It wasn't a new or exciting wonder to see Arthur in some sort of tourney. In fact, it seemed to happen every other week, though Merlin knew his mind to be exaggerating. It wasn't new, either, a fight to the death. Unfortunately, Arthur seemed to get into "to death" situations far more than Merlin wanted. He was going to get grey hair at this rate.

The difference here was that Arthur wasn't really going to fight and Merlin was tempted to try to blast down the barrier. He did try, attempting to be discrete as he muttered spells at the barrier. No luck. He wasn't surprised but it didn't change the fact that he wanted to go hit Arthur in his thick head.

Merlin groaned and tried to tell himself that win or lose, Arthur would come back out of this.