The Engagement of Merlin and Morgana
Merlin paced the forest floor. He moved his hands as he repeated over and over what he was planning on saying. He rubbed his hands together and then dragged them down his face.
He was nervous. So nervous by this. His mind raced with what ifs and maybes. Maybe it was too early. What if she didn't come?
"Will you stop please?"
Merlin stopped and licked his lips before he turned to his cousin. "Sorry." He said before he started bouncing on the balls of his feet. After a few minutes, he had gone back to pacing.
Arthur came up to him and placed his hands on his cousin's shoulders. "Merlin, everything will be fine. Stop worrying."
"I … What if we are rushing into this?"
"You have been courting her for a long time. You are not rushing into it. Do you love her?"
"Yes." It was the easiest question to answer. He loved her so much. If he could, he would spend every waking moment with her. Realistically, he couldn't wait to marry her and wake up to her everyday.
"Then stop worrying."
Merlin sighed deeply. Arthur was right but he was never going to let him know that.
"Gwen, what is going on?"
"What makes you think something is going on?"
Morgana raised her eyebrow at her. "Because we have been friends since I was 10. I know when you are hiding something from me."
Gwen stopped biting her thumb. Maybe that's how she knew. "It is nothing."
"Then why are we in the forest?"
She hated her questions. She couldn't lie to her but she wanted it to remain a surprise for her. "I thought that you would like a walk. I mean, we have been inside for a long time."
Morgana smiled at her friend's rambling as she tried to explain herself.
He played with the ring on his little finger. His father had given it to him not long after he had regained the throne. It was his grandmothers and he thought that he could give it Morgana when they became engaged. It was a beautiful ring and if anything, Merlin couldn't wait for her to wear it. He had placed it in a safe place but at that moment, there was no safer place than on his finger. At least he would know if he had lost it. He hoped.
Arthur had just left him and it was his time to do what he had to do. He smiled at her as she came over the hill.
"If I knew I was meeting you, I would have made more of an effort."
"You never have to make an effort for me."
She turned to take in the view. "This is the same place where we caused the witchfinder to come."
"Is it? I never realised."
She turned back to him to see that he was now on one knee in front of her.
He cleared his throat. "Maybe I should have done this sooner. Maybe I should have done it when my father gave me the ring. Maybe that was what he was trying to tell me to do." He slipped it off his little finger. "But if there is one thing that I am totally and utterly sure of is, if you will have me, I would love to be your husband. I would love to wake up and you be the first thing I see everyday. I would love for you to be the last thing I see at night before we drift off to sleep." He took a deep breath to stop himself from rambling. "Morgana, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"
She didn't allow him to get up. She dropped to her knees in front of him and pulled him into a kiss. His face was in her hands and his arms came around her waist. Maybe it had been a little overdue but she knew that he would do it in his own time. She was waiting for the council to agree with him and for everything to calm down. She hoped that he wasn't just doing it because he was being forced to.
"Yes. Yes Merlin I will." She said with a wide smile on her face.
He smiled back at her.
Merlin stood behind his throne as all the Lords, Ladies and knights entered the council chamber. Morgana and Arthur had been in there with him beforehand. He knew exactly what he was meant to say when he had to say it. They would have to get some formalities over with first but then it was all over to him.
He still felt nervous so he didn't sit down as they started to tell him reports from all across his kingdom. Most of them had nothing to report while he was sure that some were just dragging out the fact that there was nothing to report.
"To finish with." Merlin said once they had returned to places. "I would like to announce that I have asked the Lady Morgana for her hand in marriage as she has said yes." He held his hand out to her and she took it. "Tonight there shall be a feast to celebrate and we will start planning soon."
He could have looked at anyone in that room but his eyes went straight to his mother first. Her smile matched the one on his face. He knew that she had always thought that they were a good match.
They didn't really part as they spoke to guests. Maybe it was them knowing that they had to do things together. Morgana always had a hold to Merlin's arm. She felt safe there and knew that it was the right choice. She smiled every time she caught a glimpse at the ring on her finger.
"Sire, Milady."
Morgana smiled as sweetly as she could at Uther. Their paths rarely crossed, which was a good thing in her eyes. She could never really forgive him for what he did to Merlin's family and their kind. It was just something that wouldn't go away that quickly.
"I just hoped to congratulate you on your engagement."
"Thank you." Merlin said. She could see that he wanted to speak to him less than she did.
"When we were younger, Balinor and Gorlois always wanted us all to be brothers. Not just by knights but by family ties as well. See I was always going to marry Ygraine. We had been paired at birth. Maybe it is just a coincidence that you two are to marry without it being arranged by your fathers."
Uther left them without another word.
They both looked at each other, wondering what they should make from what they just heard.