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“You know you were a bit harsh with the knights today, right?” Merlin threw a shirt over the side of the changing screen and then went over to the table to set out the late lunch he’d brought up.
A suppressed chuckle sounded from behind the screen, before a fully dressed Arthur appeared.
“I was nothing of the sort, Merlin. I wouldn’t expect a peasant to understand the intricacies of training proper knights.” Arthur mocked as he sat down at the table, holding out his cup.
Merlin rolled his eyes as he poured wine, freezing for a second before snapping back to the spilling beverage. Hiding a smirk, Merlin wiped the drops that’d escaped and backed away from the table.
“I bet they would want some revenge though.” He said, keeping his voice as neutral as possible, while slowly inching towards the door.
“They wouldn’t dare.” Arthur said absentmindedly while chewing on a piece of chicken. “I’m the King Merlin.”
“Oh I’m pretty sure they would.” Merlin chuckled. “You did quite a number on them, you know with the lake, rocks and all those barrels. Not to mention the chickens.”
“They wouldn’t.”
“I would bet an entire year’s worth of wages that they would.” Merlin shrugged, raising and eyebrow in challenge.
Almost at the door now.
Arthur laughed as he took another bite of chicken, washing it down with wine.
“So what, you would work the entire year for free if you lost?”
“Yep.”
Merlin could sense the door behind him now.
Arthur looked up and popped a grape into his mouth before leaning back and folding his arms and smirking, oozing royal confidence as always.
“Ok then. Double or nothing for a year. Time limit?”
“Oh I don’t know...” Merlin shrugged, sneaking a glance behind him. “How about five seconds?”
Next thing they knew, there was a large splash and Arthur shot up from from his chair, soaking wet and roaring profanities.
Six knights were perched on top of the bed frame, all holding an empty bucket with evil grins on their faces.
Merlin was out the door and off celebrating his raise.