One man's tragedy is another man's opportunity.
When Morgana was taken by Morgause, it was a tragedy. But for Arthur and Merlin, it was also an opportunity.
Uther had Arthur and all the other knights scouring the kingdom searching for Morgana. The king was distracted by grief and rage, determined to bring Morgana back no matter how long it took or what the cost would be.
The timing couldn't be better.
Arthur informed his father that he would be searching where Camelot's lands bordered Cenred's. Uther simply waved his hand and nodded, not even glancing in his son's direction. Arthur had rode out the next day, Merlin at his side.
In a funny coincidence, Gwen fell ill and had to take to her home on the same day.
In another interesting coincidence, Gaius announced that he would take a few days' leave to settle an unexpected affair with some relatives regarding an issue of land ownership.
The greatest coincidence of all was that the four of them ended up in Ealdor on the same day, around suppertime. Hunith was at the head of the crowd of villagers, barely waiting for Merlin to get off his horse before sweeping him into her arms and cradling him against her. Merlin returned her hug, his arms wrapping all the way around her, revealing how tall he'd become. Hunith wasted no time in hugging Arthur as well, taking his face in her hands and smiling as if he were her own flesh and blood. It made warmth bloom in Arthur's chest, and he hugged her tightly. Lancelot was there, winking at Merlin and saying didn't I tell you he liked you back? Gwen forgot herself and took a flying leap, and it was fortunate Lancelot had the reflexes to catch her and spin her around or somebody would have bruised something.
Everything had been set up that afternoon so that it would be ready when they arrived. They didn't have much time, but it they counted themselves lucky that they had any time at all. The ceremony was held in the village square, candles piled up everywhere and giving people's faces a golden glow.
Gwen tried, and failed, to convince Merlin to carry flowers.
Gaius was used in place of an appointed official, but since he was a physician and basically Uther's right hand man anyway, they figured it worked out all right.
Hunith cried when they spoke their vows.
Merlin already knew what his ring looked like, having spent the entire week after Arthur proposed doing nothing but staring at it with a small smile on his face, but Arthur had no idea what his ring was going to look like. It ended up being a thick silver band with two thin gold bands on either side, with ancient runes weaving around it like vines.
"It means, my own heart's root," Merlin explained. He glanced up at Arthur's face and then down again, blushing. "It means—it means you are the source of all my love, and all my love runs back to you."
Normally Arthur would have teased Merlin for getting sappy and girlish, but today was a day for such things. And, secretly, he loved it.
When they kissed, Gwen and a few village boys whistled. Arthur did not, however, dip Merlin, which meant Lancelot owed Gaius a gold mark.
After the vows there was feasting and dancing, with Arthur trying and failing to teach Merlin how to dance in the proper manner of the court, and Hunith putting all of them to shame with her skill at the jig.
They laughed and talked and danced and sang until the fires died and people were slumped in their seats, snoring. And the two grooms might have snuck off at some point to make love in the meadow behind Hunith's house, kissing sloppily because they were grinning so wide and fumbling like virgins and saying the word husband an absurd amount of times because they wanted to use it while they still could.
At first light they set off again. Hunith kissed everyone's cheek and made them promise to visit more than once every two years. Gwen and Lancelot made out until Arthur and Merlin literally pulled them apart and shoved Gwen onto her horse, and Gaius arched his eyebrow so much Merlin thought he was going to develop a twitch.
They arrived at Camelot the next day and slipped off to their respective rooms with no one the wiser.
But over the next few weeks Merlin and Arthur would link hands when no one else was around, seeing and feeling the rings click together. They'd glance at each other and end up smiling like idiots and have to look away, the tips of Merlin's ears turning pink. And if anyone wondered what the Crown Prince and his manservant found to smile about during such distressing times, well, they were smart enough to keep their thoughts to themselves.
But Arthur knew. And Merlin knew.
And for them, at that time, it was enough.