"My Place" (Rose)

Tears fall from my eyes as Merlin spares Kilgharrah, giving him his freedom, allowing his kind to live on in him. My smile is wide and my heart is full of gratification as I watch from the surrounding woods, farthest away from the scene I could be whilst maintain a clear view. My spirit soars as the dragon does, finally free of his bonds and his lust for vengeance. Merlin and Arthur rejoice with laughter before returning to the city.

I run after them, always a comfortable distance between us. I stay back, seeing them step through the gates. I turn my gaze upward, "You're proud of him," I say knowingly to an invisible Balinor, "I know I am ... Please, tell my father I miss him. Thank you."

Another tear slips down the side of my face as I finish sending my heaven-bound message and continue on my feet towards Camelot. I pick up my skirt and press forward through the thick of the trees, the smile never fading from my face and the wetness from crying dries from my cheeks. I stumble through the gates, greeting those I see with a wide grin.

I pass through the streets, slowing my pace, until I reach the arch of the courtyard, seeing Merlin and Gaius together. "Merlin!" I call out to him instantly. He turns as I step out of the shadow. He laughs, knowing I had followed them, and bounds towards me. I meet him halfway in a dash of my own. We collide in the middle of the space between us, I toss my arms around his neck and he wraps his around my waist, lifting me up and twirling me through the air. I squeal with delight and fright all at once- to be clear, I wasn't expecting him to do that. He sets me down with a huge smile. "Your father is smiling like a fool watching over you right now, I know it," I tell him as a happy tears escape from my eyes.

"So that's where I get that from," he laughs.

"I reckon," I finger his neckerchief with a smile.

He gently grabs my hand, holding it to his chest, looking deeply into my eyes- more than ever before. My heart flutters and nerves over take me. I'm not quite sure what's going on. "Are you two coming home or not?" Gaius breaks the moment.

I give a nervous laugh, "Uh ... I guess we'd better get going, huh?"

"Yeah," he nods, still holding onto my hand and staring at me in a funny way.

Since he doesn't move, and I don't really know what to do, I revert to taking control. "Come on, Mr. Dragon-commander-supreme," I turn the hand he's holding around and secure a grip on his, pulling him along with me as he chuckles.

"Whatever you say, guardian angel of all things living," he plays along. Gaius laughs at our laughing as we walk to our quarters. I guess this is what happens when there's been a rough patch of time- we bawl our eyes out, and then laugh the night away. We're perfectly sensible ... Really, we are.

"Never-ending" (Merlin)

I wish I could say things have calmed, but they really haven't. There's hardly a moment in the day that I'm not working, but for good reason. I need the payment. The kingdom also needs all the hands it can get, its people slowly but surely put it together. We have assembled work parties every day that spread to the various damaged sections of the city. Gaius, Rose, and I find ourselves placed in those delegated to repairs in the castle.

Multiple times in the span of the day, I find my eyes drifting to Rose, watching her work her touch in the small details- fixing a tear here, removing rubble there, and placing final additions. I'm not quite sure why I acted the way I did the night of Kilgharrah's parting ... I mean, I know WHY, I just don't know why I actually displayed any affection.

I've come to discover that I really do enjoy her presence- everything about her. I never tire of hearing her laugh or listening to her talk. I always want to be by her. I think I'm an idiot for feeling this way ... No, I know I am. But I can't help it. I like her! I mean, not like THAT. Someone bumps into me as I'm polishing a vase, I nearly drop it. I catch it, for a price. I dive right into the floor. Naturally, the pottery is fine. I scoff at the thing as a giggle sounds above me. "Sleeping on the job, Merlin?" Rose smiles down at me, extending a hand.

"N-no," I stutter as I take her hand, "I was just-"

"Sparing this glassware from an imminent cruel end," she concludes. "I saw."

I stand up, cheeks flushing, "Thanks."

"No thanks needed," she grins, "I know you'd do the same for me."

I nod with gratefulness, and she goes on her way. She's been wearing white ever since that day. I don't know, something's changed in both of us. We've grown. We're becoming who we're destined to be, and we're doing it together, helping each other.

As the time passes, things fall back into place. The castle is looking better than before and the moral of the people strengthened. People smile at each other more openly, stop and ask each other "How are you?" It's all very encouraging. I have ... invested in something that I have been working extra to save for over the days.

Gaius continues to teach Rose and me his practice, but she excels. She puts hours upon hours of study into medicine. When any case comes up, Gaius will quiz her and she knows exactly what to do. Her eyes light up when she figures out a new potion on her own. I hope I can evoke this same kind of excitement when I begin to train her natural magic. Gaius handles the more technical and in depth history side of things. I can show her the spells I know, and we can learn more as we go. It's a place to start in this never-ending quest we call destiny. Even after death, the results of our destinies continue to affect the world.