No.2
HOLY. I CAN'T BELIEVE. THIS IS AMAZING!!!!
alaerys made AMAZING ICONS OF ABSOLUTE AMAZINGNESS!!!! Her icon making skills > my drawing skills. You know this is true because Merlin's dance looks so much better animated ( Read more... )
alaerys made AMAZING ICONS OF ABSOLUTE AMAZINGNESS!!!! Her icon making skills > my drawing skills. You know this is true because Merlin's dance looks so much better animated ( Read more... )
“Mummy! Guess what?” Merlin tore into the house and squeezed Hunith into a tight hug.
“Heavens Merlin, what is it honey?” She kissed his excited little cheeks.
“Arthur invited me to his birthday party at the castle! He’s going to make me the official birthday present guard!”
Hunith laughed at his delight, “Did he now? Well, we’re going to have to make you a special birthday present guard uniform then aren’t we?”
“CAN WE?”
“Hmm, yes, I think it’s time we get you another tunic! Do you want it in red to match the other guards at the castle?”
“YES!” He grabbed her into another tight hug, but when he holds on for too long, Hunith realized something was on his mind.
“What is it darling?”
A muffled little voice replied from somewhere around her navel. “I don’t have a present to give Arthur. Owain is giving him a jousting set, and I know Leon will give him something wonderful as well! Gwen said that her dad is going to make Arthur a new sword, and Morgana always gives the bestest presents…”
“Well, you know we can’t afford to buy him anything Merlin, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still give him a gift that he’ll really like.”
“I know,” he sighed, “And I already sort of have an idea, but I don’t know how to make it!”
Hunith smiled, and ruffled his hair. “Well, if you tell me, maybe I can help you?”
Merlin smiles brightly, and drawing his mother near, whispers his secret into her ear.
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For the next few days, Merlin rushes home after lessons with Arthur to help Hunith finish his present. His little fingers have prick marks all over them, and Hunith offers to finish it for him, but Merlin insists that he wants to make it himself. She watches her little boy work late into the night, and has to force him into bed at night because he wants to stay up even longer.
He grows steadily more excited as the big day draws near, and she wonders how he’s managed to keep his present a secret. He chatters excitedly about all the preparations that are going on at the castle - the games they are going to play, the food they are going to eat, the presents he is going to guard, and can barely hold still as Hunith pulls his new red tunic over his head to check the size.
***
Merlin barely sleeps the night before the party, and is awake at the crack of dawn. When Hunith goes into the kitchen to make him some breakfast, his is already washed and dressed.
“I even washed behind my ears,” he informs her as he gulps down his milk without a moment’s protestation, and wipes away the milk moustache that frames his little red lips.
If only every day were Arthur’s birthday, Hunith muses silently.
As she waves goodbye and watches him skip off towards the castle with his present under his arm, she can only hope however that Merlin’s smile stays on his face all day long and that his labour of love will be received well by Arthur.
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He finally locates him pinned against a wall by Morgana who holds him at the point of a lance.
“I told you I could beat you even though I’m a girl. I actually think I beat you all the time because I’m a girl. Girls rule and boys drool!” She lets Arthur go and he sticks her tongue out at her. Gwen giggles from beside her, and Merlin notices that even Lance, Owain and Leon are trying not to laugh.
“Oh yeah? Well I let you win cos otherwise you’d cry!”
“Me, cry? Careful or I’ll blow out your candles and make your wish for you again this year!”
Arthur actually looks terrified for a moment and huffs. That’s when he spots Merlin and his face breaks out into a wide grin.
“You’re here! FINALLY! I’ve had to look after my present by myself all this while - you’re ALWAYS late! Look what dad got me!”
Before Merlin can reply, Arthur grabs him and drags him to the window.
“Look!”
Merlin reaches up onto this tippy-toes, but he isn’t tall enough to see out of the window. Arthur lets out an annoyed sigh, but then raises him so that he can see without a word.
Merlin’s nose peeks over the window sill and he looks into the courtyard below. He spots a magnificent brown horse that he’s never seen in the stable before.
“It’s a horse!”
“Not just any horse. My horse! His name is Tarrento!”
Now that Merlin has seen the horse, Arthur unceremoniously lets go of Merlin, who nearly falls over.
“Now come look at all the other presents!”
Arthur lets Merlin inspect each present in turn - a shiny new set of armour from Morgana, the jousting set from Owain, a toy cross bow from Leon, the new sword from Gwen and a new shield from Lancelot. There’s another mountain of presents from all the other guests, and Arthur promises that Merlin will be allowed to play with them as well (under Arthur’s supervision of course).
“So where my present then?” Arthur asks cheekily.
Merlin blushes as he looks between the pile of toys and his own little present.
“It’s not very nice,” he begins, and his voice gets smaller and smaller, “I made it my self.”
“You made it?” Arthur sounds a bit apprehensive.
“Yes. I hope you like it.” He holds it out to Arthur, who grabs it and tears the wrapping off.
Arthur stares at it and turns it over in his hands.
“Um, what … is it?”
“It doesn’t have a name it.”
“Okay, well what do I do with it?”
“Anything you want to. I made it cos I noticed that you like play with those sock balls in your room, so I thought I’d make you a big one that you can play with even when your socks are being washed.”
Suddenly a smile appears on Arthur’s face and he sounds excited.
“COOOOOL! Can I throw it?”
“I suppose so”
“Can I kick it?”
Merlin sounds nervous as he realizes where this line of questioning is likely headed.
“Yes.”
“Wellll, if I can kick it with my feet, and it’s a ball… then I’m going to call it a football!” Arthur announces triumphantly.
Morgana snorts under her breath, “Captain Obvious strikes again,” but Arthur doesn’t notice because he is suddenly busy directing Owain, Lancelot, Leon and Gwen into different positions.
“Merlin! You stand over there!”
“What do you want me to do?”
“It’s easy! Just kick the ball when I kick it you to!”
“I don’t think this is a good idea…”
Arthur lines up his shot and kicks it will all his might before Merlin can even finish his sentence.
“… WELL YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HEAD-BUTT IT WITH YOUR FACE, STUPID!”
Fin.
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I loved it :D
YOU WIN!!
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you know what the best part is? THERE ARE ICONS TO MATCH! :D :D
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(Seriously though, how can you be anything but redonkolously happy when you're reading these comics?) :D
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Now? I feel a renewed breath into the awesomeness of C&H, with the added bonus of M/A. *sighs happily*
Joy.
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Pure joy :)
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Sorry, I had to say it.
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Awww Merlin is first in Arthur's list and he knows just what to do to stop Merlin from crying. *pets Arthur* Merlin's so sweet making a gift for Arthur. And Morgana bullying Arthur is possibly the best thing ever! Brilliant fic!
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Arthur might be mean to Merlin and laugh at him, but he wuvs him like woah. I'm confident it won't be long before Merlin's wicked banter begins to develop and he'll tell Arthur just where to shove the skinny rhinoceros if he laughs at his drawings again XD
I love little Morgana too cos she's just so damn fierce! :D
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