Big thanks to Dementedviper and Lozrii for helping me get over writers' block, and especially to Lozrii for giving me some ideas for this chapter.
I hope you like this chapter - please enjoy!
"I knew it took a long time for Morgana to get ready. I just didn't know that it took this long."
Gwen smiled to herself; Merlin was obviously typical of most men. Men can be so innocent to the hassle us women go through to look nice, Gwen thought to herself. Of course, she was a physically a man now, but her mind was still feminine. "I've almost finished."
Merlin sighed heavily, gazing at the reflection in the mirror. "That looks so weird," he pointed out. "Me doing Morgana's hair."
Gwen glanced at the mirror as well, giving an involuntary start when it was Merlin's reflection that copied her movements. She'd only been Merlin for about an hour, and she still felt a jolt of surprise whenever she caught a glimpse of the body she was in, or heard Merlin's voice coming out of her mouth when she spoke.
"Merlin," she asked hesitantly, continuing to plait Morgana's dark hair. "You will be able to find the spell to undo us, right?"
"He better," Gwen's actual voice said behind her. Gwen twirled around and came face-to-face with her body.
"Hi, Arthur," Merlin greeted breezily, finally getting close to imitating Morgana's tones. "Is Morgana all done, then?"
"She should have been finished ages ago!" Arthur complained, leaning against the wall. "She just keeps doing my hair over and over again…" He paused. "Nice dress, by the way."
For the second time that day, Morgana's cheeks flushed slightly. "How can you walk in these things, Arthur?" he asked irritably. "You seem to cope fine."
Gwen watched as her own body wavered, then Arthur replied "I won't go into that, if you don't mind."
"There, all done," Gwen interrupted, placing the hairbrush onto the table. "What do you think?"
Merlin sat up a little straighter and tilted Morgana's head at a few different angles. "Looks good."
"I'm pleased to hear that." Morgana strolled into the room, Arthur's head held high and her arms swinging freely. She glanced down at Merlin's hair - well, technically Morgana's own hair, Gwen reminded herself.
Morgana flashed a grin at her. "Thanks for helping, Gwen."
"Happy to be of service," Gwen replied formally, dropping into a half-curtsey.
Arthur snickered slightly - it sounded odd coming out of Gwen's own mouth.
"Err, Gwen…" Merlin stood up hesitantly, tugging at Morgana's dress slightly. "You can't curtsey anymore. It just looks… weird."
"Oh." Gwen glanced down at herself - okay, it would look unusual to see Merlin curtseying.
"Does that mean me too?" Morgana asked, Arthur's eyes shining.
"Yes." Arthur interjected, suddenly serious.
Morgana frowned. "Arthur, you're no fun."
Merlin sighed. "We better get going," he remarked. "And let's just try and remember who we're meant to be."
"We should call each other by our body's names," Morgana suggested, her fingers brushing away a crease in Arthur's jerkin. "To make it less suspicious."
Merlin nodded. "Good idea, Arthur."
"I'm glad that you think so, Morgana."
"Gwen, Gwen," Arthur started muttering under his breath as the four of them made their way out of the room. "My name is Gwen. Gwen, Guinevere, Gwen."
Merlin caught the eye of the real Gwen and shot her a grin before turning to Arthur. "Hey, Arthur."
Arthur glanced up. "What is it?" he snapped at the exact same Morgana replied "Yes, Morgana?"
"Just testing," Merlin replied, smiling innocently.
Arthur cast Gwen's eyes on the floor, his lips moving soundlessly while Gwen's hands clenched into fists.
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"Okay, remember to act like the person you look like."
Merlin sighed, exasperated. "We know."
"So, I'm Arthur, you're me, Arthur's Gwen, Gwen's Merlin…"
"We've already been over this," Arthur interrupted, Gwen's voice sounding irritable. "We go in. Act as each other. Leave, go to sleep. Wake up, find way to switch back. Easy."
Morgana frowned disapprovingly at him. "You're not exactly acting very Gwen-like."
Arthur scowled back. "I barely know Gwen! No offence," he added quickly to Merlin's body, which Gwen was inhabiting.
Gwen's small smile appeared on Merlin's face. "None taken."
"Can we just go in and get it over and done with?" Merlin asked anxiously, adjusting Morgana's dress a few more times. For once, Morgana didn't tell him off - the fact that Merlin had willingly worn the blindfold must have increased her trust in him.
"I still think we should pretend to be ill," Arthur mentioned yet again. "Avoid the feast all together."
Morgana opened her mouth to reply, and Merlin felt a flash of annoyance pass through him. "Well, you lot can stay here and argue," he decided, taking a few steps forward. "I'm going."
And with that, he pulled up the hem of Morgana's dress and strolled into the hall.
And instantly began to understand why Morgana hated these feasts.
All those people staring at him were starting to creep him out - especially the lustful look which appeared in the eyes of more than one man as Merlin walked by. Luckily, Morgana was the king's ward, and none of those men would have dared to approach her. Lucky for Merlin, at least.
"Hey," a quiet voice said behind him. Merlin turned his head, and came face-to-face with himself - or at least, his usual self.
"Gwe - Merlin," Merlin suddenly recalled whose body he was in. "So you decided to come."
Gwen smiled again. "I think you were right," she said quietly. Her blue eyes flickered from side to side, checking that no-one had heard them. "Let's get this over and done with."
Merlin gave a tiny nod. "So, Merlin," he raised Morgana's voice, speaking normally. "How have your science lessons been coming on?"
"Err, good," Gwen responded, trying to imitate Merlin's chirpy tone. "Yes, ummm… Gaius is a good teacher."
"Indeed," Merlin agreed with some feeling, just as Uther's voice rang throughout the hall.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," the King of Camelot announced to the room. "You may take your seats now."
Merlin grinned at Gwen before moving over to the nearest table to sit in his usual seat besides Gaius.
Gaius turned, surprised, as Merlin sat down beside him. "Morgana, what are you doing?"
Merlin half-twisted his head, expecting to see Morgana behind him. Then it hit him. He was Morgana. And Morgana always sat beside the king, never besides the court physician.
"Sorry, Gaius," he apologised, standing up. "Must have been out in the sun too long today."
Gaius looked puzzled. "It was raining today."
Merlin paused, mentally kicking himself. "It was?" He desperately glanced around the hall, hoping that no-one was watching the exchange between him and Gaius. They weren't - they were busy watching Uther as he scolded the servant girl who'd tried to sit in Arthur's chair.
"That seat is reserved for Arthur, and Arthur alone," Uther reprimanded, his eyes narrowed and angry as he towered over the maidservant. "Is that clear?"
Arthur - or, Morgana in Arthur - placed one hand on Uther's shoulder. "Don't worry him…err, her," Morgana commanded in Arthur's voice. "He - she hasn't done any harm."
"Hmmm." Uther continued to stare at the servant. "You're Lady Morgana's maidservant, am I right?"
Behind Uther's back, Morgana-as-Arthur nodded encouragingly. Merlin sighed, and began to walk over to them. He had a feeling that Morgana's presence might be needed soon.
"Yes," the real Arthur finally spoke in Gwen's voice. He stood up, tugging uncomfortably at Gwen's dress. "I'm very, very sorry, sir."
"So you should be."
"Your highness," Merlin interjected, stopping beside Arthur-in-Gwen. "Guinevere had a touch of sunstroke today; she is not in her right mind."
"Really?" Uther responded enquiringly. "But it was raining today."
"I mean yesterday," Merlin quickly corrected himself before continuing. "I believe she has every right to be excused." He waited, hoping that Uther would agree.
Uther sat back in his chair. "Very well, Morgana. But if it happens again, a day in the stocks will do her no harm."
The real Morgana mouthed something to Merlin, gesturing slightly. Merlin sighed as he realised what he had to do.
Silently convinced that he was making Morgana look like a fool, Merlin dropped into a curtsey. "Many thanks, my lord."
Uther nodded, then turned to Arthur-in-Gwen and waited expectantly.
Merlin gave a small smile and pulled at the elbow of Gwen's dress. Arthur glanced at him irritably, then did a sort of half-curtsey. "Yes, thank you."
"You are excused," Uther dismissed his own son unknowingly. Ah, the irony, Merlin mused as he sat down in Morgana's usual seat, watching carefully as Arthur-in-Gwen sat down in Gwen's usual chair. Merlin glanced across at the other side of the hall, noticing that Gwen-in-his-body was seated beside Gaius. Merlin's old face was paler than usual… Gwen was probably worried that Arthur would get her thrown in the stocks.
"Now that little interruption is over," Uther continued, raising his goblet. "Our feast may begin."
Yippee, Merlin thought sarcastically. Maybe Arthur had been right, and they should have pretended to be ill. He shot a glance at the real Morgana, seating in Arthur's chair. She caught his eye at the same time, and winked.
"Arthur," Uther began, turning to who he thought was his son. "You are to be in charge of training tomorrow, as usual."
Morgana-as-Arthur nodded, looking slightly puzzled. "Battle training, right?" she replied, unable to keep a glimmer of interest out of Arthur's voice.
Merlin suddenly recalled how, soon after they'd switched bodies, Morgana had mentioned wanting to fight. Well, she'd get her wish now.
The young warlock stared down at his plate, lost in thought. Where could that parchment have gone? He needed to figure it out fast.
Because Merlin really, really didn't want to be Morgana for the rest of his life.
