Arthur was winning, which meant Valiant hadn't gotten him into a position where the snakes could strike without the crowd seeing. I had to bide my time so Arthur wouldn't get bitten when I brought them to life. Arthur had just managed to knock Valiant's helmet off and I allowed myself to smile a little until Arthur removed his own helmet and I groaned at his honour. Bloody idiot. The crowd loved it though. Valiant advanced and attacked, he stood on Arthur's foot and used his shield to knock Arthur over onto his back and stand on Arthur's shield, Arthur fought back with his sword but it wasn't enough. Valiant went to stab him and Arthur rolled quickly, having no choice but to leave his own shield. Valiant managed to knock Arthurs sword out of his hand and Arthur grabbed Valiant's shoulder and the wrist that held his sword, Valiant tackled him into a wall. The shield was too close, covered by Valiant's body, I couldn't see and I knew no one else would have been able to either, it would have been the perfect time for Valiant to set the snakes on Arthur and Arthur knew it. He acted quickly and kicked Valiant away from him. As Valiant flew back and took the time to regain his balance I took my chance and whispered the spell from my spot by the wall.
"Bombay Ar Dartha Arisay Quickum." Arthur was starting to advance without his sword but stopped as the snakes' heads' came out from the shield. Everyone saw and started to mumble and gasp as Valiant looked down at his shield in fear and shock. Arthur said something to Valiant who laughed in response before the snakes completely left the shield and headed to the floor, slithering towards Arthur who had no sword to protect himself.
"Kill him!" Valiant ordered and I hurriedly grabbed a sword from the table and ran into the Arena, I got as close to Arthur as I could before Valiant noticed me and turned towards where I had stopped.
"Arthur!" He quickly looked up at me and I threw him my sword leaving myself at Valiant's mercy. I noticed Arthur facing the snakes as I faced Valiant.
"You are beginning to become a pain in my last nerve, girl." I stood and waited for him to attack.
"Glad I made such an impression, would hate for you to remember me in a good way before you died." I hissed. He just laughed and started to advance, he swung for me with his sword and I did my best to keep out of his reach, ducking and dodging as Morgana had taught me. It was only a matter of time before he would reach me but I was hoping to give the guards enough time to get out of their stupor and help. As Valiant went to swing the death blow he was knocked sideways by Arthur who had come to my rescue, sword in hand.
"Your quarrel is with me and I will not allow harm to come to her again at your hands." Valiant and Arthur squared off again and I hurried to get out of their way in case I got Arthur hurt. I had no need to worry though, Valiant was down and dead before I could even get completely out of the arena. The crowd cheered greatly and Arthur nodded at his father before coming over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder and smiling.
"Thank you for saving me." I smiled at his gratitude before shrugging it off, uncomfortable with the sentimental look in Arthurs eyes.
"Which time?" I joked, earning me a chuckle and a shake of the head.
"Both, I guess." It was the first time he'd actually thanked me for anything.
"The score's 2:1 if you're interested." He laughed louder and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, suddenly overcome with happiness that we'd gotten through this and that he was okay. After the initial shock, he placed his own arms around my waist and we stood like that for a short time. I wondered what the people around us thought but if Arthur was hugging me back it meant he didn't really care and so neither did I. It only lasted a moment but it was one of the best of my life. He smiled at me as he pulled away and lightly brushed his lips across my forehead, causing me to blush.
"May I escort you to the feast?" I was shocked that he would ask me and it took me a moment to answer. I nodded my head and smiled up at him as he smiled down at me before walking back to the castle. I thought he was supposed to go with Morgana?
Morgana found me before I left the tournament grounds, still in shock at all the sudden changes of events.
"So? Arthur asked you to the feast? That's a great honour." She was smiling and I just looked at her as though pigs had begun to fly. What the hell is going on here?
"Oh, don't look so shocked Merlin." I shook myself out of my stupor and turned to her.
"What the hell just happened?" She laughed and put her arm through mine as we walked back to the castle.
"Well to anyone else they would think that he was taking you because you just saved his life but we both know that it's more than that. Arthur likes you, he doesn't just think of you as his servant anymore. At the very least he thinks of you as a friend." I smiled, it would be nice to call him my friend.
"Least?" She laughed at my confused expression and I noticed we were heading to her chambers. I didn't bother questioning it.
"Well, it's just this look I've seen him give you when you aren't looking. It might be nothing but I've never seen him look at someone like that. Still, let's just take the days as they come, right?" I nodded and smiled. I put what she had said to the back of my mind, for now, I'd think about what she meant later on. "Right. Now we need to get you ready for the feast." We?
"Why are we in your room?" She laughed as we reached her door and headed in.
"Because I'm going to lend you a dress; I know you don't really have anything for such an occasion except that beautiful green one you wore but I want to try something new on you." We spent the rest of the morning picking a dress and deciding on a hairstyle.
"Don't you have to get Arthur ready?" She asked, chuckling a little at the irony of me getting my escort ready and I laughed a little with her before I remembered why I wasn't.
"He fired me yesterday after the whole thing with Valiant." She just sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Arthur can be such an idiot sometimes. I'm sure he'll give you your job back soon enough." I just nodded, if anyone knew Arthur it was her. We had decided on a red dress with gems embroidered into it, making it twinkle in the light. It was beautiful.
"I'll see you at the feast then and I know you'll look beautiful." I smiled and thanked her profusely for the dress before heading down to Gaius' chambers to get a few hours' sleep before I'd have to get ready. I still wasn't sure why he had asked to escort me but it made me happy to believe that he did indeed think of me as more than a servant.
I was waiting by the door in the red dress Morgana had leant me, the few carefully placed tendrils that fell from my updo gently tickling my neck as I forced myself not to keep fidgeting as my nerves got the better of me.
"My honourable guests, I give you Prince Arthur; your champion." Arthur walked in at Uther's announcement and smiled at me as he took my hand and placed it on his arm. Everyone was clapping and smiling at us. Even the King didn't seem to find the situation odd or suspicious, instead, he just chatted away with his other guests as though it was perfectly normal for the Prince to escort a servant to a feast.
"My Lady." I smiled at the title I didn't deserve and teased him a little.
"My champion." He chuckled at the title I gave him and we took our places to walk toward Uther. Arthur looked so handsome in his robes and the crown on his head was very pretty but also had a masculine feel to it. I think the thing that made him the most handsome though was definitely his smile; it just seemed to make the room light up. Everyone continued to watch us, applauding as we walked towards the King and I couldn't help blushing at all the attention we were receiving. To take my mind off it I started talking to Arthur.
"Has your father apologized yet for not believing you?"
"He'll never apologize." He shrugged, brushing it off as though it were to be expected. "I hope you're not disappointed that I'm the one escorting you." He teased, changing the subject and motioning toward where Gaius stood alone. It didn't seem to bother him though, not if his large smile was anything to go by as he watched us.
"Hm, no one else is really champion material." I shrugged as though it were no big deal and that handsome prince's asked to escort me places all the time. We had reached the end of the aisle and just stood together a little to the side talking. He turned toward me but kept my hand in his.
"That was some tournament final." You don't say? I couldn't help smiling up at him as I laughed.
"Tell me about it. It's not every day a girl gets to save her Prince." Unless you're me that is, then it seems as though it's all you ever do.
"Well, I wouldn't say I needed saving, exactly. I'm sure I would have thought of something." He looked to the ceiling as if considering what his next move would have been; the smile fell from my face as I raised my eyebrow up at him.
"So you're too proud to admit you were saved by a girl." Well, it wouldn't be the first time. Besides he'd already admitted that I'd saved his royal ass after the tournament. I couldn't possibly have expected him to admit it twice. Plus, it was just too easy for us to tease each other, it came naturally to us.
"Because I wasn't." I shook my head, rolling my eyes.
"You know what? You really are an idiot sometimes." He began to laugh and I couldn't help but join him, it was infectious, that laugh. At that moment it really did feel like we were friends. His laughter stopped suddenly and I looked up at him to see he'd grown serious all of a sudden. He placed his hand on my shoulder bent down to whisper in my ear.
"I wanted to say… I made a mistake. It was unfair to sack you." I struggled not to smile and let him squirm a little longer.
"Oh, don't worry about it. You could buy me a drink and we'll call it even." He made a face and I struggled not to laugh.
"Erm… I can't really be seen to be buying drinks for my servant." I knew what he was getting at but he wasn't getting off with it that easy, if he wanted me back he was going to have to ask.
"Your servant? You sacked me." I raised an eyebrow at him and waited for his response.
"Now I'm re-hiring you." I smiled happily up at him, actually thankful to have my old job back before he continued. "My chambers are a complete mess, my clothes need washing, my armour needs repairing, my boots need cleaning, my dogs need exercising, my fireplace needs sweeping, my bed needs washing and someone needs to muck out my stables." The smile had long since disappeared. What an ass! He asks to escort me to a feast and then ends up giving me a list of duties to do? I would do well to refuse the job. Still, I knew I wouldn't and instead of dwelling on tomorrow's chores I danced and ate and had an overall lovely night with my Prince, champion and friend.