Sorry it took me so long to get this up. I haven't posted since last monday but it seems like only days ago. Damn Victoria day screwing up the week. My dad made me go to my grandpa's for the long weekend because he's moving. I didn't bring my laptop because I would just get nosy family members asking what I was doing. Though I did get near a swamp which had lots of toads and frogs that were very loud.

Here's a nice long chapter for you. I want all my chapters to end in the same way except the last one, but it took me a while this time to work my way up to it.

-I fixed some of my spelling mistakes from yesterday. You see I have this thing that as soon as I've writen to where I want my chapter to end, I have to post it online even if it isn't perfect yet. I'm going to rewrite and add more at the end after I'm finished this story so it can flow better too.

I got an idea for a one shot while I was writing yesterday. I'm just about to start it now so it should be up in a day or two. Please read it when I'm done.

*ok so I finished that one shot and its called Horse Love also started writing a series of one shots called Impulses. You should check them out. I'll get back to see soon I'm just on the fence with hat to do next.

The Sorcerer's Toad

Part 3

Arthur was staring at the thing as he waited for his man servants return; the thing stared right back. This un-nerved the prince. It was like it was judging if he was worthy enough.

At the sound of the door opening and closing again, both the toad and the prince looked up in anticipation, not to be disappointed.

"Ok, your horse is ready." Merlin informed as soon as he returned; taking note on his entrance that the prince was as far from Milo as physically possible.

"Good. Grab the weapons and meet me back down in the stables." Arthur demanded before going to leave the room, only to stop in his tracks at what his manservant asked of him. "What'd you say?"

"I asked if you could bring Milo with you. If I'm carrying the hunting gear I'll have no hands to carry him in." Merlin repeated.

Arthur glanced over at the toad, that was still starring right back at him. "I don't think so." He'd touched that thing enough for one day.

"Oh come on, Arthur. I don't have three arms. What, your going to carry your own hunting gear for once in your life?" Merlin exclaimed, holding up his hands and wiggling his fingers.

"Can't you just put the thing in your pocket again?" Arthur asked, putting one arm across his chest and using the other to point at his servant's jacket.

"Not while I'm carrying anything heavy. I'll end up crushing him by accident, you know I usually have to lean things against my chest to support the weight." Merlin flexed his arm to prove he had no muscle.

Arthur pursed his lips as he looked at the thing from his position by the doorway.

"Fine!" He forced out. Putting on his riding gloves. Thinking that if he had to touch the thing again, there would be no direct skin contact. His manservant couldn't hide his grin from him as he placed the toad in his hands.

Merlin chuckled as he watched the prince disappear down the hallway. His shoulder's were tense and he looked so damn uncomfortable. He shook his head before leaving in the other direction.

.

Arthur swatted a mosquito away from his neck as they rode through the forest on their horses.

He looked back at his manservant, to see that they weren't bugging him because every time one would come near him the thing would eat it; using his big long tongue. Merlin didn't know how good he had it, they were eating him alive.

Arthur attempted to scratch at a bite he got through his armor; how'd they even manage to do that.

His servant was determined that if they were going to leave the thing in the wild, he had to be returned to a swamp. The closer they got to their destination the higher the bug infestation got. The noise level was a testament to that. The forest was a buzz with sounds, whizzing through the trees.

The path had been clear so far, but up ahead Arthur could see there was a small log, it shouldn't cause too much off a problem he thought to himself. The prince's horse jumped over it easily and with grace; but behind him his servant had a little bit more trouble.

Merlin's small black mare attempted to jump over the log like the white stallion in front of him but in the process jumbled the hunting gear.

The young warlock attempted to grab all the weapons before they feel but was not successful. He groaned in frustration before sliding off his horse. "Did we have to bring all this stuff with us? We aren't even actually going hunting."

"Of course we are, I told my father I was going hunting, it would be an embarrassment to return back to the castle with nothing." Arthur corrected Merlin from his horse, as he watched his servant recollect all the weapons.

Merlin grumbled to himself about pompous princes and stupid hunting only to be cut off.

Arthur shushed his servant when he thought he heard something in the forest. Sliding from his own horse and signaling for Merlin to hand him a weapon. Using the hand signals his knights understood.

His servant gave him a confused expression. Arthur wanted to hit his forehead in frustration. He snatched the weapon Merlin was currently holding out of his hands, a look of understanding flashing across his face.

The prince crept in the direction he thought the noise had come from, not to alarm it too his presence. There was a small munching noise in the next clearing. He held his spear in position, before jumping through the bush for what he hoped was a surprise attack.

The bunny stopped munching and let off a scream; the sound surprised the prince so much he dropped his spear and let one off his own.

Merlin came running over as fast as he could after grabbing Milo from the horses saddle.

Preparing himself to defend his master thinking he was under attack. He burst into the clearing expecting to see some giant magical beast judging from the sound the prince emitted.

Only to see the only other occupant of the clearing, was a harmless bunny.

He waited no time to burst out laughing.

"This isn't funny, Merlin!" Arthur snapped at his manservant. The bunny took this time to hop to safety while the threat was distracted.

"You were scared. I've never heard you scream like that before. You've faced all manor of magical beasts but you've finally met your match, in a bunny." The warlock burst out laughing again, hardly getting his last remark out.

"I was not scared." Arthur defended himself, a blush making it's way across his checks.

"You dropped your spear." Merlin pointed out.

"It just startled me, that's all." The prince defended himself, as he leaned down to grab his weapon from the dirt. Pushing back through the bushes to find his horse so he could get out of here.

His servant appeared behind him, having followed him from the other clearing. He was trying to wipe the tears from his eyes because he'd laughed so hard at his expense he'd started to cry. "That never happened!" Arthur snapped.

"Oh, it definitely happened. I'll think back fondly on this memory for years to come. Everyone, is going to hear about this." Merlin contradicted.

"You better not spread this story around. No one is going to believe you." Arthur threatened. Thinking of the embarrassment it could cause in court, especially if Morgana caught wind of it.

"I'm not the only one present, Milo can be my witness." Merlin held up the toad who croaked in boredom.

Arthur wasn't worried the toad was going to give credit to his man servants story. It couldn't even speak English. "Well to bad your 'witness', won't be coming back with us, to tell the tale." He said bluntly before mounting his horse.

Merlin's happy mood immediately deflated when the prince reminded him why they were out here in the first place. Milo looked at him in what he interpreted as sadness.

The young warlock collected the rest of the weapons and mounted his own horse without another word. They rode out.

.

Arthur attempted to look back at his servant without him noticing, as they rode closer to the swamp.

He hadn't said one word since they'd left the clearing containing the screaming bunny and it was kinda concerning; talking and Merlin just went together. Maybe he'd been a little too harsh the prince thought to himself, his servant was sensitive.

The Prince needed to work on his anger issues to not snap at everyone who annoyed him at that moment in time. Later on once he'd calmed down, he always realized that probably wasn't the best way to deal with the situation. Usually ending with him apologizing to his manservant in recent years. He was always present in stressful situations and usually ended up as his target to take his anger out on.

Merlin raised an eyebrow at his masters weird behavior. When the prince realized he had been caught looking he'd turned quickly ahead again. The warlock took this to mean that the prince wanted to say something to him but his pride was getting in the way.

He picked up the toad to eye level and whispered to it, so that Arthur couldn't hear. "Should I forgive him? One croak for no, and two croaks, for yes." He asked.

Maybe it was just coincidence Merlin thought, but, Milo croaked twice.

"I don't know, I think I should let him sweat little bit longer." The toad started to croak a lot like it was berating him. "Ok, if your sure." Merlin whispered.

Arthur peeked back out of the corner of his eye without turning his neck this time, only to witness his servant talking to the thing.

Ok, Merlin wasn't being completely silent, so all was right in the world. Which made his worry that he'd hurt his servant's feelings lessen a little bit. Though, he was talking to an animal like it actually had an opinion, which should be even more worrisome. But this was Merlin he was thinking about, so it really wasn't that weird.

The warlock was going to start a conversation like he always did on these trips to signal that he forgave the prat, but the princes horse stopped suddenly right in front of him. He had to grab onto his own horses reins quickly to stop it so it wouldn't crash into the other. "Why'd you stop?"

"What's that weird noise?" Arthur asked, not expecting his servant to actually know the answer.

Merlin listened. Off in the distance not too far away, he could hear a chorus of different noises meshing together that he hadn't noticed before because of Milo's croaking. He made the connection that they'd finally arrived at their destination. "We'd better leave the horses here." He suggested without explaining.

Arthur looked on in confusion as his man servant dismounted, grabbed the reins of both horses and started to lead them to a tree where he tied them to the trunk.

He then proceeded to walk off farther up the path disappearing around the bend, only bringing the thing with him.

"Merlin, where are you going? Wait for me!" Arthur exclaimed as he quickly dismounted from his horse, with as much grace as someone in a rush could manage; which was not much.

Running to where his manservant had disappeared too. The noises growing louder the closer he got. Once the prince passed the bend in the path he was surprised when his feet wouldn't move any longer, causing him to fall to the ground.

Merlin winced as he watched his master run in only to get his boots stuck in the mud and fall face forward into the swamps shore. He didn't let off a peep, he'd laughed enough for one day at the prince's expence.

Arthur peeled himself off the muddy ground. All the frogs and toads around him croaked even more. "I feel like they're laughing at me." He exclaimed as he looked around at all the wildlife. Him being the focus of their attention.

"They aren't laughing at you, they're communicating with each other, just like you and I." Merlin said to placate his master; it was true and false at the same time. They were talking to each other, but probably about the idiot who crashed into there home.

"Why didn't you tell me what you were doing?" The prince asked as he stomped through the mud towards his manservant. Blaming Merlin, again, for his situation. His earlier resolution, to not take things out on his servant, forgotten.

"The reason why I told you we should leave the horses, was because I knew they'd get stuck in the mud. I thought you'd work it out yourself, I didn't expect you to come running after me like a maniak." Merlin stated his reasons calmly, used to the princes temper tantrums. He'd forget about his anger within the hour and come crawling back to him.

The prince frowned at his servant. Covered head to toe in mud he didn't make a very imposing figure. " Well we got the thing to the swamp just like you wanted. Let's hurry up and go."

Merlin placed Milo on the ground, looked around at all the other amphibian population of the swamp. "You'll be happier here then you ever would've been back there in the castle. I'll miss you, Milo. Be good." He said before backing up to stand beside the prince who was by the entrance back to the path.

Arthur placed his hand on his servants shoulder in comfort. "He's better off here."

Merlin know the prince was right but he couldn't help but be a little sad. He nodded before leaving.

The prince took one last look back at the thing that was staring right back again one more, before following after his servant.

.

Arthur smiled from the top of his horse, at the sight of the castle on the horison once more. He managed to catch a deer on the way back so he was happy; his manservant was destroying his mood though.

Ever since they'd left the thing back there he'd been frowning and silent. Which was completely unnatural for the boy who always had a smile on his face and was never silent unless sleeping.

"Merlin, it isn't the end of the world." Arthur placated.

"I'm going to miss him." Merlin replied with a sigh at the end.

"You only had him for less than two days, you lived before without him, you'll survive now that he's gone." Arthur tried to reason.

Merlin shrugged, he couldn't help how he felt.

"Now we are going to go back and you are finally going to do your duties." Arthur told his servant before riding away from the forrest and toward the castle.

Merlin followed after his master, not noticing the tiny figure emerging from the trees behind him. Emitting a croak before jumping after him.

Did you know bunnies can scream? I didn't until my friend told me about her experience which makes me laugh every time I think of it. Bunnies scream when they thik they are going to die which is understandable, but apparently my friend when she was twelve was very threatening.