AN - heya guys! i'm back with the sequel to brothers of destiny, which you should probably read first, if you havent already.
right then? everybody caught up? good!
i know some of you go back to school today (suckas!) so i though i'd put this here for u all when you got home. it's a long one! hope it makes your day better!
here we go then! enjoy, guys!
disclaimer - not mine, just playing :D
Merlin
"Arthur!" I rushed through the castle, dodging around the servants frantically putting up decorations in preparation for the wedding in three days time. Personally, I hadn't understood why we needed so many, but Arthur had insisted and Freya had liked the idea, so I'd let it slide.
Now, however…
"Arthur, I don't understand why this is all necessary." I complained once I finally found him, in his chambers, preparing.
"Because, Merlin." he explained patiently. "When someone as important as you gets married, this is what happens."
I sighed. "I know. It's just…"
"You're starting to get nervous?" he asked knowingly, probably because he could see into my head, and I nodded.
"That, and I'm beginning to regret agreeing to let Gwen plan it." I admitted. At currently five months pregnant, although progressing well with the twins, the formidable Queen was a force to be reckoned with, especially if you disagreed with a decision she'd made.
Arthur just laughed. He knew better than to agree with me.
"You ready?" I asked him, and he nodded.
"I know my lines, probably better than you know yours." he paused. "I'm still honoured that the two of you asked me to perform it, you know." he admitted, and I grinned.
"So many brothers, and I wanted you to all be involved in some way, and as you were able to, it seemed like the easiest solution." I said lightly, but we both knew and heard what I hadn't said as well.
"So remind me again, what have you got the rest of them doing?" he asked me, and I grinned.
"Elyan, if he'd been awake, would have been a groomsman. Freya asked Percy to walk her down the isle, so I didn't have to worry about him. She asked Morgana and Gwen to be bridesmaids, too. Gwen's also planning it all, and as for Leon and Gwaine….they've both helped me so much, and I couldn't choose between them, so they're both best men/grooms men, so that I didn't have to choose one over the other." I grinned, and he shook his head in mock exasperation.
"Only you, Merlin." he told me, and I grinned.
"And on that note," he reminded me. "Aren't you supposed to be at a final fitting right now?"
My only response was to yelp and dart out of the door quickly, Arthur's laughter following me the whole way down the corridor.
That night, I was busy putting away the last verges of an experiment in Freya and my rooms, when suddenly, I found it invaded with Knights. I looked up into their grinning faces nervously.
"What are you doing?" I asked them apprehensively, and they only grinned wider.
Eventually, I caught on, and sighed. Freya, who'd come down to see what all the noise was about giggled. I walked across the room and kissed her, ignoring Percy's disgusted look and told her slightly nervously "Don't wait up.", before there was a blindfold over my face and I was manhandled down the stairs and out of my rooms.
"You know, this really isn't necessary!" I complained loudly as they shoved me along. "For one thing, you needn't have blindfolded me, you only needed an eye patch," there was some laughter at this "and for another, if I wanted to see where I was going, then it would only be too easy."
I felt Arthur fix his gaze on me sternly. "But you won't will you Merlin." he told me firmly, and I sighed.
"No." I admitted grudgingly. "I won't.
"Good. Tonight, we're going to get you completely drunk, Merlin, I don't care what you say, and you're going to enjoy it." he ordered.
"Yes Sire." I responded smartly, and dodged the slap he aimed at the back of me head, nearly tripping as I did so.
"Careful, Merlin." Leon's hand was on my arm, steadying me.
"Thanks." I told him, and I got the impression he was smiling at me.
"No worries. And don't worry, I'll try to stop it get it from getting too bad." he told me, and I smiled in what I thought was his direction.
"If you can get away with staying sober yourself!" I joked, and he laughed. "True, true indeed, little brother."
Suddenly, my blindfold was removed with a flourish, to reveal one of the old high-ceiling rooms on the ground floor, with several dozen barrels of what I assumed to be ale stacked at the sides. I looked around curiously, before looking at Arthur questioningly. He quickly explained.
"We would have been at the tavern, except Gwaine's been kicked out of most them by now, I think, we'd cause too much of a disruption and attract too much attention, which is really the last thing we want, and should you change into a dragon-boy, there'll be enough room for your wings. Also, being on the ground floor, there aren't so many stairs to fall down should we leave in a drunken stupor." He smirked.
"Thanks." I told him, touched that he'd thought about my wings, but still feeling a twinge of regret that we'd had to relocate because of them. Leon must have sensed this, and he nudged me with his elbow and frowned. I sighed but nodded, ignoring the confused looks of the others. It was then that I spotted a problem.
"Arthur, were you planning to sit on the floor?" I asked him, laughing, and he looked around sheepishly.
"Oops." I laughed again, before quickly conjuring a round table and several benches. Several people nodded at the significance of the table.
"What was it?" Gwaine asked. "'A round table for equality', was that what you said Arthur?"
"Tonight we are all equal." I told him. "As brothers, friends, and soon to be drunks!"
There was a small cheer at this, as I conjured tankards, and Gwaine carefully poured the first round.
"That reminds me." I said quickly, and bound Gwaine's magic, ignoring his slightly indignant squawk. "I'm not dealing with your magic while drunk, thank you very much." I informed him tartly. "It was hard enough when I was sober, and one drunken person with magic will be more than enough."
There was more laughter at this, and as the night progressed, and we became more and more drunk, the more we laughed and joked with each other. My last coherent thought was to lock the door, as we really didn't want anyone walking in on us, I decided.
My next thought was waking up with a groan the next morning.
Sitting up gingerly, holding one hand to my head with a groan, and squinting with my eye, I looked around.
It was a good idea, I decided, that Arthur had found such a tall room, as apparently, I had unfurled my wings at some point. What was more interesting was the situation I found them in now, wrapped around my brothers in an almost protective embrace.
Percy and Gwaine were cuddled together under one wing, with Gwaine pushed up against my side. Under the other, Arthur was snuggled up against my other side, while Leon had pulled the edge of my wing over him protectively like a blanket.
"Morning." I winced slightly at the sound of Gwaine's voice. He seemed perfectly content to be in the position he was, despite the obvious headache he had.
"I don't suppose you can do anything to get rid of this?" he asked, and I groaned.
"Even if I could think straight enough to do so at the moment," I told him "after last time, I don't think I would. I have no wish for you, me, or anyone else, to turn up to my wedding with the mentality of a five year old. Sorry." he waved his hand at me.
"Don't be sorry. It was just a question. We've all dealt with plenty worse than headaches before, I'm sure."
A groan came from my other side. "I'm not so sure about that, honestly." Arthur was awake. Soon Leon and Percy joined us, and we all lay on the floor groaning, none of us wanting to move.
"You know." I eventually announced quietly. "I've found an advantage to only having one eye." I told them.
"Hmm?" Arthur asked "And what's that."
"It only let's half as much light in."
There were a couple of rasped laughs from the others.
Eventually, Leon sat up too. "I suppose we better survey the damage." he said reluctantly, and the rest of us groaned and sat up, as I removed my wings carefully from around them.
"Any idea what time it is?" Percy asked, and we all shook out heads.
"Probably at least midday." I rasped.
As out sensitive eyes grew more adjusted to the light coming into the room, we looked around in curiosity and growing horror at the room we were in.
"Well." I announced, starting with the seemingly least-worst news. "It seems I've ruined this shirt at least." I apparently had decided not to remove it before displaying my wings, resulting in so little shirt being left that I might as well not be wearing one at all. Walking over to one of the barrels, I added "And it appears we drank all the ale as well."
"Merlin." Arthur said hoarsely "Are you just going to ignore the massive crater in the floor?"
"Or what appears to be paint on the walls and ceiling?" Leon added.
"Or the fact that the door appears to be missing?" Gwaine pointed out lightly.
"What!?" we all span around to see that, just as Gwaine had pointed out, there was no longer a door where there had been one the night before. I searched my memories frantically for what might have happened, before coming to the horrible realisation of what must have happened, and paling dramatically, something that Arthur noticed almost immediately.
"What? What is it?" he asked me.
"Ah, it appears that I tried to lock the door last night….but instead I think I might have removed it." I admitted quietly.
It appeared that the shock of the missing door had surprised us back into sobriety, thankfully, but Gwaine still snorted at this.
"So…how do we get out again?" Percy asked, confused.
"Gwaine, stand still." I told him, as I quickly restored my magic. "Now, help me find where it was." Carefully, we pinpointed where the wall appeared to be thinnest, and the others looked at me curiously.
"As I was pretty out of it when I performed the spell, I don't know what I may have accidentally done with the door. Therefore…we're going to have to break through the wall." I explained sheepishly. Arthur looked at me as if I was mad, but immediately Gwaine turned back to the wall, looking for the weak spots. I joined him, and eventually, there was a decent sized hold that even Percy could crawl through.
As we stood in the corridor, I quickly made my way over to the window to try and work out what time it was, and promptly burst out laughing.
"Well," I turned back to them, still laughing. "I worked out where the door went, anyway."
Stood in the courtyard below us, surrounded by the curious and confused people of Camelot, was the door, still in its frame. I went to wave my hand to restore it, but Arthur grabbed my arm before I could.
"Leave it." he told me, and I looked at him incredulously, and he explained.
"It'll make and interesting talking point."
I snorted with laughter again, shaking my head slightly. Only in Camelot…
"Do you want me to fix the rest of the room?" I asked him, and he considered it for a minute, before shaking his head.
"No, leave it. We don't use that room anyway." I shook my head again, grinning.
Gwaine looked out of the window as well, snorting as I had at the door, before looking up at the sun.
"Just after midday." he announced. "Which means we haven't completely missed lunch yet. Come on, I'm starving!" he quickly disappeared down the corridor, leaving the rest of us shaking out heads behind him.
After a quick lunch begged from the kitchen, and I conjured shirt when I realised that the one I was wearing was causing some of the maids there to stare unabashedly at my chest, I went off to find Freya. I found her in our rooms, and she smiled as she saw me, before frowning at me.
"Why is there blue paint in your hair, Merlin?" she asked me curiously, and I rushed over to the mirror, groaning as I realised that my hair was decorated with splashes of blue paint. With a click of my fingers, it was back to normal, and I turned back to face my giggling fiancé.
"I'm going to kill them." I announced, which made her giggle harder.
"How was it?" she asked me, and I smiled.
"There's now a door in the middle of the courtyard." I told her lightly. "I was going to move it back, but Arthur told me to leave it."
"Of course he did." she laughed, and I came up behind her, and wrapped my arms around her, resting my hands on top of hers, lightly on her stomach.
She was only three and a half months along, and as such, barely beginning to show. However, we knew that our baby was growing inside of her, and that only made her all the more precious to me.
"I love you." I murmured, bending down slightly to kiss the top of her head.
"I'm glad of that, considering we're getting married in two days." she told me with a smile.
"I everything ready?" I asked her, and she nodded. "As long as Arthur knows his part, and we know ours, and nothing goes wrong on the day, then it'll all be fine."
"He does." I confirmed. "And so do I. You know yours?" she nodded. "Then it'll all go fine, won't it." I told her, and she smiled.
"I'm sure it will." she told me, leaning up slightly to steal a kiss.
"I'm getting married tomorrow." I told Arthur randomly, for about the fifteenth time, and he sighed.
"Yes, Merlin, I was actually aware of that, but thank you for telling me anyway…again."
"Sorry." I apologised sheepishly, bouncing slightly on the balls of my feet. Arthur looked amused.
"No you're not." he told me, smiling slightly.
"No, I'm not!" I agreed, and he laughed.
"Go on, go and see what you can do to help; you're clearly going to be of no use to me here."
"Thanks, Arthur!" I told him, almost skipping from the room. He'd been trying to get me to help him with his reports, in order to give me something to do, but it had quickly become obvious that that wasn't going to work.
I walked quickly through the corridors, whistling as I went. Everyone smiled at me as they passed me in the halls, knowing how excited I must be. Suddenly, however, I had a horrible thought. I thought about it for a minute, before trying to work out who might be able to help me."
"Gwen." I finally decided, muttering to myself. "Gwen will know what to do."
Eventually I found her, directing the last of the decorations being put up in the hall. Freya hadn't been allowed to see them yet, just as I wasn't to see her in her dress before the day, but I thought they were beautiful.
"It all looks amazing, Gwen." I told her, and she beamed with pride. "I have something I need to ask you about, however. Could I possibly steal you away for a while?"
"I'm all done here, so I don't see why not." she told me, slightly puzzled, and I led her out of the room and down several corridors, until I found a fairly private one, mostly used only by the servants.
"I don't know who else to ask." I told her. "And it only just occurred to me!" she looked slightly confused as to what it was that was worrying me, so I explained shyly. "I was wondering if you could help me practice my dancing?"
She smiled at me, if slightly worriedly, and I hastened to reassure her. "I know how to, don't worry, we used to hold summer dances in Ealdor, so all the men know how. It's just…I haven't practiced in a while is all." her smile at once became that much easier.
"Of course I will Merlin." she told me, and she led me down the corridor to a nearby, out of the way room. "If you could get the music…?" I set us up with a fairly slow beat, such as the one generally used at weddings. Then, careful of her bump, I moved my hands into the correct position. Then, slowly, we started to dance.
I was slightly clumsy at first, never having danced with one eye before, and I kept looking at me feet in order not to step on Gwen's. Eventually, however, once we had gotten into the beat a bit more, she reached out one of her hands and lifted my chin.
"Head up, Merlin." she instructed, and obediently, when she removed her hand, I kept my head held where she had left it.
As I slowly increased the tempo of the music, the tempo of our dance rose with it. As we danced faster and faster, Gwen insisted that we talk, as it was important to be able to keep up a conversation while dancing. Therefore, dutifully, we held several conversations.
"Any reply from your mother?" she asked me, and I sighed.
"No, unfortunately."
"That's a shame." she smiled sympathetically.
After the battle, my mother had had to leave very quickly, so quickly, in fact, that I hadn't even realised she was gone. I'd gone to Gaius, eventually, who looked surprised that I hadn't known, as she had let him know before she left.
I was quite hurt, actually that she'd let him know she was going but not me. I'd tried to hide it from him, but didn't think I'd managed, as he had given me a sympathetic smile very similar from the one Gwen was giving me now.
I'd sent her an invite to the wedding the moment we'd set the date, two months ago, but she'd yet to reply, and I'd finally had to resign myself to the fact that she wasn't going to make it.
"And do you know your part for tomorrow?" she'd sensed that it was probably good idea for her to change the subject.
As we danced, being careful not to go to fast and wear ourselves out before tomorrow, we talked and laughed and joked, until eventually, it was nearly dark.
As I slowed the music back down again, for one final dance, she laughed again.
"What's so funny?" I asked her, and she laughed again.
"When we first met, I've had given anything to be dancing with you like this." she told me, and I laughed softly too.
"And now you are."
"And now I am." she confirmed.
"And does it live up to your expectations?" I joked, and she laughed again.
"Perfectly."
As I slowed the music down again, and we pulled away, still joking with each other, I realised, that despite what someone witnessing may have thought, there was no tension between us at all. If anything, it had only strengthened out sibling-bond.
"Thank you." I told her sincerely, and she smiled.
"Thank you, Merlin. I reckon we both needed to get away for a while, and that was the perfect way to do so."
"Even though now everyone will be worrying where we've gone." I admitted guiltily. When Gwen looked confused, I added "I may or may not have possibly added a spell to the door which diverted people away from it." She laughed.
"Well we better go and tell them where we are then, hadn't we." she laughed, and headed towards the door.
I grabbed her arm gently. "One last thing? Don't tell Freya?" I asked her. She looked slightly puzzled. "She doesn't exactly know I can dance. I want to surprise her." I admitted, blushing slightly. Gwen cooed.
"That's so sweet, Merlin. Of course I won't tell her."
"Thanks." I told her, giving her a quick hug as we left.
"Where have you two been?"
Arthur looked at us suspiciously as we started laughing again.
"Just doing stuff for tomorrow. Why?"
"Freya's going frantic." explained Arthur grimly. "No-one could find you, and she became convinced you'd both been kidnapped. She could hardly get married tomorrow without a groom, now could she?" he asked me pointedly, and immediately I leapt into a sprint down the corridor, leaving the two of them standing together.
"Great Hall!" Arthur shouted after me, and I waved in acknowledgement, before disappearing round the corner out of sight.
"He'll be fine." Arthur muttered. "They both will." Gwen nodded and hummed her agreement.
"Of course they will."
"Where have you been?!" I was greeted with a cry as I burst dramatically into the hall. Morgana shot me a dirty look from where she had been comforting Freya, and I shrugged apologetically, before turning back to Freya.
"I'm sorry!" I told her. "I was with Gwen! We lost track of time." I leant down slightly to rest my forehead against hers. "Forgive me?" I murmured. She smiled.
"Of course." She leant up and kissed me. "I was just worried, is all. No-one could find you."
"Please accept my most humble of apologies." I told her sincerely, and she laughed slightly.
"Just don't do it again!" she mock scolded, and it was my turn to laugh.
"Never."
Morgana came up and tapped me on the shoulder. "Time to go, Freya, I'm afraid." she told her, and I frowned.
"Already?" I asked, and Morgana looked at me strangely.
"Merlin, it's gone nine." she told me.
"Really?" I asked, slightly sheepishly. "I must have been with Gwen for longer than I thought. I'm sorry." Freya just laughed.
"Don't worry Merlin." she leant up to kiss me one last time, a deep, lingering kiss, before she was gone out of the hall almost before I could blink.
Morgana went to follow her, before she stopped and turned back to me.
"I can tell you care a lot for her." she told me "But you really worried her today, which isn't good for her or the baby. Be careful."
"I will." I told her sincerely. "It was an accident." I lowered my voice, before telling her "Gwen was helping me with my dancing, but don't tell Freya. She doesn't know and I want it to be a surprise." She blinked at me, before smiling widely.
"Your secret's safe." she told me, before sweeping from the hall. I sighed. Gwaine, who had come out of nowhere, clapped me on the arm.
"You'll see her tomorrow, Mr Romance, don't worry about that." He grinned as I scowled and swiped at him.
"I'm getting married today." I announced, before collapsing into a chair and putting my hands over my face. "Oh God, I'm getting married today." Arthur grinned at me.
"That was the idea, Merlin."
"Arthur." I looked at him pitifully. "I'm getting married today." He laughed. "And lots of important people are coming to watch." I added, and he laughed harder.
"That's what happens when a King gets married, Merlin, lots of important people come to watch. Surely you learnt that when I got married?"
"Arthur!" I complained loudly. "I'm getting married today!" His grin faded slightly.
"Don't you want to?" he asked me, and I shook my head.
"It isn't that. It's just, oh God, I'm getting married today Arthur!"
He started laughing again and I scowled at him.
"Come on Merlin, it's time you started getting ready."
Leon and Gwaine arrived as Arthur was trying to fit the flower into my buttonhole. I scowled at them slightly as they grinned at me.
"Oh dear." Gwaine tutted. "Getting slightly nervous, are we?" He ducked as I swiped him.
We were all dressed very similarly, in black, smart clothes, with button hole flowers. However, while theirs were white, mine was a pale blue.
"Now, Merlin dear, I know you're nervous, but there's really no need for that, now is there?"
I hadn't noticed who had followed them in at first, but the next moment I had caught my mother in a big hug.
She fussed as I pulled away; straightening my collar and fixing the flower in my buttonhole so it was attached properly, and smoothing down my clothes.
"I…you didn't respond to the invite! I thought you weren't going to make it!" I told her amazed, and she smiled slightly.
"I had wanted to keep it a surprise until you saw me later, but Arthur sent these two" she gestured to Leon and Gwaine. "to find me early, of they felt you might not make it until then because of nerves." I laughed slightly, and she smiled at me.
"Are you okay now?" she asked, and I blushed slightly and nodded. She laughed slightly in return, before leaving the room again. Still blushing, I turned back to my grinning brothers.
"Thanks." I muttered, still looking at the floor, and I felt Leon's hand on my arm.
"Don't mention it." he told me, and I gave him a small smile.
"If you're calmer now," Arthur said to me "Do you want to run through it all one more time?" I nodded gratefully, and together, the four of us ran through again how we hoped the events of the rest of the day would pan out.
Soon enough, it was time, and with a quick flick of our wrists, I summoned the three crowns. One I shrunk down and stuck carefully inside my jacket, one I placed carefully on my head, which Arthur straightened for me, and the last one I placed onto his, and then did the same for him. Then, finally, we were ready.
As we made our way silently down to the hall, where it would take place, my nerves once again mounted higher and higher.
"You do have the rings?" I muttered to my two best men, and they both patted the appropriate pocket in their jackets reassuringly.
Soon we arrived in the entrance hall, where the majority of out guests were milling around. As I nervously made my way through them, greeting them and shaking hands with everyone, from nobles I'd never met before, to druids who thanked me eagerly for being so kind as to invite them to our wedding, to people such as Iseldar and Alator, I kept an eye out for one of the most important ones of all.
Eventually I found her, imposing and regal looking, standing near to the back of the crowd.
"My Lady." I bowed low to her, and she inclined her head to me in return.
"Emrys."
"I am most pleased you could join us today, My Lady." I told her, and she smiled.
"I was rather surprised to receive and invite, I must admit, and even more surprised to find that I wanted to come. Therefore, here I am." I saw Arthur trying to catch my attention, and I bowed once more.
"If you will excuse me, it seems my brother needs me for something. I'm afraid I must take my leave." she laughed.
"Take it, and accept with it my apologies for the price of his soul, too. I did warn you, however."
"And I don't regret it in the slightest. It was a worthy price to pay." I told her firmly, before leaving to see what Arthur wanted.
"I still don't get why you invited Lady Death in the first place." he told me when I caught up with him, and I frowned.
"She is the reason I was able to save you at all." I told him, and he gave me a small smile.
"I know, I just think it's a bit...creepy. Anyway, Morgana came down, they're ready, it's time to let the guests in.
We opened the doors, and slowly, the guests moved in until they filled up the benches.
As the majority of the guests were there because of me, as Freya didn't really have much other family left besides Percy, the guests just sat wherever, although they respectfully left the front two benches free for our close family and friends.
Arthur was positioned up on the raised dais, and I stood just in front of him on one side, with Gwaine and Leon beside me.
My mother sat in the row behind us, with a space left where my father would have been sat beside her. On the other side, equally, spaces were left for Freya and Percy's mother and father too. Gaius, too, sat with my mother, looking prouder than I'd ever seen him. He smiled at me when he saw me looking, and I smiled at him in return.
Suddenly, there was a call from the doors.
"All stand for the Bride!"
There was a flurry of movement as our guests moved to stand, and then suddenly, the doors opened.
The bridesmaids entered first, dressed in plain, pale blue dresses that fell to their knees. Their hair was done in a simple braid, yet despite the simplicity of it all they were still radiant.
Behind them, though, came Freya, even more beautiful still. I felt my mouth fall open as I looked at her, dressed in a full length dress with only a little train, with flowers patterned gracefully across the bodice. She carried a simple bouquet of white and blue lilies, and she was simply stunning.
I wrenched my mouth closed as she made her way up the isle, Percival on her arm, who in turn was dressed very similar to the rest of us. The only difference was a white flower in place of my blue, to match those of my groomsmen. She smiled at my gobsmacked expression as she approached.
When the reached the top of the isle, and Percival gave me her hand, I grasped it tightly. "You are….amazing." I told her, and she smiled even wider.
I barely heard as Arthur told the guests to be seated and began the ceremony, still entranced by her beauty, her hand held firmly in mine.
"The bride and groom have elected to write their own vows." Arthur announced, and I cleared my throat quietly, but nervously. "King Merlin," he shot me a wink "has been chosen to speak first."
"Freya," I told her, my gaze still firmly locked onto hers. "Until now, whenever I've tried to write this, I can never get the words to sound right. I asked several people for inspiration, and eventually, I was told to just speak from the heart. So I will.
The first time I saw you, you were so lost and alone. I knew straight away that I wanted to help you, and so I did. You seemed so scared, and I wanted to help you, and eventually you told me your name." I conjured a small strawberry and held it out to her, and she laughed slightly. "Though I may not have been able to do this for you at the time, I loved you anyway, and tried to show you that. Even though we both believed ourselves to be cursed, we could both see the beauty in each other. As I held you in my arms as you died, I believed that I would never be able to have this day with you, but now, thanks to magic, I can. I promise to love you forever, even through death, though I pray it shall never separate us again. I love you with all my heart, Freya."
By the end of my speech, most of them women were crying, including Freya herself. As she shakily began her own vows, I reached up gently to wipe a few of them away and she smiled.
"Merlin, the first time I really saw you, I was very much afraid. Although you had just rescued me, I had no idea why you would have done so, as no-one but Percy had ever shown me such kindness before, as I didn't remember my parents, despite the stories Percy had told me about them. Despite that, I soon found myself falling in love with you, even as I lay dying in your arms. I never dreamt that you would wait for me, instead believing that I would have to watch you grow to love someone who wasn't me. For some reason, however, you chose not to, and now, I'm happier than I've ever been before. I love you, Merlin, and will for the rest of my life, and further if I can. I promise to care for you, and love you for you, and not for who others may see you. Despite your first not-so-perfect attempt," she held up the strawberry "I've always loved you for you, and not for who others wanted you to be."
I felt tears prick in my eyes in return as she finished, and we smiled at each other lovingly.
Arthur cleared his throat slightly to recapture our attention.
"Now the couple shall exchange rings, in the traditional fashion, in order to bind their vows. The ring symbolises their everlasting love for one another which, like a circle, has no end."
As Gwaine handed me Freya's ring, Leon handed her mine, and one by one, we slid the rings onto each other's fingers. We'd gone for simple silver bands this time, that wouldn't clash with the engagement ring, but were identical to each other.
Then Arthur spoke up again. "In line with the druid traditions, as Merlin is, of course, the Druid King, and has, along with his partner, decided that he would like to incorporate their traditions in their wedding, the couple shall now have their hands bound together.
Iseldar stepped forward, carrying with him a length of vibrant blue cloth, which he then preceded to wrap around our hands, which were crossed at the wrists, in an elaborate knot. He murmured a few words and it glowed brightly, before sliding undone again and dividing itself neatly in two. He's explained to us before hand that the stronger the glow was, the more powerful our love for each other was. The cloth had glowed so brightly that some people had had to look away. He then handed one piece to each of us.
"You wrap your piece around your partner's arm to be worn always, as with the rings. The circular shape, once again, symbolises that your love shall never end.
Obediently, we tied the cloth as told, not so tight as to cut off the circulation, but tight enough that it would not fall off.
"These cannot be removed as long as you both live. Should one partner die, the cloth will turn black, and should they be injured, red."
He stepped back to his seat, and Arthur stepped forward again.
"On that note, if there is nothing else…?" He trailed off as Lady Death stepped forward.
She stood in front of us, before resting her hand upon Freya's head gently, before stepping back again, smiling. I looked at her curiously, and she explained.
"Your partner is now as immortal as you are, Emrys." she explained, and we both gasped.
"Thank you." I told her reverently, and she smiled before disappearing. We both turned back to Arthur, smiling, who looked a little shocked, but soon recovered.
"If that is all…" he paused again, but no-one interrupted this time, so he continued.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife." he smiled at us warmly. "Congratulations to both of you. Merlin, you may kiss the bride."
I needed no further invitation as I pulled Freya into a deep kiss. As the cheering and whooping grew louder, I reluctantly pulled away, in order to smile at our family and friends.
"And now…" Arthur trailed off, looking at me, and I stepped up to stand beside him on the dais, pulling her crown carefully out of my jacket, and enlarging it back to full size.
"Do you, Freya Ambrosias," I began, and we both smiled at my use of her new name. "swear to help me rule over the druids of this kingdom and any other fairly and without bias?" I asked her.
"I do swear." she told me.
"And do you, Freya Ambrosias, swear to take my place as the leader of the druids, should I ever become incapable of doing so fairly, or should I not be around or able to do so myself?"
"I do swear."
"And do you, Freya Ambrosias, swear to protect and help any druid who should come before you asking that you do so, so long as it is within your power?"
"I, Freya Ambrosias, do solemnly swear."
"Then I crown you, my wife, Freya, Queen of the Druids, as is my power as their King." Carefully, I placed the simple crown, almost identical to mine, if with a bit more detail, onto her head.
As I pulled her up to join me on the dais, amid the applause of our guests, I leant forward to whisper in her ear.
"I couldn't make you the Queen of my other Kingdoms yet, unfortunately, as magic alone has control of her rulers, and I am no real dragon, despite appearances sometimes." She smiled at me.
"I don't care. That isn't why I married you. I married you because I love you."
I leant in to kiss her, as Gwen too joined us up upon the dais. Then, taking my wife's hand, I led her down the isle and out of the doors into the courtyard, where, as a surprise, the people of Camelot were waiting for us.
As we stood and smiled on the steps of Camelot as the people cheered us, and I looked into my wife's eyes, I knew I had never been happier.
After the meal, during which we'd somehow managed to get ten of us along the top table, with a little help from magic, of course, it was time for the speeches.
Arthur had decided that he was going to first, and it seemed there was no way I could stop him.
"When I first met Merlin," he began, and already I knew that this was going to be bad. "One of my first thoughts was 'who's this idiot.' Having said that, he had just insulted me, and the King. To be fair to him, though, I wasn't being very fair to a servant at the time, something which I deeply regret now. But, really, that's who Merlin really is. He jumps in to defend others, no matter who they might be, or what consequences might fall on him as a result.
My first meeting with Freya, however, was even worse. I actually killed her, though for some reason, neither of them ever held that against me, something that I am eternally grateful for. For two years, though I didn't know it, I watched Merlin mourn her, and then, amazingly, somehow, she was returned. Since then, I've never seen him happier
So I just want to say that I wish you both the happiest of times in your long, long lives.
To Merlin and Freya!"
"To Merlin and Freya!" the crowd echoed, as they all drank. As he sat back down again next-to me, I leant over to Arthur and said "You know, that actually wasn't as bad as I was expecting." he laughed.
"Don't speak too soon, Gwaine, Percy and Leon are up next."
I groaned They's chosen to do their speeches together.
"The first time I met the Lady Freya," Gwaine began, and instantly, I knew this was going to be at least five times worse than I'd expected Arthur's to be. "She was in a lake. That didn't mean you wasn't just as lovely, but it did have its drawbacks. For one, she was trapped in a lake."
"The first time I met her," Percy thankfully cut over the top, something which I was inherently grateful for. "She was about an hour old, and I threatened to hurt anyone who even so much as kissed her hand." I groaned. Or not.
"The first time I met the lovely lady Freya, she was attached to Merlin at the lips, and Merlin was introducing her as his girlfriend." Leon joined in. I sighed, but smiled anyway at their antics. I knew this was probably going to go on for a long time.
The audience loved them, with their comic timing and the way they played so well off of each other.
Finally, they moved onto me, and of course, that was even worse.
Throughout everything, they'd been perfectly polite with everything they'd said about Freya.
However, when to came to me, there was no such holding back.
At least when it came to me, most of the stories were about Arthur, too.
"The first time I met the terrible twosome, as they were know through the castle at the time," Gwaine began, and as one, Arthur and I both spat out our drinks, only causing our guests to laugh harder.
"Did you know they called us that?" I muttered to Arthur out of the corner of his mouth.
"No, I didn't, and I do not want to know who came up with it." he paused. "Or what my father would have had to say about it." I let out a small laugh.
"Definitely not."
Gwaine was ploughing on with his next bit of the speech.
"The first time I saw the terrible twosome, they were attempting to 'blend in' in a tavern. Needless to say, although Merlin was fairly okay, the princess, of course, had to muck it up, and the next thing I knew, we were stuck in the middle of a tavern brawl, and Merlin was throwing plates across the room with his mind. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but when you're trying to hide who you really are, flaunting your biggest secret gift doesn't seem to be the best way to go about it, really?" The crowd laughed again as I flushed bright red and Gaius shot me and exasperated look.
"When I first met Merlin," Leon was up next "I'd only just been promoted, and he was the clumsy servant with far too much mouth, that for some reason, never seemed to be punished, and seemed almost suicidal at times, ready to throw himself into danger at the slightest provocation to Arthur's life, without any protection, and even trying to die for him a time or two, I seem to remember. And that, as Arthur said, is completely Merlin, and I honestly don't think I'd have it any other way. None of us would, honestly." he finished, and I felt unexpected tears prick in my eyes at his words, and had to reach up and wipe them away with my hand.
"As for me, the situation was a lot more deadly." Percy was up last this time. "I was with Lancelot, a good friend of ours, who'd got a letter asking for help from this bloke he knew from Camelot.
The next thing I know, I'm surrounded by the Crown Prince of Camelot and his forbidden girlfriend, one clumsy servant who seemed to be good friends with Lance, but with a very big secret, one escaped Knight in a dress, Camelot's Court Physician, one banished commoner, and another bloke who seemed to be related to the forbidden girlfriend. Not long after that, I was Knighted by a Prince I'd only just met to fight for a Kingdom I'd never been to for a King I didn't agree with!" Another laugh. "Nether the less, it was one of the greatest adventures I'd ever had, and since then, it's only got better.
And for that reason, I'd like to offer a toast, not only to the Bride and Groom, but to Lancelot and the Fallen too."
There was a moment of silence as, together, we all stood.
"To Lancelot and the Fallen!"
Finally, it was my turn, and I wasn't really sure what to say.
"On this day of all days, it's always good to remember the fallen." I began, looking out at the faces of my audience, some of whom appeared to be slightly confused about where I was going with this. "However, I don't just want to remember them, while we're on the subject, but also Sir Elyan, who sadly still lies in the infirmary, with no change to his situation, currently. We have no idea if he will ever recover, but we sincerely hope he does. So today, I'd like not just to remember the fallen, but those still fighting, whether it's for their life or a greater cause.
I would also like to thank my wife, for giving me something for me to fight for, whether that be our love, our child, or our future. To Freya, my beautiful bride!"
"To Freya!" the cheer was repeated, as I retook my seat.
"I don't think that went too badly." I remarked to my brothers, and Gwaine grinned at me.
"Don't speak too soon, we've still got the dancing." Gwaine reminded me, and I shook my head slightly.
"I'm sure it'll all be fine."
As the band warmed up, and I moved the tables to the sides of the room with a wave of my hand, I stood and offered my hand to Freya.
"Would you care to dance, My Lady?" she giggled and accepted it.
"Why thank you, Good Sir."
I escorted her to the dance floor, ignoring the slightly apprehensive look on the faces of her and my brothers, and the smirking ones of the two bridesmaids.
As we reached the centre of the floor, and the band began to play, I reached out and placed my hands on her waist and shoulder, and with a quick nod, we began.
I ignored the dumbfounded looks on the faces of my brothers as we danced past them, perfectly in time to the music, and instead concentrated on the delighted face of my bride as I danced perfectly, in time with her with every step.
I was able to enjoy the expression for several more dances, during which several other couples joined us on the floor, before Freya insisted that she had to stop for a minute, and I led my way over to my still-shocked brothers.
"How was that?" I asked Gwen slightly as we approached, and she beamed at me.
"That was perfect, Merlin."
Arthur turned to her. "Wait, you knew he could dance?" he asked her, and she nodded.
"He asked me to help him brush up yesterday when we were gone for the whole afternoon."
Arthur turned to me now, and I grinned and explained.
"Every man in Ealdor learns to dance by the time he's fifteen. It's a tradition, one that's followed even now, I believe. Ask mother, she knows more about it than I do. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll steal your wife for a dance."
With that, I grabbed Gwen's hand, and began heading off towards the dance floor again. As soon as we were far enough away, we both burst out laughing.
"Their faces!" she laughed, as soon as she could speak again, and I soon joined her in another round of laughter.
"Only in Camelot could a lowly born-and-bred peasant surprise the King himself on his wedding day!" I agreed, and she giggled again.
"Now, would you care to actually dance?" I asked her, and she laughed, before taking my hand, as together, we took gracefully to the dance floor once again, this time where everyone could see us."
Later on that evening, after Freya had begged off anymore dancing for the time-being, claiming she wanted to talk to some of our guests, as I supposed I should really be doing, that I finally ran into my mother again.
"You never told me I was going to be a grandmother!" was the first thing she said, and I gasped.
"I'd forgotten you didn't know!" I told her, and she laughed.
"So when's it due?" she asked me, and I grinned.
"April, two months after the royal twins." I told her.
"And is it a boy or a girl?" she asked curiously, and I grinned again.
"We don't know. We don't want to know until it's born."
"I understand. I didn't want to know with you, either,"
There was a small pause, before she made a suggestion.
"Shall we show them how we really dance in Ealdor?" she asked me, and I laughed.
"I'll inform the band." I told her, and she smiled. "It'll be harder without my eye, but I'm sure I'll be okay. Just give me a few minutes to try and remember it!"
"Let's really put on a show."
We stood, back to back, in the centre of the now-clear dance floor, out family and friends looking in at us curiously, wondering what we were about to do.
I'd never told anyone in Camelot that I could dance, and now they'd really see what I could do.
As a quick tempo started up, quicker than any other that had been played that evening, some of the guests looked slightly alarmed at the pace, however, my mother and I counted off in our heads, until the music hit the right beat, and then suddenly, we began.
We span around quickly so we were face to face, and then with, quick, precise steps, we began to circle each other, slowly, and then faster and faster, until, we were almost running. Then, suddenly, completely in sync with each other, we stopped, and moved towards each other again until we were almost touching, and then suddenly, we threw ourselves apart, almost gliding across the floor, until we both came to rest about five feet away. The dance continued in that sort of fashion for a while, until, soon enough, it came time for the dancers to show off their footwork.
Traditionally, the man went first, so as my mother froze completely, arms extended above her head elegantly, I began to move around her gracefully, perfectly in time to the music. With a sudden stroke of inspiration, I drew my sword from nowhere, and began to incorporate it into my dance too. After all, what was a sword fight but an elaborate series of dance movements performed whilst holding a deadly weapon? Therefore, I began to weave my sword through the dance as well with deadly precision, with the uttermost care not to hurt either myself or my mother, especially since I didn't have two eyes to work with.
I came to a stop in front of her, and she raised an eyebrow at my display, before, to my surprise, conjuring her own sword, and proceeding to dance with it as I had, whilst I stood, frozen, my arms held out to the sides in a graceful sweep.
As she ended her piece, with a grin on her face, I quickly vanished the swords as I caught her eye and we went into the finale of the piece.
Simultaneously, we began to spin on the spot, slowly at first, but then faster and faster, until our feet barely touched the ground anymore, only staying upright through the use of magic.
Faster and faster and faster, until everything around us was just a blur, and as the music reached the height of the crescendo, we suddenly stopped dead as it did, nose to nose, barely two inches apart.
As we grinned, panting for breath slightly, there was a roar of cheering from the crowds, led, of course, by my brothers.
As we made our way back over to them, wobbling slightly, still grinning, I laughed at the looks on their faces.
"And you thought I couldn't dance!" I laughed, and Arthur shook his head at me slightly.
"Merlin." he told me, looking slightly awestruck. "That was the single most amazing piece of dancing I have ever seen, and I grew up in court! If you'd ever shown father that, you'd have probably ended up as my dance tutor, even now! What else do you know?!" he sounded so excited that I couldn't help exchanging grins first with my mother, and then with Gwen.
Suddenly, Freya was at my side.
"That was amazing, Merlin!" she told me, and I grinned. "I wish I could dance like that!"
"If you want, I'll teach you." I told her, and she squeaked excitedly and reached up to catch my lips in another long kiss.
"I have to go back to the guests, as you should probably, but I just wanted you to know how…amazing, I found that." she smiled, and then disappeared back into the crowds.
I turned back to my family, who smiled at me too. This truly was the happiest day of my life.
Arthur caught my eye and pulled me off to the side slightly.
"Do you know the Traditional Dance of the King and Queen?" he asked me, and I grinned.
"Not officially, but then again, officially, no-one but the King and Queen do. Why?"
"Fancy being the Queen? Give them all something to really talk about?" he asked me, and I laughed.
"You're on! I will suggest we drop the kiss at the end, though." I advised, and he laughed with me.
"I'll get the rose, you get the music?" I suggested, and he smiled.
"I'll be right back."
Once again, the dance floor cleared, only this time, to the shock of the guests, to reveal the two Kings in place on the dance floor. As the music began, fairly slowly at first, several people gasped as they recognised the piece we were dancing to.
As we grinned at each other, ignoring the mutterings from the guests, and the laughing coming from our families, we stood almost nose-to-nose in the centre of it all. Arthur reached inside his jacket and handed me a rose, which I placed into the front pocket of mine. Then, we began.
The Traditional Dance of the King and Queen was, traditionally, danced by the King and Queen on their first anniversary. It was a piece full of trust, grace, and beauty. It had also never been performed by two Kings before.
Well, there's always a first time for anything.
Slowly, we began to dance, weaving our way carefully around each other, never more than a few inches apart, almost touching but never quite getting there, separated at all times by no more than a few inches of air at most.
Then, suddenly, Arthur took my hand, and, grinning, I began to play the part of the Queen, gasping in all the appropriate places, watching as he displayed his manly dancing. Then, I danced my piece elegantly, with lots of graceful arm movement which had our brothers cheering and jeering from the sidelines.
Had anyone else have done this, it would have been considered insulting, but the way we performed it, with such sincerity, meant that it wasn't that in the least. Instead, it was a pure art form.
The finale of the dance was a lift, something I was slightly nervous about, however Arthur, perhaps sensing that he wouldn't be able to lift me as he would his wife, activated out mind link, and chose to dip me instead, informing me beforehand mentally so that I knew what was coming.
As he did so, I reached into my jacket pocket and slid the rose between my teeth, something which made Arthur's eyes twinkle cheerfully.
We came to a stop in a dip less than ten inches from the floor, our eyes now both sparkling with laughter.
As the music stopped, and Arthur pulled me carefully to me feet, both of us laughing, there was a loud roar of laughter and applause from our appreciative crowd. We shot each other a quick look and a grin, before bowing deeply, making the applause only all the louder.
As we made our way back to our appreciative wives, who were laughing with us, I realised that it was only in Camelot that a thing like this could actually happen.
Only in Camelot could a peasant from outside of the kingdom become Court Sorcerer and a King himself, before marrying a previously-dead woman in Court, and then dancing the Traditional Dance of the King and Queen with said Courts' King.
But then again, only in Camelot could a peasant really become a Queen, or a Knight, or a Brother of a King.
Only in Camelot could something like this happen.
And none of us would have it any other way.
AN - so what did you think? it's quite long, sorry! was it everything you'd expected, and more? or not quite up to standard? review and let me know! :D
on a side note, do you want merlin's child to be a girl or a boy? i'm curious :D also, ideas for future oneshots/sequels still being accapted! i've had some good ones so far! see you all next time, with All Bets are Off! :D
-APP