Chapter One
The moment Mithian saw the white towers of Camelot she smiled contently. It had been a rough few months with the attempted takeover by the Saxons. But now that peace had been restored and her father back in power, she had willingly taken up the offer by Guinevere to stay in Camelot for a while.
Mithian and Guinevere had begun to write reguarlary since the latter had become Arthur's Queen. It made Mithian smile when she remembered how awkward she'd felt the first time she was back in Camelot, after Arthur had broken off the engagement with Mithian. She worried herself thinking that Guinevere may resent her in some way.
But in fact she couldn't have been more welcoming and once they'd had a little conversation about it, Mithian had only been too happy to put the past behind her. Especially as Guinevere had suggested that Merlin was on hand to help Mithian's stay be more comfortable.
Mithian had remembered how Guinevere's eyes had sparkled somewhat when she'd suggested that Merlin be on hand during Mithian's first stay. She suspected that Guinevere had done this quite purposely. Not that Mithian was complaining as it gave her a chance to get to know Merlin a little better.
She smiled in pleasure when she remembered just how attentive he had been the first stay. He couldn't do too much, so much so that Mithian began to feel somewhat awkward, as he waited on her hand and foot to begin with. Mithian realised then that this was Merlin obviously trying to make up for how he'd treated her the first time around.
In the end she'd been forced to assure him that there was no hard feelings on her part. Having watched Guinevere and Arthur together herself she had already realised that they were born to be together. The three of them had put their experiences behind them and Mithian enjoyed nothing more than visiting them in Camelot, whenever she could.
Her relationship with Merlin too had become closer the more they were together. In fact the mere thought of seeing him was causing her heart to beat faster, she looked around expecting to see him with Guinevere, but in fact to her disappointment he wasn't there. No matter she thought, there would be chances for them to spend some time together, and then she could tell him how she felt.
Mithian watched Guinevere run down the steps towards her, a friendly smile on her face. Before she knew it they were in a warm embrace.
"I'm so glad you could make it Mithian." Guinevere said. "I was so worried when I heard about the invasion."
"Well thanks to your husband and Court Sorcerer I can report everything is back to normal now. My father obviously had business to tend to, but I have to admit to feeling like a bit of a rest."
"Of course." Guinevere said, leading her into the castle. "I would like to stress you can stay as long as you like."
"Thank you, I'm so grateful." Mithian smiled.
"Ah Mithian I trust you are feeling better now?" Arthur asked worriedly.
"Much better thank you, and I would like to pass on my father's gratefulness. He would like to invite you back to Nemeth at some stage, when we can arrange it."
"That would be really lovely." Guinevere smiled. "I am sure you would like a brief rest before joining us for some dinner?"
" A rest would be good." Mithian admitted. "At times I felt as though I'd never arrive here."
"Sian here will show you to your room, it has a lovely view of the gardens." Guinevere smiled. "We must take a walk there tomorrow."
"I will look forward to that." Mithian smiled. "I'll see you in a couple of hours."
Mithian followed Sian up the staircase, relaxing now she was at her destination. Suddenly the whole trauma hit her, and she felt as if she could sleep for a whole day. As they reached her room she put her bag on a chair and opened a couple of windows enjoying the view out.
Guinevere had been right, it was a lovely view she could actually smell the roses from where she stood, and let the scent overcome her nostrils, closing her eyes.
"Is there anything that you want my lady?" Sian asked, as she moved towards the door.
"No thank you." Mithian replied. "Could I just ask you to wake me in a couple of hours please?"
"Of course my lady have a good rest." Sian smiled and left the room.
Mithian looked around and went over to the fruit bowl inspecting its contents. Suddenly she felt ravenous and chose a red apple and began crunching it as she sat on a chair by the window. After everything that had happened recently it felt relaxing to have a bit of time to herself. Just as she began to unwind there was a knock on the door. She hastily straightened her clothes putting the apple down.
"Come in." she called.
There was a pause before the door slowly opened, she smiled as she recognised his boots, before he actually came in.
"Hello Merlin." she said.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there to greet you before." he apologised. "Just finishing some paper work."
"Even a Court Sorcerer has paper work then." Mithian smiled.
"Indeed." Merlin replied. "Too much paper work in truth."
"Could you not get some help, I'm sure Arthur could arrange it." Mithian said.
"I'm not quite sure how that would work in truth." Merlin laughed. "I am making my own tasks at the moment, I quite enjoy being able to do it all myself."
"This of course has nothing to do with you enjoying working on your own?" Mithian asked with a sparkle in her eyes.
"Ah you read me well Mithian, you may very well be right there." Merlin admitted.
"Please sit down." Mithian urged pointing to a chair.
"You're not resting then Guinevere said you were." Merlin asked unsure.
"I always enjoy our talks, maybe you'll indulge me?" Mithian smiled.
"I'm always happy to do things for you." Merlin smiled sitting down. "They have put you in the best quarters, I'll have you know."
"It is certainly a beautiful room." Mithian admitted looking around. "Lovely view of the garden too."
"Yes." Merlin agreed briefly looking out of the window.
Mithian laughed making Merlin lift his head questioningly.
"I'm just wondering how much of the garden that you've noticed in all your years here." Mithian grinned.
"Yes, maybe not as much as you." Merlin admitted. "Arthur keeps me so busy I've hardly time for such things."
"Well I insist that we have some time then, and I'll show you the gardens myself." Mithian smiled.
"If that is what you'd like of course, I could then impress Guinevere about how much I know about her pride and joy." he grinned.
Mithian laughed, before turning serious for a moment. Merlin as ever was so calm and natural about everything. But she knew the whole of Nemeth owed him and Arthur big thanks, for how they'd dealt with the Saxons. She was determined to make a point about it, and not let him dismiss it as nothing, like he usually did.
"I'd like to thank you for what you did for Nemeth. If it wasn't for you and Arthur my father and I would still be in exile." she began.
"You don't have to thank me Mithian, there was no way we would have let that continue."
"Some of the other Kingdoms did, you didn't have to we owe a lot to you." she remarked.
"It is how you treat friends, I'm sure you would have helped Camelot." Merlin said.
"You always downplay things that you do Merlin." Mithian remarked. "You've never changed in all the years that I've known you. The way you stood up to them, people are still talking about it now." She went over to him, and gently kissed his cheek. "Thank you."
She went back and sat down, watching how he blushed somewhat under her gaze. She still found it hard to believe how a man so powerful, could be so awkward under such an experience. She smiled her eyes shining.
"I could thank you again if you'd like." she smiled.
Suddenly his cheeks were crimson as he sat there contemplating her words. Mithian not for the first time longed to tell him there and then, just how attractive she found him. But she could already sense a certain withdrawal from him as he sat there. She wondered why it was that even now he seemed so hesitant to let them become closer.
"Mithian." he sighed. "I think you are really nice."
"Nice?" she questioned raising her eyebrows at him.
"Sorry I mean lovely." he corrected. "You are a Princess though, and you need to marry someone who will help you rule Nemeth one day. My destiny is here in Camelot."
"I see." she said quietly suddenly not wanting to look at him, afraid her disappointment would show too much.
"I am really flattered." Merlin said, moving over to her. "I just feel you deserve someone better than me."
"What if I don't think there is someone better than you?" Mithian asked him. "What then?"
"There is." Merlin replied taking her hand. "I know there is, and one day you will find him."
"It is you I want though." she said, and suddenly blushed as she realised what she'd said. But then what was the point in keeping it to herself anyway? She watched the shock register on his face, as though he couldn't believe that someone like Mithian would be interested in him. She couldn't understand how he struggled with the idea, that a woman like herself would find him so attractive.
"Mithian I'm sorry. It just can't be." Merlin said softly and slowly stood up.
As Mithian watched him withdraw from her he could see tears glistening in his eyes. It was the only sign of real emotion that she'd noticed from him, and for some curious reason it gave her a banal feeling of hope. She would convince him, if that was the last thing she did.
"Please say you will drop by tomorrow." Mithian begged him.
"Yes of course I will." Merlin nodded and left the room.
As Mithian sat alone, she realised that she needed a plan to get things rolling between them. Now that she was here in Camelot for a while, she knew at long last she had the time to somehow bridge the gap between them. Suddenly thoughts began to gather in her mind, she would prove to Merlin that they were destined to be together.