"Really, Merlin. I knew you were dim but I had no idea you were this stupid."

Arthur teasingly pushed Merlin back on to the hard stone floor, where he had just dropped all of Arthur's freshly laundered shirts.

" Sorry Sire." Merlin said.

"Don't apologise to me. You're the one whose going to have to clean them all again." Arthur laughed at the simple pleasure that this fact gave him.

"Actually," Merlin said, "Gwen was on laundry duty today."

Arthur paused to think for a moment. The floor wasn't really that dirty.

" Well.., just make sure it doesn't happen again!"

With a hidden smirk, Merlin replied "Yes, My lord."

Arthur turned away from the sprawling mess on the floor that was Merlin and headed to his chamber window. His view was of a very busy and excited Camelot. Preparations had been in full swing for the Prince's upcoming birthday party. Arthur had always been very fond of his birthday in the past. It was always a very festive occasion for the entire kingdom. However, this year Arthur was having trouble joining in the celebration. The party would consist of a feast and a dance that all the noble families of Camelot, including Arthur's Knights, were invited to attend. But there was one person who Arthur wanted to celebrate with, but she would be present as a server and not a guest. Guinevere was one of the many people assisting in the preparations for the party, apparently in the laundry rooms. Every time Arthur saw how hard she had been working in the past few weeks, he had felt a stab of guilt in the pit of his stomach. His sympathies did not, however, extend to Merlin who seemed to be the busiest person in the kingdom these days. Arthur turned from the window to see him putting away the shirts that had just been retrieved from the floor.

" Aren't you done with that yet Merlin? Oh, and when you've finished ill need you to polish my armour again. Last time they still had finger prints on them. Honestly Merlin, its not that difficult to do something right the first time round." Arthur said with a deep frown on his face.

"Yes, My Lord." Merlin said with a sigh.

"What's this attitude, Merlin?" Arthur asked, his tone suddenly angry.

"I didn't say anything, Sire." Merlin said cringing away from the scolding that he could see coming.

"Don't be fresh with me Merlin! You've been acting like this for days. Tell me now or ill have you muck out the pig pen again." Arthur commanded.

"Well…" Merlin began cautiously. He decided it would be best to say this quickly. "To be honest you've been a bit of a prat the last few days, I've never seen you in such a bad mood, I thought you liked you birthday, but by the way you've been acting its like you don't even want a party, which is surprising because you always like parties……My Lord." Merlin actually closed his eyes ready for Arthur to belt him over the head.

Arthur didn't know what to say. He knew that he had been in a bad mood but he hadn't realised that anyone was watching him closely enough to notice.

"I'm sorry, Merlin. Your right, I haven't been myself lately and I have no justification for my actions." Arthur said sincerely.

Merlin had to suppress a grin. He knew exactly why Arthur had been in a bad mood. " Perhaps you would feel better if you could…..extend the guest list for you party."

Arthur looked at him confused "What are you talking about Merlin?"

"Nothing, its just I'm sure Guinevere wouldn't refuse an invitation if it came from you."

Arthur almost hit Merlin, but paused to think for a moment. "Don't be silly Merlin. Besides, you know my father would never allow it."

"Why would your father ever have to know?" Merlin asked with a cheeky grin.

"Now Merlin, I know you don't think the King is that careless that he would recognise one of his own household staff. He more attentive than you think!" Arthur said, feeling slightly uncomfortable at having to defend his fathers integrity again. He knew the king wasn't a perfect man but he honestly loved his kingdom, perhaps even more than he loved his own son.

" Well….. perhaps you could arrange to have it so that no-one at the party would be recognisable!" Merlin suggested.

Arthur was so used to Merlins hair brained ideas that he was ready to dismiss this one as quickly as the rest, but something about this idea sparked a thought in his mind.

"You know Merlin, that's not such a bad idea after all!"

Merlin looked up at his master confused "Its not?" But before he could get an answer, Arthur had left the room at almost a running pace.

Arthur reached the throne room already in an elevated mood. As the guards opened the doors for him and he glimpsed his father looking out a window at the town folk below, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of anticipation in the pit of his stomach.

Uther turned at the sound of his sons foot steps. "Ah, Arthur. Are you getting excited about your party. Iv just made the final preparations for your gift."

"Father I'd like to talk to you about my party!" Arthur asked quickly, trying to supress the massive grin that was threatening to ruin his plan befor it had even begun.

"Oh course, what is it?" Uther asked, expecting some outlandish request like a gigantic ice sculpture.

" I was thinking it might be……fun" Arthur said as casually as he could, "if we made it a masked ball!"

Uther was surprised at the maturity of his sons request. Arthur had always been proud of his parties, and Uther though this was a brilliant idea for making this night particularly memorable.

"Alright!" Uther said "I'll organise for someone to make the arrangements."

Arthur couldn't resist smiling. To cover he cleared his throat and said "That you Sire." he turned to leave but before he reached the door he was stoped by his fathers voice.

"Oh and Arthur. I think it would be appropriate for you to bring a…um, Lady friend to the ball. Your at an appropriate age where you can bring….Lady friends to your own personal events." Uther said rather awkwardly.

"Yes Sire." Arthur replied, already having the perfect girl in mind.

He knew she was in the laundry because Merlin had said she was on washing duty today. The room was busy and crowded when he arrived minuted later, having rushed to find Guinevere as soon as he could. As soon as he entered the room, however, everyone one stopped and stared at him. Arthur had been to the laundry on one other occasion in his life and he had been 6 and playing hide and seek at the time. His eyes scanned the room before he found his target. She was staring at him just as bewildered as everyone else in the room, and upon meeting her eye he felt his stomach do a familiar backward flip that seemed to happen more and more regularly these days.

" Ah hem," Arthur cleared his throat as he approached Guinevere. "Um, I need you for….something." He tried to give her a small wink so that she would know this wasn't actual work and she seemed to get the message quickly.

"Of course, My lord" She replied, curtseying and half smiling.

Arthur quickly turned on his heels and headed quickly for the door, Guinevere in tow.

They walked from one side of the castle to the other, Arthur keeping a steady pace and Guinevere trying to keep up. Once she asked "Where are we going?" and Arthur simply replied "You'll see." If she hadn't been able to detect the smile in his voice and the obvious change in mood from the past few weeks she would have been concerned. She knew his well enough by now to know that he was up to something, but she couldn't help but think that this might turn out to be an exciting little adventure.

Finally they turned a corner and entered a room that was full of the most beautiful fabrics and silks Guinevere had ever seem. Every colour and texture was surrounding her and several half made dresses hung on manikins around the large room. Guinevere looked up at Arthur, who now stood next to her smiling. A woman Guinevere has seen many time came out from behind a wall of fabric to greet them. This was the woman who made the Lady Morgana's dresses. What possible reason could Arthur have for bringing her here?

" Id like you to make Guinevere a dress. Spare no expense. I want this to be your top priority." Arthur said proudly.

Guinevere was confused "I'm sorry Sire, but why do I need a dress?"

A broad green spread across Arthur's face as he answered "Your coming with me to the Party. Its my birthday and I would like for you to be there."

Guinevere almost fell on the floor. She was amazed that she would actually be attending the party after she had been imagining it in her dreams for weeks. Before she could say anything Arthur brought her back to reality. "Well, go ahead get to work. You haven't got long. Oh, and shell need a mask and some shoes as well." and with that he turned to leave. But before he had left the corridor outside the chamber, Guinevere caught him.

"Arthur…" she said. It felt nice to say his name out loud, even if none was around to hear it but the two of them. He turned and looked at her.

She looked at him for a moment, taking in the freedom of their solitude. "Thankyou." she said. And before she knew what she was dong she had walked towards his and stood on her toes to kiss him gently on the cheek.

Arthur thought his heart had stoped and he couldn't breath. He watched he walk away, back to the seamstress and as he turned the corner he heard the woman say "I think blue would go beautifully with your skin tone, and it would match the Prince's eyes perfectly."