Merthur - The Blue Butterfly

Chapter 13 - The Warlock, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

Morgana can hardly believe her eyes when the boy walks up to her shyly, a hand outstretched and a smile on his face. She takes the offered hand, trying to contain the grin spreading across her own face. Gwen is bouncing with joy beside her, not bothering to stop herself from running up to the boy and tackling him with a welcoming hug.

Morgana sends Arthur a mocking smirk, "He has better manners than you," she says teasingly, making the prince sneer at her as she giggles.

Arthur tugs the boy away from the two ladies, wrapping an arm around the lad rather possessively as he eyes the two. "I think this was a bad idea," he says, "you're in more danger here."

"Now, now," Morgana chides, pulling the warlock towards her, "don't be selfish. You can't keep him all to yourself. After all he's our friend too." She can hear the low growl from the prince and the sound makes her want to tease him even more. After all there's nothing more amusing than riling up the selfish royal. "Aren't you supposed to be heading back to your cell soon? We don't want Uther finding out that you've gotten out now do we?" She says with a smirk.

Arthur growls again, sending Merlin a worried glance. "Fine, but first I need to write a letter."

Morgana raises an eyebrow, but doesn't ask any questions as she gestures towards her desk. He sends her a glare as he passes, still muttering something under his breath as he sits down and starts to write. 

As they wait for Arthur to finish, Morgana turns to look at Merlin, watching him with sadness as he wanders about the room, curious about every little thing from a comb to the partition to the mirror. His eyes sparkle at every little thing, amazed with everything that most people wouldn't spare a second glance at. He pokes and prods the items strewn across her room, analyzing everything with a look of wonder like a child in a toy shop. Yet, by far the one thing he's most interested in, is the window, or to be more precise what's past it. He had stopped by the window a few minutes ago and now still he stands there, staring out into the distance. His eyes remain fixated on the trees, the sky, the stars, and the moon. The smile had dropped from his face and instead there's a look of want, of desire that can't be quenched. 

Gwen walks up behind him, setting a hand on his shoulder to shake him from his dream. "You'll get to go out soon," she says, giving him a reassuring smile, "Arthur will bring you out as soon as he finds a safe place for you to go."

Merlin looks to her then back to the window. "When will that be?" he asks.

Gwen turns to Morgana for help.

"A few days. Maybe a week. I don't know," Morgana replies, walking up beside him with a small smile. 

The warlock turns away from the window, looking to her now with a feigned smile of his own as he walks back towards the room to examine some more peculiar things. Morgana watches him go, knowing that there was nothing more that he wanted to do than to go outside. Maybe she can distract him. Take his mind off of it.

"Merlin," she calls, walking over to him before leaning in close to whisper in his ear "can you teach me some magic later? When Gwen and Arthur have left?"

At the word 'magic' the boy's eyes light up. He bounces on his feet, giddy in the idea of being able to teach someone else one of the few joys he has in his life. "So, you've gotten over your fear?" he whispers back with a grin.

She smiles back at him, happy to see him smile again. "Yes, and it's all thanks to you." 

Merlin blushes a little, flattered at the compliment. "I didn't do much," he glances towards Arthur before lowering his voice further,  "Have you managed to tell Arthur yet?"