"MERLIN!"

The servant cringed as he heard his name called for what seemed to be the thousandth time that evening. Why can't Arthur just do… whatever he wants me to do himself?! He thought. He was all together sick and tired of following The Royal Prat's orders verbatim, saving his life, and never getting credit. In fact, the closest thing to a reward he had ever gotten was - …

Merlin's silent complaints were interrupted by another shout from the very person they were about. Here goes nothing, he thought after speed walking down the stone corridor and pushing the heavy wooden door open with his shoulder. The sight that beheld him on the other side was nothing that he could have prepared himself for.

Roosters. Roosters everywhere. On the rugs, the nightstand, even perching on the top of the changing screen. Some were fluffing their feathers, others were strutting around, acting like they owned the entire palace – much like the prince that was currently clinging to the southeast pole of his four poster bed, his face looking as though he was two seconds away of letting a girlish scream slip out. A disbelieving Merlin stood, mouth agape, needing a moment to take in the scene.

Arthur was not about to give him that long. "WELL?" he hollered, "DON'T JUST STAND THERE, YOU IDIOT! DO SOMETHING!"

"What?"

"Capture them, behead them, make them into feather pillows, I don't care! Just GET THEM OUT!"

And so Merlin went about removing the poultry from Arthur's chambers, beginning by chasing the roosters on the floor and subsequently pulling a muscle in his side and getting arms full of chicken scratches. Next he went after the high ones, all of which decided to take flight at once, causing Arthur to clutch the pole tighter and shriek like a girl.

Only when all of the roosters had been chased (or thrown) out of the room did Arthur come down from his roost. Awkward silence was accompanied by a sideways glance met by a disbelieving, annoyed stare.

"Sire, do I want to know how fifteen roosters got into your chamber?"

"…"

"Sire?"

"Guinevere said she needed a place to keep some animals, so, being the… gentlemen that I am I offered to house them. Unfortunately, the castle coops were full, so I brought them…up…here."

Merlin said nothing, but his smug smirk projected his thoughts loud and clear.

"Shut up, Merlin."

"I didn't say anything."

"Don't care."