Author's Note: This idea came to me while reading caldera32's "Trials, Travails, and Misadventures," and I have graciously been given permission to spring off from the chapter titled "Fishing." The following story can be read on its own without context, but I highly recommend Calder32's fics to any Merlin fans!

"All right back there, sire?"

"I'm fine."

"Need help?"

"No."

"Then what's taking so long?"

"I...had to pee."

Merlin snickered.

"What?"

"I just thought maybe you were a little, I don't know, afr..."

"So help me, Merlin, you're going to be in the stocks when we get back."

"As I was saying, my lord, are you ready?

Arthur ducked around a larger tree dressed only in a pair of breeches. Merlin bit his lip to keep from laughing. He could swear Arthur was shaking like a leaf. It was a little chill, but not that chill.

"And what about you?" Arthur said, gesturing at him. "Want your clothes to get all sodden, do you?"

"I wasn't sure we'd actually go through with this," Merlin replied as he pulled his shirt over his head. "I also don't own undergarments like some royal prats I know." Merlin tested the water with a toe. "You might want to take it slow. It's cold."

"Now who's afraid?" Arthur countered. He stepped right into the lake and Merlin noted how he bit down on a gasp. "It's...fine."

Merlin stepped in up to his ankles. Arthur waded to about chest deep, then turned. "Well, are we going to do this or not?"

Merlin sucked in a breath, then ran, splashed in, and dove under to come up next to Arthur, whooping at the cold and shaking water out of his hair.

Arthur leaned away and flinched at the droplets flung his way. "Merlin!"

Merlin just laughed and rubbed water out of an ear. "I can't believe you never learned to swim."

"How many lakes have you seen within the city walls?"

"But there are enough on patrol. Streams. Rivers."

"That I never intended to jump in!"

"But you did. And then..."

"Shut up, Merlin."

Merlin clasped his mouth shut. A little over two weeks ago they'd found themselves rescuing a couple of peasant children from drowning, and Merlin had ended up saving both them and his prince.

"How did you learn?" Arthur asked.

"I almost died the first time."

Arthur's face paled and Merlin chuckled.

"I don't see what's funny about it," Arthur protested.

"It wasn't at the time. It was my friend Will's father. He threw me into a lake as punishment."

"Punishment? For what?"

"Will and I'd gotten into a tussle. We knocked his father's fishing spear overboard. He insisted we get it and tossed us both in, but he didn't mean for me to get tangled in weeds. I went under."

Arthur continued to stare in terror. "What happened?"

"I got loose." Used magic. "That's when I decided to learn to swim and Will's father taught me. He was pretty upset about the incident."

Arthur glanced around the lake, then at the watery depths.

"I'm here, Arthur. You won't drown."

"I know that," Arthur snapped.

"So...you need to pull on your arms like this." Merlin demonstrated, moving both his arms alternately and cupping his palms. "And kick with your legs. Watch." Merlin made several strokes away from the prince, then turned and came back, standing up again.

Arthur nodded crisply. He pushed off the gravelly bottom and in seconds was thrashing and sinking. Merlin grasped an arm to let him catch a foothold again.

"You moved your legs under your body. They need to be straight out."

"I know!" Arthur shimmied out of his grasp and tried again. It was a bit better, but Arthur wasn't going anywhere and Merlin pinched his lips together, stifling another laugh. Arthur halted and gave up, standing again.

"You're not training with the knights," Merlin pointed out.

Arthur, dripping water and shivering slightly, glared at him.

"You're fighting the water like it's an enemy. More punching it than anything else."

"I'm doing what you showed me."

Merlin shook his head. "Here. Just float. Can you do that?"

"Of course," Arthur replied as if Merlin were a simpleton. He fell onto his back and stared up at the blue sky.

"On your stomach."

Arthur managed to turn over and Merlin was there, arm held out to aid in his float, lifting the prince along his middle. "Legs and arms straight out." Arthur complied. "Now kick only a little from your knees, everything else straight." Arthur followed. "Arms." Arthur added them. Merlin let go. For several seconds Arthur managed on his own, until his legs went under him again, but he stood on the bottom without help this time.

"Well done, sire!" Merlin exclaimed.

Arthur turned and seemed to be trying to scowl as he fought the corners of his mouth wanting to turn upwards.

"It's just your legs under you again. Fear response."

That did it. Arthur thrust himself at Merlin. He swam slower than he should, but he made it and promptly splashed water up into the servant's face. Merlin wiped off the spray, then splashed back and for several minutes they were lost in a war where water was the weapon.

"Stop!" Arthur suddenly shouted.

Merlin, breathing hard, grinned to meet his eyes. "You're saying that...because you're losing."

"Hardly," Arthur scoffed. "But we didn't come here to..."

"Play?"

"It's not playing."

"Sure it is."

"It's just messing around."

"Whatever you say, Arthur."

"Come on. Keep teaching."

"Let's try deeper."

Arthur eyed him skeptically. "This is far enough for now."

"This isn't the valiant prince I know.

"This is the wise prince you know."

Merlin rolled his eyes.

Arthur smacked the back of his head.

"Ow. Fine. Do it again. Show me."

Arthur turned and took a deep breath. He slid into the water, kicking furiously. He knew it wouldn't look graceful, but he managed several meters until he felt for the bottom and wobbled on his toes to catch his balance. He turned, expecting that same proud look on Merlin's face, but the boy wasn't there. Arthur turned his head back and forth, searching for his friend and was just starting to panic when he heard a cry.

Merlin appeared above the water several meters away, clawing frantically. Arthur heard Merlin's voice in his mind—he didn't mean for me to get tangled in weeds. Arthur kicked out, legs pumping, cupped hands scooping, mind lost in a steady rhythm. Kick. Pull. Kick. Pull. He drew close and avoided Merlin's flailing, diving down, hands outstretched, searching for whatever held his friend under. He couldn't find anything and pushed back to the surface.

"Good work, sire!" a cheery voice met him. "You went farther out."

Arthur would have gone under again except he felt Merlin's arm lift him up and pull him until his feet hit bottom. Arthur stared at him wide eyed. Merlin just smirked like he'd been clever.

"You..." Arthur spluttered. "That was not funny."

Merlin began to chuckle. "Worked didn't it."

"You idiot!" Arthur jumped on him, doing something he was very good at—one on one combat. He plunged Merlin into the water while at the same time wrenching his arm behind his back. When Merlin came back up he was spewing water, but still looking entirely unrepentant. Arthur dragged him to shore and threw him face down, then stretched out next to him on his back, the warmth of the sun soothing his bare skin, calming his anger and his nerves.

"I'll have you hanged if you ever do anything like that again," Arthur warned, turning his eyes to meet Merlin's. His manservant had pillowed his head on his arms, one folded on top of the other. His eyes glittered.

"At least I know you won't let me drown either."

"Don't be too sure," Arthur grumbled. He turned his head back and closed his eyes, relishing the sun's heat.

"Thank you, Arthur."

Arthur grunted.

"And you did well. With some more practice, I think the next time we meet someone in trouble you'll actually be useful."

"Merlin?"

"Shut—"

"—up," Arthur concluded, but a small grin spread across his face, of pride, satisfaction, and joy in the tangible presence of the servant next to him. "Merlin?"

There was no answer.

"Merlin."

"I'm supposed to shut up."

"Don't ever die."

"I don't plan on it."

"I mean to say, life would be..." Empty, painful, unthinkable. "Boring without you."

Merlin laughed. Arthur did, too. "I'm forgiven then?"

Arthur turned his head and opened his eyes to meet Merlin's sincere gaze. "For now." He pushed up and jabbed at Merlin's arm. "Come on. Back in."

Merlin let Arthur aid him up. "Last one to the other side mucks out the stables." Merlin took off running into the lake.

"I won't do it anyway!" Arthur shouted, but he followed his friend in, all hesitation flung aside, plunging in without a second thought.