Make a Wish

Merlin hopped from one foot on the other, his arms wrapped around his chest as he gazed up into the dark, clear and star filled sky. It was freezing in a courtyard lit by torches and the occasional fire in a brazier. Camelot guards gathered around these braziers, huddled together in futile attempts to stay warm. He was certain they didn't even wonder why he - the odd servant boy of Prince Arthur - was standing there in the cold, watching the sky. All they wanted was to go home, to a warm house and a good meal.

Merlin's stomach growled at the thought of food, but he didn't move other than hopping up and down in a constant rhythm. If he were to stand here for much longer, his toes would be frozen, and he asked himself if it was worth it. He knew deep inside his heart that it was. That this was a special time. Yule, a time of celebrating the winter solstice. And even though Uther had forbidden any druid rituals from taking place, it didn't mean that it wasn't celebrated in secret anyway. King Uther could be so dense. Almost like his son, Merlin concluded with a grin.

"Merlin!"

Speaking of his son, the very familiar voice rang through the silence of the evening air. There was an irritated air to it, and this clear intonation of the Prince's voice always enabled Merlin to tell what mood Arthur was in. It had come in handy many times in the last three years or so.

Merlin didn't answer, but he kept staring up into the sky, not wanting to lose his concentration. If the prat wanted to talk to him – 'after' his working day that was - he better come up to him to do so.

"What on Earth are you gawking at?" The irritation was gone, replaced by surprise and the sound of shivering. He wasn't the only one freezing here it seemed. "It's too cold to stand around like this, although you're too much of a fool to even care I guess."

A grin spread over Merlin's face, as he heard the silent worry more aloud than Arthur had intended, for sure. He knew the prince cared for him, much more than he would ever admit. It was the same way for Merlin, and his friend standing right next to him, also looking up, made him all warm inside.

"Stars."

"You're counting stars?" Arthur asked, sounding baffled.

"Not counting."

"Then, what?"

"Just wait and see."

"Great answer."

"Thanks."

Merlin cupped his hands over his mouth and nose and blew warm air into them, never losing contact with the sky. It shouldn't be long now. He could almost sense it, like it was a magical occurrence of some sort. Well, maybe it was? He didn't dare to blink, and then, all of a sudden... There it was.

"There," he pointed. "Did you see it?"

Hearing Arthur's gasp, the Prince had most definitely seen it. "Whoa, what was that? Some kind of magic?"

"A shooting star, Sire."

"It shoots from the heavens? Isn't that dangerous?"

"Do you ever read books?"

"Do you?"

Merlin shot Arthur his most indignant glare. "Shooting stars look like stars that shoot across the sky, but they are not stars. A shooting star is a small piece of rock or dust from the heavens. It moves so fast that it heats up and glows as it travels through the sky."

"You read all that?"

"No, Gaius told me."

"But you said..." Arthur started, but swallowed his sentence when he saw Merlin's bright grin, which earned him a punch on the arm. "Shut up, Merlin."

"But I didn't say anything."

"It's your smirk that gives you away."

"Ah." Merlin kept grinning, not feeling the cold anymore. It was a privilege to see a shooting star at Yule, and the magic of it all made him happy. That he had known it was to come for days now, made it even more special. As if he were in contact with the heavens for some reason he didn't understand. He let out a content sigh. "We can make a wish now."

"Why?"

"It's tradition."

"Not around here it isn't."

"In Ealdor."

"Oh." Arthur blinked a couple of times, and drew his cloak around his shoulders. There appeared a pensive look on his face, one that Merlin didn't see very often. The shooting star had made an impression on the Prince, no doubt. "Do you think we could make a wish here as well?"

"Of course."

"Good."

"But don't say it aloud, or it doesn't work." Merlin added.

"That's ridiculous."

"Your choice."

They stood in silence for a moment, gazing up once more, making Merlin wonder about Arthur's wishes. His wish was easy, and had everything to do with the man next to him. Destiny might be playing games with him now and again, but tonight he felt as if he at least conquered part of it.

Arthur. May he become the best King that Camelot had ever seen...

The End