For months they didn't see anything of Agravaine, although Arthur did receive a couple of letters that he binned without reading. Merlin's mood remained upbeat and Arthur hoped that this was the beginning of a new phase in their lives.
At the end of that summer Penny and William announced that they were getting married in a year's time as William would be finished university. William would try to get a junior post in Stoke Mandeville, and the prospects looked good. He had made a good impression when he did some of his practical there. Also his course in Cardiff was considered the best in the country and William had been top of his class so far.
The couple, who had bought Alice and Gaius's cottage, when Alice had moved into a home, had put it back on the market and so the couple decided to put in an offer. Gwaine was helping them with the deposit. The couple decided they wanted a very simple wedding to reduce the costs. That way they would have more money to furnish the cottage. Arthur and Merlin said that if they could arrange it, the couple could marry from the grounds of the bungalow if they wanted. After all the men already had an arrangement with the marquee company, for their regular parties. So plans were underway, they had a year to get it sorted. Penny and Gwen offered to make the cake and do the buffet as their present.
As winter approached the days were getting shorter, so Merlin was making the most of getting outside with the dogs. He was out for quite long walk, the two dogs loved running about off the lead. Finna more so than Gi, who as always liked to keep Merlin in sight. After one of their walks Merlin noticed that Finna was sick a couple of times, but as she had been eating grass he thought no more of it. But as the day continued she continued to throw up, so they took her to the vets. After some tests they found she was suffering from poisoning, the tests showed antifreeze was the culprit. The vet gave Finna the antidote and told then she had a reasonable chance as it had been detected quite early.
Two other dogs in the area had also been brought in by their owners. The police were informed. Poisoned bate was found on the route that Merlin usually took. Despite the vets best efforts Finna got worse and Merlin had to face the fact that she might not survive. She was thirteen years old and that didn't help. She had to stay at the vets and be kept on a drip. Notices were put up in the area warning other dog owners of the risk.
Finna was at the vets for three days before she was allowed home, and the vet kept an eye on her for some time. She was left with a degree of kidney failure and had to be put on special food.
Due to the circumstances the episode hit Merlin hard. He was constantly worried about his pets. One of the other dogs affected had died and he sent a letter to the owners. Iseldir came to see Merlin and did several visits over the next few weeks. Merlin would only let the dogs out in the garden and made sure they were carefully watched to make sure they didn't eat anything. A couple of weeks later some meat was found at the back of the lawn. Arthur had it tested and it was laced with antifreeze. The police were informed and decided that the other instances in the woods may well have been targeted at Merlin's dogs. Gwaine and Arthur both suspected Agravaine but they had no proof. Extra cameras were put up on the periphery of the garden and a very careful watch kept on the two terriers. Merlin insisted if they wanted to go out at night one of the bodyguards stayed right by their side.
It was a month later that the cameras picked up on something being thrown over the back fence once more. Again it was poisoned meat, the cameras picked up a car parked outside and the plates were traced to London and Agravaine. He hadn't been careful enough. He was arrested and was to face criminal charges. He was given bail on condition he didn't go anywhere near the village where the Pendragons lived. Eventually Agravaine went to court, he admitted the offense saying that the dogs were dangerous and had tried to bite him on numerous occasions. This was not backed up by evidence which showed they had only ever growled at him if they thought Merlin was being threatened.
Agravaine was found guilty and given an eighteen week prison sentence. Something Merlin thought was derogatory for the loss of the other person's dog and the suffering of the others in the area. Percy said if the man came anywhere near the village he would sort him out once and for all. Percy had always had a soft spot for the dogs.
Arthur got Merlin to start planning Christmas to try to take his mind of the past events of that autumn. But it was such a well established large event it almost planned itself. But still it did occupy his mind a bit. As always it was a success. Hunith was gradually doing less and less she would be eighty in the spring but had already told Merlin and Arthur she didn't want a party. She was popular with all the younger generation and was a 'granny' to all of them as well as a mother figure to all Merlin's generation including the bodyguards. She told her two boys that she considered herself blessed to have such a large family in her later years.
At the New Year the two men went to bed early as Merlin was feeling tired and a bit breathless. He used his oxygen overnight and that seemed to help. They still had a New Year cuddle and kiss as Merlin had woken up just before midnight and when he got up to go to the toilet had disturbed Arthur. They both decided that their New Year's resolution was to have at least one kiss and cuddle every day. Not hard as it was normal for them anyway unless Merlin was low in mood. Even the Arthur gave his man a kiss.
Three of the children were turning twenty one in the next twelve months so it would be a busy year. Merlin had already got their presents from him. Each year since they were born he had purchased a gold sovereign for that year so each one would get twenty one sovereigns as well as a album of photos, also one for each year taken with both Arthur and himself. He had perfected the timer on his camera over the years so they got better and better. Arthur would have to think of what to buy for them as he wanted to do something else.
Since Merlin still refused to go on any other sort of holiday Arthur booked another two week canal holiday, for the next summer and this time Hunith wanted to stay at home. Percy and Freya would go as usual together with Gwaine and Mithian. The third generation all wanted to go including Mordred and Elizabeth's boyfriend John. Tristan had just broken up with his boyfriend, so at the moment he wouldn't be bringing anyone. But Arthur made sure there would be room just in case. They were having two barges one for the older generation, and one for the younger group. The younger group's barge was going to be a normal one without a lift. They were going in August Gwen and Lance said they would keep an eye on Hunith and then have a holiday by themselves when the others came back.