Romance time!
Picture is of the cute couple.
Summary: Hades orders that Rose make Merlin fall in love with her so he can destroy him. However, things don't go according to plan...

     While things were going well for Merlin, they were not working for Hades, who was more than angry at this point.
     He started blowing up every urn and pretty much anything with a picture of Merlin on it.
     "I can't believe this guy! I throw everything I've got at him and it doesn't even..." He trailed off when he saw that Pain was wearing tennis shoes with a picture of Merlin on them. "What...are those?!"
     "Well, I just thought they looked kinda dashing."
     Hades rubbed his head in frustration. "Look. I've got less than 3 days to get rid of this bozo...while the entire scheme I've been setting up for 21 years goes up in smoke...and you... are wearing...HIS MERCHANDISE!!!"
     He burst into flame. His anger toward Pain was interrupted, however, when he saw that Panic was drinking out of a cup with Merlin's picture on it.
     Panic gulped and said, "Haha...thirsty?"
     Hades screamed so loud that people could hear it all over Auradon and beyond as fire scorched everything in a 50 mile radius.
     Rose laughed at Hades' frustration. "Poor thing! No matter how many curves you throw at him, Wonder Boy just keeps on dodging them."
      Hades was struck by a sudden thought. "I wonder if maybe I'm not throwing the right curves at him, Rose, my sweet."
      "Don't even go there. I don't have time to worry about your problems. I've got enough of my own."
      "Oh yea. That's fine cuz what got you into this mess? Your mother was the most vain-"
      "Don't speak of her that way!"
      "But she was and what happened? She angered the Eternals. Doomed you, your father, everyone in Auradon. And what did you say when you came to me? You wanted to save your father?"
      "Look none of this was my fault! Yet I suffer!"
      "Which is why I feel you're gonna jump at my new offer." He handed her an urn with Merlin's face painted on it. "You give me the key to bringing down Wonder Breath and I give you the one thing you want more than anything else in the entire cosmos." He whispered, "Your freedom."
      The urn shattered as she dropped it.
                            * * * * *
     Meanwhile, Merlin was excited. He was finally ready to go to Paradise.
     Finally, Emrys arrived in all his glory. "Merlin! My boy! I'm so happy to see you!"
     "I am too, father, for this promises to be the best day of my life."
      "Oh?" Emrys raised an eyebrow. "And why's that?"
      "Because today's the day I can finally return to Paradise to be with you and Mom."
     Emrys smile faded. "I'm afraid you can't return...just yet."
     "Why?! You've heard my tales! I've done everything! I've fought monsters and witches! I've reversed disasters and saved damsels! The people... they've sung songs about me! I'm an action figure!"
     "You've done wonderfully, my son, and I am proud of you. There's no doubt about that. But...to become an Eternal, you have to prove yourself a true hero. Only someone who sacrifices themselves for another is a true hero."
     "How do I do that?"
     "You have to find that out for yourself."
     With that, his father disappeared.
                        * * * * *
     Merlin didn't have time to feel disappointed, however, because he was suddenly assaulted by his fans. Merlin dove into the first hiding place he could while Arthur escorted the ladies out of the place.
     Rose suddenly appeared and Merlin sighed in relief when he realized it wasn't one of the girls obsessed with him.
     "Hey." She said with a smile.
     "Hey...uh...Rose. It's you."
     "You seem stressed. Anything I can do to help?" She fluttered her eyelashes. "Perhaps a break. What do you say you and I sneak off somewhere?"
     "Well...Arthur would have a fit."
     "That's part of the fun."
     Merlin agreed they could go.
                       * * * * *
     Over the next three days, Rose and Merlin grew close. They learned a lot about each other and had a lot of laughs together.
      While Rose's main objective was to find out Merlin's weakness, she couldn't deny she had grown attached to the god-turned-human-sorcerer.
      On the last day, as they were watching the sunset together, Rose was close to giving up. She hadn't learned what she wanted to know and she felt like maybe she didn't want to know.
     As the sun finally set over the horizon, Merlin leaned in to kiss Rose when they were suddenly interrupted by Arthur who was mad that Merlin had ditched him for three days in a row.
     Arthur was suspicious of Rose's sudden liking in Merlin so he stayed behind as Merlin flew off on Kilgharrah.
                         * * * * *
     Rose shook her head and played with the rose Merlin had given her. He was so sweet.
     Then she was struck by her usual thoughts. She couldn't worry about Merlin. Her family, home, and freedom was at stake. Besides, the last time she thought a man could save her, she ended up his slave.

If there's a prize for rotten judgement
I guess I've already won that
No man is worth the aggravation
That's ancient history
Been there, done that
Who ya think you're kidding?
He's the earth and heaven to ya
Try to keep it hidden
Honey we can see right thru you
Girl ya can't conceal it
We know how you're feeling
Who you're thinking of
Oh no chance, no way
I won't say it no no
Ya swoon ya sigh
Why deny it
Oh oh
It's too cliché
I won't say I'm in love
Ooh ooh
I thought my heart had learned its lesson
Everything feels good when ya start out
My head is screaming 'get a grip, girl'
Unless your dying
To cry your heart out oh
You keep on denying who you are and how you're feeling
Baby we're not buying
Hun we saw ya hit the ceiling
Face it like a grown up
When ya gonna own up
That ya got got got it bad?
Oh no chance, no way
I won't say it no no
Give up, give in
Check the grin
You're in love
This scene won't play
Don't say I'm in love
You're doing flips
Read our lips
You're in love
You're way off base
I won't say it
She won't say it
Get off my case
I won't say it
Girl don't be proud
It's ok
You're in love
Oh ohhh
At least out loud
I won't say I'm in love
Sha la la la la la ah

     Just as Rose was starting to relax, thinking maybe she could let go and finally let herself be happy, Hades appeared.
     "Rose, my dear, have you figured it out? What's the secret to bringing down Wonder Boy?"
     "Find yourself another girl! I'm through!"
     "I'm sorry. Forgive me. I seem to have misheard because it sounded like you said you wouldn't help me."
     "Because I won't!"
     "Oh really? Are you so sure? Rose, my sweet, aren't we forgetting one eensy weensy tiny but oh so important little detail...I OWN YOU!!!"
     Arthur finally found a spot to listen and heard the yelling. He crouched down and heard: "Did you forget who controls you? Who's your master?"
     "You."
     "And who do you take orders from?"
     "You."
     Arthur heard all he needed to and ran away.
     "But I'm not letting you ruin someone else's life!"
     "Really? Oh, what's that sound? That's the sound of your freedom... fluttering out the window."
     "I don't care! I won't let you hurt him!" Rose thought a moment. "Besides, you can't beat him anyway. Merlin has no weakness."
     She turned to see Hades smiling evilly at her. He grabbed the rose from her hand, saying, "I think he does, Rose." He burned the flower. "I truly think...he does."
To be continued....

Longer than I expected.