Camelot
September, 509 AD
The time-machine's blinding white light faded and I blinked rapidly to adjust my abused pupils to reality.
"They're here!"
My body was tackled into a hug and I swallowed a protest from my ribs.
A familiar earthy scent hit me.
"Merls!" I exclaimed and returned the hug just as tightly, leaning my head against his chest as I closed my eyes and let my senses take him in.
"You did it, Astra," he said. "You changed fate."
"Of course I did. I'm the freaking Knight-Queen of Camelot," I responded, feeling a smirk forming on my lips.
He scoffed and breathed out a chuckle. He released me from the hug and held me at arm's length while scanning my face with his gaze. I offered a little grin. He returned it and pulled me in for another hug while kissing the top of my head.
Moments later, I was ripped away from my brother and taken into another pair of arms. "You've had your turn, magic man," I heard Gwaine's voice.
I giggled and returned the hug. "Hi, Gwainester."
"You're a sight for sore eyes, kid," he stated.
"Of course I am. I'm the freaking Knight-Queen of Camelot."
"Ah, so we're embracing the title now?"
"Yep!"
"You should take her to Texas more often," Gwaine claimed. I looked up and found that he was addressing Arthur.
Arthur smiled a pretty smile that made me smile, too. "Well, let us just say that we set some things straight," he replied and shot me a wink. My cheeks warmed up.
"Gwaine – stop hoarding her," a female voice said.
"Gwennie!" I pushed off my best friend and ran to hug my sister.
"It is so good to have you back, Astra," she stated as she returned the embrace.
"Don't lie to me – I know y'all have been havin' fun playing kings and queen," I responded playfully.
"No, it has been awful," Gwaine stated, making me laugh.
I pushed away from Gwen and started shuffling back to Arthur, but something caught my eye in the distance. Grazing on the field some thirty metres away stood the horses. Dallas!
I took off sprinting towards him, ignoring how my ribs and Arthur protested the action in unison. Dallas lifted his head and his ears perked. He let out a nicker as he took off trotting and I jumped to wrap my arms around his neck once we reached each other.
"Hey, Dal," I breathed out as happy tears pooled in my eyes and I buried my face in his shoulder. "Don't tell 'em, but you're the one I've missed the most."
He puffed and I felt a gentle nudge on my lower back. I sighed and released him from the one-sided hug, moving towards his head. He dropped it into my arms and let me hug it to my chest as I rested my forehead against his, breathing in his horsey scent.
"We did it, Dal. We saved the world," I told him. I chuckled to myself and pressed a kiss to his forelock. "We really are like the Avengers now."
I heard some shuffling behind me and turned to find my human companions approaching. I gave them a little grin and pressed another kiss to Dallas's head before giving him some space. He went back to grazing.
Arthur grabbed my arm as soon as he reached me and he anchored me to his side. "Ready to go home, my darling?"
"Heck yeah," I responded with a grin, and I was about to move to tighten the girth on my horse – except that Gwen's voice stopped me.
"There is something that you two should know before we go, though."
I shared a puzzled look with my King and then I raised an eyebrow at Gwen.
She exchanged wary looks with Merlin and Gwaine.
My heart began to race.
My brother stepped forwards and he regarded me with a cautious look. Then he sighed and he looked back at Gwaine. The knight stepped up beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder, and he held a gentle look in his eyes as he stated, "Not everyone made it back."
"Oh... w-we know," I responded. "I mean, we were at the battle."
Arthur tightened his grip on me. "Who did we lose?" he asked.
My three greatest friends exchanged another round of hesitant looks and my lungs began to get heavy.
"Guys, c'mon," I pressed.
"M-mordred," Merlin said.
I felt the colour draining out of my face as an icy sensation spread through my veins and my breath hitched. "W-what?"
"H-he gave his life killing Morgana," Gwaine said in a strained voice.
Arthur turned me around against his chest just as a sob escaped my lips and he held me safely. He rested his chin on my head. His breathing was heavy.
"I'm so sorry," Gwaine continued. "Percival and I tried to get him to Gaius, but we didn't make it on time."
"He was a brave knight," Arthur stated, his voice somewhat unsteady. "And a good man. He will be honoured and remembered as a hero for as long as Camelot remains standing."
"H-he was so young," I whispered in between whimpers, feeling my heart being squeezed and twisted by a deathly clawed hand.
"I know, my love," my King said gently and he kissed the top of my head.
I took a deep breath in an attempt to collect myself and turned my head to look at my brother. "W-what about K? I-is he still..."
Merlin averted his gaze and shook his head. "Gaius and I tried to preserve his life for as long as possible, but..."
Another sob shook my body and I turned back to hide against Arthur's chest as I tightened my grip on him.
"He wanted you to know that he was very proud of everything you did," Gwaine said softly.
"A-are Finn and Ai...?"
"They are both all right," Merlin assured me.
I breathed out a sigh and tried to wipe some tears from my cheeks, even though they just kept coming. "Good."
When we got to the castle, Merlin and I snuck away for a second so that he could heal my ribs with his magic. Honestly, I don't get how there aren't a bunch of famous sorcerers in the twenty-first century. They could make trillions by healing people. I wonder if they were eventually fully wiped out along history...
That's a sad thought.
"You know that I could've done this before you left, right?" Merlin whispered as we started to return to the courtyard – where a huge party of knights, servants, courtiers, and some other friends were gathered to welcome Arthur and I, or whatever.
"Huh," I said as I halted for a moment, frowning. "I didn't even think about that."
He gave me a disapproving look.
"Dude – Arthur was dying!"
"Right," Merlin sighed. Then he chuckled. "I still can't believe that you took him to the future."
"I'll show you all the pics later," I assured him with a wink.
He chuckled again while throwing an arm around my shoulders. Then he frowned and dropped his head, which made me tilt mine. "W-was he too angry?" he inquired in a low tone.
I gave his side a gentle nudge that I hoped felt reassuring. "Not as much as I thought he'd be," I replied. "He was mostly in shock, I guess."
"D-did he say anything about me?"
"We talked a lot... I told him some of the things that we've done in the shadows... I did my best not to overstep any boundaries with your stuff... I don't think he's too mad at you."
Merlin kissed the top of my head. "Thank you, Astra."
"Anything for you, dear brother."
"No one else knows anything yet," he added. "We thought it best to leave that to you and Arthur, if you decide to tell them."
"Oh, good..."
Nothing else was said, for we reached the party in the courtyard, and I was soon pulled into a hug by Percival.
"Little Menace!"
"Hi, Perci!" I greeted while returning the embrace.
"Life has been dull without you around!" he claimed.
"I can imagine," I replied and gave him a playful wink as I pulled away.
The hug fest continued as I greeted Leon, and George, and Daegal...
"Pops!" I chirped and rushed towards Gaius when I spotted him talking to Arthur.
"Oh, my dear girl!" he exclaimed and promptly pulled me into yet another hug. "How was Texas?"
"Hotter than hell."
Gaius chuckled.
"How were things here?" I asked.
"Well, it was not easy, but it was not anything we could not handle," he replied as he released me. "Merlin and Gwen, especially, did a great job keeping things functioning."
"Thanks, Pops. You're all lifesavers," I told him and gave his arm a gentle squeeze before stepping towards Arthur, who promptly wrapped an arm around me.
Once the excitement around Arthur and I's return started to quiet down, he declared that it was time to have a very serious talk just between him, my brother, and I. I tried to get Gaius, Gwen and Gwaine into the mix, seeing as they can vouch for Merlin if things start to get shaky. But my King said 'no' and I didn't want to upset him by pressing. I'm not really sure of what is swirling around in his mind regarding my brother's huge secret, and I don't want to make things difficult.
The three of us locked ourselves in the council room and we sat on separate chairs.
Actually, that's a lie – I sat on Arthur's lap 'cause the chairs are uncomfortable. And also as a preventative mechanism. He'll have a harder time stabbing Merlin if he has to get me off him first. I mean, I doubt he wants to stab him, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
The room was silent, and the tension was so thick that you'd need a gargantuan rock-cutter to sever it.
Arthur's gaze was aimed downwards as he rested his chin on my shoulder, his brow furrowed in a pensive manner.
Merlin was completely frozen, like a rabbit awaiting an inevitable death at the teeth of a wolf, and his eyes were wide as they stared at me.
I let out a long sigh, deciding that I should probably say something. However, my brother beat me to the punch.
"Arthur – I never meant to deceive you. Everything that I did was for you... And for Astra, because she can't go a week without an injury."
To my huge surprise, Arthur snorted at his words, his lips curving upwards slightly. "Do not I know it?" he mumbled.
Merlin gave a momentary half-smile before tensing up again and casting me a wary look.
"It is all right, Merlin. I am not going to hurt you," Arthur said, now looking at my brother with a soft grin. "Astra explained a lot of things, and I think I understand... I know that you have never done any harm. I just... I want to know more."
Merlin let out a long exhale and he began to explain things. How he was born with magic, and how he grew up feeling like an alien, and how he then met Kilgharrah and learned of his big destiny. And how that's what prompted him to do all the things he has ever done for Arthur.
"Who is Kilgharrah?" Arthur inquired once Merlin trailed off.
My eyes widened and my brother and I shared a panicked look.
"T-the big dragon I told you about, remember?" I responded a bit shakily.
"Right... How did you meet him?"
"J-just... Y-you know..." Merlin stuttered.
"The way one usually meets dragons..." I completed.
"Astra, Merlin – no more secrets," Arthur said sternly.
Merlin and I shared another wide-eyed look. Then I raised an eyebrow and my fist. He instantly engaged me in rock-paper-scissors. Which, sadly, he won after two ties.
I sighed and turned sideways on Arthur's lap so that I could sort of look at his face as I began the tale, "Well, Kilgharrah was the dragon that Uth– Wait." I turned to face Merlin again. "Do you want me to tell him the whole story, or d'ya wanna tell 'em the part about your dad?"
"I-I guess I can tell him about that," Merlin responded.
"Okay." I turned back to Arthur. "So... remember that Uther kept a dragon locked underneath the castle...?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Yes..."
"Well, that was K..."
"What?!"
Merlin and I shared a sheepish look and I breathed out a "Yeah."
"But I fought it! I killed it!" Arthur exclaimed.
Another meek look passed between my brother and I.
"Yeah... about that..." I sighed. "No, you didn't."
"Then what–?"
"Merls was the one to stop him," I revealed.
"With magic?"
"No..."
"I am a dragonlord," Merlin finally stepped in.
"But Balinor was supposed to be the last dragonlord," Arthur argued.
"Yeah," Merlin said softly as he averted his gaze. "I am his son."
"What?!"
"When he died, his gifts were passed onto me... That's how I was able to defeat Kilgharrah and talk sense into him... And it's how I hatched Aithusa and Phoenix. "
Arthur let out a long and heavy exhale, and he leaned backwards in his seat. I grabbed one of his hands, which had been laced together resting on my stomach, and I pressed a kiss to the back of it in an attempt to ease him up.
"And you just let him live after what he did?" Arthur questioned my brother.
"I chose to show him mercy under the promise that he would never hurt anyone ever again, and he never did," Merlin countered.
"He saved us a bunch of times," I added in a low tone, feeling a pang in my chest from the fact that Kilgharrah is now gone.
"How?" Arthur asked.
Merlin and I exchanged a nod, and we went on to explain the many times that Kilgharrah pulled us from the claws of death, and how he helped us to deal with Morgana's men when they stormed Ealdor after she stole the throne, and how he told us how to save Gwen when she was possessed, and how he created Excalibur...
The conversation then shifted its focus back onto Merlin, and he (with a little help from yours truly) recounted most of the tales that I held back on. The ones that are his to tell. Such as how he was the one to create a strong gust of wind that turned the tables on the battle for Ealdor against Kanen, and how he fought and killed Nimueh to save Arthur's life, and how he defeated a resurrected sorcerer called Cornelius Sigan...
"I... I was also the one who tried to save your father," Merlin revealed.
Arthur raised an eyebrow and scanned him for a moment. Then he scoffed. "That is ridiculous, Merlin. That man was eighty years old."
"I learned an ageing spell," Merlin explained.
"Like the one Morgana used when she kidnapped King Rodor, remember?" I threw in.
"S-so he... You... You really did try to save him," Arthur realised.
Merlin nodded.
"That is why you tried to defend him," my King added as he looked at me.
I nodded, too.
Arthur sighed and he fell pensive. We allowed him whatever time he needed to process this new information while I rubbed gentle circles on the back of his hand.
Then he spoke again: "Wait – so what really happened when you were framed for sorcery, Astra?"
"That was Morgana," I said.
"But we could not tell that to Uther without losing our heads," Merlin continued.
"So Merls and Pops conjured up Dragoon the Great," I finished and I couldn't help but giggle at the name.
"I put him in jail," Arthur pointed out. "He attacked you."
"I helped him escape and I pretended like he attacked me to get the guards to check on me and allow him to get away," I explained.
"Of course you did," Arthur muttered under his breath.
I kissed his cheek and then I shared an awkward smile with Merlin.
Then a funny thought crossed my mind and my awkward smile turned into a mischievous smirk.
"He also dressed up as an old lady once," I said.
"Oh, Astra, no!" Merlin whined.
"What do you mean?" Arthur asked.
I giggled. "Remember when we went to the Cauldron of Arianrhod?"
Arthur's jaw dropped and his eyes snapped towards Merlin. "You were the Dolma?!"
"I hate you, Astra," Merlin grumbled.
"I love you, too," I replied.
Arthur stared at my brother for a few moments, his mouth agape and his expression stoic. Then his lips curved slightly upwards. Then he let out a breathy chuckle. Then he started laughing and my heart warmed with butterflies at the heavenly sound.
"Thank you, Astra. Now I'm never going to hear the end of it," my brother said.
"You were never gonna, anyway," I responded and shot him a wink.
Once the laughter died down, Merlin and I told some more stories. Arthur's earlier stoic and concerned demeanour grew into amusement, especially when we told him about what happened behind the scenes with Catrina the Troll, and about that time when Morgana Winter Soldier'ed Merlin and I thought we were playing pranks... And I could feel a bond being rebuilt between my two boys. But a different kind of bond. Not that of a King and his friendly servant/best friend; but one more similar to the one that Arthur shares with the knights. After all this time, Merlin is finally being seen as the superhero I've always known him to be.
"What's going to happen now?" Merlin asked in a low, heavy tone when the room fell silent for a minute or so.
"I am not sure," Arthur answered and he let out a sigh that fanned against my neck and sent a shiver down my spine. "Astra and I need to talk and decide what is best for Camelot."
I shot my brother a wink that I hoped seemed reassuring. Obviously, I'm not going to accept anything less than him being pardoned for the crime of sorcery, and I'm going to fight tooth and nail to find a way to finally get Arthur to allow some forms of magic back into Camelot.
"All right," Merlin said and he slowly rose from his seat, a wary look taking over his features once more. "I will leave you to talk, then."
"Do not look so spooked, Merlin," Arthur said in a teasing tone. "I am not going to execute you."
Merlin grinned and teased him right back, "Oh, believe me, I know that you wouldn't."
"What makes you so sure?"
"I have insurance in Astra," my brother responded with a wink. Then he left the room without another word.
"True story," I said.
Arthur scoffed and shook his head. I could see a smile growing on his lips and I gave him a little kiss, which made him smile entirely.
"The pair of you are insufferable," he stated.
"I know."
"I have a feeling it will only get worse."
"Probably. Especially if you throw Gwainester into the mix."
He chuckled and rested his forehead against mine. "What am I going to do with you?" he whispered.
"What do you wanna do with me?" I inquired.
"I have a few ideas," he said before pressing his lips to mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and gladly melted against his body as my nervous system lit up brighter than that awful nightclub. He deepened the kiss in a forceful manner and squeezed me to his chest. He started to play with the waistband of my leggings. I rapidly snatched his wrist to stop him when he gave a little tug.
"Arthur – we're in the council chambers!" I scolded him in a yelled-whisper as my heart started to race.
"Fine," he grumbled and he stood up while carrying me bridal-style. "Let us go to our room, then!"
After one too many 'rounds', I finally persuaded Arthur into sitting down at his desk like a responsible King and having that talk about Merlin and magic.
"Well, you know where I stand," I began with a sigh as I curled up on my chair with my Avengers blanket wrapped around me. "So what are your thoughts?"
"I know that Merlin would never hurt us," he replied, speaking slowly. "And I know that there are probably many like him who would also use magic only for good... But I am afraid of what those with bad intentions might do."
"Think about it this way – magic's just an... enhancement to life," I offered as I grabbed his hand. "People can do crimes with or without it. So, rather than banning magic itself, we just apply the same rules to it that we do with everything else, y'know?"
Arthur nodded pensively.
"So, if someone uses magic to steal, or to kill, or to gain unfair advantages, or to hurt someone, they get the same punishment that someone without it might," I continued. "Perhaps with some other precautions depending on the gravity of the crime... Maybe Merls could figure out a way to disable people's magic if they get too dangerous."
"Can Merlin just do... anything?" my King inquired.
I shrugged. "I'm honestly not sure of just how powerful he is. I just know that he's like... right up there with the Greek gods, kinda."
"And if someone else like Morgana comes along?" he questioned.
"We'd be able to deal with 'em much more easily now that Merls doesn't have to hide," I pointed out. "And with her... I mean... we had a ton of opportunities to kill 'er, but we just... couldn't..."
Arthur intertwined our fingers and kissed the back of my hand, and then he gave me a soft look while claiming, "You have the purest heart I have ever known."
I snorted and averted my gaze. "Sure. Whatever you say."
"I am serious, Astra," he pressed.
I shrunk into myself and felt my cheeks warming up. "I do my best."
He smiled and kissed my hand again. "All right then, my darling. Let us legalise magic."
Those last four words coming from his mouth felt like a breath of fresh air. The culmination of everything Merlin and I have been fighting for. And I felt an inexplicable sense of peace flooding my veins. I felt a big smile form on my face and I laughed in disbelief. I sprang out of my seat and leaped to hug him. He wrapped me in his arms and pulled me onto his lap again.
"Thank you, Artie," I whispered as I nuzzled into the crook of his neck. "I promise Merls and I will make sure you don't regret it."
"I would have agreed to it sooner if I had known it would make you smile like that," he stated.
I giggled and kissed the side of his neck. "No, you wouldn't have, but it's all right. You weren't ready."
He sighed, then he started to pepper kisses on the side of my head. I played with the tips of his hair at the base of his neck, basking in the blissful feeling that is being in his arms. I replayed the conversation in my head and my veins started to buzz with electricity. He slowly slipped his hand under my hoodie, gently tracing my spine with the tips of his warm fingers, and the electricity caught fire.
"You know... We should celebrate..." he stated.
I leaped to my feet and exclaimed, "Oh, yeah! I gotta go get Merls!" as I rushed towards the door.
I bounced on my heels with bubbling excitement as Arthur and I waited for all the courtiers and knights to settle down in the throne room. Standing to the side near us was Geoffrey of Monmouth, who held a scroll in his hands. A document which, when signed in a few minutes, will officially make magic legal again under some guidelines that will hopefully ensure that things don't get out of control.
The document took about two weeks to draft and another one to revise, with lots of help from Merlin, Gaius, and a druid leader named Iseldir whom we managed to find and invite to join us to make sure that the new laws are fair and just to his community. It's open to modifications, anyway.
Finally, the room quieted down. Arthur gave my hand a gentle squeeze and we shared a small smile. Then he started to address the people –
"Noble Knights of Camelot, countrymen, and friends. We have gathered you here today to announce a significant change that your Knight-Queen Astraea and I have decided to enact within the borders of Camelot. A change that, we believe, will create a more just and peaceful land. It was not an easy decision, and we have taken every precaution to ensure that the transition will be smooth and safe. I ask that you will respect this decision, and embrace it as the step towards a better future that Astra and I believe it to be."
Whispered murmurs could be heard throughout the room and I tightened my grip on Arthur's hand. As exciting as this whole thing is, it's also nerve-wracking. I really don't know what sort of reactions to expect from the courtiers.
Arthur gently ran his thumb over my knuckles and I sighed to relieve some tension. Then he gestured for Geoffrey to step forwards, and the man did so with a respectful bow of his head as he handed the scroll to my King.
Arthur raised the scroll in the air for people to see it, then he let it unfold. "This is 'The Mordred Act'," he presented. "Once your Queen and I sign it, magic will no longer be illegal in Camelot."
I could instantly feel the air grow heavy with emotions as I gazed around to look at the reactions. There was a mix of wonder, of fear, and of relief on the people's faces. I gazed up at Arthur to find that he appeared confident and steady. He gave me a little grin when our eyes connected and he kissed my forehead.
"If used for crime, magic will be judged under the same laws as any other crime, and punishment will be dealt out according to gravity," Arthur continued. "There will be a person in charge of overseeing the use of magic and ensuring it does not get out of hand. This person will be named 'Court Sorcerer', and he will be an equal to knights and noblemen."
A big smile grew on my face as Merlin stepped out of the shadows and he climbed onto the throne platform to stand beside me. I couldn't help the heightened emotions that took me over and I instantly jumped to hug him tightly. He chuckled under his breath and returned the embrace.
I didn't miss the gasps of disbelief (and some of horror, I think) coming from the people, but I didn't acknowledge them.
"People of Camelot, I reintroduce you to Merlin. One of the most loyal friends that this kingdom has ever known," Arthur stated. He and Merlin exchanged a smile and a handshake, and my heart melted into white chocolate syrup. "He is your new Court Sorcerer, and I expect everyone to pay him the respect he deserves."
A loud whistle startled me.
"Yeah, Merlin!" Gwaine exclaimed as he started clapping like an excited clown.
I bursted out laughing and echoed, "Yeah, Merlin!"
"Yeah, Merlin!" Percival joined in.
"Yeah, Merlin!" Leon cheered.
Arthur laughed beside me and he raised his voice above them all, "Yeah, Merlin!"
"Yeah, Merlin!" the rest of the courtiers and knights shouted.
My brother and I shared another beaming smile and another hug.
As the excitement began to quiet down, George and another servant stepped forward carrying a table, and they placed it before Arthur. I shuffled to his side and wrapped my arms around his bicep, leaning against his side, while he extended 'The Mordred Act' over the surface.
He proceeded to read the document aloud for the people to hear.
"We should go back to the Disir and give 'em a copy as a diplomatic middle-finger," I whispered to Merlin, earning a quiet chuckle and an eye-roll.
Geoffrey took over reading the final sentence, "Signed by their royal highnesses, King Arthur Pendragon..."
Arthur grabbed a fancy quill pen off the table, he carefully soaked it in ink, and he signed the document with a firm hand.
"...and the Knight-Queen Astraea Aphelion."
Arthur handed me my normal generic modern pen and, in contrast with him, I couldn't stop my hand from trembling with excitement. Much like it did when I signed our wedding certificate about a year-and-a-half ago.
"Why does this keep happening?" I muttered under my breath, which caused Arthur to snort and he gallantly steadied my arm by gently gripping it with his warm hand.
I hurried to scribble my name and let out a long puff of air before grinning up at Arthur.
Arthur kissed my forehead and he let go of my arm to lift the document in the air.
An echo of claps and cheers filled the room and I jumped to hug Merlin again as happy tears filled my eyes.
"We did it, Merls!" I whispered.
"We did it, Astra."
Gaius warily eyed the 'lemon spaghetti' that Merlin and I had prepared as I served three bowls out of the pot, and he raised an eyebrow. "It smells rather sour," he commented.
"Maybe because lemon is sour," I responded and shot him a wink.
The physician hummed. "And you are sure that it is pleasant?"
"It is to me," I said with a shrug. "Lemon is the single greatest thing you can add to anything that's not sweet."
"Well, if you say so, dear girl."
"Just try it," Merlin pressed as he handed Gaius his bowl. "She's so picky with food that I trust her when she says that something is good."
I smirked to myself. Gaius still seemed sceptical, but he didn't argue further as he moved to sit at the kitchen bench. Merlin and I followed suit and we trained our eyes on our guardian as he slowly wrapped the spaghetti around his fork. He lifted his gaze and raised an eyebrow again.
"C'mon, Pops. It's not gonna eat itself," I insisted.
Gaius sighed and he slowly ate the spaghetti. He froze for a few moments as his forehead wrinkled. Then he scrunched up his nose. Then he kept chewing.
"Well, that is... an interesting flavour."
"Uh-huh..."
"But it is not unpleasant," he decided.
"Yes!" I cheered and offered Merlin a high-five, which he instantly completed as we shared a grin. Then we dug into our own bowls.
I sighed in contentment at the taste of lemon in my mouth. It was definitely a brilliant idea to bring back some.
Then I giggled at a memory that flashed through my mind and commented, "I wish y'all had been there to see Artie's reaction when he tried chilaquiles."
Merlin snorted and he asked, "What happened?"
"What is that?" Gaius inquired before I could respond.
"They're tortilla chips bathed in green or red sauce. Red in this case. Which is fairly spicy and... well... I kinda forgot to warn him about that..."
"Right. You 'forgot'," Merlin accused while raising his eyebrows suggestively.
"It was an honest mistake!" I defended and I giggled again. "But yeah, he got all heated up and he had to drink like a full litre of milk."
"You are a true hazard, Astraea," Gaius claimed, making me giggle once more.
"And I'm also your Queen, so watch it," I retorted while pointing a playful menacing finger.
"You were right, Merlin," Gaius said as a smirk formed on his face. "This is more annoying than when she did not want to embrace the title."
I pouted and said, "Rude."
Gaius chuckled and he addressed Merlin again – "Speaking of titles, how was your first day as Court Sorcerer?"
Merlin instantly scrunched up his face in annoyance and I bursted out laughing. Obviously, I stuck beside him for the entirety of the day, so I know exactly why he is displeased.
"Arthur made me give the knights and guards a class on how to spot magic being used," my brother grumbled.
"That does not seem so bad..." Gaius said.
"They are so stupid, Gaius!" Merlin complained.
"Merlin! You cannot say those things!"
"It's no wonder there have been so many incidents over the years! Sir Landon swore that the wind could sway tables and chandeliers!"
I laughed harder. "It's true, Pops. It was like watching an episode of 'Mr. Bean'."
"Well, it is not their fault that they grew up so isolated from what magic truly is," Gaius argued.
"Sir Isaac thought that trees are conscious and that they sometimes help to defend the King," Merlin deadpanned.
Gaius froze all movement for a second as his eyes widened. Then he sighed and returned his attention to eating, dropping the argument.
A comfortable silence embraced the room as we kept consuming our lemon spaghetti. Until Merlin suddenly gave my side a gentle nudge. I looked up at him and raised an eyebrow when I saw the mischievous grin on his lips. "You have to tell us – what other miseries did you put your sweet angel through when you were in Texas?" he inquired.
I bursted out laughing again. "Well, I might've traumatised him by takin' him to see 'It'..."
"Y'know, I'm proud of us," I told Merlin while he was walking me to my room after dinner.
He beamed widely and threw an arm over my shoulders. "I am proud of us, too."
"I told you we could do it," I continued.
"I know."
"I told you that Mordred was good."
He sighed sadly. "Yes, you did... I'm sorry for not trusting you."
"S'all right," I waved him off. "I can't blame you for the concerns you had. I know how heavy everything was on your shoulders. I'm just glad it's over."
"Yeah," Merlin breathed out and he turned to look at me with a big smile. "And now we can all be free."
I smirked. "No more secrets."
"All thanks to you," he claimed.
I scoffed. "It was a collective effort."
"Perhaps, but you were the driving force."
"Whatever gets ya' through the night, Merls."
He let out a long exhale while shaking his head, but he thankfully dropped the argument. Which I believe was smart of him to do, because I'm obviously right.
"Y'know," I spoke again, "you n' I should take a holiday."
"You've been back for a week, and you're already trying to go away again?"
"But I wasn't on a holiday," I argued. "I was bedridden and being tortured with being forced to take medicines and go to the doctors."
"And torturing Arthur with spicy food and Avengers movies," Merlin added.
I gasped dramatically. "How dare you call the Avengers torture?!"
He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry, your highness."
"I will have you in the stocks for a week, Lord Merlin!"
"You wouldn't."
"Of course I will! And I'll be on front row throwing lemons at your head." I paused and tilted my head. I don't wanna waste lemons. "Squeezed lemons, of course."
He chuckled and kissed the side of my head. "I'm sorry. The Avengers are great. They're not torture."
"Okay, I forgive you."
We reached my room and I gave him a tight hug. "G'night, dear brother. Thanks for everything."
"Thank you for everything, Astra," he said softly as he returned the embrace. "You have no idea how much you mean to me. You changed my life."
"Nah, I'm sure Artie would've pardoned you with or without me," I assured him.
"It's not just that, though," Merlin stated. "You believed in me when nobody else did, and you've stood by my side unconditionally, and you've been the greatest friend I could've ever asked for."
My eyes pooled with tears at his sweet words and I tightened my hold on him. "I'm just repaying the favour, buddy."
He gave me a gentle squeeze and kissed my forehead, then we separated. "Good night, dear sister. I love you."
"I love you, too, Merls. See ya' tomorrow," I responded and reached up to kiss his cheek.
I went into my room while he turned around to return to Gaius's apartment.
I hurried to brush my teeth, and I changed into my dark blue snowflake-themed PJs, and I grabbed my Avengers blanket off the bed before leaving the room so I could go to find Arthur. Halfway through the short walk from my door to ours, I remembered the incredible fact that we can now watch movies together and I rushed back into my room to get my tablet.
Arthur and I shared a grin when I entered our room and I dashed over to my side of the bed, placing my tablet down on the nightstand, before climbing on and letting his inner-built magnet pull me to his side. I curled up with my head on his chest and hugged his waist. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
"I missed you," he said.
"You could've joined us," I pointed out.
"It still feels wrong to eat dinner with my physician," he stated.
"Well, then stop whinin'," I responded playfully and I moved to press a kiss to the side of his jaw. Then I nuzzled into his neck and began fiddling with the neckline of his PJ shirt.
"You will be the one whining if I have my way," he grumbled.
"You can't stop me from havin' dinner with 'em," I shot back, my voice muffled against his skin.
He let out a breathy chuckle and kissed my forehead. I grinned and pressed my body closer to his. He slid his arm down to my waist and pulled me partly on top of him. The safest, most peaceful place on Earth. Where I can feel his heart beating, and his lungs expanding, and be reminded that he's alive and well.
"So – how do you feel after a whole day of magic being legal?" I asked.
"Well, no one has tried to kill anyone yet, so I would say that I feel confident that this will work out," Arthur responded.
I kissed the side of his neck. "Good."
"And now that we do not have to worry about Morgana," he continued, "we can start looking forward to the future…"
"I've thought about that..." I said.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Gwennie n' I were saying how it'd be nice to start math schools for people. So that they can manage their finances, and optimise production, and avoid being scammed by greedy lords..."
"That is a brilliant idea, my love," Arthur responded.
I grinned again and kissed the side of his neck again.
"And Merls and I mentioned retirement funds, once," I continued. "So that people can live comfortably once they're old and not have to work 'til they die..."
"That sounds great. What else?"
"We can establish better trade routes with our allies... and maybe we can form more connections with kingdoms in the continent..."
"Uh-huh... And what about us?"
I lifted my head to look at him and frowned. "We'll stay together, won't we?"
"Of course, my darling," he rapidly responded and he placed his free hand on the back of my neck as he gave me a small kiss. Then he slid his hand down, skimming my chest, and my abdomen, all the way to my stomach, where it stopped as he gently brushed the back of his fingers against it. My eyes widened in realisation. "But what will our future look like?"
I felt my face warm up. "You're talking about an heir."
He nodded.
"I've thought about it, obviously," I responded. "And I know that I do want to give you one, eventually..."
"But you are not ready," he completed.
"I-I just... I'm only twenty-four, y'know? I'm not ready to give up riding for nine months, and to skip out on training with the guys, and to have to sit out of quests and stuff like that…" I explained, my voice soft in hopes that he wouldn't be disappointed.
He kissed me again. "I understand completely, Astra. You know that we do not have to do anything until you are ready."
A grin formed on my lips again and I kissed him. "Thanks, Artie."
"You are the most important thing in my life," he stated as his hand moved back to my face and he gently brushed his thumb against my cheek. "You know that, right?"
My face got even warmer and I nodded.
"Say it," he demanded.
"I know that..." I said softly.
He flipped us around so that my back was on the bed and he was hovering over me. "Say the whole thing, Astra."
I think my face became an active volcano. "I-I know that I'm the most important thing in your life..."
Man, I feel like a cocky, entitled douchebag for saying it! But it feels good at the same time, y'know?
"Good girl," he whispered before he attached his lips to mine in a sweet kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and started playing with the tips of his hair, gently running my fingers through it. He hummed and asked to deepen the kiss by drawing his tongue over my bottom lip, and I gladly complied.
No matter how close our souls have become, and how many times we've kissed (and done other stuff…), his touch and his gentle lips caressing mine never fail to cause my nervous system to catch fire, and to throw fireworks, and to be flooded with an electric current that could kickstart a heart that's been dead for fifteen centuries.
"I would never pressure you into anything," he said as he pulled away for a moment.
"I know."
"However," he continued as a smirk formed on his lips, "I do not see the harm in practicing for when we do decide it is time to create an heir."
"I'd say we've had lots of practice," I teased.
"It will never be enough," he claimed in a low tone before uniting our lips again. I giggled and happily let myself get lost in another enchanting kiss.
He pulled away and stared me right in the eyes, his gaze soft and gut-melting as it scanned my face. I felt my cheeks get flooded with lava once again.
Rather than shying away, though, I figured that it's only fair if I also shamelessly scan his perfect features. His golden hair, always so soft and shiny. His beautiful cerulean-coloured eyes, glimmering under the faint fire of the chandelier. His sharp nose, so well-sculpted. His fleshy lips, always begging to be kissed.
My King – my husband, my everything – is a true masterpiece.
"I love you three-thousand times infinity, Astra," he suddenly stated.
My heart skipped a thousand beats as it blasted off and I gently pulled his head down to kiss him.
"I love you three-thousand times infinity to the three thousandth power," I responded.
He smiled the prettiest smile in the world and he leaned down to kiss me again, but I stopped him as I beamed.
"Wait – did you just consciously make a reference to the MCU?!"
"Shut up and let me show you how insanely much I love you, you cheeky woman."
"Fine."