A/N: Apologies for the delay. To make up for it, here's an extra long chapter! :-)

Weeks on from the Battle of Camelot, things were finally getting back to normal. The debris had been cleared, people of the lower town and outlying villages had returned to rebuild their homes, and life within the citadel was thriving.

So naturally, something had to go wrong.

It had all started the previous morning after Arthur returned from a council meeting. He'd entered his chambers only to find Merlin looking for something under his bed in a room that had otherwise been completely trashed. The manservant's excuse included something along the lines of 'spring cleaning' and 'eating off the floor' before he'd managed to scurry off elsewhere.

Just when Arthur thought things couldn't get any stranger, he'd received the shock of his life after his father had failed to turn up to lunch. He'd discovered the king hiding in his chambers – completely bald.

The prince figured a good night's rest ought to take his mind off the bizarre events of that day. Needless to say, he hadn't been asleep for very long before he was abruptly awoken by an intruder. After finally managing to clamber out of his bed canopy, he'd discovered the chest of gold coins he kept under his bed had been stolen.

To top everything off, Arthur found himself with no breakfast and no one to dress him before target practice the next morning when Merlin failed to turn up to work. Again.

Quite frankly, the prince had had enough.

He was on his way to Gaius' chambers to inform Merlin that he was going to be the target that morning when he collided with someone around a corner. The two were sent sprawling backwards, a tiny smash echoing through the hallway.

"Watch where you're—oh, Arthur," Morgana quickly corrected herself. "I apologise, I—"

"There's no need," Arthur cut in, rising to his feet. He extended a hand to Morgana who took it gratefully. "I should be the one apologising."

"You? Apologise?" she scoffed.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Normally I wouldn't seeing as you're one of the most annoying people I know, but…" he glanced down at the smashed vile of liquid on the ground. "You wouldn't have that on you unless you'd had a nightmare last night."

"It's fine, I'm used to it by now," Morgana smiled.

"As the highest ranking lady in the court, you need your rest," the prince reasoned. "I was heading to Gaius' chambers anyway – we could go together and pick up another sleeping draught if you'd like?"

At the mention of the physician's name, Morgana scowled. "I think I'd rather take my chances tonight."

With that, she stormed off towards her own chambers leaving a bewildered Arthur behind.

"Okay, that was weird," he muttered before continuing on his way.

The problem with Gaius' chambers was that they were across the other side of the castle – this meant that it took actual effort to stalk over there and pull Merlin out of bed by the ear. Nevertheless, the satisfaction of berating his manservant was always worth it and Arthur soon found himself in front of the old wooden door to Gaius' chambers. Not bothering to knock, he waltzed inside and immediately spotted the physician by his workbench.

"Gaius, I was—"

"Yes, yes, what is it?" the old man groaned, looking up from an odd-looking liquid. "Honestly, how does anyone expect me to get any work done around here with all these interruptions?"

"Sorry…?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. "…anyway, it seems Merlin thought he could skip work this morning seeing as I had to wake and dress myself. Not to mention that I still don't have my breakfast."

Gaius rolled his eyes. "All you nobles are the same, expecting everyone around you to do things a child could do. Why are you bothering me with this sort of thing? Shoo!"

"I don't know why you're being like this Gaius," Arthur frowned. "I was simply asking about Merlin's whereabouts."

"It sounded more like your usual whining to me," the physician smirked.

Arthur's eyebrows shot up before a look of anger overcame his face. "You may be a dear friend to both my father and I, but if you continue to act in this manner then I shall have to choice but to report you to the king."

"Ooooh, two threats in one morning," Gaius said in a sing-song voice. He rose from his chair and shuffled towards Arthur who backed away as the older man invaded his personal space, scrutinising him. "Well, well, well. It would appear more than one person is keeping secrets around here."

"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked quizzically.

Gaius ignored him. "Imagine what your father would say if he discovered his only son possessed the very thing he fears most."

"What?" Arthur repeated, eyes wide.

"Can you not feel it, boy? It runs through your veins as we speak!" Gaius said, tapping the prince's hand. When Arthur remained speechless, a devious smile crept onto the physician's face. "You really have no idea, do you?"

Arthur stumbled back slightly, turning towards the door.

"Sire?" Gaius' voice stopped the prince in his tracks. "You'll find Merlin at the market fetching my breakfast."

Arthur stared fearfully at the old man a moment longer before exiting his chambers and letting the door slam shut behind him.

As the day dragged on, Arthur found little comfort in his thoughts. Ever since his encounter with Gaius that morning, all he could seem to do was come up with theories explaining the physician's strange behaviour, each one more unlikely than the last. The claims had been absurd, not to mention borderline treason. And yet, Arthur couldn't shake the feeling of doubt that had festered itself in the back of his mind.

He'd suppressed the thought, but ever since the Battle of Camelot, he'd felt strange. Different. He'd always put it down to one logical explanation or another, ignored it, hoped the feeling would go away, but it never did. It was only his father's words which convinced him that nothing was wrong.

You can't just have magic.

In an effort to take his mind off of things, Arthur called a council meeting to discuss the increasing number of thefts around the palace. Everything had been running smoothly until Gwen, Morgana and his father suddenly came down with a bout of farting. The council had been dismissed early, though clearly not soon enough for the trio who looked incredibly perturbed as they fled the room.

Just when Arthur thought his day couldn't get any worse, he was only reminded of his predicament after his father ordered that Merlin be arrested for sorcery. When he'd demanded to know why, Uther had brushed his son off claiming he had all the evidence he needed – which was never good news. Reluctantly, Arthur set off around the castle accompanied by two guards, taking the most complicated route possible in the hopes of avoiding his manservant. Of course, that only meant he ran straight into him.

As a protesting Merlin was dragged into the council chamber, Arthur stood helplessly to the side.

"Is it true?" Uther asked accusingly. "You were responsible for the... afflictions that I and other members of the court have suffered?"

Merlin's eyes went wide. "What? No!"

"Gaius?"

On Uther's prompt, the physician retrieved a large book and held it up to the court. "I found this in your room – it's a book of spells and enchantments."

"He's lying!" Merlin exclaimed. "...that's not Gaius."

Arthur's head suddenly shot up. "What are you talking about?"

"He's been possessed by a… goblin," his manservant finished lamely.

"The boy is reduced to making the most desperate and ridiculous accusations," The physician scoffed.

Uther scowled at the warlock. "You seriously expect me to believe that Gaius is a goblin?"

"It—it's controlling him," Merlin stammered. "Gaius is still in there… somewhere."

By this point, Arthur's mind was reeling. Gaius possessed? It would certainly explain his odd behaviour, and given what had been insinuated that morning, the prince was willing to believe almost anything. "Do you have any proof of these accusations?"

"…no," Merlin replied reluctantly. Arthur cringed.

"I fear that magic has corrupted you," Gaius lamented. "It pains me more than I can tell you—"

"I really doubt that," Merlin cut in, glaring.

The physician ignored the warlock, turning to face Uther. "My lord, I have been harbouring a sorcerer. For that I offer the most sincere apology."

"You were not to know, Gaius," the king replied. "He's fooled us all."

A bewildered look overcame Merlin's face. "It's not me that's fooling you!"

"Silence!" Uther bellowed. "You've been found guilty of using magic and enchantments and in accordance with our laws you will pay with your life." He glanced at the guards. "Take him away!"

Arthur watched in horror as Merlin was dragged out of the room. He made to speak up but quickly decided against it – he knew that no matter what he said, his father would never listen. No, he needed something else. Evidence. If 'proof' had gotten Merlin into this mess, it was going to get him out of it.

"…this and have it destroyed."

Arthur's thoughts were interrupted by his father's voice. Glancing in the direction of the throne, the king held out the spell book used to incriminate the warlock.

"Of course," the prince mumbled, grasping the book in his hands.

He strode out of the room, glancing left and right once he was away from the scrutiny of his father and Gaius. When he was sure no one was in sight, he backtracked and headed towards his chambers.

If he was going to save Merlin's lazy behind, he had plotting to do.

That night, Arthur lay on his bed glumly staring up at the red canopy that hung across the four wooden posts. He'd led armies, defended the kingdom on multiple occasions, would one day be king – yet the prince couldn't think of a single plan to clear his scrawny manservant of the charges laid against him.

The fact that he knew almost nothing about goblins wasn't helping, and he couldn't exactly waltz into Gaius' chambers and borrow one of his many books given he apparently was the horrid creature. There were the books in the castle library but the room was likely locked for the night. Not that it would change much, anyway. He had no plan, and in any case, his father had forbidden anyone – especially Arthur – from visiting the dungeons.

The only exception to the rule had been Guinevere who had managed to get herself put on prison food duty earlier that evening. She'd informed Arthur that Merlin said he was fine, but that hardly did anything to calm the prince's nerves. Of course the idiot said he was fine, that's exactly the sort of thing he'd say right before his impending doom.

Arthur pushed himself off his bed and stalked over to the window. In the courtyard below, the pyre had already been set up for the execution the next morning. It seemed to stare back at him mockingly, shadows bouncing off the wood as a result of the torches surrounding the castle as though it were giving him a taste of what was to come. Arthur felt the panic begin to rise up in his chest as he desperately clawed for an idea in a brain that seemed to be drawing nothing but blanks.

Then, the warning bell sounded.

For the first time in his life, Arthur found himself relieved to hear the racket as he spotted a faint silhouette darting across the citadel. Multiple torches charged after the figure as it scurried through the city gates and into the upper town. The prince silently bid Merlin good luck as the light too disappeared behind the city walls.

He strode back to his bed and fell heavily onto the mattress. Although one problem was solved, the fact that Gaius was still possessed remained. His father may be too blind to see it, but Arthur wasn't going to let the matter slide so easily. He had already just lost one – dare he say it – friend as a result of the creature.

He wasn't going to stand by idly as he lost another.

Being turned into a donkey, it seemed, had not been the action plan Arthur had had in mind.

A briefing with his father the next morning saw Gaius – or at least his physical form anyway – yelling about incompetence after Merlin's escape. By this point the prince was positive his manservant had been telling the truth, though given how his father seemed to agree with Gaius' every word, realised he was going to have to prove it himself. He figured confronting the goblin was as good an idea as any.

Hence the donkey ears.

As Arthur stood gawping at his reflection in the mirror, a knock on the door to his chambers startled him.

"I'm busy!" he said desperately. He was shocked however when his words came out as a low bray. It seemed the knocker was just as confused as a familiar voice filtered through the door moments later.

"Arthur?"

No! the prince thought as he scrambled to hide behind the far side of his bed.

"Arthur, it's Guinevere," she continued hesitantly. "…can I come in?"

"Please don't!" he yelled frantically. Gwen only grew more concerned however and she hesitantly stuck her head through the door.

"Arthur?" she tried again. When she got no response, the maidservant carefully made her way through the room until she rounded the side of the bed. She gasped when she finally saw the prince who gave her a defeated look in return. "What's happened to you?"

"I grew a tail," Arthur replied sarcastically, his words once again getting turned into a loud donkey-like wheeze. When Gwen continued to stare at him in shock, the prince saw it as a chance to finally get the events of the previous few days off his chest. "First my belongings get stolen, then Gaius tells me I have magic, Merlin gets himself arrested, I try to prove he was telling the truth and now I'm stuck like this and… confused."

Gwen, having understood none of the prince's rant, immediately cut to the chase. "Did Gaius do this to you?"

"No kidding."

"He's a goblin," she said matter-of-factly.

"I know!" Arthur brayed.

Gwen sighed and kneeled down beside him. "You poor thing," she cooed as she began scratching one of his newly acquired ears. The prince seemed to relax for a moment before realising how weird the situation was.

"What are you doing?" he wheezed.

"Sorry," Gwen replied, backing away. She stood up and flattened the creases in her dress. "Merlin's working on a plan."

Though Arthur was relieved to hear his manservant was alright, the implication of her statement had him rolling his eyes. "Great."

"We'll figure out what to do," she said reassuringly. "…stay here."

"Fine," Arthur muttered. Gwen arched an eyebrow at him then hurried out of the room, the prince sighing as the door closed behind her. "I'm doomed."

It had taken the better part of that morning, but Arthur eventually felt the donkey ears disappear much to his relief. He'd later found Gwen and Merlin in Gaius' chambers, the physician recovering from being poisoned according to his two friends. As noon set on Camelot, Gaius saw himself well enough to address the court. Merlin was pardoned, the goblin placed in the vaults, and for the first time in days the people of the court were free to go about their usual routines without fear of being enchanted.

Arthur had headed straight for the training field, though not before bumping into Gwen. After an awkward conversation in which the two decided never to mention the events of those few days again, they parted ways both relieved and harrowed. For Gwen, her worries were over. For Arthur, it was only one problem solved of many.

In his chambers later that night, Arthur sat at his dining table tapping the wood impatiently. He knew he should be happy – Merlin was free and the goblin was out of Gaius. Despite this, the prince was more wound up than usual. The events of the previous day had proven to be a much needed distraction from the fear that had been eating away at him, but with nothing else to focus on, Arthur had found himself replaying his conversation with Gaius – or rather, the goblin – over and over again. It was slowly driving him mad and the prince had had enough. He wanted answers and he was going to get them.

A knock at the door startled Arthur from his thoughts and the man in question stuck his head into the room.

"You sent for me, sire?" Gaius asked.

"Indeed," the prince replied. "Come in."

The old man closed the door behind him and warily shuffled his way further into the room. "Is something the matter?"

"Yes…" Arthur hesitated momentarily before pressing on. "I need to ask you something. About the goblin, that is."

"What is it?" Gaius frowned, concerned. "As I told your father earlier, I've no idea who released it. It was just as much of a surprise to me as it was to everyone else."

"Oh, no it's not about that," Arthur corrected him. "It's just… do you remember anything that you said or did while you were possessed?"

The physician shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Merlin has been informing me of the events of the past few days though I fear I'm not aware of every incident. I'm terribly sorry for all that has happened, though you must know it wasn't my doing."

"Of course, you needn't worry Gaius," the prince said reassuringly.

The old man raised his infamous eyebrow. "Forgive me sire, but I struggle to believe that is the only question playing on your mind. I noticed you at training earlier today – you looked rather distracted."

"Quite," Arthur deadpanned. He traced a pattern in the wood with his finger before finally looking back up at Gaius. "Can goblins read people's minds?"

"What?"

"Minds, hearts, souls, any of that," the blond elaborated. When the physician continued to stare at him in surprise, Arthur looked at him pleadingly. "I need to know, Gaius," he said quietly. "Please."

The old man sighed, focusing on the floor before reluctantly speaking up. "…yes."

"I knew—!"

"But," Gaius cut in, locking his gaze with the prince's once more. "You must remember, Arthur – goblins are creatures of mischief. They can take the slightest fact and twist it into something that frightens the victim more than anything else."

"Or they could be telling the whole truth?" Arthur supplied.

Gaius nodded hesitantly. "In some cases, yes."

The prince rubbed his temple as a headache began to set in. While he was relieved in one sense to finally get some answers, the new information only left him more confused. How much was truth and how much was fear? Was it possible the creature merely sensed his suppressed confusion or was there something else there that he dare not think about?

"Sire?" Gaius' voice once again pierced Arthur's thoughts. "Are you alright?"

The prince forced a nod, finally rising from his chair. "Of course. You're free to go – I'm sorry to have troubled you this late at night."

"Not at all," the physician said reassuringly. He made to leave but suddenly paused at the door. "If it's a physical ailment which worries you, rest assured that you are in perfect health."

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle at the irony. "Thank you Gaius, that is a comfort to know."

Realising he wasn't going to get anything further from the prince, Gaius bowed and made his way out of the room. As soon as the door closed behind him however, he paused, listening intently. The conversation had been the second he'd had with the prince surrounding magic in as many months and the physician was beginning to grow concerned. There had been plenty of incidents within the castle walls involving magic in the past, yet Arthur hadn't questioned any of them – why the sudden interest? When little noise filtered through the door, Gaius decided he would have to keep an eye on the prince. Finally, he began the long walk to his own room.

In his chambers, Arthur waited a few minutes until he eventually heard the soft patter of Gaius' footsteps making their way down the corridor. Once he was sure the physician was gone, he strode towards the bedside table closest to him and opened the top draw. After rummaging around under a few blankets he finally pulled out what he was looking for – the book of spells and enchantments his father had ordered be destroyed the day before.

Arthur wasn't sure why he'd kept the book. He was conflicted, torn between believing the words of his father and the ones of a magical creature which may or may not have been telling the truth. He wanted so desperately to think that the entire thing was a prank, an elaborate story designed to elicit fear within the deepest recesses of his soul. And yet, Arthur found himself replaying the confrontation over in his mind once again. The creature had looked so sure of itself. What if his father was wrong – what if you could 'just have magic'?

There was something else too, something he had overlooked. The goblin had stated that the prince wasn't the 'only one keeping secrets'. What was that supposed to mean? The only other person he knew of who had gone to see the physician prior to him had been Morgana, but surely the creature hadn't been referring to her? Then again, she had been willing to have another nightmare in place of picking up a second sleeping draught. Was it possible she was currently just as scared as him for similar reasons?

Arthur sighed, opening the spell book to a random page. An assortment of words he identified as Old English lined the paper, though he understood none of it. Regardless, he decided he'd keep the book – for education purposes, naturally. Besides, if he had it, that meant there was no one who could actually use it.

After placing the book back where he had hidden it, Arthur extinguished the remaining candles in the room and tucked himself into bed. He had been far too stressed he realised and a hunting trip was in order. Though he knew Merlin hated the sport, the prince figured his manservant could use the break too after his own ordeal in the dungeons. Given the annual melee was set for later that week, they would have to set off first thing in the morning.

It was the only chance they would have to get away from the castle for a while, and Arthur was willing to forget about things any way he could.

A/N: In terms of future chapters, updates will probably be around a week/a week and a half apart from now on as I've now got studies to focus on. I'll try my best to speed things up where I can without risking the integrity of the story.

Thank you so much for the response to the last chapter, particularly to those who reviewed. It was so great to see such positive feedback – you guys are wonderful! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it. :-)

Next up, 'Gwaine'. Thanks for reading!