Merlin||Merthur One shots

Smiles pt. 2

AN: okay so this is probably going to end up being like a three or four shot; more like a short story. Sorry it is taking me so long, I have lots of writing it is just in fragments but I am near finished piecing it together so the rest of it should be out faster.

     Arthur's eyes went from the crowd to the girl and he gave a look different from all the others that looked upon her with lust, admiration or jealousy. He seemed absolutely awestruck. He offered a warm smile to the girl, one that Merlin had seen him give quite often.

     In truth it was a smile that Arthur rarely showed. Only when the fire of something like love licked at his insides like a straw of hay set alight, engulfing everything in its path. It was a feeling he had only felt once before and as it erupted, blossoming in his heart, he realized that is was very similar to the first time. And when he looked to the raven haired woman he couldn't help but feel that he had met her before.

     He went towards her carefully, not wanting to scare her off after the ordeal she had just experienced. Once he was before her he took her limp hand and bringing it to his lips with a delicate kiss. He stared into Merlin's eyes as he let her hand fall back to her side.

     Merlin couldn't help but blush, a soft pink painted on ivory. When she dropped her eyes from his gaze, trying not to look for too long she saw the basket she had forgotten she had been holding, fallen favors and leafy green sprigs littering the ground at her feet.

     She kneeled down to collect the items but Arthur stopped her placing a gentle arm on her shoulder, "Allow me, after what you've been through I'm sure I can do at least something to help."

     Merlin hid the swirl of emotions rushing through her, inside there was a churning whirlpool of confusion, embarrassment but most notably longing. Merlin longed for the prince that she had never really realized she had felt that way about before. Only when she was a damsel in distress, him being the handsome young prince who came just in the nick of time to rescue her.

The royal stooped down by the dirt collecting bundles of trinkets, placing them carefully in the basket. When he stood up Merlin took the wicker basket swinging in between her palm, looking strangely at Arthur. Arthur noticed this but it was a good kind of strange which he didn't mind.

     "My name's Arthur, I don't believe I have introduced myself." Merlin gave a little smirk at that remembering when they truly first met, she cleared her throat before speaking for the first time upon Arthur's ears.

"My name's Merlia, although I don't think you will see me around much so it doesn't matter."

     He tilts his head at her in question, "What do you mean, of course I'll see you around. I'm always in the city."

     She pursed her lips, "Princes don't often speak to someone of a lower class."

"How did you know I was a prince?" She laughed, a delightful sound to all who heard it, not the most lovely laugh like the tinkling of chimes but one that is entirely genuine.

"I... know things." Arthur tried and failed not to smile.

"Fine don't tell me, but Merlia, about what you were saying earlier, just because I'm a prince doesn't mean I am better than you."

"I never said that."

     Arthur raised an eyebrow but in an instant the serious expression dissolved from his face.
***

"So where are you off to?" Arthur said as they strolled down the alley, away from the hectic streets of shopkeepers and the castle. They reached the gates to the kingdom, passing the guards who looked straight ahead, as if made of stone.