Chapter 14

The Flowers

Morgana stared at Merlin, a look of almost horror on her face. Merlin stood there on the top of the stairs, clutching the flowers in his hand, hating the silent seconds that ticked by. He didn't know what else to say apart from sorry, his throat had closed up with nerves and worry. It was like their first meeting again.

Finally, it was Morgana who spoke. "What are you doing here?" She demanded.

This was not what Merlin had been hoping. He wasn't sure how she would react when he turned up at her doorstep, after a week of silence. He had hoped she would be at least pleased to see him, but she was staring at him as if he was a stranger.

"I...I've come to visit you again, like I promised," he said slowly, taking another step forward. Morgana took a step back.

"It's been a week!" She snapped.

Merlin couldn't help but shudder at Morgana's words. Her eyes flashed with anger and he didn't like the way she was staring at him. Merlin knew she had a right to be angry, to look down at him, it had been too long, he shouldn't have stopped seeing her so suddenly. Why did he ever listen to that damn dragon?

"I know..." He began slowly. "I'm so sorry Morgana. I brought you some flowers..." To show that I'm sorry he wanted to say, but shyness, nerves and shame overcame him. He just stared at the floor and held out the flowers.

Morgana gazed down at them. The soft scent of the flowers floated to her nose. She took in the bright colours, the light purples, whites and yellows and the delicate petals. Memories came flooding back of summers lazing around in the Camelot grounds, playing in the grass, without a care in the world...

"I picked them this morning," Merlin explained, he didn't mention to Morgana that he used magic to touch them up, to make them look a little brighter. Autumn was on the way and there were few flowers left, they had just began to droop. "I didn't think you got many flowers."

"Erm," Morgana slowly reached out and took the flowers, trying to avoid looking up at Merlin's face. She hadn't expected the flowers and it was true, she had never been given flowers before, she didn't know what to say.

Merlin could see the confusion on her face. He wondered if flowers were the right thing, he had no idea what he should have got Morgana, and he didn't want to ask anyone what he should give girls in the form of an apology, that was cause too many awkward questions and probably a lot of teasing, but he had heard flowers were quite romantic.

The last week for Merlin had been terrible. The Dragon had told him that seeing Morgana would be a distraction for his destiny, but not seeing Morgana was even more of a distraction. He missed the person he could share his secrets with, who he had that mysterious connection to, no one else would make him stay up all night, just talking. And he hated to think what was Morgana thinking while she had spent her nights alone. Was she missing him as much as she was missing her, was she angry that he hadn't come back so soon?

"I've been abandoned once in my life Merlin," Morgana said to him, "and then you left me."

"I know, but I felt a regret Uther never does, I have been pained by our separation too," Merlin tried to explain, he wondered if it was right to use Uther to not make him look so bad, but he wasn't thinking straight, Morgana's words had pained him. "I've just been so busy and..." he sighed, "I've been missing you so much, and I promise it won't happen again."

Morgana looked at him long and hard, but the regret must have been clear in Merlin's eyes, and the flowers appeared to have softened her temper. She stared down at them before sighing and saying, "You'd better come in I suppose."

Merlin couldn't help but smile, although it was more out of relief. He followed Morgana to her main chamber, where she sat down on the bed like she did before, and he joined her. She didn't say anything at first, just stared down at the flowers, which was making Merlin feel awkward, but he was relieved he had been allowed back into the tower, that was his biggest fear, to have the door slammed in his face, but it seemed the worst was over now.

Apart from a voice that suddenly spoke inside Merlin's head.

Young Warlock, what are you doing? Demanded the frustrated voice of the Dragon.

Merlin's head involuntarily jerked to one side at the sudden sound of the Dragon's voice, but fortunately Morgana didn't notice. He tried to hold back a frustrated groan, he had told the Dragon he would try not to see Morgana, and try he had, but he hadn't thought about how Kilgharrah would react if he actually went back to see Morgana. He didn't sound impressed, but Merlin ignored the voice. This Dragon clearly didn't understand Merlin's feelings towards Morgana.

"So, have you been up to anything this past week?" He asked Morgana, trying to strike up conversation.

It didn't work. "I'm locked up in a tower Merlin, what do you think I get up to?"

Merlin squirmed a little, "Oh right...of course."

Merlin the Dragon spoke louder in his ear, doing another impression of his mother as well as an annoyed Gaius, but the Young Warlock still ignored him.

"Do you like the flowers?" He asked.

"Yes, they're lovely," Morgana admitted, stroking the soft petals in between her fingers. "They remind me of when I was...free." She gave a sad sigh as she thought again of her childhood before she was locked away from the world.

This has to stop Merlin.

"You know Uther may have trapped your body inside this tower," Merlin suddenly blurted out, his usual shyness forgotten as he tried to ignore the Dragon's voice, "but he hasn't trapped your heart."

Think of Camelot, Young Warlock, this cannot go on.

Morgana looked up into Merlin's eyes, "What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well..." Merlin was feeling uncomfortable again, his shyness had returned, he could feel his ears going pink. "I know we haven't met many times, but already I feel like I know you so well, and I look into your eyes and I still see a spark there Morgana, and despite all that has happened you're still a kind, forgiving person. Uther hasn't taken that away from you."

Morgana was now the one who was looking uncomfortable, "I wouldn't say I was very kind or forgiving..." She began.

The Dragon's voice was getting louder, I told you to stop seeing her Merlin, or have you forgotten that already?

"No!" Merlin snapped, his reply was intended for the Dragon, but Morgana thought he was speaking to her, and looked surprised. "Err I mean," Merlin said quickly, when he realised she would have no idea who he was actually talking to, "I mean you are a forgiving person, because I left you waiting for too long but you let me into your tower again, you didn't have to do that."

"Well, it wasn't an easy decision." Morgana shrugged, she was looking annoyed again, the flowers had distracted her from the true reason why he had brought them, and now he had reminded her again.

"But I regretted every single moment I spent away from you," Merlin confessed.

That's enough, Young Warlock.

This was not the response Morgana had been expecting, she didn't think he would be suffering like her."Well...I am pleased you came back, but I wish it hadn't taken you so long. I mean, I understand if you can't visit every night, but a week?" She stared down at the flowers again.

Merlin.

"But I promise it won't happen again." There was a pause, "You know they make me think of you," Merlin admitted, nodding down at the flowers, wanting to distract Morgana again from the week he had been gone. "They're beautiful like you."

Merlin!

Morgana gave a small smile, "Flattery won't work on me you know."

"I was being honest." Merlin said, and it was true, the flowers had made him think of Morgana.

The Dragon's voice was getting even louder. Merlin!

"So despite being so busy, you managed to pick me some flowers?" Morgana said.

Merlin nodded, "The last of the season, although you should have seen Arthur's face when he saw me walking around with a bunch of flowers," he laughed, and Morgana managed to smile too.

MERLIN!

The Great Dragon was so loud Merlin's ears burned, and took him by such surprise that he almost toppled off the bed. He automatically clamped his hands over his ringing ears, the voice of the Dragon still echoing inside his head, and he screwed up his eyes in pain.

"Merlin! Merlin?" A soft hand, and a gentle voice, reached up to Merlin's ears. He opened his eyes to see Morgana leaning over him, looking panicked and worried at the Young Warlock's sudden collapse. She sighed with relief when she saw his eyes open. "Merlin, are you all right?"

Merlin shakily pulled himself back up into a sitting position, feeling a little shaken, but he looked up into the worried eyes of Morgana and said, "Of course I'm all right, I'm with you now."

After that the Dragon stopped bothering him, perhaps Kilgharrah had at last given up on trying to persuade the Young Warlock to stay away from Morgana. The ringing in Merlin's ears soon faded and he and Morgana began a proper conversation again, at first tense, but soon the two of them began to relax and they easily found things to talk about.

Merlin would never find out how angry Morgana had actually felt about him abandoning her. The shock of him suddenly arriving, the flowers, and then suddenly collapsing on her bed had hidden most of Morgana's rage. She believed Merlin when he said that he had regretted not visiting for so long, but she never truly believed in promises when he swore he wouldn't do it again.

The flowers stayed with Morgana after Merlin left, she suddenly realised she had nothing to put them in, and Uther or Gwen would surely see the flowers and grow suspicious, but Merlin smiled and told her not to worry about it, the flowers would be fine.

And sure enough, despite having little sunlight and water, the flowers continued to live. Morgana knew Merlin must have used magic on them, and his spell was more powerful than he had realised, because even as winter drew in, the flowers never drooped or faded. They stayed fresh and strong as the first time Merlin had given them to Morgana, for a very long time.

I'm concerned this chapter may have been a bit cheesy, I'm not that great on romance, but I hoped you like the chapter all the same! :) I shall use the excuse of that I'm really excited today as I have officially got into my first choice of University! :D I'm going to be studying Ancient and Medieval History, and I could even do a module on the legend of Merlin and Arthur, woop! :)