A/N- Sorry, sorry, I know that I haven't updated on time...again :L I just... well not really busy but I have been busy. This isn't my proudest chapter, but every time I tried to change it, my brain was like 'nope this is the best I've got, stick with it' and well I have to do what my brain says... it tells my heart to beat so it must do something right, right? :) Merlin is 12 and Will's 13... Jonathan is the bully from chapter 6.

Disclaimer- I don't own Merlin

Will stared as Maria walked to the well. Merlin groaned a little as they looked at the village below them.

"Close your mouth would you? You're drooling a river" Merlin said rolling his eyes. He never understood Will's fascination with Maria, admittedly she was pretty with wavy black hair that reached the middle of her back, and green eyes, but she was often quite unpleasant, she had changed from the friendly girl she was when they were younger, not that Will would notice. She was the same age as Will. He chuckled slightly as Will turned to him and blushed slightly.

"I was not drooling and I was not staring!" Will snapped defensively

"I never said that you were staring. You were however, but I never said that" Merlin replied. "You realise you could just go up and talk to her rather than just stare at her, right?"

"I DON'T STARE!" Will replied "And I have no idea who you are talking about"

Merlin sighed "Oh come on. Maria. You have been besotted with her ever since you heard her sing at the Harvest Festival. This is why we are currently sat under the trees waiting for her to walk by to collect water like we do every day for the past month. That is why we will then go through the village and past her house because you 'forgot' something, and you will sigh as we pass, and take a glance in to see if she is sewing. Then we will go to the Meadow, where you still act weird. Just talk to her already!"

"Fine!" Will replied, and Merlin smiled. At least they will now longer have to do this weird ritual they seem to be doing every day. "What should I say to her?" Will asked. Merlin gave him a blank look "Come on Merlin. What should I say?"

"Urgh… I don't know, something that girls like?"

"What do girls like?"

"I don't know, I'm not a girl am I?"

"Come on Merlin, help me!"

"Umm, girls….. Feelings… maybe you could give her something?"

"Like some bread?"

"Bread?" Merlin asked, his eyebrows rose in disbelief. What kind of gift was that? Will wasn't normally this clueless.

"Girls eat bread… don't they?"

"Yes, but I wouldn't say that is the best gift. If you gave me bread in an attempt to talk to me then I would think you were really weird, more than you normally are. Maybe a flower….. Girls like flowers and stuff"

"Right" Will said, bending down to pick up a dandelion that was next to him "Ok let's go" Will walked a couple of meters before turning back to Merlin, waiting for him to follow

"I've got to come?" Merlin groaned. Great, just great. Now I get to awkwardly get to stand next to Will, he thought to himself. Maybe I can do some damage control though if it doesn't go the way Will wants it to go, Maria is horrid with her words. I can get Will away before she gets too much into her stride. Merlin have an over dramatic roll of his eyes, and walked with Will back to the village.


Will knocked on the door, grasping the flower in his hand like his life was depending on it. Merlin was stood behind him, giving slight words of encouragement. Maria opened the door and saw Will staring at her.

"Hello" Maria said, looking at Will then at Merlin. She had never really spoken to the pair much after the incident with her older brother Jonathan a few years ago. Will just stared at her, with his mouth slightly open, confirming what Jonathan said about them being really odd. With a sigh, Merlin shoved him a little in order to stop him from gawping.

"Umm-"*cough* "Urgh" *cough* "Hello… umm" Will said nervously, still staring at Maria. She had a slightly alarmed and scared look on her face.

"Flowers" Merlin whispered in Will's ear, giving him a gentle nudge

"Flowers" Will repeated, but now to Maria, thrusting the dandelion at her "I brought you flowers"

"Thanks…" Maria replied cautiously, taking the flower

"I was just wondering, if you, umm-" *cough* "-If you would like to hang out with me, tomorrow, in the meadow?"

Maria glared at him. "Why would I want to hang out with you?" She spat, viciously. Will, turned his eyes to the ground, holding back his tears at rejection. "You're just this weird kid, hanging around his even weirder friend. Nobody would ever want to hang out with you" Maria continued. Will turned around and darted back to the forest.

Merlin but his foot in the door as Maria tried to shut it. Maria glared daggers at Merlin as he spoke "You could have been a lot nicer to him you know" Merlin said simply.

"Why on earth would I be nicer to him. He's just this weirdo that makes trouble" She said rolling her eyes, and squashing Merlin's foot with the door as she tried to close it again.

"Will's not a weirdo and he's more than just a trouble-maker. He is helpful, kind, caring and brave" Merlin said, standing up for his best friend. Maria scoffed as Merlin said brave "Yes, brave. He had the courage to ask for you to hang around with him. That's more courage than you would ever have. I'm actually glad you turned him down the way you did, at least you have shown him that he doesn't deserve you" Merlin finished. He took his foot out from the door and followed Will.


"It could have gone a lot worse" Merlin said to Will

"How is that exactly?" Will replied

"You could have wasted some bread on her" Merlin said smiling "It's good you saved that for another, less horrid person". Will gave Merlin a slight shove, smiling as well. "What do you want to do now?" Merlin asked

"Cause some mayhem?"

"How? Please not like the last one. Mother blamed me for the cow in Simmons' house" Merlin still had no idea how Will had managed to get the cow in there.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Merlin" Will replied, an over the top innocent expression on his face "What about-"

"No chickens either" Merlin added