Sadly I don't own Merlin. It belongs to the BBC.

This story is dedicated to Merlin fanfic lover. As it was their idea.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story, put it on story alert or made it one of your favorites. Thank you soo much. I love you all :D

Message to Merlin fanfic lover: Thank you for both of your reviews. I hope Merlin's fight in this chapter is alright. :)

Enjoy :D


Arthur and Merlin were walking side by side to where the tournament will be starting. "Now then Merlin. I need you to win every fight you have okay? When you come up against him, lay into him hard and see what he does, be quick on your feet, keep your eyes open and unless you want to lose your head, you duck."

"I know all of this Arthur. I have seen you fight countless of times."

Arthur patted Merlin on the back. "You are up first. You are fighting someone called Devon. He came for this a few years ago and he got pretty far then. Be careful Merlin." Merlin nodded and walked into the arena and saw as the servants jeered for Merlin, a few people laughed as they only knew Merlin for his clumsiness. Merlin was about to face his opponent when someone called his name.

He looked to his left and saw Morgana standing up and beckoning him over. Merlin walked over and Morgana showed him a long thin piece of cloth. "Hold out your arm Merlin." Merlin held his left arm out and Morgana tied it around his upper arm. "I wish for you to wear this with luck." when she finished tying it, she leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek. He smiled and bowed his head to her before moving back to the center.

As soon as the signal went for them to begin, Merlin proved to everyone just how quick he was on his feet as this 'Devon' lunged at him with an angry cry.

Merlin ducked and jumped out of the way, he quickly spun and brought his sword up, clashing his sword against Devon's. Merlin was watching carefully all the while and Devon was starting to get tougher as he went on. Merlin knew he had to win this fight in order to face Algar later on. Arthur shouting encouragement to Merlin made Devon take his eyes from Merlin for the slightest second.

It was all Merlin needed, he lifted his right foot up and slammed it down on Devon's left foot. As Devon tried to pull his foot out from under Merlin's, Merlin slammed his shield, that was held tightly in his left hand, across the gap between them and slammed it against Devon's shield in his left hand. At the same time, Merlin tightened his grip on his sword and punched him square in the jaw. Merlin took his foot from Devon's and Devon stumbling from both blows, stumbled back and fell on his back, he was about to get up when a sword tip was pressed on his chest, enough for him to feel the sharp end, but not enough to draw blood. "Do you submit?"

"I submit." Devon growled. Merlin grinned and moved his sword away and stepped back. Arthur, jumped over the low arena fence that separated the fight from where he sat and clapped Merlin on the shoulder whilst Morgana and Gwen were stood cheering. Uther who was still stunned to how Merlin fights was only just getting round to clapping. "Well fought Merlin."

"Thanks Arthur."

The rest of the afternoon Merlin spent it watching all the others fight, he was sat beside Arthur all the while except when Arthur's fight, which was the last one of the day, he sat next to Morgana. Arthur's fight got a laugh from the crowd as Arthur opponent did all this sword skill to show off before fighting Arthur, as soon as Arthur's opponent stopped his sword skill, one punch to the jaw from Arthur and he was down.


The next morning Arthur woke up when the drapes to his window got pulled back and the sun light shone through the windows, right on to Arthur's face. Arthur groaned and turned his back on it. "Merlin. What a way to wake me up. Idiot."

"I'm sorry sire."

Arthur sat up when he heard the apology. That wasn't Merlin. He looked across the room and saw a servant, setting his breakfast down on the table before going to get his clothes for the day. "Harrison? Where's Merlin?"

"Out on the training field sire."

"What's he doing out there? He should be in here doing what you are doing."

"Didn't the King tell you sire?"

"Tell me what?"

"That whilst the tournament is going on, I am to be your servant and Merlin is to spend his time training like everyone else. He decided it after seeing how Merlin fought yesterday."

Arthur threw the covers off him and got out of bed. "Thank you Harrison that will be all." Harrison bowed and left Arthur's chambers.


After eating his breakfast and getting dressed, Arthur headed over to the training field where Merlin was training, swinging his sword against a dummy that was basically a suit of armour, stuffed with hay, sat on a long pole that was wedged into the ground. "Merlin."

Merlin stopped what he was doing and turned to see Arthur stop in front of him. "Morning Arthur."

"Morning Arthur? That's all you have to say? What are doing training here? You don't even need to do this. And how are you even up this early?"

"Yes that's all I have to say. I am training here because even though I don't need to, like you said, I have to keep up the pretence. Anyway, Algar is over there and I have been keeping an eye on him, seeing what he gets up to."

"Explain something to me Merlin. Why is it that when you don't have to get up at the crack of dawn, you do. And when you have to get up at the crack of dawn to wake me, you don' you do have to get up at dawn everyday to wake me and nine times out of ten it's either me waking up myself and then coming to find you, or me waking up late only to get scolded by father."

"Sorry Arthur. I was up just before dawn actually because I was up with Morgana, I didn't bother going back to sleep so I left her sleeping and came here to keep up the pretence. I popped into Gwen's on the way though, to leave her a note on the table."

"You spent the night in Morgana's chambers again?"

"No. She came to me and squeezed in beside me."

"Why didn't she just wake Gaius?"

"I don't know. I offered to get her a sleeping draught but she just said no and fell asleep beside me. I left a note for Gwen because I didn't want her going to Morgana's chambers to wake her only to find her not there. I explained to Gaius and he has promised to keep quiet about where she is."

"She have another dream?"

"Yep."

"About Algar again?"

"No. She didn't dream about him."

"Who then?"

"Morgause."


What do you think? Good? Bad? So so?

Chapter eight will be up within a week but no later :)

Review? x