Chapter 6;Promise you'll catch me.
Arthur slid into bed, pulling the cover up round his shoulders to keep him warm from the cold weather. Tomorrow would bring training and then after a little fun with Rose. He smiled falling into sleep.
Rose climbed the stairs and stood at the top, leaning over the banister to see Merlin, grinning. The two friends were not going to sleep anytime soon, far from it, they were full of energy and excitement. They had left the banquet half an hour ago and had since been creating havoc in Gaius's apartments using Merlin's magic, a fair few ingredients had been poured over the floor and then magically put back into the correct containers, a fire had been lit and various socks had been cleaned. Now she found herself at the top of the banister, and Merlin on the floor below.
"Are you sure this is safe?"
"Yes, I've done it before, well, I freezed Gaius first, but it'll be fine!"
"I cannot believe I am going to do this" Rose put her leg up onto the banister and pulled herself up, holding the wall with her right hand. She couldn't look down and instead looked right across.
"Promise you'll catch me"
"I promise"
Slowly she let go of the wall, bent her knees slightly and closed her eyes tight, and took a leap of faith.
Merlin almost stopped to admire her as she gracefully flew down but then he got sight of the bed, dragging it across the room.
She sighed as she collapsed onto the soft mattress and smiled.
Then Merlin landed on top of her.
She pulled her eyes open and looked at him "Sorry, I forgot to stop the bed, it continued coming across and I fell over into it" he lifted one of the hands he was using to stay propped up to wave at Rose.
"I see"
"So" he said still waving one of his hands around "That's something I can work on, but that wasn't so bad was it?" he said, making the fatal mistake of lifting his other hand up.
"Less of the hand gestures, while you are trying to stay above me." Rose suggested underneath Merlin.
Completely embarrassed Merlin pushed himself up and took a step off the bed; Rose sat up just as Gaius walked down
"I'm not even going to ask" Gaius said, Rose got up of the bed and looked won at the floor
"I'm going to go to bed, goodnight" she scampered off up the stairs to Merlin's room.
"Merlin put my bed back where it belongs please"
Merlin smiled and with a flicker of the eyes put Gaius's bed back where it belonged.
"Have you been using your magic since you two left the banquet?"
Merlin looked at him sheepishly.
"Merlin!?"
"I prefer to think of it as practising"
"Merlin what would you do if Uther walked in this room, your head would end up on the block"
"Yes, I'm sorry Gaius"
"Go to bed"
"Yes, sorry" Merlin walked to his room like a young scolded boy.
Merlin was bored. He stifled his yawn and tried to pay attention to the sword drills that the knights were performing, behind him Gwen giggled, sharing a joke with Rose. He smiled the two of them were getting no well and he was glad that Gwen had found a female friend who was like her.
"That'll be all for now" Arthur said, declaring an end to training for the day, he sauntered over to Merlin and wiped his forehead on his sleeve, moping up the sweat he'd gained from training. He looked over at Gwen and Rose deep in conversation while sewing bits of cloth, he took a swig of the drink Merlin handed him and then wiped his mouth with his hand.
"Ready to learn how to fight?"
Rose looked up at Arthur "Do I really have to?" she said rising up, putting the piece of cloth she had been sewing on her stool.
"It is a worthwhile lesson!"
"But as you observed yesterday, I'm a girl and girls don't fight in this society"
"You beat me at archery yesterday now I get my chance to beat you today!" Arthur said, handing her a sword.
He drew his sword out and stood a few feet away from her.
"It's hardly an achievement beating me at combat with a sword; there are many men who would provide you with a better battle and a sweeter victory!"
"But none of them beat me at archery yesterday" he pointed his sword at her and took a step forward "just raise your sword to counteract mine"
Gwen stood up and walked over to stand next to Merlin. "Is it safe giving her a sword with no training?"
"Probably not"
Arthur lunged gently in rose's direction and she lifted her sword up at the right angle to bar his shot.
"Good! See it's not hard"
He swung his sword around and for a few minutes they practised barring each other's swipes.
"Sword combat is the most effective and useful skill you will ever learn"
Rose smirked "How about cooking so you can stay alive?"
"Quick wit"
"Also a useful skill"
"Sword combat can save your life but also end another's, it has far more uses than quick wit, when riding this kingdom of evil magic sword combat has proved by far the most effective skill. When there were two evil magical men, whose porridge contained orange things – which is beside the point – when these two men came under attack, the fatter one was left defenceless but the slighter one carried a sword and it was he who battled for his life, of course he lost but he still had a chance"
He lunged at her again but Rose didn't move, she stood motionless looking at Arthur, so when his sword came down, there was no sword to bar it, just flesh.