his desk Arthur walked over to the table. He could tell that Merlin was trying to avoid looking at him in the eye. They had avoided the topic long enough. "About what happened..." He was cut off before he could continue.

"We don't have to talk about what happened yesterday. We can just pretend it never happened if that would make you more comfortable." Merlin babbled nervously.

"Merlin?" Arthur spoke with exasperation.

"Yeah." Merlin sighed as he looked at his feet. He shifted back as his master approached him steadily until his back hit the wall beside the mantle. Arthur's arms caged him in again and eyed him curiously. "I know a lot happened while I was a girl but…" A finger was placed over his lips.

"Do you ever shut up?" Arthur exclaimed as he examined his manservant's face up close. His high cheek bones and blue eyes were very appealing. He realized how handsome his manservant actually was. He had noticed before he wasn't bad looking but this was the first time it hit him how tempting he was.

Merlin shifted uncomfortably under his master's gaze. "It's just…"

Leaning in he kissed Merlin's lips before he could start babbling again. It was his first time ever kissing a male but after the night before he couldn't imagine never kissing Merlin ever again. He had to know if it was just the circumstances or something more.

He swiped his tong across Merlin's lips and the servant opened his mouth to meet his tong with his own. Their tongs fought together. Slipping his hand through short raven locks he held Merlin in place so he could conquer him.

"Definitely not just because you we're female." Arthur gasped as he nipped along the pale neck. There was something between them no matter what gender Merlin was. They would have to explore it more to figure out how deep their connection went.

o0o

"I am pleased to inform, that I have managed to return my ward to normal." Gaius addressed the court.

"Finally." Uther sighed in relief when he saw that his son's servant was back to his original form. He had actually received a marriage proposal from the lord that had just left. He wasn't the servant's father. Everything could go back to normal now.

When every eye in the room turned towards him Merlin blushed. Arthur nudged him in the shoulder. Their eyes met and the looks spoke more than words. They were far from over. Even if their romantic relationship was just behind closed doors for now. They had time to figure out what they wanted from each other.

As soon as the king dismissed the court the Knights of the Round Table descended to congratulate Merlin. "We should go to the tavern to celebrate." Gwaine suggested throwing an arm around his shoulders. It was good to have some things back to usual.

._.

"Knock knock." Merlin said to get their attention as knocked on the door frame of Morgana's door. He came to deliver the king's wards normal tonic for Gaius.

Morgana sighed in disappointment when she saw that the rumors were true. "You're back to being you." It had been great entertainment while it lasted.

"Yep, no more playing dress up with me." Merlin sighed in relief. He fiddled with the neckerchief around his neck. Glad to have it back.

"Oh, I planned for this. I had Gwen make you a whole new wardrobe." Morgana replied. Snapping her fingers her maidservant went to retrieve something with an amused look on her face.

"What?" Merlin gasped with wide eyes. He had not been expecting this.

When Gwen returned she held a blue suede jacket with black dress pants and ankle boots. There was even a neckerchief to go along with it in the corresponding color.

"I still think blue is your colour." Morgana commented, holding up one of the shirts up in front of his form.

The End