I don't own Merlin.

Merlin's POV

I stared after Arthur angrily. Oh sure, it was funny to him. He never had to dress like a girl.

An evil smile came across my face. I did tell him he would regret laughing at me. At the time, it was an empty threat, but now the gears in my head were turning. I think Arthur may need a bit of a makeover.

I muttered the spell under my breath so Arthur wouldn't hear me. I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped me. Arthur turned back to me. "What is so funny Merlin?" He asked me in a tired voice.

"Nothing my lady," I said, walking past him. I spared a glance for him and had to hold back my laughter. The spell didn't do too much to him. I didn't want to do anything that might make him think magic is bad, I just wanted him to regret what he said. The spell made him look like a girl from the neck up. His face had make-up on it and his hair had grown slightly and curled. He did look rather feminine which was a comical sight on top of the body of a knight.

"My lady?" He asked incredulously. "Merlin, I'm the king of Camelot. You can't insult me like that."

"I wasn't insulting you," I told him. "Would you care for some water my lady? It's just over there."

I could hear a stream, not far from where we were walking. I really just wanted him to see his reflection. I'm not stupid enough to embarrass him in front of his people, but this little thing? This was perfect.

Arthur shoved past me. "I'll find the way myself," he told me.

He walked towards the stream. I waited. Less than five minutes later, "Merlin!" Arthur screamed.

"Yes?" I asked innocently, walking towards the stream.

Once he could see where I was, he barged over to me and locked me in a head lock. "Undo it," he ordered me.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, playing dumb.

"You know what's wrong!" He said angrily.

"I don't see anything wrong my lady. You make a lovely woman Arthur," I told him, mimicking his earlier words.

"If I apologize, will you undo the spell?" He asked me.

"Absolutely," I told him honestly.

"Well that's never going to happen, so undo it," he told me.

"Nope," I told him. "Not unless you apologize."

"Merlin!" He said outraged.

"I'm sorry my lord, but I will not undo the spell unless you apologize," I told him.

"You know, I'm starting to think that magic should not be allowed in Camelot," Arthur threatened.

"You wouldn't," I said. And he wouldn't… right?

"Oh I would," he warned.

I sighed. "Gierri," I muttered and Arthur's features slowly returned to his own.

"That's wasn't too hard now was it?" He asked me.

"No," I said quietly. "We ought to continue."

"Merlin," he called. I kept walking. "Merlin!"

I stopped, but didn't turn around. "You know I didn't mean it, right?" he asked me.

"Didn't mean what?" I asked him.

"I would never ban magic in Camelot just because of a harmless prank. I hope you realize that," he told me. I was surprised by the sincerity in his voice. I turned so I was facing him.

"Of course I knew that," I lied.

Arthur walked up to me. He slapped the back of my head. "You're a terrible liar Merlin," he told me. He walked for a moment then turned to face me. "I am sorry Merlin."

I couldn't help my smile. "Thanks Arthur," I told him. Maybe we got something out of this anyway.

We walked in silence for a while. Arthur seemed like he was preoccupied with something. "My lord, is everything okay?" I asked him after a couple of hours of silence. We would have to stop soon for lunch, but I don't think Arthur realized that. And it wasn't like him to forget about his meals.

"Yes," he said shortly.

"My lord?" I asked confused. He most certainly wasn't okay.

"Am I really that kind of king Merlin?" He asked me.

"What kind of king, my lord?" I asked him.

"The kind where I make an empty threat and my people believe me. Do I really come across as that heartless and cruel?" He asked me.

"No of course not," I told him. He was this upset over my reaction? "Your people know that you are kind and just."

"Then why would you think I was being serious?" He asked. He was almost yelling.

"My lord, my situation is a little different," I told him.

"In what way is it different?" He asked me. Now he was yelling.

"Five years! I have spent five years hearing you preach the evil of magic. I have spent five years watching my kind be captured, persecuted, and killed," I shouted. I couldn't help it. How can he not realize how different my situation is? "I have been scared to be who I am because of the laws of Camelot. I have had to disguise myself to save people, I have had to plant evidence to get the right people accused of the crimes they have committed, I have had to sneak and stalk just to find out everything I could to keep you safe. I have had to lie to you over and over again to keep you safe. I have had to thwart the plans of those closest to you so they couldn't kill you. That includes Morgana, Agravaine, and Mordred. The latter almost succeeded. And all the time, I have to keep up appearances of being nothing more than your simple man servant. And I have to be the physician's apprentice. Fix this Merlin. Solve this Merlin. Clean this Merlin. In addition to that, I have to hear about the evils of magic. Magic is dangerous Merlin. There is no place for magic in Camelot Merlin. Thank you for being loyal in the fight against magic Merlin. It's never been easy to have magic and hide it and two days of you accepting my magic is not enough to cover up for five years of you slandering it!"

When I had finished, I looked at the floor embarrassed. I usually don't have outbursts like this and I shouldn't have spoken to Arthur like this. He may be my friend, but he is also my king.

I could feel Arthur's gaze, burning a hole into me. I was stupid and impulsive. "I'm sorry Merlin. I have failed to recognize how difficult the circumstances you were put in are," he told me. "I hope you will believe me when I say, nothing you do now will change my decision. Magic will be allowed in Camelot. I swear to it."

"Thank you Arthur," I said to him. I could feel my eyes prickling. Do not cry. Do not cry.

"Merlin, you really are such a baby," Arthur teased.

I chuckled. Some things would never change. That included my master being the biggest prat ever. But I think everything is fine, just the way they are.