Arthur had no idea where she'd gone, but she'd taken Snowfire so maybe, just maybe, she'd be in the forest. He knew from her father that their castle was surrounded by forests and that's where she'd spent much of her childhood. As he cantered around the outskirts of the closest forest, he heard music, a harp…
She was there. Ginger was sitting on a tree stump playing a harp while Enya, now free of her armour, was moving gracefully to the music. She looked like a nymph, a dryad… something unreal. Mythical. Arthur stepped into the clearing, Ginger spotted him first and ceased her playing. Enya spun around to see him standing there. He motioned at Ginger to keep playing, then took a step forward, offering his hand to the princess. She hesitated, but took it nervously. He pulled her in close and they swayed to the music. Two beings, moving as one. Her eyes had no tears in them now.
"Why did you run?" he asked softly, squeezing her hand that rested in his. She took a deep breath before responding.
"I… I don't know. Something inside me, seeing you there, at my mercy… it wasn't satisfying, it was painful. I always wanted to be like other girls. I didn't want to be royal, I didn't want to be waited on hand and foot, I wanted to take care of myself and others. That's the only good thing about being a princess, one day I will have the power to take care of my people. To help them." Arthur put his lips to her ear.
"Normal girls don't fight like that," he whispered, earning him a giggle.
"I fight to protect my people. I want to be normal but I want to be special too. I want to earn it, though, not be special just because of my name, or the family I was born into," she explained, "everyone says what I want to hear, shows me what I want to see… I just want people to be real with me." They danced for a few moments in silence.
"I will be real with you, Enya," Arthur said slowly, "what do you want to know?" A few more steps of hesitant silence.
"Am I beautiful, Arthur? Everyone tells me I am, Ginger, my father, my people, even your servant, Merlin… But how do I know they mean it? How do I know they're not just telling me so because I am a princess?" He took his hand from her waist and pushed her hair behind her ear, just as he had imagined.
"You are beautiful, Enya. Not because you're a princess, you just are. Not just the way you look, but the way you show so much compassion and love and you don't want to be special just for the sake of being special. You want to earn what you have. You're beautiful." Tears on her lashes. One escaped down her cheek and he wiped it away.
"Thank you, Arthur." Her head rested on his broad, strong chest. She felt safe, but she didn't tell him so.
Merlin. Arthur. Enya. Arthur. Enya. Merlin. Enya. Arthur. Merlin. Merlin wanted to know where the prince and princess were but he knew it was probably for the best that he didn't know.
Out of one of the castle windows he saw Enya return first on her stallion, followed by Ginger on another horse. She disappeared into the stable for a while then emerged with her friend, returning into the castle. Arthur came a few minutes later, leaving his horse to be tended to by one of the many stable hands. Merlin sighed quietly to himself, hoping against hope that Arthur wouldn't have much to tell him.
"I thought you said she was just like any other princess," Merlin reminded him somewhat sulkily. Arthur laughed.
"Are you kidding? After everything she's done since she got here? No, she's not just like anything or anyone. If Dryads exist then she must be one." It was Merlin's turn to laugh.
"A Dryad? No way, she's human. An extraordinary one, but human nonetheless." Arthur looked sideways at his servant.
"Merlin, do you love her?" he asked slowly. Merlin rolled his eyes in response.
"I don't have to love her to acknowledge that the things she's shown so far have been extraordinary, Arthur." The prince huffed in response, but accepted Merlin's answer for the time being.
Ginger helped Enya fix her hair from the ride back to Camelot.
"You and Arthur sure looked wonderful dancing together," Ginger said softly, sliding pins into Enya's hair. The princess smiled softly.
"It felt like nothing I've ever experienced before," she admitted, "Even that time the prince from Ardongue visited and danced with me for the entire ball." Ginger nodded.
"I've seen the way Arthur looks at you. Even Merlin. I think they're both smitten," she confessed. Enya's laugh echoed around the room.
"Oh Ginger, don't be silly. They've probably just never seen a princess that is willing to lift a finger for herself. Arthur has women from all over arriving to impress him. And Merlin? I think he's got his head screwed on tightly enough not to develop feelings for royalty." She stood and examined herself in the full length mirror next to her vanity.
"Sometimes it has nothing to do with being smart. Feelings are feelings m'lady and not everyone can control them the way you can," the maid replied, smiling softly, "besides, just because Arthur is surrounded by women daily doesn't mean it's impossible for him to spot someone so special."
Enya ignored the response, "let's go down to the main hall, father will be signing the peace treaty soon and he would like for me to be present." Ginger followed Enya from the room, locking the door behind them.