Here's Chapter 2! Sorry its shorter-I'm working on my storyline but the next will be longer, I promise!

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin...that's probably for the best!

At first, Arthur didn't know. Merlin was late in waking him up (as usual); Arthur had already sleepily begun to open his eyes. Merlin raced into Arthur's room with breakfast, breathless and apologetic, too busy even to look at him. From what Arthur could make out, he was 'so sorry he'd missed giving him dinner last night, didn't know what had come over him, and he'd woken up late as well and hoped Arthur wasn't too mad but…'

Arthur stared blearily at him in confusion. "What are you blathering on about, Merlin?" he asked, bewildered. You were right here on time last night, with a decent dinner for once as well! I really don't know what…." He trailed off. Merlin had finally turned around to help him get up, and his expression was one of horror, shock, and…amusement? "What is it now, Merlin?" asked Arthur suspiciously. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Ah…Nothing, Arthur," replied the manservant nervously as he tried not to stare at his master's now-bright pink hair, "Nothing at all. I'll just go and, ah, c-clean your armor…" He fled, leaving a baffled Arthur to emerge from his rooms and head towards his father's court.

As Merlin walked back to Gaius' chambers, he could only think of one explanation; Lerin had a hand in this. It had to have been his twin: Who else could it have been? Sighing, because Lerin always did this to him, Merlin opened the door to Gaius' space. As he did so he noted the physician wasn't there. A noise coming from his room caused Merlin to freeze. Slowly and carefully Merlin opened the door. Another snore emerged. There lay Lerin, sleeping blissfully in Merlin's bed, no doubt dreaming of the havoc which would soon ensue due to his actions.

Merlin frowned at the thought of what Arthur would say…It was bound to be rather vocal. And probably involve loads of extra work, not to mention being put in the stocks. Perhaps even more than once. He remembered suddenly that the pink dye lasted an entire week—his mom had been furious when she had gone outside to find all the animals dyed pink. It was going to be a week of Arthur hell. Suddenly Merlin brightened. A grin snuck across his face as he looked down at his sibling. Why should Merlin be the one Arthur tormented? As he remembered, Lerin had left him asleep in a hay cart somewhere in Camelot…a hay cart leaving Camelot today.

Sitting in the moving hay cart later, Merlin reviewed his plan. It hadn't been that hard to sneak into the hay cart in the first place, and now it bumped along the dirt country road. When Arthur finally looked into a mirror-or saw his father-he would be furious with 'Merlin'. Unfortunately for Lerin, he would be the only 'Merlin' to be found in Camelot….and thus would be the one Arthur assigned chores to. Merlin would spend a couple weeks in the forest where nobody would find him, then head back to Camelot. That would turn Lerin's prank right back on him! Closing his eyes, Merlin drifted off to sleep in the sunny back of the cart, a smile on his face.

Lerin awoke to voices shouting Merlin's name. He was about to say that Merlin wasn't here when an older man –did Merlin say his name was Gaines? No, it was Gaius—opened the door to Merlin's chambers and held it open, muttering, "You've really done it this time…"

An irate Prince Arthur burst into the room as well. "Merlin!" he shouted, "what have you done to my hair?!"

Lerin blinked, thinking fast. Apparently, Merlin hadn't shown up yet…this wasn't how The Plan was supposed to go…

"Sorry, Sire?" he asked, feigning innocence.

Arthur just growled. Grabbing Lerin by the shirt Arthur dragged him from the room. Back in his chambers, Arthur rounded on Lerin. "What were you thinking? It's fortunate for you my Father hasn't seen me yet- I looked in a mirror and hid for hours until he went away. Hours, Merlin. Me."

"And what makes you think I did this?" demanded Lerin, a bit put out.

Arthur just looked at him drolly. "Of course it was you, idiot. Who else would dye my hair pink? More importantly, how will I hide this? If my father sees me…" He groaned, burying his pink head in his hands.

"Well, if you wore a very big hat…" came the reply.

Thank you so much for reading this! Everyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed my story-thank you so much! It means alot to me to know that my story is liked! For all you others- please review! If you have ideas, thoughts, tell me!