Summary: Morgana casts a spell that turns Arthur and Merlin into children; everyone has their hands full dealing with them.

Pairings: some Gwen/Arthur and the usual Merthur

They were battling Morgana (again) when both Merlin and Arthur got hit by a spell. Instead of suddenly bursting into song or revealing their embarrassing secrets (like the last couple times) they suddenly went POOF in a big cloud of smoke and their clothes flopped to the floor.

Morgana fled cackling leaving the Knights stricken with horror.

"Arthur! Merlin!"

Suddenly the armour gave a wiggle before a small six year old boy stood up proud and tall, hands on his hips, and looking every bit as a royal prat as he had done as an adult. "Knights," he said commandingly, "where are my clothes?"

Gwaine tried not to laugh as the others bowed and babbled their explanations. Meanwhile Merlin's pile of clothes began to wiggle and an even smaller and younger boy with dark hair and big wide blue eyes stood up.

He took one look of the knights, pulled up the over large shirt to cover his modesty and screamed. "Camelot Knights! You're here to kill me!"

Percival took a few steps forwards ready to give Merlin a comforting hug as he tried to tell the boy they would never hurt him. Merlin merely let out another scream where his eyes flashed gold and Percival was thrown against a mountain side.

"Sorcerer!" Arthur bellowed pointing a finger at the sobbing Merlin.

Leon, Elyan, and Gwaine all exchanged looks. "All in favour of pretending this never happened say aye," Gwaine said.

"Aye," the other two said quickly.

They turned back to comfort Merlin and make Arthur shut up – in a way where they won't get arrested for – only to find Merlin clinging to his shirt as he screamed at Arthur for being an 'arrogant ignorant royal prick' while Arthur was bellowing back with 'wussy little girl'.

For someone who's supposed to be four Merlin sure had a mouth on him.

And for someone who is supposed to be the older royal prince with the better education Arthur was sure an idiot in insulting people.

The knights all sighed in relief. At least some things don't change.

MMMMMMMMM

Although they wish some things would change.

By the time they got Merlin and Arthur to calm down and saddled on the horses to go they were bickering again. Mostly because Merlin, who had never been on a horse in this point of time, began to whimper and Arthur scoffed at him. Leon ended up snapping and threatened to spank them which caused Arthur to remind them all of his princely status.

Arrogant little twit what I'd give to knock some sense into him, each Knight thought rather darkly to themselves.

Then Merlin had to fall of the horse and burst into tears for his Mama.

Arthur had to ridicule him causing Merlin to run off.

Then of course Arthur had to get all guilty, and noble, and stupid, and ran after him to apologise.

And then of course they had to get into a life-threatening scenario which the Knights almost died trying to save them but it just had to be the efforts of Merlin's magic and Arthur's...erm natural born skill with a sword that saved everyone.

Merlin then immediately fell asleep and when the knights tried to hold him while riding Arthur would kick up a fuss.

Only he was allowed to hold Merlin.

The Knights all sighed in relief when they saw the citadel on the horizon.

"We so don't get paid enough for this," Elyan said to his concussed and in need of drink friends.

They all agreed.

MMMMMMMMMMM

Gaius and Geoffrey were all having a nice cup of tea when the Knights burst in holding the two sleeping children.

"Gaius, we have a problem," Leon cried out.

Gaius sighed heavily. Here he had been hoping for a nice quiet week alone with some gossip and tea with his oldest living (and doesn't hate him) friend. He can never gossip in peace with Merlin around there is always some sort of problem and to top it off Merlin can never keep his mouth shut, how on earth Merlin managed to keep his magic a secret he didn't know.

"Merlin and Arthur have been turned into children!" Elyan shouted.

"Oh god," Gaius moaned hoping he didn't have to go through puberty with Arthur again.

"It's like the sixties all over again," Geoffrey groaned.

"How can you cure it, and erm, what?" Gwaine asked bemused.

"This spell has been used on Uther and I back when we – I mean Uther began to rule. It took two weeks for it to wear off..."

"Camelot was barely still standing. The north tower was on fire, and oh my poor precious books," Geoffrey groaned. "I have to go and lock the library before those menaces are awake!"

"Put them in Merlin's room, I'll find something that'll keep them unconc- I mean occupied when they wake up," Gaius ordered absently as he began to go through his books to find a cure. Now!

He remembered what it was like raising Arthur and he had enough letters complaining about Merlin's childhood to know the two of them together was going to be a living nightmare.

Literally.

MMMMMMMMMMMM

Gwen had barely gotten to sleep waiting for her husband to return home when there was banging on her chamber door.

She opened to reveal Gaius missing half of his hair, singed eyebrows, covered in different coloured goos, and looking rather bruised while carrying a tiny wriggling dark haired boy and pushing forward a small blonde boy covered in gunk.

"You can take your husband and best friend, I've had enough!" Gaius snarled, "They ruined my lab, my entire collection of potions, and burnt half of my library! I'm moving in with Geoffrey, they're your problem now!"

The door slams shut as Gwen stares awkwardly down at her husband and best friend. Merlin was looking adorably innocent while Arthur was looking rather disgusted.

"I'm married?" he cried out in horror. "To a girl?"

Gwen rolled her eyes and was rather amused to see little Merlin do the same. "No you married a pixie, of course to a girl!" he snapped in a rather girly squeaky voice.

"But girls have cooties!"

Gwen rolled her eyes again.

"My Mama is a girl and she doesn't have cooties!"

"You only say that because you have cooties!"

"I do not!"

"Yes you do!"

"Not!"

"Do!"

"I do not!"

"Yes you do, you're such a girl, Merlin."

Gwen clutched her head as the bickering went on and on. Her eyes accidentally strayed onto the silver jug several times as she contemplated knocking them out. No! She couldn't do that! No matter how annoying the pair of them are, not matter how irritating she finds them, she just can't bring herself to hit a child.

She'll just have to wait for when they're adults again.

As she dragged her eyes away from the silver jug she realised the room had gone silent as the door was left wide open.

Ah shit!

MMMMMMMMM

The Knights, Gwen, and Gaius were exhausted.

They had spent the last week chasing after the elusive Merlin and Arthur who got into danger every minute of every hour of every day. They released the goblin, several fairies, and ran into many monsters. Several sorcerers attacked and it was only by 'sheer luck' (they all agreed to ignore any magical outburst from Merlin) that the two had survived without even a scratch. Then to top it off there was a spree of food stealing from the kitchens and high pitched giggling echoing in the corridors as they tried to track down Merlin and Arthur.

"On the bright side at least we know they're no longer arguing," Percival said optimistically.

"Yeah but now they're working together against us!" Leon cried out covered in burns and bruises.

As the second week was coming to a close they found the two boys at last.

Arthur was sitting on the throne with his oversized crown sliding off his head and over his face while Merlin was sitting on Arthur's lap with his head resting on Arthur's shoulder. Arthur had his arms wrapped round Merlin as if he was a teddy bear of something while Merlin merely snuggled into Arthur content as he sucked his thumb.

"Aw!" Gwen cooed.

"Getting broody, Gwen?" Gwaine teased.

"Not in this lifetime, Arthur has put me off ever having children," Gwen retorted.

"Shh!" Gaius hissed as he herded everyone out of the throne room, "Let's get some sleep before they wake up."

"I hope they grow up soon my back is killing me," Leon grumbled.

"I might just strangle the pair of them if they don't grow up soon," Elyan agreed.

"I am never having children," Percival growled.

As the door closes Arthur stirs a little in his sleep, he shifts beneath Merlin and clings to him tightly, "Merlin," he murmured sleepily, "since you're a girl and all I thought I'd marry you."

"M'okay," Merlin mumbled as he continued to suck his thumb.