The Language of Flowers
* Growing up in Ealdor, Hunith taught Merlin how to use nature around him to get messages across when he was unable to voice them out loud.
* He used them to let his mother know he was safe when he and Will went off into the woods for days at a time. He’d send Anemones home when he was sick and sent Angrec home when he was hired in the royal household.
* When they become closer, Merlin started bringing Arthur flowers. Every week, without fail, there are new flowers on his desk, and never the same ones. His excuse was that Gwen brings Morgana flowers to "liven up the room" or that the flower merchant was in town or that Gaius had extras, whatever. Anyway, at first, he makes fun of him for it, but he eventually stops because Merlin's giving him flowers!!
* One day, Arthur is hanging out with Morgana and he brings up Merlin's flowers, which makes Morgana laugh and ask him "So what's he been saying?"
* That's how Arthur finds out that Merlin's flowers have a stupid meaning and now he has to get a stupid book from Geoffrey to find out what they freaking mean.
* The days where Merlin goes missing -Gauis may say tavern but Gwaine's never seen him there -he'll get a bouquet of heather lavender (protection), with a single daffodil (misfortune).
* When visiting princesses wish to marry him, he receives a bouquet of yellow carnations (rejection and disappointment) and snapdragons (gracious strength, but also deception).
* When Arthur doubts himself in court or is betrayed again, Merlin gives him white chrysanthemums (truth and loyal love).
* When the castle is attacked and they must fight back, Arthur returns to his chambers and finds King Protea (courage, daring and resourcefulness) and blue irises (faith and hope), tied together with a Camelot red ribbon ordained by the Pendragon crest.
* One day, Merlin places sympathy lilies, white roses, orchids on his desk. He’s been particularly quiet recently and Arthur knows these flowers are more important than usual. The book says these flowers are the ones people give when their loved ones die.
* The next time he receives that bouquet, he makes sure to spend the entire day with Merlin, lightening his chore load and sending him out into the town with Gwen instead.
* Merlin gives him the same bouquet when Uther dies, despite his feelings towards the man. It warms Arthur’s heart.
* After Morgana goes evil, Arthur shuts himself away from everybody for some time, even keeping Merlin at arm’s length. His book glares at him when the bouquet on his desk turns into Red Carnations and Black Delilahs. The words “I miss you” bounce off the page, right next to “Betrayal and dishonesty”. Stupid language of flowers.
* Arthur decides he’s had enough when he returns in his chambers to find a small vase of white orchids and blue forget-me-nots settled on his desk with a letter carefully set on the side, his name delicately curling around the front. After a year of this flower business, he doesn’t need to look at the book to know what the bouquet means: I’m sorry, don’t forget me.
* No one has seen Merlin in 3 days, his chambers are empty and his horse is gone. When Arthur finally reaches Ealdor a week later, Hunith ushers him into the cottage, offering him a cup of tea and a vase for his flowers as they wait for Merlin to come back.
* As soon as they see each other, Arthur hands him a single red rose.
Merlin’s breath hitches as he murmurs, his eyes locked on the flower, “Love at first sight,” and without a moment to lose, he conjures up a second one.
Arthur smiles at him, “Two roses.”
Merlin’s answer is small, barely a whisper in the tense atmosphere of the room.
“Mutual Love and affection.”
