It seemed like it should be boring. After all, Arthur didn't even like to read anything for himself, so why was it so entertaining to watch Merlin read?

The books lacked almost all pictures, aside from the random scribble-y designs so they interested Arthur even less than most books. Most of them also didn't even seem to be in a language Arthur understood, although he never got a very good look at it. It was probably some language spoken near Ealdor. If it made Merlin happy and kept him still while he was healing, Arthur couldn't argue with it.

While the books weren't interesting, the person reading them was. When Merlin was reading he would mouth every other word when he was on a rather large paragraph as if he was trying to memorize the paragraph or maybe it was because it was in a foreign language.

Arthur also couldn't help but notice the way Merlin's slender (although still bruised and scrapped up) fingers gripped the edge of the book or page or tapped out a rhythm on the table where he was seated.

Now that Arthur had begun to recognize his feelings for Merlin, they were all he thought about. Was this what the witch had had in mind by placing this curse on him and somehow always allowing Merlin a way here? If that was true, then she had an even sicker sense of humor than Arthur previously thought, because it was obvious to Arthur that Merlin didn't feel the same way about him.

Merlin's attention always seemed to be captured by those damn books, although Arthur really didn't mind, seeing as how Merlin would have caught Arthur staring at him a long time ago if that wasn't the case. He didn't seem to be as ….. "enchanted"… with Arthur as Arthur was him.

Arthur could feel claws growing as he grew steadily angrier at his thoughts. Well, it was no wonder Merlin didn't want to stare at him. He was a beast after all. Who would want to look at these burnt looking scars or magical markings? And again, it was all thanks to that witch.

If that witch hadn't changed him he and Merlin could be… Could be what? Dating? Lovers?

A deeper red blush spread across Arthur's face, although Merlin was too busy with his book to notice. No. They most certainly would not be… lovers. In all likely they wouldn't have even met. And if they had it would have been just as a servant and prince. But now they could be friends…. or possibly even more?

"Edward?" Merlin asked.

Arthur snapped out of his thoughts to find Merlin looking at him with trace amounts of worry and confusion.

"Hm?" Arthur asked.

"I asked if you were bored. You've been sitting around in here with me all day, surely this must be boring for you," Merlin said.

Arthur quickly sat up and tried to play off his obvious boredom by looking around the library. Maybe if he pretended to be interested in other things then Merlin would go back to reading.

"Seriously, you can go do… whatever it is you normally do at this time. I don't need you to be watching over me all the time," Merlin continued, flipping the page he was on without ever even looking at Arthur.

Arthur took on an indignant look as he as he spluttered at Merlin's words. "I'm not 'watching over you.' I'm just sitting right here," Arthur paused as he thought of Merlin's words. "Besides, apparently you do, otherwise every time I let you out of my sight you wouldn't end up getting hurt."

Merlin looked like he wanted to argue but given recent events he knew he couldn't. "Guess you should stop letting me out of your sight then, huh?" the young man asked.

Arthur froze at Merlin's words, wondering if Merlin realized what and how Arthur felt about him.

'That's what I'm trying to do', Arthur thought.

One look at Merlin's innocent expression told him that he hadn't meant his words as Arthur had.

'If only you were aware of that.'

XXX

' Just keep staring at the book, just keep staring at the book,' Merlin thought. Maybe if he kept staring at the book Edward would go away and find something else to do.

Did the man know how distracting it was for him to just sit there staring? And did he really think he was being nonchalant about it? Merlin practically had burn marks from the intensity of Edward's stare.

Perhaps the young man had guessed what exactly it was Merlin was reading. But if he really had guessed that they were magic books, did that mean that Edward was okay with magic? He did have all these books after all and he had given Merlin free reign of the library. The scars on his face and his red eyes spoke of misused magic, but he couldn't tell if that was from him or someone else using it.

If Edward really was for magic would he be a lord of manor for Camelot? There was no way that any of those books in the library were legal, in fact if King Uther found any of them then he was positive that they would be executed.

Edward didn't seem to be too interested in any of the books though, which made Merlin wonder if he'd even looked at them at all. They were a little harder to read than Gaius's book, possibly because they were older, yet if you looked too closely you could tell they were he hadn't then it was possible that he didn't really know that they were magic books.

Merlin almost hoped that Edward did know they were magic books. If he knew they had spells in them then maybe the lord knew magic too, which would mean he knew about Merlin's magic, and they could skip past the whole awkward talk of illegal practices. Plus, that would make it easier to help heal the lord of whatever magic was inside him. His appearance was probably why he was secluded away in this manor, which Merlin knew was having an effect on him if his attention to Merlin was any hint.

So far, and despite all the books Merlin had read, he'd yet to find anything that would help Edward out. The lord was always around him, so he hadn't exactly had a chance to try out any of the new spells but he was learning a lot.

He'd found a spell to unlock doors, a spell to make objects levitate more stably, a supposedly well known transportation spell, along with several others that he was sure he'd need to practice before trying them out.

"I guess so," Edward said with a smile on his face.

'That's it, I'm never opening my mouth again,' Merlin thought.

He knew that Edward wasn't meaning his words in the teasing/endearing kind of way that Merlin had meant them; the lord was simply… making fun of him. Wasn't he?

The young lord suddenly seemed to get fidgety as he began to tap out a rhythm on the table. It was a nervous sort of energy, the kind the lord had been showing a lot lately.

Merlin sighed as he closed his book and began to rub his forehead.

The knocks his head had taken from rolling down the stairs still bothered him, and sitting there reading all day hadn't helped at all. He could once again feel the young lord's eyes on him, forcing him to take a deep breath and slowly exhale through his nose.

"Merlin?" the lord asked, shifting as if he was about to get out of the chair.

Merlin needed to change the subject before the lord started asking about how he felt again. He already hovered around him enough as it was. "Do you want to do something else?" Merlin asked. He needed a break from all the reading he'd been doing.

"Like what?" Edward asked curiously.

"I don't know, anything," Merlin said hurriedly. "A game, talk, walk, just anything other than sitting here?" Merlin was aware that he was rather limited when it came to their options, his injuries only making the list shorter. He just felt the need to do something and to also give Edward something to do as well.

"Walk where, around the manor?" Edward asked, making to stand up. He leaned over and offered his hand to Merlin who took it gratefully and stood up too.

"I was thinking more along the lines of outside. Certainly a lot more to see, wouldn't you agree?" Merlin asked. He slide the book he had been reading closer to the growing pile of books he'd already read before turning towards the lord.

Edward let out a rough bark of laughter. If it wasn't for the scratchy, growly tone that was in it the laugh would have sounded almost arrogant; like despite all the time he spent alone in this manor he still knew how to act like he was better than other people.

The laugh itself wasn't all that unpleasant; in fact, Merlin found that he secretly liked it, even if it gave him the impression he was being made fun of.

"Outside? With what you've got on?" Edward asked in his haughty way.

"What's wrong with what I've got on?" Merlin asked with a pout on his face.

The lord leaned close to Merlin and picked at his thin jacket with one of his claws, hooking it and easily tearing a tiny hole in it when Merlin pulled his arm away.

Merlin pouted again and repeated his question. It was his warmest jacket after all and it was his newest long sleeve tunic, which meant that it had the least amount of mended areas, although that could change if Edward didn't keep his claws to himself.

"What's wrong with what you've got on?" Edward parroted in disbelief. "Well for starters, it's way too thin. The wind would be able to get through these within moments, it's a wonder you've managed to survive a winter before. Secondly, this jacket looks like it's been mended so many times; one good tug could undo it all."

Merlin's face grew warm in annoyance. "I've made it through worse winters than this in Ealdor, look it's not even snowing outside," Merlin said as he waved to one of the windows in the library. It was gray and overcast outside, but Merlin was right, it wasn't snowing. "And my mother made and mended these, which means that they're probably better held together than most of the clothes in Camelot."

Edward took a step back from the angry servant, his red eyes wide and his clawed hands held up in defense. The lord shook his head at Merlin's words, not wanting to interrupt and give him another reason to go off. He hadn't meant to insult Merlin or his mother, but those clothes weren't right for the odd weather outside.

"I'm sure your mother is a fine seamstress, but that doesn't help with them being too thin. You've worn them threadbare, and if you want to go outside then you'll have to find something thicker to wear," Edward explained.

Merlin sighed. "I don't have anything thicker. Besides I told you that I've been through worse than this," Merlin said. He kept walking until he reached the library door, only pausing once he reached it to look behind him and raise an eyebrow. "Are you coming?"

Edward sighed while shaking his head, then before Merlin could take that as a no he nodded and headed out the door to follow Merlin. He seemed exasperated yet amazed as well and Merlin decided that it was a good look on him. Even better than the haughty, arrogant look he wore sometimes. At that moment Merlin decided that he was glad it was him who caused the look and that he really wanted to put that look on his face more often.

"Fine, if you insist on being a stubborn idiot by going outside you can wear something of mine," the lord said. Merlin began to protest, trying to tell the lord that it wouldn't be necessary but he was ignored and gently yet firmly pulled towards the room where Merlin was staying. Merlin had learned that it was actually Edward's room and that he was sleeping in the library while Merlin was staying with him, although the past couple of nights Merlin had fallen asleep while in the library, resulting in him staying in the library and some very uncomfortable cricks in his joints.

Edward walked over to the dresser across the room and removed a red Camelot cloak and a thicker red jacket. Without even glancing in Merlin's direction he tossed the articles of clothing over his shoulders and began digging through it again.

Both red garments slapped Merlin in the face before falling to the floor. Merlin sent an annoyed glance in Edward's direction despite the lord not even looking at him. He bent down, his sore body still protesting such movements, and snatched up the clothing.

The cloak was finely made, very thick and study, yet still very noble as if it belonged on a prince rather than a peasant. It was softer than Merlin might have imagined, and longer than he thought strictly necessary. Merlin glanced at the lord and saw him wrapping a more neutral colored cloak around him and he couldn't help but wonder why the lord was lending him such an expensive cloak and wearing the cheaper yet still quite warm cloak.

Edward looked at Merlin and noticed he wasn't getting dressed and walked over to him, taking the expensive cloak from his hands. "Come on now, put on that jacket so we can get this cloak on you," he said.

As Merlin began to ease the red jacket over his current brown one his body sent pain shocking through him, protesting every move he made. The pain must have shown on his face because Edward instantly snapped to it and held the jacket open for Merlin. Once the jacket was securely on, Edward wrapped the Camelot cloak around Merlin's shoulders and clasped it in the front. The lord let a small smile come to his face as he trailed his hands over the fine material and down Merlin's arms.

"The color suits you, Merlin," Edward said, his tone slightly far away.

The young man couldn't help but pause and look at Edward for a moment. It was only a moment, hardly anything anyone but he would likely remember, but that one moment was perfect. The fire was still going in the room, leaving Merlin's already warm face even warmer, the fine material against the tiniest bits of Merlin's skin and Edward's hands on top of that, not to mention the way the fire made everything look. Edward's eyes were so dark that Merlin was absolutely sure now that the red was magical, although there could be no way it was caused by a curse. Nothing cursed could be that nice or that perfect.

With a quick look away the moment was gone. Edward let out an awkward throat clear, as if it had been him to make the moment uncomfortable. A quick pat was placed on Merlin's shoulders before both of them made their way out of the room and headed towards the porch.

The air outside was cool with a cold breeze running through it. There was snow coming, Merlin could feel it, and the thought made him as excited as a little kid. Back in Ealdor, before everyone got too cold or too hungry, Will and Merlin would run around in the snow having snowball fights and making snow angels and snowmen. The thought of doing all these things without Will, or anyone for that matter, made Merlin sad. It would be his first winter away from home and he would be spending it here of all places. At least in Camelot he had Gwen, who he knew could be convinced to do at least some of those things.

Edward leaned forward into Merlin's line of sight, obscuring his vision of the lawn. "Are you alright?" he asked, concern wrinkling his brow. Merlin must have looked as confused as he felt because Edward continued. "You have a sad look on your face."

Merlin quickly rearranged his face, trying to put on a happier or at least a more neutral expression to reassure the lord. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm great. Just thinking is all," Merlin said.

Edward snorted at this. "You, thinking? The world must be ending then," he said sarcastically. He glanced at Merlin out of the corner of his eyes and when he realized that Merlin wasn't playing along he stopped. "Thinking about what exactly?"

Merlin gave a non-committal shrug. "Just home I guess. About my friend, Will, and how we used to play in the snow when we were younger," he said. This wasn't strictly true, seeing as how they had played in the snow together just last winter, so they weren't a whole lot younger.

A pained expression came onto Edward's face and he fell silent. Merlin couldn't think of what caused the lord's sudden silence but he didn't like it. He didn't like thinking about how far he was from home or how long he'd been away or the fact that his new home had been taken from him by those horrible, magical knights and the silence allowed him to do that. When it was silent all he could think about was how un-silent it always was in Camelot or with Will, how lonely his mother must be without him, and how those knights could potentially be targeting Gaius or searching for him.

He wanted the friendly banter back.

"You ever play in the snow? Or were you too "noble" to play?" Merlin tried, putting air quotes around noble and hoping that Edward would rise to the bait. It was lame, but he hoped it would be enough. The pained expression went away and the arrogant lord was back.

"No, I never played in the snow, why would I ever to something so childish?" Edward said, elbowing Merlin carefully, taking care to not hit him in any sore spots.

"Uh, because you were a child at one point?" Merlin said obviously. Merlin was quick to continue, not allowing Edward a chance to say a word. "So, too noble to play in the snow. You must have lived a boring life," Merlin said.

"The most boring life imaginable," Edward said.

"Just imagine, now snowball fights."

"No snow angels."

"No snowmen."

"No fun."

"Well, we'll have to change that then won't we?" Merlin said optimistically.

Edward blinked at him in confusion. "What?"

"We'll have to change that. Whenever it snows we'll have a giant snowball fight and make snow angels and snowmen," Merlin said. "It'll be great and the most fun you've ever had, I promise."

Edward looked rather sure that it would indeed be the most fun he'd ever had, which reassured Merlin that he hadn't just been making an empty promise to someone who didn't care.

The two of them sat down at the rickety table and chair set that Edward had moved outdoors. He had said that if Merlin was still there come spring then they would eat supper out there on the warmer nights. Part of Merlin hoped that he would be back in Camelot assisting Gaius and hanging out with Gwen and Morgana by the time spring was here, after all how long could peace negotiations last?, but the other part of him sincerely hoped he was still here, with Edward.

Sure it was boring with very little to do other than read, but here were books on magic that could surely help Merlin more than Gaius when it came to his powers, and hanging out with Edward wasn't so bad when he wasn't staring and distracting him. The young lord said little about himself or anything personal, always clamming up or turning the questions around on Merlin annoyingly, but he could banter like crazy which Merlin couldn't help but enjoy.

"I'm sure it will be," Edward with a nod. The fact that he seemed to trust that it would be in the end made Merlin's heart happy.

All of a sudden Merlin couldn't wait for snow.

XXX

So, again not much happening. I feel like you guys are getting a little peeved because I'm not "moving the story along fast enough…"…. But part of the story is romance, and well, romance can take time. Even destined love, am I right?

No? Well, oh well, at least it's a chapter!

Til' Later!