Spellbound

[ayoungboy]

This week has been fucking exhausting. He'd been consuling all week and dealing with a threat over in Norway. Somebody trying to brew mind control potions, again. Why couldn't everybody just get along and stop fussing? He's finally back home, in England, heading up the wizarding council while they go over worldwide news, and he gets an invite - no, it isn't that. It's more of a demand, from King Pendragon.

He's a bit tired, really, and didn't feel like dealing with it. "Not now, thank you. Politely decline, for me?" He told the runner. "Send him some magical candy."

He just wanted to go home and finish his book, thank you. He didn't ask for these powers, but if he took a holiday the world would flip out. People held him in high regard for some reason - he wasn't that wise, or old. He was just a young man trying to do right. Yet somehow the King was demanding his presence.

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[ayoungboy]

"I don't know, do you have that problem with your cabinet?" Merlin asks, sipping his tea. He sighs and smiles, slowly taking a piece of toast.`

[royalpratness]

"Sometimes. Most of them are like, twice my age but they don't see me as some kind of legend."

[ayoungboy]

"Well, you're in our lore," Merlin snorts, shaking his head. "Don't even ask. No one's allowed to say, really."

[royalpratness]

"What?" Arthur raises his head in surprise. "Oh come on. You gotta tell me now. What does it say?"

[ayoungboy]

"Shh, it's like a secret or something." Merlin grins childishly, stirring his tea. "Prophesized a long time ago. I can't tell you right now, you know. Might disrupt your path."

[royalpratness]

"That sounds like a whole lot of bollocks." Arthur crosses his arms in front of his chest.

[ayoungboy]

"That's what I thought too, but," Merlin takes a bite of toast. "It's already happening. You're King now, aye?"

[royalpratness]

"That was pretty inevitable, since I'm an only child." Arthur deadpans, not really convinced that there is a meaningful prophecy about himself.

[ayoungboy]

Merlin rolls his eyes. "Fine, don't believe me. I'm curious to see if it will pan out." He's supposed to be in it, but he had been quite sure Arthur would never want to meet him - would never even think about freeing magic. Yet here they were.

[royalpratness]

"Why should I believe you if you refuse to tell me any details?" Arthur asks, still affronted.

[ayoungboy]

"Look, Arthur, I didn't think it'd happen either. But pieces are falling into place and...well, if I told you it might screw it up, aye?"

[royalpratness]

"Okay, fine. Keep your secrets." Arthur huffs, putting a slice of buttered toast into his mouth.

[ayoungboy]

"I shouldn't have even mentioned it." Merlin smiles kindly at Arthur's pouting. "If it comes true, Arthur...this land will be a much better place."

"How about I tell you some other secret? Anything you want to know." He shouldn't. But...he wants to make Arthur happy.

[royalpratness]

"How am I supposed to know what to ask for if it's a secret?" Arthur tilts his head, now looking amused rather than disgruntled.

[ayoungboy]

"Wizards and witches keep lots of secrets, publicly." Merlin laughs, shaking his head. "It's a thing, apparently. I'm sure there's something you want to know about, hm?"

[royalpratness]

Arthur takes another sip from his tea, considering the question but he can't think of anything. "I'll get back to you on that." There's a knock on the door. "Sir? Your meeting with the spanish prime minister starts in ten minutes." Arthur curses and sighs. "Sorry Merlin, looks like I'll have to kick you out now."

[ayoungboy]

Merlin laughs, stuffing the last bite of his toast into his mouth. "Call me." He winks, and then disappears from the chair.

[royalpratness]

Merlin disappears so quickly that Arthur doesn't get a chance to reply. He shakes his head, grinning.

Over the course of the next week, Arthur sends Merlin several text messages. Most of them are trivial things about his day, mostly complaints about boring meetings and other royal duties. He also schedules an appointment with selected reporters for the following Friday to talk about first steps to 'reunite' the magic community with the rest of Britain.

On Thursday, he sends Merlin another text. Have you figured out if you can change your appearance yet? In any case, Arthur has informed the press that somebody from the magic community who is very close to Emrys, is going to attend their little meeting.

[ayoungboy]

Merlin responds when he can, but often the texts come at odd hours. Sometimes they'll come at 2 in the morning, even, when he's clearly in a different time zone.

I have, but ah, there've been a few complications. Namely, he hadn't yet figured out how to undo the spell he'd tried.

[royalpratness]

Okay, you got 24 hours to figure it out or you'll have to come as you are. Thanks to the coverstory, that wouldn't be a problem either. As an afterthought, Arthur quickly types another text. Oh and make sure to be here at least another before the meeting to get your new suit fitted. The one that Arthur has organised for him.

[ayoungboy]

Oh, I can come as I am. The next response takes a lot longer. A. Lot. ...I don't need a suit, Arthur. I need

It cuts off, and there's another long pause before the next one. ...a dress.

[royalpratness]

Arthur blinks and then he bursts out laughing, much to his driver's surprise. A dress?! I'm liberal and all but I'm not sure crossdressing would be appropriate for that first meeting. Smirking, he adds. Though I'm sure you'd look lovely in a dress.

[ayoungboy]

I'm not crossdressing. Another few minutes. ...I'm a woman.

He'd thought, it was a spell to change his face...but the rest of his body had changed too. He really needed to brush up on his runes.

[royalpratness]

For a moment, Arthur wonders if that's some kind of transgender thing Merlin had failed to mention so far, when it occurs to him that it's more likely to have to do with magic.

You turned yourself into a woman? Okay, no problem. I'll find you a dress instead. Changing his gender was a good move, Arthur thinks, it's going to throw people off his real identity.

[ayoungboy]

I don't need you to buy me a dress, Arthur. Boy, was that a text he never thought he'd send. At least he didn't have to tell Arthur he had a) done it by accident, and b) was stuck like that. Gaius was looking for a solution, at least.