120A/N: Puppy Merlin is the cutest thing to imagine, with his little paws and neckerchief! Can you imagine it?! Ah...And then he snuggled up to Arthur. Yay!
Merlin opened his eyes groggily. '…What happened? How was I…? Where have the colours gone? And why am I so short?' He looked at his magic book. 'Oops, wrong spell.' Merlin thought. Wait…what had that spell done then? He looked down at himself to find…he was buried in his neckerchief. 'Oh no. Gaius!' He tried to shout, but all that came out was a high pitched bark. 'Oh, please no!' He rushed to the bedside table and jumped to knock off the water. He slowly stepped forward to look at his reflection, and came face to face with a Labrador puppy. 'Oh no!'
"Merlin! What's all the—" Gaius came in the door, not noticing the puppy. "Merlin?" Merlin ran towards the physician, tripping over the neckerchief still around his neck. He yelped as he rolled and ended up lay on the floor at Gaius' feet. "A…puppy?" Gaius stared down at the tangled puppy, and bent down to help it out. "How did you get in here, little one?" Merlin jumped up onto Gaius and cried at him. 'Please, recognise me, please, please…the magic book!' Merlin quickly ran and jumped onto the bed. He barked at Gaius then nudged the book. 'See, this…It's me!' He cried in his mind.
Gaius slowly walked forwards and looked at the book. "Merlin?" He asked quietly. Te puppy barked and wagged his tail, but being puppy, immediately began chasing it round in circles, and nearly fell off the bed. Gaius only just managed to catch him "Merlin! It is you!" Gaius looked down at the small pup in his arms. 'Yes, it's me! Thank you! My teeth really hurt!' Merlin thought and as soon as he was put back on the floor began biting the bedpost. "Ah, ah! Bad Merlin," Gaius warned, but couldn't help smiling. If puppies could glare, he thought. "What will I tell Arthur when he comes looking for you?" Gaius asked the puppy, hoping for a response.
And right on cue, Arthur came knocking at the door. Merlin ran into the other room ahead of Gaius and hid under a chair. Gaius opened the door and smiled at the prince. "Sire, is there anything I can help you with?" Gaius asked, bowing slightly.
"Yes, do you know where Merlin is? He didn't show up this morning—"
"Ah, yes." Gaius cut him off. "Merlin had to return to Ealdor, he hadn't heard from his mother in a while and wanted to check up on her, at least, that's what he told me. Between you and me, I think he's a little home-sick." Gaius laughed and Merlin rolled his eyes. 'Home-sick? I am home!' "He left quite suddenly, but he asked me to give you a note." Arthur raised his eyebrows, as did Merlin…I think... "It's um…" Gaius turned to the mess behind him. "Oh, I'm sure it was around here…" He began moving papers and bottles.
"It's okay Gaius, if you find it; just leave it in my chambers or something." Arthur smiled. Merlin quickly dashed out of the door as Arthur stepped forward to bid Gaius goodbye. He hid behind the corner and waited for him to leave. "Great, thanks Merlin!" Arthur hissed as he walked past. 'Where is he going? Ah!' Merlin followed Arthur, knowing where he was heading. As they stepped outside the castle and walked to the training grounds, Merlin caught up with Arthur and ran along beside him. 'Three inch legs aren't very practical when walking next to a prince with such long legs.' Merlin thought. He trotted along side the prince, watching him, and looking forward every so often so he didn't walk into anything or get stood on. Which he nearly did and had to jump onto Arthur's foot so he didn't get squashed; this made Arthur finally notice him.
Arthur raised an eyebrow at the puppy that was sat in front of him; he looked around for anyone to claim him. "Go home." He said, shooing the pup with his hands. Merlin cocked his head to the side and gazed up at the prince. "Okay then…" Arthur carried on walking, stepping over Merlin, who immediately appeared at his feet again, trotting happily along side him.
"Looks like you've finally made a friend, Arthur." Morgana said as Arthur walked towards the swords to collect his and start training. Arthur glared at her, and the pup started rolling around in the grass, playing happily until he noticed he was being watched, then he returned to sit next to Arthur. "He's so cute!" Morgana bent down and stroked Merlin under his chin.
"You can have him; I don't know why he follows me around." Merlin started biting at Arthur's feet, his needle teeth breaking through the leather. "Ow!" Arthur yelled shaking the puppy off and moving to push him away further with his other foot.
"Hey!" Morgana yelled, scooping the puppy up. "Leave little one alone. He's just teething, his teeth hurt, don't they little one?" She spoke in a baby voice that Arthur wrinkled his nose at. "Don't look at me like that, and don't kick him." 'Ooh,' Merlin thought, 'I like being a puppy.' He stuck his tongue out as best he could at Arthur.
"What was that?" Arthur yelled pointing at the puppy in Morgana's arms.
"What?" Morgana asked, looking down at the puppy, who looked up and licked her chin.
"He stuck his tongue out at me." Arthur accused.
"Arthur, he's a puppy." Morgana stated bluntly.
"Whatever, I've got training to do." As Arthur walked away, Merlin scrambled in Morgana's grip and cried.
"Whoa!" Morgana quickly lowered the pup to the floor before she dropped him, and Merlin chased after Arthur, walking along side him as he walked between the rows of the knights.
Towards the end of training, Arthur sighed and bent down to pick up the puppy, holding him above his head with one hand. "Does this belong to anyone?" Arthur asked, looking around hopefully. 'Ah! Arthur you idiot, put me down! You'll drop me!' Merlin struggled and cried at the height, making Arthur pull him down to hold him against his chest, where he calmed and leaned into the warmth. "Anyone?" Arthur asked. He sighed as he looked down at the puppy. Merlin cocked his head to the side and smiled up at him. "You bug me, just to clarify." Arthur confessed to the pup. Merlin yawned and snuggled more into Arthur.
'Now you sleep?' Arthur thought. He sighed and carried the puppy back to his chambers.
A/N: Merlin clearly likes to be difficult. Please review! :D