Authors Note: Welcome to my new story! I have papers due these next two weeks so updates might be a bit slow, but I have a plot line to follow so it shouldn't be too bad! Thank you for coming! (I don't own Merlin, etc. etc...)

Chapter 1: Sixth Form Sorrows

Even though Gwen was on the ins with Lancelot, Merlin was not spared the wrath of the football players at Albion. They were miserable brutes, in his opinion, and when he collided with one while running to class he hoped his days weren't numbered.

"Where do you think you're going?" He growled, shoving Merlin away from him. Looking down at the pale boy, Valiant figured he could probably snap one of his gangly limbs in half.

"Oh, I don't know, class?" Came his exasperated response as he shook his head at the idiotic man. He didn't have time for this. The bus had only gone to city centre and he'd had to run the rest of the way, using every fibre of his being to still be grateful for going to a much more prestigious school...even if it was nearly an hour out of Ealdor. Turning on his heel Merlin headed for his classroom, hastily tucking in his shirt as he went but a meaty fist on his collar stopped him as he was yanked backwards.

"Did I say you could go?"

"And since when did you have any authority over my actions?"

"Listen your God damn bender..."

"Bender? Your vocabulary astounds me. Now if you'd please let me go." Merlin spat, twisting in his grip. Gwen always told him that he had no sense of self preservation, and as a large fist was raised, ready to crash into his pale face, Merlin began to think that maybe she was on to something.

"Gentlemen." The fist paused and Merlin found himself being dropped hurriedly as Mr. Becket looked at the two of them, "I believe class is about to start." He suggested as Merlin grinned, grabbed his bag and scurried in behind the teacher. While being a high performing student was prone to teasing, sometimes it did have its perks.

Tossing his bag on the floor, Merlin slid in next to a sandy haired boy who gave him a quick pat.

"I thought you'd missed the bus."

"No, it only went to city centre today so I had to run."

"Who'd you hit?"

"Valiant, but no worries mate, I sent him packing." And with that he grinned while Will simply rolled his eyes.

"Good morning Merlin." A quiet voice from behind him spoke up. Turning, Merlin smiled at Freya, a shy slip of a girl who sat behind him. He awarded her a large smile that stretched across his pale features, making her blush. This had always confused him. Sure, she was fit, but he wasn't particularly interested, but none the less.

"Morning Freya, are you okay?"

"I'm doing quite all right."

"I'm glad to hear."

Becket tapped on the board to catch their attention as they turned, "Now who can tell me about the propagandistic use of the Arthurian legends..."

Merlin's hand shot up.

Lunch was always an interesting time of day for Merlin. While most of the day he could get way with being in class and missing out on seeing most of the student population, lunch always presented the problem of everyone in one place at one time. Now, Merlin had assumed that everyone that ran Albion obviously had been to some form of school and he wondered how anyone would think it was a good idea to force the student body to congregate to one area to socialise. Especially when there was food involved. Just because they were dressed in button downs and pressed trousers meant absolutely nothing for the lack of maturity many of them could achieve. But since the weather was, miraculously, warm enough for them to sit outside he couldn't help but smile.

"You look happy!"

"I like it out here." Gwen smiled down at Merlin's answer. She knew her friend was more accustomed to the rural life and having to go to school in the city was sometimes difficult. Lancelot walked over, blocking the sun with his strong figure.

"Hello Lancelot."

"Afternoon Freya."

"Come on! Sit down Lance, you're blocking the sun!" Will cried out at him as the man laughed and laid out his jacket for Gwen to sit on. The group resisted the urge to roll their eyes at his chivalric display. It was sweet though, so they didn't mind too much.

"Merlin!" The raven haired boy looked up from his book at Gwen, eyebrows raised and mouth slightly open. "You can't just sit and read, you're with friends, talk with us." She smiled warmly as he looked slightly dismayed and put his book away. She frowned, "But you don't have to, you know, if you don't want to, because you can read, we don't mind."

"Gwen."

"What?"

"It's fine really, now, when are you and Lancelot getting married?" His eyebrows wriggled suggestively as she blushed and Lancelot wrapped a warm arm around her with a smile,

"A while! Now come on Merlin, tell us, you must have someone on your mind, those day dreaming looks can't just be from your books."

"Yeah! I bet Merlin fancies someone." Will chimed in traitorously.

"I don't!"

"Sure, I've seen your eyes linger on the football blokes..." And with that, Lancelot and Freya both blushed as Merlin tackled Will, whacking him on the head lightly as they tussled in the grass.

"Hey, the peasantry is fighting." A snide tone called out across the grass. A few of the groups of students looked over at Merlin and Will as the they stopped, looking to see where the voice had come from. Merlin's eyes landed on Valiant first as Will carefully untangled himself from his friend.

"Shove off Valiant."

"What, so you and your boyfriend can have some alone time?"

"Oh come off it." Merlin stood up, brushing the grass off his front as Gwen tried to quietly tell him to stop, "Having some insecurities?"

"What the hell are you going on about?" Valiant advanced as Lancelot stood up, looking around for the rest of his team. Most of them were now paused, watching Valiant who seemed to have wandered off from an impromptu scrimmage. More of the students had paused their activities to see if a fight would break out - it had happened before.

"Are you hiding something? If you want, you can come out to me, a lot easier than teasing me to get your wanton desires off your chest." Merlin hissed, he was so fed up with them, the entitled, arrogant brats. Valiant's eyes flashed dangerously as he started forward again, arms tense, ready to strike as Lancelot moved forward to get between them. But a voice called out across the grass, breaking through the tense silence and stopping everyone.

"Valiant! I need my centre back." Merlin broke his stare with Valiant to look past his shoulder, towards the group playing football. Arthur, he thought, looking at the blonde. He was dressed in dark jeans and a burgundy polo that clung to a sculpted chest. His blonde hair was swept to the side and he caught Merlin's gaze in powerful blue eyes. The tone left no room for discussion, and as a Pendragon he didn't even need the authority of team captain to make an order like that. But it was a good ruse to diffuse the situation without humiliating Valiant. Merlin hadn't realised he was staring until Valiant snarled, breaking his concentration as he leaned towards him.

"Next time." He growled, turning on his heel and storming off to his team mates. Looking back up Merlin caught Arthur's eyes on him again, and for some reason he blushed. Why was he looking at a Pendragon! Why was a Pendragon looking at him for God's sake? But then Lancelot's hand was on his shoulder,

"Merlin?" He asked softly, eyes imploring as Merlin schooled his confused look and replaced it with a soft smile,

"Sorry."

"Just be careful." He warned, sitting back down with Gwen. The group was now suspiciously quiet as Will looked over his shoulder towards Arthur, then back to Merlin.

"I was just kidding earlier, but, really mate, if you really fa-" Merlin cut him off.

"I don't fancy anyone." His voice was tight, and he let out a huff of air and grabbed his book. "I'm going to go to the library, I'll see you next class."

With that he stood, heading across the grass towards the buildings. The sun was warm on his back and he tried to ignore the murmurs he heard behind him. It was nothing new, he told himself, just a part of the routine. Look at his ears, look at his ratty shoes, look at the fag. It almost didn't bother him anymore. Merlin knew, he really did, that he was destined for better things. His Uncle Gaius knew someone at the British Museum and he knew he'd be going to a good Uni no matter what he had to do to get there. That's why usually he either let the comments slide, or he fought back. Prats like Valiant, they expected everyone to lay at a dead faint at their feet, and Merlin refused to give it to them. He'd gone through years of teasing because he was too poor or too thin or too smart and he'd gained a fiery disposition. But still, that didn't mean he liked to fight and leaving for the peace and quiet of the library was a welcome idea.

Looking up he walked a wide berth around the men kicking the ball back and forth. His eyes were drawn to Arthur, the blonde haired Adonis of Albion. Merlin had never met the boy, but everyone knew about Pendragon, a star football player destined for glory and expensive business suits and high society. His father was head of Camelot Corporation in London and he was rich as sin, but he had never bothered Merlin before. Probably because he was so obscenely low on the social ladder Arthur would have to stoop, and he figured a Pendragon did not stoop. But he understood the hype around Arthur, as much as he hated to admit it, because he really was gorgeous. Everything Arthur was, Merlin wasn't. He was tanned and strong with chiselled features that caught the eye of every girl, and Merlin felt a pang of inner conflict at feeling attracted to him.

As Arthur turned he met Merlin's gaze for a moment and kept it. It startled Merlin, who flushed at the thought of being caught looking but he couldn't seem to draw away his gaze. He watched as the young man panted, tongue darting out to wet his lips. Watching his eyes Merlin noticed them widen softly as Arthur's mouth opened to say something. But Merlin didn't hear it as the football collided with the side of his head. The whole world tilted as an overwhelming static enveloped him, bring on a nauseousness that only increased as black crept around his vision. But he knew no more as it finally overtook him and his body hit the grass.

When Merlin finally came to his senses the first thing he noticed was the painful throbbing in his head. It felt as if his brain were being rhythmically inflated against the confines of his skull and the pressure and pain behind his eyes made him wince. Voices filtered in and out, someone asking if they should get a nurse, quiet whispers, snickering? Taking a deep breath and steeling himself for the pain he knew would spike, Merlin forced his eyes open.

The figure in front of him was blurry and the brightness produced a dull ache in his eye sockets. Blinking, his hands grasped at the grass as the figure became more clear and with startling clarity Merlin realised it was Arthur. He yelped, trying to sit up quickly but as his blue eyes were suddenly clouded again he couldn't manage and a hand shot out to support his back.

"Easy there, " Lancelot coaxed, "Just lay down for another minute or two until your senses come back." This wasn't hard for Merlin to do and he settled back down and closed his eyes, waiting for the world to stop spinning around him. When he finally felt he could try again, he opened his eyes and with Lancelot's help he managed to sit up, rubbing the side of his face gingerly where he knew a bruise would form. He could remember staring at Arthur and he thought he was about to say something when...Oh, he thought, He was about to warn me. Looking up he saw Arthur brooding with an expression mixed between annoyance and possibly...concern? Reaching out he extended a hand to Merlin, looking some what exasperated as Merlin stared at the hand for what seemed like an eternity before grabbing it and being pulled to his feet.

"Good thing your ears slowed you on your way down, if you hit the ground any harder I'm sure you would have broken in half." Arthur teased, but there was a lack of malice in his voice. Flushed, Merlin stuttered for a moment, trying to come up with a thank you as he untangled his hand from Arthur's, but nothing coherent came out.

"Merlin!" Gwen exclaimed, pulling his attention away, "I went and let the nurse know but since you're up I'll just walk you there myself." Her voice tapered off as she noticed Merlin wincing at the volume. He slowly turned and watched as Valiant gave him a smug look, his buddies patting his shoulder as the young men turned to gather their football and head back to class. Arthur gave him one last calculating look, something Merlin couldn't place, until he finally turned around and looked at Valiant,

"If you miss a goal by that much again I swear to God I'll put you on the sidelines..." He muttered, and Merlin had the nagging feeling that Arthur was protecting him.

That feeling easily subsided as Merlin had the misfortune of running into Arthur on a daily basis. Merlin had always thought he was lucky, blessed with a high level of intelligence and wit, but now he doubted this as the fates toyed with him.

It was Friday and the third time he'd had the displeasure of meeting Arthur in less than ideal circumstances. He'd tripped over him Monday, opened a door into him Wednesday and it was now Friday and he had just tripped over Arthur's leather satchel, falling and catching the man's tray of food on his way to the floor. As he hit the floor he cursed softly, but was glad it wasn't too hard of a fall - until Arthur's lunch tray, plate and glass of cola came showering down to his back and head. The glass thunked dully against his skull, spilling its sugary contents on his head as the burning hot jacket of cheese and beans splattered painfully against his neck and back. He quickly shot up off his front and wiped furiously at the food that was burning his neck as cola dripped onto his face and in his eyes. The laughter was positively raucous and Merlin could feel a blush burning across his cheek bones and up over his ears.

"You know..." A voice came from behind him, "When you took that ball the face last week I thought perhaps you were unlucky. But after all this I'm starting to think you're simply an idiot. Did your mother drop you on your head repeatedly as a child." Arthur said coldly as Merlin turned around to regard the young man. His blue eyes were unamused as he stood up, looking down at his shoes which had a splatter of soda on them. "Do you have any idea how much these cost?"

Merlin had been about to apologise but when he heard that remark he stopped and brought his lips together in a thin. It wasn't his fault that the clot pole had left his bag out in the walkway. Looking at the blonde haired prat he looked down at his shoes, then back up to his face.

"Then you probably ought to wipe them off." He replied as Arthur's jaw clenched and the room had gone quiet. Gwen put her forehead in her palm and shook it softly. Merlin waited for Arthur's response but when he figured people didn't normally talk to him like that, he continued, "Oh, I'm sorry, your ego probably wouldn't fit through the door of the loo."

"Oh shit..." Was all Will could offer as Arthur stepped forward,

"What did you say to me?"

"So it effects your hearing too?"

"You can't talk to me like that, do you know who I am?"

"Yes, I thought you were a normal person, but you're actually an enormous prat."

"You can't talk to me like that!" Arthur exclaimed again, unsure of what to do with the bean pole of a young man who dared talk back to him. This just didn't happen and everyone in the room watched with bated breath.

"Oh, I"m sorry, you are an enormous prat, milord." He countered sarcastically, bowing slightly as he still dripped with Arthur's lunch. Merlin had thought he was different and in his attraction to the man he'd foolishly forgotten the nonsense the blonde took part in daily. How he could tease anyone, say anything and do nothing but glide past his peers on the favour of every faculty member. The brief illusion Merlin had created after the football incident had just shattered painfully.

"Just because everyone else kisses the ground you walk on and ignores your behaviour doesn't mean you're not just a pompous brat. Just because everyone else is too afraid to stand up to you because you can run home to Daddy doesn't mean I am. You're a bully, plain and simple. So I do know who you are Arthur Pendragon, you are a complete and utter arse."

When he finished his cheeks were flushed and his hands were shaking. Arthur was stock still, but his friends had stood up behind him and the air was thick with tension. Merlin could have been mistaken because of Arthur's next move, but for a moment he thought he saw something in those blue eyes, something akin to realisation or hurt. But he didn't have much time to think about it as Arthur looked back at his friends who were beginning to pick up various food stuffs.

"Well then Merlin. I guess I'll just have to teach you a lesson." And with that Arthur stepped aside with a smirk as the table of his mates pelted Merlin with food.