"Have you ever been in love Merlin?" Arthur asked his servant/friend as he watched his queen talking with Elyan and Gwaine. He sighed when her melodious laugh reached him from across the hall. "Yes, I have" Merlin sighed also as he thought of laughing, brown eyes and pale skin.
"Treasure her Merlin" Arthur said as he turned to look at his friend "if you love her like I love Gwen, treasure her!"
"I did" Merlin murmured as he turned to watch his friends laughing together. "You did? Did she leave you?" Arthur asked, sipping from his wine. He wanted to know and he would comfort Merlin, if his first true friend needed it.
"She was killed" Merlin whispered almost inaudibly but Arthur had heard it and he stood to place a comforting hand on his friends shoulder "I'm sorry" Arthur said sincerely.
He never wanted to lose his love; he would not be able to function without Gwen now that he had her. Merlin nodded, tears in his eyes yet he refused to let them fall.
He doubted Arthur would be so sorry if he knew who he had loved, even though he had killed Merlin's first and only love he could not hate him.
"What was her name?" Arthur asked and Merlin smiled "Freya" he said it with a voice so full of love that Arthur was envious for a moment. "Remember her and she will live on through you" Arthur said as he picked up two goblets of wine.
"A toast" he said loudly and everyone went silent as they looked at their king "a toast to love and everyone who has been graced with it." There was a loud yell of agreement and then everyone gulped down their drink.
Merlin couldn't help but smile at the way Gwen and Arthur were staring at each other, he left quietly to journey to the lake, were Freya had breathed her last breath, to think about the short moments they had spent together.