**Disclaimer: JelloGirl323 does not own Merlin**

Merlin was sleeping peacefully, his hair sticking up in odd places. All was silent until...

"MERLIN!" Arthur's voice brought the young warlock to awareness very abruptly.

He shot out of bed with a cry of "Bananas!" and stared bleary-eyed around his room.

King Arthur Pendragon was standing in his doorway looking thoroughly nonplussed. "Merlin!" Arthur growled out. "What the heck is the meaning of this?!" He gestured at his hair.

Blinking the sleep out of his eyes Merlin looked at the king's hair and chocked on his laughter. Someone turned Arthur's hair Pink!

"Exploring new things sire?" He asked trying in vain not to laugh.

Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Merlin, you think this is funny don't you?"

Whipping his face clean of emotion Merlin shook his head. "No sire... What could possibly be funny about your hair turning pink?" that was the last of his self control.

Arthur's boot came flying at Merlin's head and made contact with a dull thud and a yelp of protest from Merlin. "Fix this," Arthur demanded.

Merlin's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Why would I want to do that?" he asked playfully. "You look much more...handsome...this way."

Arthur's face flushed and it matched his hair making Merlin burst into laughter. "Merlin," he warned.

"I know Gwaine would love it. And the rest of the knights." Merlin chuckled

Arthur pointed at him. "No one must know."

Merlin smiled impishly. "What would Gwen say I wonder? You know what, I think I'll go and ask her."

Arthur tackled Merlin to the ground. "No one must know...especially not Gwen."

The door opened and Gaius walked in. "Merlin are you allrig-" He trailed off at seeing the pink haired monarch. "Sire! What ever happened to your hair?"

"Why don't you ask this bumbling idiot, as it is his fault."

Merlin glared up at Arthur. "Oi! Why is it my fault? I haven done anything."

"Oh please Merlin," Arthur scoffed "Everything is your fault."

Merlin's eyebrows rose. "Right...so you mean to tell me that when you 'tripped' during the hunt the other day...that was my fault too?" he stood up rolling his eyes.

Arthur scowled "Yes, you made me fall."

"In any event," Gaius cut in before Merlin had the chance to argue back. "We should be focusing on how this happened. Then we can place the blame."

Merlin and Arthur glared at each other then folded their arms in unison. "Merlin get to the bottom of this." Arthur demanded then stormed out of the door. There was an awkward silence.

"Did you?" Gaius asked.

Merlin shook his head acting appalled. "Who me? Gaius you know I wouldn't do something like this." Gaius's eyebrow rose. "Okay, so maybe I would that doesn't mean that I did this."

Gaius frowned "Well then who did?" He wondered out loud.

They both headed to the main chamber to ponder this.

Merlin frowned. "Gwaine?" he suggested.

Gaius shook his head. "No, he wouldn't risk Arthur's temper." Then he thought for a second. "Morgana?"

Merlin burst out laughing. "If this is all Morgana can do then I fear she's loosing her touch. I mean what could she hope to accomplish by this? Death by embarrassment? Humiliation?"

Gaius was about to say something when the door banged open. "Merlin! Did you see Arthur's HAIR?!" Gwaine asked cackling with laughter. "It's pink! Now he really is a pretty pink princess!"

Smirking Merlin reconsidered. "Then again..."

Gwaine huffed in annoyance. "Didn't you hear me? . !"

"Yes Gwaine, Arthur's hair is pink."

Gwaine pouted because of Merlin's lack of response. "Did you turn his hair pink?" He asked suddenly.

Now it was Merlin's turn to pout. "Why does everyone say it's me all the time?"

"Merlin quit pouting and help me find out what happened." Gaius said sternly.

"Yes Gaius."

-.-

Merlin spent the day trying to figure out what happened make Arthur's hair change color. So far the only thing suspicious or worthy of note was an empty bottle by Arthur's wash tub.

Gaius was currently checking the bottle for any residue while Merlin was busy mucking out the stables.

"Stupid prattish Arthur," Merlin grumbled while scooping up the manure. "Making me muck out his stupid stables."

"Well you do deserve it Merlin." Arthur's voice broke through his grumblings.

"What makes you say that sire?" Merlin asked his voice dripping in sarcasm.

"You made my hair...change color."

Merlin pouted. "I told you it wasn't me! Why can't you just believe me?"

Arthur was about to answer when Percival came running up. "Sire!" He called once he was within earshot. "Gaius is looking for you. He said he's found something..." He gestured at Arthur's hair awkwardly.

"Lead the way," Arthur said following his knight.

Merlin looked around at the half finished stables and shrugged before dropping his rake and following his friends.

Arthur looked at the elderly physician. "Well? What have you found?"

"The bottle was full of a potion with a strong pink pigment that turns whatever it touches that color." Gaius explained.

"Yes Gaius," Arthur said impatiently. "We already know this. What we don't know is how it came to be in my chambers."

Gaius nodded. "I was just getting to that sire," Arthur nodded for him to continue. "It seems to me that the person who did this knew you'd be having your bath and saw it as an opportunity to slip it in."

"Who do I know that would have access to my chambers and knew I would be taking a bath." Arthur pretended to think looking over at his manservant pointedly. "I have no idea who it could possibly be...do you Merlin?"

Merlin glared at Arthur. "For the last time it wasn't me!"

Gaius spoke up before the two could start arguing again. "I don't believe it was Merlin sire."

"You don't" Arthur asked confused.

"No he doesn't!" Merlin commented, "Wait...you don't?"

Gaius smiled at Merlin. "No," he said before turning serious again. "It seems whoever did this originally was planning on poisoning you M'lord."

"How do you know?" Arthur asked skeptically.

"One of the poisons have been moved from its original place. "

A shocked silence fell proceeding these words.

"Well," Arthur said at last. "Through unexpected, still is there anything that you can do to fix..." He trailed off gesturing at his hair.

"I'm afraid not sire." Gaius said regretfully.

"So nothing can be done?" Arthur asked in dismay.

"You mean he's going to look like a girl for the rest of his life?" Merlin commented.

"Merlin." Arthur warned.

"Shut up." Merlin supplied with a smirk.

"You guessed it."

Gaius cleared his throat. "While the effects are not permanent, the pigment will last for a while."

Arthur groaned. "How long?"

"About two to three weeks."

"WHAT?!"

END.