This is the last chapter. Hoped you enjoyed this story as much as I liked entertaining your reading tastes. Mergana fluff alert!
Gloves
Snow gently drifted from the sky, dusting the naked trees and barren ground with white. Winter had come early this year and was currently giving London its famous wintry atmosphere.
This however, did not stop Merlin and Morgana from taking a morning stroll through one of London's central parks. They were walking by the edge of an lake, their shoes making loud tapping sounds on the hard ground, but it was slightly muffled by the white snow. Their breath came out like little puffs of fog, making Merlin look like his was smoking, much to his distaste and Morgana's amusement.
Due to the cold to freezing temperatures both of them wore thick and warm clothing. For Merlin it was his usual black suit with his blue scarf and a insulating, wool overcoat. He wore no gloves (since he forgot them at home) so his hands were kept deep in his coat pockets.
Morgana had a lovely layered woollen dress the draped over her figure and luxurious white overcoat. She wore a white angora knit hat that just covered her ears and revealed the curly tips of her bob and her elegant hands were kept hidden in taupe kid skin gloves.
Nevertheless both were still cold and huddled close to each other. Morgana holding onto Merlin's arm and pressing her body close as walking comfort would allow while they meandered along the path. Merlin would rather hold her hand but she wore gloves that would separate them and simply it was a rather too chilly to do so.
"Where are we going?" asked Morgana.
Merlin looked at his girlfriend and thought she looked adorable with her cold bitten nose and cheeks, they were becoming red from the icy temperatures. "Just to that bench over there."
He pointed at a bench just over a hundred metres away. It was near the edge of the lake and covered in a light dusting of snow.
"Oh I see," she replied as her eyes followed his line of sight to the lonely bench.
Morgana tightened her grip on him and they made their way to the bench.
When the pair reached the bench Merlin dusted the snow off and attempted to dry it with a handkerchief (thought this obviously failed since it still appeared damp) and offered Morgana to sit first. Morgana sat down and then Merlin did the same next to her.
She huddled close to him, enjoying the warmth he emitted. He in response to her cuddles put an arm around her figure to keep her close.
"So why are we taking such an early morning walk on such a cold day Merlin?"
"I thought it would be nice to enjoy the view and feed the ducks." Merlin took out a paper bag full of bread crumbs from one of his pockets.
Morgana looked across the lake. It wasn't frozen with ice yet but it still held an ethereal beauty of perfectly still water that reflected the morning sunrise. Just beyond the black spikes of bare trees and smog of industrial London you could just peak the orange sun rising in between the clouds that were currently giving them the dusting of snow. But they were breaking and the snow would soon cease.
"It is beautiful," she answered breathlessly, "It's not often you see the peaceful side of London."
"No, it isn't often. But that's what makes it special. Here take some bread crumbs and feed the ducks." He offered her the paper bag.
"But I see no ducks," Morgana stated, looking at the still lake.
"But there will be some soon," he smiled. Merlin retrieved some bread crumbs out of the bag and threw them into the lake, disturbing the water for it created many little ripples.
After a few seconds there were some noises coming from the nearby rushes and a few ducks flew out and onto the lake, where the crumbs were. The small, aquatic birds immediately began ducking and dipping their heads in the water, gobbling any crumbs the made its way into their bills.
"See, ducks," Merlin grinned.
Morgana grinned back, throwing out some more bread crumbs to the ducks and watched them as they frolicked in the water.
The pair continued like that until they ran out of break crumbs to throw. But they did laugh at the quacking ducks who expected more from the couple. Merlin did try his best, emptying the paper bag by putting it upside down and releasing any last crumbs. In the end there were no more and Merlin crumpled the paper bag and threw it into a nearby bin.
"That was fun, It's been a while since I last fed the ducks. I used to go with my mother in Cornwall to a pond and feed them," commented Morgana, reliving happy memories as she snuggled closer to her boyfriend.
"It was indeed. I have fond memories feeding the ducks too."
"But I didn't think ducks stayed around for the winter. I thought that they flew off to somewhere warmer."
"I suppose that sounds logical. But these ducks know where home is. Just like I know where mine is."
"Where might that be?" she asked curiously for he phrased it in an strange manner.
"With you," he answered simply.
Morgana was surprised by the statement, a truthful and honest statement. She looked up at Merlin with her wide, emerald eyes. He was looking at her with his own twinkling, sapphire eyes and was smiling softly.
"Have you ever heard of the saying 'the one you feed the ducks with is the one you would marry'?"
Morgana's eyes widened even further if that were possible. She was was too stunned to answer because she now knew where this would lead.
Merlin continued, ignoring her silence since he himself was becoming nervous and her silence was scaring him much as what he would do was going too.
He wriggled the arm was locked with Morgana's free and reached for a small, velvet box in his pocket, fingering it between his thumb and index finger. Merlin got off the seat and knelt down on one knee in front of Morgana, feeling the snow melting and soaking through his pants.
He held one of her glove covered hands with the two of his and said, "I've know we have only been together for only six months and that itself feels like a whirlwind. But you Morgana Pendragon are the woman I want to spend my whole entire life with. From the moment I met you I was enchanted by your beauty and intelligence. And that feeling is something I want to have for the rest of my life. I love you Morgana. So," he took a breath, steadying himself, "Will you marry me?" he asked.
Morgana looked at the man kneeling in front her. His eyes radiating love and devotion. The stability she searched for so long. "Yes I will Merlin," she replied breathlessly.
With that she threw herself off the bench and onto him, wrapping him in a embrace and kissing him passionately.
"Yes I will Merlin. I will marry you," she mumbled into his mouth.
He returned the kiss fiercely, it was so passionate that tiny pinpricks of joyful tears sprung in the corners of their eyes. Merlin managed to take off her left glove and slip on the diamond ring onto her finger. He thought he would at least show it to Morgana. But Morgana didn't care for the ring because she had Merlin.
The End
Author's Notes
Thanks for reading guys, and thank you for the lovely reviews. As for the feeding duck quote, I don't know where I heard it from, but if someone could tell me it would be greatly appreciated (and no I do not mean the urban dictionary definition). Sorry that I didn't have Arthur's reaction (as many of you requested) but I have a vague sequel/companion piece idea for this but it may be differently styled. Anybody interested?