The Promise of a Future
Summary: Guinevere falls ill a day before her wedding to Arthur. After she dies, Arthur begins to realize he has feelings for Merlin. Merlin has always known he was in love with Arthur, but content to see him happy with Gwen. When a young woman, a princess, makes her way to Camelot after her own kingdom is destroyed, but dies shortly after her arrival, her infant daughter has no one. Will Arthur realize that he needs Merlin by his side as more than just a servant, to help him take care of the special child who is now his ward?
AN: Welcome to my very first Merlin story. I have become completely obsessed with Merthur. This story is a slash, don't like, don't read. Its set following the last episode of season 4, minus the wedding at the end, in my story, Gwen dies before that happens. I have yet to really decide, but it may be MPreg later on. Well, read, review and enjoy!
Chapter 1: Arrival, Death, Promise and Confession
A young woman stumbles through the gates of Camelot. Her dress was once a beautiful thing, but her long journey has torn and dirtied it. There is a bundle in her arms. She collapses in front of a pair of guards. She holds up a seal. One guard takes the seal and looks at it.
"The royal seal of Verlith? Princess Amina?" He asked. The woman nodded. The guards gently helped her to her feet.
"Please, I need to see the King." Her voice was weak. The guards led her inside the castle.
"Sire!" One of the guards called out as they burst into the throne room. Arthur sat on the throne. Merlin stood behind him, Gaius and his loyal knights stood to one side.
"What—" Arthur began, then he saw Princess Amina. "Princess Amina, are you alright?" He got up and went to the young woman.
"Sire, my father…the kingdom…destroyed…armies…" This was all the words she could say. She collapsed again, clutching the bundle tightly to her chest.
"Water! Someone get the Princess some water!" Arthur exclaimed. Merlin came forward and poured a cup of water for the woman. She drank gratefully, seeming to regain some of her strength.
"It was awful, my lord, they attacked in the night. My father sent me out the tunnels with my daughter." She held up the bundle. Some of the blankets fell aside to reveal a baby girl, her wide, stunning purple eyes alert. "Her name is Ariadne" the woman continued, "She is only a few months old. My new husband was killed in the fighting." With these final words, Amina descended into a fit of coughing.
"Gaius, take Amina to your chambers and examine her. Make sure the child is healthy. Merlin, go with him." Arthur instructed, helping Amina to her feet.
"Merlin, take the child. Princess, here, let me help you." Gaius took charge. Merlin, looking reluctant to leave Arthur's side, took the child gently into his arms. The baby cooed and snuggled into him contently. Gaius helped the Princess to her feet and led her away to his chambers. Sir Gwaine noticed the look the Arthur gave Merlin as he left, and smiled a little to himself. He had long known of Merlin's feelings for Arthur, and it seemed now as if Arthur returned those feelings. Gwaine was glad. Merlin was his best friend, and he wanted the young man to be happy.
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A while later Arthur made his way to Gaius' chambers to check on Princess Amina, and, if he was honest with himself, he was also there to see Merlin. Lately, he had hated to be parted from his servant. He entered Gaius's chambers to see Gaius sitting on a stool next to a cot on which Amina was lying. Merlin was sitting at the table, making faces at the baby girl, Ariadne, who was giggling back at him and reaching out to him with her cute little fists. Arthur thought he had never seen anything so adorable in his life.
"Gaius, how are they?" He asked, returning his gaze reluctantly to the woman on the cot, approaching cautiously.
"Ah, Sire, the baby is quite healthy, it seems, a little dehydrated, but otherwise fine. The Princess on the other hand," Gaius paused, a sad look on his face, "She is dying, Sire. There is little I can do about it."
"Dying? What of?"
"A spell, Sire. It seems as she was fleeing, an evil sorcerer hit her with a curse. She might have lived a while longer, but she used the last of her strength to keep her daughter alive and to reach Camelot." Gaius explained, casting a glance at Merlin as he spoke, which Arthur couldn't help but notice.
"How much longer does she have?"
"A few hours, at most." Was the quiet reply.
"Arthur…please…take care of Ariadne…make her your ward…treat her as you own daughter…I beg you…" The weak final request stuttered out of Amina's lips with difficulty. She looked up at the young King as her eyes began to drift shut. Suddenly her hand shot up to grab Arthur's, "Promise me!" She said her voice a tiny bit stronger, "Give me your word, Arthur Pendragon!"
"I give you my word, as the King of Camelot, that I will raise your daughter and care for her as if she was my own." Arthur told her, clutching her hand in his. Amina gave a soft smile, her eyes finally closing.
"Thank you…" were her final words…soft, barely more than a whisper. A final breath left her, and her body went limp, her hand falling from Arthur's. Arthur wiped a small tear from his eye. Then he swallowed and got up. He looked over to Merlin.
"Merlin, come with me, and bring the child, please. Gaius, see to it that she gets a proper funeral, fit for the princess she is." Arthur instructed. Merlin stood and gathered the content child into his arms. He followed his King.
King and servant made their way through the corridors of Camelot in silence. Arthur stopped only once, to ask a maid to prepare the chambers next to his as a nursery for the child, the chambers with an adjoining door to his, so that he could keep the child close to him. The maid nodded and went off to get it organized. Arthur and Merlin finally reached Arthur's chambers. The sight of Merlin with the child caused strange thoughts to occur to the King. Thoughts like those he had once had about Gwen. And for once, the thought of Gwen could not dampen his mood. It was Merlin now that made him smile. He couldn't help but think that Merlin would make a good father. But he couldn't be a father to this child, could he? No, that was Arthur's job now. But wait…was there a way…a way that Arthur could give this child two fathers? Could there be not one, but two kings in Camelot?
Merlin looked up from the child to see Arthur staring at him. He blushed slightly.
"Arthur? What is it?" He asked. Arthur blinked, and blushed himself, given a slight bit of hope by Merlin's blush.
"You're very good with her, Merlin." Arthur said. Merlin smiled.
"Ariadne is adorable."
"I'd say you're both adorable."
Merlin blushed even more deeply.
"I…um…I…" Merlin stuttered, not sure of how to reply to that. Arthur smiled at him.
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Later that night, when Ariadne had been laid down to sleep in the cradle that had been found for her, in her new room, with the door slightly ajar, Merlin was tidying up in Arthur's chambers, humming slightly to himself. He already adored the small girl. He quite enjoyed taking care of her. He didn't even notice when Arthur came into the room. Not until the King cleared his throat, which made the young servant jump.
"Arthur! You startled me!" He exclaimed. Arthur gave him an apologetic smile.
"Sorry Merlin, but I really need to talk to you." Arthur said. He took a deep breath and continued, "I've been thinking about some things lately."
"Thinking is it? About what exactly?"
"Merlin, don't interrupt me, this is hard enough as it is." Another deep breath. "Merlin…I…damn I really don't know how to say this…" Arthur found he couldn't get out the words he needed to say. But then his face lit up as he thought of another way to tell Merlin how he felt.
"Arthur, what—?" Merlin began, but he was silenced by Arthur's lips on his. Merlin, once he got over his momentary shock, was absolutely thrilled. He returned the kiss eagerly, which made Arthur very happy. When they finally broke apart, Arthur put his hands on either side of Merlin's face.
"Merlin, I love you." He whispered. Merlin smiled.
"I love you, too." Merlin whispered back, wrapping his arms around the King. Then he pulled back. "Arthur, there's something I need to tell you…I have magic."
"I know, Merlin. You honestly think I didn't notice all those times you saved my live?"
"But magic is outlawed, aren't you angry with me? Aren't you going to banish me?"
"Banish you? Merlin, I love you, I couldn't banish you."
"You once banished Gwen, and you loved her."
"But I love you more. I could not bear to be parted from you. Merlin, I know you would never hurt me. I'm not angry with you; I'm not scared of you. I trust you and I love you."
"Really?" Merlin's voice was timid. Arthur smiled at him and kissed him lightly on the lips.
"Really." He confirmed. Merlin gave him a small grin. "Besides, you look incredibly adorable with Ariadne." The King added, pulling Merlin close to him with a laugh. Merlin couldn't help but let out a small giggle, which Arthur found even more adorable.
Arthur knew now that he could not envision anyone but Merlin on the throne beside him.
Two Kings in Camelot, and a young princess, to be their ward, and perhaps one day, their heir.
But Merlin knew something else in that moment, something his magic told him, beyond any shadow of a doubt. It told him that, somehow, someway, maybe in different ways, Ariadne would not be their only child.
Two Kings, a princess and the promise of a future. That's what Camelot had now.