Wings.
They got wings
Actually, It's not as bad as it could be! After all, Arthur was supposed to become a "brainless bird". Merlin claims the spell worked, but then he became one too, so he can shut up
So, Wings!
Ugh...
Why didn't the spell work as intended?
Well, Gaius informed them it was due to the interference of his brave idiot servant. The spell was designed for one person, and with the intervention, it simply couldn't transform two men into birds
(Merlin, however, was told a different version, that his own magic and their fateful bond prevented Arthur from becoming a bird. Arthur's fortune at the expense of Merlin's misfortune. Ah, isn't that the story of his life?)
And while it was fun to tease Merlin about how he was becoming even more like his namesake, it was a major change in their lives.
The thing is, the wings were big. Large even. Unwieldy!
They were bloody annoying
Two new limbs Arthur had no control over.
Merlin, on the other hand, surprisingly, dealt with them much faster, but, he didn't have to relearn how to fight. Just how to exist.
And the funny thing is, he became much less clumsy.
It was as if the extra weight on his back had finally forced him to spread his wings. Figuratively and literally.
Because unlike him, who had been forbidden by his father, Merlin had a chance to learn to fly
And he took full advantage of it
Arthur had never seen his servant so agile, dexterous and free as on their new forays into the forest so Merlin could catch the wind
Or as they explained it "horse riding training" if anyone asked
(What surprised Arthur was that no one looked twice at them going out alone in the evenings. No one even asked where they were going, more than a formality.
No one pointed out that they were already handling the riding just fine after a week of such outings)
But then again,
Merlin stretched his wings in the sky, while Arthur took a break from stress of life changes and all this attention from his father by "birdwatching"
Seeing him so flushed and disheveled with that happy look in his sparkling eyes, Arthur couldn't help but yearn—
For flying! Of course, for flying. What else?
But his father was right. If he spent time and effort learning to fly now, it would be all wasted once they figured out a way to remove the wings without harming the prince.
So he stayed on the ground
(And while he watched Merlin, he couldn't help but think about thoughts that he usually push away. And realized that he was afraid that if he joined Merlin and felt that sense of freedom, even a little bit, he wouldn't be able to live without it when it would be inevitably taken away from him.
Arthur both loves and hates the understanding in Merlin's eyes when he talked his way out of trying to get too close to the truth one evening.
Princes don't feel useless emotions like fear. Arthur was grateful for the silent support)
And If only newfound clumsiness were the worst thing that came from new acquisitions.
But no
They were sensitive
Arthur and Merlin found out about this when they were helping each other clean leaves from their wings after their first foray into the forest.
Arthur hit Merlin in the face with a suddenly opened wing when Merlin buried deep in his feathers. (And no, Arthur didn't squeak!)
When the servant laughed, Arthur decided to take revenge and plunged both hands into the soft feathers.
They froze and blushed upon hearing the sound of pleasure Merlin made as he lay sprawled on the floor with Arthur's arms in his wings on either side of him.
Prince quickly pulled his hands out and when Merlin sat up Arthur noticed the injustice, which immediately removed any other thoughts
"Hey! Why yours are bigger?"
"Oh, don't worry, Arthur. They say size doesn't matter, it's how you use- Oh, wait! I'm better at that too! Well, tough luck for you!"
"Merlin!"
They both laughed in relief as they stepped onto familiar ground and continued to groom each other's feathers.
Arthur could admit to himself that Merlin's wings were beautiful. He might even say they were royal blue, fading to purple at the tips.
And Arthur noticed that, like his own, the inner feathers seemed golden. Although it turns out that Merlin had more of those feathers, as some were slightly protruding, so that the whole appearance resembled a beautiful starry sky.
The prince's wings themselves, though indeed slightly smaller than the servant's, were Pendragon red. No gradients.
Not that Arthur needed it, but he couldn't help but think that Merlin's wings made him look truly ethereal.
(Arthur didn't know it, but Merlin was actually irritated by the allure of his wings. They were attracting attention, and he couldn't cast any magic because the golden feathers would start to glow! It was a disaster waiting to happen.
The prince's wings, on the other hand, evoked tenderness. They suited Arthur well, covering his back like his signature cloak. Arthur looked majestic and regal even now, sitting by the fireplace and snorting at Merlin's feathers as they got into his nose)
But weeks, even months, passed. No cure was found.
Arthur had gotten used to the weight on his back.
Although Merlin complained about his clothes, Arthur had no problem with it, since Merlin was the one who dressed him, and his new armor was tailored to his new limbs.
Arthur even became a better fighter.
It turns out that despite their sensitivity, the feathers were strong enough to effectively block a sword. So he had two shields on his back, which he could even attack with!
(Although Arthur still shudders when he recalls the tirade everyone apparently felt obligated to deliver the first time he blocked a sword with his wing. The fact that it was instinctive didn't reassure his father, Gaius, nor Merlin.
And somehow, it was his servant who was the most influential in his concern, yet least terrifying, of them all.)
When his father finally gave in and accepted that these new limbs were not going anywhere, Arthur finally agreed to Merlin's offer to fly. It was as liberating as it looked.
Arthur couldn't wait for the next time.
(Even if he turned out to be as clumsy in the sky as Merlin was on the ground.
As if they were perfect opposites or something.)
So it seems it was decided that the wings would remain!
As well as certain bird behaviors, which neither Arthur nor Merlin considered strange. This was explained as a side effect of the spell.
So everyone in the castle could observe the prince and servant chirping and twittering at each other (though humans shouldn't be able to make such sounds).
Just as everyone has noticed that wings can be an indicator of mood, Merlin can now literally ruffle Arthur's feathers.
There were funny incidents where they would get so embarrassed that they would start flapping their wings, causing them to fall or fly, or someone would catch the boys off guard and they would quickly spread their wings, knocking down objects (or people).
Of course, this usually happened in private, when they were just learning, but a few times it happened in public too.
And everyone can see Arthur all fluffed up when he shows off for Merlin on the training grounds.
Merlin thinks that Arthur's ruffled feathers on the training grounds are due to protective instincts (which is partly true), and in the corridors it comes from indignation and not from an attempt to impress
Of course, everyone (except Arthur, who is the same as his other half) sees the truth
Merlin, in turn, began to bring Arthur more gifts, take more care of the prince's room and appearance, and talk to him with a melodic chirp.
So everyone noticed that they seemed to be courting each other. The only people who didn't see it were the courting couple themselves.
Nothing new, though.
Attack scene
