The Shadow of the Moon

Chapter 7

As the day wore on the spring sun was back at its burning peak. The knights rode their way through the dusty woods griping about the heat. The dust grimed their clothes and hair and their skin. As they rode on their chatter turned to their grimy condition, throwing grips to the front where Arthur rode.

"What is that small?" Elyan asked with fake innocence

"I think it's Gwaine" said Percival, pretending to think about it and screwing up his face at his compatriot.

"Oi!" Gwaine called with a shout.

"I think it's all of us" Mordred said pointedly, finding his confidence.

Eventually Arthur turned to the pack with a sigh.

"Fine. We'll bath... it's not like we have a pressing engagement to get to to save my kingdom!" the knights cheered collectively. He looked miffed and then with an after thought turned to Merlin.

"Merlin, where take us to the nearest river!" He commanded.

"Why do you think I know where the river is? Merlin shot back. Arthur glared at him, mouthing something that looked like ask a squirrel. As they stared at each other.

"There's one just ahead" Merlin muttered, pointing in a general direction.

"....Thank you Merlin" the king responded primly and trotted his horse in the direction Merlin had pointed.

In no time they reached the river, clear and fresh and running fresh and icely sparkling in the beaming sunlight.

"Last one in smells like Gwaine's socks!!" Percy yelled as he hared to the river, jumping in with a great splash.

"Oi!!" Gwaine cried, dashing to join his friend, a blur of brown and white as he pelted to the twinkling water's edge. Laughing, the other men followed, striping down to their smalls as they dove into the placid waters.

Arthur felt himself flush as he tried not to look at Merlin, who he noticed was much less gangly and now more filled out with fine muscle moving in his arms and back as he undressed. Almost without him wanting them to or allowing or thinking that he wanted to do what they did, his eyes slid over to Merlin's ivory body as he relished in the sun. Suddenly there eyes met and Arthur turned away hurriedly pulling his unlaced white shirt over his head to hid his face.

After the group cleaned themselves, they started splashing each other in horseplay and tomfooling around in the river. Artur leaned back in the sunshine, letting the water carry his weight.

"You know the only thing that would make this better? Wine!" he said in muse. A murmur of agreement ran around the knights.

"It's a shame you insisted on drinking the last of it last night then, sire" Gwaine replied, splashing him without force.

"It would just set the whole afternoon off" Arthur continued, ignoring the knight's cheek. From were Merlin bathed, eyes glued to the king he felt his magic trickle and zap into the back that was still attached to his saddle. He sighed inwardly, trying to ignore it. The magic zapped him again, like the sting of a bee and with a soft whump from the shore he heard the saddlebag fall from his horse. He gritted his teeth.

"You know, I think I still have some in my bag." he mentioned innocuously.

"No,you don't Merlin. Gwaine and Percival finished it off yesterday." Arthur corrected finally sitting up in the water and looking at him with a gentle scathing look. Gwaine grinned broadly and Percival gave a sheepish moue. The magic zapped Merlin again.