Disclaimer-I do not own Merlin
Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed : )
This is the FINAL chapter of the story, there will NOT be a sequel and please don't leave reviews asking me to update because the story is now FINISHED, that's what it means when it says THE END at the bottom of the chapter.
Sorry to whine and moan, but for a couple of my other stories I've had people asking me to update soon when the story is completed and it's a little bit annoying.
Chapter 10-9 Months Later
9 months later, Merlin was sat beside Morgana on her bed whilst ten month old Arianna crawled along the floor. They were in the Lady's chambers with Sir Leon stood outside guarding the door to ensure that nobody entered. Speaking Latin words, Morgana's eyes flashed gold as she produced a single red rose in the palm of her hand.
"Brilliant." Merlin praised as Arianna clapped her hands together. "You're really getting good."
"Well I have a good teacher." Morgana replied with a smile before lifting Arianna off the floor and into her arms.
"You're really good with her you know." Merlin said as Morgana tickled Arianna's tummy making her giggle.
"Why so full of compliments Merlin?" Morgana asked suspiciously.
"Well I was actually hoping you could do me a favor." Merlin admitted. Morgana raised an eyebrow and waited for him to continue. "Could you babysit Arianna for the rest of the afternoon? I want…I want to speak to Arthur."
"Of course." Morgana agreed smiling fondly at the blonde girl in her arms. "Heaven knows you and Arthur need to talk. For nine months now you two have avoided talking to each other about your relationship. In fact as far as I can tell the two of you hardly speak at all. Besides, I'd love to spend some quality time with my favorite girl in the whole world."
"Great. Thanks Morgana." Merlin replied pressing a kiss to both ladies' cheeks.
He then left the room had a quick discussion with Leon who wished him luck on his talk to Arthur before he entered Morgana's chambers to help her watch Arianna.
"Been bullied into babysitting I see." Leon said jokingly.
"Well I'm happy to do it." Morgana replied. "And it will be good practice for me."
"Practice?" Leon asked raising an eyebrow at her.
"Indeed." Morgana said her blue eyes twinkling. "I am soon to be a mother myself; I've seen it in a dream. We're to have a son."
"That's wonderful." Leon exclaimed bending down to give Morgana a chaste kiss.
"But it's not just I who needs practice." Morgana said fixing him with a serious gaze. "You need to practice too."
"That's true." Leon agreed.
"Good." Morgana replied with a beaming smile as she handed Arianna over to him. "You can start by cleaning her bum."
***
On his way down the castle corridor, Merlin came across Uther tucking a stray curl behind Gwen's ear. Merlin did a double take to make sure his eyes were not deceiving him and sure enough there was his friend in the company of the King and unless Merlin was mistaken the two of them were flirting.
"That is so disturbing." Merlin whispered to himself before turning away from them and taking the long way around to his and Arthur's chambers.
When he entered he found a topless Arthur sat on the window ledge looking out at the kingdom. Merlin closed the door softly behind him and cleared his throat to gain the Prince's attention.
"Where's Arianna?" Arthur asked noticing that Merlin had returned without their daughter.
"With Morgana." Merlin answered. "I um…I wanted to talk about something."
"So talk." Arthur told him as he turned his gaze to his lap and idly fiddled with his hands.
"Arthur you could at least look at me." Merlin said.
"What is it you wish to say?" Arthur asked looking up meet Merlin's eye.
"I love you." Merlin replied bluntly before slamming his eyes shut as he awaited the Prince's response.
"Why?" Arthur asked and Merlin slowly opened his eyes again and gave the blonde a puzzled look. "Why do you love me? I mean…the way I treated you after…after our night together and the way I reacted when you first told me you were a warlock you shouldn't love me. You should hate me. God knows I hate myself."
"Well I've never been one to do what I'm supposed to have I?" Merlin joked.
The two fathers shared a weak smile, the air between them still uncomfortable.
"I noticed you didn't return the sentiment." Merlin said sadly after a few minutes silence.
Without a word Arthur moved off of the window ledge and settled his feet back on the floor before walking over to Merlin.
Taking hold of Merlin's neck scarf, Arthur pulled the warlock to him and captured his lips in a searing kiss. Merlin's knees buckled and Arthur had to hold him up so he wouldn't fall as they explored one another's mouths with their tongues. Merlin was happy to find that kissing the Prince was a great deal more pleasant when he couldn't taste alcohol in his mouth.
As they pulled apart, Merlin discreetly pinched himself just to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. Satisfied that he was awake, Merlin looked at Arthur wondering what this meant for them but not daring to ask.
They held one another's gaze for a long while, neither boy saying a word before Arthur stepped away and picked up his sword. He began swinging it through the air at an imaginary attacker, something he always did when he was feeling nervous.
"I should collect Arianna." Merlin said before leaving the room, his head a complete puzzle of confusion.
His foot was barely through the door of Morgana's chambers when she, Leon and Gwen began firing questions at him about what happened with Arthur.
"It doesn't matter." Merlin sighed as he took his daughter from Gwen and lightly kissed her forehead.
Seeming to sense that her daddy was feeling upset, Arianna placed her hand upon his cheek blinking her big blue eyes at him with an adorable pout on her pink lips.
"Come on sweetheart, let's go and visit Grandma and Gaius." Merlin said trying to sound happy but barely managing.
Saying a quick farewell to his friends Merlin swept out of the door with his daughter and headed to the physician's rooms.
"Do excuse me." Morgana said to Leon and Gwen. "I'm an idiot Prince's ass to kick."
"Punch him in the nose." Leon encouraged her.
"Kick him in the balls." Gwen suggested.
Leaving her companions behind, Morgana marched towards Arthur's rooms with the train of her red dress trailing behind her. She barged through the Prince's chamber door before slamming them shut.
Arthur visibly paled when he saw the fierce expression on her face and he couldn't help but back against the wall in fear. He was used to seeing Morgana's anger but he rarely infuriated her enough to be on the receiving end of it. The only time he could remember truly enraging her was when they were ten years old and he'd accidentally broken the arm off of her favorite doll.
"I'm sorry." Arthur squeaked as Morgana stalked towards him. "Whatever it is I'm sorry."
Glaring at the cowering blonde, Morgana pulled her arm back before punching him in the nose as Leon had suggested. A second later she raised her knee into his groin.
"Ow!" Arthur whimpered cradling his package and collapsing to his knees.
"You deserved it." Morgana sneered as she stood above him with her hands on her hips. "Merlin declares his love for you and you say nothing to him in reply, what the hell is wrong with you?"
"I didn't know what to say." Arthur replied defensively.
"I love you too would have been a sensible reply." Morgana retorted. "And don't even think about telling me you don't return his feelings Arthur Pendragon because I know full well that you do."
Arthur remained silent, neither denying nor confirming her statement.
"You two boys drive me insane." Morgana said exasperatedly. "You're a family, you live together and have a beautiful daughter yet it's as thought you and Merlin are strangers."
"So what do you want me to do?" Arthur asked standing to his feet again and watching Morgana apprehensively incase she decided to attack him again. "Sweep him off his feet and declare my undying love?"
"Why not?" Morgana challenged.
"There's no point." Arthur scoffed. "In the end I'll only hurt him again."
"Is that what you're afraid of?" Morgana asked. "Is that why you've been giving him the cold shoulder for all this time?"
Arthur just shrugged as he fiddled with the ring on his finger.
"You complete and utter vegetable." Morgana sighed shaking her head in disbelief. "I know you messed up with Merlin in the past and did pretty much everything wrong but you don't have to keep punishing yourself for that by denying the two of you happiness. I am more than prepared to torture and torment you for the rest of your years."
"Thank you, that's very comforting." Arthur replied sarcastically.
"Just tell Merlin that you love him." Morgana ordered.
"No, I won't." Arthur said. "When he returns tonight I'll just apologize for the kiss and say it was a mistake. It is better for him to fall out of love with me and then find someone who won't constantly mess things up and hurt him."
"You are hurting him you fool." Morgana pointed out as she clipped the blonde around the back of the head. "By not being with him you are hurting him."
"Morgana…"
"Don't you 'Morgana' me." She warned slapping him around the face.
"Ouch, will you stop hitting me woman." Arthur complained.
"Certainly…as soon as you stop behaving like a prat." Morgana said before hitting him repeatedly on any body part she could reach.
"Ouch! Morgana…get off…stop it…don't make me hurt you…"
Ignoring Arthur's whines of pain Morgana continued to hit the prat of a Prince. He tried blocking her attacks but would do no more to defend himself. It wasn't in his nature to strike a woman. However, when the hitting became too much Arthur let out a frustrated growl and latched onto Morgana's hair making the witch shriek and claw at his hands with her nails.
That was how Merlin found them when he entered the chambers with Arianna.
"Pack it in!" Merlin called but they ignored him and continued biting and scratching one another.
Eyes flashing gold, Arianna caused two pillows to fly through the air hitting Arthur and Morgana square in the face. They were both caught off guard and they overbalanced before crashing to the floor losing all sense of grace.
"Will you two grow up?" Merlin asked. "I already have one child to look after I don't need two more."
"Sorry." Arthur said sheepishly as he stood up.
"We'll behave." Morgana promised as she readjusted her hair and began fixing her hair.
"Thank you." Merlin replied before setting Arianna down in her playpen.
"I'll leave the three of you alone." Morgana said before leaving the room.
Avoiding eye contact with Arthur, Merlin set about giving the chamber a quick tidy.
"Merlin." Arthur spoke into his ear causing the warlock to jump in surprise; he hadn't realised the Prince was so close. "I should have said it earlier…I should have said it the day you returned…I should have said it the night we slept together…but…I'm going to say it now. I love you too, most ardently. I hope you can forgive my idiocy and we can just…just…"
"Just what?" Merlin asked softly stepping closer to the blonde and looking him in the eye.
"Be a proper family." Arthur replied smiling over at Arianna briefly before returning his attention to Merlin. "I mean…obviously we cannot marry and…well nobody can know about us…aside from the select few that already do but…I want us to be together, romantically."
"Arthur." Merlin laughed. "You couldn't be romantic if your life depended on it."
"Probably not." Arthur admitted with a slight grin as he brought a hand up to the side of Merlin's face. "But I could be a great lover…if you let me. Will you let me?"
"I'll let you." Merlin replied without hesitation.
The two parents smiled at one another before kissing passionately. As they did, Arianna giggled and applauded them as her eyes flashed gold and rose petals fell from the thin air all around her two daddy's.
The End The End The End The End The End The End The End
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