CHAPTER 1 : A CHALLENGE

Merlin knew that the more he let him get to him, the more he would become involved.

He sighed; he had enough to do for Gaius and that was the reason he was in Camelot not to answer to the beck and call of a spoiled young prince. Anyway, he was far from his favourite person.

Thank goodness, as an assistant to the court physician he would have little to do with him. He found him demanding, immature and too self-centred for his liking. He would probably always want to be in the right and expect his servants to kowtow before him. Merlin had never kowtowed to anyone and he certainly had no intention of doing so. He would respect a person's position in this world but fawning was not in his vocabulary.

A man needed to prove his mettle to impress him and gain his friendship and he didn't suffer fools gladly and what he had seen of the crown prince fell into the latter category. He realised that as Gaius's assistant, their paths might cross but only professionally and in Gaius's presence.

There was no use talking to Gaius about the prince as he realised that Gaius had a soft spot in his heart for him. He would not elaborate but had told Merlin that growing up in the castle had not been easy for the lad. He inferred that his father had only taken interest in him from the age of fourteen when he became a squire and then the pressures placed on him had been plentiful and yet he had survived.

Gaius had confided that many others would have broken but surprisingly Arthur had survived. "He might seem strong-headed but he has had to compete with all the knights and other hangers-on. He could easily have been lost in the shuffle. He had to learn to stand up to his father and it was that which, I can't really say endeared, rather forced the king to recognise him as his son and heir.

Merlin noticed over the months that the prince took all parental criticism in good grace even though he felt that sometimes the king was being overly hardhanded to show that his son was in no way ready to take over the reigns. If he ever would be, determined largely on how mentally strong he was and how much support he could expect from the knights.

Merlin liked some of the knights, they were amusing and he had to acknowledge that when the prince was in their company, he seemed less uptight and almost human. He often had to stand by to give aid during training sessions and it dismayed him to see the king pair his son against the most seasoned knights who were soundly rebuked if they went easy on their younger opponent.

Uther would say, "How is he going to learn if you don't at least attempt to take his block off!"

One day after a long gruelling training session, the king asked three knights to remain behind to challenge his son. The senior squires with whom the prince had been duelling were also ordered to remain. Merlin recognised the chosen knights as three of the king's elite swordsman. He glanced at Gaius who said nothing yet Merlin could tell be the look on his face that he wasn't expecting any of this to be pretty.

Sir Rupert whispered something to the king who shook his head saying, "In a battle, no one gets a chance to rest."

Sir Rodick faced off first and fought fairly but even Merlin could see that he was holding back.

The prince was wobbly by the time he'd finished the challenge. Sir Romney went next and the king cut the session short by yelling, "Sir Knight, I said challenge not mollycoddle him." The king waved to someone on the outside of the group and silence fell, the knights parted and a hulk of a man stepped forward.

Merlin glanced at the prince and clearly recognised the fear in his eyes. He turned to Gaius and said quietly, "Gaius, can't you stop him?"

Gaius shook his head, "The king won't let Sir Runolf kill him." Merlin looked at the newcomer and could see the gleam of anticipation in the knight's eyes before his squire handed him his helmet. This man had no allegiance to the crown prince if his master the king wanted him trounced he'd do so willingly. He took his sword and ran his gauntleted hand along the blade before giving it a few test swings.

Merlin looked back at the prince. He was impressed as he was still on his feet facing the man and if he were scared out of his wits it was not apparent by his posture. He wiped his brow and turned to the squire who handed him his helmet and then his sword. Merlin noticed that his fellow squire made eye contact with him and said something and the prince nodded his head.

Sir Runolf didn't waste any time and after three parries, he had the prince on his back in the dirt with his sword pointing at this prince's neck. He glanced at the king who nodded and threw him a bag of coins which he deftly caught.

There was not a sound from the knights and squires in attendance.

The king was heard to say, "Lasted longer that I expected!" There was however nothing said to the prince who was still on the ground as the king and his entourage walked away.

Sir Romney reached the prince first but waited until Gaius appeared at his side before attempting to remover his helmet. Gaius beckoned for Merlin who stepped forward with the physician's bag and got a closer look at the prince.

He was still breathing which was a wonder and Gaius gave Romney the go ahead to remove the helmet. The blond hair was dark with sweat. A squire was summoned to take the helmet and the sword and the prince began to stir.

Gaius suggested, "Arthur, we'll take you back on a litter!"

This evoked a shake of the head and a mumbled, "…walk!"

"That's not necessary, Arthur, you're exhausted and I doubt that your legs will carry your weight," Sir Romney insisted.

The prince who was gaining strength said, "I'll stay here until I can walk, but I will walk back to the castle."

No one argued with him, they managed to get him seated on a camp stool and waited as his squire removed his heavy chain mail. He drank some water and declared that he was ready. Sirs Rodick and Romney stood on either side of him with his arms across their shoulders. Gaius led the way and Merlin walked immediately behind him with his bag. He was impressed. He could see that the prince had the makings of a leader. Following him came the remaining squires, Merlin glanced back and saw some of them looking quite worried and whether it was because they were putting themselves in the prince's position or just wondering how far the king would have gone, Merlin didn't know.

As they crossed the courtyard, Gaius noticed movement at the king's window and glanced up. Uther nodded at him, he was impressed to see his son on his feet even if most of his weight was taken up by the two knights.

Gaius suggested that Arthur was taken to his bedchamber as he intended to give him a thorough going over and to monitor him overnight. He could not condone what the king had done but he understood that times were hard and the kingdom depended upon the prowess of its knights and indirectly its upcoming knights.

-0-0-

Arthur's manservant helped him undress and lie on the bed so that Gaius could check him over. Merlin noticed that Arthur seemed to have no control over his legs which twitched and moved at will. Looking at him, Merlin could hardy recognise the young man who had started his first training exercise with such strength and determination. He lay motionless with his eyes closed.

Gaius examined him carefully taking note of any bruising which was beginning to appear. He prepared a draught with a light pain killer. He asked Martin the prince's manservant to fetch warm water and clothes and slowly wiped Arthur's face and neck motioning for Merlin to do the same.

Merlin was surprised that his hands were shaking slightly as he carried out the order. He could see the mottled bruising and was loathe to cause the prince any further pain but Arthur seemed dead to the world and didn't complain.

Gaius then asked him to start at his feet and do the same gentle bathing, "He'll be in pain tomorrow as his muscles complain as he tries to use them."

Merlin tried to concentrate on what he was doing but Arthur's twitching legs made it more difficult and Gaius finally told him to just work on the thigh muscles explaining that it was an involuntary movement over which he had little control but after getting a foot in the chest, Merlin wondered if maybe the prince was more conscious of what was going on than Gaius surmised.

Soon, Gaius was satisfied that nothing else could be done, he had the prince moved on his side and the wet bedsheets were bundled up, removed and he was laid back on dry ones and covered with a light blanket. The prince seemed more conscious of his surroundings and the tremors in his legs seemed to lessen.

Gaius told the manservant to get his supper and sent Merlin also to get something for the two of them as he intended to stay with Arthur until he was talking. He also told him to advise the kitchen that a light gruel should be prepared for the prince and sent up once it was ready.

As the two of them left, they met Humphrey the Chamberlain on his way to see Gaius.

Humphrey disapproved of the king's actions but would only ever say so to Gaius. He agreed that someone should stay with the crown prince overnight but suggested that one of the other menservants could take over.

Gaius said, "Humphrey, I have spent hours with him when he was sick as a child, another late night won't kill me! If needs be, Merlin can take over, he's capable and trustworthy. It's just as a precaution. I feel sure that there is nothing which a good night's sleep can't heal but tomorrow he'll be stiff and black and blue to boot."

Merlin set out the meal he had brought back on a little table in front of the fire and he and Gaius ate. They talked in quiet voices but never criticised the king's actions in case Arthur was listening.

There was a tapping at the door to the prince's chamber and Merlin opened it to Martin carrying a covered iron pot of gruel which he placed on the hearth to keep the contents warm.

Gaius checked and Arthur was resting quietly. His face was more relaxed and his leg muscles less active. Gaius looked at the young man in the bed and wondered how a father could indirectly inflict such pain on a son but then he realised he wasn't a father or a king and maybe that was the way in which a man born to be king was raised. He didn't approve of it in the slightest.

He realised that Merlin was at his elbow and he quietly said, "Life's hard even when you are a crown prince…" He checked Arthur's forehead and it was cool and his hands were warm. He tucked them back under the blankets and asked Merlin to replace the warmed bricks which he had wrapped and previously slipped under the sheets near the end of the bed.

They returned to sit near the fire, it was getting cold at night and although the castle was pleasant during the heat of the summer, it could be cold, draughty and damp during autumn and downright freezing during a cold winter. It was raining outside and the rain was pelting against the windows. The manservant pulled the heavy curtains over the window and would later draw the curtain over the door leading into the antechamber.

Merlin loved the sound of the rain on the windows when he was snug in bed as he did the rumbling thunder as it made its way down the valley. He decided that the prince was not conscious of rain tonight.

Martin joined them near the fire and said to Gaius, "Will the prince be confined to bed tomorrow?"

"I doubt that I will be able to force him to stay there but hopefully he will not try to attend any training sessions. Ideally, if he feels up to it, he could walk around the castle just to stretch his muscles. I will leave him some medicine to alleviate the pain. He'll be tender for a while. Why don't you turn in? Merlin and I will stay here and if we have need of you, Merlin will get you. You'll be kept busy tomorrow so you might as well rest while you can."

The prince's manservant had a room off the antechamber so that he would be available whenever needed. During an emergency, anyone wishing to talk to the prince once he had retired for the night, could but only once Martin had notified the prince of the visitor's request. The prince decided if he wanted to be disturbed or if the situation could wait until the following morning. Martin over the years had become quite adept at sorting out situations that called for him to disturb the prince and they usually depended upon the rank of the visitor and the seriousness of the situation

Soon Gaius could be heard snoring quietly although Merlin knew that should anything happen to his patient, he would snap out of it immediately. He glanced over at the prince and he was still asleep. His mind went back to his home and he reckoned that the amount of wood they had burned so far this night would have lasted his mother and him for a week in Ealdor.

He was conscious of movement out of the corner of his eye and he glanced back at the prince's bed. He smiled to himself with the curtains drawn around it, it would have been a great hiding place. He stood up and wandered over and he could see that the prince was more restless than previously. He could see that he was fractious, possibly having a bad dream. His arms were no longer covered by the blankets and his brow was creased with worries. He kept moving his head and Merlin worrying that a fever might be present stepped forward to check his brow.

He'd often see Gaius stretch over and touch a patient whispering quietly to him that he would be all right. He gingerly placed the back of his hand on Arthur's brow, it wasn't burning so as he had surmised, he was having nightmare.

The prince's movements became more erratic and he began murmuring. "Gaius'll know what to do…" his breath caught and he sobbed, "…Gaius, my legs won't work."

Even though he realised that the prince was not fully conscious, Merlin turned to get Gaius as he felt was right, however an arm snaked out and caught his wrist imprisoning him. He stayed perfectly still as his mind told him, that now was not the time to try to pull back. If the prince thought he was one of the knights he might swing at him and hurt him.

Learning slightly forward he could pick up what the prince was murmuring, "I didn't want to die not like that in a training session. When I die I want it to be at the height of a well fought battle." This was followed by disjointed phases and to Merlin unrecognisable names.

He whispered quietly, "You're safe in bed in your own chamber. You're going to be all right."

Whether Arthur heard him or not had no affect as he continued, "I really tried hard but soon my arms couldn't bear the weight of the sword any longer. Father doesn't realise that I'm not that strong…yet!"

Arthur tried to turn over and practically pulled Merlin off his feet. By bracing his knees against the mattress and hanging on to the one of the bedposts he was able to remain upright.

That stopped Arthur mid turn and he said more clearly, "The knights and the squires must have been laughing at how weak I turned out to be."

Merlin whispered, "They weren't, after the king left I heard them say how strong you had appeared. No one was laughing especially not the squires. I thought at one point that a few of them were going to jump the knight who got you down but I noticed the Squire Master shaking his head at them and they settled." He was conscious of the pressure being released from his wrist which he felt would have an ugly bruise on it tomorrow.

Suddenly, the prince looked directly at him and said, "Who are you and what are you doing in my bedchamber in the middle of the night?"

Merlin glanced over his shoulder and could see that Gaius was still next to the fire but no longer dozing, so he said, "I'm Merlin. I'm studying to be a physician's assistant and I am working here in Camelot with Gaius."

"Have I ever see you before?"

"Probably not," Merlin said with a smile, "as we don't mix in the same circles. Do you want me to ask Gaius to come over?"

Arthur raised himself on his elbow to see Gaius and cringed, "Ow! That hurt."

"Lie down, here take my hand and you can pull against it to get onto you back again. Now that you are awake, are you hungry? There is some gruel by the fire as you missed supper."

"No, I still feel a little fuzzy headed but that is probably what Gaius gave me against the pain." He yawned, "Are you going to stay here all night?"

"Yes, if you feel I should."

"I do, as I'm worried that once the fire dies down and the room goes black, Sir Runolf will come back to finish off the job."

"He won't! He's probably well out of it by now as the king gave him a purse so he probably spent the evening and night drinking with his cronies in the tavern." Merlin immediately regretting saying that as the prince didn't need to know what a low life his father was.

"Thought as much…he wants me…to …" but his eyes had closed and once again he fell asleep.

Merlin pulled the blanket up over the prince's shoulders and looked down at him realising that even with all the wealth and riches involved with being a prince, he had a hard life.

.He knew that he was better off, he might be as poor as a church mouse, but he had a mother who loved him, a roof over his head, a bed, food on the table and most importantly someone who was willing to take him under his arm and train him to be a useful member of society.

He returned to the hearth and luxuriated in the warmth of the fire and the comfortable chair.