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“-and who are you?”

Merlin looks up at the young woman – Lady Vivian –, noting her angry frown and slightly dilated pupils. She still has half of her body in her room as if readying to close herself in again. Due to Arthur’s sudden and insistent visit, surely.

At least Arthur has gone away to train with the knights for a bit. Hopefully that will clear his head.

“Merlin" he introduces himself, not content with just staring at her, even though she is quite the sight; he himself hates to be stared at, after all. “I’m Prince Arthur’s manservant.”

Her eyes light up. “A servant? Great.” She opens her door further, waving at the table. “Get that thing out of my chambers, as fast as you can.”

The offending object is a trail, packed to the brim with delicacies; Merlin realises with a start that there are quite a few exotic fruits and pastries amongst them. Delicacies only reserved for the royal family, rarely for a visiting royal – surely, if Lady Vivian received one, then the others did too?

“Sure thing, m’ lady.”

She presses her lips into a thin line. “Your Highness.”

The retort is out of his mouth faster than he can think, “Why thank you my lady, didn’t think you would address such a lowly servant as I as that!” She is scowling heavily at him, so he hangs his head. He should not have said that to the daughter of a king who put people’s heads into boiling oil. “Sorry, Your Highness.” Something urges him on. Maybe it’s the way Lady Vivian rolls her eyes, all too dismissing of his attitude. All too similar to Arthur. “I’m just being a jest, trying to make you smile.”

Well. Merlin would not say that to Arthur, but surely, it will not be ill-received by-

“Bah” Lady Vivian scoffs and sticks up her nose. “Just take that thing away.” Her disdain returns, once she glances upon the trail. Merlin picks it up delicately. The kitchen staff will either reprimand him or commend him for saving such specialties just for them. “And make sure your master knows his advances are not well received.”

Merlin almost drops the trail. “Arthur sent you this?” He looks down at the dried fruits, Arthur’s favourite. Merlin can only pry some away from him on the rare occasion Arthur deems a pillow fight a suitable contest for such a prize. “When?”

Lady Vivian pulls a face. “As you can see, as of today, he has woken up utterly enamoured with me.” She is still standing by the door, holding it open for Merlin to leave. But he has questions still.

It seems, so does she. “Do all servants here address their masters so casually?” She leans against the door, almost smirking a little. “Or are the rumors true?”

Merlin, having been flushing for the first part, blinks rapidly. “Rumors, Your Highness?”

Lady Vivian makes a show of picking at her nails. “Lady Morgana told me,” she begins. “That you and the prince have a… peculiar relationship.”

Merlin decidedly does not look her in the eye.

She lets go of the door, letting it slowly fall shut as she glides towards him. “Oh, yes” she whispers. “The prince must be quite a handful to attend to – and watching him bathe and dressing him… How does one bear such torture?” She is almost in his face now, only the trail between them. Vivian's lips quirl up, the smile not quite reaching her eyes. Merlin is frozen, can’t move out of her way. Her words ring true, so true… How does he do it? How does he wake up everyday and goes to bed every night knowing that the object of his affections will never even acknowledge said feelings?

“Please stop,” he calls, voice low and breathless. “I can’t think about all that now.”

She raises her eyebrows at him, amusement glinting in her eyes for the first time. “Why not?” She is looking smug all of a sudden. “Is it because… he is interested in me?”

Merlin notices something when she says that.

Namely, that she still can’t keep from frowning just a bit at the idea.

“His interest in you is sudden, but there is another.” Why is he telling her this? Why hasn’t he left yet? “She is more… permanent than you could ever be.” Before she can speak, he adds, “And it’s not like you’ve… received his advantages gladly.” It’s his turn to be smug and Vivian finally starts looking like a real person.

“He’s insufferable!” she tells him.

“I know,” he agrees.

“With his… his… Brattish smirks and arrogance!” Vivian is no longer standing, but kicking the door shut and stomping across the room to throw herself at her bed. “And he thinks himself oh-so-special!” She affects and Merlin is thrown back to just yesterday, when Arthur was complaining about her much the same way. “He hasn’t even noticed me yesterday and now all of a sudden I’m supposed to be his one true love?!” Vivian punches a pillow, so that it flies through the room. Merlin gently puts the trail down. “He’s just- Just-”

“A prat?” he supplies.

“Yes!” Vivian stares at him like he hung the stars. “That’s him! A royal prat! An arsehole of a suitor!” She is getting really into it, Merlin thinks as she continues hitting her pillows. “And I…” She deflates, hugging the pillow to her chest. “Can’t do anything about it.”

"What?" Merlin steps closer. "But didn't you just reject his advantages?"

Vivian gives him a Look. "Like that will stop him." She rolls her eyes. "I've seen plenty of men lose their heads around me. Your prince is no different." She hisses, before shaking her head. "I mean – I know that I am beautiful, obviously, and a princess too, but – really? Every single time, no matter where I go or what I do or what I wear – there are always suitors." By the end of her rant, she is only capable of huffing.

Her eyes are glistening weirdly.

Oh. Tears. She has tears in her eyes.

Merlin kneels beside her feet, uninvited. "I will do everything I can to keep him from further advances," he promises.

Vivian actually smiles at that a bit. "Thank you. Merlin, was it?" Her eyes rake over his form. "The servant boy who loves men."

"One man" Merlin feels obligated to point out. "And… There was this girl." He looks down at his hands. Freya. If she hadn't… If he had been…

"Oh?" Vivian tilts her head. And maybe it's not Merlin's place to tell a random princess this. She could pity him, disdain him or even spread nasty rumors. Maybe get him beheaded.

But if he tells her and she stays silent, she will be gone in days. Taking Merlin's secret with her forever.

"We were going to elope." His breath hitches. "Find a house surrounded by hills, near a lake. Plant strawberries and have some cows around." Now his eyes are the ones glistening with tears. "She… She died."

"Huh."

Vivian inspects him thoughtfully. "Are you sure you didn't just love the idea of her?"

It feels like a slap to the face. "What?"

Vivian looks at him like he should understand. "Her idea. Embodying freedom and a stress-free life." She clicks her tongue. "Were you ever urged to bed her?"

Merlin's cheeks are ablaze. "Freya and I kissed!"

"You are averting the question." The hum this time comes out as sad. "My condolences for your loss, but I don't believe it was truly love. Regardless, a life lost is always a tragedy." Her gaze strays over to a chest Merlin knows to be hers from the sigil alone.

"You've lost someone recently as well" he guesses. Vivian bites her lips, but nods.

"She fell sick. Even the court physician could do nothing to save her."

Merlin clasps her hand in his. "For what it's worth… I'm sorry."

She snorts. "You can be sorry for intruding upon my personal space like this." Despite her biting words, her lips are curling upwards and she doesn't let go of his hands.

"My apologies, Your Highness" he replies, cheekily grinning. "Say the word and I shall leave your 'personal space'." She finally grins back.

"I like you, Merlin."

"I like you too, Your Highness. You are not as prattish as you first seemed."

Vivian gasps at this theatrically. "How can you say that right in front of me?" She lightly smacks him with her pillow. "I call treason!"

"You'd strike a man, down on his knees!" He shouts back, raising his arms to cover his face.

"What better time to strike them?" Vivian retorts, laughing.

It's on, Merlin thinks as he picks up the pillow she threw at him.

***

He is giggling and she is giggling as they lay on the floor besides each other, surrounded by the pillows.

It's not like when Arthur wrestles with him; more like when Gwen used to invite him to the creek for laundry and they would splash the water around.

"This was… fun" Vivian breathes out, once she has air in her lungs. Merlin just nods, still huffing with the remains of his own mirth. "Can't you stay around more?"

"Just in your room?" Merlin raises an eyebrow at the ceiling – in the way he learnt from Gaius. "Vivian, people will talk behind your back."

She appears in his field of vision. "You called me Vivian!"

He winces. "Sorry, I have a habit of doing that." He is really hoping she won't stick him in the stocks. "Your Highness."

She shakes her head with fervor. "No, no, go back to Vivian."

Merlin almost does a double take. "I can call you Vivian?"

"Yes! Call me Vivian!" she shouts, leaning closer to him.

Merlin grins. "Okay. Vivian."

Her blinding smile is one of true joy.

Merlin maybe, just maybe stays for a little while more.

***

Of course, Arthur is not quite happy to see him tardy. “Where have you been, Merlin?” he thunders and for a moment everything is fine and dandy. Normal. Then the dumb starstruck expression is back. "Did you, by chance hear anything from my beloved? The moon to my night? The sharpener to my sword?" Merlin pulls a face. Words are not Arthur's forte, but this is getting worse by the second.

“She is fine” he says, somewhat put off by Arthur still. Just what is wrong with him? Yesterday he was still head over heels over Gwen and now this? Sure, Vivian is great now that Merlin knows her a little better – she even shared some stories about her homeland with him! It was fun – but to fall for her so suddenly is a bit much even for Arthur… It almost reminds him of the time when Soph-

“By the way, Merlin” Arthur drawls, from where he is lounging on his bed. “You should really clean my chambers better. I can’t have an incompetent servant like you taint my image in front of my love!” With that, he holds up a lock of hair, seemingly plucked out from under his pillow.

Merlin feels his stomach plummet to the floor.

That is not Arthur’s hair.

Arthur has suddenly woke up feeling love towards Vivian, who he previously criticised.

He wants to look up at the sky and whisper, why me, but instead he plasters on a stupid grin and all but rips the hair from Arthur’s grip. “Sorry, sire, let me take care of it for you!” He makes quick work of sweeping through the chambers, half-heartedly indulging Arthur as he monologues on and on about Vivian’s charms. He can’t quite keep from grimacing sometimes and Arthur definitely takes offense on the critique of his ‘poetry’.

Merlin leaves the room hurriedly, as soon as he can, the hair weighing down his pocket. He practically bursts into his and Gaius’ chambers. “We have a problem!” he announces.

Gaius sighs deeply, but he looks up in question. “What happened this time?”

Merlin holds up the hair. “I think Arthur’s been enchanted.”

***

It’s well into the evening and Merlin is forced to attend to Arthur again, mind running over the possible enchantments he had already found – the number has risen above a hundred and it’s steadily growing – and if he could really try out a cure of either one, without it backfiring.

Thankfully, Arthur mostly dismisses him easily, rambling about Vivian again. Merlin mentions Gwen, hoping that maybe the enchantment is not that strong – but he gets nothing good.

“I have never loved any woman in my life before my beloved!” Arthur screams at him, cheeks flushed. He really shouldn’t look this nice when he is angry, Merlin laments as he dips his head.

“Of course not.” A few minutes later, he leaves the darkened chamber. “Good night, Arthur!”

He receives some grumbling in response.

Now, Merlin is in quite a hurry to find out what kind of enchantment Arthur is under – before the prat starts a war, becomes engaged to a reluctant Vivian or something equally stupid –, but his arm is grabbed and he is drawn into a small room shrouded in darkness. Only the steady, but calm grip is the reason he doesn’t immediately attack his abductor; his mother used to grab him like this enough times.

“Merlin!” A feminine voice whispers. Merlin’s eyes start adjusting to the lighting and he thinks he can make out curls he only ever saw on one person. “I need your help!”

“Vivian!” he calls back, just to confirm. “Of course, what can I do for you?” He looks over her worryingly; she is in her nightgown, as far as he can tell and her eyes gleam frantically in the dark. “Are you alright?”

“For now.” She shrugs, letting him go and stepping deeper into the room. Now that Merlin's vision is not taken over by Vivian, he can see that it’s an unused bedroom – clean, apart from the window panes being closed off. “I can’t sleep in my room tonight.”

“What?” Merlin turns back to her. Of all the things he had anticipated, this is…

“I just can’t!” she snarls, arms curling around her body. “You weren’t at dinner tonight, but I…” She takes a deep breath. Merlin extends a hand in case she wants to have human contact, but doesn’t move. She is almost shaking, trying to disappear into herself like that. “Arthur may not take my 'no' well.”

It takes him a moment to understand. “Arthur’s not like that!” He shakes his head in denial. “He wouldn’t break into your room, Vivian, I know he wouldn’t-”

“Well, he’s not the only one!” she snaps back, advancing upon him, before she shrinks again. “Sorry, I don’t mean to hurt you. I just… Please, I can’t.” Her tone is growing heavy and Merlin already knows that he will help her.

“Of course.” He waves around. “This room will suffice?”

Vivian nods, one arm falling to her side. “Yes. Suffice is… a descriptory word" she mumbles, but then straightens up. "Thank you.” Merlin inspects the room one more time, before opening one of the window panes. Just slightly, so it’s not noticeable from the outside.

While he is busy with that, Vivian brings out a candle and somehow lights it. He shoots her an appraising look in the firelight and she preens. “I can do some of my own things!” she tells him smugly.

Merlin snorts. “I wish Arthur could.” Vivian snorts as well, putting the candle on the bedside table.

“Merlin…” She trails her fingers over the canopy, which while Merlin deemed it clean when he entered, seems a bit mushy now… Along with the other bedclothes... “There is something else.”

“Yes?” He debates the merits of getting new blankets and bedsheets for Vivian and thus raising suspicion, or not getting any and earning the wraith of a grumpy princess… Really, Vivian and Arthur are so much alike, he is surprised they are not twins.

“I also need you to sleep in my room.”

What.

Merlin repeats it aloud. Staring.

Vivian fidgets with the hem of her nightgown, but when she looks up, her expression is fierce. “Someone may come in and if they do not find me there, they will surely ring the bells.” Merlin is forced to nod, that’s true… “And the maidservant I have been given will come by the morning. She cannot not find me there either and I think you two are close enough for you to explain yourself away.” She flutters her eyelashes and Merlin would almost believe her to be innocent and naive.

If it weren’t for the glint in her eye.

“When would you come back?” he asks. If Vivian’s room is free, he could, theoretically, try to find a cure for Arthur without needing to disturb Gaius or be disturbed by Gaius’ snores…

“Sometime in the morning. Soon, so as not to have the whole castle awake; it would cause quite a scandal to find a princess walking around in her nightgown.” She is grinning and Merlin can’t help but share the joke.

“Okay, fine.” Vivian cheers and sweeps him into her arms. Patting her head gently, Merlin doesn’t feel as bad for this decision as he will, come morning.

***

Come morning, when he finds himself drooling over Vivian’s pillow, magical book tucked under his hands, and a way-too-cheerful princess chirping about it being such a great morning.

“Five more minutes, Vivian” he complains, shielding his eyes from the steady beams of sunlight fighting their way through the windows.

“But Merlin, I could sleep peacefully! Without daddy’s guard around me!”

He is faintly smiling, despite the wrongness of that statement. Her happiness is too contagious. “That’s great, Viv.”

“And I met these guards, we played dice and it was so much fun! They didn’t even realise I was a princess, they drank too much!” She giggles as she falls onto the bed alongside him. Merlin is still blinking the sleep from his eyes, but the world is starting to make sense again.

Which means that Vivian’s words do not make sense.

“What? But I thought you wanted to avoid men?” He questions imploringly. Vivian is busy with arranging her skirt across her – how is she already dressed and can she teach Arthur how to dress himself as well? – although she glances at him under her eyelashes.

“Only when they are after me. That’s no fun.” She chuckles. “Besides, they were totally drunk! It was easy to get information and coins out of them.” She waves at a small pouch on her desk that is bigger than Merlin’s monthly payment.

He raises a brow. “Information?” Has Vivian been spying on Camelot?

Has Merlin inadvertently helped her?

Vivian’s smile doesn’t really ease his unease. “Ah, you know the usual little tidbits of gossip – who likes who, who cheats on who, who has magic according to the royal physician’s shouting like every two weeks…” She dips her head. “Very usual.”

Merlin’s mind latches onto two things.

Magic.

And the magical book he is still holding in his lap.

“Er.” He says eloquently. “I agree.”

Vivian hums. “You know, I would say I am hurt you didn’t mention your magic.” Merlin holds in a breath, his throat constricting. “But I understand. This is Camelot after all.” Her small frown is then replaced by wide eyes. “Can you please do some magic for me?”

Merlin blinks rapidly. “What?”

“Like those butterflies Trickler did during the feast!” She explains, leaning close to him. “Pretty please!”

Merlin, probably still halfway to the world of the dead and the sleeping, conjures a butterfly.

Vivian claps excitedly, swooning at the sight. “It’s beautiful!” Her gigantic beam is slowly mirroring itself on Merlin’s face. “I wish my darling Karine could see-” Her face falls. “She… She used to be my personal sorceress, you know.” She hangs her head. “She didn’t have much magic, but what little she could do, it was beautiful.”

Merlin’s heart breaks at the sight. Karine must be the girl Vivian mentioned yesterday, in passing.

“What kind of magic did she do?” he asks quietly.

Vivian’s smile is sad this time. “She would make flowers dance for me. And my embroidery glow in all the shades of a rainbow.” She swallows hard. “I miss her, Merlin.”

Merlin opens his arms. Vivian has no qualms accepting the hug this time and they sit there, her silent sobs wrecking his shoulder. “I’m sure she would be proud to see you” he whispers into her hair. “Accepting a magic user like that.”

Vivian snorts, dabbing at her face with her hand. “Not every kingdom is like Camelot, you know.”

Merlin knows.

Still, Camelot is where Arthur is, so this is where Merlin is.

“What were you reading?” Vivian inquires suddenly. Maybe it’s an attempt at diverting his attention, but she succeeds at it perfectly. Thoughts on Arthur are already filling his mind; he longs to go see his prince, help him with the sweet tasks of the morning, such as waking him up, dressing him, bringing him breakfast…

To an Arthur who is currently enchanted with Vivian.

“I’m trying to find an antidote for Arthur,” he finds himself saying. Vivian tilts her head in interest, making a curious sound. She looks like a bird, his mind supplies. “He is under an enchantment or affected by a love potion, if you will, to fall in love with you.”

She blinks. “He is?”

Merlin nods. “He is.”

Vivian huffs. “Huh.” She watches him imploringly again. “So if you break the enchantment, he will go back to not caring about me?”

“Yes.”

Vivian’s grin is back, full force. “That’s great!”

Merlin opens his mouth to argue – why would Arthur not liking his friend would be great? –, when there is a knock on the door. They look at each other, then outside, where most of Camelot is still in the process of waking. Who could it be at such an hour?

The knocking continues, becoming more insistent.

“You should get it” Merlin tells her, slipping out of the bed and hiding his book under it. Not many people look under beds in his own experience.

“I won’t!” Vivian shakes her head for emphasis. “It could be anyone!”

Her implication of ‘it could be Arthur’ is clear to Merlin.

“It’s your room!” he argues still, picturing Arthur’s falling face upon seeing him in Vivian’s room. It does not fill him with happiness.

"Just… Say that I'm asleep!" She retorts quickly. "Yeah, that's it! And that Arthur sent you, even if he doesn’t remember!" She waves at the door. The knocking is becoming more and more impatient. "Quick!"

Merlin rolls his eyes, but obliges.

"Good morning" he greets as he opens the door. Having been under the impression that it would be Gwen – or Arthur, part of him whispers –, he has an eased smile on his face.

A smile that shatters upon seeing Trickler.

"Trickler?"

"Merlin?" The jester looks just as baffled as he does. Still, he is holding a plate of food, thus has an excuse that's better than Merlin's ‘Vivian said something he must repeat’ one. "Gwen is preoccupied so I've brought Lady Vivian her breakfast."

"Princess Vivian" Merlin corrects him instantly. Trickler stares. "And she is still asleep. Prince Arthur sent me to check on her – apparently, there have been strange noises in the night and she might have gotten scared." He barely refrains from rolling his eyes at his own lie. What is up with him? Strange noises in the night? Merlin, get a grip! Your own mother lies better than that! (Not that she would lie, if someone wasn't in trouble.) "I will take care of that!" He intones loudly, trying to get the plate from the jester.

Keyword: trying.

"No, no, I must give this to Her Highness myself" Trickler grits out.

"She is asleep" Merlin points out. What does this jester think he is doing? Merlin wants to wrap things up with Vivian and go see Arthur! He can't do that with Trickler around! "As she should be, being tired during a picnic with Prince Arthur would serve neither well." This is the second impromptu lie he's come up with in the span of two minutes.

He is on a roll here!

"Oh?" Trickler's eyes light up. He releases the plate so suddenly, Merlin staggers back and almost spills it. "Then I must not bother her."

"Yeah, you really shouldn't," Merlin agrees.  The jester gives him a conspiratorial grin, one that he does his best to reciprocate. "I could tell Princess Vivian you helped out, though," he offers, but Trickler waves him off.

"No matter, no matter. A good day to both of us!" He leaves with the usual flourish, but Merlin can finally pull the door shut behind him.

He turns around with a sigh. "Well. That went well." He nods to himself and moves to put the plate down on the table. Though why he said Arthur would take Vivian out for a picnic – picnics are way too courting-like, Arthur would never court Vivian, even with all his talk about wooing, no, certainly not, Merlin would put a stop to it forcibly if he had to-

Oh. Where did that thought come from?

He looks over at Vivian, innocently inspecting her bed – which she is still lounging on. Would he really cause her harm?

His mind conjures up Arthur, professing his love to Vivian and his heart clenches. It would be so easy, a voice whispers in his ears. Just get rid of the princess, who cares about wars, if Arthur will forget about her…

No! Merlin stomps down on the thought. Arthur is happy with Vivian now. Though she doesn't reciprocate his feelings, so something must be done. Merlin must do something.

But war? He doesn't want that! He can't want that, for Arthur loves Camelot and Camelot must prosper. Besides, he really likes Camelot too, Arthur's own feelings notwithstanding.

...is he thinking too much about Arthur?

Nah, he isn't, Arthur is basically his job. It's only natural to think of him.

Vivian invites him closer. "Merlin?" He hums as she plucks something from under the pillow. "When did you grow blond hair overnight?"

"Blond hair?" he repeats, hurrying to her side. It takes exactly a moment to identify the strand. "Oh no…"

Vivian hums expectantly. "I take it, this is not a token of yours from Arthur?"

Merlin hates how quickly his heart starts beating at the name. "It's Arthur's hair, but it's not mine." Still, his hands itch with the need to take it. He clasps the urge down. "Like your hair, it was most likely used in a love potion."

Her eyes are open wide. "The love potion?" She glances at the pillow and then back at him. "I could have… I could have fallen for that prat?"

Merlin growls slightly. Yes, Arthur is a prat, but he is Merlin's prat-

Vivian meets his eye. "But you are already enamoured with him. Surely that's different."

He grits his teeth. "If, by different, you mean I want to become one with him in every way possible even more, then yes. It is ‘different’."

She eyes him suspiciously. "I detect some sarcasm in there."

Merlin rolls his eyes.

"Anyway," Vivian begins, putting down the hair. She clasps her hands and Merlin does the same to stop himself from diving at the lock of hair. "Do you have an antidote yet? I would say it's more urgent with both of you being affected."

Merlin, on the brink of screaming in frustration only growels. "There are over" he spits, "one hundred and fifty love potions that use hair."

Vivian's lip purses. "Is an antidote the only way anyway?"

At this point, he is so sleep deprived – despite Vivian’s bed being comfy, he could only fall asleep in the wee hours of dawn –, he can only think of Arthur, that hair is beckoning him way too much, he will accept any other way. He turns to her. "What do you mean?"

"Like a new love potion doesn't cancel out the old one? And then you would know the antidote for the new one" she suggests. Merlin scrunches his brows. He has no idea, really, so he only shrugs. "Or a True Love's kiss."

"What?" He is blinking hard. Again. True Love's kiss? Kiss Arthur? Love Arthur? Truely?

No, he tells himself firmly. Quit whining about Arthur constantly!

"Yeah" Vivian nods, standing up and walking to him. "Like in the stories. True Love's kiss always breaks the enchantment."

Merlin is starting to feel something warm blossom in his chest. It's hope.

"Yeah" he agrees, expression dawning. "It could work!" Then he remembers that while he thinks he knows his True Love, his True Love has another love. So kissing Arthur wouldn't break the enchantment for him, it would only break them further apart. “For Arthur, that is.”

Vivian scowls. “But why not for you?”

“I am not his True Love.” He thinks back to Freya, the snippets of affection he had felt toward various people over the years. “And he may not be mine.”

“But what’s the problem with trying?”

Merlin looks up, deep into bright blue eyes that have surely enchanted many, without the aid of magic. Vivian stares at him, imploringly, with trust and hope and she gives Merlin himself hope. Maybe she is right, maybe trying won’t hurt, maybe Arthur will even fall for him…

He lets himself imagine a world like that. Maybe it’s the enchantment speaking from him, but it’s easy to do so. He doesn’t feel like many things would change between himself and Arthur; maybe there would be less violence from Arthur treating him as a knight and more soft kissing, hugging by the firelight, maybe more…

“See? You would like that” Vivian speaks softly, pulling him out of the trance. She goes over to her breakfast and grabs a piece of cheese from the plate. “Come, you should eat some too” she offers.

Merlin is reinforced in the knowledge: he must not hurt Vivian.

“You are a scrawny little thing, you need it, really.”

Yep, that’s Vivian. Merlin is somewhat thankful he doesn’t get to see her under an enchantment. That would be… Too much.

“What I don’t understand,” Vivian says, now nibbling on a piece of bread after snarling at him to eat some meat, instead of daring to touch the more servant-like foods. “Is exactly who would have the opportunity to enchant Arthur and myself. I mean the motive is clear; not everyone here wants peace among the Five Kingdoms.” Merlin snaps his head up in surprise.

“They don’t?”

Vivian shoots him a look. “Of course they don’t, Merlin. They are old, greedy men, only caring for what is best for them.” Merlin wonders if her own father is included in this. “King Alined for example – his country trades in weaponry, he would have a good time from everyone else going to war.” She plucks a grape and eats it.

“That’s it!” Merlin exclaims. Vivian makes an interested noise. “Think about it; Trickler is Alined’s man.” The jester is everywhere Merlin has been going these last couple of days! “And he was here, just now! He only went away when I mentioned a picnic between you and Arthur…” He trails off, but snaps himself back on track. “And you agreed his butterfly trick was like magic!”

Vivian purses her lips. “Merlin, I think you are right.”

Merlin puffs out his chest a little at the compliment.

Then Vivian gives way to her devilish grin again. “And I know just the best way to deal with those two.”

The sausage Merlin has eaten is protesting in his stomach. Merlin’s own Arthur infected thoughts are drowned out by the sheer sound of warning bells going off in his head.

Despite all of this, he swallows. “What do you have in mind?”

Vivian’s grin grows.

***

Merlin slips into the council chamber after Vivian during the forced lunch break the kings are taking. He sees numerous other officials and not-so-official people lurk around the room, trying to reconvene with their own ruler. It’s easy to follow Vivian in her white dress, acting as a light to attract attention from everyone.

He almost growls at the coutrier spending a little too long lingering his gaze over her backside. Instead, Merlin gallantly trips him with a quick bout of magic, sweeping across the room to where he sees Arthur silently berate him from.

Which is not nice, really. Merlin showed up to his morning tasks mostly on time and endured Arthur’s monologuing and – he shudders – poetry. If anything, he deserves a raise; there was a voice inside his head that kept on loudly proclaiming all of Arthur’s fantastic attributes, made his own hand linger over the princely body, forced him to listen to the melodic tone, even as it spoke that treacherous poetry.

Upon arriving next to Arthur, Merlin already notices why he is no longer being snarled at; Vivian is just a few feet away, furiously whispering at her father, hiding her face behind her hands as if she were a blushing maiden.

Or if she were fake-crying. Merlin knows what Alined and Trickler think of her, especially when she looks up at Arthur and Merlin and smiles like that, before ducking back to her father’s ear.

“Did you see that?” Arthur asks, excitedly. “My beloved smiled at me!”

“Sure.” Merlin doesn’t have the heart to tell Arthur who Vivian actually beamed at. He is opening his mouth to say something else, something urged on by the voice in his head, when all is silenced by King Olaf’s scandalised call of ’Vivian!’.

“Is this all true?” The king continues, loud in the sudden lack of chatter. Merlin is grateful he didn’t blurt out his own thing, because it seems Vivian’s plan is working.

“I’m sorry daddy, but it is.” She chuckles, a broken sound. Merlin spies the other kings looking alarmed, but Alined hiding a smile. They were right!

“What seems to be the problem, Olaf?” Uther asks, being the first to draw attention aside from the father-daughter duo.

“My daughter...!” Olaf is seething, abruptly standing from his chair – it almost topples over. Merlin realises with some relief that even Arthur has stopped looking like a stupid oaf. “ALINED!” he bellows.

The king is starting to look just as alarmed as everyone else. “Olaf?”

Vivian just stands there smugly as her father thunders across the room to grab Alined’s hide. By now, the rest of the room is slowly spurring into action, guards taking out their weapons and nobles hiding behind the protection. Merlin debates if he should try to slither next to Vivian, in case somebody tries to harm her, but Arthur has already decided.

“My dearest, are you alright?” he asks from Vivian, running to her. Merlin follows, keeping back his deep, long-suffering sigh.

“Merlin!” She doesn’t even acknowledge Arthur. Which does make Merlin feel a bit better.

Or a lot better.

“Hey” he greets back, fleetingly glancing at where Olaf is strangling Alined and other people are trying to put a stop to it, Uther at front. “Your performance was flawless.”

“I know!” Vivian agrees airily. She beams at him again. “I told you not to fret!”

“You two know each other?” Arthur cuts in, scandalised. Merlin looks at Vivian for help, who just continues ignoring the prince.

“Do you think I should try to step in for Trickler’s sake?” she wonders, just loud enough for Merlin to hear. Olaf started screaming about the whole enchantment thing, starting another round of other people shouting. “I mean he was a pawn in this.” She bites her lip, frowning.

“Maybe.” Merlin searches the room, but Trickler is gone. “If you can find him.”

Vivian sighs, sullenly. “I wish to employ him. I want to see more of those butterflies.” They share a small grin. The butterfly Merlin conjured will stay near her belongings, but she does not yet know that.

Merlin wants to keep it a secret as a surprise, so he just nods. “Sounds nice.”

“Merlin!” Arthur hisses, right into his ear. A tingle dances down his spine. “Since when are you two this chummy?” Arthur is way too close.

“Ah, I think I will do that later” Vivian decides. Uther’s loud bellows have over-spoken over everyone else, the commotion mostly stopping. Merlin wants to ask what Vivian means, but he doesn’t get a chance.

“STOP!” The King of Camelot surveys them as if they are all reckless children. “Whatever it is you are screaming about, Olaf, you can continue at a quieter tone.”

Merlin quietly voices the opinion that maybe Uther shouldn’t use the tone of a chastising mother with a foreign dignitary. Vivian snorts at this, while Arthur scowls.

“Alined'' Olaf grits out, somewhat relinquishing his hold on the other king. Another thing Uther maybe-kinda-sorta should have asked for him to stop. “Tried to enchant my daughter to fall in love with your son.”

Now Uther is starting to look just as pissed. “Is that so?” Merlin sees the other kings and courtiers huddle close and whisper. But Vivian is still emitting that smug sense of victory, so he stays put.

“It was not me” Alined rasps. “It was my servant.”

Merlin has no idea how he can speak under the iron fist of Olaf, but he guesses dying men are capable of a lot.

“My daughter specified that it was under your orders” Olaf tells everyone coolly. “And that you already had Uther’s son enchanted.”

Loud gasps echo in the room, along with Arthur’s startled shout of ‘I’m not enchanted!’.

Uther turns to look at his son slowly. “Arthur” he calls carefully, as if Arthur would go mad or start crying any moment. “We will take care of this.”

“But I am not enchanted!” Arthur denies, huffing angrily.

Vivian chooses this moment to finally deign him worthy of attention. “Hey” she cooes.

Arthur instantly crumbles. “My beloved” he whispers fervently, taking a step closer to try and kiss her hand. At Uther’s wave of the hand, two guards, plus Merlin drag him back a bit.

“I see what you mean, Olaf.” The King of Camelot nods.

Alined is looking even more stricken in Merlin’s humble opinion. “Let’s be honest here, who would not fall for your daughter, Olaf?” he asks, panicked, speech hurried and flowing together. “And Prince Arthur for that matter – the ladies contend over his hand, don’t they?” None of the attendings seem even remotely impressed by Alined as he chuckles weakly. “Besides, what would I even gain with them enchanted? It’s not like I want to stand in the way of young love, unlike some of you here.”

Merlin is only half-surprised by the pursed lips and the camaraderie between all the kings, none of them able to say the word ‘war’.

“You know, daddy, I don’t really get why King Alined would want war. I was under the impression Deorham traded in weaponry, not warriors.” Vivian’s innocent pondering expression is betrayed by the mirth dancing in her eyes. Merlin is pretty sure he is one of the few not blind to it.

Alined growls at her. “You insolent little-”

Olaf’s words are louder. “YOU WILL NOT SPEAK ABOUT MY DAUGHTER THAT WAY!”

Uther clicks his tongue as well. “It seems the treaty will need to be pushed back in favour of a trial.” He looks over the other kings. “I trust your judgement will stand alongside my own.”

“Of course it will!” Olaf spats hotly. He seems to restrain himself more, now that Vivian has spoken up again. Merlin notes this, in the unfortunate event of the king ever finding him alongside her.

“Great. Gaius, see to Arthur. Guards!” Uther starts giving orders Merlin is no longer paying attention to, being one of the few needing to drag Arthur away from Vivian, after Gaius.

“I’ll find you later!” Vivian whispers to him, eliciting a pained whine from Arthur. Merlin only nods, watching as she slips away.

Her advice on breaking the enchantment lays heavily in his heart.

***

“I still don’t know which one it is,” Merlin admits, when Gaius asks. Arthur has been forcibly laid down and knocked out with the help of a sleeping draught.

“We must, though.” The physician’s eyebrows crease. “Arthur may get worse if we get it wrong.”

'If' you get it wrong, the voice echoes in Merlin. Just kiss him!

He takes a deep breath. “Gaius? I may know a way.” His cheeks are darkening. “But maybe… Gwen is needed.”

Gaius inclines his head thoughtfully. “I’ll get her, you keep watch.” Merlin is very grateful Gaius is the one offering to search for Gwen. But maybe his almost-father knows something, if his own smirk is any indication.

So Merlin is left alone, only the thump of Gaius’ retreating footsteps and Arthur’s breathing as his companions. There were a few guards along the corridor before, but they have been called away to find Trickler as well.

So, it’s okay, he tells himself, sitting down beside Arthur. Arthur, who looks gorgeous in medical-induced sleep, worry lines finally leaving his face, no more scowling, nor shouting, just a painting-like perfection…

Merlin is leaning ahead before he can think twice.

His breath ghosts over Arthur’s, the prince’s lips slightly parted. He should just do it, just go for it.

But it doesn’t feel nice, to think that even a stolen kiss like this is taken from Arthur in his sleep; vulnerable and in Merlin’s care. He leans back, slumping. Vivian didn’t want to sleep in her own bed because she was afraid unsavoury things, the likes of which Merlin has just been about to do, would happen to her. It doesn’t matter that the voice in Merlin’s head keeps reassuring him that this is a legitimate reason; a relationship without consent is not a healthy one.

So he sighs and waits.

And waits.

Then he gets bored and tries to gently slap Arthur awake. “Arthur?” he sings. “Rise and shine!”

He receives some grumbling, which is definitely a good sign. “Come on!” Merlin continues. “I’ve got you a present!”

Arthur’s eyes snap open. “Present?”

Merlin almost falls off his perch, laughing. This is all it took for Camelot’s ‘fiercest warrior’ to emerge? Maybe he will employ the same tactic next morning.

“Merlin.” Arthur cocks his head to the side, sitting up. “What present?”

Merlin will so get thrown in the stocks for this. “Close your eyes. No peeking!”

Arthur complies, a strange smile settling over his face. He has not mentioned Vivian once, which the voice and Merlin both take as a good sign.

With no more reasons to convince himself not to – Arthur is just so eternally himself, everything Merlin ever wanted – he leans in and carefully brings their mouths together.

His own eyes are open, so he sees the moment Arthur’s fly wide open – yet Arthur is kissing back, reaching for his neck, drawing him in…

Merlin hears the voice fade from his mind, but the kiss just keeps going, Arthur nudging his mouth open with his tongue and oh, dear magic, that tongue!

...but Arthur should still be enchanted.

Merlin quickly retreats, letting go of Arthur’s hair – when did his hands get there?! –, springing onto his feet and continuing to back, right into the table. A vial almost falls off and he barely catches it with his hands, panting heavily. Arthur is panting too, looking at him with still wide eyes. His mouth is red. Merlin is the reason Arthur’s mouth is freshly kissed-red.

Merlin gently touches his own lips, slightly swollen from the welcome assault.

“Good gift?” He asks faintly. He doesn’t wait for an answer. He needs to think about what this means for him, for Arthur, for Gwen, oh gods, Gwen, she is in love with Arthur and Merlin just kissed him! “See you!”

“MERLIN!”

Merlin doesn’t stop, he bolts through the door and the corridor; running as quickly as he can, taking turns left and right, hearing feet pound after him. Arthur just woke up, it’s unfair how awake he already is!

Merlin ducks into a room, out of breath and throws the door shut, magicking a table in front of it. Just in time: Arthur’s frantically knocking on the other side.

Merlin swirls around, looking for an escape route, when his eyes catch the two other people in the room.

“Oh.” He says. “Hey.”

“Hi, Merlin!” Vivian waves at him cheerfully. Trickler is simply staring. “You got rid of the enchantment then?”

“I… Yes.” Arthur is yelling something on the other side, Merlin doesn’t want to know what. He comes closer to the two sitting by the table. “I think Arthur’s is gone too.”

Vivian’s teeth seem to sharpen. “What did I tell you? I have a sense for these things.” She leans in conspiratorially to Trickler. “And rumors always have some truth to them.” Merlin scowls, finding a door to the right. He tries it, but it’s an antechamber; the corridor it would open up to is the same Arthur is in.

“You… wanna employ me?”

“She said she liked your butterfly trick!” Merlin speaks up, investigating the nooks and crannies in the wall. The castle has some secret passages yes, but is there any here? “I’d say you go with her, before Alined drags you down with him!”

“You… liked my butterflies?” Trickler sounds close to breaking down in tears. Vivian murmurs assurements quietly. “I… It would be my pleasure, Your Highness.”

“Vivian is okay” she tells him, finally breaking the man down. “And Merlin, I think you can leave now; Arthur stopped.”

Merlin looks up to find the noise indeed gone. He carefully magics the table back into its original place, putting an ear against the door to listen. There is no one outside.

“Merlin.”

Merlin shrieks and flails around as he turns. “Arthur!” He takes in the prince, in all his freshly-kissed glory. Part of Merlin is still victoriously roaring ‘I did that!’. “HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE?”

“I presume he used the antechamber door which you contemplated for an escape” Vivian says, inspecting her nails and the crying jester sitting next to her. “As a fellow human being, I congratulate you on using what little thoughts you have knocking against each other in your head and not messing up a door.” She tells Arthur. Then her eyes turn to steel. “As Merlin’s friend, if you ever hurt him, you shouldn’t anticipate a good relationship with my kingdom, Arthur Pendragon.” She dragged Trickler up. “Come on, Trickler! We need to prove your innocence to my daddy.” She winks at Merlin from the door. “Good luck! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t!”

“That’s very vague and not helpful!” Merlin shouts at her back. Her laughter reverberates across the corridor. “So.” Merlin is forced to acknowledge Arthur in the room. He speaks before Arthur can repeat his previous yells, “You were under an enchantment and I thought I would help you out!”

“By kissing me?” Arthur’s tone is incredulous and Merlin kinda wants to kiss him again.

“Yeah” he nods. “It was a necessary sacrifice for the good of everyone. Especially my ears.”

Arthur steps closer to him, smirking in amusement. “What’s wrong with your ears?”

Merlin gives him a flat look. “You were reciting poetry about my friend. Vivian” he specifies.

“Since when are you friends with her?” Curious how differently he asks now, part of him notices.

“We bonded over you being an idiot” he deadpans. Arthur scowls a bit, but doesn’t stop advancing. Merlin slowly starts backing up, mindful of how the door is still a bit open for slipping out. “And she is actually nice, you know. Reminds me of you.”

“Oh?” Arthur leans against the door with both hands, effectively closing it. “Do you gift kisses to her too?”

His face is inches away from Merlin’s and he can’t breath again. But he shakes his head. “No,” he croaks. “That’s just for you.”

Arthur’s lips part to give way to a smug grin. “Good answer.”

Merlin is readying a retort when lips capture his and coherent thoughts leave him behind. Oh yes, he thinks, praising Vivian for coming up with the idea. Despite her outlook she really was the smart one between the two of them.

“Beautiful” Arthur pants, between two kisses, when he is marking Merlin’s skin, neckerchief forgotten on the ground somewhere.

Merlin is fine being the pretty one, especially now.