Queens

Ros

As Ros knocked on Morgana's door, she heard footsteps approaching her, she turned around to see Merlin running at her and then slowing to a stop in front of her, leaning over and trying to catch his breath. "Arthur.... An... Ana.... Market.... Shirts...."

"Whoa whoa, slow down there, catch your breath," she patted his shoulder and then helped him to stand up once he was okay. "Alright, now what were you trying to say?"

"Arthur went with Ana to the market to pick out some shirts, he told me to come with you to your lunch with Morgana." He smiled down at her and she laughed as the door opened to reveal Morgana in a stunning red dress.

"Lady Morgana you look lovely as ever," Ros turned away from Merlin and towards Morgana, still smiling.

"Your highness you're too kind, please, come in and join me won't you?" Morgana slid the door open enough to allow Ros and Merlin inside, Merlin slipping away to where Gwen was readying their lunch. As soon as Morgana shut the door she turned around and enveloped Ros into a tight hug, causing Ros to laugh.

"Alright alright, come now you ruin your beautiful dress." She pulled away and smiled at Morgana.

"Of course, oh and if Uther asks you, which he probably won't, you were with me yesterday all day alright? He came to me in the morning asking if I had seen you at all yesterday and I had told him that you and I were out in the gardens." She rubbed down the wrinkles in her dress and her brows furrowed together.

"Oh right, I didn't expect him to notice I was gone." Ros shrugged, "But thank you for covering for me, really."

"Your highness, Lady Morgana, your lunch is ready." Gwen appeared next to them and Morgana gave her a nod.

"Thank you Gwen, and thank you too, Merlin. You are dismissed." Gwen nodded and walked out, Merlin following her.

"Oh, Princess Ros, I'll be down with Giaus, send someone if you need anything," Merlin said, then closed the door behind him, leaving Ros and Morgana alone.

"Well, shall we eat then?"

"Yes, let's." They both took a seat at the table in Morgana's chambers, silently eating. It had always been this way between them, Morgana would help keep Ros out of trouble with Uther, and then they would have a meal together. It was usually out in the gardens, but every now and then it was in Morgana's chambers. "Thank you again for leading Uther away," Ros said before she brought a piece of bread to her lips.

"Really, after all these years, you don't need to thank me Ros. I'll always help in anyway I can to keep you away from Uther's anger, I know how hard he can be on you when he gets upset." That was an understatement, really. When Ros would defy Uther he would lock her in one of the cells in the dungeon for a week or two, not allowing anyone to visit her. Once when she brought home a stray dog from outside, Uther got angry because she had defied him, and he ordered the guards to throw the dog from her bedroom window. He hated her, and she knew it.

When their lunch was done, Ros walked back to her room in silence, thinking about nothing in particular. She walked in to find Merlin on the floor with a bucket and a rag, scrubbing at the ground. "Merlin? What are you doing?" He looked up at her and smiled.

"Well, I'm done now, but I wouldn't walk in there yet, it's still a bit wet." He placed the rag into the bucket and stood up.

"I thought you were going up be with Giaus?"

"I was at first, but then I figured might as well scrub the floors you know?"

"Oh, well um are you doing any other chores after this?"

"No don't think so, is there something you'd like your highness?"

"Would you mind coming down to the gardens on a walk with me?"

"Sure I'd love to." She nodded and motioned him away from her room, and he followed behind her, shutting the door.

They made their way through the hallways until they were out back behind the castle, in the gardens. It was like a maze of flowers and foliage, this was somewhere that Merlin had never been before, Ros could tell by his wife eyes and the large smile plastered across his face. "You've never been to the gardens then?" She asked him, walking down the rows of beautiful white roses.

"I knew that there was a garden, but I figured that it wasn't at all that great, but this, this is amazing," he leaned down and plucked one of the magnolias from its steam and brought it to his nose, smelling it. He stepped closer to her and brought the flower between them. "May I?" He asked, when she nodded he brought the flower up to her hair and pinned it behind her ear, tucking her hair behind her ear with it. "A beautiful flower for a beautiful princess," he said with a smile on his face. She felt the blood rushing to her face so she looked down quickly, muttering a thank you.

She cleared her throat and looked up at him, he had gotten significantly closer to her in the few moments she was looking down. "Thank you Merlin," she said properly. She then took a step back and turned around, motioning Merlin to follow her. Her heart raced inside her chest, and she couldn't help but think of how close Merlin was to her, just thinking about it caused her cheeks to flush again.

She lead him over to a stone bench and sat down, motioning for him to sit as well. She leaned behind them and plucked one of the blue tulips. She turned around and looked at Merlin, still admiring the hundreds of flowers surrounding them. "Here," she took his hand in hers and placed the tulip there, gently closing his fingers around the stem. "It's as blue as your eyes," she murmured. He brought the flower up to his nose and gently sniffed it. Her hand stayed up to the magnolia that was on her ear and a smile crept back onto her face. She smiled to herself, remembering what Merlin had said to her, A beautiful flower for a beautiful princess. Ros felt her cheeks heat up once again at the thought. No one had ever called her beautiful before, sure her brother had but that didn't count. Uther had never invited suitors for her over, only for Arthur. She thought it strange, that of all people to say that, it was Merlin.