"Have you finished yet" the king of Camelot demanded as he walked through the heavy wood doors of his apartment.
His servant sat on the floor surrounded by the king's belts, of which he seemed to have many. Merlin's task was scrub them clean of the dirt they had accumulated over many years of mistreatment and frankly, neglect.
"Well you do seem to have quite a few belts… Sire. I don't see why I have to do this. No one can see them anyway, they're hidden under your stomach" The warlocks face took on a pinched expression after he realised what he had said. Again. It had had happened again. He really needed to mind what he was saying.
Merlin urgently raised the thick wood shield, with a hastily painted slavering dog on the front, to cover his face. It was just in time too as an arrow thudded into the wood halting its momentum.
"Come on Merlin this is too easy. Give me a moving target" Arthur called out over the top of the laughter of the knights.
Merlin hoisted the shield up to his right shoulder, the leather strap digging into his arm and with a feeling of resignation began to walk backwards and forwards across the practice range.
Thud
Thud
"Faster Merlin"
Thud
Splat
As he had picked up the pace he had failed to notice a rather prominent tree root.
"Alright men, we'll pick this up this afternoon. Perhaps we can find a more challenging target by then"
Sauntering down the range, Arthur kicked the shield of Merlin's face where it had unceremoniously landed. He felt that perhaps his servant had learnt his. For once he reached down and held out his hand to his friend.
