The morning found Merlin and Arthur staring at the beams holding the tent up, trying to process the changes between them. They'd managed a decent amount of sleep, but that made no difference to the awkwardness of waking up with full memories of the night before.
"So…"
"Um…" Both said simultaneously but immediately stopped talking, grateful that the other had thought of something to say. But neither ended up saying anything.
"What have we done?" Merlin said softly.
"It's a bit late for that, don't you think?" Arthur said and turned to glance at each other. They quickly looked away. They both started snickering and laughing softly on the furs. When they calmed down they turned to each other, Arthur on his stomach, Merlin on his side, leaning into one of the pillows. "That wasn't as bad as I expected." Arthur admitted.
Merlin felt his face heat up intensely and pulled the covers higher to cover his face. "It wasn't what I was expecting either." He said.
"Well, I never thought I'd ever see you blushing like a love-struck maiden." Arthur joked trying to pull the furs down.
"Hah! You wish. You're still a prat in my book!" Merlin said, smacking Arthur's hand away and throwing the white under gown lying nearby hurriedly over his head. Suddenly feeling embarrassed of Arthur seeing any part of him. He heard Arthur moving behind him and turned his back to him, used to it by now.
Arthur's hands came to his shoulders. Merlin jumped and turned looking up at him, nervous. Arthur laughed softly. "Calm down Merlin, I'm not going to do anything." Arthur said, just looking at Merlin, confusion in his face that reminded Merlin of when they first kissed. Merlin was grateful Arthur had at least slipped his trousers back on.
"Arthur… it was only a handful of weeks ago that you'd still push me around for waking you up, messing up your armour, ruining your schedule or being impertinent or disappearing randomly without warning, or…"
"I was there, I suffered through it." Arthur said and Merlin glared at him.
"…but! Now we're married? And we… did all that!" Merlin couldn't get rid of the heat on his face as Arthur turned to where he was pointing, the furs lying innocently on the ground.
"Do you regret it?" Arthur asked and Merlin had to look away, crossing his arms in front of him.
"I didn't say that." He mumbled and Arthur made Merlin turn to look at him and leaned in for a kiss. It was short but it still made Merlin's stomach turn upside down. "I bet you won't want to kiss me when I have the child and turn back into a man." Merlin said.
Arthur pretended to think about it, amusement in his face. "We'll still be married. So we're stuck with each other either way. Our child will call me father and will call you mother." He teased.
"Ah yes, there's that." Merlin said grimacing and Arthur chuckled looking down at his hand and removed his mother's ring. He pulled Merlin's hand over and slipped it onto his index finger. "Arthur… I can't." He shook his head and Arthur rolled his eyes.
"Merlin, will you just shut up?" He said and as Merlin looked up Arthur smirked. There was the prat he knew.
"Get dressed so we can eat some breakfast." He said, slipping away from Arthur's hold. He made his way to grab Arthur's shirt, throwing it to the crown prince while making his way to the table.
"Merlin, I'm sorry." Arthur said softly.
Merlin frowned. "About what?" He asked grabbing from the remaining food of the night before.
"I didn't mean what I said, to Gwen." Merlin realised what Arthur was saying and looked away. "I just said what I thought Gwen wanted to hear." He said.
"Because you love her." Merlin nodded, understanding.
"Because I was confused about my feelings for you, actually."
"Confused? What was there to be confused about? I'm not going to be a woman forever, if that was what was confusing you." Merlin said.
"I was confused because my feelings for you haven't changed at all." Arthur stated and Merlin looked up at him. "They haven't changed at all, I still find you as irritating as I always have."
"Gee, thanks."
"Yet, you were always the man I trusted the most." Merlin scoffed and rolled his eyes at that. Yeah right. "Except now… now I've actually started looking at you and you're… you always make me laugh, you make me angry, you fill me with hope when I think all is lost, everyone's told me you protect me constantly and you make me feel alive." Arthur said and reached across the table to hold his hand. "I don't have words for what I feel for you yet but… it's strong, Merlin." He admitted.
Merlin felt heat strike his face as he opened and closed his mouth again and again, frowning, shaking his head.
"No, no. You love Gwen, I know you do, I saw the way you kissed her, held her, I heard what you said." Merlin insisted.
"I was a coward, Merlin. I was scared because of what I was feeling. I was scared of the possibility that I may actually have cared for you far longer than I've been with Gwen except I never realised it because you were a man!"
"I'll be a man again, Arthur, and then these confusing feelings will go away and then what will happen to me?" Merlin said.
"You'll still be my husband." He said reaching again to hold his hands. "You will be by my side for the rest of our lives, helping me raise our child together in a kingdom that is just, where everyone can feel safe. Including those that practice and are born with magic." He declared passionately.
Merlin looked at their joined hands and closed his eyes as Arthur kissed him again. He wasn't sure if he would ever get used to the twisting feeling it caused in his heart every time. "Fine, I accept the apology." He said. "Now let me feed your child." Arthur smiled and let go of his hands so Merlin could carry on with breakfast.
"There's one other thing I want to apologise for." Arthur said.
Merlin looked at him as he took another bite of bread and cheese. "I'll probably remind you of many more at one point or other." He joked laughing softly. Arthur didn't laugh but did smile faintly, sadly.
"I'm sorry I told you that your father wasn't worth your tears." That wiped all humour from Merlin's face.
"You didn't know." Merlin managed to say.
"I wish you'd told me… then I wouldn't have been such an idiot." Arthur said softly. "But I understand why you didn't at the time." He said. "I'm sorry you didn't get much time with your father."
"I'm sorry yours is the man he is." Merlin said softly. Arthur sighed disappointed before nodding and reaching to give Merlin's shoulder a firm squeeze like he always used to do and then proceeded to start to eat.
It wasn't long before Leon came inside, followed by the knights.
"We apologise for disturbing you, sires." Merlin almost choked at the new title.
"That's alright, sir Leon. What is it?" Arthur asked. Merlin looked at them, wondering what on earth had the knights looking so serious.
"One of the elders managed to intercept a messenger dove. It's from Camelot. It was likely heading to one of the Lords that have declared for Camelot in the past." Leon said gravely.
Arthur took the message and paced the tent as he read what the message said. "It's a call to arms." Arthur said, looking at Merlin. "Well, my father has made it clear what route he's taking in this matter." He said tossing the letter by the food. Merlin reached for the letter. It was calling all Lords to declare for the king and gather their men against his treasonous son and daughter.
"A bit much, calling a whole army when we're only eight." Merlin said.
"About that… you should probably come outside as soon as you can, princess." Gwaine said, trying to contain his grin as he addressed Arthur.
They both quickly got ready and moved to leave the tent. "Oh, you're forgetting something, Merlin." Arthur said stopping him. Merlin turned to see Arthur lowering the sapphire crown onto Merlin's head.
"It's heavy." Merlin grumbled and Arthur chuckled.
"You get used to it." He said.
Merlin gasped at the sight that awaited them. Thousands of men, dressed in Camelot's armour waited, arranged over the flower meadow, led by their respective knights.
"How many men?" Arthur asked softly.
"Three thousand men have left the King to join your side, Arthur." Lancelot said. Arthur stared at the arranged troops.
"Three thousand? That's almost half the army." Merlin knew Arthur would get those who would follow him but… he didn't think they'd come round so easily at first.
"How did they find us?" Arthur asked.
"I left them a way to find you." Morgana said coming to stand beside Merlin. Arthur nodded slowly as he stared at the men.
"Then war it is." Arthur said softly. "Call on all the houses also. See who they respond to." He said.
"Is the king mad? You have a Dragon Lord on your side." Percival said.
"He doesn't even know that Merlin is also a warlock." Gaius said with a frown as he approached.
"Father will do what he can to stop me claiming my child as heir." Arthur said.
"Oh, the king is going to have me executed when he realises you two are already married." Geoffrey said taking a seat on a boulder.
Merlin placed a hand over his stomach, feeling the warmth of magic underneath.
"Are you alright, Merlin?" Arthur asked softly. Merlin looked at him for a moment and nodded.
"Fine… I'm fine, sire." He said gently.
"Oh dear." Morgana chuckled.
"You're going to have to get out of that habit, Merlin." Gwaine teased.
Merlin felt himself blush a little and cleared his throat, just looking at the knights of the deserter army coming to meet with their prince. There were more important things to focus on right now than his confusing feelings and embarrassment.
War with Camelot.