This story was the product of watching Merlin with my friends. I have to admit, I am completely obsessed with Merlin and believe that Merlin and Arthur should be together. So yes, this will be a Merlin/Arthur slash story.

As always, I unfortunately don't own Merlin. If I did the slash would definately be acknowledged!

Read on and enjoy...

In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man. His name; Merlin.

It was a beautiful morning in Camelot as Merlin crept into King Arthur's chambers. The sun streaming through the small gap in the curtains gave the room a soft, golden glow. Walking around the bed, Merlin paused to take in the view of Arthur's slumbering face. He looked so open like this and Merlin always made sure to savour this quiet moment before he had to wake him. Arthur's face was turned towards him, the sun glinting off of his hair. Merlin's heart ached with how beautiful he looked and the pain that Arthur could never know his feelings. He had hidden his feelings away for so long now and every day he longed to tell Arthur the truth. He wanted to tell him the truth about everything; about his magic and how he felt for the king. But he knew that Arthur would never feel the same way and he couldn't risk losing his friendship. The Great Dragon had once told him that they were halves of the same whole and there was no doubt in his mind that he would never be the same without Arthur. Pulling himself from his thoughts, he moved towards the curtains, yanking them open abruptly.

"Rise and shine!" he shouted jovially. He loved this part of their routine. Arthur would grumble and they would trade insults but there was a definite fondness from both of them that made him feel warm inside. As predicted, Arthur groaned and tried to cover his head with the blanket.

"Come on, none of that!" Merlin said, grabbing the covers and pulling them away. Blue eyes glared back at him.

"I don't even have anything scheduled for today, Merlin!" Arthur whined. "Why do I have to get up?"

"Because you'll get lazy otherwise!" Merlin grinned. "Besides, you never get a day off from meetings and things. Isn't there anything you want to do with your day?"

"I wanted to sleep!" Arthur retorted, yanking the blanket out of Merlin's hands.

Merlin ignored him and, gripping one arm, started pulling him out of bed.

"Come on. I brought you breakfast. It's even still hot!" he cajoled. With a sigh Arthur relented and allowed himself to be manhandled out of bed. He pulled on the shirt that Merlin had set out for him and sat down at the table. He slouched down in his chair and started picking unenthusiastically at his breakfast.

"I don't have anything to do with my day anyway," he complained. "I can't even train with the knights because they're all ill." The Knights of the Round Table had all been struck down by a bout of illness which had left them bed-ridden for the foreseeable future.

"Oh how inconvenient for you" Merlin replied sarcastically, leaning against the table next to him. Arthur kicked his leg in reprimand. Merlin laughed moved to sit in the chair opposite him. "Why don't you go hunting?" he suggested, reaching out to take a roll of bread from Arthur's plate.

"Hey! That's my breakfast you're eating!" Arthur protested as he watched Merlin chew on the bread.

"Well we wouldn't want you getting fat would we?" Merlin responded.

"I am not fat," Arthur said adamantly.

"Yes but you don't want to get fat, do you?" was the pleased response. Arthur sighed.

"You really are the worst manservant ever, did you know that, Merlin?"

"I think you might have told me once or twice. Anyway, why don't you go hunting?"

"Didn't you listen when I told you the knights are ill. There's nobody to take with me," Arthur said morosely.

"There are other knights," Merlin pointed out.

"But it wouldn't be the same."

"Well you have to give them a chance at some point." Arthur sighed, dropping his head into his arms.

"Fine, go and find me four knights to accompany us on a hunting trip. And don't bring me any idiots. I know there's a few around that are just there because they have noble blood."

"I'll bring you the best there is!" beamed Merlin and Arthur was momentarily dazed, his heart fluttering at the sight of that smile. He wondered what Merlin would think if he knew the things Arthur would do for that smile.

"The best are laid up in bed sick," Arthur grumbled as Merlin left the room. It wouldn't be the same without the knights that he had become close friends with but he needed to get away from the castle and the responsibilities of ruling, if only for a short while. And, he supposed, he'd at least get to spend some time with Merlin away from the confines of the castle though. Maybe the trip wouldn't be bad at all.

Merlin made his way down to the training grounds and paused to examine the four knights that were there. One knight, tall and muscular with scars scattered across his skin, was hurling axes at a series of dummies, even shearing one of the heads clean in half. Another, shorter but still well built, wielded two machetes as he attacked his own dummy. The third, thin and lithe, twirled a sword in one hand as he went through a series of intricate movements. Merlin called the three of them over to him, hesitating before asking the fourth knight who was looking in confusion at a longbow and appeared to be holding it backwards. Merlin shrugged and called out to him. After all, Arthur had asked for four knights and four he would get. It was his fault if his own knights weren't up to scratch.

Well there you go. That's the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed it and the next chapter will be up soon. Reviews are greatly appreciated.