Three things: One, I am terribly sorry for waiting forever and a day to post this, or update anything else.

Two, I still own no part of Merlin.

Three, this episode had too much innuendo for me not to write this.

Aaaaaand, go!

VVVVVVV

As I walked through the lower town, watching the peasants mill about on the streets amongst dust and the squeals of various livestock, I noticed a face that had been stuck in my head, occupying all of my recent thoughts. I couldn't resist calling out to him, trying to get his attention for a brief moment. "How's your knee walking coming along?" I taunted, receiving a laugh from those around me. The idiot, Merlin, completely ignored my jibe, however, and continued walking in the opposite direction. Did he still not understand just who I was, or realize the authority I had over him? I called out again, laughing, making my tone light to mask my frustration with the idiotic, intriguing man who dared challenge my actions. "Oh, don't run away!"

"From you?" he responded, not yet turning to face me. Sarcastically, to hide my genuine pleasure at hearing his voice again, I said, "Ah, thank God. I thought you were deaf as well as dumb."

There was barely a pause before he began, "Look, I told you you're an ass; I just didn't realize you were a royal one." Turning slowly to face me, he raised his eyebrows at the men crowded around me and continued, "Oh what are you going to do? Get your daddy's men to protect you?" He leaned backward, mockingly smiling.

I barked a laugh which the knights surrounding me echoed. "I could take you apart with one blow," I chuckled condescendingly, completely aware of both meanings one could give the statement.

"I could take you apart with less than that," he replied, and I found, to my slight surprise and possible horror, that I very much wanted to find out if there was truth to his words.

"You sure?" I frowned, shrugging, hiding my desire to test the lanky youth's threat through sinful, forbidden methods.

A look of determination settled on Merlin's face, and he suddenly yanked off his jacket, much to the amusement and interest of myself and those around us. I tossed him a mace, saying, "Here you go, big man," and he fumbled to catch it, a flash of embarrassment and possible nervousness in his eyes before he bent down to retrieve the fallen weapon. I expertly raised and swung the mace over my head and something unfamiliar squirmed in the pit of my stomach at the apprehension on Merlin's face as I informed him, "I've been trained to kill since birth," with one eyebrow quirked arrogantly. The menacing clank and whooshing sounds of the chain on the mace echoed between us.

"Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat?" he retorted, grinning cheekily, seemingly recovered from his moment of unease.

Slightly incredulous and oddly thrilled by his lack of respect for me, I replied, laughing, "You can't address me like that." He looked at his feet in a show of remorse, mumbling with an edge of mirth, "Sorry- h-how long have you been training to be a prat," he paused, looking up at me through dark lashes, the upward quirk of the corners of his mouth betraying his otherwise innocent expression- my breath hitched for a moment, my filthy imagination in grave danger of carrying me away- "my Lord."

I gave myself a shake and turned to my friends, smiling with my eyes crinkled, my face a picture of amused disbelief. Everyone on the street had paused to play spectator, and they all chuckled along with Merlin, who looked far too smug for my liking. I struck out, lashing the mace towards Merlin's head; he ducked down a mere second before the spikes collided with his head, and I definitely did not inwardly breathe a sigh of relief. Merlin was now openly expressing his fear and he darted backward, not taking his eye from the swinging weapon in my grip. He quickly lost his own mace to a basket hanging from a cart in our path and I, in a moment of mercy, gave him a few seconds to regain his footing so he could at least back away on his feet.

I cornered him in a barn*, smirking and laughing lowly, "You're in trouble now." But as I stared predatorily down at the sight of Merlin sprawled atop a mess of dirt and hay, his startlingly blue eyes stretched wide and his chest rapidly rising and falling in time with his panting breath, I realized I was in trouble as well.

My appreciation was cut short, however, by my mace becoming tangled on a cart, and Merlin leapt up, smiling widely in relief, and he hurried away from me in search of cover. Suddenly obstacles were seemingly leaping out in front of me each time I came any nearer to my flitting target. A rope pulled taut and brought me flat on my face, and my mace slipped from my hand. Merlin was quick to snatch it up and began rotating it threateningly. I jumped to my feet and backed away, never taking my eyes off the lethal metal Merlin brandished as he shouted, "Do you give up? Do you? Do you want to give up?"

My foot found its way into a bucket and I fell onto my back and into the same position I trapped Merlin in earlier. He looked around at the gathered crowd, breathless and triumphant, and I seized my moment to retaliate. I grabbed a broom propped against the wall and expertly swept Merlin's feet from under him and gave him a smack to the head, effectively knocking him back to the ground. I swept a bit of dirt over him to drive home that I had won and mock him slightly for believing he could have won. As guards grabbed his arms and dragged him up, preparing to haul him to the stocks or the dungeons, I held up a hand to stop them.

"Wait," I ordered, eyeing Merlin who still looked breathless and wary. "He may be an idiot, but he's a brave one." When our gazes were level, I paused, shaking my head slightly at him as I continued, "There's something about you, Merlin." Another pause as I unashamedly looked him over again. "I can't quite put my finger on it," I finished quietly, turning away, trying to put the image of his expressive, grateful sapphire eyes out of my head.

Something indeed.

VVVVVVV

*had no idea what else to call it :c

Again, so sorry about the months of waiting! D: Forgive me!

(Scene is from 1x01, 'the Dragon's Call'.)

Thank you for reading! Review?