The next morning Queen Hunith and Merlin were seen off on their journey back to Essetir, leaving an open invitation to visit. They were both pleased to get home and back to normal. The first thing they both noticed was the cleaner air. Balinor expected a report from his son, which he got although Merlin left out Arthur's confession as to Uther's plan to marry them both. He decided it was better not to mention it. Merlin did get told off for using his magic on the last day. Although Balinor privately thought it was well deserved once he heard why. He just didn't want the world to know of his son's talents.
In England Sophia tried to get her revenge on Arthur by leaking to the press that Prince Arthur was gay and had had a brief affair with Prince Merlin whilst he was in the country. Little did she know that she had got half the story right. It back fired when via an anonymous tip off it became known that she had been escorted from the garden party for being drunk. Unlike Sophia Gwaine was careful not to get named, he used a trusted reporter who he had known for years. Although this didn't kill the story it made it less damaging than it might have been, as Merlin was not yet seventeen. Sophia was ostracized from society for her actions and as a result her parents sent her to Australia on a long holiday with her Aunt. Hoping that the scandal would soon be forgotten.
Other than Gwaine, live went back to normal, he still wondered exactly what he had seen. It never dawned on him it was magic, after all that didn't exist. But he did know something unusual had happened. Arthur was soon back on duty with his regiment and life settled back to normal.
Eighteen months later:
Essetir was preparing for its Prince's eighteen birthday celebrations. Eighteen had always been the time when boys became men on the island and it seemed everyone wanted to celebrate. Over the past two years the small country had received far more notice from the outside world and King Balinor felt he was obliged to send out some international invitations. But he would not turn it into a circus, Merlin was Essetir's son and he would not allowed it to be hijacked by the people who wanted the small countries oil.
After discussing the matter with his wife and son invitations were sent out to Princess Morgana and Prince Arthur as well as various other representatives from the more nearest countries of Iceland, Greenland, Canada and Ireland. It was limited to that as they wanted most of all for the celebrations to be for their son. They refused to have an airfield made and instead asked everyone to come by boat. It did cause some upset but as King Balinor said "If they don't want to come that's their loss not ours."
The whole island was behind the event and parties were to be held, Merlin himself was in high demand and for a week before and after he had been invited to many of them. It was going to be a busy time for him. Balinor declared the day a national holiday.
Arthur and Morgana were going to arrive two weeks before hand so they could spend some time with Merlin before he got weighed down with events. As they arrived they were met by Merlin at the boat. Arthur and Morgana came down the gangplank and were surprised at the change in Merlin. They had kept in contact by phone and letter but hadn't seen each other in eighteen months. In that time Merlin had filled out, he was still slender but had grown out of the gangly colt look he had before. To Arthur's surprise he also had grown a short and neatly trimmed beard. It suited him and to Arthur eyes was very sexy.
Morgana gave Merlin a kiss as she greeted him and whispered "You will make Arthur jealous, he never needed to shave until he was twenty let alone grow a beard. It suits you"
Merlin grinned "I can't compete with my father yet! Anyway Arthur's blond it wouldn't show as much" he grinned at both of the British royals "It's good to see you both again"
Arthur shook Merlin's hand and looked at Merlin closely "You have all grown up"
"Yes you prat, that's why you're here I'm eighteen soon!" Merlin grinned back "Just remember you're on my turf now"
"I've been looking forward to seeing your country, I've heard so much from mother and Morgana" Arthur told the other Prince. "I talked my parents into staying at home to meet you, rather than come down. I hope you don't mind, but we have other visitors coming in next week and it's a lot for my mother, she hasn't been well" Merlin's face dropped from its customary grin.
"Of course not, I hope it's nothing to much" Morgana said, she liked Merlin's mother.
"She hasn't been well for some time, but is getting better slowly" Merlin told her. "Come on let's get going, we will do the tour another time. Mother is keen to see you both again."
