AN: Hello, all! Here are some updates!

(4) First of May

"Ack,"said Arthur. He closed his eyes, wished hard, and opened them again. No joy. Outside his window, below in the courtyard, girls dressed in pastel colors carried armloads of flowers every which way, batting their eyes at every man they passed. Gah. "I hate May Day. Of all the holidays, this has to be the most banal, annoying, pointless one."

"Really?" said Merlin as he laced Arthur's boots. "I would think that you would rather enjoy May Day. All the girls competing for your attention, and the right, as per your rank and the fact that it's May Day, to give your attention to whomever you please, regardless of rank."

Arthur thought about that a moment. "True. Maybe it's not as bad as I thought. Maybe I'll actually get to meet this girl of yours."

"What girl?" said Merlin, a little too swiftly.

"Oh, come on, Merlin. You've been sneaking off to who-knows-where for a week. Gaius has noticed. Gwen's noticed. I've noticed. The only one who seems totally unconcerned is Niniane, which is a bit odd since she's always asking me about you. Blast it, Merlin!" The manservant had ducked his head at the mention of Niniane. "It's one of her maids, isn't it? You started your sneaking after Tor and Niniane arrived."

Merlin didn't answer.

"I will have the truth, Merlin." He winced. "I sounded like my father there, didn't I?"

"Yep," said Merlin with a smirk. "Very Uther-y and kingly."

"Bah. Let's go make our flower crowns."

It seemed that the whole of the castle had turned out into the fields to make wreaths and garlands of grasses and flowers. Uther and Tor strolled together with a few other nobles, chatting and watching the antics of the younger generations.

Arthur wove another primrose into a wreath, and looked around, trying not to catch anyone's eye. "Do you see her?"

"Over there." Merlin pointed.

"Oh, good. I was beginning to think that I might have to wear this blasted thing myself." Arthur took a deep breath, and Merlin grinned slightly. Nervousness always made Arthur irritable.

"Good luck," said Merlin. "You need it."

Arthur grunted and made a beeline for a certain servant girl who was gathering purple shastas.

Merlin sat down to watch. "What the–" a weight settled itself neatly on his head. Merlin reached up and pulled it off. It was a crown, made of a blossoming hawthorn branch, woven with ivy. He looked around. No one nearby. He smiled broadly and turned the crown in his hands. "Alyme thas wyrhtan," he whispered, his blue eyes flashing gold. The crown shifted in his hands, tugging in the direction of the wooded fringe. He nodded, placed the gift crown back on his head, grabbed his own handiwork, and sauntered off in the direction of the trees.

"Gwen."

"Yaah!" Gwen whirled around. "Oh. It's you."

"Thanks," said Arthur.

"No!" Gwen seized his sleeve as he turned away. "I mean, I'm glad it's you." She bit her lip to keep from flushing. "Really glad –you wouldn't believe how annoyingly bold the stable hands get on May Day."

"You jumped because you expected some cad?"

Gwen nodded.

Arthur's eyes narrowed shrewdly. "You didn't expect me at all, did you?"

"Well, you're the prince…you've said before that this is the definition of impossible…and Niniane is beautiful."

Arthur ran a hand through his hair. "And to think I usually count you as one of the wisest people I know! Guinevere." He paused and clasped her hand in his. "I am a prince. I have a responsibility to the people, and I don't think I would ever change that. I'm good at it, I like it. But there are a lot of times when I wish I'd never heard of responsibility, had never been born a Pendragon, just so I could have a fair chance at a beautiful, decent woman like you. And it may be impossible –but maybe I don't care. And as for Niniane…I just don't like her for some reason."

"You called?"

Niniane whirled to face Merlin. "Oh! You did get it –long-distance levitation isn't my strong suit. If I can't see it, it may not get there."

Merlin's smile belied his admonition. "You do realize that Uther was in that clearing too?" His smile grew broader as he saw his own flower crown sneaking up on Niniane.

"A calculated risk," said Niniane "Oh!"

"Gotcha," said Merlin as the crown descended on her head.

"How did you do that?" She stared at Merlin. "Were you incanting a spell as you talked? My teacher tried to do that once, and accidentally singed his eyebrows off!"

Merlin shook his head. "With my luck, I'd do that too."

"What spell did you use, then?"

"I didn't," said Merlin simply.

"What?" Niniane blinked. "You used magic."

"Yes," said Merlin. "But I didn't use a spell."

Niniane's black eyes narrowed the same way they had when Merlin had told her 'no' to something (he couldn't remember what it was) a couple of days ago. "Explain."

"I have always been able to use magic without a spell," said Merlin. "I didn't know any real spells until I came to Camelot. No teacher either, unless Gaius counts. Some spells I study and use anyway. Usually though, after I do them once and understand how they work, I can do them without the spell anytime I want. Other times I know I haven't seen or used the spell before, but I still know it. It's like a hidden instinct whispers it to me." And sometimes Kilgharrah does. Merlin closed his mouth on that particular revelation. Kilgharrah was not his secret to share –he was Kilgharrah's lord, but he was most assuredly not the dragon's master. Kilgharrah was his own secret.

Merlin felt a rumble of appreciation from the corner of his mind that had contact with the last dragon of Britain.

Niniane laughed. "You are full of mysteries, Merlin Emrys. Imagine, magic without a spell…" She sat and leaned against a tree. Merlin followed suit. "The peace talks are going fairly well, I think. When they're done, or wh –if they fall through, will you come with me, home to Gwynedd? We are not such an unfriendly country to sorcerers. You could have experienced teachers, there's practically a library devoted to spellbooks…"

"And there's you," Merlin finished for her. He conjured a spark and stared into it. He sent it weaving through his fingers, and finally into Niniane's waiting hands, where it turned into a fiery picture of a dragon.

Niniane snorted. "Show-off. You have a Dragonlord's obsession with fire."

Merlin simply smiled. If only she knew how right she was! "Why do you think I like you so much, Niniane Firehair?"

"Ha, ha. So, what about it, Merlin?"

Merlin was silent for a long moment. "It is…" he began finally. "More than a little tempting. Probably…probably yes, though ask me again when the time comes." He frowned.

Niniane smiled.

"So," said Gwen, "did you badger Merlin about his secret girl?"

"I did," said Arthur.

"And?"

"And you told me so. He weaseled out of answering, as usual."

"I may know something you don't."

"Oh?" Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"Look behind you." Arthur turned. There, coming out of the fringes of the trees, was Merlin, holding hands with his mystery girl: Niniane, princess of Gwynedd.

Arthur was singularly not impressed.

Author's Note: What the heck is Merlin thinking? Is he seriously considering leaving Arthur's service to follow Niniane? Also, Arthur is not pleased. Will this cause trouble?