Alethea sighed. She hadn't been able to sleep that night thanks to Merlin. Part of her wished that he and her husband had never mentioned anything about proposals because all she could now think of was Merlin's reaction should Ingrid turn him down. Her brain had been unable to switch off for she was trying to work out if Ingrid had said or done anything that day that may indicate her choice, but nothing immediately sprang to mind. Alright, she had smiled when Morgana had mentioned how cute a couple Ingrid and Merlin made, but there was nothing else. Nothing that had suggested that Ingrid had been proposed to. Ah well, that just meant having to spend some more time with Ingrid, and that was no bad thing whatsoever.

Unable to stay in bed much longer, Alethea got up and changed into her riding gear before waking Penny up from Arthur's chair. The young dragon looked at her lazily through one open eye whilst the Queen left a note for her still sleeping husband; Alethea mentioned something about going out. The dragon quickly woke and followed her mistress down to the stables. The castle was pretty quiet considering it was morning and the servants were usually up by now, but she wasn't complaining. It was nice to see it quiet where no one was rushing about trying to do a million and one things at once.

"Come on Penny; let's go for a ride...or a flight in your case." The black and gold dragon smiled at the mention of flying whilst Alethea managed to get her horse saddled by a tired stable boy. Then, once ready, she mounted up and rode out towards the forests, Penny flying alongside. The Queen knew exactly where she was heading and so nothing was going to stop her.

It took them less than an hour to reach the top of the valley and it was here that she came to a stop. Dismounting, Alethea let Penny fly freely whilst she picked some nearby wildflowers and placed them at the base of Uther's tree. It was growing quite steadily and she knew that it was coming up to a year since he had sacrificed himself for her. Kneeling in front of the tree, she closed her eyes and sighed, thinking back to that terrible day. She had known from the start that someone was going to leave, and she had always thought that it would be her or Arthur. She had known that they would be separated, and she had been ready to embrace death at Eowyn's hand. She had not thought that it would be Uther that would die, and she still felt guilty for his death. If she hadn't allowed herself to get into such an isolated position then he would not have died. But then again, it was pointless thinking of how things could have been. She could not change it. She had looked after Arthur ever since, and she knew that he was going to be feeling sad as this anniversary approached, but they would get through it. Staying there for quite some time, she looked down onto the valley and smiled as she watched Penny fly about, before deciding that it was time to start heading back to Camelot.

Everyone was awake by the time she returned and Arthur could be found training Edward, Jasper and Tristan in the courtyard. Alethea smiled as she watched them for a few minutes before going to get changed into something more suitable for wandering around the castle. Allowing Penny to fly about whilst she did so, the young Queen was quickly dressed in a green gown. She then looked out of her window to find Sir Oliver and Gerard showing off whilst Ingrid was stood on the balcony.

"Lovely day, isn't it?" Alethea commented as she joined her friend on the balcony.

"I suppose." Ingrid shrugged, watching the two youngest knight's chase after a helmet that appeared to be moving on its own. Edward and Jasper were much perplexed and Alethea had to allow herself a small smile as she watched the men try to catch it. Edward eventually stopped the helmet and lifted it up triumphantly, before being attacked by the raven that had been inside.

"Is that...?"

"Yes, that's Pipsquawk. Jinx is in my room too."

"I thought you'd had to leave them in Ravenscar?"

"My father brought them with him." The young sorceress explained.

"Any particular reason why?"

"He didn't say, nor did he give any explanation as to why he's here. He didn't give any warning."

"He didn't send word to us either, if it's any consolation." Alethea smiled as she rested on the wall and looked onto the courtyard. Seeing Merlin appear, she was slightly surprised to see James following behind him with a stack of armour in his hands. "But I suppose it's not that bad if he brought you your things... Hang on, that's my husband's armour! What has James been doing with it?" she asked, watching as Merlin looked up and waved at her. Waving back, the young Queen turned to look at Ingrid's expression, only to find that the raven haired girl was crouched down, having ducked out of view.

"Shh..." Ingrid said, finger on lips. "Has he gone yet?"

"No, but he soon will be." Alethea said as Penny landed beside her. "Watch this." She grinned mischievously before instructing the dragon. Penny gleefully flew down towards the young warlock, tripping him up and causing James to drop the armour. The dragon then happily somersaulted in the air before landing on Merlin and removing his scarf. Penny then flew back to the balcony where the two young ladies were killing themselves laughing, before they ran inside.

"Was there really any need for that?" Arthur asked a few minutes later when he found the giggling pair on the corridor.

"Well..."

"Oh, don't bother trying to come up with an excuse... You did have to."

"Yep." Alethea smirked.

"Well, I've got a meeting to attend."

"Is the Queen needed or can I steal her?" Ingrid asked but before Arthur could answer, the two girls had gone.

Sitting down in Ingrid's room, Alethea let Penny sit in her lap and retrieved Merlin's blue scarf from the young dragon's grasp. Ingrid meanwhile was bringing her raven in from the window and smiled as she fed the bird before placing Pipsquawk in his cage. She then sat opposite Alethea and let Jinx hop onto her lap.

"Is that...?" she asked as she fell to stroking the cat's fur.

"Yes, it's Merlin's scarf."

"He'll come looking for it." She said, sounding panicked. "It's his second favourite."

"He will come looking for me, so he won't come here straight away."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Just... Trust me." Alethea said, messing with the piece of fabric, only to find something attached to the scarf. Something metallic... It was a ring! Whether it was silver or white gold she wasn't sure, but the stones... Black diamond's surrounding a small but perfect ruby. It was beautiful and yet... It must have cost Merlin a small fortune. A years salary at least. He would definitely be looking for her now.

"Is this... Is this what I think it is?"

"I don't know."

"It's an engagement ring." Alethea said, deciding to play dumb to try to get Ingrid to admit it. "What's Merlin doing with it?"

"I don't know."

"Ingrid, you don't think that...?" she began, only to be interrupted by a knock on the door that was quickly followed by the sound of Merlin's voice. Ingrid immediately put Jinx down and darted behind a screen, mouthing to Alethea that she wasn't here. The rather bemused Queen put the ring back on the scarf and picked it up, ready to hand back to the young warlock.

"Merlin, I presume you're looking for this?" Alethea asked, handing him the fabric.

"Is Ingrid there?"

"No... She said something about druids and forests I think. I just came to fetch Penny as she flew in here. Sorry about what happened in the courtyard."

"Don't worry about it. Now, I'd best be off then. Thanks."

"You're welcome Merlin." Alethea smiled, closing the door and waiting for his retreating footsteps to fade. "You know, for the greatest warlock that ever lived. He can't half be stupid..." she muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Is he gone?" Ingrid asked, poking her head out from behind the screen.

"Yes, he's gone."

"Good." Lady Ingrid smiled, stepping back out, but the smile quickly fell from her face as she saw Alethea's expression.

"Alright Ingrid, what's going on? Why are you hiding from Merlin?"

"I'm not hiding." She denied.

"Yes you are." Alethea said sternly. "Ducking behind walls and hiding behind screens."

"I'm simply avoiding him."

"Why? I thought things were better between you two?"

"They were, until he..." she trailed off.

"Ingrid?" she stayed quiet "Until he what?" she still didn't reply. "Ingrid, what's he done now?"

"It's nothing bad but... he sort of proposed?" Ingrid reluctantly said, heading towards the door.

"He sort of proposed?" Alethea repeated, moving to the door and blocking her escape.

"Yes... I'm...just going to... head to my room now."

"Ingrid, this is your room." She pointed out.

"Oh."

"Come on, sit down and explain. Did you say no?"

"No."

"Then why are you hiding?"

"Because I didn't exactly say yes either."

"What?"

"I told him I needed time to think about it and then... Then I raced him back to Camelot."

"Ah..."

"Yes..." Ingrid said. Having not sat down as of yet, she moved closer to the door.

"So, details? Tell me all about it?" Alethea offered, her back turned. Ingrid seized the moment and slipped out of the door before running down the corridor. However, it wasn't long before the Queen was chasing after her but Ingrid had the greater advantage.

"Honestly Ingrid, it's not that bad. I just want to talk..." Alethea called, but the raven haired lady was nowhere to be seen. In fact, there was no one around apart from one stray knight.

"Sir Robert, have you seen Ingrid around?"

"Yes, she went that way." He said, pointing down the corridor.

"Thanks." Alethea smiled, quickly walking down the passage, but paused when she heard retreating footsteps heading in the opposite direction. "Ah ha!" she shouted, turning around to see the girl in the red dress running. "Robert! Stop her!"

"But..."

"That's a direct order!" the knight, albeit somewhat reluctantly, blocked Ingrid's escape route and so the young lady was forced to turn around and admit defeat.

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you." Ingrid sighed, following the Queen to her chambers. Made to sit down, Ingrid conjured up a crystal and let Penny play with it at her feet.

"So, spill." Alethea said, handing Ingrid a goblet of wine.

"He proposed a few nights ago in the forest. It was an ivy covered tower at twilight with the bats flying around us and it was... Well, perfect. But I hadn't thought that he would propose. I didn't realise he loved me that much."

"Well, do you love him?" Alethea asked, sitting opposite her.

"Yes... Yes of course I do!" Ingrid said. "But I... I don't know if I could marry him. I didn't think he'd want to spend his life with me." Alethea smiled at her. "What?"

"Nothing. You just remind me of myself when Arthur first proposed, except I refused him outright and then ran. Took me a few days of serious thinking before I made my decision."

"You never told me that."

"You never asked."

"Do you regret it?"

"No." Alethea said straight away. "So, you're avoiding Merlin so that you don't have to answer him?"

"Exactly." Ingrid nodded. "It's not that I don't love him, just that... It's a weird thought, having him as a husband. How's he supposed to support me?"

"He'll find a way..."

"And what about my family? I doubt Gerard would agree to it... Plus, I don't know if I'm ready for it. I mean, look at me, I'm not exactly wife material, am I?"

"You'd be surprised. Does Merlin know that you're worrying?"

"No... I can't face him knowing that I need to give him an answer."

"Right... Can you see yourself falling in love with anyone else?"

"What?" Ingrid asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Just answer it."

"No. I don't love anyone else."

"Then, can you see yourself living with Merlin?"

"Sort of."

"Can you see yourself raising a family with him?"

"Mini Merlin's? My God, the castle would be in chaos."

"I'll take that as a yes then. Ingrid, you shouldn't do anything you don't want to, but if the only thing that's stopping you is what your brother says then... You should talk to him."

"Gerard would never let me marry a servant, regardless if he's the King's servant or not."

"Merlin will have asked permission first though you know."

"Then..." Ingrid paused as it dawned on her. "He must have agreed, and my father has no problem with it... What should I do? I love him, but I don't know if I'm ready. What if it doesn't work out?"

"Then you have me to help pick up the pieces, but that won't happen. Sure, you'll have your ups and downs, but you and Merlin... You should be together."

"Then I think I've made my mind up."

"You have?" Alethea asked. "What's your decision?"

"Now that..." Ingrid began as she got to her feet. "That would be telling." She smiled mischievously, before going to find Merlin...