As Gwen entered the room, the aroma of horse manure hit her first. At first she heaved, but after steadying herself, she walked in. She placed a tray down on a pile of sturdy straw, and began to fill two empty glasses with ice-cold water.

She turned round to see Merlin, filthy and tired, wiping sweat from his brow. She refrained from smiling, and handed him the glass.

"How long have you been down here now?" she asked as she placed herself down on a wooden milking stool. Merlin took the water from her and drank the liquid in one gulp. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and sighed. His blue tunic stuck to his bony torso from the heat, his ebony hair peeled to his forehead like an extra skin.

"It's a little hard to tell. All I know is the sun was out when I entered here and now I see the sun has disappeared. So, my guesses, a pretty long time."

She laughed. Merlin picked up the shovel and continued to remove the debris from the stables. He had in fact been working for almost the whole day. The stables had somehow become infested with a bug that must have been caught by the inhabitants of the small room, because how the amount of mess could have been conjured up over such a short space of time was just a mystery in itself.

"I don't understand how a place so small can become so filthy so quickly!?" he asked, slumping down on a pile of broken hay. He stretched his lanky arms over his head and heard them click painfully.

"I mean, I thought it was only a few days ago when I was in here last? I sometimes wonder whether Arthur comes down here deliberately and messes this place by himself; just so I can slave away down here and be out of his way."

Gwen poured some more water into another glass and passed it over to him. Once again, he drank it back as if it were his only means of survival. He threw it to the side and leaned his head back, stretching it from side to side.

"Why don't you talk to Arthur? Maybe if you told him how hard you were working, he might cut you some slack?" Asked Gwen, with a little too much hope lining her voice.

Merlin laughed and shook his head slowly. "Arthur? No Gwen, you've got the wrong man-"

"Ahh Merlin. I see you're working very hard down here." Arthur was leant against the doorway, glaring at Merlin with a slight smirk on his face.

"Gwen, Your needed upstairs by Morgana. Apparently she now finds it difficult to dress herself without your excellent guidance." He said with a patronizing air. Gwen bowed slightly towards him, before leaving the stable.

Arthur then took her place on the milking stool as Merlin quickly arose and grabbed the shovel. He desperately began to shovel again, fast; if it looked like he was slacking off then Arthur would give him extra work.

"Merlin, I need you to buff my armour for tomorrow still, so don't spend all your time down here."

Merlin looked confused, and paused for a few seconds while he searched his brain for what event was occurring tomorrow. His head was in agonizing pain, but he knew he had to remember. But it was no use. He had just gone blank. Arthur shook his head.

"The tournament? Ring any bells?!"

A light switched in Merlin's brain and he nodded frantically

"Yes, yes of course I remember."

"Well if you remembered then we wouldn't be having this conversation, would we? Anyway how long are going to spend down here? I thought there would have been a little bit of a difference in here. It still looks the same as this morning!" Arthur kicked up some hay, and watched it fly into the air, before settling back down on the ground.

Merlin hated that about Arthur. He may have been a prince, but he could appreciate the work of others once in a while.

"I'm going as fast as I can." Merlin answered, now sweeping the floor with a quicker motion. Arthur picked up one of the glasses from the side and drank from it.

"I have to say," Said Arthur, making Merlin jump a little, "It was very nice of Gwen to bring you down some refreshments. Because I know I didn't send her down. To be completely honest I forgot you were down here." Arthur picked the jug up from the tray and began to refill his glass again, Merlin looking on in haste as the cool liquid soothed his throat. His own began to dry up, and he decided to look away.

Merlin scratched his head and paused for a moment while he got his breath back. He then began to sweep again, as if he never heard Arthur speak.

"Gwen's just a great friend I suppose. She really looks out for me." Sighted Merlin at last, after the awkward silence had got too much to bare.

Arthur couldn't help but laugh at his response. Merlin looked confused, but dared not question him. However, as usual, curiosity got the better of him.

"Is something funny?"

Arthur took another sip of the water and began to leave the room. "Well, think about it Merlin. How many girls would bring you, of all people, refreshments? Don't tell me you're that naïve." Arthur patted him on the back, and then sniggered, before leaving the stables.

Merlin watched him leave. He decided not to try and make sense of Arthur's words. He had just been given another job of polishing 'already polished' armour, so he had no time for personal complications. He set the shovel aside

"There, done." he whispered to no one in particular.

"And now, on to faze two." He picked up the tray with the still cold water and, with his arms aching and his feet screaming for rest, he carried it out of the room, before closing the door shut.