The morning of the final Merlin expected Arthur to be up at the crack of dawn to train a little more, warm himself up or at least pace around his room to try and calm himself down. But he wasn't doing anything of these things, though he was up at the crack of dawn.
"I've got your breakfast."
"I'm not hungry."
"You've got to eat-"
"Just, leave me to think Merlin." Arthur instructed, not tearing his eyes from his spot out the window that seemed to be calming him if nothing else. Merlin left Arthur to himself, knowing he'd be out ready to fight when the time came.
Merlin headed back to Gaius' chambers after dropping the food back off in the kitchens, for the boys to eat at before the head chef told them off.
"You're quick."
"Arthur didn't want breakfast."
"He's got to eat-"
"I told him that." Merlin interrupted. "I don't know why but I don't think this final is going to is light-hearted as other ones. Something's going to happen."
"And what on earth could that be, Merlin?" Gaius asked, in the usual speculative and disbelieving tone he used with his young friend.
"I don't know. There's something about the secrecy of Sir Oliver that gives me a bad feeling."
"You sure you didn't just eat something dodgy?" Gaius questioned.
Merlin sighed and rolled his eyes. "You sound like Arthur."
"What, insulting you?"
"Precisely."
"Not to be rude Merlin, but surely there's something else you could do? I really have a lot I need to be getting on with."
"Sure. I'll just go wonder round aimlessly till Arthur tells me to do something. That's how my job seems to work nowadays." Merlin muttered bitterly. Arthur's bad mood had set off his own, and Gaius being patronising had done nothing to help.
He lumbered round the main town, his long, slow steps taking him nowhere. He hoped to see Anna – he felt he hadn't seen her for days – but he was sure Sir Oliver wasn't as self-reliant or arrogant as Arthur and she would be spending the majority of the morning helping Oliver prepare in some secret location Merlin had never discovered in his years in Camelot. He had not once seen the two together and wonder why everything was such a charade with them. He was confused, bitter and bored; he had a lot of time to think.
"I promise you, after Oliver's last day of competing I'll spend all night with you. Unless he suffers a fatal injury or something." Anna smiled slightly.
He remembered Anna's words from their last night in the little row boat. Tonight, he got to spend as long as he wanted with her and this brightened his mood instantly.
He began planning where he would take her; not too the little boat – that was too familiar now – he would take her to a clearing in the forest, clear the leaves from the trees by uttering a spell under his breath and making sure the sky was extra clear, so every star could be seen, burning brightly in its spot. Merlin would go brush up on the little he knew of constellations and point out every one to her, making a joke about how one was named after her and letting her believe him until he gave in and told her he was in fact making it up. He'd tell her even if he could arrange the stars in any way he wanted, bring them closer, push them away, turn them all out, making them shine at twice the brightness, move them left, right and centre to form whatever picture his mind conjured and they still wouldn't be as beautiful as her. He remembered how the light of the moon cast shadows across her face and made her soft blue eyes shine, her gentle blonde hair cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall.
He wondered if she'd been thinking about him too. If she'd been thinking of the way his eyes shone in the moonlight or the magnificent range of the colour of scarves he wore. Or maybe she hadn't thought of him at all. Maybe when she'd kissed him on the cheek it was just a formality, just a polite gesture; no romantic meaning, no copy of the hope it gave Merlin in her own thoughts.
He knew he was letting himself get in too deep but he didn't care. After this tournament Arthur would probably organise a celebratory hunting trip that he'd request Merlin didn't attend and for once Merlin wouldn't argue and he wouldn't spend all night insisting that Arthur needed his protection. He would happily stay in Camelot and get to know Anna better, without the limitations and bans from her company from Arthur. Without the warnings from Gaius. With Anna.
His bad mood abolished Merlin wondered round Camelot with a new found hope, seeing all the new people and greeting each with a smile slightly brighter than the last, each with the new hope that he would see Anna in the same aimless manor he found himself in. He wasn't sure if the feelings were inflamed due to his lack in seeing her or because he really felt this way. He was getting more confused the more he thought about it so he didn't dwell. He headed back to Arthur's, having killed a couple of hours in the city. He knew Arthur wouldn't dress himself alone (he'd want to insult someone while he prepared for the tournament).
Merlin was right; Arthur made a point of saying Merlin should have been there sooner and that 'I'll never win this damned tournament if I am underprepared'. He let it go, as he always did, and continued to prepare the underprepared Prince for the sword-fighting tournament.
"Y'know Merlin, I'm not so sure I'm going to win this year – Sir Oliver has a spirit, a skill, that has lacked in other competitors for a few years. I have to admit, I'm quite looking forward to trying at least. I may have to consider knighting this man once the whole competitions over. But only if I win." Arthur rambled while Merlin put his arm and leg armour on, handing him his shield and sword.
And then they left the castle.
It was time for Arthur to compete.
Well this took me years to write. Anyways, I thought one update before Christmas should be enough ;) though I have written most of the next chapter so that may be a bit sooner than, y'know, the months it took me to write this. Did I tell you I was doing NaNoWriMo? Well, that's where I was in November. December I was doing homework and procrasting. Writing used to be my procrastination now tumblr is my procrastination from writing. Hard life, eh? :L Anyways, shall update soon-ish (no promises). Love you all *mwah* xox