A/n: Hi, and welcolme to my story.

This is Merthur pairing, but nothing graphic, and if you don't like slash, you could read it without taking things that way. (see my other fic, the relationships will be similar) I like to keep pretty faithfull to the series.

Timeline wise this seems to fit best bestween season one and two.

Oh yes one more thing. The disclaimer. I don't own them, i don't make any money for them, i just play with them for the funsies. No copyright infringements are meant.

Read, Review, and Enjoy. (hopefully) :p xx

To the victor

-Prologue/ Ch1

"Go, go!" Arthur gestured pointing at the door. "Go enjoy the sun. I absolve you of all duties today."

The servant Arthur spoke to frowned at this uncharacteristically generous gesture. "But I have…"

Standing up from the breakfast table, Arthur approached him. Taking the plates out of his hands, and placing them back on the breakfast table, he physically turned the boy towards the door. "Go Merlin," he ordered, and pushed him playfully. "Go."

Leaning against the cold stone column in the second floor hallway, Merlin remembered this morning's scene fondly. Although grateful for the time off it was not something he was used to. Back home in the village there had always been something do, errands to run, or a crop to tend, no matter the weather. Since taking the job of Arthur's manservant, or all-round dogs body as it was more universally known, little had changed. He barely had time to breathe most days for all the polishing, washing and tidying it took to keep the prince looking presentable.

Not knowing what to do with himself other than avoid Gaius, whom he instinctively knew would happily fill his free hours for him, Merlin spent most of the morning aimlessly wandering the castle looking for something to occupy him. He hadn't found anything even remotely interesting, apart from this one cool spot in the sun drenched castle. Still he was bored already and it was time to move on again. Maybe Gwen would be finished with her morning duties by now, or maybe he could find Arthur and they could go out for a ride down to the moon lake, take a late lunch with them.

With the most pleasing idea of how to spend his free afternoon now flooding his thoughts, he stepped forward out of the shadow, only for a flash of light to almost blind him as it shot through a window.

Pausing he gave his eyes time to readjust, before he peered through the window, this time cautiously shielding his eyes.

He soon saw the cause of his temporary blindness; a single brightly polished sword lay on the grass in exactly the right position to reflect the dazzling midday sun into his eyes. And lying next to it...

Merlin's breath caught in his throat at the sight of him; flat on his back in the long grass, his feet and chest bare, golden hair shining almost as brightly as the scattered pieces of armour around him, lay his prince. A selection of Camelot's knights was strewn in similar positions around him, most in the same state of undress, but Merlin's attention was all on Arthur. It was mesmerising to watch him relaxing in the sunshine, and try as he might Merlin couldn't pull himself away.

As he watched he kept waiting for Arthur to get up and spoil his enjoyment of the view, but the moments stretched out and still he lay there. Arthur was stiller than Merlin could ever remember seeing him. Perhaps too still? The longer Merlin looked, and the longer Arthur failed to move, the more worried Merlin became. The relaxing scene began to change in his eyes, into something darker.

Glancing once again across the prince's muscular chest, he realised it was bruised a violent red, and now he noticed that one of his outstretched arms seemed to be reaching towards the sword that had blinded Merlin in the first place, almost as if he had been trying to get to it before... before what? Merlin's mind began to spin with a dozen worrying possibilities, and before he had even finished the thought, he was running.

Had something slain his prince, surprising him unarmed? Is that why he was reaching for his weapon? Who? Or what? Another golem? A questing beast?

No, Merlin shook his head as he raced down the stairs and across the hall. It couldn't be, he couldn't go through that again. He couldn't lose him, he wouldn't! What would it cost him this time? Last time it had been his mother, then Gaius, but finally Nimueh, his arch enemy was the one sacrificed.

Nimueh... The very name tightened his throat. How many times had she threatened Arthur's life? His own life too, but she was dead now, he was sure of it; he had killed her, hadn't he?

Finally to his relief the huge door to not only outside, but to the answers he was craving appeared, and wasting no time he burst from the cold corridors, out onto the grass of the training field.

Running faster than he thought possible, Merlin pushed himself to his limit, only to fall to his knees the moment he reached Arthur's side.

With his heartbeat so loud in his ears, he only just about heard as his own name slip from Arthur's lips on a laboured breath.

"Merlin?"

A/n: So there we have it, just a short start to wet the taste buds, but I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you want to read more. Next update will probably be in a week. i do try and keep as regular as possiable with updates, unless the dreaded writer block strikes that is. :)

ok, so please leave me a review and let me know what you think, and untill next time Pp x