The King stood at this window, he had not taken new chambers although pressed to do so by all the courtiers who liked to visit their King in suitable splendour. Arthur did many things differently and this was one of them. There was even a rumour that he was in love with a lowborn servant. But that could not be true.
It was the morning of his fist court judgment and Arthur was relying on Melrin to come up with a sound method of determining the truth. But Merlin was late, as he was fond of doing now and Arthur's temper was rising.
When at last his chief advisor arrived he looked anything but the part. His clothes were smudged with soot and as usual he wore the same scarf he had worn the day before. Arthur glared at him. For goodness sake Merlin, find something in my closet, you can't go anywhere like that.
'I'm very happy as I am thank you Arthur, they will just have to take me or leave me.'
'I know which I would do,' said Arthur under his breath.
Merlin ignored him and pulled out several parchments and laid them out on the table.
'What's this! exclaimed Arthur.
'The law pertaining to land acquisition, the Statute of Common Land and the 3rd edition of Jasper's Rules of Argument.'
'What? What are you doing with these?'
'You asked me to find a strategy for solving the land dispute.'
'Not with bits of paper Merlin! With some sort of...you know…an all seeing eye or something.'
'Now Sire,' said Merlin in a warning voice.
Arthur shivered at Merlin's sanctimonious tone.
'Here we go,' said Arthur 'I wish to the gods I had not asked you to be the chief advisor. I obviously got tricked into it when you were the deep and mysterious Merlin instead of the simply simple one… and I mean that nicely so you can lose the lip tremble! I just want to be able to work out who deserves what, a little help is all I'm asking for.'
Merlin folded his arms and took up his face of stone stance.
'Oh No! The Arm Fold!' Arthur put his head to his hands…Merlin…please...' The King grabbed his jacket and started to put it on. ' I know… Merlin…just forget it. I'll work it out myself!'
'And how will you do that sire?' asked Merlin with a sickly smooth voice.
'I'll…I'll…suggest…' Arthur was playing for time. His mind was whirring. 'Yes I'll offer to arrange that all the trees are pulled up, the hedges uprooted and reassigned and the pasture ploughed. I'll make each parcel of land look exactly the same.
'And what will that prove exactly? asked Merlin.
'Well it's obvious isn't it? The most deserving will baulk at that. They care about the land and the creatures on it so they will not want that…they will back down and the ruthless ones will grab it!' Arthur stopped talking long enough to witness Merlin's self-satisfied grin.
'Merlin! How do you do that?'
'What? asked the young warlock innocently.
'How did you get me to do that?'
'Oh, that! I just waved some reading under you nose Arthur. It works every time.'
Arthur aimed a blow across Merlin's head. Only a friendly gesture of course...Merlin stepped deftly out of the way.
'When are you going to do some magic for me Merlin? protested the King with a broad smile.
'Oh I don't know teased Merlin...let me think!'