Like Romeo and Juliet (Merthur)

17

Arthur stared wide-eyed at Leon, "my father said that?"

"So how have things gone with the little prince?" Leon asked while going back to devour his meal. Arthur cleared his throat and looked anywhere but the three knights waiting on his response. "I-I um. I haven't haven't exactly.... spoken to him"

The three stopped eating to look up at their prince only to notice he was avoiding their gaze. Two beats after, Elyan and Percival burst out laughing and Leon sighed. "Told you he wouldn't have!" Arthur felt embarrassed and glared their way, immediately they shut their mouths and sat straighter. Elyan coughed, "Um. what we mean sire, is that we had predicted you might have been having trouble talking with him because...." he didn't know what to say next that wouldn't get him fired. Percival continued "because of his reaction to your identity in our last encounterment. That is all sire".

Arthur squinted at them but eventually looked away. Leon clapped the blonde on the back, "Don't worry too much, we'll do our best to help". The prince smiled then turned to them all, "what should I do for him to talk to me?"

The knights blinked. They'd never actually courted anyone before.

"How about flowers?"

"Did that"

"Letters?"

"Did that too, give me new ideas!"

"Well what else have you done?"

"Uh- um. That's... it"

Leon, Elyan, and Percival all looked at each other and they thought the same thing. He's really hopeless Little did they know Arthur didn't even think those up himself.

"Then how about reading out some poetry?, dear bother" asked Morgana trying to supress a smirk as all four men jumped at her sudden arrival. "Lady Morgana!" said Leon trying to scramble up.

The witch gave him a friendly smile before turning back to Arthur. "You should read him some poetry". Arthur visibly showed his dislike to her idea. His nose was scrunched up and his lips thinned. "There's no way I'm doing that". Morgana put her hands on her hips, "And here I thought you were serious about Merlin. I guess I was wrong" she turned around and started to walk out of the inn with Gwen, who had come along, beside her.

"No! Wait!" The blonde hurried off after. The knights looked at their unfinished food then shoved everything they could in their mouths before following the three.

Eventually they caught up to the siblings in the town square. "Morgana! I am serious about him". She gave him a side look "then do as I say". Arthur sighed and rubbed his temple, "how is reading him a poem going to help? I'd punch anyone who'd try that with me".
The raven head scoffed, "Merlin's not a brute like you. Merlin's a lover". The two glared at each other but eventually the blonde sighed. "Just give me the damn poem".

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Arthur stood under Merlin's window with Percival holding the poem Morgana had given them. Elyan was besides the giant trying to seem supportive but really he was just trying not to laugh. Leon was sitting out of sight with Morgana who had a smirk on her face. She still couldn't believe she convinced Arthur of doing this. He must really be in love

The blonde prince has spent most of the day trying to memorize the paper Morgana gave him and asking himself how he agreed to this. Now, it was late afternoon and the sky was a mix of pink, purple, and blue.

When he felt ready he grabbed a small stone and threw it at the closed window. He waited and threw another one. Yet no one opened it. Morgana said he was in there. He threw yet another but this time releasing a bit of his frustration with it and shattered the glass.

Arthur felt the impulse to run but he had to carry on with the plan. Elyan and Percival had familiar thoughts but stayed since Arthur made no move to run.

The now partly shattered window opened, however, it was not Merlin who stood there. "What the hell is going on out here?" A brunette long-haired man asked with a frown on his face. As soon as the man made eye contact with Arthur his frown deepened. "YOU!"

"Gwaine? Who's down there?" Merlin's voice came from further in the room and soon he too was looking out the window. "Arthur?"

Said prince was frozen. Why was there a man in Merlin's room? Had he moved on? He really was going to make a run for it now if it weren't for Morgana throwing a pebble at him. "What are you waiting for? Go!" She whispered from her hiding spot.

Right. He took a deep breath then began trying his best to swallow his embarrassment.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

Both men up the tower looked confused.

"Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date. Some— some..."

Arthur turned quickly to Percival holding the paper as he had forgotten the next line. Elyan was giving him a thumbs up and from their hiding spot, Leon and Morgana held amused looks.

"Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed;"

Merlin stood wide eyed looking down at Arthur as he spoke and quickly recognized it as one of the newly made romantic poems by that currently rising writer. He couldn't remember his name at the moment but that was irrelevant. Arthur was saying this to him! Well he'd at least hope so, it surely couldn't be to Gwaine.

"And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed.
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;
Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,"

"Just what does this all even mean?" Asked Gwaine from besides him. "I- I have no clue". After all, who really understood Shakespeare's work?

"When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee."

Arthur eventually finished and looked hopeful at Merlin.

Hey! I've been wanting to update but I just couldn't.

I was even working on this a few days ago and then something in me broke when someone added this book to their "discontinued" library. So sorry for the wait guys.
I'll try to update soon.