"Ouch! Merlin!"

"Sorry, Morgana! Sorry! But you're so tense-"

Uther stopped in his tracks and walked two steps back before flinging the door open without warning, the sound of the door hitting something so hard that it made a sound of wood cracking.

"What is going on here?" the king demanded, taking the scene with scrutiny where the Lady Morgana and the servant, Merlin, sat on a chaise, his ward leaning forward with her elbows resting on the armrest while the boy had his hands on her shoulder from behind.

"Oh, Your Majesty!" someone exclaimed, and when the King turned around, it was Morgana's maidservant, Gwen, who just stood up from her seat at one corner of the room, "We- was just - he-"

"Merlin was giving me a massage, Uther." Morgana said, cutting off the girl's stammer, "I had a bad night and Gwen says Merlin's massages might help ease the tension a bit."

Uther arched a sceptical eyebrow at that. "And Gaius approves of this method?"

"Oh entirely, sire," Gwen replied quickly, "It's pretty effective so far with the others."

"Others?"

Gwen's mouth moved without making a proper sound while Merlin's eyes widened at her undeliberate betrayal. "Umm..."

Five knights stared at each other from their seats at one of the dining tables in the soldier's common room, none willing to budge, until the blonde leaned back with his arms crossed against his chest.

"I get him on Mondays and Fridays," said Arthur.

"But that means we have to split three days among the rest of us!" protested Sir Leon.

"We would've had more days with him if we didn't listen to his insistence at having 2 days off," Gareth grumbled lowly.

"He needs his rest," Arthur told them, "I don't want to listen to him whine and does a weak work because he's tired."

"You're too soft on him, Arthur," Ector groused.

"Shut up and decide," the prince ordered, "or you're out."

Suddenly, a soldier came running towards their table and after a few excrutiating moments of trying to get his breath to speak, finally reported, "The King found out! He's already told Gaius that Merlin is to attend him on the first night of the each week before supper!"

The prince and the knights stared at the soldier and then at each other before letting their shoulders slump in dejection.

"Damn it."

--- end XD