Merlin lugged the bucket full of ice cold water from the well over to the training grounds. As he dragged the bucket, he got a couple of weird looks from passerby, but Merlin was used to the looks by now. After all, he was Merlin.

Merlin reached the training grounds and looked up to see Arthur sparring with the other knights. It was noon on Tuesday, and Arthur always led the training session even after he became king. Usually, at these times, Merlin was given some chores to complete over the next two or three hours before preparing a bath for Arthur. He usually finished the chores early (with some help of his ever existent magic) and spent the rest of the time having fun. This time, however, Merlin decided to skip the chores and dive straight into fun.

Earlier in the day, when Merlin had woke Arthur up, Arthur had been crankier than usual. And as a result of that and Merlin's annoying cheerfulness in the morning, Arthur had dumped a pitcher of water on Merlin's head. Gwen had berated Arthur halfheartedly as she stifled giggles from looking at the awestruck, drenched Merlin. By the end of breakfast, Arthur had gotten over his foul mood but for once, Merlin wasn't over it yet. He would have his revenge.

Some of the knights had noticed Merlin's presence and shot him a questioning look. Merlin placed his index finger over his lips and the knights nodded. They had no doubt, Merlin was up to no good and they wanted nothing to do with it.

Merlin pulled the bucket over to Arthur who was still deep in a sparring session with Gwaine, of all people. Gwaine had also seen Merlin and was purposely keeping Arthur's back to Merlin and keeping Arthur's full attention on him with meaningless banter.

"Is that the best you have, Princess?"

Arthur replied back with his usual retorts. Discreetly, Merlin's eyes flashed gold and he picked the now weightless bucket of water up…and dumped its contents over Arthur's head.

Right before it had happened, Gwaine had started laughing and dropped to the ground rolling with laughter. The now cold and dripping wet Arthur spun to see Merlin grinning holding an empty bucket. "Oops," he said innocently.

All the knights' attention was on Arthur and Merlin by now, and almost all of them were roaring with laughter. A few, mainly Leon, were holding back the laughs in an effort to save Arthur's pride.

It didn't work.

Arthur felt his face burn with mixed rage and embarrassment. He growled, "Merlin?"

Merlin grinned back at him. "What?"

Arthur stared Merlin down but Merlin didn't even flinch at the furious gaze. Arthur clenched his fists and bit back a few choice words that Gwen would scold him for later. Instead, he said, "Why, pray tell, would you even think about pranking me?"

"You dumped the water pitcher on my head this morning, remember?"

Arthur nodded. "And you deserved it!"

Merlin crossed his arms. "And you deserved this."

Gwaine had stopped laughing by now and was instead grinning ear to ear. He stood and walked to Merlin's side. "Merlin, my friend, that was hilarious!" Gwaine burst out laughing again.

Elyan came up on Merlin's other side. "That was definitely funny." When Elyan spotted Arthur's furious gaze sent his way, he quickly added, "But very wrong. Very, very wrong and uncalled for."

Merlin raised an eyebrow in a very Gaius-like fashion. Elyan shrugged back and mouthed, 'Sorry.'

Gwaine, however, did not back down. "Come on Arthur! You have to admit that was a great idea!"

Arthur smiled a very mischievous smile. "I have a better idea."

"And what is it?" Gwaine asked defiantly.

Arthur's grin widened. "It doesn't involve you. It involves the remainder of our training session and Merlin."

Merlin rolled his eyes. "I have been the practice dummy before, Arthur. I can do that, easily."

Arthur smirked. "No, I have a different idea. It's about our tracking skills."

Merlin paled. "Oh really?"

Arthur replied, "Yeah, I think the knights should have a live person to track. For, ya know, training purposes."

Merlin swallowed. "Training, of course."

Arthur addressed the surrounding knights, "Bring me Merlin. I don't care if you have to forcefully restrain him and drag him here, just bring him to me." The knights smiled menacingly at Merlin.

Merlin squeaked out, "What?"

"You have a two minute head start," Arthur informed Merlin. When Merlin didn't move, Arthur shouted, "Run Merlin!"

Merlin took off without another word and two minutes later, over twenty knights set off in search of him. Arthur merely went up to the top of the castle to watch it all play out while eating his gourmet lunch.