"Did you see Merlin?" asked Gwaine as he entered the armory with a skip to his step. Percival looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. He looked kind of freaked out."

Gwaine paused at that and cocked his head.

"Really?"

"Pretty confused too," Percival said as he examined the gleaming edge of a broad sword before turning around slowly and squinting his eyes at Gwaine.

"What did you do?"

"Me?" gasped Gwaine in faux surprise although you couldn't miss the grin on his face.

"You said something to him, didn't you?" stated Percival as he slid the sword into the sheath onto his belt with a metallic ring.

"I just gave him a little relationship advice," answered Gwaine, still with a cocky smile on his face.

Percival rolled his eyes.

"No wonder he looked confused. You're relationship advice is shit. You couldn't talk a blind man into a marrying a princess."

"You're just jealous because Merlin didn't come to you for help," Gwaine said, still refusing to believe that he had the romantic intuition of a mule.

"As I recall, he didn't come to you either."

"Percival, Percival, Percival," Gwaine tsked. "I was there when it happened. He was practically begging for my help."

"When what happened, Gwaine?" asked Percival as he pulled on his chainmail, the sleeves settling on his shoulders.

"When they fell in love," Gwaine said wistfully and Percival snorted.

"You're such a woman."

Gwaine stood up straighter and glared at him.

"I'm more of a man than you. At least I wear chainmail with sleeves."

"You mean you're jealous. You're too scrawny to pull it off," said Percival as he flexed his biceps.

"I just value my limbs."

As Gwaine said that, the door opened and Merlin stumbled in, carrying several heavy swords and red faced but as soon as he saw Gwaine standing there he looked as if he would rather run all the way back to Arthur's chambers with them than be in the same room.

"Merlin!" Gwaine exclaimed and took several steps towards him, but before he could get any closer Percival took Merlin by the shoulder.

"Thanks Merlin," said Percival as he took the swords from him as if they weighed nothing. "Why don't you come and help me put on my armor."

It wasn't much of a question but Merlin jumped on the opportunity and as soon as he had come the door banged closed, leaving Gwaine alone with only his misplaced romanticism.

"Don't listen to Gwaine," said Percival as they walked towards the green where the distant sounds of swords clashing could be heard.

"Yeah?" Merlin asked hesitantly. Percival wasn't the most chatty knight in Camelot and if the fact that he was actually carrying on a conversation wasn't unnerving enough there was still the Gwaine issue earlier this morning. Merlin still wasn't sure what to make of it. Not only was it confusing, Merlin didn't think that Gwaine had ever been so frightening.

"Gwaine doesn't know what he's talking about. So don't listen to him," he became quiet and bent down so he was more at Merlin's level. "But I do think she's a very pretty girl," he whispered and Merlin let out an exasperated sigh but forced a smile anyway.

"Thanks Percival," he said stiffly, although he knew that the man meant no harm he was still getting tired of everyone's sudden interest in his love life.

As they crossed the green it was silent, save for the ever present clashing of weapons that never seemed to go away, until a voice broke through the noise. It was a voice that commanded respect and made enemies shudder...most of the time.

"Merlin!"

Merlin groaned.

"I'm sorry. Arthur's calling," he apologized even though he was secretly grateful for the scapegoat.

Percival simply nodded and strode off without another word, back to his regular self.

Now alone, Merlin hurried over to where Arthur stood on the edge of the green near the tents, chewing on an apple absentmindedly. He fed the rest to the horse next to him when he saw Merlin.

"Merlin! Good to see you!" he exclaimed happily and Merlin approached hesitantly. He wasn't asking him to do a chore right away? In fact, his tone seemed almost...conversational? Merlin shuddered. Not that he didn't appreciate the sudden change in attitude, he had just become so accustomed to a grumpy Arthur since he became king that anything new was like a shock to the system.

"Yes sire?" he edged a little closer and Arthur clapped him on the back, nearly knocking him over. Now, its not like he wasn't one, but sometimes he didn't appreciate being manhandled by knights and kings with about 30 extra pounds of armour.

"I really have to thank you for finding that serving girl," he said, "Gwen's finally listening to me and isn't trying to scrub her own floors."

Merlin nodded. At least something seemed to be working out right. Now with this behind him could finally focus, once again, on keeping Arthur alive.

"She and her friend are doing an amazing job, maybe I should get them to replace you too. They definitely work harder, and don't constantly run off to the tavern when my laundry needs washing."

Merlin shook his head. The insults at this point just brushed right off of him. It was what made Arthur...Arthur. And if it meant keeping the king happy he was happy to take a little bit of it to the chin every once in a while.

He almost appreciated it. It was Arthur's own little way of telling him that everything was as it should be.

"I'll remember that sire."

Arthur nodded curtly, and, as if by magic, the sun seemed to shine a little brighter.