Here's another chapter :)

Story: Body change
Chapter 8: Understanding
By: Mischel


Upset. That was what Arthur was now. Upset. Well, maybe not so much upset as he thought about it now. But he still couldn't believe it. Merlin, his Merlin, had magic. And Merlin's magic was now his magic. Merlin was Emrys. His name was in a book that was older than Gaius' grandfather. This was weird enough to just run away. He didn't know what to think. He still loved Merlin. He always somehow liked him. But he realized that he loved him only three months ago. When Merlin first came to Camelot, he thought he was just some rude boy who wanted to fight with the first person he met. And he met him. Prince Arthur, who is now the king of Camelot.

From the first meeting with him, he knew something was weird about him.

"There's something about you, Merlin. I can't quite put my finger on it." He had told him, and now he knew what it was. Even then, Merlin had magic. He didn't know if he can ever trust him again, but hasn't Merlin proven countless times that he cares about him? That he wants him to be a great king? He told him so. Many times. Old memories flashed in Arthur's mind.

"I'm happy to be your servant, till the day I die." Merlin had told him. When he saw his somehow sad blue eyes, he knew it wasn't a lie. It was the truth. Merlin spoke from his heart, and he meant it. How many times had Merlin told him of how great king he is destined to be? One day he will unite all the kingdoms and will be the greatest king of Camelot. He told him that people will remember his victory till the end of time. And when Merlin told him this, he trusted him. He saw the truth in his eyes. Merlin was trustful. He told him the truth and he himself believed it. Merlin trusted Arthur with his life. He believed that Arthur will one day become the great King of Camelot, as Merlin said he's destined to be. That weren't lies. Arthur could feel it.

"Destinies are troublesome things," Merlin had told him when he had said he has no idea what is it to have a destiny you can't escape. And yet again, he was wrong. Merlin knew about destinies everything. Maybe because he alone was carrying a big one on his shoulders. "You feel trapped. You can't escape. Like your whole life has been planned out for you, and you've got no control over anything, and sometimes you don't even know if what destiny has decided is really the best thing at all."

"How come you're so knowledgeable?" He had asked Merlin.

"Hmm? I read a book." When Merlin had said that he knew he was lying, but he had let him lie, and asked if he should marry princess Elena or not. Now he can only thank Merlin, he didn't marry her. Because now he's got a different love. He loves his manservant. He still loves Merlin. And he can't just escape and behave as if nothing happened. Merlin had magic, yes. But has it changed what Arthur felt for Merlin? Has it somehow changed how much he loves him?

No. And that was the reason why Arthur knew he can trust Merlin even now. He still loved him, and he was sure Merlin loves him too. Arthur understood him finally. He had no idea how hard it had to be. Such a young person, carrying the destiny on his young shoulders. To have no one he can talk to about it. Even with Arthur, he hasn't shared this secret and it had to be hard. To stand right next to him every day, with fear over his own life. To have no idea how he would react and what would he do.

Well, now Merlin knew how he reacted. He simply ran away. But now he can come back, hug Merlin and tell him that he understood. When they kissed, it wasn't a lie. It was true love. Arthur decided. He will come back to Merlin and tell him all these things he realized. And that he still loves him.

Arthur sighed. His leg hurt much more than he wanted. Sure because of the running. Why had he ran after all, when he's injured? Was he mad? When he and Merlin change their bodies back, it will be Merlin who's gonna still be injured, and Arthur didn't help it with the running.

He had no idea how long has he been there, but the sun was slowly falling down. He stood up and realized that a few meters before him is a beautiful meadow. Something was lying there on the ground. Arthur came to it, and realized it's a woman. She was apparently dead. She had orange hair and blue opened eyes. He knelt next to her, and touched her hand. She was cold. So he closed her eyes with his hand gently and stood up. He didn't have much time to bury her, he needed to get back to Merlin and it was slowly getting dark.

A few meters from her, back towards the forest was a basket. Probably hers. He looked into it and found it empty, so he decided to go back. He turned and walked back to the forest towards Merlin and Gwaine, but after about two minutes of walking he suddenly stopped. He felt something, something weird. Merlin would be able to tell him what it was, but he himself had no idea. He walked closer and closer, the feeling growing with each step when, suddenly, he tripped and fell on the ground.

"Well, Merlin," he said "Seems I have not just your magic, but your clumsiness as well." He smiled, and looked over at what he just tripped over. It was hidden in a high grass, but when he placed his hand there, he managed to palpate the thing. He grabbed it and looked at it closer. Then his eyes widened.

It was a stone. That stone. It was Comedentis. Arthur was sure about it. It looked exactly the same as the picture in Gaius' book. And the stone was glowing. It was a bit odd to hold it in hands and feel it glowing. But it wasn't a bad feeling at all. Arthur stood up, and put the stone into his pocket. Then he started to walk back to Merlin to tell him about what has he just found.

xoXOXox

"I didn't want to hurt him..." sniffed Merlin as Gwaine, still sitting next to him, tried to comfort his friend:

"It'll be alright. He will understand Merlin."

"And you?" Merlin asked and wiped his tears away "You understand me Gwaine?"

"...I think I do Merlin." Gwaine smiled and Merlin smiled at him too. At least someone seems to understand. "But still I wanna go to a tavern and don't you think you'll escape tons of questions," Gwaine added to cheer Merlin up "You will drink with me no matter if you want or not." Merlin laughed a bit.

"Thank you," said Merlin suddenly and looked at Gwaine.

"For what?" Gwaine asked, he wasn't sure why would Merlin thank him.

"For everything," Merlin replied and smiled again "That you are here for me when Arthur isn't. And that you aren't upset. Thanks for understanding me. You're a true friend."

"For you everything, mate," Gwaine smiled. It had to mean really much to Merlin as he realized. To be understood. He wanted to add something, but suddenly, something stopped him and he stiffened. He slowly stood up, took his sword and gave another sword to Merlin.

"Wha-"

"Shh," Gwaine cut Merlin off and only then Merlin heard it too. It were footsteps. Merlin smiled a bit. Maybe it was Arthur, coming back. But his smile disappeared in the next second he saw her.

Her eyes flashed gold and they both suddenly fell backwards, against the trees. Morgana smirked and said:

"Did you really think you could hurt me with those little swords of yours?" she asked. "So, Merlin and Gwaine. What are you doing here?" Their eyes widened. How could she know about their swapped bodies? Agravaine, thought Merlin immediately. Though he couldn't tell Gwaine.

"How do you know it's Merlin?" Gwaine asked, holding his aching head.

"Does it need saying?" Morgana smirked "I'm smart. Seems smarter than you. Now answer my question!" she spat.

Gwaine smiled "Just wandering around, for some mushrooms and herbs for Gaius." Merlin just nodded. But Morgana didn't seem to believe his lie. She got angry.

"Don't you dare to lie to me, you little knight! I could kill you both just with a blink of my eye!" she cried, reached her hand towards them, and her dagger, she had in a pocket, flew to them and stopped a few inches from Gwaine's nose. Nor Gwaine nor Merlin said anything. They were just sitting there, looking hatefully at Morgana.

"Well," she continued "If you're not going to tell me the truth, you'll have to wait here, until you'll tell me. Don't you think you can escape me." she said and with another flash of gold in her eyes, they were tied to a tree "I don't care about you. You can starve here, if you don't tell me why are you here." with that, she sat down and waited to her answer, with the dagger still flying around them.

When no one of them spoke in another two minutes, she sighed "Did I tell you I'm not patient? And did I tell you I enjoy torture?" her eyes flashed gold, and another dagger flew to them. This time much closer to Merlin's face. The sun was almost gone, and it was almost dark. Her eyes were glowing gold in that dark.

Both daggers were flying closer to Gwaine, and to Merlin as well. The first dagger started to slowly tear Gwaine's skin on his arm, leaving behind a line of his blood. Gwaine clenched his teeth, but didn't say anything. They couldn't tell Morgana about Comedentis. She would know it still does exist, and would want to take it. They wouldn't ever change back.

The second dagger headed to Merlin and did the same. Morgana really did enjoy slow and painful torture. Still nor Merlin said anything. Though it did hurt.

xoXOXox

Arthur was walking towards Gwaine and Merlin, smiling. Now he knew who his lover was. And he finally understood. He was looking forward to tell Merlin how much he still loves him, despite the fact that he has magic. Well, Arthur had now his magic. He was so proud of Merlin. He had no idea that his younger friend could be so powerful. And now, he knew it. He felt it. He had Merlin's power. He could do anything with Merlin's magic inside of him, but he was afraid. He didn't know how it feels to do magic. Well, he knew a bit. When he cried and the bandits flew away, he felt something different. He felt something warm and pure. And now he knows what it was.

It was Merlin's magic. Magic, that has been always there. Though he didn't notice it. Arthur smiled again. He was almost there, but the dark was coming. The sun was almost gone, but he knew that they waited to him. They wouldn't ride away without him.

"Argh!" Arthur immediately stopped. It was Gwaine's voice. Gwaine's scream. What the hell happened? Arthur started to run, even with his injured leg. Just after one minute, he was there. He hid behind a tree (thanks God, Merlin was so skinny) and carefully looked down. What he saw, almost made him fall. He whispered, dismay written in his face:

"Morgana..."