Sorry about the long wait, guys, but with school work and exams piling up...well, you know...

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The sound of his foot constantly hitting the stone floor reverberated around the cold room as Merlin sat on his bed, his gaze unwavering from the lone arrow on his desk, placed far away from any other item in his room. Merlin let out an exasperated sigh as he ran his hands through his hair in an attempt to keep himself calm. He couldn't help wondering what on earth was going through Cupid's mind when he decided to thrust that stupid arrow into his hands-probably the most clumsiest pair of hands in the entire castle, as well!

Merlin really wouldn't put it past himself to accidentally shoot an unfortunate soul into falling in love with mud.

"Merlin! Aren't you up yet?"

The young wizard jumped up from his bed, teeth biting ferociously at his lower lip from his indecision.

"Uh...I'm up, Gaius! I'll be out in a...second..."

Merlin grabbed a stray blanket and carefully wrapped it around the wretched arrow, making sure it didn't touch his own bare skin.

"Merlin, hurry up!"

"Coming!"

His eyes flickered around the room hurriedly, searching for a place to hide it, before coming to the decision that, if he left it in his room, Gaius would find out and then he'd be in a whole new level of trouble.

A whole new worse level of trouble.

"Ah, finally!" Gaius said, turning away from his books as he heard the door squeak open. He removed his spectacles and glanced at Merlin. "I thought you'd ne-" He blinked at the sight, hesitantly choosing to put his spectacles back on. "Merlin?"

The wizard raised an eyebrow at him as he casually shouldered the rolled up blanket over his shoulder.

"I'm going to skip breakfast, alright?"

"What's in there?"

"Sorry?"

"The blanket," Gaius gestured, moving closer towards the article causing Merlin to quickly sidestep him. "What are you up to, Merlin?"

"Me? Up to? What makes you think I'm up to something?"

"You're always up to something."

Merlin scowled but bit back a retort as he acknowledged it as being true. Come to think of it, he was always up to something or other.

"You don't want to know about this something."

Gaius stared at his ward skeptically, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Will it hurt Arthur?"

"Depends."

"On what."

"My aim."

"Will it endanger the king?"

"Hopefully not."

"Hopefully?"

"...No, it won't."

"How about the kingdom?"

Merlin thought about it.

"...Well..."

"Just go, Merlin," Gaius sighed tiredly, returning to his books. Merlin opened his mouth to reply before choosing to slip out of the room instead. "Children, nowadays..."

Merlin scurried down the corridor leading to Arthur's chambers as he clutched at his blanket tightly, offering a simple smile at any strange looks thrown his way. It wasn't as if he wanted to carry a arrow that could possibly turn life upside down in the castle if aimed at the wrong person; having magic was bad enough but this...

"If Uther found out, he'd shoot me in the butt with the arrow himself and throw me into a pig pen before executing me," Merlin muttered as he rounded the corner, unknowingly running headfirst into Morgana. The wizard collided with the floor, losing hold of his blanket as he tried to stop his face from smashing into the stone.

"Merlin!" He scrambled painfully up before glancing, horrified, at the sprawled figure of the king's ward. Merlin quickly bent down to offer a hand. Morgana gladly took it as he pulled her up, straining a bit to do so.

"I am so sorry, Morgana."

"It's fine, really, Merlin," she replied, hastily brushing her dress down before smiling at the servant. "It was just a bit surprising, that's all."

"Again, sorry about that."

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Morgana asked as she watched Merlin grab a rolled up blanket that had fallen onto the floor. He glanced up at her before standing ram-rod straight.

"Me?"

"Yes, you, Merlin."

Merlin uncomfortably scratched the back of his neck as he hugged the blanket tighter to his chest.

"...Off to Arthur's. You know how he is, can't be late."

"When you see him, tell him I want to talk to him again," Morgana scowled at the thought of the prince. "Apparently, I wasn't clear enough about something in our last discussion."

"Will do. I've got to run. Bye!"

Amused, Morgana watched as Merlin practically sprinted down the corridor and out of her eyesight. She shook her head, a small laugh escaping her throat as she turned back towards her previous destination. Her foot took one step forward before a small crunch alerted her to something under her foot. She frowned before lifting her shoe and dress to get a proper look, causing her frown to deepen as she stared at the broken arrow.

"What on earth...?" Morgana muttered, picking up a half of the arrow in each hand. She glanced behind her again at the direction of Merlin's departure, wondering if she should call him to give it back. But she was out of his earshot so there was no way for her to do so. She looked down at the broken pieces again before continuing to walk towards her rooms.

She'd mend the arrow first.

"Merlin! About time!" Arthur grumbled as he untangled himself from his bed sheets. Merlin rolled his eyes, throwing one of his shirts at him. The prince swiftly caught it and pulled it on as the wizard placed his blanket on one of the tables. Arthur raised an eyebrow at the item and his servant before choosing to ignore it as he headed behind his screen. A minute later, as Merlin was preparing breakfast, Arthur's head popped up from behind the screen, a puzzled expression on his face. "What's that?"

"Hmm?"

"The blanket. Why are you carrying that around?"

"...It's cold outside."

"Don't be stupid, Merlin. It's boiling!" Arthur scoffed as he took his place at the table before pausing briefly, a grin edging its way onto his face. "Then again, being stupid really is the only thing you're fully capable of doing."

"Oh ha, ha, that was hilarious, Sire."

"I thought so."

Merlin glanced at the prince as he started eating his breakfast which mostly consisted of a lot of meat.

"I guess Cook was right."

"What are you prattling on about this time, Merlin?"

"Cook suggested we...adjust your diet in order to keep you...'fighting fit'."

Arthur froze before slowly, almost comically, looking up to glare at the wizard.

"She what?"

"And everyone basically agreed with her so you enjoy that meal of your's, Sire," Merlin grinned, ignoring the look of horror on the prince. "It will probably be your last hearty one..."

"Does everyone think I'm...fat?"

"Yes."

"I am not fat!"

"I told them that, Sire. I said that it might just be the chain mail that's making you look fat since you do look a bit...snug in it," Merlin commented offhandedly, as he picked up various pieces of clothes from the floor. Arthur seethed at him before searching his vicinity for anything heavy. Finding nothing, he settled for a loaf of bread which he threw at the unsuspecting servant. Merlin yelped as it struck him on his back.

"You tell Cook I am perfectly healthy and not fat!"

"Very well, Sire. She was just trying to help you."

"Shut up, Merlin."

The wizard snickered to himself as the prince went back to his food before pushing it away, glancing confusedly at his stomach. After placing the clothes in the laundry pile, Merlin grabbed his blanket and opened it, his hand ready to hold it in order to inspect it carefully.

When he found nothing, his breath caught in his throat.

"This is bad," he whispered to himself, shaking the blanket out over the bed. When it became obvious there was nothing there, Merlin resorted to searching the floor and surrounding areas in case it had fallen out in the room. "This is very, very bad..."

"Merlin, what are you doing now!" Arthur sighed tiredly as he watched his servant's crouched position with his face extremely close to the floor.

"...Inspecting your room."

"Why would you-forget it," the prince announced. "You, Merlin, are impossible, you buffoon."

"Thanks, Sire," Merlin beamed sarcastically as he got off the floor. "Would you like your chain mail, Sire?"

Arthur paused, once again glancing subconsciously at his stomach and then at the offending piece of article on the bed.

"No, I'm good."

"Wouldn't want to give the wrong impression, right, Sire?" Merlin grinned cheekily.

"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur replied before striding out of his chambers, leaving the wizard alone with his thoughts.

Where had that stupid arrow fallen out? It wasn't in his room or in this room so where? Merlin groaned as he thought, once again, that Cupid had made a mistake when he'd given him that arrow. It spelled nothing but trouble.

Suddenly, Merlin was hit with a realisation. Morgana had collided with him in the corridor so it must have fallen out then! There was no other possible place!

With newfound hope, Merlin ran out of the room, praying desperately that Morgana had enough sense not to touch that damned arrow.

Morgana yelled triumphantly as she finally managed to bind the broken arrow back together. Sure, it looked more than a little funny, but it was back in its original shape and that was all that mattered, right?

She gathered the materials in her arms and placed them on the table, ready for Gwen to collect later on before picking the arrow up again. She turned it around slowly, inspecting it with a critical eye. A whiff of faint chocolate made its way to her nose, leaving her feeling blissful and completely calm.

She hadn't felt like that in years.

Morgana rose to tuck the arrow away until she could find Merlin at a later date but a sudden pinprick drew her away from her thoughts. She glanced down at her hand as she realised that arrow must have grazed it whilst she had been standing up.

Her head felt foggy and heavy, disorientating her sense of direction. The onslaught of nausea made her want to throw up.

She glanced back down at both of her hands as something niggled at the back of her mind. Where had the arrow gone? Had she dropped it on the floor? She would have looked but her head felt so, so heavy...

A knock sounded at the door and she must've said something because the door opened and a figure stood in the entrance.

"My lady, are you alright?"

Morgana smiled dreamily as something occurred to her, something she'd never actually thought about before. The figure in the doorway stepped closer, his heavy boots sending gentle vibrations around her room.

"I'm absolutely fine, Sir Gwaine. Perfect, in fact."

Again, so sorry about not having updated earlier. I'll try my best from now on but no promises.

I seriously hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter.

See you next time! :)

P.S thanks for all the lovely review, folks! Means a lot to me!