Fill: Merlin - Arthur/Merlin, Handfasting 3/3xthursdaynextxJune 29 2011, 22:13:19 UTC
"I heard you, and them, in there. Talking about your handfasting. You're going to marry some druid girl, and..."
"That's not... that's not it, Merlin." Arthur sounded as though he was trying very hard to rein in his impatience and keep his voice even. "It was supposed to be for us. The handfasting. You and me. I wanted to show you that nobody can ever come between us. That I'm bound to you. That you're the only one I could ever feel... You know. You do know, don't you?"
"I wasn't sure," Merlin admitted, "It thought maybe..."
"You don't trust me. That much is obvious." Arthur sighed as he sat down beside Merlin on the hill.
"I do trust you. I trust you to put the needs of your kingdom above the needs of your own heart. You'll be a good king, the best. And I won't ruin that by binding you to something you'll regret later." Arthur put one hand to Merlin's face and tilted his chin up to look into his eyes.
"I would never regret anything with you. My only regret would be if you didn't understand just how important you are to me."
"I know. I know, I'm sorry."
"Don't be."
A soft breeze bent the grass as silence descended between them. Sounds from the encampment below drifted up, voices, laughter, the sound of cooking pots banging together, children shrieking, dogs barking.
"We'll never have any of that," Merlin said. "We can't just tell destiny to sod off and go live with the druids."
"We could." Arthur leaned his chin on Merlin's shoulder.
"You wouldn't be happy. Not really."
"No I suppose not. It'd be too easy." Arthur admitted. Merlin half smiled, leaning so his lips brushed the side of Arthur's head. "I want this, though. You. The handfasting. I need it to be real, so we never forget..."
"Arthur, I'd never forget."
"I know. But still. Wouldn't you like..."
"Yes," Merlin breathed. "Yes."
They descended the hill hand in hand. According to the druid custom, no dowries were requested of families, no rings were exchanged, but each of them had to give or promise something to the other. Merlin knelt and promised to lay his magic at Arthur's service. His hands shook, just a little. He knew that Arthur knew, of course, but they never spoke of it, and if he were to be rejected now, he wasn't sure it was something he could recover from. But Arthur's eyes were sincere as he whispered a heartfelt,
"Thank you."
Arthur tried to promise Merlin his kingdom but Merlin shook his head, and the druids muttered in disapproval.
"Not that. That's not for me."
"Ok, then, I promise... I will always be true, to us. I will always listen to you, and when I am king I will restore magic to its rightful place in the kingdom, by my side, always." That was acceptable to the druids, it seemed, and Merlin's eyes shone with happiness. Their hands were bound with simple hemp rope and it seemed that the ceremony had all the more meaning for its simplicity, here out in the land rather than in a castle surrounded by opulence, scheming courtiers and gilt thrones. There were no elaborate delicacies at the evening meal afterwards, just a simple stew of rabbit, but it hardly mattered to Merlin. He didn't think he could eat a thing, too aware of everywhere his skin touched Arthur's.
The druids prepared a tent for them. They crept away long before the feasting was done, needing to be alone together, to be in each other's arms, to make the most of this night that was only for them. Destiny, Camelot and everything that came with it could wait until tomorrow.
I'm a bit teary in the eyes, you know? Because probably in the eyes of Camelot Arthur is still going to marry some noble girl (or even Gwen, who I love, but who should be with Lancelot) and they're gonna be apart in apparence, at least until Uther dies.
I would very much like to see you write this, even if I have to cry a little, because crying from beautiful reading are the best tears of the world.
"That's not... that's not it, Merlin." Arthur sounded as though he was trying very hard to rein in his impatience and keep his voice even. "It was supposed to be for us. The handfasting. You and me. I wanted to show you that nobody can ever come between us. That I'm bound to you. That you're the only one I could ever feel... You know. You do know, don't you?"
"I wasn't sure," Merlin admitted, "It thought maybe..."
"You don't trust me. That much is obvious." Arthur sighed as he sat down beside Merlin on the hill.
"I do trust you. I trust you to put the needs of your kingdom above the needs of your own heart. You'll be a good king, the best. And I won't ruin that by binding you to something you'll regret later." Arthur put one hand to Merlin's face and tilted his chin up to look into his eyes.
"I would never regret anything with you. My only regret would be if you didn't understand just how important you are to me."
"I know. I know, I'm sorry."
"Don't be."
A soft breeze bent the grass as silence descended between them. Sounds from the encampment below drifted up, voices, laughter, the sound of cooking pots banging together, children shrieking, dogs barking.
"We'll never have any of that," Merlin said. "We can't just tell destiny to sod off and go live with the druids."
"We could." Arthur leaned his chin on Merlin's shoulder.
"You wouldn't be happy. Not really."
"No I suppose not. It'd be too easy." Arthur admitted. Merlin half smiled, leaning so his lips brushed the side of Arthur's head. "I want this, though. You. The handfasting. I need it to be real, so we never forget..."
"Arthur, I'd never forget."
"I know. But still. Wouldn't you like..."
"Yes," Merlin breathed. "Yes."
They descended the hill hand in hand. According to the druid custom, no dowries were requested of families, no rings were exchanged, but each of them had to give or promise something to the other. Merlin knelt and promised to lay his magic at Arthur's service. His hands shook, just a little. He knew that Arthur knew, of course, but they never spoke of it, and if he were to be rejected now, he wasn't sure it was something he could recover from. But Arthur's eyes were sincere as he whispered a heartfelt,
"Thank you."
Arthur tried to promise Merlin his kingdom but Merlin shook his head, and the druids muttered in disapproval.
"Not that. That's not for me."
"Ok, then, I promise... I will always be true, to us. I will always listen to you, and when I am king I will restore magic to its rightful place in the kingdom, by my side, always." That was acceptable to the druids, it seemed, and Merlin's eyes shone with happiness. Their hands were bound with simple hemp rope and it seemed that the ceremony had all the more meaning for its simplicity, here out in the land rather than in a castle surrounded by opulence, scheming courtiers and gilt thrones. There were no elaborate delicacies at the evening meal afterwards, just a simple stew of rabbit, but it hardly mattered to Merlin. He didn't think he could eat a thing, too aware of everywhere his skin touched Arthur's.
The druids prepared a tent for them. They crept away long before the feasting was done, needing to be alone together, to be in each other's arms, to make the most of this night that was only for them. Destiny, Camelot and everything that came with it could wait until tomorrow.
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I agree with Arthur - Merlin, you idiot.
But at least Merlin made the right choice :D
This was cute and sweet and a little sad at the same time
I loved it
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I would very much like to see you write this, even if I have to cry a little, because crying from beautiful reading are the best tears of the world.
Thank you!
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