Merlin knocked on the door balancing a precariously balanced array of objects in his overflowing arms. Kicking the door open he then proceeded to place the platter and jug over on the already over laid table and the stack of clothes on the dresser before standing back, waiting, then looking in disbelief as all his handiwork came crashing down literally. Arthur chose that moment to awake. Arthur rose from his bed and looked down to the floor where the eggs and bread lay splatted on the floor, "Thanks Merlin that looks delicious" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Merlin apologised profusely as he backed out the door to the kitchen before returning with a new p "Are you ok, Merlin?" he asked with mock concern, "It's just you never call me sir. Many rubbish insults, yes but never sir "platter of food and some cloths "here sir" he mumbled as he began mopping the puddle on the floor sir. Many rubbish insults, yes but never sir
""well I guess I have decided for once we should get real and sir is the way it should be" merlin retorted "what laborious chores have you for me today sire?" he was un smiling
"Ok, what's wrong with you?" Arthur replied seriously, "You never pass up a chance to insult me like that" "I'm FINE." merlin bit back "now i suspect you have got heaps planned for me so get on with it so i can come back an d get some ludicrously impossible task from you then I can go back to Gaius to resive his chores ..No dought the leach tank needs cleaning again. and then just maybe I can go to sleep ready to serve your royal butt all day again...sire" merlin was shocked with himself he had just gone on a full rant the king it was normally only Gaius who had to witness him in this state but after getting back from another perilous trip merlin was in no mood for joking unforchenatly the prince seemed to have other ideas. "Well Merlin, I didn't know you felt like that" Arthur said with his eyebrows raised, "And also since when is polishing my armour an 'impossible task?" since you decided to have a mud fight with the other nights and left it out in the sun to cake on" merlin replied this was exactly what he had been asked to do yesterday and his fingers were still caked after four hours of cleaning "Ok Merlin that is hardly an impossible task" Arthur said start to get annoyed, he pulled a shirt over his head as he spoke. "Ok Merlin that is hardly an impossible task" Arthur said starting to get annoyed, he pulled a shirt over his head as he spoke. "ok then Next time i will just leave it and you can spend your evening cleaning it the sire" merlin was fuming he didn't seem to understand how big and volumus the armour was and how long it took to clean .Arthur glared at Merlin and slipped into his trousers, "Ha" he laughed harshly, "If you think just menial labour is hard. You really don't respect how hard it is to be king" "perhaps not but its harder being your slave that you think! so just tell me what you need me to do so you can get on with you so awfully hard job ..Ok "merlin was now in a rage and past caring what the prince thought of it "What! HA what do you think being a king is easy, you should try it some time. And slave a bit harsh, I can treat you like a slave if you want it. What's so hard with being a servant its just some menial labour there's nothing that hurts your ickle head" said Arthur with venom in his voice, losing his normally level-headed demeanour "except training" merlin muttered un his breath "and all the things you throw at it" merlin walked round to collect the now empty platter " i suppose it's just the usual things to do then" merlin said loftily "Merlin, I do plenty of Menial labour too, at least you don't have any mental labour - well to be fair you would struggle to do chores that you had to think to do" Arthur joked but not kindly.
"Just tell me what you want me to do!"" merlin said exasperatedly he was used to being the but of Arthur's jokes so this new blow wasn't especially strong. "Just get out" Arthur spat out, "It's clear to me you've just as well handed in your resignation. There's thousands that would kill for your job but apparently its not enough for the all-powerful Merlin." Arthur strode off and looked out the window ignoring Merlin. Merlin rushed out and suddenly felt surprisingly sleepy considering how angry he was. With a soft "flump" he fell to the floor and closed his eyes Arthur opened his door, "And Merlin!" he shouted but he w as nowhere in sight. He looked down, "Oh God Merlin, your always fainting" He gave Merlin a quick kick with his shoe. He rolled his eyes and walked back into his room. Somebody would find Merlin soon enough. He walked back over to the window and looked out and a second later he collapsed to the floor.
…
Merlin began to draw out of a daze and was surprised to see not the corridor ceiling he had fallen asleep looking at but at Arthur's four poster bed. Arthur must have dragged him in he thought it was the only logical explanation. But as merlin got to his feet he found it easier than usual he must have been asleep a long time as he didn't feel the normal ache in his bones and head he normally did after the night befores polishing armour. turning round to find Arthur he couldn't see him. "Arthur I'm sorry i lost my temper...sire" merlin looked around before deciding on getting some washing done, as he opened the door he was stunned there lay a sleeping him. Sir Leon heard the tenth bell ring. It wasn't like Arthur to be late for training. He glanced at Gwaine who was also looking confused. "I'll go get him" Sir Leon said, answering the question nobody had bothered asking. He went in and ran up the stairs. Outside the door he was Merlin's body. He bent down and checked his pulse which was still beating. He looked up to see Arthur, "What are you doing?" he asked annoyed. "merlin colapsed i was just about to take him to gauis can you go tell the others please thats why im late for training" merlin rambled quickly trying to impersonate arthurs level of authority. "I'll take him down, the guys have been waiting for you" said Sir Leon, an edge of suspicion in his voice. This wasn't like Arthur. He carefully lifted Merlin's body up in his arms being gentle - and stood up slowly. "Ok, you need to get into your armour and on your horse fast. Then after lunch theres the meeting with your council to discuss about the thieves in the south and then about expanding the outposts into the north territory" he spoke fast, "Sire" he added with respect before turning round with Merlin in his arms. merlin ran into Arthurs room and flung on the armour it was hard without himself helping him but it was still possible. when he evenchully met the knights on signet (his own not Arthurs Hourse as Arthurs wouldnt trust him) he was met with confution "so lets start sorry im late.. merlins being an idiot as usual" he added as an after thought. this was how arthur spoke about him.
"Why on earth are you on Merlin's horse" Gwaine smirked. Sir Leon had just arrived at Gaius' chamber, "Merlin's fainted - I'm not sure what's wrong" Sir Leon said resting on the bed, "He does faint a lot" Sir Leon added. He turned to leave, "Sorry I'm in a rush, training" he said. As he opened the door he turned his head round, and said quietly, "Arthurs acting quite odd at the moment, if you have any idea whats wrong then" he tailed off looking hopefully at Gaius "um no idear im shore its probly just the stress of being king thats getting to him" gauis said looking at merlin and noticing the vage timge of a golden glow that shone of his skin for a momen as he started to stir "brave hearts lame so i couldnt ride her" merlin made up hope fully "now lets get on with trainig" Sir Leon exited and headed back to training, quickly mounting his horse. Gwaine looked confiused as he knew Brave Heart wasn't lame but decided not to persue the question. Sir Leon rode back into view, "Ok, we need to start with sword fighting on horseback. Gwaine and Arthur you two are first" Gwaine was disappointed by the easy attack and after swiftly dodging he gave a fast lunge at Arthur followed by a blunt blow to the lower chest. A move which should unseat him at the least. "Ah sorry I've forgotten again - I am such a giant dollop head." Arthur shouted to the masses before giving a hidden smirk to Merlin Merlin went up to arthurs chamber and sat on the bed "so what do you sugest we do " merlin snappeed at arthur "I don't know" Arthur snapped back, "Your the one who spends hours a day with Gaius - you should..." he tailed off, "Fightings not gonna help" he admitted. "well we should just live with it you have to do my job as i recall erlier you said it was very easy." merlin picked up the list arthur had written him of chorse Arthur looked alarmed, "No it's not that I want to do those jobs I just don't want you screwing up my life" "its not that hard really i have seen you do it plenty of times and well be back to normal by the time your meeting comes around. 2 merlin said he was looking forward to having a day of lesure for once