"Why are we doing here again?" Merlin questions as he walks beside Arthur. "We're walking Merlin, ever heard of it? It's when you put one foot in fron of the other. Though I understand that may be hard for you to understand because you trip so often." Arthur mocks in a faux serious tone.
Merlin rolls his eyes, "I know what walking is, but what I want to know is why we're here." He says, gesturing to the shops in the lower town. "We're getting some stuff." Arthur says vaguely.
"Stuff?" Merlin repeats.
"Yes, stuff." Arthur says, finally looking at Merlin. Merlin's mouth goes dry at the sight of Arthur's golden hair shining in the lights. 'Must be the hot weather.' He thinks. "Anything specific I should look for?" Merlin finally says.
Arthur paused mid walk and looked at something over Merlin's shoulder. Merlin of course turned his head to see what he was staring at but saw nothing that would catch Arthur's attention. He looked back at Arthur only to see him smirking at him.
"What?" Merlin hesitantly asked, semi curious about what it could be. "Come on." Arthur said as he grabbed Merlin's arm and pulled him towards one of the stalls, the Lady appeared to be selling jewelry, there were bracletts, necklaces, flower crowns and rings of all sorts.
Arthur walked him over and whispered something to the lady, she smiled and asked which one, Arthur whispered something back but Merlin didn't catch it. Arthur handed the stall lady a few coins and she grabbed the yellow flower crown to him. Arthur accepted it, thanked her then turned to Merlin.
"What's that for?" Merlin asked with curiosity. Arthur smiled widely and unceremoniously dropped it on Merlin's head. "You" he said simply.
"I don't need a crown, dollophead." Merlin said as he adjusted it. "Too bad, my love, you already have it on." Arthur said with a smirk.
Merlin wrinkled his nose, "does this make me a prince?" He asked. Arthur laughed, "you'd be a princess" he said instead.
"If your the prince of prats what does that make me?" Merlin asked, without missing a beat Arthur said, "Princess Merlin of Flowers. Or something girly like that."
"I don't think my name is girly enough for that," Merlin commented.
"We'll just change your name then." Arthur suggested.
Merlin scoffed, "you can't just change my name. I like it."
"Fine we'll keep the bird theme. Hmm what about dove? It's a bird."
"And so is a cockatoo, but I don't call you that." Merlin pointed out. Arthur moved hit his arm but Merlin went out of reaching distance.
"I'm a princess now, you can't hit me anymore." Merlin said pointing at his flower crown. Arthur rolled his eyes. "I don't hit you, it's horseplay."
"Horseplay doesn't leave bruises," Merlin commented.
Arthur looked alarmed at the thought, "I bruise you?" "Well yeah I've told you it hurts."
Arthur frowned, "I just thought you were being dramatic." Merlin shook his head, "most of the time it doesn't but you like to get rough when the knights are around."
Arthur sighed and looked down, "I uhh.. I ap-" Arthur looked distinctly uncomfortable but then he looked up at Merlin, "I apologized for my behavior, it wasn't my intention to hurt you." He said softly, looking muck more vulnerable than Merlin had ever scene him.
"Hey it's fine," Merlin said. "I forgave you a while ago." Arthur looked at him and frowned, "your too nice,but thank you for forgiving me, my love."
Merlin smiled, "it's nothing, now let get going. I'm not sure what else we needed to get."
"I'd that an order, Princes Merlin?" Arthur teased.
Merlin bored than with as much regality as he could he turned up his nose and said, "why prince Arthur, of corse it was."
Arthur laughed lightly, "feels good dosent it?"
Merlin smile, "it's not..unpleasant."
As they were talking they didn't notice the stares they were drawling in, but by the time they left everyone in the lower town knew exactly what had happened. It was after all the worst kept secret that the two fancied each other and no one knew.
What they didn't know is how they got together and don't know about it. But noon the next day gossip was high and the rumors about the prince and his man servant where the talk of the town.
