"You're absolutely sure that you didn't do anything?" Gaius asked the question again. "You didn't cast any spells, did you?"

"No, I'm certain," Merlin replied. He touched his throat lightly as he noticed the difference in his own voice. His Adam's apple had disappeared, and there was no usual morning stubble along his chin.

Gaius flicked one of his many books, his eyes narrowed behind his spectacles. Now that the initial shock of seeing Gaius as a woman was wearing off, Merlin felt an urge to laugh at the strangeness of it.

Gaius was wearing a large cloak to conceal his body's new figure, but it didn't really make much difference. The large bosom Gaius had acquired was still noticeable, and there was something altogether softer about his features.

"Well, if you didn't do it," Gaius muttered, rifling through the pages. "Then I'm not sure what's happened." Gaius peered at Merlin over the rim of his glasses. "But if we're both affected, maybe it's not just us."

"Well, that'll make it a lot easier," Merlin sighed, running his hand through his hair. There was so much more of it than before. "We won't be stared at, it'll be…" His voice died away as he remembered the way he and Gwen had both suddenly felt that jolt yesterday. He turned, and started striding towards the door.

"Merlin, what are you doing?" Gaius asked sharply.

"Going to see Gwen," Merlin responded, feeling slightly guilty. Because yes, he did want to check if Gwen was now a man, but even more so, Merlin wanted to find out if the change had affected Arthur.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Only when he was outside Arthur's room did Merlin hesitate. What if Arthur hadn't changed? Merlin would feel like an idiot then, and probably even more so when Arthur started laughing at him.

Merlin glanced down at himself again. He was still wearing his nightshirt and the sheet from his bed, and Merlin felt his cheeks flush as he suddenly realised that the sheet had slipped down around his lower body, and the cool morning air had caused his nipples to protrude through his nightshirt.

Blushing, Merlin undid the sheet and threw it over himself so that it settled like a cloak. This is a bad idea, he thought, making sure that the sheet covered him appropriately. I should just go back to my room, and…

Instead, he pushed the door open.

There was no sign of Arthur, except for the writhing, shapeless figure under the covers of Arthur's bed. "Go away!" A muffled voice commanded.

Merlin shut the door behind him. "It's Merlin."

There was a brief pause. "When are you ever going to learn to knock?" Arthur's muffled voice said grumpily. "Merlin, I don't need you this morning, just get out of here."

As usual, Merlin ignored him. He stepped quickly towards the bed and grasped the bedcovers that hid Arthur from sight before pulling them back firmly, exposing Arthur's head.

Arthur immediately tugged them back. "Merlin!" he yelped as he once more disappeared from view. "Don't do that again!"

Merlin grinned to himself. The brief glimpse he'd had of Arthur had confirmed his suspicions - there had been more blond hair than usual; his features appearing more feminine than masculine.

Apparently the brief glimpse Arthur had had of Merlin was also hitting home, as Arthur slowly pulled the duvet down to neck level. "Merlin?" He said hesitantly, and this time Merlin noticed the more feminine tone.

Merlin sat down on the edge of Arthur's bed. "Yes." He brushed his dark hair out of his eyes and tucked it behind his ears.

Arthur hesitantly sat up, still holding the bedcovers around shoulder level. His hair had grown to about the same length as Merlin's, but while Merlin's hair was straight, Arthur's was gently wavy. If possible, his lips seemed even fuller, and his eyelashes longer. The intensity of his gaze was making Merlin feel very unsettled, and Merlin instinctively crossed his arms across his chest, trying hard to ignore the way his new breasts were compressing against his arms.

"I thought it was just me," Arthur finally groaned, his shoulders sagging.

"Same," Merlin confessed. "And then I saw Gaius…" He stopped as Arthur's blue eyes widened.

"It happened to Gaius too?"

"Yeah," Merlin sighed. "He's trying to find a reason for it."

Arthur hesitated, his eyes darting from Merlin to himself. "Merlin, close your eyes."

Merlin screwed them shut. He heard the sheets rustle, followed by light footsteps across the room.

"Oh," Arthur said quietly, and Merlin guessed that he was looking at himself in the mirror. "Oh god."

After what felt like several minutes, Merlin asked "Can I open my eyes now?"

"Not yet!" Arthur hissed. There was another rustle of material, and then Arthur said, more calmly, "Okay, you can open them now."

Merlin's eyes flickered open as he twirled around to face Arthur. He felt his mouth drop open.

Arthur had retained his attractiveness; he looked as beautiful as a girl as he had looked handsome as a boy. His figure was a pretty-much perfect hourglass shape, which was obvious even under the coat Arthur appeared to have just thrown on. Right at the moment, Arthur was busy fiddling with the buttons, trying to stretch them to cover his chest.

"Bloody buttons," he muttered to himself. He glanced up, and his eyes narrowed. "Merlin, close your mouth."

Merlin obediently did so. A small grin spread across his face. "Need any help?"

Arthur immediately turned around. "Absolutely not!"

Merlin giggled. "You sound like Morgana."

Arthur twirled around again, having finally buttoned his coat all the way up. "And you laugh like a girl," he shot back. Arthur's coat fit very badly across his chest, and Merlin found himself trying hard to concentrate on Arthur's face.

"Now what?" Arthur said impatiently, pacing across the room. "I can't let anyone see me like this!" He gestured to himself.

"Well, you, me and Gaius have been affected," Merlin counted on his fingers, noticing the slimness of his hands for the first time. "Maybe it's the whole castle?"

Arthur paused by the window. "Don't be ridiculous, Merlin. If it was the whole castle, that would mean…"

There was a loud knocking at the door. "The King has called an emergency meeting in the Great Hall and requests your presence at once!" A voice called out.

Arthur and Merlin exchanged glances.

"Damn!" Arthur exclaimed, his eyes narrowing.