The Sorcerer's Secret (a Merlin story)

4

"What's this?" Celeste questioned, taking the purple Iliac from Merlin's long thin fingers.
"I picked it when I was out with Arthur this morning." Merlin said sheepishly. "I thought you might like it."
"I do, thank you." She looked down admiring it.
"I should probably get going." Merlin said conflicted, wanting to say more, to stay starring into her honey eyes but also hearing the footfalls of someone coming.
"Thank you for this." She said again. Merlin took a small bow and she chuckled. "You really don't have to do that."
"Goodbye My Lady." Merlin tried to wipe the grin off his face as he moved to Arthur's room to begin his chores.

"Where is my flower?" Arthur questioned.
"What?" Merlin jumped surprised as he wiped his hands clean of pollen.
"I just assumed that you were giving everyone flowers," Arthur began innocently. "Not just the Lady Celeste..." Arthur said with great suspicion. His eyes narrowing in on Merlin.
"No, I wasn't... I mean..." Merlin stood open mouthed and no where to run. Arthur stern look turned soft.
"She is beautiful Merlin, don't get me wrong. But you have to know your limits." Merlin let out a breath. "She is something special, that's for sure." Arthur went on. "But you should really stay in your own lane." Arthur pat Merlin on the shoulder. "Find a nice serving girl to make a fool out of yourself with, but not my Celeste." Arthur said possessively.
"Your Celeste?" Merlin's shot a hand up to over his grin. Arthur glared back at Merlin.
"She's my best friend, I have known her for years. I love her greatly." Arthur said defensively. "You just met her, you don't know her like I do. So yes, Celeste is my responsibility. It is my job to protect her, to keep her safe and keep her heart from getting broken again." Arthur snapped and Merlin swallowed the lump in his throat. "Besides," Arthur said lightly, "If my father ever found out about your little infatuation with His Ward, he was have you flogged." Merlin nodded. Time after time, Gawaine told him to stay away from Celeste. Now with Arthur catching him leaving Celeste's room, Merlin really did need to stay away. He had no choice now.
"I'm sorry Sire. Of course. I will abandon my feelings for the Lady Celeste. It was foolish anyways." Merlin said trying to play it off as a simple crush. Not that he thought of her daily, forgot what he doing when she was around or made excuses to bring her tonic or bring her, her meals...
"Good. Now go clean out the stables. Groom the horses and repair the strap on my saddle. It was loose." Arthur instructed, he moved to the training grounds leaving Merlin by the row of swords.

Merlin did as instructed but he griped about it the whole time. If he could only use his magic... he considered it for a moment before Gawaine voice popped into his head. 'you will be burned at the stake!' it said and Merlin didn't feel like dying over using magic to clean out the horses stables. Plus, if he had used magic to clean up he would have been done ages ago and wouldn't have run into Celeste.
"Lady Celeste." Merlin welcomed her into the stables. She had her riding boots on but no guards accompanied her.
"Hello Merlin." Celeste smirked at him. He was covered in dirt and dung. "You got a little something... everywhere." She waved a hand at him. When she laughed at him it was with sympathy, unlike when Arthur laughed it him. When Arthur laughed at Merlin is will filled with arrogance.
"I know, I was going for the just rolled out of the stables look." Merlin joked throwing down his pitch fork.
"Well you are doing an excellent job of it." Celeste pulled a brush off the wall and began stroking her horses mane.
"Are you going for a ride? Do you want me to saddle up Butterscotch?" Merlin offered moving to the row of saddles.
"No, that's alright. I can do it."
"It's really not a problem." Merlin insisted.
"Sure, thank you, Merlin." Celeste kissed Butterscotches long nose as Merlin put the saddle on, tightening the stapes.
"Is anyone else riding with you?"
"No... unless you would like to join me?" She questioned innocently. Everyone told Merlin to stay away from Celeste. He would be flogged for falling in love with her but... if she asked him to spend the day riding with her... "I mean unless you're busy, or don't want to... I completely understand."
"No," Merlin blurted out to quickly. At first he was considering his options and she thought his hesitation was disinterest. Her face fell, so quickly he said, "I would love to join you." He should probably check with Arthur first, after all he was working.
"Wonderful." Celeste replied giddy. "Should we tell Arthur?" She questioned as Merlin placed a saddle on Brownie. "We probably should. I wouldn't him getting mad at you." Celeste said with a smile as she boarded her horse. "I can tell him." Celeste offered. "He can't say no to me. It's one of my many talents." She waited for Merlin to get on Brownie and they rode side by side to the training grounds.
"My Lady?" Sir Drew and Calev took a deep bow to her when she neared.
"Merlin what on earth are you doing?" Arthur exclaimed when he saw Merlin on horseback.
"He is going for a ride with me. I asked him to come with me. That is alright isn't it Arthur?" She batted her eyelashes at him.
"Do you want to me come?" Arthur asked petting Butterscotch.
"No." She said simply. "Merlin will do quite fine." Merlin felt the butterflies fluttering in his chest. He was going on his first unofficial date with the Lady Celeste.
"Actually, I think I will go too." Arthur said, his tone conniving. Merlin's heart sank.
"Arthur that's not necessary." Celeste began.
"Nonsense. I have already schooled my men, I could use a break." Arthur threw down his sword and shield and snapped his fingers at Merlin. "Get my horse ready." Arthur turned back to his knights. "Drew? Julian? Calev? Care to join us?" They nodded moving to the stables.
"Arthur," Celeste whined.
"Whose in charge here?" Arthur questioned arrogantly.
"Me of course." Uther said, appearing from in between the horses. "Where are you headed my lovely girl?" Uther asked Celeste as demounted her horse.
"Nowhere." She growled. "Arthur took all the fun out of it."
"Arthur, that's not very princely of you."
"I agree." Celeste said annoyed.
"Father, I just didn't want her riding alone." Uther turned to her.
"It that true?" Celeste turned her cheek from him. "You know that riding alone is not safe."
"I wouldn't be alone." Celeste informed him and Arthur scoffed.
"What?" Uther questioned, looking between them.
"Nothing," Celeste said but Arthur cut her off.
"She was going to take a servant with for protection." Arthur drawled.
"I don't want to go anymore, anyway." Celeste spat as she lead Butterscotch back to the stables.
"Apologies." Uther said in that all knowing voice.
"I just wanted her to be safe." Arthur argued.
"I know but she wants independence. She needs to feel like she's being heard, not babysat." Uther explained and Arthur nodded. "Now go apologize."
"Fine," Arthur griped. But Merlin beat him to it.
"I'm sorry," Arthur stopped at the edge of the stables and listened. "You should be able to go on a ride without having everyone watching you. Without needing permission." Merlin said, removing the saddle off of Brownie. "I'm sorry I can't give you that." Celeste remained quiet as she groomed her horse.
"Thank you," she said finally after what felt like forever. "I used to ride all the time... when I first got to the palace it was my only way to escape." Merlin listened as he hooked back up the horses. "Arthur used to ride with me too. He wasn't as pushy as he is now. I used to like riding with him." Merlin let a laugh slip out and Arthur wanted to punch him. "No I'm serious." Celeste remarked. "He's my best friend, I love him but he can get on my last nerve."
"No kidding." Merlin chuckled.
"He's a good guy, a great guy actually." Celeste informed Merlin and Arthur nodded. He was a great guy. "But..."
"What?" Merlin took a careful step towards her.
"I don't know maybe it's just being here, stuck here."
"You don't talk about before your time here," Merlin remarked.
"I know," Celeste said softly and walked away. She noticed Arthur watching them and she let Arthur wrap an arm around her shoulder and she tipped her head into him.
"Lets go for a walk, just us two." Arthur told her and she nodded. Merlin watched them walk away and wished that Arthur didn't get in his way. That it was him with his arm around Celeste not Arthur. He was a prince, he could have anyone...

"So I heard Merlin stopped by your chambers today?" Arthur questioned knowingly.
"What if he did?" Celeste said innocently.
"You are leading him on."
"So what if I am?" She stopped walking. "He is sweet. He is certainly unlike anyone in Camelot."
"I think he has a crush on you." Celeste began walking away, her cheeks blushing.
"Maybe I like him too." Celeste informed Arthur, this time it was he that stopped walking. Celeste didn't slow her pace though.
"What do you mean, maybe you like him too?" Arthur said outraged, running to catch up to her. "He's a servant. A fool." Arthur said growing more agitated.
"He is kind, compassionate, and has a good sense of humor. Everyone Uther tries to set me up with is so stiff." Celeste complained.
"My father is trying to find you someone to build an alliance with, someone that will help make Camelot greater, stronger... he doesn't think of love." Arthur explained.
"I know that. And maybe for you that's fine." Celeste snapped. "But when I get married, I will be doing it for love... not strategy." She said defiantly. Celeste turned away from Arthur, she never bowed to him, rarely used his title, and never put up with his attitude.
"Celeste," Arthur begged, "come back."
"It's my life Arthur," she called over her shoulder. "Don't worry about it."
"Celeste!" There was nothing Celeste liked more than doing the opposite of what Arthur and King Uther wanted. That stemmed from something as simple as wearing pants instead of a gown, to falling for a servant instead of a prince. "I can't say anything right can I?" Arthur questioned.
"No." Celeste replied, a grin on her face.