A/N: Hi, Okay so I said it would be a fortnight, and it was, well give or take an hour. ;p

Love to my husband as always, thank you for taking me to the BFI and everything else you do for me.

Love also to you people who review, it makes a huge difference to my happiness levels.

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To the victor
Chapter 12


Arthur rolled over on his bed, and kicked at the heavy blankets restricting him. The sticky heat of the last few days continued, and he wasn't sure exactly why he had crawled under the sheets last night, but now he was there he was reluctant to move too much.

A noise registered in his mind, and consciousness nagged at him, but he fought it off as if it were any other enemy of his, ferociously.

Sleep. He just wanted a little more sleep.

Rubbing his cheek against a cool spot on the pillow, he soothed himself with the knowledge that the sound when it came again, wasn't that of Merlin, coming to wake him. He knew those sounds exact.

Merlin announced his presence, with a gentle knock on the days when was feeling particularly pious, or more habitually, just with the creak of the door opening as he entered unbidden. Cautious footsteps made hardly a noise as he sneaked around the room, followed by a stumble as he inevitably tripped over something. A crash of plates onto a table would be next, and then if he were patient enough not to react, he would get another moment of peace before Merlin attempted to coax him awake.

If he were lucky a hand that had no good reason to be so soft considering the amount of chores he gave it to do, rubbed circles into his back. The touch hesitant at first would eventually turn into a tight grip shaking his shoulder, when he stubbornly refused to respond. Although he was always awake from the moment Merlin stepped in his room, and so the touches and whispers of his name were superfluous, if given the opportunity, he indulged in this charade more often than he would like to admit.

If he were unlucky Merlin would forgo coming anywhere near the bed, instead just opening the window shutters to the morning sun with a loud bang, and an attempt to blind Arthur into wakefulness.

His manservant' behaviour in those morning hours, tended to depend on what errands Arthur had given him the previous day, and indeed what exploits they had been up to.

The week after they had returned from Eldor, for example Merlin had been extra vigilant to achieve silence on his arrival, setting the breakfast table with as lavish a meal as he could. In fact that week had been the first time Merlin had woken him with a touch. In comparison he had a week of stale bread, stomping feet, and sunshine awakenings, the week after the death of Gwen's father.

Arthur was aware that many people in the castle thought that he bullied Merlin, but few knew that Merlin got his own back in little ways, and that Arthur allowed him to. This give and take of their relationship had settled into a secure rhythm with remarkable speed, and despite what he said on many occasions he would not have it change.

Some mornings he would awake and greet his manservant with a sleepy smile. More frequently he would snap up with angry words, and demands instantly springing from his lips. Morning was not his friend, he was aware of it, he liked sleep too much. However an experience with a night assassin years ago, when he was just a boy, had forced him into sleeping so lightly it rarely felt like he achieved enough.

As the noise which had disturbed his sleep this morning came again his eyes suddenly shot open, and he sat bolt upright. An irrational fear that it was his father once again in his chamber's slithered in his stomach.

That moment of fear that the sound had been the king standing over him was only chased away once his sweeping gaze confirmed the room was as empty as he had earlier presumed.

Sighing he took a deep breath and realised not only that the shock of yesterday morning was going to take a long time to wear off, but the adrenaline rush he had just given himself had ruined any chance he had of returning to sleep. Looking around he frowned. Now he was awake he really needed to know what the noise was that had woken him. So he could shout at the person responsible.

When it echoed through the room accompanied by a call of his name, he instantly realised what it was.

"Arthur!"

Cursing his sleepy brain for not recognising it the first time, he slipped from his bed and crossed to the door barefooted. Pulling it open, he raised his eyebrows at the woman standing there. "What is it Morgana?"

Stepping into the room uninvited she looked him up and down.

"Have your clothes offended you Arthur? Or are you deliberately shunning social conventions these days?"

Stifling a yawn Arthur crossed his arms over his bare chest. "If you want civility Morgana, come back at civilised time. I have just woken."

"Clearly," Her eyes now rested on his sleep ruffled hair, and he fought against the urge to smooth it down. "I realise it was a late night last night Arthur, but it is mid morning, I had thought even you would be awake by now." she spoke as if speaking to a small child. "I mean really, the kitchens are already preparing lunch."

Arthur frowned again, as slowly he deciphered her words. Mid morning? Throwing an unsubtle gaze over his shoulder, he looked at the window and realised the sun escaping the edge of the curtain was indeed far brighter than it should have been for the early hour he had thought it to be. "Oh," He couldn't stop himself as his next thoughts expressed themselves audibly "…But Merlin hasn't been yet."

Morgana just gave him a look that he was certain was poking fun at his inability to function without his manservant. He decided to ignore it, and stared at her blankly.

"Well…" She smoothed a nonexistent wrinkle from her dress. "…I would be surprised if he is even conscious, after the amount of wine you poured down his throat last night."

Arthur raised his hand to his head and realised there was indeed a dull throb there. Nothing compared to yesterday morning of course, but still it was there. Screwing up his face he tried to remember the previous night. He remembered a lot of laughter, and his hands moving to the jug repeatedly refilling all of their cups without prompting. He did not remember, cradling Merlin's head in his hands and pouring it straight into his open mouth. The image he suddenly conjured, disturbed him. Had he truly done that? He was pretty sure he would remember if he had.

Morgana suddenly laughed, and he groaned as he realised too late she had meant the barb figuratively. "What do you want?" he snapped.

Her face darkened instantly in response and she bit her lip, a nervous habit of hers which he was never happy to see, except for when they were playing cards. Seeing as he wasn't aware of any game they were playing it didn't bode well.

Taking a breath she held out the paper that he only just noticed was in her hands. "Have you seen this?"

Grabbing the roll of paper which looked far to official for Arthur's liking, he opened it and devoured the contents as quickly as he could.

"NO! NO!" Arthur shook his head as the words chilled him, "I Didn't... this isn't... right...I..." Desperately he looked to Morgana for some kind of explanation. "Where did you get this?"

"Kay's room." She admitted a somewhat sheepish tone to her voice. "I breakfasted with him this morning. He was bragging about it. So when I left it... happened to come with me."

Arthur was barley listening to her; his eyes were back on the page rereading.

We the undersigned agree to the following caveats to the formerly agreed upon terms of the prince's challenge.

The final dual is to be conducted with edged blade, and to the knight's rules of first blood.

The length of sentence, for the compulsory service of the loosing manservant to the winning prince, shall be increased to last his lifetime.

The Victor shall also be due double the value of gold previously agreed, the stable horse of their choosing, forty barrels of mead, a golden chain forged from…

The list continued, but Arthur's eyes skipped down, to search for names scrawled at the bottom of the document. He cared little about the doubling of gold and increase of all other prizes, which for kingdoms both as rich as theirs were only for show anyway. The only thing that mattered was whether those first two terms had been agreed upon or not.

They had. His father's name stood out proud inked, although a little shakily, with a depth of colour that spoke of freshness. Balling his hands into fists, Arthur forced himself to drop the paper before he tore it into shreds. Why did everyone keep signing things before he got a chance to see them?

"Arthur?" Morgana called his name, but she could have been speaking gibberish for all the attention he gave her.

How could his father do this to him?

The first point alone on the notice was enough to boil his anger. Escalating the final fight from that with training swords, and concluding on points, to a full duel was frankly ludicrous.

The second however, doubled his heart rate, and made him feel as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.

The previous threat of a year and a day servitude, which had been the traditionally agreed terms, and in truth the most significant part of the competition, had been enough to cause Arthur to do everything he could to keep Merlin far away from the competition. To have failed in his attempts to keep him safe from that, was bad enough, but to have that threat increased before his very eyes was almost more than he could bear.

As the realisation he could now loose Merlin forever burrowed deep into his heart, a feeling of drowning washed over him, and he pulled a shuddering breath into his lungs.

"You have not agreed to this?" Morgana questioned, in a tone he could not decipher. Looking up he had to blink to bring her into focus.

"Of course not!" he roared, his anger spiked by the thought that she would suspect him of agreeing to such barbaric terms. "My father must have... I didn't...last night..." Arthur tangled words came as he fought to make sense of things. Suddenly his stomach tightened painfully. Kay's smiling face flashed in his mind, and he remembered the way the other prince's words enabled him to leave last night banquet. "...KAY!" he realised, "It was Kay's idea!"

He couldn't, no he wouldn't let this happen, stomping forward he headed towards the door.

"Arthur!" Reaching out Morgana caught his arm, and pulled him back.

"Let go of me!" he demanded trying to shaking her off a little more viciously than he would any other time. "I have to see my father, I have to get this reversed, I can't..." his throat tightened, strangling his words.

"You're not even dressed." She reminded him, pulling on his arm. "and anyway his not even there, he went out riding with James this morning."

"I will see Kay then." Arthur would not be dissuaded; he had a burning need to fix this before Merlin found out.

The sudden thought of Merlin froze his hand on the door handle.

"What of Merlin?" Morgana repeated the name as if she was reading his thoughts. "Have you even explained the original terms yet?"

Arthur shivered as if a bucket of ice water had just been thrown across his skin. He hadn't told Merlin anything. At first he had keep his servant in the dark, because he reasoned if he was not competing he didn't need to know the risk. Since Merlin's actions had forced him into accepting him as his representative things had moved so fast, he hadn't had the opportunity to tell him all he risked.

"Oh Arthur," she groaned his name, his actions obviously revealing the answer without him having to speak a word. "You have to tel..."

"I know!" He cut her off before she finished, and allowed his head to fall heavy against the wood of the door. "I know."

"Come on," Morgana's gentle voice was back as her hand touched his shoulder pulling him upright. "First get dressed."

Dressing quicker than even he knew he could, Arthur stepped out of his chambers with his plan, which even Morgana had agreed upon, clear in his head, as well as the few details he hadn't shared with her. If he could get Kay to revoke these latest terms and return to the originals, he need not tell Merlin of the life sentence he faced, only the traditional one, which in itself he needed to find a way around. The most simple of which was to make sure Merlin won the next round. If Kay refused, well, Arthur knew he would have a hard time restraining that fire that was burning in his blood.

"Kay!" a demanding call of the fellow prince's name was the only notice he gave as he walked into his chambers, refusing to knock on a door in his own castle. When no response came and he realised the room was empty he was disappointed and relieved in equal measures.

Now he would need to find some other way of exercising that anger which he had held onto deliberately.

Silently moving about the room he returned the stolen paper to the desk in the corner, as Morgana had bid him do, denying his own impulse to throw it on the roaring fire where it deserved to be.


After letting Morgana's think her theft had gone unnoticed, Kay lingered in his own room for only long enough for her to have cleared the corridor upon leaving, before he stepped out to attend to his own business.

"You lost." He spoke coldly as he entered the door to Geoffrey's quarters. It was the first time Kay had seen his bruised servant since the competition yesterday, but he had no patience for pleasantries.

Sitting up in his bed instantly, Geoffrey just stared at him for a moment in silence, before lowering his head slightly. "As agreed."

"Indeed." Kay's face broke into a smile and he crossed the room to sit on the edge of Geoffrey's bed. "Although had I known Arthur would be so… distracted, I would never have had you loose."

"He doesn't suspect?"

"No," Kay waved away the question, and reached for the bowl of fruit sitting on the table nearest the bed. "He has no doubts about you at all."

Slapping Kay's hand away from his breakfast Geoffrey smiled. "Who knew I could play a servant so well?"

"Yes," Kay agreed lightly, before turning his voice dark. "It is amazing what gold can buy these days."

"Sire," Geoffrey bowed his head, "A Knight can not earn honour from beating a servant, so he must earn something."

Kay paused for a moment and looked over his servant; bruises blossomed across his face, and along the neckline of his tunic. His foot was propped up, layer upon layer of bandage swelling it to double the size. The injuries as planned as they might have been looked severe. "You will beat him then?" his doubt creeping into his voice with the question.

Geoffrey seemed to fight with himself on how to respond to the suspicion of his skill. "You will get the win you paid for, do not worry." He spoke eventually, his voice struggling to stay even.

"I…" Kay Jumped as a sudden knocking on the door, interrupted the threat he had been about to make. Scrambling to his feet, he took a breath. "Yes?" he demanded acknowledging the door. "Enter."

As the wood slid opened Kay was dismayed to see Gaius standing there, his head bowed.

"Sire, I have come to change the binding on Geoffrey's ankle."

Kay narrowed his eyes at the old man, he didn't like him, but it would seem suspicious if he didn't accept the help offered for his servant. "Well" he snapped, "you better get on with it then."


"Arthur!" the name gasped from Merlin's lips, as his legs pounded the grass of the training field. "Arthur…just…wait!"

Turning around to stare at him, Arthur ignored his request, and continued his same running pace, just backwards. "Come on Merlin!" he encouraged. "We've only just begun."

Merlin flinched, and not just from the threat of more exercise, but because the grin that he was sure would have accompanied those words any other day was conspicuously missing from Arthur's face. Just as it had been since he had opened his eyes and found the prince kneeling next to his bed.

Coughing and spluttering he had scrambled across his mattress away from the cup and the foul smelling concoction Arthur held under his nose.

"Drink." was Arthur's only response, and he had thrust the cup forward again. "Merlin. Training. Run. Now." Arthur's speech had continued in a pattern of single barked words right up until that last sentence.

Merlin couldn't work out whether he was angry because Merlin hadn't attended on him this morning, or because of something else that had happened that he had no knowledge of. The first was a distinct possibility, even though the prince had told Merlin last night he was absolved of all normal duties. The later, well Merlin had no clue.

Either way, the snappy prince of this morning, reminded him little of the one he watched leave his chambers last night.

When it was decided the night had dragged into the morning far enough, saying good bye to the women had been quick. A couple of hugs that would have been awkward had they not all been embolden by the wine flooding their systems, and they were off. Laughing and giggling into the night holding each other's hand.

Arthur's goodbye had been an altogether more drawn out affair. He was last to his feet, and then last to the door.

Leaning boneless against the door frame, he looked drained, but in a good way, and Merlin ruminated on the fact that exhaustion from laughing too much was a far better look on him than when he wore it after fighting for his life.

Merlin's stance mirrored the princes exactly, as they stood attempting to say goodbye but neither achieving it. He wasn't entirely sure who rested their head against the wood first, but with their faces turned to one another it felt as comfortable as if they were lying on Arthur's luxurious bed, an experience which Merlin had never been privileged too, but often dreamt about as if he had.

Morgana and Gwen called Arthur's name from the corridor, trying to hurry him up, but he seemed as reluctant to move as Merlin had felt. Continuing to banter as if they were all still sat around the table, albeit in a softer tone.

A moment of calm descended on them, when the women silenced themselves, and the sudden intensity in Arthur's eyes quickened Merlin's breath. With their heads just inches away from one another's Arthur opened his mouth.

"Merlin I..." the whisper barley crossed his lips before Morgana reappeared, obviously tired of waiting, and grabbed the prince's hand. Unprepared for the sudden attack, Arthur was pulled stumbling away with an ease Merlin was sure he would be embarrassed about the following morning.

"Good. Night. Merlin!" Morgana's fractured call was the only thing she left in her wake.

Merlin was pretty sure he would have been up all night wondering what Arthur had been about to say if the alcohol clouding his brain hadn't shut his eyes almost the second Arthur had left his vision.

In fact for a second when he opened his eyes this morning and found the face he had last seen before closing them, peering at him, he wondered if no time had passed at all, and that the memories of Gaius' gentle hands pulling him away from the door and pushing him towards his bed were just his imagination.

"Stop, Stop!" Merlin finally gave up and leant over resting his hands on his knees to try and get his breath back. Running had never been a favourite past time of his, he did it far too much when he was in danger to attach any kind of pleasure from the experience.

"Okay fine," Arthur spoke as his feet arrived in Merlin's field of vision. "Maybe that's enough."

Merlin raised his eyes alone. "Maybe?"

"Come on then," Arthur's hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him upright. "You can tell me what you know of Archery."

Merlin screwed his face up in response. He had a headache, his limbs felt hollow, and Arthur had just run him around the training ground four times, now he was supposed to know things? Today was just getting better and better. Sighing he forced his feet to move as Arthur walked them to the corner of the field where Merlin had spied on George receiving this same training, a few days ago.

The training was hard going, and by only the third time he had pulled the bow back, Merlin was sweating and thinking fondly of the running.

"That's good," Arthur encouraged, as he relaxed and brought both hands back together, making sure he followed the instructions not to let go of the string. Arthur's graphic description of one of the knights shattering his bow in to a hundred splinters, one of which pieced his chest so deep it caused his death, repeated loudly in his head.

"But look at where my fingers go." Arthur was already talking and re-pulling on his own bow before Merlin had even had a chance to flex the complaining muscles in his arms and shoulders.

Blinking against the bright sun Merlin focused on the spot along Arthur's jaw line where his fingers rested, approximately half way between his chin and ear.

"Anything less than this, and your arrow won't fly straight, it won't have the power to get to where it needs too. You need to bring the string close to your face, let it touch your nose." Arthur suddenly sighed, and relaxed his stance. "Are you even listening to me?" he demanded.

Merlin swallowed hard, and he realised his eyes had glazed over. "I err..."

Arthur just rolled his eyes, and gestured to Merlin's bow. "Come on try again."

Three more attempt's and although Merlin was beginning to get used to the pull of his muscles as he pushed one hand out towards the target, and pulled the other into his face, he still couldn't bring himself to allow the string close enough to his body for Arthurs liking.

"Try taking your shirt off."

"What? No. Why?" Merlin was instantly shocked by Arthur suggestion, and more than a little embarrassed.

"You afraid of a little sun Mer-lin?" Arthur questioned, tilting his head.

Merlin reddened a little at the mocking tone. "No," he denied shuffling his feet.

Arthur just sighed, and Merlin watched as the brief return of his humour quickly vanished. "Just try, it will help you trust the string is not going to catch on anything when you let go."

Unable to detect anything but a genuine idea in Arthur's voice Merlin could see no way to refuse. Placing the bow on the ground, he moved his hands to his neckerchief, and begun untying it. Not for the first time he found himself cursing his undeniable need to prove himself to Arthur. "Yeah wouldn't want the string catching on anything but me." He grumbled.

Arthur laughed just lightly before again stopping himself short. Twirling the arrow in his hand, Arthur reached out with it and tapped the arm bracer Merlin wore. "That's what this is for." He reminded him. "and besides it doesn't hurt that much. Give you a nasty bruise maybe."

Stripping off his shirt Merlin couldn't deny the lack of clothing was welcome in the heat of the day. The sun had been a blessing when it appeared a month ago, but it had been so relentless, now everyone was just wishing for the storm that must be coming to hurry up and chase it away.

"Okay" Arthur moved behind him, as he stood up from laying his shirt down, and Merlin froze. He wasn't sure if Arthur had even seen the scar's he carried on his back, he was certain they had never spoken of them. Silently he prayed Arthur would not ask the questions he couldn't answer about them now.

He didn't. Instead Merlin felt one of Arthur's warm hands rest gently in the middle of his shoulder blades.

"Pull up again." He demanded.

Ignoring the shivers racing across his skin, Merlin nodded and did as he was told, breathing in as he pulled the weapon apart.

"Use your shoulder muscles, not your arms." Arthur instructions were patient and even toned. "Try and squeeze my hand with your shoulders. Good, good, and take it down."

Merlin exhaled as the pressure released across his body, and he relaxed the bow.

"That was much better. Now let's try it with an arrow." As Arthur stepped forward, Merlin felt the prince's shirt rub against his hyper sensitive skin as he reached over him, and hooked the arrow he was holding onto the string. "You will want to let go as soon as you have it where it needs, you will have only a moment to aim, but don't worry about that for now. We just want a clean release. Make sure the string rests right on the tips of your finger, and let it just slide off as you flick your hand over your shoulder."

The whole time he was talking Arthur's hands remained in contact with Merlin's body, coming eventually to rest on his shoulders.

"Now pull up, slowly."

As Merlin's lifted the bow he felt Arthur's hands slide across his skin, running down the tensed muscles in his arms. The movement brought them even closer together, and as the entire length of Arthur's body from chest to thigh pressed into him Merlin swallowed hard. Shaking his head just gently, he tried to focus. It didn't help. Biting his lip he fought harder not to be distracted by the sensations flooding his entire body.

With his left hand gripping loosely around the centre wood of the bow, he pointed it out straight at the target, and his right he tucked under his chin. Creating a straight line through his body, just as Arthur had instructed.

No longer caressing down his arms Arthur's fingers now curled around his own as they reached his hands. Pulling those that held the string further back and closer than Merlin could achieve alone. Merlin grit his teeth as his muscles complained at the extra stretch. His arm's begun to shake. Despite Arthur's grip he wasn't sure he could hold the position much longer.

"There." Arthur whispered. His mouth so close, his lips spelt out the word against Merlin's ear. "...and release."

Opening his fingers out as his elbow rocked back, Merlin felt Arthur do the same, and for a second their hands void of the string held nothing but each others. Merlin was so shocked that he almost forgot all about the arrow he had just shot, right until it made a sound as it hit the target.

"HA!" Joy exploded from Merlin as his quick eyes located his arrow, and he barely noticed the loss of physical contact as he spun around to face Arthur. "I hit it!"

Merlin felt light headed as Arthur's face split into a grin as wide as his own. "You did!" he congratulated him, with a punch to the shoulder. "You did."

The clapping that followed a second later surprised both of them. Turning to look for its perpetrator Merlin saw Arthur's expression tighten as he recognised their spectator.


A/N: Who's been watching our boys' practice? Will Arthur be able to convince his father or Kay to change their mind?

Well Hope you enjoyed that, even though it was a little longer than usual.

Next chapter? Again probably looking at around 2 weeks, but always as soon as possible, I promise.

Till next time Pp xx