First I have to apologise for taking so long to update, I really am bad at it. Thank you for all the reviews and messages and I really hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 5;Let the competition continue!

Merlin put his hand above his eyes to shield them from the sun as he entered the courtyard looking for Rose; he walked over to the market stall he had left her at which he could see she wasn't at. He asked the stall owner if he knew her whereabouts and he pointed in the direction of noise; a cheer.

Arthur clapped, though he couldn't believe Rose's ability as an archer. She had put down her basket of vegetables and taken the bow he handed her; he had stood next to her and looked at her as she drew the arrow.

"You do know where to aim at don't you?" he'd said mockingly, his question had been answered, with a bull's-eye.

And so he had clapped, out of politeness, but he was shocked, he had never seen someone shoot as well as…well him. And she was a girl! He was shocked but livid at the same time, and then Merlin came over.

"It turns out your friend is a rather good archer"

Merlin looked at Rose as she turned around grinning. He smiled back; perhaps Arthur had finally met his match.

"Where did you learn to do it?" Arthur said, exasperated.

"You meet a lot of people while travelling, and learn a lot of skills."

"Well, let the competition continue!" Arthur declared.

"Ooo, can I join in?" Merlin asked, cheerful.

"Merlin of all the stupid questions you could have asked!"

"I'm sure he's not that bad at archery!" Rose said, trying to defend her friend.

"Watch" came back Arthur's response. "Just watch"

Merlin grinned being allowed to join in the competition.

The three began to get into the flow of the competition taking it in turns to shoot, a friend of Arthurs kept count of the scores and a number of children provided an audience. Arthur, being Arthur never took his eyes of his bow, trying to ensure that he hit the bull's-eye each time, which on the most part he was doing. But even he had to admit that Rose was something special, she had a flair for archery and was starting to put him into the shade. Merlin on the other hand was plodding along, slowly but surely, archery wasn't his thing but he was managing to keep up pretty well and Arthur was surprised at his achievement; he had obviously been paying closer attention to his training than he had thought.

But there was a clear winner in the competition an Rose was ahead by a big enough margin to ensure that's he was going to win, a few rounds before the end of the game. Arthur halted the competition after Rose shot; gaining full points; again.

"Clearly we have a winner." he announced

"You haven't chosen a runner up yet!" Rose said, Arthur needed 4 more points to secure second place, but if Merlin managed a bull's-eye then the two would be neck and neck; joint runners up.

Gwen came across with a basket full of food to see what all the fuss was about, she stopped at the archery butts, dropping down her heavily-laden basket and smiled.

"We need a motive, an incentive" Arthur declared.

"Is coming second not good enough?" Rose teased.

"Tonight my father is holding the month's banquet; whoever wins second place gets the privilege of dancing with you tonight"

"That's hardly a prize; I can't dance!"

Arthur ignored her comment, looking across to Merlin instead "does that sound fair to you?"

"Yes!" Merlin said smiling. Arthur had no idea what was coming.

Rose sighed, stepping back to let Arthur prepare for his final shot.

Merlin smiled at Gwen as Rose sauntered across to the couple. They looked extremely cute together, she thought, Merlin's boyish grin and Gwen's sharp eyes. She smiled as she reached the couple; she stood her bow on the ground, leaning her hand on the top.

"Ah, Gwen this is Rose" Merlin said, waving in Rose's direction and then in Gwen's direction "Rose, Gwen."

"Hi" Gwen said quietly "Good game"

"Thanks" Rose said grinning.

"I'd better get these back to my father" Gwen said, bending down to pick up her basket, but Merlin intercepted; reaching the handle first. He brought the basket up handing it to Gwen and exchanging a smile as he did so, before he dropped his bow on his toe, Gwen smirked waving goodbye and walking over to the house which she shared with her father.

Rose almost laughed at his uselessness with girls.

"Very funny, yes I can see you laughing" Merlin said as he took his place next to Rose to watch Arthur take his shot, clearly he was nervous as a few beads of perspiration fell from his forehead onto his shirt's sleeve. He took a deep breath and released the arrow and the breath at the same time. He sighed. No good, he had gained 4 points and he hoped it would be enough; he cleared the shooting area, standing next to his friend who was keeping score. Merlin stepped up and drew back his bow, his eyes fixated on the middle of the archery butt.

Rose looked over to Arthur whose eyes were also fixated on the same spot; in fact looking around everyone's eyes seemed to be looking at the middle of the archery butt, everyone waiting for Merlin to shoot, no one had expected him to be this good and now people had begun to wonder whether a lowly servant boy could draw level with the great prince Arthur; master of the sword and champion with a bow. The arrow was released, and while everyone stared at the same spot, Rose stared at Merlin's eyes, for it is the eyes that tell a story, give a man away, and it was Merlin's eyes which flickered for the briefest moment, the slight second; but a second that was the most important second of the entire competition. And while many cheered and Merlin grinned as he made his way over to stand next to his dear friend, and while Arthur threw his bow down his disbelief it was only Rose who shook her head.

Merlin spun on his foot, to stand next to her and face Arthur as he stood forward to announce the competition results.

"I think you'll find that's called cheating" Rose whispered, turning her head to speak into Merlin's ear.

He turned to face her with the same boyish grin as always "Me, cheating? Never."

"And so we have two second places; Merlin and myself!" the audience clapped, and Rose smiled in disbelief that a little gesture of Arthur's had turned into a large archery competition.

Arthur made his way over to Rose and Merlin and the crowd dispersed, "You've clearly been paying more attention at my practices than I thought"

"Clearly!"

"So both of us get the chance of dancing with Rose tonight"

Merlin nodded.

"I pity you both" Rose said.

"Merlin" Arthur continued, once again ignoring Rose's comment about her lack of dancing ability "Never, ever show me up like that again."

Merlin nodded vigorously as Arthur strode off.

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The music was in full swing as Merlin, Gaius and Rose entered the great hall for Uther's banquet. It was a celebration that was intended to show the world that Camelot was free of magic or anything of the sort, that it was a striving, plentiful place to live. Morgana did not like Uther's banquets; she thought that they full of pretendence and false smiles and laughs. She watched as Merlin and his friend entered the room, going over to sit with Gwen, she longed to sit with them to join in with their conversation, Gwen seemed at ease with the new woman, Rose she'd said her name was. They laughing and joking, smiling at one another, Morgana watched as a friendship was formed, and she longed to be friends with this new Rose, for she saw something in the young woman that other people missed.

Uther proposed a toast, lifting his goblet up high in the air "To good health and prosperity" Morgana raised her cup too and drank at the appropriate time, smiling at all the faces watching her; but she felt numb and awkward.

She watched as the musicians re started the music and people began to eat once more, she watched as Arthur pushed back his chair and walked over to where Merlin was sitting.

Gwen had seen him rising and smiled at him as he strode over to where they were sitting, coming to claim his prize. Rose looked uncomfortable in her chair; she ate little and did not watch Arthur walk over to her. Gwen felt sorry for her, a poor young girl, who had been at Camelot no more than two days, but she daren't say anything to Arthur to offend him, she would not risk being placed into a cell again or the stocks.

"Rose, I believe you owe me a dance"

"I wouldn't advice it, really Arthur my dancing is terrible and I fear you'd embarrass yourself, I'd feel awful knowing that I had humiliated the great prince Arthur" she smiled meekly, hoping her little speech would get her out of this. No such chance.

"Really Rose, you'll only embarrass yourself by refusing. I insist dance." he held out his hand for her to take.

Reluctantly she placed her hand in his and stood up, he lead her to the middle of the floor, and waved his hand over to the musicians for a moments silence.

"This is the young Rose, who, to everyone's disbelief today beat me in an archery competition, coming second, I thought it fitting that we should share a dance" he nodded in the musicians direction, and the couple took hold, dancing a simple waltz.

"He didn't mention you at all!" Gwen exclaimed.

Merlin looked at her "Of course he didn't, this is Arthur"

"I thought you said you could not dance" Arthur murmured quietly.

"Yes, I believe I said that" Rose replied, glancing in Uther's direction who was intently watching the two dance.

"You little liar!"

"It was a small white lie, I'm sorry" she smiled and he smiled back, as they spun around.

Funny, he thought, how he known this young woman for such a small amount of time but how well they got on. It was as if something had just clicked, locked into place, her smile lit up the room and her talent with a bow was extraordinary.

"Is there anything you can't do?" he asked.

"Don't give me a sword; I'm no use with any weapon other than a bow!"

"Ah! Well then tomorrow, I will see you at training! Merlin comes down to watch and help and then afterwards we will see what happens when you're given a sword and shield"

"I really wouldn't advice it"

"I really insist that you come"

He spun her around a final time and as the music came to an end, he bowed and she curtsied, and as he came up to see her face he smiled. He lead her back over to Merlin and Gwen who, like everyone else, had finished eating and were now lining the edge of the hall.

"Looks like it's your town now Merlin" Arthur said. He walked back up to the top table to sit next to his father.

Rose smiled at Merlin and Gwen and took her place next to them as various couples took to the floor to dance. Gwen smiled, wishing that she was one half of a couple gliding across the floor.

"I'm rather tired" she said, yawning, "I'll see you two tomorrow"

"Do you want to make a break for it, while there's a distraction?" Rose asked.

Merlin grinned and the three newly found friends skipped off, out the door, unnoticed by almost everyone, except Morgana.