Hi!

Thanks to Taz and Gingeraffaelene taking the time and pains to write and publish a review!

Taz' question was originally to have been answered in chapter eight, but then the writing process took its own way and this chapter wanted to be put in!

So, Taz, please bear with me for six more days until it will be clear why the flower was needed in the first place.

This was set up for publishing Nov 5, 2020, but the site has suffered from some problems the latest four or five days, so I know not when it can be read.

Hopefully soon - All the best for ever reader, having time just to read or also times to review!

8. Fight

The morning came to be very different. It was not getting up and having breakfast that was so, but the fact that it was already light outside and breakfast ready when Arthur woke up. And after that came another surprise.

-"I fear you fierce worriers are getting bored," said Merlin, "So I think we should spend some time outdoors today."

Meeting raised eyebrows and mumble about it still being cold, outside Merlin continued:

-"The weather is a bit milder, as it is a sunny day, and you have good clothes, no? So, off to get your chain mails and cloaks, please. But you will neither need swords nor shields!"

When the knights came back down to the entrance hall dressed for the outdoors, they found their gloves hanging ready to be grabbed. Had they been surprised by Merlin's announcement of some outdoor training, they now instead could not hinder a laugh. Through the keyhole to the doors of the main building came a ray of light, and on it hung all the gloves.

By the door stood a smiling Merlin, eyes glowing gold with a great smile to every knight who passed. They all felt more comfortable at once, guessing Merlin had put some sort of a warming spell on each of them.

They came out to a less cold courtyard than expected. It actually must have been warmer than freezing temperatures, because they could hear water dripping from the odd icicle hanging from the roofs.

-"I admit, friends," shouted Merlin from the stairs to the main building behind them, "That I have made the climate out here a bit more suitable for this morning's training session."

No one even looked surprised at that!

-"There is a magic shield set up over the courtyard, and down here I have heated it all up a bit."

And yes, Arthur could see the sky being a darker shade of blue than normal, and the sun a little bit bleaker.

-"The snow is just perfect for making snowballs. As I guess you all need to warm up before a real fight, I suggest you spread out along the palace wall and prepare as many snowballs you can make. I will move over there, in front of the gatehouse."

Had the knights and their king not been so occupied by munition making, they would surely had got a glimpse or two of Merlin's big grin; the one just Merlin could wear, showing he was so perfectly comfortable with all and everything.

-"Are you ready?" Asking was of course totally unnecessary, as Merlin easily could see that all the others had now in their possession a large heap of snowballs each.

-"Let us play a game. All of you against me. If you force me back to the portcullis, you win. If I reach the middle of the courtyard," and there suddenly appeared a red dot on the ground, "I win."

Laughter filled the air, and it was almost hard to hear Arthur's order to attack:

-"Fire at will!"

Without any real co-ordination, snowballs came flying randomly towards Merlin. He dodged some, deflected others with outstretched hands, and to the amusement of the knights he melted those which came to close to him with a golden flash of his eyes. Meanwhile he slowly moved forward, trying to reach the target set for him.

Arthur realised they had to use a better strategy to win and ordered his knights to throw their snowballs at the same time, all of them. That hindered Merlin from advancing, as he was forced to conjure a shimmering shield to not get hit.

But after such a broadside, the knights had to bend over to pick up snow to make a new ball each to throw at Merlin, and when they were ready all could see he had used the time to glide a bit closer to the center of the courtyard.

Arthur then divided his men into two groups. One group making his snowball while the other throw a ball. Thus Merlin could be stopped from moving forwards. At least until his knights would end up becoming tired, Arthur realised.

Desperate situations calls for desperate means, thought Arthur, who decided that in snowball wars everything possible should be allowed. Arthur knew the main weakness of Merlin's and decided to use it to his advantage.

Urging the knights on in their fight, keeping Merlin's attention on them, Arthur sneaked around the magical shield. Standing behind Merlin now, Arthur probed the shield with a gloved hand, and to his delight he felt it possible to penetrate.

Arthur moved as silent as he could through the magician's shield and when he stood right behind Merlin, Arthur took his gloves off and put his fingers in Merlin's sides.

-"Arthur, what are you doing? You know I am ticklish! This is cheating!

-"Can't be cheating if you never told us to do this before we began, Merlin!"

It took not long before a wriggling Merlin fell to the ground, laughing and trying to wipe tears off his face.

Then his shield collapsed. The knights could see it fall like a deflating balloon, getting smaller and smaller. Soon it looked like an umbrella being closed. And in the middle stood their King, eyes wide. Suddenly the shield was gone, but not like it disappeared, rather as if it had been consumed by Arthur's body and taken residence inside him.

A stray snowball immediately hit Arthur. Afterwards there was a long discussion who had sent it off, but the knights never knew for sure, as there was too much joy and snow in the air. Arthur, however, turned to stare at his knights, and if just an eyesight could kill . .

. . . the next ball exploded into a cloud of snow.

Lancelot, who stood in the line from Arthur through the former ball, was lifted a high into the air by another cloud, coming from nowhere, glowing golden.

-"So, is this the new royal music?" asked Lancelot smiling as he slowly was floating down to the ground. He swiftly threw a snowball in Arthur's direction.

Another glare from Arthur slowed the ball, and Lancelot instinctively willed it to keep moving. The other knights could suddenly watch an inverse tug of war on a snowball dispensed freely in the air. The two contravenes had both eyes golden, straining themselves harder and harder to move the ball from himself to hit the other.

Eventually the ball stopped in the middle of the courtyard, just above the red target Merlin had set up there. Hanging immobile a minute or so, it slowly melted. Falling drops from it froze to a small up-side down icicle on the spot. In the end both men fell panting to the ground, hands at their aching sides, to a wild applause from the other knights.

-"Arthur!"

-"Arthur!"

-"ARTHUR!"

It was Merlin's voice, but it did not come from the heap on the ground almost tickled unconscious by Arthur, no, it seemed to come from a point in the air just above Arthur. How strange!

Then Arthur felt his left shoulder being shaken.

The courtyard with it's magic melted away. Arthur's eyes fluttered open, and when they were able to focus he saw Merlin opening the curtains to the King's bedroom – and it was dark outside.

Arthur realised he was on a quest, had been overnight staying in a remote fortress, no, several nights, but he did not feel very rested.

Then he remembered. The Druids had come, the quest was over, but Arthur had spent quite some time alone in the night, writing a letter by only candlelight to his wife. He would probably need help to get it sent to Camelot with his special orders. When back home Arthur himself would have the first sketches drawn for him of something he and his wife would like to do. Or rather build. But that would be a state secret, so when ready to be given to the Court magician to be, it would be a full surprise for him.

This morning Arthur willingly accepted all service Merlin could think of to help him. Arthur was washed, combed, dressed and glowed upon by Merlin's smiling golden eyes, to remove Arthur's headache and weariness and help him perk up for the day.

Just before entering the main hall Arthur was hit by something soft, wet and cold. Turning around, he saw Anna the Druid Seer smile down at him from the stairs to the bedrooms.

She looked at him like they two shared a secret the others would have to wait to get to know.