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Wedding Preparations

Chapter 10

Arthur sat at his desk, reading through the latest report Leon had given him. He put his head in his hands and sighed. Hopefully, if he sat here for a while, he wouldn't run into Merlin at all, and then just go on from there. Maybe, Gwen would run into him and mention it to Merlin accidentally and then he wouldn't have to ask him at all.

A knock on the door interrupted his train of thought.

'Come in.' he called, exasperatedly.

'Hello.' Said Merlin, casually walking into the room as Arthur turned around to face him. Arthur's face fell. This did not go unnoticed.

'Oh, sorry, is this a bad time? Only Gwen said you were looking for me.'

Arthur sighed. 'Did she?'

'Yeah.' Merlin sat down on a chair. 'She said it was important.'

'Oh.'

They sat in silence for several long moments.

'So…' said Merlin. 'What is it?'

'Oh, right, erm… well, you know, Merlin, that… we've known each other for a long time.'

'Yes.'

'And, erm… you've saved me, erm… a lot.'

But he was interrupted by an urgent knocking on the door. 'Yeah.' Arthur called, breathing a sigh of relief.

The door burst open and Percival stumbled in. 'Leonora's gone into labour. Leon isn't coping – at all. Could you…?'

'Yes, of course.' Arthur said, jumping up from his chair and rushing toward the door.

Merlin remained sitting, and reached forward for the jug of wine.

'Come on, Merlin.' Arthur said irritably, causing Merlin to jump out of his seat in shock.

'Me?'

'Yes, you. Come on. You might be useful.'

When Merlin and Arthur arrived at Sir Leon's chambers, they were met with a loud cry coming from within and what Arthur could easily identify as Gwen's soothing tones.

'What's Gwen doing in there?' asked Percival.

'Do you honestly think she'd have sat out of this? I would never be able to stop her, never mind anyone else!' said Arthur.

'I'm sure you could if you tried…' said Merlin smirking suggestively, looking at Arthur out of the corner of his eye.

'Shut up Merlin.'

At that moment, Leonora gave a particularly loud scream and yelled, 'Get out! You're no help at all!'

The door opened, and a dishevelled looking, drained Leon appeared, with a glum look on his face. He looked at everyone's expectant expressions.

'She's busy.' He said quietly, before sitting on a chair opposite the door and putting his head in his hands.

Merlin and Arthur exchanged bemused expressions. Everyone stood staring at Leon awkwardly.

Gwaine came hurtling around the corner and steadied himself by grabbing onto Arthur's shoulders, who braced himself, expecting the impact.

'What did I miss? What's going on?' he looked around at everyone, bemused. 'Leon, why are you out here?'

Leon glanced at him wearily, and then stared back down at the floor.

'She threw him out.' said Merlin, lightly. Everyone turned slowly to look at Merlin.

'What?' he said helplessly.

Leon rocked forward and groaned loudly, and then stood up rather too quickly and began pacing backwards and forwards.

'I need to do something.' He moaned. 'I can't just stay out here!'

Arthur approached Leon sympathetically and clapped him on the shoulder. 'Trust me; you don't want to go in there unless she asks for you. You know what she'd do to you when she's not in labour.'

'Yeah, I know.' said Leon, nodding his head pathetically.

'She'll send for you soon enough.' said Arthur with a wry smile.

Leon nodded his head and sat back down. Arthur sat next to him and Merlin and the other knights stood around rather awkwardly.

Leonora gave a particularly loud scream, and yelled 'LEON! Where the hell is he?'

Leon sat up quickly, listening attentively and looked at Arthur in shock.

'What…'

The door opened and Gwen popped her head into the corridor. 'Erm… Leon, could you come back in?'

He sprang up from his chair as if it had burnt him and rushed passed Gwen into his chambers, with a concerned look on his face.

Arthur leaned back in his chair, and looked at the men standing in the corridor. Merlin had sat on the floor, leaning against the wall with a blank look on his face. Gwaine and Percival were leant against the wall; Percival was looking at the ceiling and Gwaine was looking at his fingers, bending and stretching them. The three men were very clearly bored.

Arthur looked at Merlin. He was making the dust swirl in patterns in the air in front of him. His magic had saved him so many times; the 'Magical Merlin' revelation several months ago had made him realise how important Merlin was to him. Arthur smiled, remembering how many times Merlin had had to dodge flying goblets and pottery he had hurled at him in the past.

A look of realisation crossed Arthur's face. He slowly sat up straight.

'Gwaine, Percival. Could you give us a minute?'

They both looked at Arthur, bemused.

'Yes. Of course.' The two men exchanged confused expressions and then turned and strolled off down the corridor.

Merlin frowned and looked at Arthur quizzically.

'Is this about what you were trying to tell me earlier?'

'Yes… the thing is Merlin…' he stopped and sighed. 'For pity's sake, Merlin, sit on the chair would you?'

Merlin grinned, stood up and stretched. He wandered over to the chair and sat down heavily.

He looked at Arthur. 'What is it?'

Arthur sighed and leaned forward, looking at the floor. 'The thing is, Merlin…' he looked at him. 'Will you be my best man?'

They stared at each other.

Merlin blinked and snapped his mouth shut.

'What… in the wedding?'

'Yes in the wedding! What other kind of best man is there?'

Merlin leaned back and breathed out slowly. 'Wow.' He murmured.

Arthur looked at him, embarrassed, waiting for his answer.

'Soooo…' Arthur said, shaking his head slightly.

'What?'

'Merlin!'

'Oh… well… I'd love to!' he grinned.

Arthur sat up straight and a huge smile broke on to his face.

'Good.'

'Thanks – I never thought for one second that you'd ask me!'

'Well, who do you think I'd ask?'

'I dunno! Maybe… Leon? I dunno?'

Arthur looked at him seriously. 'I thought about him, but he didn't seem right. I think that Leon would have been fine – would be fine. But, I didn't feel comfortable with that, because… we just haven't been through quite as much as we have.'

Merlin looked thoughtful for a moment. 'Yeah, we have been through a lot, haven't we?'

'Yeah… Remember the wilderin?'

Merlin laughed. 'Yeah, and the gaiaberries!'

'I still don't believe they actually worked…'

'Yes, I'm still angry with you about that by the way!'

'Ah, yes of course.' Arthur said, smiling mockingly.

They looked at each other for a prolonged moment, before giving into laughter simultaneously.

The door opened once again and Leon sprang out, practically hopping with joy. 'I've got a little boy! I've got a little boy!' he shouted.

Merlin and Arthur stood to their feet quickly and clapped him on the bag in congratulations.

'I've got a little boy.' He said quietly, much more seriously. 'I'm a father.'

'Yes, you are.' Said Arthur. 'You'll be great.'

Leon immediately brightened up. 'Yeah. I've got a little boy!' and he ran back into the room.

Merlin and Arthur smiled and followed him inside.

A wonderful sight met them. Leonora was sat up in bed, looking sweaty and very tired, gazing down lovingly at the bundle of blankets in her arms. Gwen was dabbing Leonora's brow with a wet cloth, and Gaius was busy packing his things away into his bag.

Leon bent down and kissed Leonora on the top of her head and whispered something to her which made her smile. She looked up at Leon happily and said, 'Do you want him?'

Leon looked petrified and gleeful all at the same time, and nodded his head enthusiastically. Leonora gently passed the baby into his waiting arms and Leon rocked him gently before holding him close against his body.

'Hello.' He said quietly. 'Hello, little one.' His voice cracked toward the end of his sentence and he sniffed hard and blinked. He looked at Leonora with love in his eyes. 'He's perfect.'

'Isn't he? He's got your eyes.'

He nodded, slowly. Merlin stepped toward the bed and peered at the baby. 'He's lovely - have you got a name?'

'No, not yet.' Leonora said.

'Right.' Merlin nodded. 'Well, I guess I'll be off. It's been a long night. Good night everyone.'

'Good night, Merlin'

'Congratulations again, you two.' And he dragged his feet out of the room.

'I'd better be off too.' Gaius said as he limped toward the open door. 'You should try feeding him again in a short while. See if he's ready.'

'Thank you, Gaius.' Leonora smiled.

The baby stirred and began to whimper, which quickly turned into a wail. Leon looked shocked and held the baby awkwardly away from his body.

'Erm… Nora…'

'Give him here.' She said irritably, and Leon passed the baby to his mother, who rocked him lovingly until he stopped crying and fell back to sleep.

'He's so beautiful.' Said Gwen, speaking for the first time and gazing at the baby deeply.

Leonora smiled happily and looked at Gwen. 'Do you want to hold him?'

Gwen looked mildly shocked. 'Well, yes!'

Leonora gently passed the baby to Gwen, who smiled eagerly and held the baby close to her body.

'Hello, little one. Hello.' She bounced the baby a little bit up and down to calm him as he began to stir, and the baby settled down.

'He is so beautiful.' Gwen's voice cracked slightly, just as Leon's had.

Leon and Leonora exchanged proud looks, whilst Gwen looked at the baby in awe. She looked so natural holding the baby close and looking intently at the baby's little face. Arthur looked at the pair, and a different picture popped into his head; a tired looking Gwen propped up in bed, with a little bundle of blankets in her arms, and leaning on Arthur's chest, snuggling into his arm that was wrapped tightly around her shoulders…

Gwen looked up at him, snapping him out of his trance. 'Arthur? Come say hello.'

Arthur crossed the room and moved behind Gwen, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his head on her shoulder, so he can see the baby properly. He was beautiful. He had a beautiful little round face, and a cute little button nose. His mouth was closed and formed a little line on his peaceful face. He had little, honey coloured tresses on his head that promised curls like his father.

Arthur smiled down at the child, and kissed Gwen's neck affectionately. Arthur swallowed. 'He's wonderful. I'm sure he'll be a great man.'

'Of course he will.' Said Gwen gently.

Leon looked at Leonora and smiled again.

Arthur looked at Leon, amused. 'Well done.'

Gwen looked wistfully at Arthur and smiled cheekily.

Arthur raised his eyebrows and smirked. 'One thing at a time, Guinevere.'

She laughed and looked back at the baby, who stirred and began to cry.

'Oh no, baby.' Said Gwen, lovingly. 'Here, go back to your mother.' And she passed him back to Leonora.

'I think he's hungry.' She said.

Arthur, sensing that he was about to witness something he didn't need to, grabbed Gwen's hand and tugged gently. 'Well, we'll leave you to it.'

Leonora looked alarmingly at Gwen. 'Don't worry.' Said Gwen. 'I'll stay in the castle for a few days. I'll be here if you need me.'

'Ok.' She said, relieved.

'Good night.'

'Good night.' Said Leon, nodding. 'See you in the morning for training?'

Arthur shook his head. 'No need. You are officially excused from training for the next few weeks at least.'

Leon opened his mouth to say something, but Arthur cut him off. 'No, I won't take no for an answer. Honestly. Lancelot and Elyan can handle it by themselves for a while.'

Leon closed his mouth, and smiled. 'Thanks.'

'You're welcome. Quick Gwen, let's go before he changes his mind.'

They laughed, as Arthur dragged Gwen from the room by the hand, and shut the door behind him. He didn't abandon his charade until they reached her room. He pulled her along urgently, running along corridors and behind tapestries down passageways, all the while to the sound of Gwen's laughter and squeals.

He banged her bedroom door open, and glanced around to check that they were alone. Gwen gasped for breath through her laughter and collapsed on the bed.

'I… have not… run… that far… for a very… long time…' she said, breathless. Arthur sat down on the bed next to her and took her hand, pulling her back up to a sitting position. She giggled again, and leaned on him, fingers intertwined and her head nestled in his neck. He kissed the top of her head and they sat like that for some time, comfortable in each other's presence.

'What are you thinking about?' Arthur asked.

'The baby.'

'Oh.'

They sat there for a while longer, until Gwen took a breath as if to say something, then stopped.

'What?' he asked.

'It doesn't matter.'

'No, what were you going to say?'

Gwen took a breath again and said, 'Do you think…do you think, that we will ever have that? You know; a family.'

'I don't know.' He paused. 'I think,' he said slowly. 'that we will be very happy, and when the right time comes, we'll have a little one of our own.'

Gwen smiled. 'I hope so.'

'We will. Don't worry.'

'Ok.' She leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the lips.

'And,' he said, punctuating his words with short kisses. 'we will have the best wedding that Camelot has ever seen.' He finished his declaration by pulling her close into a deep kiss, which she responded to, but then froze. He pulled away in confusion and held her at arm's length.

She frowned suspiciously. 'Speaking of our wedding…'

'Yes.' He said uncertainly.

'Have you asked Merlin to be your best man? Because I know I sent him to find you earlier, and he definitely was heading in the right direction to your room.' She said sternly.

Arthur smiled. 'Well…' he began.

'Arthur.' She said warningly.

'No, let me finish! He did come and find me and I started to ask him but then we were interrupted.'

She raised her eyebrows. 'By?'

'Percival. Leonora had gone into labour and Leon wasn't coping well. So we went to see him.'

'Right. So you haven't asked him.'

'Ah ah ah, I haven't finished!'

Gwen smiled knowingly. 'Did you ask him or not.'

Arthur grinned. 'Yes.'

'And?'

'I now have a very clumsy, very useless, albeit enthusiastic, best man.'

Gwen hugged him hard. 'Oh good! Well done. I know it must have been hard for you…'

'Not really. I realised how important it was to everyone. And to me.' He added at the end when he saw her face, ready to object.

Gwen smiled. 'I love you.'

Arthur kissed the top of her head. 'I love you too.'

That's it! That's the end! I think I didn't want it to end really, so I just kept writing. And writing. And writing. That's why it's so long! I hope you're all satisfied with the ending. Look out for my wedding story, coming soon – I hope! Please review, and thanks so much for sticking with me this far… you've been great!IIihjgfw