Summary: Merlin accidentally turns himself into a raven, but thankfully Arthur figures it out... eventually.
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Arthur scowled as he searched through the aisles of the library for his stupid court sorcerer/betrothed. He had searched high and low for the idiot: His chambers, Arthur’s chambers, Gaius’ chambers, the great hall, the kitchens, even the jail cells! He had asked several knights, lords, and servants if they had seen him but to no avail. No one seemed to know where he was.
Arthur groaned as he finished scouring the library for him. He had checked every nook and cranny and all of Merlin’s favorite hiding spots in the library.
It did not help either that there seemed to be a bloody bird loose in the castle.
Apparently, the damn raven was flying around stealing food and bothering people and for some reason, his people felt the need to come to him to complain about it.
Arthur sighed he did not have time for that. Surely one of the guards could take care of a stupid bird!
This is ridiculous, I’m the bloody King! I shouldn’t have to deal with this bloody bird AND be forced to play hide and seek with Merlin! Arthur thought, quietly mumbling to himself all the ways he would make the stupid love of his life pay for forcing him on this wild goose chase.
He strode towards the doors quickly asking Geoffrey if his stupid court sorcerer had come in while he was looking but Geoffrey shook his head.
Arthur walked through the halls of the castle quickly and decisively in what Merlin oh so loving called, his grumpy king walk.
He sighed angrily. He had forgotten how annoying it was when he couldn’t find Merlin, back before Merlin had told him about his magic. It had been four years since Merlin had told him when he was Prince Regent. They had kept his magic quiet until he was made King and after the long process of lifting the ban. Four years had now past and Merlin and he no longer had any secrets between them.
With each step, Arthur could feel himself getting less angry and more worried. Merlin didn’t disappear anymore, he always told him when he had to go something outside the castle.
As he walked the halls his eyes glancing at every face, he saw the only person who might know. “Gaius!”
The older man stopped walking and waiting for Arthur to come to him. “Yes, Arthur?”
“Have you seen Merlin? I can’t find him anywhere.”
The infamous eyebrow rose at the question. “Not since this morning, my lord. Last we spoke he was planning on staying in his chambers all day working on some potions.”
Arthur frowned. That had been what Merlin had told him as well.
It seemed his fears showed of his face. Gaius patting his arm, told him, “Don’t assume the worst Arthur. Maybe he stepped out of his chambers to grab some supplies or decided to take a break and get into some trouble with Gwaine.”
Arthur scoffed at that. Merlin and Gwaine were always getting into trouble together. “Right,” Arthur mumbled out loud before turning around and heading towards the training grounds. The knights were having training right now, hopefully, Merlin would be there with Gwaine.
He sighed and wished he could have made it to practice today instead of looking for his damn sorcerer all morning. As the thought pass, he felt a light gust of wind before the infamous raven appeared above him and started pecking at his head.
“OW! STOP THAT! YOU STUPID BIRD!” Arthur roared as he tried to swat the damn thing away.
This, however, only seem to fuel the pesty thing and it continued his attack on the king. No fear for its life whatsoever as Arthur walked through the halls trying to bat the bird away.
At one point a rather nervous guard offered to attack it with his spear, but a strange chill filled Arthur at his words. He told himself it was only because the bird was too close to him and that the man might accidentally hit him in the head instead.
Arthur and the ridiculous raven finally made it outside. He had hoped once they were outside the bird would fly off into the woods but no such luck. It seemed the bird was determined to drive him mad.
When he finally found Merlin, he was going to get the damn man to use a spell so he could talk to the bird and find out what its bloody problem was!
His eyes kept scanning the grounds for Merlin as he strode to the training area. His heart clenching in anguish when he made it and his love was not there.
Lancelot was the first to spot him. “Arthur! We thought you couldn’t make practice. Do you need help with anything?”
Arthur swallowed down the lump in his throat. Surely Lancelot would know if Merlin went somewhere, after all, Lancelot was his long-held confidant. “Have you seen Merlin? I can’t seem to find him anywhere.”
He tried to sound nonchalant about it but he knew he failed at the look the knights’ were giving him.
“Merlin’s missing?” Gwaine asked thrusting his sword into the ground a deep frown on his face.
“No one seems to know where he is.” Arthur sighed. “I was hoping he was ignoring his responsibilities here with you lot.”
Elyan shook his head and then turned to Mordred. “Mordred can you connect with him with your druid mind trick?”
Arthur's heart soared. Yes! Why hadn’t he thought of that?
Mordred frowned. “It’s not working. I can’t sense him.”
Arthur bit his lip. Damn, where could he be? He thought.
The raven had been surprisingly quiet during this exchange, so quiet that he had thought the bird had finally left, but of course, that wasn’t Arthur's luck.
The bird jumped onto his shoulder, but instead of pecking him like the bird had been doing before, it nudged him? The bird had nudged against the side of his neck, as if it was trying to comfort him.
How odd Arthur thought, but strangely it did ease him a little, like when Merlin pressed his fingers lightly to the back of his neck when he was drowning in documents.
“Sire? Is that a raven?” Leon asked, looking as if he wasn't sure what he was getting himself into.
Arthur did not roll his eyes only because it was Leon. “Yes, it somehow got into the castle and has been following me.”
“Does it have anything tied to it Sire?” Lance took a step forward trying to look at the bird as he asked.
The king frowned. “I don’t think so why?”
Lance grimaced, “I thought maybe Merlin had sent it as a messenger of sorts.”
It would explain why the bird was following him and why it was so annoying because of course, Merlin would pick the most annoying one. He turned his head slightly to look at the bird properly which was hard with the damn bird on his shoulder, but he managed. There, however, was nothing tied to its legs.
It was then that he finally looked the raven in the eyes, and he gasped. He would know those eyes anywhere.
“Merlin?” Arthur cried out, his voice filled with such shock and confusion that his body jerked causing Merlin to jump into the air before fluttering down to the ground.
He couldn’t believe it. His lover had turned himself into a damn raven!
“Merlin! I order you to change back this instance!” Arthur yelled. Merlin did a strange jumpy thing and cawed at him.
“I don’t know what you're saying when you speak in bird you daft sorcerer!”
The knights all looked at each other in confusion.
“Wait Merlin’s the raven?” Percival questioned looking around. “Since when?”
“Arthur, what makes you believe that’s Merlin?” Leon asked cautiously as if Arthur had suddenly gone mad.
Arthur huffed. “Look at his eyes, it’s Merlin!”
The knights squinted at Merlin and frowned.
“It just looks like a normal bird to me,” Elyan said crouching down to look at the bird better.
He looked at knights, slack-jawed. How could they not see it? It was clearly Merlin!
He turned towards Mordred, surely the other sorcerer would be able to tell. “Mordred?”
The young knight frowned back. His hand on his chin, deep in thought. “It would explain why I can’t contact him. It doesn’t work when we are using transformation magic.”
“So that really is Merlin?” Gwaine asked.
“It’s possible,” Mordred replied.
“Why won’t he change back?” Arthur asked, glaring at his ridiculous beloved. Merlin’s feathers were all ruffled up in clear frustration as he moved his head around. He was trying and failing to get something across to him.
“It could have been an accident? Maybe a spell or potion gone wrong?”
Arthur then remembered the disaster field Merlin’s room had been when he had gone in earlier. There had been plants and herbs all over the floor and a cauldron starting to bubble over.
It had only been slightly worse than normal, Merlin always creating havoc while working, so he hadn’t thought much of it at the time.
“If you saw Merlin’s spellbook would you be able to reverse it?”
“Most likely yes,” Mordred nodded.
Arthur sighed in relief. "Then let's go."
Arthur groaned as they all reached Merlin’s chambers. The knights had insisted on coming along.
He glanced at Merlin, back on his shoulder. He had hopped quickly onto his shoulder after Arthur had asked for Mordred’s help. Arthur had pointed out that Merlin could fly but of course the lazy fool rather Arthur carry him.
His attention was snapped back to Mordred as he spoke. “It seems like it was a potion gone wrong. I could make a counter-potion but that would take a while. The quickest solution would be true love’s kiss Sire.”
Arthur blinked. “You want me to kiss him? How the hell am I supposed to kiss a beck?”
Merlin nipped at his shoulder at that. Arthur glared back.
Mordred bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. “The top of his head should be fine.”
Arthur sighed. The things he did for love.
He could hear Gwaine cheering teasingly as he pressed his lips softly on Merlin’s head.
In hindsight, he probably should have waited for Merlin to jump onto some furniture first instead of kissing him while he was still on his shoulder.
Arthur was knocked straight down onto the cold stone floor as Merlin transformed back to himself and ended up sitting right on Arthur's chest.
Arthur groaned as his head hit the floor.
Thankfully, his head hit the luxurious rug he had gotten Merlin for his birthday last year.
“I’M FREE!” Merlin shouted in glee, arms in the air. “Oh, hands I missed you!” He cried as pressed his hands to his face.
Arthur huffed and rather sarcastically said, “Yay, you have hands and legs, now could you get off of me?”
Merlin glared down at him. “Oh I’m sorry was my joy at not being stuck as a raven for the rest of my life bothering you?”
Arthur frowned. Right. “Course not Merlin. In fact, I am glad I don’t have to explain to people why I’m married to a bird.”
Merlin snorted. “That would be hilarious. I almost wished Mordred hadn’t figured it out.”
Arthur bit back a giggle because Kings do not giggle. Especially not in front of their knights.
“Welcome back Merlin,” Lancelot said his voice filled with amusement.
“Next time you should turn yourself into a dragon,” Gwaine teased.
Merlin nearly choked he laughed so hard. When he finally calmed down, he replied, “I think I’ll stay away from turning into things for a little while.”
They all laughed.
His sorcerer finally got off him and helped him up before thanking Mordred for his help.
Mordred, after years of Merlin being shifty around him and still excited to have earned Merlin’s trust, beamed. “It was nothing Emrys! Arthur was the one who undid the potion.”
Merlin glanced over at Arthur a smirk on his lips, but his eyes were soft, full of love. “Yes. He did, didn’t he?”
A small smile formed on Arthur’s face. Pleased that for once he got to save Merlin from magic and not the other way around.
Feeling the change of mood in the air, Leon called for the knights to head back to training giving Arthur a knowing smile as they left.
As the door closed Merlin stepped back towards Arthur. His hand reaching out and resting on Arthur’s cheek as he asked curiously, “How did you know? That it was me, how were you so sure?”
Arthur shrugged, tilting his head forward into Merlin’s touch. “I just knew.” He sighed. “I don’t know how to explain it. Your eyes weren’t your eyes but somehow, they were. I looked into your eyes and I just knew.”
Merlin chuckled and pressed his lips against his in a soft quick kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Arthur replied before pulling Merlin into another kiss.
By Shana_Rose on ao3