"...Or Not" (Rose)
My answer is plain, but no less true than anything fabricated I could have said. Poor Merlin ... as if being burdened with bringing me along with him wasn't enough, I've gone and completely thrown off his entire day. I decide to apologize.
My voice just has to go and crack as I say, "I'm so sorry, Merlin."
He looks at me with his brows knit together, "What do you mean? What have you to be sorry for?"
"I've ruined your day and dragged you into something that shouldn't even involve you," I look at my lap in shame.
"Hey," he shoves the things next to me aside, and sits there in its place, "You and I are a team now, yeah?"
"Well, yes, bu-"
"No," he stops me short, "No arguments- no ifs, ands, or buts of any kind. Just listen. It may be your destiny to protect me, but I choose to look after you. I know it's not required of me, but whether or not we were meant to really connect, I believe we have."
My stupid heart is beginning to beat harder and harder with every word- from appreciation, from relief, from worry, from ... possibly something else ... I'm so lost in the moment.
"You're my friend, and I know I haven't known you for very long, but you mean a lot to me. You understand ... Like no one has before. I don't know how, but you get me, and you don't even have to have experienced what I have felt to see. It blows me away."
I am at a loss for a response, which makes me feel like an idiot. I try my best anyways. "I- ... Thank you, Merlin. I can't even tell you what hearing you say all that has done for me ... I just wanted you to have a nice, normal day."
"... Or not," he laughs.
"What do you mean?"
"To tell you the truth, when I have a normal day (rare as it may be), it usually isn't very nice. You've given me a chance to actually have a little fun with things I deem tedious and annoying and just plain painful sometimes. I wouldn't change taking you with me this morning. I would much rather have days like this, with you, than a normal one alone and stuck with Arthur. I have never had so much fun scrubbing a floor before," he smiles brightly through more laughs.
I laugh, too, "I've never scrubbed a floor before, so I can say the same."
We pick up our work once more and share a few more giggles as we go along. Perhaps this was life's little way of assuring me I would always have Merlin on my side.
"Carry On" (Merlin)
As we go on with my chores, there is one thing I continuously notice about my newfound friend. She is very good at one thing among many- she is able to carry on. She's been through hell and back again, and yet, she still finds it in her heart to smile. I find something very... dare I say, attractive ... about that. "Shut up, Merlin!" I scold myself in a harsh whisper.
"What was that?" Rose questions innocently.
"What? Oh! Nothing," I have to compose myself before I scramble my words together. I let a moment slip past. "Well, look at that!" I spread my arms out.
"What am I looking at?" she spins about in a silly fashion, landing her gaze back on mine, again with a shining smile. Darn this.
"You are looking at success, milady," I cross my arms in triumph, "We've finished everything that needs doing, besides bringing Arthur his dinner, which is easily rectified. We are free to go with time to spare before Gaius will be home and we can all have supper!"
"Off we go then!" she motions towards the direction of the kitchen, and I immediately dash away. Why not? This freedom feels good!
She promptly asks me to direct her in what to do, so I give her a few of Arthur's explicit instructions. To my surprise, she executes them with great care. I find Arthur's drabble monotonous, so I have never paid too much attention to detail. The meal, when finished, looks wonderful. We briskly make our way to his chambers and set the table. Whilst we do so, a branch of our previous conversation picks back up.
"So tell me, good sir, what shall we do with these extra moments of liberation bestowed upon us by our diligence?" she raises a quizzical eyebrow. 'Why does she have to be intelligent AND funny?' my mind whines. I think I officially hate the social branch of my existence.
"Oh, I don't know," I scratch my head, giving off an impression of cluelessness, "I suppose we could ... take a stroll, perhaps?"
"That sounds perfect," she beams genuinely.
"Then a stroll it shall b-" The chamber door swings open.
"Oh, good!" Arthur nearly shouts, "I was hoping you'd be here. Rose, I was wondering if you would join me for dinner."
A stunned look flashes on her face and she stammers a bit, "That's very kind of you, Arthur, but Merli-"
"Don't worry about Merlin," he nonchalantly waves his hand toward me, "He can join us."
"Actually," I interject, "She was going to say-"
"Thank you, my lord," Rose cuts me off, sending my heart down into my stomach in defeat. "It will be my pleasure."
I bite my tongue and heave a sigh. There is no winning with Arthur around. It is my turn to stick out the pain (in this case, more of an annoyance) and move along.