Hi! This is my first attempt at Merlin Fanfiction so please be nice. :) This is meant to be a bit of fun to just explore the characters.

I do not own Merlin which is a BBC production and any similarities to any other work is purely coincidental.

I hope you enjoy it and all reviews are welcome. :)

Percival

It was the week leading up to the summer solstice and everyone was in high spirits. At this time of year the nights were short and the days were long and the knights often had a bit of time off. This week they would rarely be on duty as a gift from Prince Arthur to his loyal knights. King Uther was still struggling in the aftermath of Morgana's betrayal but most people in the kingdom were happy for Arthur to run things.

Gwaine was cheerful and he'd had an idea. In the tavern he met up with his fellow knights and Merlin with a proposal.

'I want to play a game,' he said receiving doubting looks from the others. 'It'll be fun, I promise. We just need to go back to my room.' His enthusiasm was evident and the other knights decided to at least see what Gwaine was so happy about.

They arrived at Gwaine's chambers and soon they were all seated on the floor. Leon, Percival, Elyan, Lancelot, Merlin and Gwaine.

'It's simple really,' Gwaine held up a bottle. 'We spin the bottle and if it lands on you have to answer whether you want to be asked a truth or do a dare. Every night we spin the bottle and someone answers a truth and someone does a dare the next day.'

'What if two people say dare?' Merlin asked.

'The first person gets the choice and the second person has to do the opposite. So everyone in the end does a dare and answers a truth. If someone has already done both we spin again,' Gwaine smiled. 'Simple.'

'I don't know about this,' Leon shook his head.

'What could possibly go wrong?!' Gwaine enthused.

'Everything,' answered Lancelot.

'You don't have to play. It was just a suggestion,' Gwaine raised his eyebrows to dare anyone to say no. When no objections came Gwaine placed the bottle in the centre of the circle and sent it spinning.

Everyone held their breath as it spun and it landed on Lancelot.

'Truth or Dare? Bear in mind you will have to do both,' Gwaine smiled. Lancelot felt uneasy as he already had on big secret he would not allow anyone to know. His love for Gwen. That would stay a secret.

'Truth,' he replied.

'Alright. You get to choose who asks you,' Gwaine was clearly enjoying this.

'As this is your game Gwaine, you can ask,' Lancelot prayed he would not ask something awkward.

'Ok. I think you get the easy question as by tomorrow we'll have thought up better ones,' Gwaine replied. 'Who is your best friend here?'

Lancelot considered the men in front of him. All of them good friends and loyal to a fault but there was one man who he trusted beyond all others. A man he shared his deepest secrets with and he with him.

'You know we are all good friends,' he started, 'but my best friend is...Merlin,' he smiled and placed his arm around his friend and Merlin reciprocated.

'Not Merlin!' Percival whined mockingly while Gwaine feigned tears. Elyan and Leon just shook their heads with broad smiles on their faces. Lancelot was secretly happy his truth time was over.

'Alright Lancelot. Spin the bottle,' Gwaine declared.

Lancelot took the bottle and spun it quickly. As it slowed it stopped on Percival.

'Now Percival, because Lancelot chose truth you must do a dare,' Gwaine was truly relishing this. Percival groaned. 'Pick someone,' Gwaine ordered.

Percival looked around. Who did he trust not to give him a stinker of a dare?

'Elyan,' he declared hoping that his friend would be kind to him.

Elyan smiled as he considered and then a thought came to him. Percival was worried as the smile changed on Elyan's face. He was in trouble.

'Tonight is the first in the series of the feasts and I heard that cook was going to make a big apple pie,' Elyan smiled. 'I dare you to steal it.'

'But it hasn't been baked yet!' Percival exclaimed.

'Exactly,' Elyan grinned back. Percival sighed. Somehow he was going to have to get into the kitchen and steal the pie with everyone around. This was going to be impossible.

Percival lay awake most of the night trying to think about how he could distract everyone to try and steal the pie. He wouldn't let himself be known as a coward for not trying. Pride was at stake.

He rose early and wandered through the halls and onto the training field. He suddenly heard some mewing and remembered that a cat had had a litter of kittens recently. Percival didn't want to mistreat the animals but the mother wasn't around and the kittens were adorable. He judged that they were old enough not to be completely dependent on the mother. He looked around again and quickly found a box to put them in.

He heard hissing and turned to find the mother stood behind him ready to pounce. Luckily Percival tended to carry meat with him as he often got hungry and quickly tempted the mother into the box with some ham. She took it gratefully and snuggled down next to her young.

Percival carefully picked up the box and started to carry it near to the kitchens. He knew he would have to wait for the pie to be baked but he could already smell the glorious waft of baking coming from inside. He decided to take the cat and her kittens to his room. He would make sure he kept some of his breakfast for her.

Percival kept some more ham from his breakfast for the cat and passed by the kitchens on the way to his room.

'The pie will ready in an hour,' he heard cook declare and he smiled. He only had to wait an hour.

Back in his room the cat was happily cleaning her offspring and seemed to hold no hostility towards him. He felt slightly guilty over what he was about to do.

An hour and a half later he made another trip towards the kitchens but this time detoured to the hole in the celling that he and Gwaine often used to steal food. He could see the apple pie resting on the counter and knew the time was right.

He moved back to his room and collected the cats and placed them outside of the door to the kitchen and knocked. Instantly the women of the kitchen moved to the door and were soon making fuss of the adorable cats.

Percival slipped into the kitchen and saw the apple pie in front of him. It was indeed large but he was large man and could easily carry it. He stooped over to pick it up when he heard a throat clear

'Don't even think about it.' Percival turned to see cook staring straight at him with a look of fury on her face. She was brandishing a wooden spoon like a weapon and quite frankly Percival was scared.

'So. Sir. Percival,' she said each word as if it angered her more. 'You think you're the first to try and steal one of my special pies?' Percival shook his head.

'Good, cos you're not! Every time there's a feast one of you knights thinks it's ok to steal my food!' Her voice was rising now and she was almost in Percival's face even though she was much shorter.

'GET OUT!' she roared and started whacking Percival on his backside with the wooden spoon. Ordinarily he would be much faster but his size and the size of the kitchen meant he was slowed considerably. She kept whacking and Percival was sure he was going to struggle to sit down after this.

He finally exited the kitchen and saw the women crowded around the cat who was looking rather displeased by the attention.

He scooped up the box, 'Sorry ladies,' he said as he whisked the cat and kittens away. The cat was staring beadily at him as if she wanted to attack but wasn't sure.

'Sorry,' Percival said to her as he placed the box back in his room. He again brought some meat over to her as well as some water. The cat looked at him haughtily but soon took the food and allowed him to stroke her. She relaxed back down in the box with the kittens mewing.

Not only had he failed and been whacked on the backside but he had also inherited a cat. He shook his head and made to sit on his bed before realising how much that hurt. If his bed was hurting his bruised bottom then how was he going to sit through the feast!

The feast had been going on for two hours already when the desserts and the apple pie were brought into the hall.

'Percival?' Elyan questioned. 'Why can I see the apple pie?' Elyan could barely hold back his laughter.

Percival was aware that the knights' attention was on him and even Merlin had sauntered over.

'I got caught,' he admitted which was followed by laughter. 'She whacked by backside with a wooden spoon!' Cue even more laughter.

'That would explain why you look so uncomfortable, my friend,' Lancelot placed his hand softly on Percival's shoulder. Percival looked into Lancelot's eyes and could some semblance of sympathy. He was grateful.

'I have also inherited a cat,' he added which caused Gwaine to spit out some wine in laughter. Percival himself smiled slightly as he realised he did have a new companion. His spirits were improved.

The feast passed without any misdemeanours although Lancelot proved that Gwaine wasn't the only one that could drink.

They returned to Gwaine's room for the next chapter of spin the bottle. Percival was secretly glad that his turn was out of the way although he was sure his backside would be sore for many days to come.

'Percival, it's your turn to spin,' Gwaine grinned as Percival set the bottle in motion.

TBC

A/N: If anyone has any tips about the characters or writing I will be happy to receive them. Any ideas for dares are also welcome and will be credited if used. Please be aware that this is a T rating. :)