The next day came and Arthur woke with a fright, from what he didn't know. But as he lay there, awake now, much to his dislike, as he didn't like to be awake. He could only lay there now, and think, about how Merlin had not returned the night before, and alright...maybe the woman who ran the kissing booth kept him there, because he was such a great kisser or something, and Arthur really couldn't imagine that, but even so, surely he could have returned to serve Arthur at the feast? He did not...perhaps he was just so angry at Arthur he couldn't. But as Arthur worried on these thoughts, the door suddenly burst open, and there came Merlin, he wore a red tunic today, instead of a blue one, and looked perfectly fine, as he walked in. he had yet to notice Arthur was awake and Arthur took these seconds to look him over, he didn't know exactly what he was looking for, any sign of his previous days events. His lips looked fine, not chapped or anything, and he smiled, so...needless to say, Arthur was confused.

"Oh...you're awake," said Merlin. Arthur didn't know what to say at first, so he just sat up, still tired, but at this point he was committed. Merlin handed him a plate of breakfast and Arthur still stare at him.

"Great observation, Merlin," he retorted, late, for lack of anything else to say. Merlin didn't reply to this, just started tidying things up around the room. As Arthur, the night before, pretty much just threw all of his clothes he wore to the feast onto the floor, before throwing himself into the bed. Arthur didn't much care about his room being clean at the moment, he stare at Merlin still. "Well...?" he asked, before he had actually meant to. Merlin stopped and looked back at him. "How did it go?"

Merlin didn't say anything, just returned Arthur's gaze, for a long while. And Arthur didn't know what that meant, didn't know how to take that. He was almost waiting for Merlin to start shouting at him, but then, instead, he grinned. "It was alright..." he shrugged. "It was kind of fun, actually..."

"Kissing a lot of people was fun...Merlin?"

"No...and yes, the kissing part wasn't so bad," Merlin explained, and Arthur titled his head, in confusion, as he listen. "I mean, there was a lot of that, but the lady who runs it was nice and she says I have good kissing lips, and the people who came up for the kisses were nice, most of them were young girls, probably too young for kissing, but... and there were some men, too."

"What kind of men?" asked Arthur, remembering Morgana's words from yesterday. Merlin shrugged again.

"You know...Lords," he made a face that said he was a bit amused by this fact and then bit his lip, in a smile. "One of them said that if I ever get tired of you that he'd gladly take me...and break your knees for me."

"Pardon me..?" retorted Arthur. "Why are you breaking me knees?"

"I don't know..." Merlin shrugged. "I declined though, I said I was quite happy where I'm at, at the moment."

"As you should be," said Arthur, and he finally started to eat his breakfast. Merlin didn't say anything else about the kissing booth either, so neither would Arthur. He finished his breakfast in minutes, after starting, and sat on his bed a bit longer. Waiting for Merlin to finish cleaning his floor before he stood up and headed to change clothes. "What are you doing today?" asked Arthur, after Merlin handed him a tunic to put on. He did so. Merlin look at him.

"My Chores?" he offered, and Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Come now, Merlin," said Arthur. "When do you ever do your chores?"

"I always do..."

"I was going to go enjoy the festival today, I thought you might like to join me," said Arthur, in a sarcastic sort of way, and he quite enjoyed watching Merlin's mouth fall open and then close again, as if he wanted to say something, but didn't. "But if you are too busy with your chores, I suppose I will just have to ask someone else..."

"You're right, I am much too busy," said Merlin, almost at once, and the smirk that played on Arthur's lips fell, suddenly. "You can ask Gwen, she might like to go..."

"Shut up, Merlin, you're going," said Arthur and Merlin grinned and shrugged a shoulder. "Honestly," said Arthur now, as he shoved Merlin toward his door. "You call me a prat, but what are you? You might be the biggest prat I've ever seen."

"I will only accept second Biggest Prat," said Merlin. "You would be the biggest, after all."

They didn't say much, upon reaching the town, the festival was more busy today than it had been the day before. There were many people all about, buying and selling and every so often shouting in celebration or kissing, as the two passed by. There were many tables of foods, ranging from meats to pastries, even some fruits. Apples, which were out of season now, in Camelot, so Arthur was a bit drawn to them. And yes, Arthur had just eaten breakfast, but he always had more room for food. He was a knight after all, he had to keep himself in shape. He bought two apples and paid the man who looked at him, with fear, as he was the Prince, before they continued on their path through town.

Arthur started to eat his first apple, and yes, both were for him, as they reached a table with many different flower crowns, Arthur paused at this and looked at them. most of them were made out of roses, but there was one yellow one and he picked it up, and plopped it on top of Merlin's head. It was made out of dandelions, so not a flower at all, but a weed, and somehow that seemed to fit Merlin poetically well.

Merlin made a face and went to take it off, but Arthur reached over and smacked his hands away. "It suits you," he said, and then paid the woman who glare at them, Merlin played with the thing, as they walked away. "Stop, you'll ruin it."

"These are for girls, you know?" retorted Merlin, and Arthur smirked at him.

"Are you not one...?"

"Arthur..." said Merlin, and rolled his eyes.

"Don't pretend you don't like it," said Arthur now and Merlin's eyes darkened a little, in his direction and then he sighed.

"I guess it's kind of nice..." he said, offhanded and Arthur smirked on. Of course he liked it. "You've never given me a gift before, either, so I suppose I'll have to keep it."

"It wasn't a gift," said Arthur, but he continued to smirk at Merlin, who smirked back now, very knowingly. "I could take it back, you know..."

"But I love it...why would you be so mean?"

"I am horrible, according to you and Morgana...oh, and your mate Will. Can't forget him."

Merlin frowned suddenly, and followed after Arthur, who started to walk off. "You could be nicer, sometimes...is all." Arthur didn't look at him now, as they continued walking on, passed many more tables. Merlin a little slower, all of a sudden. "Is that why you asked me to come to the festival with you, because you think everyone thinks you're horrible, and you want to prove them wrong?"

"No..." said Arthur, and he knew that didn't sound convincing, but that really hadn't been it at all. Truthfully, he had no idea why he asked Merlin to come with him. "I was bored...I don't feel like always doing things alone, not everything I do is spiteful and vindictive."

"I never thought anything you did was spiteful or vindictive," said Merlin now. "Well...maybe the kissing booth thing, but you're an ass, so I look passed those things."

"Wow...thank you, Merlin," Arthur retorted, and then sighed and stopped and looked at Merlin, seriously. "I don't want to argue with you, I was talking to Morgana yesterday and she seems to think I don't deserve you."

Merlin, who had otherwise looked concerned at Arthur, now suddenly, smiled so big at Arthur his face must hurt from the sudden change. "Arthur...don't listen to her, she doesn't know you like I do."

"I grew up with her, if anyone is to know me..." he trailed off, and then his face scrunched up, in confusion. "And it's not like it even matters, Merlin, we're not...you know."

Merlin continued to smile. "No, I suppose it doesn't matter, but she sees what she wants to see, Arthur, I see you for you...if that makes sense."

"I'm not sure it does," commented Arthur and Merlin bit his lip and shrugged. "Let't not talk about this anymore, alright? I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"Yes..we should just enjoy the festival..." said Merlin, and just as he did this, a rather old woman stepped out, from between two buildings and stood in front of them. Merlin nearly ran into her when he started walking and she jumped back, hands going up and eyes going wild.

"Watch where you're going, Son!" she shot at him, and then stopped and stare up at him, her one good eye went wide, the other one lazed in her skull. She look behind him, where Arthur still stood and her eye narrowed at him. "You two will do just fine...follow me."

Merlin did not follow, and nether did Arthur for that matter, they stare at each other, in confusion. "What was that?" asked Arthur, and Merlin shook his head.

"COME ON, QUICKLY, THERE IS MUCH TO DO!" screamed the old, very old...like should she really be allowed to walk around on her own, old lady. Merlin looked serious all of a sudden and then followed her, and Arthur, who did not want to follow her at all, followed after Merlin. They followed her between the two buildings, and to Arthur this seemed highly suspect. Being a knight, Arthur was trained to know when things seemed off and this...seemed very off.

They followed her all the way to the very back of the buildings, where there was a small white fountain and red and pink rose petals all over the ground, not to mention red and pink flags strung between the buildings. Once she got there, she turned around and looked at them, she smiled now, which looked off...with how few teeth she had. She clapped her hands together and ran over to a bag, that must belong to her, and she pulled out a pink ribbon.

"We are here today...to celebrate this age old tradition," she said, her voice sounded winded, like something was sitting on her chest, and her voice cracked three or four times, as she spoke. "Do you both agree to stand before me today and be bestowed this honor?"

Merlin looked over to Arthur and made a face, somewhere between heavily alarmed and kind of amused. He was all but saying; 'Look at her, she's old and probably going to die soon, let's just humor her.' And so Arthur would humor her. "Sure," said Arthur, and the woman glared at him, with that one eye again, the lazy one rolled, making Arthur feel a little sick in his stomach, at the sight of it. "I do...yes."

She turn to Merlin now, her expression softened, but still stayed very hard. Merlin nodded. "I do...too."

She smiled again, throwing her hands up into the air. "Wonderful...I have not misjudged you," she said, and then looked up to the sky, and the wind blew, suddenly, the ghost of a chill in the air. Arthur moved a bit closer into the circle, closer to Merlin. "Do you have a gift of importance to offer?" she asked now, and they did not. Merlin bit his lip, and Arthur watched as he plucked a dandelion out of his crown. And Arthur still had one uneaten apple. They both, at the same time, offered them to the woman and her face scrunched up, almost in anger. "Not to me, each other!"

Arthur handed the apple to Merlin, and Merlin handed him the dandelion, he took the weed and Merlin took the fruit. The woman watched on, and nodded her head. Arthur wondered what this whole thing even was, how many poor suckers did she trick back here? What was the point of this, exactly? To give thanks to the festival? To be suckered into sparing goods to the old, very strange looking, lady? Arthur almost asked this, too, but then she came very close to them, and stare up at them intently. Honestly, it was sort of jarring, even though she didn't go passed either of their elbows in height, there was just something about her...

"And now...take hands," she said, in a demanding voice, that croaked, almost like a frog. Arthur looked over to Merlin and glare, Merlin only grinned back, as this was his idea after all, and offered Arthur the hand closest to him, which was his right. Arthur took his with his left, and did not look at him any longer, he faced the fountain now. The woman lurched forward though, and that caught his eye instead. She took the pink ribbon she had been holding and tied it around their hands. Right around the center of them, so that their palms sort of smashed together a bit, with how tightly she tied it. Arthur suddenly wanted to flee, but did not. She took their tied hands in hers, tightly, and closed her eyes.

"Er mwyn helpu'r idiotiaid i ddarganfod eu bod mewn cariad, byddaf yn eu melltithio..." she spoke softly, and then waited a beat, and opened her eyes. Arthur, at this point, was very uncomfortable. But Merlin looked much the same, so he didn't feel as bad. The woman seemed to guess so, and her eye stayed a moment longer on Arthur. "It was a prayer," she said, simply, her voice less frog like, for the moment. "To bless the occasion."

"Well...this has been great, really...I've had lots of fun," said Merlin now. Arthur, who was not having lots of fun, looked over at him, confused, noting, very quickly, however, that their hands were still tied together. "But we really ought to be going now. We have a feast we have to get to, so if you could..." he lifted their joined hands and the woman smiled at them.

"That is for you to remove, as you see fit."

Arthur nodded and wanted to leave, even though the feast was not for several hours and Merlin was clearly lying. Arthur wouldn't comment on it now. "Thank you," he spoke to the woman, as he pulled Merlin along, which he really had no choice otherwise, as they were tied together. She smiled, gummily, as they started to turn around. "Good luck!" she called after them, as they went.

"Tell me..."said Arthur, once they were out of her ear shot. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know...some ritual, of some kind, it has to be," said Merlin. As Arthur now, reached between them and undid the knot of the ribbon. Merlin took his hand back at once and they continued walking, now, into the business of the town, once more. "The thing she said...idiotiaid, what does that mean?"

"I don't know...did you see her eye?" said Arthur, and Merlin looked over at him with a smirk. "It just...rolled."

"Don't make fun of her, Prat, you will not be so handsome looking when you're old, you know," said Merlin. Arthur grinned at him. "We should go ask Gaius what this was," Merlin continued on talking. "It was probably something to do with fertility, but as neither of us are having babies any time soon...it probably won't make a difference."

"Well, you are a rather big girl, Merlin, maybe she made you...with child," said Arthur, and the with child he added, with a rather dark tone and a wiggle of his eyebrows Merlin glare over at him. Arthur grinned, once again, and looked down, noting the apple still in Merlin's hand. "Can I have that back now?"

"You gave it to me though," said Merlin, who still looked a bit offended from before, only looked more offended now. "What if I need it for the baby I am now carrying for you?"

"Who the hell said it would be mine?" retorted Arthur, as he made a grab for the apple, and Merlin yanked it away at the last second. "I would never have a child with you, Merlin...it would be an idiot."

"Or I with you, as it would grow up to be an ass..."

"Thank you," said Arthur, and then stopped and stepped in front of Merlin. "Apple!"

Merlin rolled his eyes and handed the apple to Arthur, who happily took a bite of it, right in Merlin's face. "That was my gift...from you, at our baby making ritual, so what do I get in return?"

Arthur thought about this for a second, and ignored the words 'baby making ritual,' and then looked down at the pink ribbon he still held in his hand. He offered it to Merlin, who took it, with a frown. "From me to you," Arthur retorted. Merlin rolled his eyes and Arthur laughed, as they continued to head back to the castle, and without Arthur really noticing, they walked all the way to Gaius' chambers. When they entered the Physician was talking to a boy, no more than ten, who had a rather large, red mark on his neck.

"Go home...tell your Mother what you have done, Johnathan!" Gaius was saying, very sternly. "And I hope that will teach you not to mess with love potions again!"

Johnathan, who looked utterly dumbfounded and struck that Arthur, the Prince of Camelot, had just walked in, now looked completely gutted and embarrassed, as he was being scolded for clearly doing something illegal. He got up at once, and made a break for it. Arthur watched him go, amused

"Ah, Sire," said Gaius now, his stern voice gone, once the boy was. "What brings you here? Been smitten with a love potion, too?"

"No," said Arthur, and he looked over at Merlin. "I was returning this..." he pointed toward Merlin, who looked confused for a second and then frowned at him. Arthur laughed, and leaned against the counter.

"Gaius," said Merlin now. "We met a lady at the festival..."

"I've heard that more than my fair share of times today, Merlin," said Gaius. "Don't tell me...you've both fallen in love with her?"

"No, God no...you should have seen the sight of her," said Arthur, quickly. "She hadn't any teeth and she was ol-" But then Arthur stopped, noting Gaius' wrinkled face, and Gaius raised an eyebrow at him, he changed the subject quick. "She did something to us though...some sort of ritual, Merlin thinks."

"There are many different kinds of rituals of love during the festival," explained Gaius. "Why should this bother you?"

"She tied this around our hands," said Merlin, and offered the pink ribbon to Gaius. Though Gaius didn't seem considered before, his face suddenly became hard and he took the ribbon from Merlin with haste and looked it over. "She said something...she said it was prayer, but I'm not sure what it was, exactly."

"Did you two exchange any gifts of any kind between each other?" Gaius asked, ignoring Merlin's last comment. Merlin nodded. Gaius sighed. "What hands did you use to offer to her?"

"My left," said Arthur quickly, but he had no idea why that mattered. Gaius' eyes widened a little.

"My right..." said Merlin now, and looked worried. "Why does that matter?"

Gaius said nothing, and walked over to his work bench, and pulled open a book at once, and started looking through it. He didn't say anything for several moments.

"Gaius..." said Merlin, as he watched him. Gaius looked up, almost tired, as if they were making him so. He shook his head.

"Well, I hope you two know...that you have just gotten married."

(A/N: I like to call this chapter; 'Two idiots in love (who don't realize they're two idiots in love) getting married on accident.' Alsooo, if you would like a little spoiler for the future, please do google translate the 'prayer' the woman said, it's in welsh...hint hint. On a side note, I really wish something like this would have happened in the show, just them accidentally getting married or something. Something where they just like make fun of the fandom and shipping and stuff (Not in a bad way, just for fun,) Supernatural did it and it was SO GOOD! I would have just liked to see a fun episode like that, we needed that. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, because honestly, I love it!)