"MAMA!" Clara screams as she bursts through her parent's bed chambers.
"Wha..?"
Morgana shifts around slightly. Her vision is blurred and her hair is everywhere. She sees Merlin to her left dive his head deeper under the pillows. Apparently this is a problem for her not him. She does not even open her eyes fully as Clara crawls onto her bed toward her Mama. She squints slightly at her crying five year old. I must be dreaming…her hair looks purple…The child cries harder. Morgana's eyes widen.
"Why is your hair purple?" She screams suddenly, causing Merlin to bury more into the pillows.
"It" hiccup "was" hiccup "my brothers!" She screams the last part as she buries her nose into Morgana's lap.
She grinds her teeth at this, purple hair? Really? She slaps Merlin on the back.
"Wake" smack "up" smack "you" smack "dollophead!" smack, smack, smack.
"Hey that's my word!" smack "stop hitting me!" He holds his hands up in defense.
Her hand is raised and she glares at him. They slowly lower their hands together, but Morgana was always too spiteful for her own good and gives him one more smack for good measure.
After the beating is over they get back to the problem. Clara has calmed down some since she was able to watch her father get physically abused, they could even hear her giggle. Merlin reaches out to touch her colored hair and sighs, this is not good.
"Merlin this has gone too far. It is one thing when you and your boys play pranks on me…but turning their sister's hair purple? What were they thinking? She has duties involving her interaction with nobles!"
"So now they're my boys? And that's really what you're worried about? Her image?"
"Yes, she is a girl who will become a woman, she needs to look her best, and when they do something as foolish as torturing their sister in such a way they are your boys."
"Oh ok, so when you and your daughter put itching potion in my trousers and I had to do a happy dance during the whole advisors meeting that was ok?"
"Yes, because it was done to you and not to one of the boys. You can play pranks on me all you want Merlin Alwin, but we promised to keep them away from the children. You need to talk to your boys right now!"
They glare at each other for a moment, forgetting their daughter is in the room.
"Papa…am I not your daughter?" Clara says in a small voice.
Merlin feels like kicking himself, he grabs her from Morgana's arms and if looks could kill…well actually…
"Of course you are my little phoenix. Your papa is just having a…discussion with your mama. I should not have said that. You are the best daughter a papa could ask for."
"I love you Papa."
"I love you too Clara."
He feels his left shoulder heat up and he shoots her a look as she folds her arms and looks away from him. He sticks his tongue out at her over Clara's head. Smack!
"Boys get up." Merlin walks solemnly into Balinor and Will's room, opening the curtains.
His boys wake up and start to scratch their eyes. Rebecca usually gets them up…and if it's their father…then uh oh.
"Were in trouble aren't we father?" Balinor says from his bed.
"What! Why?" Will says, alarmed.
Poor Will hasn't learned the art of accepting punishment yet. At seven he is still going on the theory of feigning innocence…the poor sap.
"Yes you both are, turning Clara's hair purple? Really? Did you think your mother would let that be ok?"
Both boys look down from their respectful beds. Their room is as glorious as Merlin and Morgana's. They have two beds, side by side, both beds too big for the boys. They always look like small ants in the middle of the lavish linens. There about a half a meter between the beds, enough to let Rebecca walk through and bring them breakfast. Merlin goes through the center now and sits on Will's bed, Balinor sitting on the end of his to face his father, Will snuggling up to his side.
"It was just a prank Papa." Will says in a small voice.
"I know, and when me and your mama declared a prank war, we meant to each other. You can't pull them on your sister, especially without consulting me first."
Will sighs on Merlin's arm.
"We're sorry Papa." Balinor announces, after nine years he knows when to apologize.
"I know Bali."
"Sorry Papa." Will echoes.
"I know boys, I know, but you have to apologize to Clara not me. Turning her hair purple was very naughty of you."
Balinor looks to the side, then a smirk comes onto his face.
"I know…but it was amazing right?"
He looks to his father, and Merlin can't help the grin that forms on his face. He can never resist admiring his children.
"You don't even know, that was some top shelf magic changing her hair like that. I had trouble with shape shifting before…but that was amazing!"
"Thanks, it was Will that figured it out." Balinor provided, they really were two peas in a pod, always helping the other out and giving credit where credit was due.
"You did that Will?"
The little boy nods from Merlin's side, pleased with his father's change in attitude. They share a wide smile.
"Oh man we should compare notes see ok when I had to-"
"You're supposed to be punishing them!" Morgana screams from the door.
All three males look to the side to see a very cross Morgana. She has her hands folded in front of her and walks with the regal right they all know she has, all three males cower in her presence.
"Merlin I thought we discussed that this has gone too far."
"I know Morgana it has, boys your mother is right we said that the pranks were not to be used on anyone else besides your mother and I, you do need to be punished."
He gets up and walks next to Morgana. They may disagree behind closed doors, but they always try to stand as a firm wall when it comes to decisions. He needs to support her and vice versa if this whole parenting thing is going to work.
"What's our punishment?" Will asks from his bed, his voice very quiet.
"You will scrub the court hall."
"But-" Both boys start.
"No buts the decision is final. I'll tell the King to give the servant the night off. Also, you are not allowed to use magic during this punishment."
"But Mama-" Balinor attempts.
"No buts Balinor. Your mama has given you a punishment and you will do it, and when you are done you will apologize to your sister."
Both boys grumble but reluctantly agree. They learned long ago not to mess with their parents…sometimes being the children to the most powerful sorcerer and sorceress in the land was just awful.
"I should put you in the stocks as well you know."
Merlin cocks an eyebrow to the side at his wife.
"Wouldn't be the first time." She smiles.
They are walking hand in hand down the hall, Clara's hair has been fixed, and the boys have been punished. When they get to the balcony's edge Merlin pulls Morgana close to him and kisses her crown.
"Thank you for supporting me Merlin." She says in the softest of voices.
He smiles into her hair. What many people do not understand, is that it is not their magic that make them such a powerful couple. It is moments like these, moments of complete understanding, gratefulness, and compassion. Morgana knows that he did not totally agree with her punishing the boys so harshly, but he supported her anyway.
"Of course my love."
"Was I too hard on them?"
"A little, but they're tough boys. They can handle it."
She sighs on his shoulder.
"Do you think, one day, they will resent me for how harsh I am?"
"Children will always resent their parents at some point, but your boys could never resent you for too long Morgana…they think you walk on water."
She pulls back a little, a skeptical look over her face. He laughs.
"I'm seriously, Will told me that once."
Morgana chuckles and settles back into Merlin's shoulder. Merlin rocks them slightly, a soft humming noise coming from his throat, one he makes when he is content. That is…until he opens his mouth.
"So next time we have a prank war…"
"No!"
And that was that.
Fin.
Oh prank wars...I have a feeling being Merlin's children this would happen quite often so I thought I'd put a humorous one shot of what happens when they get out of hand. I went for straight comedy and had some Merlin/Morgana bickering.
Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading! As always I love reviews:)