Author's Note: his chapter switched to Merlin's POV. I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I still don't own Merlin & Arthur -I'm just borrowing them for a bit of non-profit fun.

"Really Merlin – it's as if you're not even trying."

Merlin groaned. His head was ringing again and he was lying on a particularly cold puddle of mud with a sharp rock digging into his shoulder but he couldn't move. The last blow to the head left him unable to see straight. He figured maybe if he just lay there Arthur would go find someone else to bother.

The last few days had been a nightmare for Merlin. Every time Arthur would so much as look in his direction he would scowl and stare at Merlin until the young warlock felt as if the prince was trying to see the magic in his bones. So he'd spent the week trying to be the best servant he could be, thinking that would put the prince at ease. He'd actually been on time each morning, had refrained from insulting the prince (out loud anyways) and had even mucked out the stalls without being asked – though to be fair that was mostly to get away from his scowling master. But despite all his efforts - or in retrospect perhaps because of them – their tenuous friendship had been replaced by a strained tension. Merlin kept waiting for Arthur to change his mind and arrest him and Arthur seemed to be waiting for Merlin to do something evil, since that's what sorcerers were supposed to do.

Arthur's way of dealing with any sort of tension of course was to hit something with a sword. Since he had barely let Merlin out of his sight all week, the logical 'something' in this case was Merlin. So after finishing practice with the knights Arthur had dragged his poor servant out to the training grounds to use as a practice dummy.

"Come on – get up Merlin, quit lazing about" Arthur commanded.

Merlin groaned as he staggered to his feet and called Arthur several names under his breath. He looked around at the deserted practice grounds. It was late in the day and most people were probably enjoying a nice hot supper. His shoulder hurt and he could barely lift his sword. He decided he'd had just about enough of Arthur bashing him with various weapons.

"Right. This time try and put some effort into it would you Merlin?"

The weary warlock looked up at Arthur and saw the prince was smirking. Fine. If the arrogant prat wanted him to actually try and beat him then that's just what he would do.

"As you wish sire." Merlin grinned. This might actually be fun for once.

Arthur raised his sword and swung it at Merlin's head. The young sorcerer reacted instinctively. He didn't raise his sword, but his eyes glowed gold and Arthur's sword bounced harmlessly away from him. Arthur looked shocked but recovered quickly and tried to come around for another blow. Once again the sword bounced off and this time Merlin gave a little magical shove and Arthur was thrown back off his feet to land in a patch of mud as Merlin leaned nonchalantly on his sword attempting to look bored.

"Really Arthur – it's as if you weren't even trying. Come on get up – and this time put some effort into it." Merlin teased. Part of him was nervously wondering if he'd just signed his death warrant, but if they were ever to go back to the way things were, Merlin figured he better go back to behaving like himself. Besides he was tired of constantly getting pummeled and knocked about the training field when he was actually quite capable of defending himself.

Arthur just looked up at him in shock. "You used magic against me! You swore you would never use magic against me!"

"I was merely following your orders sire." Merlin tried his best to look completely innocent. "You told me to put some effort into it. So I did. You're not hurt, and besides, I did warn you when we first met- I can take you out with less than one blow."

The prince was not one to back down from such a blatant challenge, and certainly not one issued by his clumsy servant, even if said servant was a sorcerer. Without warning he kicked Merlin's feet out from under him, sending him sprawling into the mud. Arthur leapt to his feet and brought his sword around to point at Merlin's chest and smiled. "That was pure luck. You can't actually think you can beat me."

Merlin shoved the sword away and got back up wearing an identical smile to Arthur's and readied himself for the next attack. This time Arthur tried a feint before lunging in, but Merlin was ready. With a flash of gold in his eyes time slowed down and Merlin easily stepped out of the way of the blow and moved around behind Arthur. Arthur spun around but was hit in the face by a flying clump of mud. Merlin muttered a few words and Arthur's sword started tapping repeatedly on Arthur's helmet.

"Why are you hitting yourself sire?" Merlin asked with obvious delight at the chance for a bit of revenge after years of being Arthur's practice target.

Arthur flung his helmet aside and his sword followed it, still hitting the empty helmet as Arthur tackled Merlin bodily to the ground before the warlock could react. The prince managed to shove a handful of mud in Merlin's face as the two of them wrestled in the mud before he was pushed back off by a strong force followed by more mud flying in his direction. As Merlin was still wiping the mud out of his eyes though the flying projectiles missed and splattered into the trees behind them. The two boys sat catching their breath, covered in mud and smiling at each other.

"Right. No enchanting my sword. Or my armour, or my shield or me." Arthur may have been trying to sound annoyed but Merlin knew he was enjoying this new challenge. There was nothing that Arthur liked better than a challenge he could meet with a sword. And Merlin had to admit he was enjoying actually having someone to practice his combat magic with, and even more he was happy to just be himself. He looked up at the prince with a grin and found that his friend was looking at him thoughtfully as if suddenly comming up with a new plan which Merlin was sure meant trouble for him one way or another.

"You know Merlin, it could actually be useful to have a sorcerer handy to practice on, there do seem to be enough sorcerers out there who try to attack me."

"I can't think why any sorcerer would want to attack you sire. It's not like you're an arrogant, over bearing, supercilious pra-" Merlin was cut off by another handful of mud as the smiling Prince lunged to reclaim his wayward sword and begin another attack in defence of his besmirched honour.

They stayed out on the practice field until there was no light left to aim a sword or spell. By the time they headed back to the castle, both young men were covered in mud, tired, sporting a few new bruises and smiling from ear to ear.