#nemithian

          IRONIC  HOW  EMPTY  THESE  HALLWAYS  FELT   despite  the  unending  abundance  of  people.  it  only  took  one  moment                  one  glance,  one  word,  for  certain  people  to  become  one’s  life  entirely.  and  it  was  impossible  to  try  and  stand   against  such  a  formidable  foe,  especially  when  merlin  was  sure  her  laughter  held  an  ancient  MAGIC  of  it’s  own,  aimed  to  ensnare  the  toughest  of  hearts.   it  was  that  very  same  laughter  that  now  echoed  through  previously  devoid  hallways,  filling  every  alcove  and  spurring  the  young  man  towards  it’s  source.  he  has  no  time  to  think  of  the  repercussions  of  such  an  action,  hurried  steps  sliding  down  stairs  two  at  a  time,  skirting  around  a  corner  and                 

despite  the  late  hour ,   the  sidewalks  become  pulsing  veins  of  crimson  skirts   &&   black  frocks  flowing  through  a  grand  entrance  of  the  mysterious   Huntington  Manor  .   Merlin ,   too ,   clad  in  finery  conveniently  borrowed  from  a  colleague ,   merges  into  the  crowd .   wealth  was  an  opportune  disguise  for  unsavoury  acts ,   an  air  of  showmanship  to  veil  hidden  intentions .   

stolen  invite  is  passed  to  the  butler  with  a  held  breath   . . .   released   once  a  curt  nod  grants  him  entrance  into  the  lion’s  den  under  the  guise  of  a  wealthy  gentleman .   Merlin  only  hopes  that  he  has  enough  time  to  gather  enough  information  before  the  real   Mr .  Silken   arrives .   

thousands  of  candles  illuminate  obnoxiously  lavish  décor  giving  the  illusion  of  an   intimate   atmosphere  that  draws  the  guests  into  the  main  hall  like  moths  to  a  flame .   Merlin  has  no  choice  but  to  follow ,   bumping  elbows  with  muttered  apologies  as  keen  eyes  look  for  a  chance  to  dissolve  into  the  shadows .          

      TIRED  FEET  DRAG  ALONG  ALMOST  FAMILIAR  PATH                            a  fond  memory  recounted  by  rose  tinted  lips  always  held  a  hint  of  a  whimsical  smile  as  the  conversation  turned  towards  her  kingdom .   mithian  had  often  told  him  of  the  rose  gardens  that  her  mother  planted  within  the  walls  of  nemeth ,   how  the  fields  surrounding  it  were  scattered  with  a  pool  of  wildflowers  almost  as  if  a  painter  had  spilled  their  palette  of  colours  across  it .   merlin  passes  it  now ,   blue  hues  unfocused  and  barely  seeing  as  if  a   HOLLOW   shell  of  a  once  great  man .   it  is  not  under  these  circumstances  that  he  wanted  to  see  nemeth ,   or  the  princess  that  resides  within  the  kingdom’s  walls .   selfish ,   perhaps ,   for  him  to  arrive  empty - handed                         nothing  to  give  and  everything  to  gain .

     a  failure ,   without  a  purpose ,   nothing  more  than  a  beggar .   he  had  not  stopped  wandering  these  woods  ever  since  his  king  crossed  the  river  to   AVALON  .   how  long  has  it  been  ?   weeks ,   months  ?   it  seemed  an  eternity  alone  with  the  consequences  of  his  choices .   and  now ,   when  the  torture  had  become  unbearable ,   his  tired  soul  sought  another  to  destroy .   knees  buckle  and  he  falls  in  front  of  the  princess ,   shock  of  black ,   unruly  hair  bowed ,   awaiting  her  mercy .  

game of thrones starters  //  @nemithian

            ❝ welcome to highever, lady mithian. ❞     the teyrn greeted the girl with a smile after he had greeted her father. it wasn't unusual that nobility brought their children along whenever they visited highever. after all, there were possible connections for future generations to be made.

Arthur couldn't go to the ball alone. Apparently it just couldn't happen.  Arthur was thoroughly convinced he could rock up solo, say his speech and then leave, and all would be fine. It wasn't that there wasn't anyone he wanted to ask, it's more that he couldn't face an evening of the formalities required when taking a date to a formal dance. He'd be forced to make polite conversation, dance and make a spectacle of himself infront of all the prying eyes. By the time his father had threatened to arrange his date for him, or even to 'hire' a date for the evening, everyone Arthur might have asked had already had a date and the only person left on Arthur's list of possible candidates besides the scores of gooey eyes girls without so much as a single brain cell, was Merlin, which was not happening and Arthur had only put his name down to cheer himself up a bit at the thought of Merlin in a ball gown.

It was only the day before the Ball when Arthur thought of Mithian. He almost kicked himself for not thinking of her sooner. They were friends, check. Mithian could make intelligent conversation, check. His father would more than approve, check. And, not that Arthur had ever thought of her in this way, Mithian was definitely easy on the eyes, double check. The only thing Arthur was unsure about was whether or not someone had already asked her. 

Suffice to say he was a little nervous when he knocked on her door, the afternoon of the day before the Ball. Maybe she wasn't even going? If this plan didn't work Arthur would probably have to go with the hooker option his father suggested. That is a new low for you, Arthur. He knocked twice, there was rummaging from inside and after a few seconds Mithian opened her door. Her room was nice, spacious and decorated in a way that meant it could only be her room. Arthur smiled at her and walked in without asking (not the best way to start off but oh well).

He turned around to see some confusion in her eyes, and he panicked as he realized he hadn't exactly planned what he way going to say. 

"Mithian. Hi." He gulped, wiping his hands on his jeans. "Look, you know the Ball tomorrow? Yeah I was planning on going alone but apparently, well, I have to take a date and Merlin already has plans..." Arthur laughed but Mithian just looked confused. "Anyway I thought maybe you and I could go, assuming you don't already have a date, I mean... I thought it would be nice, and you're much more interesting to talk to than a hooker." Woah, Arthur, stop right there. 

"I mean- yeah, I think it would be nice, and it would be an honor, and both our fathers would approve I'm sure. Not that thats the only reason I'm asking, of course. Uh." Arthur realized he was rambling and so he stopped, looked up and waited for her response.