First of all, I'd like to thank and give loads of credit to MagicbyMerlin. MagicbyMerlin. MagicbyMerlin. Maybe I can repeat it a couple of times more, but I guess you already got the point. This story is written by us both and therefore: MagicbyMerlin. MagicbyMerlin and me, Sannepan.
Oh, and if you like, please review! I think I would looove reviews. And so does MagicbyMerlin. (How many of them are there yet?)

This chapter must be read like some kind of long intro, by the way. I promise the next chapters will become better and better. And, more important. CUTER! Yay!
So have fun reading!

"Shut up, Merlin!" Arthur said. They were in the prince's chambers; Merlin sat in a chair, looking mutinous, and Arthur towering above him, looking snobbish. "I told you I was going to teach you how to brag so that's what I'm going to do. STOP MOANING FOR HEAVENS SAKE!" he added, exasperated, as Merlin opened his mouth to say something.

"Bu -" Merlin tried.

"NO! Bad, Merlin, Bad! SIT! Stay…good, Merlin." Merlin sulkily folded his arms and cast a sullen glare in the prince's direction but said nothing.

"Right, first lesson, Merlin. Find something you're good at," Arthur said, taking a seat opposite Merlin and giving him a calculating look.

"Erm…found it!" Merlin said after a moment.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"What is it you're good at?" Arthur demanded, feeling wound up.

"Can't tell you," Merlin said.

"That's just great. Why not?"

"You'll probably get me locked up…"

"What are you on about, Merlin?" the prince asked, frustrated. "Tell me!"

"No," Merlin said flatly.

"Merlin…" Arthur was now looming dangerously over Merlin who was very near the mark of terror.

"No, sorry, can't tell you…" Merlin said and cleared his throat nervously as Arthur glowered angrily, not understanding why he couldn't know.

"Merlin, you better tell me or I'll start guessing!" the prince threatened, an evil glint in his eye. Merlin cringed at the icy glare, but still said nothing. "Okay! Here I go! You're good at…cleaning socks!" Arthur suggested.

"But you already know that! Its no secret!" Arthur sighed and sat down again.

"Fine, embroidery then? Like those big wall-hanging-things."

"Why do you only choose girly hobbies?" Merlin demanded angrily.

"I don't know," Arthur said with a frustrated wave of the hand. "What are you good at, then?"

"You have to keep guessing," Merlin said smugly and lent back in his chair with a wide grin. Arthur glowered at him.

"Fine, are you good at…erm…flower pressing?"

"FLOWER PRESSING???" Merlin jumped up, looking enraged – something Arthur had never seen in his manservant before. "FLOWER PRESSING! I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW, I AM A MAN!"

"Well, I -" Arthur began.

"Shut up! And no, its not flower pressing!"

"I was only -"

"NO, I don't want to hear it," Merlin stormed to the other side of the room, folded his arms and went into official-Merlin-sulk-mode. Arthur fidgeted with his sleeve.

"Merlin…I didn't mean to…" he said, making a poor attempt at an apology; Merlin didn't respond. "Okay, fine! Is it sword fighting?"

Merlin turned around, throwing him an evil, evil glare, filled with…well, evil things, almost on fire and all.

"What?" Arthur asked nervously. "I didn't mean that as a joke. Have you ever seen a girl fight? Its not a girly at all!" he said quickly, trying not to show that the look was actually scaring him.

"You know I'm awful with a sword! You just had to go and rub it in, didn't you?" Merlin huffed, glaring ever more, fury in his eyes. Arthur backed away a few steps as Merlin and his relentless stare came closer.

"I…didn't mean…umm…I mean…what I meant is…that…umm…you…need…I need…umm…stuff…erm…THERE'S SOMETHING BEHIND YOU!" Merlin spun around and Arthur took his chance to run.

"COME BACK HERE! NO ONE INSULTS ME!" Merlin thundered and gave chase to the prince who was now skidding around a corner in the corridor outside his chambers.

"You do it all the time to me, AND DO I COMPLAIN?" Arthur answered loudly, trying to stay ahead of Merlin. It was weird but it kind of seemed that Merlin was about to catch up with him. Arthur shook his head, disposing of the idea that Merlin could outrun him. Not Merlin – no, it just wasn't possible.

After living all those years in a castle this big, Arthur knew the short cuts, hiding places and all of the statues he could hide behind.

He hoped Merlin didn't.

"Where'd you go?" Merlin demanded as Arthur hid himself away behind a tapestry. "Coward!" the young warlock added for good measure. That made Arthur mad…

"What – did – you – call – me?" he asked waspishly, coming out from behind the curtain and glowering at Merlin.

"You heard," Merlin sullenly folded his arms. Arthur's ears began to steam…almost literally. Being called a prat was something he got used to in time, but coward was really out of line, even for Merlin.

"You – you can't address me like that, and you know it!" he yelled furiously, about to grab his swords but then realised he hadn't brought it from his chambers.

"Or what? Are you going to throw me in the stocks again?" Merlin replied, lifting his chin up arrogantly and added, just for the fun of it, "You coward."

Okay, that was it. Sword or no sword, he could take Merlin easily with his bare hands. And without realising, Arthur made a fist and took a swing at his manservant. Merlin ducked, but only just in time.

"Okay, that's really out of order!" the manservant cried, and quickly kicked Arthur where, for a man, it would most hurt… The prince doubled over and fell sideways onto the floor, groaning.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING???" a loud voice boomed, and Merlin swung round to see the king marching up to him and his son who was now rolling on the floor. Uther looked down at Arthur fleetingly and back up at Merlin. "You have damaged my son! You do realize he may not be able to produce an heir to the throne now?" Uther grabbed Merlin by the ear and began carting him away, ignoring Arthur who was now clutching a certain part of male anatomy and groaning profoundly…

You don't have to guess for long about where Uther left Merlin. It were not the cells, down beneath the castle, where Merlin would get locked up alone, so he could think. No, it was the stocks, which Merlin loved so much.

You would really think that, in these times of economic recess, people would be cautious with their food. Yeah, right…

Not only did bad and rotten fruit get thrown at Merlin, even the good pieces of potato, which really hurt when got thrown at his nose. Also his right ear felt like it was on fire – Uther had pinched it very hard. Merlin had no time to think, but was trying to avoid the apples, unions, potatoes and sprouts.

Sometime later, after he had been released from the stocks and cleaned himself up, Merlin gingerly opened the door to Arthur's chambers and peered in. He saw the prince sitting down cautiously, wincing and then standing up again. Merlin quickly made his way in and put on his most 'I'm-sorry-please-don't-hurt-me' face. He coughed to get Arthur's attention. The prince heard him and spun round.

"You…" he hissed in a dangerous tone and narrowed his eyes angrily. Merlin cleared his throat and looked sheepish.

"Erm…sorry?"

"Sorry? Sorry?" Arthur cried in disbelief. "Do you realize just how much that hurt? Seriously, you've got to see the damage you've caused!"

"NO, NO, I really don't want to see anything, Arthur…" Merlin muttered quickly, began blushing and busied himself with folding Arthur's clothes that were on the bed.

"You're the worst manservant ever," Arthur was staring out of the window, still angry.

"Like I didn't know that already," Merlin scoffed, folding the last piece of cloth. He looked around, hoping to find anything else he could do to keep Arthur away from the subject of damaged anatomy…

"Any other manservant wouldn't have kicked me…" the prince groused and stared out the window while picking at a grain of stone on the wall.

"Any other prince wouldn't have made fun of my flower pressing skills." In a quarter of a second, Merlin realised what he just said and pressed his hand over his mouth, hoping Arthur hadn't notice what he'd just said. Arthur turned around with a wide grin on his face. He immediately forgot about the pain.

"So, you do, do flower pressing!" Arthur said triumphantly and began laughing, much to Merlin's annoyance.

"Yeah, so what if I do?" Merlin said icily. "Its far better than…sword fighting…"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

"Oh, shut up."

"Why? Its hilarious!"

"Do you want me to kick you again?"
Arthur winced.

"Erm…no…" he said quickly. "Umm…actually I think your flower pressing skills are quite amazing…and wonderful…" he finished with a nervous cough.

"You haven't even seen my pressed flowers…" Merlin crossed both his arms and looked at Arthur.

"No, but…I'm sure they're lovely…"

"Would you like to see them?" Merlin's oh so angry face quickly changed into a very excited one. He didn't even waited for a response. The young warlock just turned around and sprinted out of the room, back to his own one. Arthur was left behind, surprised.

What had just happened?

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