Of Chores and Crowns (A Merlin Fanfiction) ✔

Chapter Twenty-five

"We have got to stop meeting like this." I joked, rubbing my head from my spot on the floor.

Arthur looked down at me. While running into him sent me flying backwards, he had barely been affected. I blushed under his gaze and gratefully grabbed the hand he held out.

Once I was on my feet, I started brushing off my skirts, pretending to be very invested in a dirt spot I found. I couldn't tell him about Faye and the knight, no matter what I thought was right. She made have made a bad choice, but she was still the closest friend I had.

Arthur seemed like he was waiting for me to look up, but when I didn't, he grabbed my hand to stop me from picking at the dried mud. I finally looked up and met his eyes. His expression was full of concern.

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly, his eyes searching mine.

I was taken aback. Arthur was many things, but he had never been one to reveal how worried he was over someone or something. He took one look at my confused expression and rushed to explain.

"With my father accusing you of sorcery, and almost being executed? Does any of this ring any bells?"

Comprehension dawned on me, and I looked down to the ground. It had certainly been an eventful day, hadn't it?

"I am in perfect shape." I replied, lying only slightly. "Princess Fayelinn is doing great as well."

Arthur took a step back at the name of his betrothed, and I couldn't help but feel both relieved and disappointed. My mind flashed back to earlier when we were so close I could see his pulse fluttering against his neck, and I blushed.

Arthur seemed to also remember our moment, and his face tightened. I stepped back, preparing to flee in the opposite direction. I could always get Faye's bath salts later.

Arthur noticed this, and reached out to grab my hand, keeping me in place. I blushed bright red, looking down at our hands.

"Dawn, I think we need to talk about--"

"I have chores to do." I interrupted, looking away.

He paused for a minute, before dropping my hand. I let it fall to my side, hating myself for being disappointed. I clasped my hands together behind my back.

"You should rest after the day you've had." He suggested, forgetting about talking to me.

"I'll stop by Gaius's later if it makes you feel better, but I'm not going to stop working."

It's not technically a lie, seeing as I needed to pick up the bath salts.

He looked as if he wanted to protest, but I quickly cut him off by saying, "Excuse me, sire."

I brushed past him, ignoring the feel of his confused gaze on my back. I raced right past Gaius's place. I really just needed to sit down, and I figured doing laundry was the key.

I hurried to Faye's room to pick up her sheets, adding some of my own dresses to the pile. Before long, I was sitting on a stool in the laundry room, steam billowing up around me.

The room was empty aside from me and I imagine that I was the only servant working after the attack. This theory was soon proved wrong, though, when Merlin walked in, his arms full of clothes.

I laughed, seeing his frustrated expression. He whipped his head around, surprised at hearing a voice, but relaxed after he saw it was only me. He grinned and made his way until he was next to me.

I stood up from my stool and took the now clean sheet and hung it on the clothesline behind me. I moved back to my stool and started on the next item as Merlin started working.

"How does Arthur not know you have magic?" I finally asked. I had been wondering it ever since I found out. The two of them were so close, it must have been hard on Merlin.

Merlin tensed up and looked as if he were about to tell me he didn't have magic once again, but I gave him a dry look and he fell silent.

"It's been rough," He finally admitted.

I smiled. He was finally trusting me enough to open up to me, and I couldn't help be feel happy about that.

"How so?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have saved his life so many times, and he doesn't even know." Merlin sighed, "And if he found out, he would despise me. I would be executed."

I paused in my work, looking up at him.

"Are you joking?" I asked.

"No, why?" Merlin seemed completely confused, his brow scrunching up.

"You two are practically attached at the hip! Arthur loves you and would never be able to watch you be executed. He's a good man." I said, "You guys are two sides of the same coin."

Merlin stopped working, looking up at me with a surprised expression. I grew self-conscious, blushing pink.

"What?" I asked, averting my eyes. I went back to work so I wouldn't have to look at him. I stood up to hang up another piece.

"Two sides of the same coin...that's what Kilgharrah said."

"Kilgharrah?" I asked, growing confused.

"The dragon."

I almost dropped the dress I was holding. I whirled to look at him with wide eyes.

"The what?!" I demanded.

Merlin smiled, amused at my reaction. I slowly sat back down on the stool, making sure he knew I was waiting for an explanation.

"It's a long story." He said, sighing deeply, starting his work again.

"It's have time." I pointed out, waving at the huge pile of laundry I had behind me.

"You've had a long day." He protested.

I gave him a dry look, rolling my eyes, and said, "So has everyone else. That's not stopping anyone else."

"That's because everyone else is resting." He retorted.

"I'm not everyone else."

"Obviously." He scoffed.

I narrowed my eyes, giving him a playful glare. "Just for that, you have to tell me the story. It's polite."

He laughed, and gave me a look that was so intense, I couldn't help but blush.

"Fine. You better make yourself comfortable."