Mithian fastened the rose, now opened and in full bloom, into her collar. Their love had been for a season only. That was her plan, and how wrong she had been. It grew and flourished and now her plan was forgotten.

She tucked the snowdrop beside it. No matter what, she could not ask Merlin to give up what she knew only too well was life's most precious gift.

She hoped he would not be afraid, at what she had done, at what she proposed. But he had lived this secret life, cheek to cheek with danger, all this time, and survived. He had more courage than anyone she knew.

She smiled. What would he do? Would he stagger, or exclaim, or grab hold of her in front of the entire scandalised court? Would guards rush forward to rescue her from the advances of a mere servant?

She laughed, and from the jumble on Merlin's table, she picked one final thing and pinned it into her collar.

Mithian still wore her red gown, nothing finer, but she was a queen and who could criticise her? She ignored the goblets of wassail being offered at the door to the great hall, and looked for Merlin in the crowd.

He wore his black court jacket, and the medals of his office as physician. He stood quietly by the window where he had given her the flowers, his face still, his eyes searching the room.

Mithian drew her hood around her throat, covering her dress, and approached him. "There is a law," she said, not waiting for Merlin's greeting, "an established law which says that a marriage can be ended in the case of abandonment. That is what I will do."

"He has abandoned you," Merlin said. He frowned at her hood.

"And then I fled here. I am not blameless," said Mithian, "and I will not pretend to be so. I meant it when I said that I do not like lies." Merlin flinched. Mithian softened her voice. "I will have this handfasting undone. I hope to have the support of my people."

"You will have Camelot's support," said Merlin. "I will make sure of it."

Mithian smiled to hear him mention the power he had over Arthur. "I have also spoken to Gwen," she said. "I know I can rely on my friends."

"I'm glad you found your answer," he said in a low voice.

"Yes," she said. "But I know I still owe you yours."

She lowered her hood, revealing the neckline of her gown.

His mouth fell open. He stretched out his hand to touch the rose, the snowdrop...,and the glowing yellow daffodil. It was fresh and fragrant and, in December, quite impossible. He raised his eyes to her in question.

Mithian caught Merlin's hand and held it in both hers. "I found your book," she said. "The night in your bed, your awful, unforgettable bed. I got up and walked around and found your book on the floor."

"You know," he said. "About me." His voice caught.

She nodded.

He cleared his throat, and pulled her close. Into her ear he said clearly, "You knew that I have magic."

"It's all right," she said, taking his shoulders and holding him away so she could look into his face. "Yes, I know." She pushed a lock of his hair back off his brow. "And so I went back to your room, after I checked your law books and your almanac, and I said the spell for this." She touched the yellow flower.

"You weren't afraid. Of me."

"No. You're a good person, Merlin. You tried to warn me. Tried to tell me that you are magical, that our child will almost certainly have magic. So I was not afraid." She unfastened the daffodil and gave it to him. "This is for you. It may turn back into a spoon, I don't know." She laughed.

Merlin took the daffodil. "Our child," he said.

"Yes," she said, and although the room thronged with people, she took his palm and placed it low on the scarlet cloth covering her belly.

Merlin gasped. His eyes were bright with sudden tears, tears like those she had shed when she counted days in his almanac and knew for certain that it was true, that a child had started within her.

"I have written to my chancellor," said Mithian briskly. "Scouts will seek out the man who was my consort and offer him an estate in the land of my father's ancestors. He is not to come back."

"But you will return to Nemeth," said Merlin, his hand still on her stomach. "You won't stay with me?"

"Nemeth in summer is too beautiful to refuse," she said. "But Camelot in winter holds a special place in my heart too. I think we will manage."

His eyes brightened. "Half and half," he said.

"We each have a duty that cannot be ignored," she said.

"Yes." He laughed in surprise, that she had found this simple idea, when all his worrying had not produced it. He took her hands, and kissed it, and tucked it through his arm. "I want to tell Arthur," he said. "I want to tell everyone."

She leaned against him, and they weaved through the crowd.

"The magic," she said as they approached the thrones. "It is certain? For the baby?"

"I think so."

"Then we have a special duty to this child, too. Because he, or she, will already be of two kingdoms, and two stations in life, and we must make this extra gift nothing more of a burden."

"When he cries," said Merlin, "his eyes will flame golden and every window will crack."

She laughed and flung her arms around him. Above them, the King and Queen were beaming. "I can't wait."

"Nor I," said Merlin. He kissed her hands once again. His eyes glowed with joy like a Yule flame lit against the darkness of the longest night. "My perfect Mithian, my love in winter."

"No," she said. She touched the tears on his cheek, and marvelled at him, his miraculous kindness and love. "Merlin, it is as you always knew. Our love is for the stars, and summer."

FIN

Author's Note: I hope you liked this Yule fic. I have already made the comment to my reader mersan and want to repeat it here: I was reluctant at first to write a story about a woman who lost a child and wanted another one. These things are not trivial. But then I thought, Merlin is too honest to take advantage of someone in grief. He would never go along with a plan like hers, regardless of his secret reasons. That is part of why Mithian falls in love with him. So I made it mostly about how they fell in love, because Mithian's loss made her confused, but Merlin's kindness helped her recover.

And as for their future, and the marriage she believes is so uneven - just wait til she finds out he's also a dragonlord...

Thanks for reading, and Merry Yule! -Sef