An Ill Fated Snow Day

by EmrysTheMerlin

Two weeks to the day since Arthur and Merlin regained Camelot, and Arthurs back to being a prat! Target practice is one thing but tracking practice on a snowy day is rediculous! What happens when it starts snowing in earnest and Arthur and the younger knights loose Merlins trail? Can Arthur find him before he freezes to death?

2. Put Your Money Where Your Crown Is

Part 2 Put Your Money Where Your Crown Is

(Authors Note: ok so I should have mentioned this before. The perspectives switch from first person Merlin, to third person Arthur. I still own nothing.)

Arthur gave Merlin a ten minutes head start. Then he called together the younger knights. Bedavier, Kay, Galahad, Michelle, Roger, and Anthony gathered on the chill training ground. All were dressed in full mail and still shivered slightly. Arthur and Gwaine, whom he had chosen to help him with this exercise, stood in front of them. Arthur stood tall and stern but Gwaine's relaxed grin sort of ruined any intimidation Arthur may have achieved.

"Alright men, as knights of Camelot you must be able to do many things. One of these includes tracking a person, or group of people, in any conditions. That is why ten minutes ago I sent my manservant out to hide. Your task is to track him. Even I don't know where he went. He could be anywhere in the town or forest. His tracks begin here." Arthur gestured at the footprints in the snow he had identified as Merlin's earlier.

"Sir Gwaine and I will be coming with you to make sure you're doing it right. You have three hours. But just to make it more interesting we will split you into teams." Gwaine raised his eyebrow at the mischievous grin working its way onto Arthurs face.

"Kay you're with Galahad. Michelle you're with Roger. Bedavier you're with Anthony." Arthur said and the knights fell into their assigned groups.

"What are you up to?" Gwaine whispered to Arthur.

"Nothing. I'm just making the search more interesting." He shot back in a lowered voice then he turned back to the knights.

"Whoever finds Merlin first doesn't have to do drills for three more hours in the snow." The knights set to searching. Gwaine tapped Arthur on the shoulder as they followed the knights.

"Fancy a wager on who finds him?" Gwaine asked glancing along the visible length of Merlin's painfully obvious trail.

"Gwaine, I'm the prince regent. I can't go making petty wagers on my knights! Besides, Merlin leaves a far too obvious trail. It's not fair to bet against anyone. A child could track him." Arthur grinned. Gwaine winked.

"Well I'd put my money on Merlin, he's sneakier than you give him credit for." Arthur laughed, but the roguish knight's comment set him thinking. It was true, Merlin did have a gift for disappearing, for days on end, without a trace. Yet these tracks could only be Merlin's.