Camelot was buzzing. People were crowding the streets trying to get to the stands, to get a seat, to the annual Sword Fighting Tournament.
Merlin was busy rounding up all Arthur's equipment, reminding him of how much he hated his job sometimes. How much he wished his destiny could be fulfilled and get on with it.
Arthur was waiting impatiently in his tent.
"Where is he?" Arthur asked.
"I'm sure he will be here soon my lord." Gwen said.
"We start in 10 minutes." Arthur shouted.
"I'm here, I'm here, sorry I'm late. I woke up late, and I had to clean and I forgot and," Merlin blabbered.
"You forgot?" Arthur demanded. "Never mind. Just hurry up." Merlin dressed Arthur quickly and he managed to be on time to the tournament. Just.
Uther made his usual speech about pride and noble blood and all that, Arthur went in for his first match, came out 10 minutes later with an easy victory.
"This is going to be simple." Arthur said, upon his arrival in the tent.
"You don't think it'll get harder, my Lord?" Gwen asked.
"Maybe slightly more challenging, but still relatively simple." Arthur shrugged it off.
"Of course, Sire." Merlin found it easier just to agree with him than argue.
"I haven't got any more matches today." Arthur stated what Merlin already knew.
"Are you going to be watching the tournament, my lord?" Gwen asked, finishing any sentence that addressed Arthur 'my lord'.
"Maybe, check out the competition and all that." Arthur shrugged.
"I will leave you. Congratulations on your win Sire." Gwen bowed her head and left the tent.
Merlin stood with Gwen as they watched the rest of the competitors. The day passed quickly, competitors were quickly knocked out before the competition really got started, but only 1 man struck Merlin as extremely talented; Sir Oliver of Thurlby; he thrashed his opponent almost as quick as Arthur did, though took a heavy blow.
"Wow!" Merlin said, after the match.
"I reckon we have a finalists." Gwen smiled. They both looked at Arthur and he looked slightly panicked but determined; he wouldn't let him win.
The next day, neither Arthur nor Sir Oliver had matches; Arthur spent the day training though Sir Oliver was no where to be seen.
Merlin got quite bored while carrying all Arthur belongings around the city, so while he was fighting with another knight, Merlin took a breather and took in Camelot. His eagle eyes spotted a girl, sheltering near one of the tents. She met his gaze and smiled. He wondered away from Arthur towards the girl.
"Hello," Merlin said lamely. The girl chuckled.
"Hi."
"My name's Merlin, I am Prince Arthur's servant," Merlin introduced.
"My name's Anna, I am Sir Oliver's servant." Anna smiled, she held her light blue cloak close around her.
"Sir Oliver is phenomenal. Almost as good as Arthur,"
"Almost?"
"I have to say that." Merlin shrugged, Anna laughed.
"Merlin!" Arthur bellowed.
"I best be off." Merlin sighed. Anna smiled. "Perhaps I'll see you around?"
"Yes. I'm sure you will, it's a fairly small city after all," Anna said sarcastically. Merlin smiled, and waved to her as he ran back over to Arthur.
"Who's that?" Arthur asked.
"Her name's Anna, she works for Sir Oliver,"
"I ban you from talking to her Merlin, we can't fraternise with the enemy."
"Enemy?"
"Yes, he's my competitor."
"It's a competition, what will fraternising with the competitors servant going to do?" Merlin asked, refraining laughter.
"Just stay away from her Merlin," Arthur instructed, his ban still in place. "Now go clean all my armour for the competition tomorrow." Merlin took all the heavy metal armour in his arms and headed back to Gaius's chambers, for a night of cleaning before more sword competitions tomorrow.
On his way back to the castle, Merlin bumped into Anna again... quite literally. He couldn't see over the pile of armour and had bumped into and fallen over many other obstacles before this one.
"Merlin?" She asked.
"Anna?" He asked, still not being able to see over the armour. She reached up to the top of the pile and carried some of the heavy metal kit, so Merlin could see. "Thanks." He smiled.
"Not a problem. I know the feeling." Anna smiled. Merlin caught a glimpse of Arthur out the corner of his eye.
"Sorry, I've got to go Anna." And Merlin rushed off with half Arthur's amour, leaving Anna with the other half. She followed behind him subtly; he didn't notice. After he'd shut Gaius's door behind him, Anna knocked. Gaius answered; he didn't know who Anna was.
"Hello, may I help you?" He asked politely.
"Hi, I have the other half of Prince Arthur's armour, Merlin left me with it." Anna explained.
"Oh. Do come in," Gaius was confused.
"Who is it?" Merlin called from his room.
"Someone for you." Gaius shouted. "Go on through." He said to Anna more quietly.
"Thank you." Anna smiled, taking the armour through to Merlin's room. "Merlin?" She asked, cautiously entering his room. She couldn't see him. She put the armour on the bed, adding to the pile that Merlin must have bought in. An old book with withered pages caught her attention. "What's this," She muttered.
"Nothing!" Merlin exclaimed, leaping from under a sheet which he'd draped over himself. He pinched the book far away from Anna's grasp.
"Why were you hiding under a sheet?"
"Arthur's requested I don't talk to you. Fraternising the enemy, were his exact words." Merlin shrugged.
"No, I understand. My master would say the same." Anna smiled apologetically. Her eyes and Merlin's would not meet. "Erm, I brought the armour." Anna said, breaking the awkward silence.
"Yeah, thanks." Merlin smiled. Awkward...
"I best be off then." Anna smiled, not wanting to stand in the silence any longer.
"Wait a minute," He said, grabbing her wrist.
"Yes?" She asked, turning back.
"We can talk after the competition is all over, right?" Merlin asked.
"I'm pretty sure we won't be 'enemies' then." Anna smiled, making quotation marks in the air.
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