That Good Old Mistletoe Magic, for Ajsrandom
Title: That Good Old Mistletoe Magic
Recipient:ajsrandom
Author: Gilli_ann
Rating: PG
Pairings: Merlin/Morgana, Arthur/Gwen
Summary: Morgana isn't really looking forward to the family company's Christmas party, and is less than thrilled when a roving sprig of mistletoe has been added to the evening's attractions. But that is before she literally runs into Arthur's slightly weird but very charming new PA, Merlin.
Warnings: No warnings. Content tags include; Modern AU, Christmas fluff, Meet-cute, Romance, Kissing.
Word Count: 2.6K
Author's Notes: Dear ajsrandom, I'm back with another Merlin/Morgana story based on a prompt of yours for Christmas! I hope you enjoy reading this. A very merry Christmas to you!
A big thank you goes to the mods for continuing to organize this charming fest, and also to my wonderful cheerleader and beta, Gwyllion.
Disclaimer: Merlin is owned by the BBC and Shine. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made. Don't send us to the dungeons.
That Good Old Mistletoe Magic
Morgana wasn't fond of the Pendragon Industries Christmas party. As the family business' Legal Director, she was duty-bound to attend - she couldn't let Arthur outshine her, for one. Nevertheless, the annual festive gathering of employees at one of the swanky downtown hotels just wasn't her sort of thing.
She'd be polite about it, of course. She'd dance with those who asked her to, converse with office staff and executives, even sing along to the schmaltzy versions of Christmas songs played by the live band. But as the night wore on, too many men would invariably drink too much and get handsy, muttering about thawing her frost while missing their steps on the dance floor. She always handled them with acerbic ease, but she was embarrassed on their behalf. Last Christmas, even the charming and easy-going Gwaine Greene had attempted to pick her up. She had really liked him until then.
Still, as the big Christmas event rolled around once again, she dressed to the nines. Being a Pendragon did come with obligations. In lethal heels and a slinky floor-length crimson dress, with lipstick to match, diamonds at her throat and ears, her hair in a simple updo to emphasize her pale neck and shoulders, she was ready to take on any comers and send them on their way with nothing but coal in their worse-for-wear party stockings.
Arriving at the venue, she was greeted by a very cheerful Arthur, who kissed her on the cheek and gave her an appreciative once-over. "Morgana. You look absolutely stunning. I don't know how you do it."
"Hard work and determination, brother dear," Morgana grinned. "You should try it sometimes."
Arthur let the jibe pass him by, his eyes searching the entrance hall. "Have you seen Gwen?"
"No. She's probably not arrived yet. You know she's not the person to torment you by hiding," Morgana said, a genuine smile lighting her face. Gwen was a good friend and a lovely person. She was delighted that Arthur and Gwen apparently might become a steady couple.
"Yes, I know that," Arthur muttered. His face lit up with mischief. "There's a roving mistletoe here tonight, I plan to make good use of it while dancing with Gwen."
"There's a what?" Morgana asked, mystified.
"A roving mistletoe. It runs on lines in the air above the dance floor. If it stops above a couple, well, you know the drill."
"Arthur! Are you mad? This sounds like any number of sexual harassment suits waiting to happen. Not to mention, a manslaughter charge, if the thing ever stops above me and whoever my dance partner happens to be. Put an immediate end to this particular stupidity of yours!"
"Uhm, well," Arthur said vaguely, clearly set on his mistletoe kiss with Gwen. "I think it will be okay. After all, it's just a bit of... Gwen! There you are. How lovely you look."
And off Arthur went in the newly arrived Gwen's direction, leaving Morgana to roll her eyes and to fend for herself.
There was a throng of festively dressed and animatedly chatting people in the entrance hall. Morgana knew most of them well, and greeted and small-talked her way slowly towards the main hall, accepting a glass of champagne as she went.
At the wide-open doors there was a veritable crush of people. Morgana had to wait her turn. When she tried to move forward again, she found that she couldn't. Someone had stepped on the hem of her dress and was holding her back. There was an ominous ripping sound, clearly audible above the buzz in the room.
Annoyed, she turned around, glaring at the culprit. It was a tall young man, slim, dark-haired and with very prominent cheekbones. She had never seen him before.
"Forgive me, Miss Pendragon. I'm so sorry," he said, taking a step back and raising his hands as if to ward off an attack. A fierce blush rose into his cheeks.
"Are you always this clumsy?" Morgana asked icily.
"Uhm, yes. No! Yes, only sometimes," he replied, having seemingly lost the connection between his tongue and his brain. He was anything but suave, and Morgana couldn't help but warm to his obvious befuddlement.
She placed a hand on his arm. "Come, let's step through. We're blocking everyone's entry here," she said.
On the inside, glittering light spilled over the festive tables and the still-empty dance floor. Soft music and excited laughter filled the air. Morgana turned to her dress-destroyer. "I'm Morgana Pendragon. But you already knew that, it seems."
"Yes, yes, I- I work for your brother, Miss Pendragon."
"Morgana."
"Morgana. I'm Merlin Emrys, your brother's new PA."
Morgana's eyebrows shot up in amazement. "Really? I knew he was looking for a PA, but -"
"We bumped into each other quite by accident."
"Now, that I can believe," Morgana said. "But Arthur normally is fond of, shall we say, more well-organized persons?"
Merlin had rather prominent ears, partly covered by his luscious dark hair. Now those ears were turning a deep pink to complement his cheeks. It was a delightful sight.
"I can be organized when I have to be," he insisted. "I'd just started working in IT and didn't know who Arthur was at the time, so I told him off in no uncertain terms for haranguing my colleague. The poor guy had made an innocent mistake with the computer set-up, and Arthur seemed to want to burn him at the stake-"
"You scolding Arthur made him offer you a PA job?" Morgana asked skeptically.
"He told me to back off unless I could do the set-up better, and I said I could. He told me to prove it, and I did. By that time a lot of people had gathered in our department to watch the goings-on, and - well. I think your brother was embarrassed at having lost his temper so publicly. Out of the blue he offered me the PA job there and then."
"I see," Morgana mused.
"Everyone applauded when I said yes," Merlin smiled. "I figured I could act as a buffer, could stop him flying off the handle and treating employees unkindly.'
"And is it working out? Do you two get along?"
Merlin shrugged and grinned. "These days, it's only me he treats unkindly, so yes, I suppose we do. He frequently calls me an idiot and a buffoon, but he just laughs when I respond in kind and tell him he's a stuck-up privileged princeling, so I think we're good."
"Indeed, Arthur is a good sort, under all that bluster and the annoyingly quasi-royal airs," Morgana acknowledged. "You may be just what he needs to take him down a peg or two. So far, that has been my job."
To her surprise, Morgana discovered that she was having a good time. The ripped designer-dress hem be damned, she rather liked Merlin.
It was time for everyone to find their seats. She drained her champagne glass, looking at Merlin over the rim. "Maybe we'll talk again."
Merlin beamed at her. "I'd like that," he replied earnestly.
"Do you dance? Or are you far too clumsy for that?" she teased.
"Oh, I like dancing a lot. I'm a decent dancer, believe it or not."
Morgana looked him right in the eye and issued her challenge. "Well then, I'll echo my brother. When dinner's done - prove it."
* * * * * * *
Once the dancing started, Morgana didn't see Merlin anywhere, and she had to admit she was disappointed. Maybe he'd had second thoughts about approaching the 'Pendragon Ice Queen', she thought morosely.
When the Director of Sustainability, Leon Knight, asked her to dance, she readily accepted. It seemed silly to mope because a man she'd talked to for half an hour, a man who moreover had ruined her dress, had decided to ghost her. As she joined Leon in a lively bop, spiced up with jingle bells for the occasion, she noticed Arthur and Gwen. Dancing close, they very clearly had eyes only for each other. Morgana suspected they'd be dancing every dance together, or near enough.
Spotting the horrid mistletoe contraption whizzing by above them, illuminated by sparkly light strobes, she pointed it out to Leon. "We'd better stay far away from that thing." Leon was happily married, and nodded his ready agreement.
Their dance ended, and Morgana stalked towards the bar. She needed to keep her wits about her, but she'd allow herself one drink of something decent anyway, just to improve her mood. Once her bar mission was accomplished, she stirred the cocktail absentmindedly and turned around, immediately crashing into someone. Someone who'd been rushing toward her at full speed and now got a coctail shower for his efforts. It was Merlin.
Morgana couldn't help laughing, putting her empty glass down. She hadn't even had a sip. "I wonder if either of us will have clothes worth wearing after tonight."
"I'm so sorry," Merlin was blushing again as he ineffectually swiped at his dripping shirt front.
Morgana acted decisively, snatching a bunch of napkins from the bar and pressing them to the wetness on Merlin's shirt.
"No, no, you needn't - it was my fault, let it be, I'm all right," Merlin stuttered.
"I thought you'd gotten cold feet, Merlin."
"Not at all! But it was a big emergency. My mom called," he said, brandishing his cell phone as evidence. "One of my cats had managed to get out of my flat, and-"
Morgana's ears perked up, even as she unceremoniously deposited the wet napkins with the bartender. "Oh, you have cats?"
"I have two, both of them adopted from a shelter. My mom is cat-sitting, and-"
"Did she manage to locate your cat?"
"Thank goodness, yes, she did. I told her to get the tuna out, and that did the trick. Kilgharrah is wild about tuna. He's safe now."
"That's an unsual name."
"My other one's called Aithusa. They've had difficult lives, I thought they at least deserved unique and special names."
Morgana smiled. Merlin clearly was a man after her own heart. "I have two cats as well," she admitted. "Birmans. Morgause and Nimueh. Sometimes I think those two are my best friends."
"I know!" Merlin smiled. "But other times, you think they're just barely tolerating your presence because you're their servant bringing food."
Suddenly, there was a lot of applause in the hall. The strobe lights converged on a single spot on the dance floor, where Arthur and Gwen were already kissing in earnest, the mistletoe contraption hovering above them. There were wolf-whistles, even a musical flourish from the band. Morgana wanted to disapprove, but Arthur and Gwen looked so smitten and blushed so prettily when they pulled apart, that she found herself cheering with the rest.
"Arthur's plan worked. He'll probably be a much more mellow boss from now on," she told Merlin with a wink.
Merlin frowned. "I hope you're right, but I have my doubts."
"We'll find out soon enough. In the meantime, how about it, Merlin? Do you still want to dance?"
"Yes, of course!" Merlin grinned at her in delight, reaching out to her just as the band struck up another tune.
Merlin proved to be a fantastic dancer. For all his rather awkward looks and clumsy mannerisms, when he moved to music he was pure magic. Morgana felt herself melting into his arms, following with ease where he led, the rythm pulsing through her as they moved in unison, floating on shimmering air through sparkling lights. Their first dance ended all too soon, but neither of them wanted to stop. They danced the next one, and the one after that, caught up in the colours, the music, the laughter and cheer, twirling across the floor together as if in a dream.
Morgana completely forgot to keep an eye out for the hovering mistletoe. She was caught by complete surprise when their latest dance ended, and the two of them suddenly were caught in bright beams of light from above and from all sides.
"What on earth-"
"Oh no, it's the mistletoe thing! They want us to kiss," Morgana groaned.
Merlin still held her in his arms. He leaned in with a small smile. "You don't want to?"
Morgana's eyes went to his full, tempting lips. There was nothing but affection and admiration in his expression. She felt as if she were still happily dancing, spinning and dipping, sensing enchantments in the air and all around. He was handsome, kind and funny, down to earth, willing to stand up to Arthur, and a cat-lover. What more could she wish for?
"Actually-" she muttered, and leaned in to meet Merlin's warm lips with her own.
His kissing was every bit as wonderful as his dancing. She could happily stand there forever, lost in the moment, drowning in the wonder of this glorious kiss.
But the noise around them became so loud that she couldn't disregard it. The orchestra played a fanfare. Everyone was applauding and cheering wildly.
Merlin pulled away from her, his cheeks and ears flaming red, his dark hair tousled, his blue eyes glinting. "What do we do now?"
Morgana shrugged, feeling too good to mind the attention. "We face the music. Smile and bow. Smile and bow, and let's get out of here."
They left the dance floor hand in hand.
* * * * * * *
Much, much later, when Morgana was leaving the party, they had agreed plans for the very next day. The thought of a quiet date with Merlin made her feel a warm glow inside.
Suddenly, Arthur appeared before her, Gwen in tow. He was grinning like a loon, and more loose-limbed than usual.
"I believe congratulations are in order to you two," Morgana said. " I sincerely hope you know what you're taking on, Gwen!"
Gwen nodded. "Thank you, Morgana. I think I do."
"Anyway, you're a fine one to talk, Morgana," Arthur groused. "The way you carried on with Merlin! I hope you're not just using your charms and womanly wiles to steal my new PA away from me."
Morgana rolled her eyes, pulling her long coat with faux fur adornments tight, wearing it like armour into battle. "I'm not looking for a PA, you dolt. Gwen wouldn't be happy at all if your intentions with Merlin were the same as mine."
Arthur's eyes went wide. "Are you serious?"
"Very."
"Morgana, how lovely! I wish you two the best of luck," Gwen beamed, hugging her future sister-in-law tight. "What an amazing Christmas this is turning out to be!"
"A very merry Christmas if ever there was one," Morgana acknowledged, yawning mightily. The evening's rush of emotions and festivities could only take her so far. She was exhausted.
"This Christmas party will become legendary," Arthur stated with a toothy grin. "The day both the Pendragon siblings found love!"
"You may be right, but let's wait and see," Morgana hedged. She turned to leave, knowing that her limousine was waiting at the door. "Good night to you lovebirds."
"And all because of my mistletoe," Arthur called after her proudly. "You cannot deny it was a major success!"
Morgana didn't deign to answer, but raised her hand in a gesture that could be interpreted multiple ways. Alone in the limo, though, she had to admit that Arthur was right, however much that irked her. The roving mistletoe had very possibly changed her life. She looked forward to finding out for sure.
She yawned again, smiled to herself, and drew a heart in the moisture fogging the window next to her. "Merry Christmas and a Merlin New Year," she whispered.
The End
Recipient:ajsrandom
Author: Gilli_ann
Rating: PG
Pairings: Merlin/Morgana, Arthur/Gwen
Summary: Morgana isn't really looking forward to the family company's Christmas party, and is less than thrilled when a roving sprig of mistletoe has been added to the evening's attractions. But that is before she literally runs into Arthur's slightly weird but very charming new PA, Merlin.
Warnings: No warnings. Content tags include; Modern AU, Christmas fluff, Meet-cute, Romance, Kissing.
Word Count: 2.6K
Author's Notes: Dear ajsrandom, I'm back with another Merlin/Morgana story based on a prompt of yours for Christmas! I hope you enjoy reading this. A very merry Christmas to you!
A big thank you goes to the mods for continuing to organize this charming fest, and also to my wonderful cheerleader and beta, Gwyllion.
Disclaimer: Merlin is owned by the BBC and Shine. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made. Don't send us to the dungeons.
That Good Old Mistletoe Magic
Morgana wasn't fond of the Pendragon Industries Christmas party. As the family business' Legal Director, she was duty-bound to attend - she couldn't let Arthur outshine her, for one. Nevertheless, the annual festive gathering of employees at one of the swanky downtown hotels just wasn't her sort of thing.
She'd be polite about it, of course. She'd dance with those who asked her to, converse with office staff and executives, even sing along to the schmaltzy versions of Christmas songs played by the live band. But as the night wore on, too many men would invariably drink too much and get handsy, muttering about thawing her frost while missing their steps on the dance floor. She always handled them with acerbic ease, but she was embarrassed on their behalf. Last Christmas, even the charming and easy-going Gwaine Greene had attempted to pick her up. She had really liked him until then.
Still, as the big Christmas event rolled around once again, she dressed to the nines. Being a Pendragon did come with obligations. In lethal heels and a slinky floor-length crimson dress, with lipstick to match, diamonds at her throat and ears, her hair in a simple updo to emphasize her pale neck and shoulders, she was ready to take on any comers and send them on their way with nothing but coal in their worse-for-wear party stockings.
Arriving at the venue, she was greeted by a very cheerful Arthur, who kissed her on the cheek and gave her an appreciative once-over. "Morgana. You look absolutely stunning. I don't know how you do it."
"Hard work and determination, brother dear," Morgana grinned. "You should try it sometimes."
Arthur let the jibe pass him by, his eyes searching the entrance hall. "Have you seen Gwen?"
"No. She's probably not arrived yet. You know she's not the person to torment you by hiding," Morgana said, a genuine smile lighting her face. Gwen was a good friend and a lovely person. She was delighted that Arthur and Gwen apparently might become a steady couple.
"Yes, I know that," Arthur muttered. His face lit up with mischief. "There's a roving mistletoe here tonight, I plan to make good use of it while dancing with Gwen."
"There's a what?" Morgana asked, mystified.
"A roving mistletoe. It runs on lines in the air above the dance floor. If it stops above a couple, well, you know the drill."
"Arthur! Are you mad? This sounds like any number of sexual harassment suits waiting to happen. Not to mention, a manslaughter charge, if the thing ever stops above me and whoever my dance partner happens to be. Put an immediate end to this particular stupidity of yours!"
"Uhm, well," Arthur said vaguely, clearly set on his mistletoe kiss with Gwen. "I think it will be okay. After all, it's just a bit of... Gwen! There you are. How lovely you look."
And off Arthur went in the newly arrived Gwen's direction, leaving Morgana to roll her eyes and to fend for herself.
There was a throng of festively dressed and animatedly chatting people in the entrance hall. Morgana knew most of them well, and greeted and small-talked her way slowly towards the main hall, accepting a glass of champagne as she went.
At the wide-open doors there was a veritable crush of people. Morgana had to wait her turn. When she tried to move forward again, she found that she couldn't. Someone had stepped on the hem of her dress and was holding her back. There was an ominous ripping sound, clearly audible above the buzz in the room.
Annoyed, she turned around, glaring at the culprit. It was a tall young man, slim, dark-haired and with very prominent cheekbones. She had never seen him before.
"Forgive me, Miss Pendragon. I'm so sorry," he said, taking a step back and raising his hands as if to ward off an attack. A fierce blush rose into his cheeks.
"Are you always this clumsy?" Morgana asked icily.
"Uhm, yes. No! Yes, only sometimes," he replied, having seemingly lost the connection between his tongue and his brain. He was anything but suave, and Morgana couldn't help but warm to his obvious befuddlement.
She placed a hand on his arm. "Come, let's step through. We're blocking everyone's entry here," she said.
On the inside, glittering light spilled over the festive tables and the still-empty dance floor. Soft music and excited laughter filled the air. Morgana turned to her dress-destroyer. "I'm Morgana Pendragon. But you already knew that, it seems."
"Yes, yes, I- I work for your brother, Miss Pendragon."
"Morgana."
"Morgana. I'm Merlin Emrys, your brother's new PA."
Morgana's eyebrows shot up in amazement. "Really? I knew he was looking for a PA, but -"
"We bumped into each other quite by accident."
"Now, that I can believe," Morgana said. "But Arthur normally is fond of, shall we say, more well-organized persons?"
Merlin had rather prominent ears, partly covered by his luscious dark hair. Now those ears were turning a deep pink to complement his cheeks. It was a delightful sight.
"I can be organized when I have to be," he insisted. "I'd just started working in IT and didn't know who Arthur was at the time, so I told him off in no uncertain terms for haranguing my colleague. The poor guy had made an innocent mistake with the computer set-up, and Arthur seemed to want to burn him at the stake-"
"You scolding Arthur made him offer you a PA job?" Morgana asked skeptically.
"He told me to back off unless I could do the set-up better, and I said I could. He told me to prove it, and I did. By that time a lot of people had gathered in our department to watch the goings-on, and - well. I think your brother was embarrassed at having lost his temper so publicly. Out of the blue he offered me the PA job there and then."
"I see," Morgana mused.
"Everyone applauded when I said yes," Merlin smiled. "I figured I could act as a buffer, could stop him flying off the handle and treating employees unkindly.'
"And is it working out? Do you two get along?"
Merlin shrugged and grinned. "These days, it's only me he treats unkindly, so yes, I suppose we do. He frequently calls me an idiot and a buffoon, but he just laughs when I respond in kind and tell him he's a stuck-up privileged princeling, so I think we're good."
"Indeed, Arthur is a good sort, under all that bluster and the annoyingly quasi-royal airs," Morgana acknowledged. "You may be just what he needs to take him down a peg or two. So far, that has been my job."
To her surprise, Morgana discovered that she was having a good time. The ripped designer-dress hem be damned, she rather liked Merlin.
It was time for everyone to find their seats. She drained her champagne glass, looking at Merlin over the rim. "Maybe we'll talk again."
Merlin beamed at her. "I'd like that," he replied earnestly.
"Do you dance? Or are you far too clumsy for that?" she teased.
"Oh, I like dancing a lot. I'm a decent dancer, believe it or not."
Morgana looked him right in the eye and issued her challenge. "Well then, I'll echo my brother. When dinner's done - prove it."
* * * * * * *
Once the dancing started, Morgana didn't see Merlin anywhere, and she had to admit she was disappointed. Maybe he'd had second thoughts about approaching the 'Pendragon Ice Queen', she thought morosely.
When the Director of Sustainability, Leon Knight, asked her to dance, she readily accepted. It seemed silly to mope because a man she'd talked to for half an hour, a man who moreover had ruined her dress, had decided to ghost her. As she joined Leon in a lively bop, spiced up with jingle bells for the occasion, she noticed Arthur and Gwen. Dancing close, they very clearly had eyes only for each other. Morgana suspected they'd be dancing every dance together, or near enough.
Spotting the horrid mistletoe contraption whizzing by above them, illuminated by sparkly light strobes, she pointed it out to Leon. "We'd better stay far away from that thing." Leon was happily married, and nodded his ready agreement.
Their dance ended, and Morgana stalked towards the bar. She needed to keep her wits about her, but she'd allow herself one drink of something decent anyway, just to improve her mood. Once her bar mission was accomplished, she stirred the cocktail absentmindedly and turned around, immediately crashing into someone. Someone who'd been rushing toward her at full speed and now got a coctail shower for his efforts. It was Merlin.
Morgana couldn't help laughing, putting her empty glass down. She hadn't even had a sip. "I wonder if either of us will have clothes worth wearing after tonight."
"I'm so sorry," Merlin was blushing again as he ineffectually swiped at his dripping shirt front.
Morgana acted decisively, snatching a bunch of napkins from the bar and pressing them to the wetness on Merlin's shirt.
"No, no, you needn't - it was my fault, let it be, I'm all right," Merlin stuttered.
"I thought you'd gotten cold feet, Merlin."
"Not at all! But it was a big emergency. My mom called," he said, brandishing his cell phone as evidence. "One of my cats had managed to get out of my flat, and-"
Morgana's ears perked up, even as she unceremoniously deposited the wet napkins with the bartender. "Oh, you have cats?"
"I have two, both of them adopted from a shelter. My mom is cat-sitting, and-"
"Did she manage to locate your cat?"
"Thank goodness, yes, she did. I told her to get the tuna out, and that did the trick. Kilgharrah is wild about tuna. He's safe now."
"That's an unsual name."
"My other one's called Aithusa. They've had difficult lives, I thought they at least deserved unique and special names."
Morgana smiled. Merlin clearly was a man after her own heart. "I have two cats as well," she admitted. "Birmans. Morgause and Nimueh. Sometimes I think those two are my best friends."
"I know!" Merlin smiled. "But other times, you think they're just barely tolerating your presence because you're their servant bringing food."
Suddenly, there was a lot of applause in the hall. The strobe lights converged on a single spot on the dance floor, where Arthur and Gwen were already kissing in earnest, the mistletoe contraption hovering above them. There were wolf-whistles, even a musical flourish from the band. Morgana wanted to disapprove, but Arthur and Gwen looked so smitten and blushed so prettily when they pulled apart, that she found herself cheering with the rest.
"Arthur's plan worked. He'll probably be a much more mellow boss from now on," she told Merlin with a wink.
Merlin frowned. "I hope you're right, but I have my doubts."
"We'll find out soon enough. In the meantime, how about it, Merlin? Do you still want to dance?"
"Yes, of course!" Merlin grinned at her in delight, reaching out to her just as the band struck up another tune.
Merlin proved to be a fantastic dancer. For all his rather awkward looks and clumsy mannerisms, when he moved to music he was pure magic. Morgana felt herself melting into his arms, following with ease where he led, the rythm pulsing through her as they moved in unison, floating on shimmering air through sparkling lights. Their first dance ended all too soon, but neither of them wanted to stop. They danced the next one, and the one after that, caught up in the colours, the music, the laughter and cheer, twirling across the floor together as if in a dream.
Morgana completely forgot to keep an eye out for the hovering mistletoe. She was caught by complete surprise when their latest dance ended, and the two of them suddenly were caught in bright beams of light from above and from all sides.
"What on earth-"
"Oh no, it's the mistletoe thing! They want us to kiss," Morgana groaned.
Merlin still held her in his arms. He leaned in with a small smile. "You don't want to?"
Morgana's eyes went to his full, tempting lips. There was nothing but affection and admiration in his expression. She felt as if she were still happily dancing, spinning and dipping, sensing enchantments in the air and all around. He was handsome, kind and funny, down to earth, willing to stand up to Arthur, and a cat-lover. What more could she wish for?
"Actually-" she muttered, and leaned in to meet Merlin's warm lips with her own.
His kissing was every bit as wonderful as his dancing. She could happily stand there forever, lost in the moment, drowning in the wonder of this glorious kiss.
But the noise around them became so loud that she couldn't disregard it. The orchestra played a fanfare. Everyone was applauding and cheering wildly.
Merlin pulled away from her, his cheeks and ears flaming red, his dark hair tousled, his blue eyes glinting. "What do we do now?"
Morgana shrugged, feeling too good to mind the attention. "We face the music. Smile and bow. Smile and bow, and let's get out of here."
They left the dance floor hand in hand.
* * * * * * *
Much, much later, when Morgana was leaving the party, they had agreed plans for the very next day. The thought of a quiet date with Merlin made her feel a warm glow inside.
Suddenly, Arthur appeared before her, Gwen in tow. He was grinning like a loon, and more loose-limbed than usual.
"I believe congratulations are in order to you two," Morgana said. " I sincerely hope you know what you're taking on, Gwen!"
Gwen nodded. "Thank you, Morgana. I think I do."
"Anyway, you're a fine one to talk, Morgana," Arthur groused. "The way you carried on with Merlin! I hope you're not just using your charms and womanly wiles to steal my new PA away from me."
Morgana rolled her eyes, pulling her long coat with faux fur adornments tight, wearing it like armour into battle. "I'm not looking for a PA, you dolt. Gwen wouldn't be happy at all if your intentions with Merlin were the same as mine."
Arthur's eyes went wide. "Are you serious?"
"Very."
"Morgana, how lovely! I wish you two the best of luck," Gwen beamed, hugging her future sister-in-law tight. "What an amazing Christmas this is turning out to be!"
"A very merry Christmas if ever there was one," Morgana acknowledged, yawning mightily. The evening's rush of emotions and festivities could only take her so far. She was exhausted.
"This Christmas party will become legendary," Arthur stated with a toothy grin. "The day both the Pendragon siblings found love!"
"You may be right, but let's wait and see," Morgana hedged. She turned to leave, knowing that her limousine was waiting at the door. "Good night to you lovebirds."
"And all because of my mistletoe," Arthur called after her proudly. "You cannot deny it was a major success!"
Morgana didn't deign to answer, but raised her hand in a gesture that could be interpreted multiple ways. Alone in the limo, though, she had to admit that Arthur was right, however much that irked her. The roving mistletoe had very possibly changed her life. She looked forward to finding out for sure.
She yawned again, smiled to herself, and drew a heart in the moisture fogging the window next to her. "Merry Christmas and a Merlin New Year," she whispered.
The End