Author's Note: Ok so for those not following Labyrinth, first why not *pouts* second the last chapter has just been posted and it's got some serous Merwaine in it since everyone's rocking on that. This one takes place before Labyrinth and the previous two chapters. Arthur has just become King in this one. I own nothing.

Untamable

Arthur and his new knights were wandering around the market with Merlin because honestly they had nothing better to do and it was a good way to help them learn the normal layout of Camelot. Lancelot, Gwaine and Elyan knew the basics of how to get around, having been in Camelot before. But Percival had never been to Camelot before and things were slightly different now anyway. Camelot was finally fully rebuilt from Morgana's short but disastrous reign. Arthur wished his father had lived to see this but he couldn't dwell on that now. Instead he looked around at the people who had helped him save his kingdom, his knights and his maid. Merlin… Merlin was an enigma to him. Sure they were friends but she had risked life and limb to get him in and out of Camelot safely. She really was amazing, she had a knack for getting him out of trouble with a grin on her face. They were on the outskirts of the market now, where they sold animals. Arthur was only really interested in the horses though, with four new knights they would need new horses in the royal stables. He watched as a few of the horses were run around the pen to show them off.

"Woah! Calm down you bloody thing!" Arthur turned to watch as a chestnut mare pulled out of her handler's grip and galloped off towards the fence. People screamed and dove out of the way as she kicked down the fence and made a break for it. Arthur dove to the left along with his knights but Merlin dove to the right and somehow kept her feet taking off after the loose horse. Arthur swore but had no time to rush after his idiotic servant as the other horses had just noticed there was an opening in the fence.

They had just managed to help corral the other horses while several of the handlers fixed the broken fence. Arthur heard several of the handlers talking.

"Damn thing. Had it seven months and I still haven't been able to break it. I knew I got too good of a price of her. Probably rampaging around right now. Gonna have to pay for damages." Arthur frowned and handed over the reins of the horse he was holding over to another of the handlers. He vaulted back over the fence and gathered the knights preparing to go search for the loose horse. Lancelot who was facing the road smiled and pointed over Arthur's shoulder.

"No need. Take a look." Arthur spun round and spotted the rouge horse being ridden by Merlin, trotting merrily down the street without a care in the world. The handlers stared. Merlin was sitting sidesaddle for once, probably because the horse didn't have a saddle, the things reins were dangling in front of its head out of her reach so she had a hand wrapped in its mane. The horse trotted up to the gate in the fence and waited patiently for the handler to open the gate. He did so still stunned and Merlin rode the now sedate horse over to the fence where Arthur and carefully hopped off the horse. Then she glanced around at the stunned silence.

"What?" Lancelot and Gwaine started laughing and Merlin shook her head at them. Arthur frowned slightly as the handler approached and the mare shied away from him nickering loudly. The handler stopped, it was the same one that had been complaining about the horse earlier, he had clear marks that a horse had bitten him rather recently on his shoulder.

"Miss how did you do that?" Merlin shrugged as the horse carefully approached her and butted its head against her hand. She absently stroked her mane.

"I caught up with her at Liza's fruit stall, she was eating a few of the apples, she only managed to get through three though. She shied away at first but then she just came right up to me. She let me get on and ride her back. I just thought she was shy." Arthur hid his laugh well as Merlin looked so genuinely confused. The handler seemed to think for a moment.

"You wouldn't happen to need a horse would you miss? I can't get her to do anything for me." Merlin smiled slightly still stroking the mare. Arthur frowned slightly. Merlin's mare was getting rather old to keep up with the new stallions Arthur and his knights had chosen. But would his friend be safe on this unbroken mare?

"I couldn't afford her sir." The handler smiled at her.

"Miss you can have her for free. If you don't take her I'm afraid I won't be able to keep her, she's too wild for me to break." The implication broke Merlin's heart. Arthur couldn't stand to see his friend with tears in her eyes. He stepped forwards.

"Well your horse is getting a bit old Merlin. See if you can get her saddled up." Merlin grinned and the handler lent her a saddle to try on the mare. The horse stood stock still and let her put the saddle on her and then ride twice around the corral without the slightest bit of complaint. Arthur smiled as Merlin tied her up with the other horses they were buying that day and talked to her new horse. Lancelot wandered over to Merlin.

"What are you talking to her about?" Merlin grinned still stroking the horses deep brown mane.

"I told her to be nice to the stable boys. Jeremy is picking up the horses later today and I don't want her to bite him, he's a nice guy." Lancelot smiled a bit perplexed.

"And you think she's gonna listen to you?" Merlin frowned at him.

"Of course she will. Just because people say animals are dumb doesn't make it true." Lancelot shook his head as the horse seemed to nod at him. He laughed at his friend.

"So what are you going to call her?" Merlin seemed to think about it for a moment before looking into the horse's eyes and nodding.

"Amber. Like her eyes." Lancelot smiled as his friend went back to talking to her new horse. Merlin was odd and looked at the world in a completely new way but Lancelot knew he wouldn't have it any other way.