A true love's kiss. That seemed simple enough, didn't it? Find the person Arthur truly loved and have them kiss him. Brilliant. Perfect. Except Merlin didn't know who to ask.

Gaius had heavily hinted that Merlin should be the one to give it a try first because apparently, Arthur looked at him like he "hung the moon and stars". Which -really? That just sounded absurd. Gaius's age seemed to be catching up to him.

The truth was that ordinarily, Merlin would have just kissed the idiot and been done with it but their conversation earlier had shaken him up, filled him with self-doubt. He was terrified that the last few months, the last few years hadn't meant anything to Arthur or at least not as much as they did to Merlin. He was so scared of the possibility that he would kiss Arthur and it wouldn't work and just the thought of it destroyed Merlin.

He hated everything.

He could ask Gwen, he thought as he tried to get his paranoid mind back on track. She and Arthur had briefly had a fling a couple years ago but was she his true love? Arthur had told Merlin on some occasions how much he preferred Gwen as his friend than his lover, and surely he wasn't lying. Was he?

Merlin wracked his brain. Who else was there?

In all honesty, he couldn't think of a better candidate than himself either and he wanted to cry because for the first time ever, he didn't want to kiss Arthur. Not only was he still massively annoyed with the royal arse but on top of that, he also had debilitating fear of a very real possibility.

Merlin was Arthur's destiny, they were two sides of the same coin…it made sense that Merlin could break the spell but he just –sigh. He was losing his mind.

He couldn't let Arthur pine after Lancelot forever though. Merlin had to find him…and try his luck, no matter how dizzy he felt at the prospect.

If Merlin thought his anxiety was a problem, he had a few things coming his way.

Arthur was nowhere to be found. Not a single thing could ever go smoothly for him. The universe hated him, he was completely sure of that by this point.

As he trudged up the castle for the seventh time, he ran into Lancelot who looked more unsettled than Merlin had ever seen him. Oh lord, this was surely Arthur's doing.

He seemed relieved and worried at the same time to see Merlin.

"Merlin, I don't know how to tell you this but –" he began desperately. "Arthur he –I swear I didn't do anything but he's just –"

"Lancelot. I know." said Merlin.

Lancelot exhaled, his eyes getting a little less frantic. "You know? What do you know? Please enlighten me."

Merlin didn't know where to begin. "Arthur's under a love spell. He ate something which was doused in a love potion and now he's a little bit, well, infatuated. With…you."

"With me?" asked Lancelot, taking a step back as if Arthur would materialise out of the shadows any second.

Merlin offered him a small sympathetic smile, as if that was nearly consolation enough. "Looks like it."

Then they just stood there in silence, Lancelot processing the information and Merlin watching him, gauging if there was something off about him, something that might give him away. Because when it came to Arthur, Merlin had learned not to trust anybody. Anybody.

He cleared his throat. "Lancelot, I have to ask. You didn't –you know. The love potion. Seeing as you're the one he's in, um, love with."

Lancelot's eyes went wide at the implication. "Merlin! You can't possibly think –no! Why would I ever –I mean, I don't like him like that and besides, I know how you feel about Arthur. I could never do that to you…you know that, right?"

Merlin nodded. He believed him. "I'm sorry, I had to check. Well…that brings me back to square one. Can you think of anything that would explain why it's you Arthur fell for? When was the last time you saw him when he was…uh normal?"

Well, as normal as Arthur could get, thought Merlin darkly.

Lancelot contemplated that. "I believe I went to his chambers to ask his permission for leave."

"Okay," said Merlin. "Okay, good. Do you remember if there was a plate of cakes on his table?"

Lancelot raised his eyebrows at the seemingly random question but shook his head. "I'm sorry Merlin, I don't know. But wait…I think –"

Merlin held his breath. "Yes?"

"There is something strange that happened. A servant girl appeared there out of nowhere and she looked quite shaken. She kept staring at me and Arthur. I don't know if this is helpful information but –"

Merlin cut him short. "Would you be able to recognise her?"

Lancelot nodded slowly. "I believe so. Yes, yes I would."

Merlin was almost hopping on energy by this point. "Good, excellent. Round up the kitchen staff and all the serving girls and see if you can catch her. I have to find Arthur!"

He shouted the last part as he bounded down the staircase, not really having a destination in mind.

"Merlin?" called Lancelot.

"Yeah?"

"He's in the armoury. Looking for a better sword to gift me, I believe" Lancelot admitted sheepishly.

Merlin gave a short laugh and shook his head.

"Of course he is."

Leave it to Arthur to profess his love with weapons.

As Lancelot had informed, Arthur was right in the middle of the armoury. He was checking the balance of a beautiful sword that suspiciously looked like Uther's…which definitely shouldn't be given to a knight, no matter how besotted the prince was with said knight.

Merlin couldn't help but stay back a moment to just study him. Arthur was loud and brash, but he was also very reserved when it came to showing real emotions. But there in that armoury…the sheer look of wonder and adoration that shone on his face had Merlin breathing a little quicker. He hoped Arthur would look at him like that one day too.

Merlin coughed, drawing Arthur's attention from the gleaming royal sword to him.

"So, how did the declaration of love go?" Merlin asked, biting back a smile.

Arthur glared at him, and then sighed dejectedly. "I haven't had the chance to make it yet. For some reason, Lancelot is nowhere to be found." His eyes suddenly lit up. "Have you seen him, Merlin?"

Merlin shrugged and stepped closer. "Can't say I have, no."

Arthur's face fell again and he sheathed the sword. "Ah well. He wouldn't be difficult if he wasn't worth it, I suppose."

Merlin nodded understandingly, relating a ridiculous amount with that statement.

"Arthur, can I talk to you?" he asked, wanting to get right down to business.

"Of course."

"It's a little confidential, can you step a bit closer?"

Arthur did as he asked, if a little hesitantly. "What is this about, Merlin?"

Merlin took his chance and surged forward to plant his lips on Arthur's. However, Arthur easily dodged him, catching him by the shoulders instead. Damn reflexes. Merlin hated highly trained warriors.

Arthur gaped at him. "What the hell, Merlin?!" he yelled.

Merlin was honestly so done with this.

"Oh for god's sake," he muttered and incanted a spell to freeze Arthur on the spot. It was the split second he needed to grab him by the collar and kiss him on his cold lips, undoing the spell as he did so.

Merlin counted. One, two, three, four…

Arthur pushed him away.

Merlin's heart stopped beating.

So Merlin's worst fears had been realised.

It hadn't worked. He wasn't Arthur's true love. Brilliant.

Not only did that completely shatter him, he also had no idea who his true love actually was. He couldn't believe he shared a goddamn destiny with this man, that he was supposed to stay by his side for as long as he lived and yet…and yet he was not someone Arthur would ever truly love.

Why –why was this happening to him? Merlin debated just going back to Ealdor and never looking back at this godforsaken city again.

Arthur and Lancelot could get married and have fourteen children, for all he cared.

Someone banged at his door.

"Merlin! Merlin open the door, this is urgent!" Gaius's voice boomed from outside.

Merlin pushed his face into the pillow. "Go away Gaius, I'm currently in the process of dying forever."

"Save the dramatics, boy. I think I know why it didn't work the first time. Come on out now, Lancelot is here," Gaius said sternly.

Merlin lifted his head. "What?" he said dumbly.

"Just come out, Merlin. It's not what you think," came Lancelot's gentle voice next.

With a long-suffering groan, Merlin pulled himself up from his bed and unlatched the door. He glared at them with red-rimmed eyes and threatened, "I swear if you both are planning to lie to me or something…I must remind you I'm the most powerful sorcerer to walk the Earth. So just be careful."

Gaius sniggered at his words while Lancelot ruffled his hair and Merlin was highly offended. His threat didn't even slightly have the intended effect; this day could not get worse.

"I caught the servant and she confessed to spiking the cakes with a love potion," Lancelot informed him.

Merlin's interest piqued. Maybe there was hope yet.

"And?"

Gaius unfolded his reading glasses and put them on, gesturing to the large tome sitting on his work table. "I questioned her on the type of potion it was. Apparently a quite powerful sorceress had taught her how to make it and naturally, the girl thought making the prince fall in love with her would be awfully beneficial."

Merlin was confused. "Then how did Arthur fall in love with Lancelot, and not her?"

Gaius ignored him and continued, "Now I'm almost completely sure I have accurately guessed which type potion this is. According to the book, the first person the victim sees after consuming the potion is the one they will fall in love with. I think it is safe to assume that the girl intended that to be herself but by pure chance, Lancelot was the one Arthur saw first. I think we should count ourselves lucky for that."

Lancelot looked unconvinced about the last part but kept quiet.

"Now the matter of importance," said Gaius, looking at Merlin intently. "Did you use magic to kiss Arthur?"

Merlin shifted his eyes downward and coughed awkwardly. How did Gaius know that?

"Maybe," he mumbled guiltily.

Gaius smacked him head on the head.

"Ow!" Merlin yelped. "Gaius!"

"You foolish boy! Using magic against it increases its potency!" said Gaius heatedly. "That is why your attempt failed."

Merlin knew that this was bad. He knew that he had just made his job a lot harder…but he suddenly found that he could breathe easier. The knot in his throat loosened and he felt like he could faint with the relief he felt. All was not lost.

The half-packed satchel for Ealdor in his room suddenly seemed leagues away.

He noticed that Gaius was still scowling at him, and he quickly apologised. "Uh, right sorry. That was stupid."

"Now would you please give it a second chance before the prince of Camelot proposes marriage to poor Lancelot here?"

Lancelot looked horrified at that prospect. "Merlin, please", he pleaded.

Merlin nodded, running a hand through his hair. He started to make a mental list of the places Arthur could be in at this hour.

The feast! Yes, of course! Merlin was supposed to dress him for the feast that was to take place in an hour in the Great Hall. Something was finally going his way.

He stood up at once and dashed through the room, making his way to the prince's bedchambers.

"No magic this time!" called Gaius's voice distantly.

Arthur was waiting for him, tapping his fingers against his crossed arms and trying to look dangerous. It would've worked on anyone else except Merlin. Never Merlin.

"Sorry, I'm late!" said Merlin, quickly closing the door behind him. "I lost track of time."

"You look like a disaster."

"Thanks."

"And I haven't forgotten what happened in the armoury earlier. We're going to talk about boundaries and propriety after the feast, Merlin," said Arthur seriously.

Merlin almost laughed at that. Boundaries. Propriety.

"Right. Of course, sire," he agreed, keeping his expression as sincere as possible.

"Now come and dress me! What are you waiting for? Those stuffy nobles will have my head if I'm late," huffed Arthur, stretching his arms out like a petulant child.

Merlin suppressed a smile and gestured Arthur to go by the folding screen so Merlin could pick out his clothes.

Merlin hardly paid any attention to what he selected from the wardrobe, before he was standing in front of Arthur, his hands lightly brushing the fine silk tunic.

Arthur's breath hitched at the proximity and he turned to move towards the wall to get away but instead, allowing Merlin to crowd him against it.

"Merlin," Arthur warned softly. His eyes involuntarily stole a glance at Merlin's mouth, making Merlin feel bolder.

Merlin placed an arm on his chest to keep him in place, not that he particularly needed to. Arthur looked dazed, confused and utterly frozen.

"Lancelo –" Arthur started to say before Merlin cut him by firmly pressed his lips against the prince's, praying that it would work this time.

One beat passed. Two.

Arthur was unmoving.

It felt like Merlin's worst fears were to be realised again, when something seemed to snap in the air and Arthur slipped an arm around his waist, kissing him back.

Merlin would've collapsed with relief had Arthur not been holding him so tightly all of a sudden. This was...it. This was how it was supposed to be like. Merlin knew this, he knew how this felt, had known it for months. It was familiar and dizzying and so good. They fit together like puzzle pieces and it was mad of Merlin to ever entertain the notion that anyone but him could've broken the spell. Of course Arthur loved him, of course he did. He showed it to Merlin in a million different ways every single day and Merlin felt like a fool to have doubted him.

He smiled against Arthur's lips, fisting his fingers into his tunic to pull him closer. The world felt right again.

A few moments passed before Merlin remembered that they were still technically in the middle of fight and if he knew anything, it was that he wasn't about to let Arthur off the hook that easily for anything. So he drew away excruciatingly slowly, leaving Arthur to chase after him. Merlin clamped a hand over his mouth to stop his advances and stepped away.

"Merlin," Arthur whined, his cheeks flush with colour. "Where do you think you're going? Get back here this instant!"

Merlin crossed his arms and stared him down with narrowed eyes. "You know, this is just like you. Roping me into kissing you when I particularly don't want to."

"What are you talking about –is this about that ridiculous argument again?" said an exasperated Arthur.

If only, thought Merlin.

"Do you not remember what happened? With Lancelot?" Merlin asked.

"Lance- What does Lancelot have to do with this? Look, you have to admit that you shouldn't have thrown my favourite tunic in the wash when you knew I wanted to wear it tonight," Arthur reasoned.

"That tunic was nothing compared to the one I picked out! It's not my fault you have rotten taste," countered Merlin heatedly.

"Yes, clearly I do," Arthur commented, gesturing to Merlin and biting back a playful grin.

Merlin gasped and opened the door to step out. "That's it! I'm leaving. You can dress yourself, sire."

"Merlin what- Merlin, I'm sorry, all right? Merlin? MERLIN!"

A/N: And that was it! Was it nice? There wasn't too much thought going into this fic, I just wrote whatever came to mind and wow, it was a really freeing experience! Such fun.

Next stop: new chapters for Golden Strands. Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed.

Till next time!