The Lost Princess of Grerin || A Merlin AU

VIII. Delicate

~~~

"Come in," Ryia said with a groan as she was woken by knocking once more.

"Sorry," Guinevere said as she walked in, "I know you like staying in bed late but Uther has requested to see you this morning," she explained.

"Very well," Ryia said with a sigh as she sat up.

"Do you require assistance with getting dressed?" Guinevere offered with a smile.

"I should be fine, thank you though," Ryia told her with a smile, "but please sit on the bed for a second and pretend you are helping me."

"What?" Guinevere questioned with uncertainty.

"No one will question it if we say you were helping me," Ryia pointed out as she walked to her closet, "you deserve to rest every once in a while."

"I don't think I should," Guinevere stated.

"Just think of it as helping me by keeping me company," Ryia suggested as she looked at the handmaiden, "surprisingly this castle can be pretty lonely."

"Okay," Guinevere said a bit hesitantly before sitting on the bed.

Ryia smiled at her before pulling out an outfit and beginning to get dress, "so how long have you been working here?"

"Since I was a young girl," Guinevere explained.

"Is this like a family thing?" Ryia questioned, "like the job has been passed down for generations?"

"No, my father is actually a blacksmith," Guinevere explained, "he got me a job here when I was young."

"That's so interesting," Ryia told her as she walked out fully dressed in a shirt and pants, "I love learning about you. There's just something about you that's so intriguing."

Guinevere blushed as she looked at the other female, "uh- thank you, we should go," she stood up before motioning for Ryia to leave first.

~~~

"I'm glad you decided to join us Lady Ryia," Uther stated as he looked at Ryia and Guinevere as they walked in.

"I do apologize and please just call me Ryia," she told him with an awkward smile.

"I will do no such thing Lady Ryia," Uther said with a stern look.

"Right," Ryia said as she looked off to the said, holding back on saying anything insulting.

"Now that you three are here," Uther said getting the attention of Ryia, Arthur, and Morgana, "I want to inform you of the ball we are having in two days."

"Ball?" Ryia questioned with a raised brow.

"Yes a ball," Uther said with a nod.

"No I heard what you said but what is a ball?" Ryia asked, not knowing what it is.

Arthur just chuckled, "you don't know what a ball is? Pretty pathetic."

"No Arthur," Ryia said in a snarky tone as she turned to face the prince, "I don't know what a ball is. I kind of lived my life in the woods away from civilization."

Arthur went to say something but was cut off by Morgana, "it's a gathering where people come together in formal outfits to talk and dance."

"Oh okay, thank you, Morgana was it?" Ryia asked, not having been introduced to her yet. Morgana just nodded with a smile in return.

"Yes and you will be required to wear more fitting clothes for a princess Lady Ryia," Uther tells the girl as her attention snaps back to him, "what you have on now will not be acceptable.