Chapter 7: Coronations, a Wedding, and…Tragedy?

Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

An outburst came from Goodhurst and his group.

"No! It is impossible! I am King Arthur!" Goodhurst yelled, trembling with rage.

Excalibur hummed in my hand, a warning hum that was loud enough for all to hear.

"Why don't we see for whom the gates of Camelot open?" I suggested coolly.

He stormed over to the gates with his entourage and commanded them to push open the gates.

The gates refused to budge.

I walked past them all as they panted from exertion, laid both hands on the gates as I still held Excalibur, and gave a gentle push.

The gates opened without so much as a squeak.

I turned to face Goodhurst and his group. "Your greed will not get you far. You defile the name of Pendragon and everything Camelot, the Round Table, and a united Albion stand for."

From some hidden pocket in his voluminous and gaudy robes, Goodhurst pulled out a gun and pointed it at me.

Merlin was at my side in less than half a heartbeat, his powers swirling around him.

Goodhurst dropped the gun as the grip grew hot and swore colorfully.

I laid a hand on Merlin's shoulder as he began to speak a spell. "Let him be, Merlin. As before, all I want is peace. You've stopped him. Nothing more needs done."

Merlin looked at me. "But…"

I shook my head. "It is not how I wish to start off my second reign." I smiled at him. "Besides, I'm sure this place needs airing out and I'd like to get that done before we completely relocate ourselves."

He sighed and took my hand, letting his powers subside. "Prat," he said fondly.

"But I'm your prat, just as you are my idiot." I turned towards the castle.

Merlin spun me around to face him. "You're forgetting something." He placed my crown on my head.

I rolled my eyes. "All right, you've crowned me again. Can we go get started now?"

He stole a quick kiss the press didn't see. "Yes."

I looked at the others. "Come on you lot. We've got lots to do and a short time to do it in." I tugged Merlin along after me as I strode to my long ago home.

The press followed us, recording everything and shouting out questions that I refused to answer.

Camelot actually didn't look that bad besides a little dust.

Merlin soon had a verifiable army of brooms, mops, buckets, and dusting cloths at work to fix that.

"You can do this and here I've been moping and sweeping and doing other chores the hard way all my life." I commented as we made our way to where the Round Table stood, passing a group of brooms.

"Builds character to do them yourself." Merlin replied.

"Maybe you should have tried doing it yourself more often back when you were my manservant." I teased.

He grinned. "If I'd done all the chores you gave me without magic, I'd still be doing them and you would have died as Arthur long before you were crowned and Albion would still be a bunch of squabbling kingdoms."

I laughed.

Several dust rags were hard at work cleaning the Table and the twenty-six chairs around it when we entered the Council Room.

Hanging on the back of my chair was Excalibur's rather plain-looking scabbard, still made of gold with two large rubies inlaid in it on either side.

My twenty-five Knights all took their seats around the Table.

For just a moment it felt as if no time had passed since last we were in this room.

With a small smile, I placed Excalibur on the Table and took a seat in my chair as Merlin pulled it out for me.

Gasps came from those who had followed inside as the sun broke through the dark clouds that had been hanging around and shined down on us brighter than any winter sun was supposed to.

Merlin stood just behind me to my right and placed a hand on my shoulder.

I covered it with my left hand, aware that my ring sparkled in the light, and addressed the people before me. "My name is Alys Penn. There is only one thing I want, the same thing I wanted as Arthur Pendragon over a thousand years ago: peace. I am not the same as I was so long ago, nor will I ever be. The world has changed and requires different things than it did then. In these times there is very little a sword, even one such as Excalibur, can do. I have no wish to tell the world's countries how they should be run. I and my Court are merely here to arbitrate and ensure that fairness, freedom, and justice are upheld."

The press instantly began shouting out questions.

Morgause, wonderful woman and military leader that she was, instantly took them all in hand. "Quiet! One at a time." She pointed to a man in a brown overcoat over a charcoal grey suit. "You, ask your question and be quick. There's other stuff to do yet."

He swallowed sharply, cowed by her. He recovered nicely when I gave him all my attention and a comforting smile. "Alex Reynolds of the London Times. From your speech Miss Penn, it appears that you aren't calling yourself ruler of the world, correct?"

"No Mr. Reynolds, I am not taking that title. Personally I believe that it is a title no one should hold. My one goal is to get the world's countries working and living together peacefully and in harmony. I know what it's like to look after a country, having ruled the kingdom of Camelot and then the entirety of Albion. That was stressful enough and I have no desire to drive myself into an early grave trying to personally manage dozens of countries." I answered.

Morgause pointed at another. "Lady with the blue scarf."

"Tonya Harding, CNN correspondent. How do you plan to achieve this goal, especially where so many have tried before you and failed?"

"Through diplomacy mostly. I want to personally meet with the world's leaders and spend some time among the common people so that I can best understand their needs so well-informed decisions can be made that will benefit everyone. A little over a year ago, I was just a woman from the small town of Pikerly, Maine who had always had dreams of things I couldn't explain and was attending Camelot University to get a degree in Mythology and Folklore with a specialization in Arthurian Legend. I know what it's like to be just another face in the crowd and it's the everyday person that moves the world."

There were a few more questions after that until Morgause had decided I'd been pestered enough.

"Last question. Lady in the green silk blouse."

The woman didn't introduce herself or say what media she was from, just started in on her question. "This is going to move you to the top of the most eligible bachelorette list. What are you going to do and do you prefer someone from the 'common people' or someone of nobler blood? Because there are a few Princes, or Princesses for that matter, who are unmarried."

I felt Merlin's jealousy start to stir and gave his hand a squeeze, making sure to press my ring against his fingers to remind him that I had already chosen him. "I prefer someone I can trust with my life and will trust me with their own in return, someone who has faced hardship but not let it overcome them. In fact, I've already found someone and I love him dearly. And I pity anyone who tries to snatch me away, for not only do they face the impossible task of changing my mind, but it would be a miracle if I'm able to stop my fiancé from doing something to them." I smiled up at Merlin. "He has a well known habit of not following orders, even when he was a manservant and trying to hide his magic when the use of it was illegal."

This caused even more questions until Morgana got their attention and began taking them on a tour.

"The one place I can't show you is Merlin's tower. I'm afraid that you have to be invited by Merlin to enter. The only other person always allowed entry is Alys," she commented as she walked backwards from the room.

The press followed after her obediently and Mordred and Morgause ushered along the stragglers.

I waved away the others. "Go do whatever you wish. For the moment, there's nothing that needs to be done."

They dispersed to go do whatever they wished.

I sighed and relaxed my posture once the last of them were gone.

Merlin picked up Excalibur and slid it into its scabbard. "Do you want to go see the rest of Camelot?"

I stood up. "I want to go somewhere I can relax and not be disturbed. I'm used to attention, but not that much."

He tucked the scabbard under his arm his arm and offered me his other one.

We walked up to his tower and shut ourselves in it without being seen.

Excalibur and my crown were placed on a worktable and I looked around while Merlin walked to a wall of shelves.

"So, not the same are you?" he teased, starting to pull out books and scrolls.

"Well of course not. Firstly, I'm a woman if you haven't noticed. And times are way different." I replied.

He chuckled and snagged me about the waist after putting what he held on a table. "Oh I noticed, Dr. Penn. It's very difficult to miss, especially when you go around wearing those lacy underwear sets."

I smiled and put my arms around his neck. "I love you."

"And I you."

We stood there with eyes closed, arms wrapped around each other, and foreheads pressed together for a few minutes.

The door started to open.

"You can't go in, but I can give you a glimpse of it." Morgana's voice stated from the other side, followed by the sounds of the press.

She shrieked in surprise when the door slammed shut on her. "Damn it Merlin! Give some warning!" She slammed a fist on the door.

"Alys wants peace, and peace she'll get. And you didn't ask if they could see my rooms. I have sensitive items in here!" Merlin returned sharply.

"Alys! Make him be nice." commanded Morgana.

"Doesn't follow orders, remember?" I called back.

Merlin's eyes flashed gold and yells came from outside.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"I sent them to the hay stack outside the stables, though Morgana may have landed in the mud."

I laughed.

-SPACE-

It was two days after Christmas and the last of the major world leaders had arrived in Camelot with their entourages.

I was very grateful for all the houses and inns in the town portion of Camelot since there wasn't enough room in the castle for everyone to have their own room.

With a little magic, everything had been adjusted for their comfort.

I was rummaging under the wardrobe in the Royal Bedroom, which Merlin and I shared, trying to find an earring I had dropped and seen roll under it while I was getting ready for the first meeting. I found it…and the Hat.

With a broad grin, I pulled it out, dusted it off, and fluffed the feathers.

Merlin was up in his tower, busy getting back the chaotic mess he called order as he began the usual spells to protect Camelot.

Past experience told me that he would lose track of time and probably come bursting in just as the meeting ended.

I wasn't going to put up with that this time around, so after I put in my earring, I sent him a text containing a picture of the Hat and a warning that he had five minutes to meet me at the doors to the Council Room.

Mordred took the Hat into his safe keeping when I stopped by his, Morgana, and Morgause's room on my way down.

Merlin was waiting by the doors, glaring darkly at my text. "I should have burnt that hat when I had the chance."

"You kept it because you missed me. And you know I'd just call up Dragon and have him make a new hat that's even worse." I took his hand and laced our fingers together.

His expression softened as he put his cell phone in his pocket.

"We need to invite him here anyway. You're going to need a new royal wardrobe."

I looked at him over my glasses. "Still going to buy my jeans at Wal-Mart."

He laughed and opened the door to let us into the room.

There were only a couple other leaders and their aides there, so we greeted them.

The rest followed soon after and so began the first of many migraine-inducing meetings.

-SPACE-

Because of our new positions, Gavin, Olivia, and I weren't going on our usual trip. We were okay with that, but I rather wished for a break.

Merlin flew my family to the U.K. on the twenty-ninth so that we could spend New Year's with them.

It had been agreed that there would be no meetings on New Year's Eve and Day and we of Camelot were expected to throw a party, the plans of which I left in Gwen's more than capable hands so that I could hide with my family after the meetings.

Pawpaw David tossed me a bottle of his homemade herbal pills when I walked into the room. "These are for your new lifestyle. They will help with the stress headaches."

I popped two pills dry right then.

But that had been the night they'd arrived and it was now early in the morning of New Year's Eve.

Merlin and I were lounging on our bed still in our pajamas and I was enjoying one of Merlin's relaxing massages.

The door to our room flew open and Isolde rushed in at top speed to jump onto the bed, followed by Viviane at a more reasonable pace.

"Alys, Alys! Guess what Viviane got!" Isolde exclaimed as Merlin and I relaxed from our defensive positions.

Viviane turned pink and glared at Isolde. "Shut up Issy!"

I sat up. "Hey now, no arguments. The new year is coming, let's not start it off badly."

"Viviane got a text from the boy she likes. And he asked her if she wants to go get pizza with him and go to the movies." Isolde told me as she jumped on the bed. "And Viviane doesn't know what to say back."

I snagged her from the air and plopped her on my lap, ticking her as I directed my attention to Viviane. "That true Viv?'

She turned a darker pink and nodded.

Merlin slipped on his slippers and robe. "I'll go see about breakfast, shall I? Leave you to do your girl pow-wow."

I kissed him when he leaned down to do that himself. "And this is just another of the innumerable reasons why I love you."

Merlin snatched Isolde from my clutches. "Come along you. If we're early enough, we'll make chocolate chip pancakes."

She cheered, Viviane wiped from her mind as they shut the door after them.

I patted the bed next to me after putting on my glasses. "Come tell me all about him."

Viviane leaned against the headboard next to me. "Issy and I weren't interrupting anything were we?"

"Door would have been locked if that was the case. So, what's his name?" I got us back to the subject at hand.

She blushed. "Liam Xavier Mortimer."

I smiled. "Liam, eh? Well, what's he like? I can't help you make a decision if I don't know anything about him."

She began to tell me all about Liam Mortimer.

I asked her a few more questions and we decided that she'd give it a shot by the time Merlin returned with a tray of enough food for two just as Viviane left our room.

It was a rather large breakfast I noted as he began to put it on the table after shedding his robe.

He dropped a fork from the tray as he lifted up the little butter dish and bent down to get it.

I walked over to the door. "Breakfast looks delicious. And I know exactly what I want to devour first." I flipped the lock.

He turned to look at me. "Oh really?"

I sauntered my way over to him. "Oh yes. And it is my absolute favorite."

He laughed as I gently pushed him towards the bed.

-SPACE-

The party was wonderful and I was glad I had turned the whole mess over to Gwen. The whole thing was reminiscent of one of the feasts of old but done with more modern elegance and only subtle signs of it actually being focused on Camelot were seen.

It was twenty till midnight when I found myself talking with a few of the female aides. They had asked about my ring and were gushing over it and how Merlin had proposed.

"So have you set a date yet?" one asked.

"Not yet. We've been busy preparing for all this and then all the meetings, so we haven't really had a chance to discuss it." I replied.

"You should probably talk about it soon before some of the leaders get the idea that the engagement is just a ploy so you don't have to marry. And then they'll start pushing sons on you in earnest," another suggested.

I politely excused myself and went hunting for Merlin.

He was deep in discussion with some other aides about his magic and how he still had it in the modern world.

I put a finger to my lips when the aides noticed me. "Really Merlin, do you ever stop prattling on?"

Merlin spun around to face me, a grin in place. "Of course not."

I took his offered arm and smiled fondly at him. "Idiot."

"Prat. Was there something you needed?" he asked.

"Someone brought up the point that someone might see our engagement as a ploy unless we set a date. I was hoping to discuss it with you when you had a minute." I replied.

"Of course. Please excuse us gentlemen." He led us over to a private corner of the room. "When would you like to get married?"

"Would tomorrow be too soon?'

"Not for me, but you know as well as I do that we have quite the number of people to invite. And a full schedule between meetings and our travels to countries."

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Gods, this is going to be a worse headache than the damn meetings." I thought over the schedule we'd come up with.

Taking it and the huge guest list and planning that would have to go into the wedding, the earliest we could get married was in June.

"Midsummer. We'll get married on Midsummer. Not only will we be done with travelling and most of the meetings over with, but it has a magical connection." I tossed out.

"Then Midsummer it is. I'll go announce it."

I snagged his arm. "In the morning when everyone is sober. Besides, I want my midnight kiss."

The countdown started and at zero, Merlin swooped down and claimed my lips, not letting go until a few of the Court drunkenly wandered by and began catcalling.

-SPACE-

Our travels to the countries of the world started in mid-February and were rather enlightening, especially when Merlin would magically sneak us away from our assigned government escorts. We met all sorts of people from all walks of life while learning so many things, mostly due to the language spell Merlin used on us. We had lots of fun while getting the approval of the religious leaders of the world and winning over the hearts of everyone else.

The end of May found us back in Camelot and me pouring over wedding stuff.

Everyone had ideas as to how the wedding must go and everything else, and with three weeks to go until the day every little girl dreams of, I had finally had enough and sent everyone from the room so I could throw a Royal Temper Tantrum.

Merlin was there a minute or so later and wrapped me in a hug. "You lasted longer than I thought you would."

I rolled my eyes. "I've more patience this time around. How else did you think I was putting up with you?"

He ignored my question. "So what's the matter?"

I gestured to the multitude of wedding things spread out on the table before me. "This is. Everyone keeps telling me 'a Royal Wedding should be like this' and then trying to command me to do it that way. I keep getting told my dress should look a certain way, but not any way I really want it. When I was little and dreaming up my Big Day as all little girls are wont to do, it was nothing like this. It was the day the man I loved and I celebrated our love by joining two halves of a whole into one before our family and friends and the officiator. I wasn't picky on if it was a priest or not. And it's useless trying to ask for your opinion."

He kissed the top of my head. "All I want is for you to be happy. I don't care how we get married, just that we do. It's your day Alys, shape it the way you want. Feel better now?"

I released the breath I held, feeling my tension fade away as I came to a decision. "Yeah. You can go back to whatever you were doing before I proved I'm still a Royal Prat."

"You're my Royal Prat thank you. And I'll turn anyone else who calls you that into a toad."

I laughed. "Oh please don't. I'll be missing all but like three of my Knights if you do."

He laughed as well and left.

I opened the window, grabbed armful after armful of wedding stuff, and chucked it out the window.

It was, as Merlin had pointed out, my wedding and no one was going to dictate how one of the greatest days of my life was going to go except me.

Dragon's people all looked up when I strode into the room like a woman on a mission, which I was.

"And to what do I owe this great pleasure?" Dragon asked with a smirk.

"I trust you." I told him.

"Well I knew that. Otherwise you wouldn't have let me and mine take over where the Royal Seamstress and Tailor worked," he shot back.

"No, I mean with the creation of my wedding dress. It's my wedding and those Wedding Nazis are going to have to realize that."

He pulled out a sheet of paper from his design drawings book and held it out to me.

I took it and beamed at him. "It's absolutely perfect!"

He took the drawing back. "I was thinking white ivory silk for the dress itself and Pendragon red and gold thread for the details."

"Do as you wish. Our colors are gold and silver with undertones of red and blue, so it will work."

"And what of your dress for your coronation?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I'm a Pendragon. Might as well stick with the family colors." I withdrew from his domain, corralled Olivia and my mother, and finished planning my wedding to fit what I wanted.

-SPACE-

Three days before my wedding, I was wringing my hands as I waited in a small room off the Throne Room.

I was waiting for the fanfare that would signal my entrance into the Throne Room for my coronation and was trying to keep down the light breakfast I'd eaten at Merlin's urging and not run my hands through my hair and mess up the attractive style Dragon had put it in.

My parents entered the room and I smiled shakily at them.

Mom took my hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. "I am so proud of you, Alys. You've already done so much in such a short time."

"Thanks Mom."

Dad just stared at me.

"Daddy?"

He took me from Mom and pulled me into a tight hug, careful not to muss my hair or dress. "I am prouder of you than I can express. I worried about the type of person you'd end up being when your mother was pregnant and you have surpassed even my greatest dream and wishes." He kissed my forehead and then held me out at arms' length. "Now no more nerves, you hear me? Go out there with head held high and shine like the bright sun you are."

I stood up straighter. "Will do.'

Mom beamed at me. "Good. Now your father and I are going back to our seats. We love you sweetheart."

"I love you guys too."

Soon after they sat down, the music started and I walked out.

Everyone who had been invited to our wedding was there, even Goodhurst and his group. The royalty and other leaders of the world sat in the audience while the religious leaders of the world all stood at the front by my throne.

Merlin stood at the farthest end of the line with my crown on a pillow.

Many had said that I needed a new crown, one with jewels on it, but I merely told them that it had been enough for me as Arthur Pendragon and it was more than enough for Alys Penn so it stayed the same.

I kneeled before them and swore to uphold all the things Camelot stood for and to do my best to keep peace in the world.

My crown was passed from person to person before the pope placed it on my head.

"We present to you Queen Alys Penn, Ruler of Camelot and Guardian of Peace. Long live Queen Alys!" the pope stated as I stood.

The room echoed with the sentiment before bursting out into applause and cheers as I sat down on my throne.

Merlin walked over to stand just behind my right shoulder. "Now you're back where you finally belong."

"And just think, in a little over two days, you get to sit up here with me." I returned.

"And I cannot wait. Nice dress, Dragon did good work. What does your wedding gown look like?"

I smirked at him, smoothing down the red, black, and gold skirt of my coronation dress. "Nice try, but I'm not going to tell you." I thought about the gorgeous dress hidden in the caverns beneath the castle in an airtight, waterproof garment bag.

Merlin pouted a little and then asked me to dance as the party to celebrate my coronation began.

-SPACE-

Dragon had outdone himself with my gown.

It was of a design like those of Camelot of old and was made of spider silk, which meant it was light as air, soft as clouds, and stronger than Kevlar (or so Dragon assured me).

Somehow, with Merlin's help, he had created Silk Spiders whose whole purpose in life was to eat bugs and create silk for Dragon's creations. To be honest, they'd creeped me out the first and only time I'd seen them. Especially when some of them produced colored silk.

Anyway, all over the dress in red and gold thread were dragons.

I was utterly in love with my dress and couldn't stop looking at it and running my hands over it.

Aunt Laudine finished pinning up my hair in a cascade of dark blonde curls since I had grown it out, just as Aunt Anna put the final touches on my makeup.

Mom carefully perched my crown on my head. "There. Are you sure you don't want a veil?"

I stood up and shook free the wrinkles of my dress. "I want nothing obstructing my view of Merlin or his of me. Is it time yet?"

"Twenty minutes till time. You sure you want to get married? Still time to back out." Olivia offered. "You can still elope."

"Merlin and I are not you and Gavin. And I still can't believe you didn't let me be there for you." I complained.

She fiddled with her own wedding band. "You were busy travelling."

Over the last couple of months, more and more of my Court had disappeared and then reappeared with wedding rings on their left hands. The only people not wearing them were Merlin and I and the triad, though Morgause, Morgana, and Mordred all wore promise rings and Merlin and I were about to fix our bit of that.

Eventually a soft knock came from the door and my father entered.

All the other women filed out, saying they'd see me in five minutes.

"My little Warrior Princess grew up." Dad commented softly. "It seems like they just placed your tiny form in my arms and then I blinked and here you are getting ready to marry the man of your dreams. You're beautiful Alys."

I blinked away tears. "Oh Daddy. Please don't make me cry, I'll mess up all of Aunt Anna's hard work."

He pulled out his handkerchief and gently dabbed at my eyes, his own swimming in tears. "Here now, let's not do that. Your aunt would have my head."

I smiled. "I may be getting married, but I will always be your little girl."

He took a breath. "Standard father procedure demands I ask this, even if I'm pretty sure what the answer is. Are you sure he and this is what you want? Because I am more than willing to spirit you away."

I took his arm. "I've never been more sure of anything. I love him and I can't see anyone else I want beside me in the chaos that is my life."

He patted my hand. "Then let's get you down the aisle."

The music for the others started after we descended the stairs and they entered. Isolde beamed at me before walking down the long aisle and dropping gold and silver rose petals.

I adjusted my hold on the gold colored roses Morgause had grown just for this (I wasn't going to ask how she'd gotten the roses to be naturally gold and silver colored, too much of an explanation involved as my aunts found out) and took a deep breath.

The music changed to the song I had chosen as the bridal march and everyone rose from their seats as I entered the room on Dad's arm.

Merlin's jaw fell open before he began to grin like a complete idiot, a smile I felt myself returning.

We made it to the end of the aisle, and Dad kissed my cheek and placed my hand in Merlin's.

Dad turned to the preacher before he could ask 'who gives this woman away'. "So everyone knows, the only person that gives my daughter away is my daughter. I'm just here to make sure she didn't trip down the stairs. Take care of her, Merlin." He went and sat down next to my mother.

And on that funny note, my wedding began.

The ceremony was sort of a mishmash of types, mostly the typical wedding ceremony and the old fashioned handfastings from Camelot.

With my eyes on Merlin's, the only things that really stuck out in my mind were the vows and the kiss.

"Long ago you stood by me as my best friend and pretty much the only person who stood up to me when I was the spoiled son of a grief-stricken king who unmercifully hunted down and killed those of magic, and then stood by me as I united a kingdom and stayed there as I took my last breath. You then spent hundreds of years looking for me, a devotion no one else had ever given. And I wish to return it because I love you more than anything. Now we stand here celebrating our love for each other and getting ready to step into a life together as equals, as it should have been so long ago. I pledge to you everything I was, everything I am, and everything I will be. My heart, my soul, and all the rest are yours. And with this ring, I seal my vow." I slid the gold ring with dragons etched on it on his ring finger.

Merlin looked at me for a moment, smiling. "Long ago when we first met, I thought you the greatest prat in existence. Then I saved your life and found out you could be an even bigger one as the huge list of chores I was given could attest. Once I really got to know you, even though I complained, I didn't really mind doing them because I realized that there was more to you than the rest of the world saw. Then you became the greatest king in history and I was glad to have had a hand in making you that king. But events outside our control took you before you reached your greatest peak. I had sworn loyalty to you and trusted in the promise that you would return. Now we're here, together as it always has been and should be. I loved you then even if I didn't realize it, and I love you even more now. I pledge to you everything I was, everything I am, and everything I will be. My heart, my soul, my magic, and all the rest are yours. I seal this vow with this ring." He slid a matching ring on my finger and then replaced my engagement ring.

The dragon that was my engagement ring wrapped itself around my wedding band and then settled.

The priest tied our hands together with a braided cord of gold, silver, and copper threads and said the incantation Merlin had taught him.

The cords glowed and then disappeared.

I smiled at Merlin, feeling the invisible and intangible cords that now bound our hearts and souls together.

Galahad stepped forward with Merlin's silver crown on a pillow.

Merlin kneeled before me as I lifted it up.

"Do you promise to help uphold the values and beliefs of Camelot, to stand by me in all times, holding me up if I start to fall, assist me in making decisions, and protecting those that rely on us?" I asked.

"I promise to do all that and anything else you might ask of me," he swore.

I placed the crown on his crown on his head. "I now crown you my Royal Consort and the love of my lives. Rise and stand as my equal."

Merlin stood and took my hand.

"I present to you their Royal Majesties, Queen Alys Emrys-Penn and King Merlin Emrys, Prince Consort. Long live their Majesties! You may kiss the bride." the priest stated.

Merlin and I looked at each other.

Merlin grinned. "You gonna kiss me or what?"

I wrapped my hands around his neck and pulled him into a kiss.

The room exploded in cheers and clapping as Merlin and I kissed.

I took my roses back from Olivia and walked down the aisle with Merlin.

Everyone followed us to the huge reception tent set up just outside the walls of Camelot.

We greeted everyone and thanked them for coming. We'd decided to skip the usual pictures, the posed kind, and just stick with candid shots.

Once everyone was sitting, we cut the cake.

It was a huge cake. The cake itself was a layered golden sponge cake held together by a light strawberry flavored cream and covered in a light whipped icing with dragons in silver, blue, red, and gold. The topper was a miniature of Camelot since there really weren't any figurines that fit us.

"If you smash that cake in my face, you'll be spending our wedding night in your tower alone and not in our bed." I warned Merlin.

He broke off a small piece of our slice and carefully fed it to me.

I picked up a piece and fed it to him.

Olivia and Gavin handled getting cake to everyone while we fed the rest of our slice to each other.

Dancing came next and Merlin had dipped back into his musical side and wrote a song for our first dance, one that captured everything.

"You look breathtaking." Merlin told me as we danced.

"Thank you. You look good yourself. Dragon did good with making an outfit like your original one but making it of higher quality cloth." I replied.

"He has a gift. Thank you for the portrait of my mother being placed on my side."

I kissed him. "Hunith would have wanted to see you get married, having mentioned it to me a couple times when I was Arthur. And I wanted you to feel as if you had your own family there. I wish she could actually have been here."

"I think she and my father both were. I dreamt about them last night. They were very proud of me they said and were extremely happy for us."

"I'm glad. I was a little worried that they wouldn't approve of me." I laid my head on his shoulder.

He kissed the top of my head. "My mother made the point to tell me that she approves of our union much more than she would have back then because you're a better person this time. And according to my father, they helped this time around so you would stay alive and we could get together."

"I can believe that considering the few times I could have been killed as a child."

He stiffened a little, but kept us dancing. "Why wasn't I told of these instances?"

"I didn't think to tell you. The first time happened when I was five. We'd gone on a family trip to the beach and I wandered off and a wave knocked me over and drugged me out a little ways. I couldn't break the surface and now that I think about it, the guy who saved me and then mysteriously disappeared into thin air as my parents came running looked a lot like your father. And the voice in my head that told me to roll out of the way the one time my old horse got spooked and I fell off sounded like him. And then a few years later, right before I met Gavin and Olivia, a woman who looked remarkably like your mother pulled me from the road when a car came speeding around the corner as I was on my way to the library. You know, when we have kids, I want to name them after your parents."

"We're naming one son Arthur." Merlin told me.

"Arthur Balinor and Hunith Avalon. I like it."

Dinner was a buffet, so as we finished our dance people were filling plates and eating. Toasts would be the last thing as the wedding gifts had already been opened and listed.

Dad came over as the last note faded. "I believe this is my dance with the bride."

Merlin gave him my hand with a smile. "Here you are. I think that while you dance with Alys, I'll go ask her mother for a dance."

"First you steal my daughter and now you're going to steal my wife? You are a terrible man." Dad teased.

"So long as I get my wife back at the end of the dance, so too will you." Merlin replied before going over to sweep Mom onto the dance floor.

"I know I've already told you this Princess, but you're beautiful. You remind me of your mother on our wedding day, radiant and deliriously happy. I can tell that you and Merlin are going to have a long and happy marriage. Just know that your mother and I's door is always open if you need a place to go after an argument." Dad stated.

"I will Daddy. And thank you."

He glanced over at Mom. "Your mother is already talking about grandchildren. I want you to know that I'm looking forward to them as well, but I want you to take your time in having them."

I raised an eyebrow. "Okay. Any particular type of grandchild you'd like?"

"I'm not particular, but I would very much like a gorgeous little granddaughter who is just like her mother."

"I'll see what I can do." I returned.

Dad handed me back to Merlin at the end of the dance and we spent a little more time dancing with each other and other people before we decided it was time for us to have dinner.

Lance, Merlin's Best Man, stood up and called for attention once we were done eating. "To the bride and groom, may you grow together and love each other more than the day before, but less than the next. To the groom, take good care of her because while we Knights like you, it is her we listen to. Plus she's better with a sword than you are and will no doubt use that fact to her advantage. To the radiant bride, try not to send him to the stocks when you get upset with him, he can get out of them. To Alys and Merlin."

Everyone but Merlin and I took a drink and then Olivia stood up.

"Alys, I have known you since middle school, seen you take taunts and insults and the occasional blow with grace and come out on top, and seen you come into your own through hard work and pressure. You are a diamond like no other and I know you will shine far brighter than even the sun with the love of your life at your side. Merlin, for as long as I've known Alys and dealt with her now completely understandable obsession with anything of Arthurian Legend, you have always been the one she talked of and mentioned most, so it was only right that this day happen. You have a great treasure in her, don't lose her or hurt her. And to the both of you, may the best of your yesterdays be the worst of your tomorrows."

My father stood as Olivia sat down. "Unfortunately, I am the only father able to give a speech today, but I will try to make it something my counterpart would approve of. Alys, my little Warrior Princess, never have I been so happy and yet so sad when it comes to you. This day has been one I have dreaded since we found out your mother was expecting but you couldn't have found a better man to marry. And I guess we should have expected that it would be him since you said you were going to marry Merlin quite adamantly when you were little."

This tidbit of information caused some chuckles as I gave him a slight glare while I blushed.

Dad turned to Merlin. "Merlin, you are the man my little girl loves and I place her safety and happiness in your very capable hands. Just remember that if you hurt her, everything you were told when you asked for her hand will happen. May the two of you love for as long as you live and live for as long as you love."

Mom took his place. "Like my husband, I am the only mother able to give a speech and I can only hope my counterpart will like it. Alys, unlike your father, I have dreamt of this day since before your birth and this is more than my wildest dream. But you have the most important thing, you are completely and utterly in love with your groom and loved just as much in return. Merlin, I am absolutely thrilled to welcome you to our family and to be able to call you my son. You'll take wonderful care of her. I know this because the worst my husband can do is nothing compared to what I can do to you if you hurt her. May any arguments be like a bolt of lightning, quickly here and then gone and your love constant as the sun."

Merlin and I stood. We had agreed that there would only be six speeches so the reception didn't drag on forever.

Merlin went first. "Lance, thank you for that wish. It's true, only Alys has many days to try and catch up on." He ignored my stuck out tongue and turned to Olivia. "If I have any say in it, the worst of our tomorrows will be better than the best of our yesterdays. Mr. Penn, rest assured that I have no intentions of hurting your daughter. And I have lived and loved her for over a thousand years, I don't plan on stopping any time soon. Mrs. Penn, thank you. I am deeply honored to call you my mother, and I know that my own mother would more than approve of your speech. And I thank everyone else for coming to our wedding."

I lifted my own glass. "I too thank everyone for coming to celebrate this joyous day with us. Lance, so far that's the way it's been, though Merlin really is the idiot I accuse him of being if he thinks my soul hasn't loved him since even long ago, which is why I think things didn't work out with Gwen. Liv, I was only able to do what you mentioned because of friends like you and as long as you and Merlin and the rest of the Court are there, I have no doubt that I can do what needs to be done. Mom, Dad, thank you for trying to terrify my husband. I'm rather surprised he's not running away screaming, but then again he's never had good self-preservation skills so I'm not all that surprised. My only hope is that my marriage is like yours."

Goodhurst and his 'Merlin' hurried forward with a wooden box and an open bottle of champagne.

"I apologize Your Majesties, but I wish to show that I have no hard feelings. I give you these two goblets as a gift and would like to toast to the bright future of Camelot under its King and Queen." Goodhurst stated.

Merlin checked the goblets he was handed and found nothing.

Goodhurst filled Merlin's goblet since his glass was empty.

I declined having him top off my glass.

Goodhurst lifted his glass. "To Camelot. May it flourish under its true rulers."

Everyone took a drink and it was like watching the past repeat itself as Merlin began to choke and then fell to the ground.

My father proved that he was the reincarnation of Uther Pendragon when he jumped to his feet and roared 'seize them!' as the Knights swarmed to do just that and drag them off to the updated dungeons.

People began to panic as I dropped down by Merlin.

Gavin began yelling for this and that, sending a few Knights running to the castle to get it.

I cupped Merlin's cheeks with my hands, tears streaming down my face. "Don't you dare die on me, Merlin. I love you."

Members of the Court and my mother gathered around us.

My wedding day ended with the head of my dying husband of only a few hours in my lap and me unable to do anything to help him.

My uselessness only made me cry harder as I hugged him to me and brushed his hair from his forehead.

A/N: *sits back in chair with a wicked grin* Oh dear, Merlin's repeating history. Silly warlock. Whatever shall happen?