Author Notes: Sequel to 'The Innocence of Our Past'. Set 2 weeks after the previous fanfiction – the flashback scene is set about 3 months after the wedding. The storytelling of their childhood lives is now given to Morgana to explain.
The Innocence of Our Hearts
"Are you sure we should be in here?" Gwen asked as she snuck into the private chambers of the Prince of Camelot, Merlin and Morgana following in behind her.
"We have Merlin with us so yes Gwen we are."
"Well technically you forced me to let you search Arthur's rooms while he's training with his knights to search for a necklace he stole from you as pay back for embarrassing him when Uther-"
"Yes Merlin, well enough chit chat, let's get searching" Morgana smiled at her two childhood friends.
Merlin didn't really know what he was looking for as he searched through Arthur's things, well a woman's necklace obviously but why Morgana needed help to ransack through her step-brothers chambers when she could just demand for it back. She would only have to put on her scariest face and voice and Arthur would be throwing the item of jewellery at her to get her out.
Now searching through the small cabinet to the right of the Princes bed, Merlin found a small red box decorated with golden swirls. A key was sitting within its lock. Being known for his curiosity Merlin turned the key and found that within side the box sat two tiny little iron rings.
"Well I've found two rings but no necklace, sorry Morgana" Merlin stated turning round to face two sets of eyes staring at the rings he held in his hand.
"Are they what I think they are?" Gwen barely whispered.
"Arthur knew all along" Morgana gasped.
"Am I missing something?"
"Those are the wedding rings my dad made for you and Arthur" Gwen explained.
Merlin's face fell, his gaze dropped and lingered on the rings.
"How did he get to have them, after all these years I thought they would be lost somewhere, or hidden within an old chest like Gaius' wedding invitation" Gwen spoke her mind.
"I know how. Though I had no idea that Arthur would have kept them to remember still?" Morgana confessed, taking the rings from Merlin to hold out flat in her own hand. "After Gaius told us that story two weeks ago I had a dream, though as we all know my dreams are visions. I saw the past and what happened after the wedding. Do you remember that Princess Sophia, well . . .
...Flashback...
"Come on Merlin , hurry" the young prince shouted, running along the corridors of the castle with his younger companion trailing behind him.
"But my feet hurt" Merlin pouted and stopped running.
Arthur rolled his eyes before trudging back to Merlin and pulling him along.
"This way Gwen" Morgana's voice suddenly became audible.
"Quickly Merlin, behind the drapes" Arthur whispered, pulling Merlin with him to hide behind the long auburn curtains. Arthur placed his forefinger over his lips, silently telling his small raven haired friend to be quiet.
Merlin startled to giggle before placing his own little finger over his mouth, copying the blondes action.
Arthur smiled.
"Come on Gwen, they can't be that far ahead" Morgana's voice ran past along with the sound of two sets of little feet running past the curtains the young Prince and warlock were hiding behind.
"Are they gone? Can I talk now?" Merlin mumbled, his finger still placed on his pink lips.
"Yes Merlin, you can talk now"
"Good" Merlin smiled goofily, again still holding his finger against his lips.
Arthur laughed, then pulled Merlin's hand down to hold, taking the sorcerers other hand aswell before kissing the boy softly.
At that moment the drapes were drawn back. Expecting to see Morgana and Gwen standing there, Arthur kept his lips lingering on Merlin's. Though instead of an overdramatic 'awwww' another feminine voice spoke.
"That's gross. You're yucky" The young Princess Sophia who was visiting with her father King Aulfric squealed before running off. The boys just stared after her.
"Are we yucky?" Merlin asked, turning his attention back to Arthur.
"No Merlin, we're not yucky" Arthur smiled then kissed Merlin again.
"I didn't think we were yucky. Morgana says we're cute. Are we cute?"
"Your cute" Arthur blushed then placed a quick kiss to the dark haired boys cheek.
Later Morgana overheard Sophia talking to her daddy, asking for a spell to make Arthur like her instead of 'silly Merlin'.
The next day Morgana followed Sophia to Arthur's bedroom and hid behind a set of armour along the corridors.
Inside Sophia spoke the words her daddy had told her to say. Arthurs eyes glowed red for a few moments before he smiled at the Princess and kissed her gently on her lips.
At that second Merlin came skipping into the bedroom but stopped and stood shocked.
"Arthur doesn't want to kiss you no more. He likes me not you." Sophia said with a wicked smile, wrapping herself round the Prince.
"But we're husbands" Merlin sobbed.
"Tell him you don't like him Arthur, that you never did"
"I don't like you. I never did." The Prince repeated what Sophia had said.
Merlin ran out crying.
A week later Sophia and her father left Camelot to go back home to their own kingdom. When saying their farewells the enchantment ran out, and off ran the Prince to find Merlin. Suddenly remembering what had happened and what had been said throughout the week.
The Prince found Merlin in his bedroom in Gaius' chambers but all of Merlin's things had been packed.
"Where are you going?"
"Ealdor. Mummy thinks I should go live with my friend Will. Mummy thinks I would be happy there" Merlin explained, not looking at Arthur as he handed out his wedding ring to the Prince.
"You can't go. You're my husband." Arthur held in his tears. Daddy told him not to ever cry.
"You like Sophia"
"She put me under a spell. I like you. I love you Merlin."
Merlin began to sob "I don't believe you. Go away."
"Merlin, please."
"Go away."
Arthur flew from Merlin's bedroom all the way along the corridors of Camelot's castle until he came to Morgana's bedroom where he ran in and fell into her arms and cried.
Morgana didn't need to ask why he was crying.
...End Flashback...
Silence.
"He was telling the truth?
Both women looked to Merlin.
"You remember that?" Morgana asked.
"Yes that's why I left. I only came back because Gaius needed an assistant. Even though I was little I knew what was going on, that there was a connection beyond what I felt."
"You loved him" Gwen stated, a small smile forming.
"I still do."
"Obviously Arthur still loves you otherwise he wouldn't have kept these" Morgana walked forward and gave Merlin the rings back "You have a decision to make now Merlin. And this time it's not a silly little game that we played when we were children."
Morgana turned to leave, followed closely by Gwen.
"What about you necklace?" Merlin asked, palm still laid open. Though they were only two small rings it felt like they were weighing him down. All those years lost weighing him down.
"It can wait."
Merlin now stood their alone in the Prince's chambers, remembering how he had thought Arthur had played with his little innocent heart. Oh how he had been wrong.