A/n: Wow, Thanks for the reviews people. glad you seemed to enjoy, hope this next chapter is also up to scratch.
To The Victor-
Chapter Two
"Merlin!" Arthur groaned the name again, the syllables involuntarily rolling from the back of his throat to spill from his lips, as he opened his eyes slowly. Only to find to himself looking up into the blue eyes he had been trying not to imagine.
"Sire?" Merlin panted, concern shining in his eyes. "Are you okay?"
As rushed and frantic as his servant looked Arthur was amused by the fact that he remembered to use an official title in front of the scattered knights, maybe all those etiquette lesson's were finally beginning to sink in. That was a good thing he reminded himself quickly, as part of him felt disappointed not to hear Merlin call him by his name.
Moving slowly and deliberately, as he pushed all thoughts away Arthur begun to raise himself up onto his elbows. "It is a beautiful day," he spoke slowly at first, his tone becoming harder as he continued. "And I have no duties. You have no duties either, and I know that because I gave you the day off. What I didn't do however is give you that time so you could hover over me like a blasted rain cloud, and ruin my sunshine!"
Rocked back on his heels, Merlin looked surprised by his movement, "I thought..."
"You're in my sun," Arthur interrupted, and pushed him to one side before lying back down, unable to believe he had almost been missing the boys presence.
Closing his eyes once more, Arthur tried to re-concentrate on the lulling movements of his own chest rising and falling with each lazy breath, just as he had been before that shadow he had instinctively known belong to Merlin, appeared across his face.
It was too late, the moment of relaxation had long disappeared, and now under the hot sun all he could feel was the sweat beaded across his bare chest, prickling his irritated skin.
Frozen where he had been pushed, Merlin was still in shock. Arthur was fine? He had just been sun bathing?
As the realisation sunk in, a smile he could not resist lit up his face. Arthur was fine! He had faced nothing more sinister than the intense heat, and perhaps an over enthusiastic training session.
Relaxing Merlin now looked up to the burning sun, of course, that was the reason for the reddened tone of Arthur's skin. He should have known, an endless stream of people with similar burns had been lining up outside Gaius chamber for the last week, desperate for a lotion to cool them.
"Merlin!"
Jumping as Arthur called his name again, Merlin was caught off guard.
"What do you want?"
"I..." Merlin stumbled under Arthur's question. Too embarrassed to admit the truth he desperately searched for a better story. Dare he approach that idyllic plan, which for a few seconds he hoped would be the way he would spend this afternoon?
"Well?" Arthur prompted impatiently, sitting back up, when no answer came.
Merlin's face flushed as he noticed the heads of the knights beginning to rise, apparently interested to hear his answer. "I thought..."
He was cut off suddenly by the harsh clang of the castle's warning bell reverberating round the courtyard. Before Merlin could even react, Arthur was on his feet and running for the nearest gate. The knights were close on the prince's heels, their reactions almost as fast as Arthur's, and within a second Merlin was left sitting alone on the parched grass.
Jumping to his feet Merlin raced to catch up, his heart sinking, as all those imagined situation of Arthur's fate came rushing back.
Rushing from the doorway into the courtyard with the bell still ringing in her ears, Morgana paid no heed to her trailing servant calling for her to slow. She knew Uther's order's and she knew the speed he expected her to act on them. So concerned was she with trying not to trip on the hem of her long dress, she didn't see him until it was too late.
"Arthur!" she cried, grabbing his arm as the bulk of the prince crashed into her at full force, threatening to send her to the ground.
"Morgana!" Arthur's cry held as much indignation as hers. "What is going on?" He demanded after a second, his eyes now moving around the courtyard where colourful banners were quickly unfurling from every available window.
"You don't…?" She caught herself from continuing the question when she saw the confusion in his eyes. "A messenger arrived, not ten minutes ago," she answered quickly, and pushed away Gwen's hands as the servant tried to take advantage of her stillness to adjust the hastily thrown on dress.
Arthur looked as if he were trying to keep his temper - or his lunch, she wasn't sure which. "From?"
"King James of Limpnee."
They both jumped, because the answer hadn't come from her. Spinning quickly she found the king standing close behind them, wearing almost the most elaborate robes he owned without a single hair out of place.
Continuing forward Uther stepped past them both. "Come, let us greet them."
"No, no," Arthur moaned almost below his breath at no one in particular as he and Morgana both moved to comply with his father's order. "Not yet."
Turning as she heard him, the colour drained from Morgana's face, her realisation coming slower than Arthur had.
"No you can't," she whispered, reaching out to grasp his arm but missing as he turned away, "Arthur you…" The rest of her words were lost as the sound of fifty horses grew louder, and the first magnificent looking animal galloped into the courtyard focusing everyone's attention.
"James!" Arthur heard his father great loudly. "You are early."
Once he had dismounted, the newly arrived king took Uther's offered hand in both of his. "I do have reason and I am very grateful you could accommodate us at such short notice. I understand if you are not ready for us."
"Nonsense, we are always ready for friends," Uther bluffed, and Arthur smiled as he recognised it as such. After all, princely arrogance was an act that he had practised more in his short life than possibly anything else. He knew for a fact that even as his father played down the disruption of their appearance, at least a hundred servants pulled from their normal jobs would be racing to dress the castle for guests, just to keep the charade going.
Charades had their place of course. Camelot could not look weak in any way, he understood that. Despite what some people thought, he wasn't stupid. He was the prince and with that came a heavy responsibility of appearance. Every fight had to be won, every prey to be hunted, every challenge to be vanquished. Only when he was alone could he drop the act that it was always easy.
"You are welcome any time," Uther was continuing, but as he looked over the shoulder of the fellow king, his brow wrinkled. More horses arrived, but he did not see what he expected. "What of your son?" he questioned, concern etched into every furrow of his face. "He is not ill I hope?"
"He is not, ah..." James paused as another well-armoured horse appeared in the courtyard. "Simply a slow rider."
Arthur's heart sank as he saw Uther smile at the arriving prince. Slightly older, and taller than Arthur, he seemed to gain a respect from the king that Arthur himself did not.
"You would be slow too, father," Kay spoke as he pulled his horse close to the King's, "if you had just fought a griffin."
Arthur's eyebrow rose at the quickly named foe. So it had already begun. He didn't know whether the naming of a griffin was just a coincidence, or a deliberate barb. It was feasible that news had reached Limpnee of Arthur's own trouble with killing such a thing months back.
"My boy," James announced proudly before deliberately turning his attention to Arthur, and his state of undress. The comparison between the two princes clearly being made. "Oh Arthur I did not recognise you. You look…well. I do hope we did not catch you at an inconvenient time?"
Arthur watched his father's face turn black, and knew he would get a lecture about this later. But it wasn't his fault he hadn't been expecting them, they had turned up more than a month early. Biting his tongue Arthur dipped his head at the king in greeting. "No Sire."
Taking James' arm, Uther encouraged him to move further down the now formed receiving line and on to the more appropriately regaled Morgana.
Rolling his eyes, Arthur jumped when a different voice addressed him.
"Who are they?"
Arthur clenched his jaw tight as the question was accompanied by the feeling of a body gently pressed into his back. Merlin; he had forgotten about Merlin! Turning quickly he faced his servant.
"Retrieve my armour and take it to my room. Wait for me there," he ordered quickly, unsure himself as to why he had added the last instruction.
Merlin paused in confusion
"Now, Merlin!" Arthur snapped as he looked back only to see his fellow prince dismounting his horse and turning their way.
"But can't I…"
"Merlin," Arthur practically growled through gritted teeth, his eyes blazing, "get away from me!"
Arthur's ferocity shocked Merlin and he stepped back. This new king was obviously important, but it wasn't as if Merlin had never met a king before. Just because he had accused the last one of plotting murder, did not mean anything.
Moving away quickly he gave Gwen standing behind her mistress a questioning look, only for her to turn away from his gaze rather than return his smile. Now he really was confused. No matter what was going on, he could always rely on her for a conspiratorial smile, especially when their masters were behaving unreasonably.
Sneaking behind the line of knights that had seemingly appeared from nowhere fully dressed in their best uniforms, Merlin headed for the closest door back to the training field.
"Arthur!"
"Kay!"
Standing in the doorway, Merlin could not help but look behind him as the names of the two princes rang aloud through the courtyard. His eyes were just in time to see them embrace warmly, and pat each other on the back.
Irrational jealousy slithered through him at the sight. Who was this dark haired visitor? More importantly, why was Arthur greeting him so affectionately? Lowering his head as he turned away to comply with his master's wishes, Merlin had never felt more like the servant he was.
A/n: so thats annother one done, the scene is set. I Hope you want to see what happens next. Please review and let me know.
till next time Pp xx
