Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing wonderfully. Here's the next chapter.

Cleodalis was so relieved when she heard that Vivian returned; not because she had any desire to return to work for her. The young girl had been feeling so guilty because she had been fantasizing earlier of some pretty terrible things happening to the princess.

Now that Vivian was back and laying peacefully on her bed, the maidservant was determined to do her best and not complain. Cleodalis had been waiting for Vivian in the princess' bedchamber. When she arrived, Cleodalis immediately started to attend to her.

" Are you in need of anything milady?" She inquired.

The blond haired princess thought about it, "Could you hand me another pillow?"

Her maidservant hadn't expected for Vivian to speak to her so politely. She had asked rather than commanded. The girl was pleasantly surprised and sounder what had changed.

"Of course," she smiled and hurried up with a pillow.

Vivian was confused by the girls cheeriness. Never had one of her servants ever smiled at her. It was a nice feeling.

" Is there anything else your highness? Are you need of drink or food? Would you like me to-"

"I'm fine." Vivian cut her off.

Cleodalis shut her mouth. Perhaps Vivian hadn't changed all that much.

" Prepare me a bath," Vivian cringed as she pulled a twinge out from her tangled curls, " I think the forest is still in my hair."

Meanwhile, Gwen and Arthur arrived at the stables to met with Merlin. Merlin was mucking out the stables grumbling about Arthur.

"Merlin," Gwen rushed over and gave him a great big hug, " I was so thrilled when I heard you weren't hurt."

" Arthur, just can't seem to kill me off so easily." He joked.

Gwen slapped him lightly on the arm, " Oh stop it. You know Arthur cares about you."

"No, I don't." Arthur intervened, " I just don't want to deal with training another servant."

She shook her head "Arthur, you can be impossible at times! Merlin, you should have heard the way he was acting last night. He was panicking when you hadn't returned."

" I was NOT panicking!"

" You can't deny it any more. The knights and Gwen have confirmed that you do care." Merlin gave a sly smile.

" You two can be such children." She laughed, " I'm going to check up on Uther. I hope my absence hasn't had any negative affects on his mental state."

Uther was a touchy subject. Arthur would always become very withdrawn and somber. To see how broken his father was broke his heart.

" I think I will come with you." Arthur lifted his eyes from the ground.

Gwen's eyes met his, "Are you sure?"

The lingered in each other's iris for a moment longer.

"Yes." He nodded.

Merlin could tell Arthur needed some cheering up, " You two go along and leave me here to wallow in horse dung."

Gwen gave Arthur a scolding look, " You really shouldn't have put Merlin straight back to work after he just arrived."

Arthur sighed, " Fine. Merlin, take the rest of the day off."

The manservant's face split into a wide goofy smile, " Thank you, Gwen!"

"Hey!" Arthur corrected, " I'm the one who gave you the day off."

Merlin squinted his eyes at him, " You wouldn't have if Gwen hadn't convinced you. Gwen, I think you've tamed the prat."

"Idiot."

Gwen just shook her head playfully and walked out. Arthur gave Merlin the evil look and followed Gwen. Merlin put down the pitchfork he had been using and was ready to make the most of his time off...you know, sleeping.

However he still had to do one more thing.

Vivian was spotless again and her hair was perfectly curled once more. However she noticed a few scratches on her hands which she spent most of her day complaining about.

Cleodalis was reorganizing the closet when there was a soft knocking on the door. The girl hurried over to the door and answered it. There was Merlin with a bouquet of wildflowers.

"Hello Cleodalis," Merlin warmly spoke, "how are you."

" Fine. What are you doing here?" she asked with trepidation in her voice. What was Merlin doing with flowers? She knew of Merlin's sweet nature, but she feared Vivian wouldn't find it very flattering.

"Cleodalis," Vivian called from her bed, " who's there?"

" Uh...well, it's Merlin your highness." She answered.

Vivian sat up at the mention of his name. She brushed her hair with her hands and smoothing down the wrinkles in her dress.

The princess continued, " Let him in."

Being the good maidservant she was, Cleodalis allowed Merlin in. He walked inside, flowers in hand with a friendly smile on his face.

He sweetly said, " I picked these for you. To say thank you and I thought they might cheer you up."

Looking at the flowers, she attempted not to grimace. Compared to the flowers suitors had given to her in the past these were pathetic.

However Merlin could see her distain. He was disappointed in her behavior, but didn't show it to her.

" I guess I'll be going then." Merlin maintained a polite demeanor and turned to leave.

Vivian wanted him to stay, but she couldn't find the words. They keep slipping from her mind whenever she tried to open her mouth. So Merlin left and she hadn't said a word. She had never been tongued tied in her life. What was happening to her!

"Cleodalis!" She called the young girl over, " I need you to tell Merlin to come back...because he...left so rudely without calling me milady." She lied. " And then get a vase for these flowers."

Cleodalis nodded, " Of course, Milady. I'll need to get a vase from the kitchen though."

"That's perfect - ly alright." Vivian not so smoothly replied.

She took the flowers from Vivian. The rangy girl scampered out the chamber room in an almost comedic fashion and caught up to Merlin who was walking very fast.

"Merlin," she stopped him, " Lady Vivian wishes to see you... Merlin, what were you thinking? I don't want to see you beheaded."

He froze instinctively, " What did she tell you?" he worried about his secret.

"...nothing...but you can't go around giving noble's flowers, Merlin. I really hope she hasn't taken it the wrong way." She bit her lip nervously, " Well, good luck. And DON'T forget to call her milady"

She speed away and Merlin walked back to Lady Vivian's chambers. He was now really concerned that she was offended by the flowers.

" Milady?" he creaked open the door.

" Come in."

He slide inside, closing the door after him. He approached her.

"Listen," she was trying to find the right words, " let's cut to the chase. I know about the enchantment. I know you knew that I was under a love spell. And since you knew that the cure for it was true loves kiss, I'm assuming you discovered that we are...you know. Therefore we should do something about it."

Merlin stood silently with a dumbfound look, " Umm...okay?"

She gave an exasperated sigh, " Look, we are each other's true loves, right?"

It was all hitting him, " Yeah. Wait! Who told you?"

"Arthur."

He scolded mentally at Arthur. If he was there he'd been getting an earful from him.

Vivian continued, " So, I guess then this means we should be together...I guess."

Merlin bit his lip in concentration. What should he say to her? Was this right? After a long moment of mulling out the dilemma they were in, he made his decision.

"My Lady," he was finding this more challenging than he expected, " I'm very flattered, but I do not love you and I am quite certain that you don't love me."

She was vexed, " Are you rejecting me?"

" I think it be better if we try to be friends-"

"You are! You are rejecting me! I've never been rejected in my entire life." Her blue eyes were wide with amazement, " But how can this be? I'm beautiful and I know about your magic."

He became very serious, " Are you blackmailing me?"

Vivian hadn't been thinking of that, but oddly she hadn't decided to answer him.

Suddenly he became very intense. His dark blue eyes pierced her like the tip of a blade. Without thinking, he walked straight up to her and leaned over to hover over her face, until there was little space between the two.

"I will not be threatened into a relationship." He stated in a hush yet aggressive whisper.

She stared deeply into his eyes. He was so terrifyingly amazing. Merlin wanted to show her that he could be intimidating when he wanted to. He had only ever been this harsh when he used to speak with Morgana. Vivian's breathing was shallow. A chill ran up her spine. Her eyes were fixated. Pulse racing. Heat circulating between the two of them.

"What are you going to do?" Vivian whispered maintaing a strong attitude.

He backed off, " Nothing. I just wanted you to know I don't like to be threatened." He eased back into his normal self again, " I'll admit, I misjudged you. You're not as bad as I first thought. However we're not right for each other. I don't care what anyone else says, you still annoy me."

" I annoy you!"

"Yes! I gave you flowers to be kind and you act as if I gave you some illness. You're so vain that you can't possibly imagine anyone ever saying no to you. I know you didn't turn me in and for that I am grateful, but you cannot go around using that as leverage. Then I'm as good as a slave!"

"I wasn't planning to blackmail you." She confessed.

He took a little breath, "Thank you." And he truly meant it.

Vivian shot back, " How can you say these things about me? How can you reject me when you barely know me at all?"

" That's the biggest issue of them all. I do barely know you." He was finished, " Get well soon."

And he was gone, leaving Vivian to question everything.

Reviews and criticism's are greatly appreciated.