Hello my dears. I would like to thank Meri Ley (Guest), Amelia (Guest), mersan123, AndreKl and lilynicole1313 for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So here is the next chapter, it's not very long, but I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.
Merlin had spent his morning scouring the forest for the best flowers he could find. He now had a lovely bunch he was sure Morgana would appreciate. Of course in doing so he had manged to get his hands covered in mud. He knew he could return to his room and wash up, but he didn't want to be trapped by Gaius when it was now time for him to see his love, therefore he made do with a small stream that ran not far from Camelot's walls. Once clean he carefully collect his flowers and with a determined stride made his way back towards the castle. It was time to see his love, his lady, his Morgana.
No one stopped him or questioned him as he strode though the corridors of the castle with a bunch of flowers held carefully in his hand. In fact it wasn't until he was approaching Morgana's rooms that he saw anyone who he knew he needed to remain hidden from. Luckily for him Arthur was otherwise engaged having a deep conversation with Gwen so they were both nicely distracted in his mind. Therefore neither of them saw him as he slipped past them and up the stairs to Morgana's door. He was glad Gwen was with Arthur, though for a purely selfish reason. For it meant that he and Morgana would be unlikely to be disturbed for a while. It would give him time to tell her how much he loved her. Give him time to show her how much she meant to him. As such it was with only the thought of seeing his love in his mind that he knocked on the door.
Morgana had been pacing the room for most of the morning. She had barely slept the previous evening as she went over what she had done, and what she was going to have to do. She was dreading the time Merlin arrived and she would have to act as if she cared for him. The one who had betrayed her. She half hoped he was stopped by the guards or Arthur, or anyone. Because she knew if he told Uther of his love for her he would dead by the time the sun set. Surely Morgause couldn't blame her if such a thing happened to him. It would be his own fault for not using his brain and remaining hidden. He was so good at going unnoticed usually. Oh, she would take great delight in standing and watching his execution. But… that wasn't the plan, and she did not believe that Merlin would let that happen. No matter how much she wished it. So that meant she needed to prepare herself to pretend to love him. Just the idea sent a shudder up her spine. But this was what she had agreed to, so this was what she must do.
She was just calming herself in preparation for the act of her lifetime when a knock came upon her door. Looking out of the window she saw that the sun was barely past noon, but she knew who it was on the other side. It was Merlin. He loved her so much he couldn't wait any longer. The idea made a snide smile appear on her face at his stupidity but she quickly wiped it off for one of affection as she called out a gentle "come in."
"My lady. My Morgana. You look so beautiful, so radiant you put the sun to shame. You light up the room, and you leave me speechless." Merlin gushed as soon as he saw her standing there waiting for him. He wanted to drop to his knees and dedicate sonnets to her. Declare his love through words as he wistfully compared her eyes to the sparkling green of forest leaves. He wanted… oh he wanted to do so much. Now he was with her, he felt as if his heart would burst with his feelings. He wanted to shower her with rainbows and stars, let his magic rein free as it showed her how much he loved her.
"Merlin. Are these for me? you shouldn't have." Morgana replied manfully not rolling her eyes at his words, nor responding to how he obviously wasn't speechless as he was talking. No she needed to not be snide and truthful with him, but loving and adoring. However dreadful such a task was in her mind. Therefore she stepped forwards to take the flowers from his hands. But as she did so she looked down at them and remembered another bunch he had given her so long ago. It was just after she had discovered her magic, and he had delivered them via Gwen. They were so similar to the ones she now held in her hands she couldn't help but get caught by the memories that rose at seeing them. Memoires she had convinced herself that she had supressed, never to be shown the light of day again.
"Do you not like them, Morgana? I knew I should have picked different ones." Merlin chastised himself when she said nothing more. He should have found something more exotic. He should have created her flowers with his magic and given her roses. He knew he would do it wrong. How could she ever love someone who couldn't even give her the right flowers?
"No. They are perfect. Thank you, Merlin." Morgana replied tearing her eyes from the flowers and smiling a genuine smile up at the man standing in front of her. For a second, just a second she could pretend that nothing had ever happened. That she was still the lady she had been, holding an affection for Arthur's manservant deep in her heart. The servant who brought her flowers and tried to help her. Who listened to her and looked at her with true feeling, not the mockery of it that she could see in his eyes right now.
"There is no need to thank me my lady, they are nothing more than you deserve." Merlin responded sincerely moving his hand so he could cup her cheek, running his thumb across her smooth skin as he marvelled at the woman in front of him. At her beauty, her smile, at the sadness he could see in her eyes. No. She couldn't be sad. He needed to do something to rid her of that feeling. He would do anything for her. "What is it, Morgana?" He asked so gently, as his other hand raised to her face so he was framing it, moving her so she was looking up at him.
And his voice was so reminiscent to how it had been that night when she had come to Gaius chambers but found him instead, Morgana didn't even need to fake the smile she gave him as she spoke. "I am worried you will get hurt if anyone knows of our feelings for each other. I need you to be careful for me Merlin. Promise me you will do that. For me?" She said knowing that she could not let Uther kill him for Morgause's plan to work. No matter her feelings on the matter.
"I promise." Merlin swore honesty radiating from his eyes. Eyes that trapped Morgana's own just as the memories had previously done when she looked at the flowers. It was for that reason, and that reason alone that she did not move away as Merlin's face came closer to hers, that was her excuse anyway. Though she was not sure how well it would hold with how she did not pull away when his lips sealed upon her own. In fact all she did when that happened was sway towards him, her mind having left her body to its own devices. As such she had no control over anything that happened. No control over how Merlin's kissed her, nor any control on how she returned it.
And oh, what a kiss it was. It may have been just a meeting of their two pairs of lips, but it was as if her magic itself was singing at the connection. It dazed her causing her to blink up at the man in front of her stupidity when he pulled away.
Merlin for his part had no clue what was going on. Why was he in Morgana's chambers holding her face? Oh good lord, he was holding the face of his enemy, tenderly. What was wrong with him? And had he just been… was he really just kissing her? No. There was no way he would kiss Morgana. Nope. This had to be some crazy dream because there was no way this was happening. He would not kiss Morgana if you paid him. No. but as he stared down at the woman who he was still holding the face of, (why hadn't he let go yet?) he saw in her eyes something of the woman he used to know. The kindhearted woman who had been his friend. The woman he had poisoned to save Camelot. Okay, no matter what he saw, he needed to get out of here. Now. Because something was clearly going on.
"Umm Morgana I…" Merlin tried to say, not sure what he could say in this situation. Well at least she wasn't trying to kill him. Maybe she was enchanted? It was the only reason he could think of that she was looking at him like she was. As if she cared for him. It was definitely not the snide look of loathing she usually threw his way. But what was he to do now? He had no idea what was going on or how he had gotten here. He needed to go and work this out. He needed to leave this room.
"Yes. You should go. We do not want anyone to find us together. But Merlin, I look forward to the next time." Morgana replied to his unintelligent attempt at a sentence while taking a step back so he was no longer touching her. She needed time to process what had just happened, and to make sure she never let down her guard like that again. She did not care for Merlin, he tried to kill her. He was her enemy, and nothing more.
"Right. Yes, umm, so do I." Merlin agreed before quickly turning and fleeing from the room. It wasn't like he could tell her he hated her was it? He needed to find out whatever spell she was under and rectify it. Because who knew what damage she could cause Camelot when under an enchantment? Great. If it wasn't bad enough that he had to stop all her evil plans with her sister, now he had to stop other peoples that seemed to involved her as well. Would he ever get any peace? With that thought Merlin carefully made his way to Gaius quarters. He was going to need his mentors help with this one, he was sure.