Author's note: I know that this is probably going to be a fairly obvious plot, but I hope to have some fun with this. I've been writing some pretty despairing stuff, and I'm in the mood for something more light-hearted. This is rated teen due to implications that are in the first chapter and will be in one of the last chapters.


Prologue

Present...

Uther watched silently as a group of four entered the courtyard. Three, he easily recognised. One was his ward, Morgana; another was her handmaiden, Guinevere, or Gwen to his ward and the girl's friends; and the third was his son's manservant, Merlin. As inept as he might be, the young man had proven to be exceptionally loyal to his son.

Then, his attention turned to the fourth individual. This person was slightly taller than Morgana and about of equal height to Merlin. But, as to the id entity of this person, Uther was at a loss. However, he did notice that this person was wearing Morgana's cloak, using the hood to obscure their face. This person obviously did not want to reveal their identity.

Finally, the group slowed and stopped before the king. Their faces were easier to see closer up, and their expression were most peculiar to the king.

Gwen was refusing to meet anyone's eye; her face was a bright blush with what Uther assumed was embarrassment. Morgana was also a fairly red colour, though she seemed to be withholding something. By the erratic twitching of her lips, Uther guessed that she was stopping herself from smiling, or laughing, or both. Both women seemed intent on avoiding the cloaked individual.

Merlin, however, was standing, albeit uncomfortably, beside the person. He would glance fleeting to the person before averting his eyes.

"Who is this?" Uther demanded, he was in no mood for games.

The cloaked person shifted uncomfortably. As Morgana moved to lower the hood, the person raised a hand to stop her. Morgana bit her lip, but moved back. The person's shoulder's sagged slightly, before straightening. As the person removed the hood, Arthur's golden head appeared.

Uther wasn't sure what was most surprising: Arthur's expression of great discomfort, or the fact that he was wearing Morgana's cloak for some reason. However, when the prince shifted uncomfortably, Uther noticed that his son was not wearing a shirt. As if some unknown power had taken control of the king's eyes, Uther's eyes raked his son's appearance, noting the lack of shirt, and then realising that his son was...

Uther's face dropped from an expression of confusion to of pure shock. He shot Morgana's handmaiden a quick glance, just to be sure. Then he returned to observe Arthur. Although there were probably many adequate reasons, Uther found him unable to find an explanation in his mind as to why Arthur had wrapped the woman's cloak around his waist. Also, the young prince was also devoid of any footwear, which only heightened the fact that there was nothing beneath the cloak around his waist.

Arthur flexed his jaw, as if trying to find words to say but found he was failing. His whole body had tensed up and he reached up and scratched at an irritation on his neck, an irritation in the form of a length of rope. He was doing anything to avert his gaze from his father.

"If I may, milord," Arthur requested awkwardly. "I would rather return to my chambers and dress more suitably."

At his request, Morgana shuddered and snorted quietly. She quickly raised a hand to cover the smile that had finally plastered itself across her face. Her eyes scrunched up, and her face was creased with several laughter lines, as she tried desperately not to laugh. She had even reverted to not even breathing, and her efforts were making her red in the face.

Gwen's blush had also deepened, and her face was hidden behind her hands. She had turned completely turned away from Arthur, her eyes also closed. The poor girl looked as if she was about to die from embarrassment.

Even Merlin was trembling as he tried not to disgrace his master, and humiliate his friend, by laughing. For one point, he didn't need to: Arthur was doing a fine job of that on his own. But, try as he might, Merlin couldn't stop himself from bowing his head or cringing.

Unable to think of a comment, and somewhat worried about what would happen if he did comment, Uther merely nodded. He managed not to gawk at his son as the young man walked past him stiffly. He then saw, out of the corner of his eye, his son shivered as he strode towards the castle.

"Arthur," Morgana called to him, her voice muffled slightly from beneath her mouth.

Arthur stopped and quickly turned round, almost glaring at the woman. Unfazed, Morgana moved her hand to her shoulder. She motioned the pulling up a hood and mouthed the one word.

Arthur stood motionless for a moment, glaring at her with an intensity that shocked Uther. Then, he grabbed the hem of the hood and roughly pulled it over his head, once again obscuring his face.

No one spoke as the prince left the courtyard, followed closely by his manservant. Once he had disappeared from sight, Morgana curtsied and excused herself from the king's presence, Gwen followed her heels. She had almost made it out of the courtyard before she burst into uncontrollable laughter.


Arthur managed to maintain his princely demeanour until Merlin closed the doors of his chambers. At that point, he rounded on the poor warlock.

"Get this off me... now!" he demanded, pointing venomously at the rope around his neck.

"Yes Sire," Merlin responded, quickly reaching for the knife that lay on the table.

Quickly and efficiently, he cut the rope and took it away from the prince's neck, stepping back as he did so. When Arthur silently pointed to the fire, Merlin obeyed the silent command. As the rope burned, Merlin silently waited for Arthur's temper got the better.

"How could you let them put that on me?!" Arthur demanded in a hushed voice, tension laced every word.

"I..." Merlin quickly thought through the rest of the sentence before speaking. "I don't think they would have believed me if I'd told them you were who you are."

"I'm going to have to report this to my father," Arthur stated.

Merlin stared at Arthur in shock. He wouldn't deny that he was trembling in fear at his master's statement.

"Not about you, idiot," Arthur retorted. "By I have to explain the situation to him... if Morgana hasn't done so already," he finished on a quieter note.

Merlin decided that it was best to say nothing. Instead, he approached the prince's wardrobe, and opened it to search its contents. He quickly drew out a pair of Arthur's favourite leggings, a linen shirt and his red jacket. He brought the clothes to the prince, who snatched them from him. Merlin quickly turned around to find the prince a pair of socks and some boots.

He had no intention of seeing Arthur in full glory, especially since he'd already had that... experience, in fact... so had Gwen and Morgana. The prince didn't need any more humiliation than he'd already suffered.

"So..." Merlin wasn't sure if he wanted to know, but he felt that he had to ask. "How are you going to explain this to the king?" He was careful not to turn around at all.

Arthur paused momentarily as he was pulling on the leggings, but then quickly yanked them painfully up, ignoring the protests of a certain part of male anatomy. Then, with at least that part of him covered, he stopped to think.

"I have no idea," he admitted. "I'll probably tell him as much of the truth as possible."

"Missing the parts with me out?" Merlin asked hopefully.

"I promise. Besides, if you hadn't... done what you did, I'd still be in that... situation," Arthur assured his nervous friend. "Have you found me any socks and boots?"

"Are you...?" Merlin trailed of, not sure what he really wanted to ask.

"I'm decent enough," Arthur answered awkwardly.

Merlin spun round and passed the prince a pair of socks and boots. He looked over to the two cloaks that had been thrown unceremoniously onto the table. He dared a look to his master.

"Should I take those down to the washerwoman, get them cleaned for the Lady Morgana and Gwen?" He offered, hoping to be excused.

Arthur looked at him for a second, before nodding. Not giving the prince any chance to change his mind, Merlin grabbed the cloaks and ran out of the room. He quickly deposited the items into the washerwoman's care. When he left the washing room, he found himself staring into Gaius' calculating face.

"Gaius," Merlin greeted the physician.

"Merlin," Gaius replied politely. "Is there a reason the Prince of Camelot walked into the castle today, wearing nothing but Gwen's cloak around his waist and Morgana's cloak over his shoulders?"

"If I said anything, he'd kill me," Merlin warned.

"Then let's go to my chambers, and you can tell me in private," Gaius concluded.

Merlin had no choice but to follow the man. He didn't speak until they had reached Gaius' chambers. The physician closed and bolted the door before sitting down to join Merlin.

"Now," Gaius commanded. "Tell me everything."