In case it is not obvious- I don't own Merlin, or Arthur, or the BBC, or an ipad, or a dishwasher that works, or a box of tissues or a pet sheep (anymore).

I apologise if this is atrocious. I spend my life writing academic essays etc for university, so writing creatively does not happen very often.

Merlin sat for a moment while he hurriedly ate a chunk of bread in his chambers. He couldn't believe what the stupid git had done now. As if hunting trips weren't stupid and pointless enough to begin with he just had to go and turn it into a competition.

It was the anniversary of the first year since Arthur had officially ascended the throne and he wanted to do something to celebrate. Something 'fun' he had said. At this Merlin had become excited, he thought that Arthur had meant something that normal non-prats found fun, like a fair, or a feast, or even jousting tournament. At least at a jousting tournament Merlin could enjoy the atmosphere and sneak away to chat with the other servants when he wasn't needed. But no, Arthur wanted to have a hunting competition. How you could even compete when hunting was beyond Merlin, but what the prat King wants the prat King gets.

Arthur sent out an open invitation to all the Lords to compete, and within the fortnight Camelot was overflowing with nobility preparing to best one another by downing the largest buck or boar. The castle was full to capacity, meaning that the servants were run off their feet trying to cater to the every whim nobles. The castle felt like it was in a constant state of chaos. The kitchens were never closed as the cooks worked around the clock trying to produce enough high quality food. The maids never had a moment to themselves, trying to keep the castle in at least a semblance of cleanliness. Finally Gias had been run off his feet catering to every niggle of discomfort or pain that the visiting nobles had.

Merlin sighed and wondered if Arthur had any notion of the absolute pandemonium that his supposed late night stroke of brilliance had brought. Probably not, he thought with a smirk on his face, after all the clotpole barely even noticed things that went on right under his nose.

'MERILN!', he heard hollered from the hallway.

'MERLIN! WHERE THE BLAZES ARE YOU!'

The door to Gias' chambers crashed open to reveal a very stressed and irate looking Pendragon.

'MERLIN! You do realise that you are my manservant and it is therefore your job to serve me. It is not my job to have to have to go traipsing around the castle looking for you!' Arthur sighed with frustration while pinching the bridge of his nose.

'Now where is my ceremonial sword, you were supposed to have had it polished and sharpened yesterday.'

Arthur then glared at Merlin from across the room. The silence in the room was only penetrated by Merlin frantically trying to chew his mouthful of bread in order to answer the increasingly annoyed King. Giving up on chewing the bread as the atmosphere in the room became ever more uncomfortable Merlin eventually answered with a mouth full of mushy bread.

'At the blacksmith.'

'What the hell is it still doing at the blacksmith!? I need it tomorrow to open the hunting competition!'

Merlin was finally able to gulp down the bread.

'Well I forgot to pick it up yesterday...

Arthur interrupted Merlins' explanation, 'You forgot, of course you forgot. Merlin, is it to much to ask that once, just once, you act like a half-competent manservant so that I am not embarrassed in front of every important Lord and Lady in the Kingdom. I don't know why I keep you around sometimes. My chambers are always a mess, you never wake me up in time, oh, and your polishing skills are beyond atrocious. I mean the only things you are accomplished at are tripping over your own feet and mucking out the stables.'

By this time Arthur was ranting, his hands waving around as if to punctuate the words he was saying. It was obvious that the young King was harassed and frazzled. Arthur was evidently not immune to the frantic atmosphere that inhabited the castle.

'Well since you seem to have time to sit down and eat, unlike anyone else in the castle at the moment, you can polish all of the knights boots, clean my chambers properly for once, assist in the preparation of the hunting equipment for tomorrow, make sure they don't need any help in the kitchens, oh and that leach tank in the corner looks like it needs cleaning. Of course that is AFTER you pick up my ceremonial sword from the blacksmith.'

As Arthur had continued to rant his demeanour had begun to relax. It was as if loading his manservant with duties was therapeutic for him. With a self-satisfied smirk Arthur then turned around on the spot and strode out of the room.

Merlin goofily grinned at the empty space Arthur had just vacated. He was used to his behaviour. Whenever Arthur was stressed, angry or frustrated he would find Merlin, rant at him for a while and then walk away feeling better. They both knew what Arthur was doing when he yelled at Merlin. Merlin didn't mind, he knew Arthur wasn't really angry at him, he was just coping the best way he knew. In a way Merlin saw this routine as a sign of their friendship. Who else could you yell at, and who else would let you yell at them with no hard feelings but a friend.

Merlin jumped to his feet. He had better get to blacksmith. It seemed his busy day, was now even more full then it had been previously. This next week, while the competition occurred, was going to prove trying for everyone in Camelot.

I don't know if this is a one shot or not...

Please let me know what you think...

I review other peoples work; therefore, by the laws of karma, you should review mine right?