MERLIN - CONTACT

AN: Hey everyone, here's the next update. Thank you very much for your reviews. Please keep 'em coming :) Sorry it took a while. This chapter will touch the start of AberFest. Enjoy! Apologies for any spelling/grammar errors.

BTW: You may have noticed the title add-on. I think this story is starting to relate to a song by The Perishers called 'Come out of the shade'. As the story progresses, you're welcome to play it on YouTube and listen to the lyrics, see what you think ;)

...~~C~~...

Everything was more or less done by the time the sun began to set. It wasn't quite below the tree line, but it give the village and surrounding fields a glorious warm glow. It was one of the most beautiful things the prince of Camelot would ever have time to cherish, especially now.

That wonderful part of the day where you could actually choose what to do, because it was after hard working hours, but far too early to turn in. Despite AberFest being a spring event held every two years, it was being held now because due to Ealdor's rebuild, the festival had to be put off. Merlin had explained it all to him, and what better time to hold it again without cancelling it entirely, then with two people marrying at the same time.

The time of year made it better too in Arthur's opinion. Though it was more of a rush to get things prepared in the shortened daylight hours, the fire being lit later would bring the warmth to the whole area, rather than add to the heat. The slight chilled breeze ruffling up everyone's hair made the world feel alive. These were the few precious things that he could appreciate more here. In Camelot, the bustling lifestyle of the city can only show so much beauty. Standing upon the ramparts, pleasured by the wind sweeping through his hair, the evening sun tipping the houses and castle in a blinding orange haze. He felt he was the only person in his kingdom who took the time to absorb all of it... besides Merlin.

Sometimes, he and his servant, when they had time free, would join eachother by the window or on the ramparts, lean on the wall and just stare out over the lands. They wouldn't talk, they didn't need too. Standing in comfortable silence next to his best friend, watching everyone else's busy lives go on without them like they were both... dead. And that felt pretty good.

It was like that right now, only Arthur had actually contributed to the labour. Standing in the middle on the dirt road and kicking stones about, waiting for Merlin to come out of her mother's house. Apparently AberFest had another little custom, and that was something about a certain wardrobe feature that no-one told him about. Now he's going to look the fool if he doesn't catch on. People were exiting their own huts. The prince tried to get clues from them as they strolled past him towards the centre of the village.

The men looked fairly ordinary, not much change for them, except they were wearing something round their necks. The women looked lovely, and wore quite vibrant colours than usual. Village folk would normally not be able to afford the coloured dyes that royalty and city people could, like purples, reds and pinks. But it was like the village women each kept one dress aside for special occasions where they all appear happy and special together.

Not only were there bright colours and neatly done hair-dos and clean faces, flowers were everywhere. In their hair, or worn as headbands, bracelets, necklaces... uh-oh! That's what the men had around their necks. Flower garlands? Help!

"Arthur."

The prince turned to the voice, and was met with a mesmerizing sight.

His maidservant, Merlin, was out of her travelling breeches, and was now wearing her new dress!

The sky blue one with white cotton sleeves, and silver flower embroidery around the bodice, hem and swooping neckline, enough to reveal a decent amount of shoulder. It clung to the body wonderfully without need of alteration or a belt. It definitely made a change to how she looked when Arthur first met her. Granted, she was younger and wore tunics that shrouded what little shape she had, but even when she wore the tunics these days, he could tell... not that he looked deliberately... just how much of a fine woman she had become, inside and out.

The touches were the dainty different coloured flowers weaved into her white blonde hair, worn down and blowing lightly in the breeze.

But the most beautiful thing that stood out, it wasn't the hair. It wasn't the flowers. It wasn't the dress. It was her smile, and sparkling deep blue eyes.

But hang on... what was she holding?

Merlin beamed at Arthur and held the item up. Arthur stared at her desperately. "You can't be serious!"

The maidservant stepped forward with her very own flower garland she made herself, looking ever so proud of it. "Oh come on, Arthur. Tradition and all that." She held it out.

But the prince couldn't protest, his defeated expression said it all. And so before he could take it, Merlin already moved to place the garland over his head. The scent of it hit Arthur hard, it almost made his eyes water. But he found it easy to take just seeing how happy it made his friend.

"Mm. Suits you actually, brings out your sensitive side."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure. And you look..."

Merlin stared at him expectantly.

"Very nice... beautiful, even." The prince smiled honestly. It received him the most amazing reaction, Merlin's cheek coloured. He had rarely seen her blush in the past, or at least not when it was something he said.

"Come on then, everyone's heading to the fire. We must all be there for the night to start officially."

Merlin grabbed Arthur's arm and dragged him the direction everybody else was walking.

...~~C~~...

It certainly was very nicely presented. With all the garlands, and lit torches, there were long tables laid with what looked like every type of meat, fruit and pastry Ealdor could produce. Chairs had been taken from every hut and placed wherever there was space, even blankets were spread on the grass. At the moment the villages were just standing and talking amongst themselves. When they saw Merlin arrive with Arthur on her arm, surprisingly to the prince, no one bowed. No one even mumbled 'My Lord'. They all just smiled and made greeting gestures, and went back to their conversations. Arthur never felt more normal and accepted in all his life. Leofrick and his boys were mingling in the crowd, the sons all except William seemed comfortable sporting flower bands.

Merlin knew, like a dog let off a leash, where Arthur would wander to first. The food. So she kept him pinned to her side while they waited for the remaining villagers to turn up. She would smile as she caught him looking wistfully at the covered chicken on the table not far from them. She leaned in so he would hear her above the natter.

"Don't worry, Arthur, the bonfire will be lit in a moment, then you can go and enjoy the festivities."

At that moment, a few men standing to the side banged on drums and blew on horns tunefully, which made the crowd cheer and move toward the set up platform of wood.

"About bloody time," Arthur muttered to himself as he got shoved along.

The ritual to start AberFest involved the children of the village. If they were careful enough, each child stepped forward and was given a lit dry branch by the elder and they threw it onto the base of the bonfire, before running out the way and watching the flames spread upwards to the peak. Merlin, this year didn't look at the fire, but at the children's little faces light up at the sight, reminding her of herself at that age.

Next, everyone else stepped forward with their own stick, and held it to the fire until it caught alight. They then raised it in the air and blow on the top so sparks and ashes caught onto the breeze and flew away in the night sky. Arthur copied every move as best he could. Then he looked to his right and saw Merlin. She looked around to make sure no one was watching, then blew gently on the top of her torch. Her eyes matched the flames, and the embers that floated away morphed into the shape of a dragon, flapping its mighty wings to gain flight.

It only lasted for a brief moment, but the prince stood there mesmerised, everything else in his vision slowed down and blurred. Even after the beast dispersed into the night sky above, Arthur's gaze got drawn to his servants eyes, now flickered back to blue.

Merlin glanced up at Arthur when she felt his eyes on her, like she was calmly waiting for his reaction. A glare to say 'you shouldn't have done that here, you could have been seen'. But instead the prince simply smiled. And Merlin grinned sweetly back in response. Butterflies fluttered in Arthur's belly.

A roaring cheer brought Arthur back to his surroundings as the villagers broke from the crowd and scattered in all directions. The chatter and laugher picked up, children ran around madly, wonderful music and the smell of meat cooking filled the air.

The prince turned to his maidservant questionably. She rolled her eyes, darted over to him, linked her arm round his and dragged him in.

AberFest has begin.

...~~C~~...

AN: Hope you liked. Next chapter is being worked on. Please review, and I'll see you later!

BTW: Just a little sidebar thanks to saroura92 and all you other loyal readers of the story so far :)