A/N While thinking over the next chapter of "It's a hard life" I came up with this idea and couldn't keep my fingers off the keyboard :)

So here's the setup: Uther's dead *smirks evilly*, Arthur's the King, Merlin's the Court Magician and magic is obviously back in town.

Hope you like it, and if you do, please review

Just ring the bell

The moment he saw the glint in Arthur's eyes he knew it was a bad idea. He suddenly had a strong feeling that he would regret his proposition but he couldn't back down now, when his King was holding the silver bell up to his eye and watching it intently.

"So you're saying I just have to ring the bell when I need you and you'll hear it wherever you are?" Despite Merlin being the Court Magician for more than a year now Arthur still could hardly believe his clumsy manservant was so strong.

"Yes, the bell is enchanted and I'll hear it and know where you are in an instant" Merlin sighed "But remember to use it only when you really need me"

"Right…"

Merlin hadn't even had a chance to reach the hall when he heard the bell ringing in his head, so he turned on his heal and hurried back to the King's room. When he saw Arthur staying by the window and looking at the bell curiously he cursed the day the idea of the bell came to him.

"Anything I can do to help, sire?" his voice was laced with sarcasm.

"Oh, you're quick! I was just checking if it worked" to prove his words Arthur shook the bell and Merlin winced at the intensity of the sound "Don't do that, please" He suddenly understood that he willingly gave Arthur the perfect instrument of torture.

Merlin's fears proved to be true when later that night he was summoned to King's chambers by the irritating sound in his head.

"This is better be serious Arthur!" when the magician stormed into the room he saw the King wearing only his trousers standing in front of the wardrobe.

"Of course it's serious! I have to be at the feast in half an hour and I can't choose the appropriate shirt!" Arthur looked at his friend like Merlin was his only hope.

"You must be kidding…" Merlin slapped a hand to his face and rubbed it for a few seconds before choosing the red shirt and black coat for Arthur t wear. "Remember I told you to call me only when you really need me? This includes situations when your life is in danger, not when you don't know what to wear!" After making his point clear Merlin stormed out of the room and went back to his own duties.

Merlin was soundly asleep when his dream was interrupted by an annoying noise which he knew was a bell. He teleported to King's chambers without even changing his sleeping attire.

What he found there was slightly tipsy Arthur, who was lying on his bed still ringing the silver bell.

"I can't see any murderer hiding under your bed" The Court Magician crossed his hands at his chest and looked skeptically at Arthur.

"Merlin, I'm sooo lonely…" the blond was slurring words and looked at his friend with his best puppy-eye expression. "Tell me a story?"

"What?"

"Or maybe you could show me a few tricks?" Arthur winked at Merlin who was getting angrier by the second.

"Right, how do you like this trick?" with that Merlin cast a sleeping spell on the King and with an angry huff teleported away.

Next morning Merlin was casting a strong and very intricate spell on one of his potions to make it cure almost any kind of poison. He had to concentrate and stir the liquid a certain number of times for it to work. Unfortunately Arthur chose this exact moment to use the magic bell. As a result Merlin used the wrong word and the potion bubbled and blew up covering the magician from head to toe with a green sticky substance.

So when he transported to Arthur's room he was ready to kill anyone he met, even if it was King himself.

"What now?" he practically screamed when he saw no one but Arthur in the room. The King winced at the volume.

"Would you please be quiet, I'm suffering a terrible hang-over here"

"Shouldn't have drank that much last night then" Merlin couldn't be angry with Arthur for too long especially when the latter was suffering. "So what do you need, Arthur?"

"Have you seen Excalibur? I have to bestow knighthood today, but can't find the sword anywhere."

"You lost the enchanted sword?" Merlin gaped. "I thought you slept with it!"

"I think that would be a little troublesome. So do you know where it is?" Arthur frowned "I have to hurry. The ceremony will start in an hour."

Merlin looked around the room and spotted a few piles of clothes covering the floor, accompanied by books and scrolls of parchment.

"What does your servant do? Has he never tried to clean the room?" Merlin closed his eyes and concentrated on the feeling of magic Excalibur emanated, and soon the sword was found under the pile of King's dirty shirts. "Make your servant clean this chamber or do it yourself. Just don't call me when you're not in danger" The Court Magician put the sword on the table and tiredly left the room before Arthur had a chance to thank him.

Merlin was beyond irritated. He hadn't had a good night's sleep since he presented the bell to Arthur. He was tired and angry and his greatest desire was to melt the magic bell, preferably while Arthur was still holding it.

So when he heard the bell ring again, he made up his mind and decided he didn't have to hurry, so instead of wasting energy on teleporting he went to see the King on foot. However, when he entered the Great Hall he saw some of the courtiers being held hostages by bandits. And their leader was holding a knife to Arthur's throat.

"I see you didn't hurry to save your King, Emrys" the bandit's leader smiled and pushed Arthur into his throne and muttered a few magic words to keep the King in place. His accomplices enchanted the rest of the crowd in the Hall and circled Merlin. At that point the Court Magician was really angry – someone dared to threaten his King! They would be punished. His eyes flashed golden and after that no one had seen those bandits anymore.

Later, when Merlin was healing Arthur's wounds in his room he couldn't help but think that the King deserved a few bruises he got for torturing him with the magic bell. Obviously Arthur had another opinion on the matter. So he kept complaining and whining.

"The only time I really need help you decide to take your time and come only when I thought your stupid bell was broken."

That did it – Merlin finally snapped. And the next moment Arthur found himself small and fluffy with four paws and sitting in magician's lap.

"I think I found a better way to protect you, My lord. This way I'll be able to carry you in my pocket and always know that you're safe." Merlin smirked at the white blue-eyes kitten at his lap and tied a small silver bell around Arthur's neck.

The King wanted to yell, but everything that came from his mouth was quiet meows.

I'm going to kill you, Merlin! Yeah… Right after you stop scratching my tummy like that. And don't forget to rub behind the ear!

Ten minutes later anyone who was brave enough to come into King's chambers would be surprised to see the Court Magician sleeping soundly on the King's bed with a small ball of white fur purring contentedly on his chest.