The Bantering Champions
Characters: Merlin, Arthur, The Knights, Mordred
Note: This is a light-hearted collection that has no wretched visions, so Mordred is just a new, eager recruit and Merlin has no reason to fear him. I liked the idea of a collection with two sorcerer's together serving Arthur.
As the party moved through the forest the night was beginning to draw in, and already Merlin could feel a chill starting to creep up his arm towards his shoulder. The trip had been a disaster, the report about a group of bandits had proved to be fantasy, and the group were now beginning the journey back to Camelot.
Merlin looked about him, this time of the evening always seemed to unnerve him for some reason. It never made sense to him with being a powerful magician but he was always expecting something to jump out at them at any minute. As if sensing Merlin's state of mind a familiar voice called out.
"Oh Merlin for goodness sake stop looking so scared, you are like a big girl!"
Merlin took an inward breath wondering how it was that though Arthur was in front, he could somehow sense Merlin's unease. Merlin swallowed his annoyance while he thought of a retort.
"I am watching out for any danger, someone has to." Merlin replied trying to make light of it.
"Merlin if there was any danger about in the woods you'd be the first one in that bush over there." Arthur laughed pointing at a big bush away in the distance.
The Knights tittered as they continued to observe the daily sparring match between King and Servant that regularly dominated such quests and stopped the journey home from becoming boring and tedious.
Mordred was the new boy he hung back watching everyone else shyly. Already he was beginning to see the relationship between Arthur and Merlin was not a normal one. While he enjoyed the bantering like everyone else, he could not fail to see the bond between the two of them as well. He wished that one day he could be inside the inner circle.
Anxious to offer some moral support to Merlin as a fellow magical being he remarked.
"At least Merlin offers another pair of eyes Sire." Mordred remarked, knowing full well just how impressive Merlin's magic "eye" was to them all.
"Well it is nice to know that someone appreciates me." Merlin muttered to himself smiling at the new Knight. He had no doubt that Arthur would soon be teaching him bad habits.
"Mordred one thing you have to learn is that to praise Merlin, is more trouble then it is worth. It will go straight to his head and before you know it you will get absolutely no sense out of him."
"Um I wonder who that reminds me off!" Merlin muttered to himself rolling his eyes.
Mordred laughed quietly to himself.
"They are like an old married couple these two." Gwaine said smiling at the young man.
"Yes you will soon get use to it." Percival agreed. "If you don't you will be out of your mind by the end of the week."
"Just remember though Mordred." Arthur said a serious tone to his voice. "I am always the winner."
The laughter that filled the air didn't stop the retort from being heard from behind them.
"That's what he thinks!"
When Mordred thought back to his first quest the thing that stayed with him most was the joking between Arthur and Merlin. He realised from that day onwards they were the bantering champions, and the rest of them never had any chance from the start.
