Entry:
DC05En01
Title:
For Better
Word count:
1,484
Theme and/or Prompt/s:
AU, Arthur and Gwen attend Merlin’s wedding
Rating:
G
Characters/Pairings:
Arthur/Gwen, Merlin/??
Spoilers:
Spoilers for S2
Disclaimer:
Merlin belongs to Shine and the BBC.
Summary:
Arthur attempts to give Merlin advice.
Author’s
notes: Inspired
by many conversations with a friend of mine who helped me with this fic big
time. 1484 words.
Merlin was clearly nervous.
Arthur watched as he paced around the room in his best outfit – which had been specially made for the occasion – waiting for the bride to turn up. He kept pulling at his collar, sitting down before getting up again to start pacing.
“Cold feet?” Arthur teased.
Merlin looked at him. “I-I just want to know where she is!”
“Give her time, Merlin,” Arthur laughed. “The bride is always late to the wedding. Do you remember when I married Gwen?”
The former servant looked at him.
“Gwen wasn’t late to your wedding,” Merlin said. “You both eloped; you just went to the church together.”
“I didn’t mean Gwen was late,” Arthur chuckled. “But your future wife was. Then again we invited her because she’d latched herself onto you... and Gwen’s friend Sara was ill and couldn’t be bridesmaid.”
Merlin rubbed his hands together. He swallowed hard.
“What if she’s getting cold feet?”
“I’m sure she’s not.”
“Did Gwen get cold feet?” he questioned frantically. “Did you?!”
Arthur rolled his eyes.
“Merlin,” he said firmly, “Shut up and sit down. She’ll be here!”
Merlin sat down next to Arthur and scratched the back of his head. He then fiddled with his collar again. It was new and it was making him uncomfortable. Oh God where is she?! That was all he could think.
He glanced at Arthur.
“Listen,” he began slowly. “You don’t feel awkward about this, do you?”
Arthur didn’t understand. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you know there is a rather embarrassing history there—I just don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”
Arthur shrugged.
“You know I don’t remember anything about that,” he reminded him. “I don’t remember anything about it and neither does she. I mean as far as she’s concerned she lost about two years of her life.”
Merlin bit his lip and nodded. “I suppose.”
“Until you ‘fixed’ her.”
“Yeah, well...”
“You’re getting cold feet, aren’t you?”
Merlin looked at him again. “Did you get cold feet when you were marrying Gwen?”
Arthur fell silent and remembered the day he married Gwen. It was two years ago; they had run away from the oppression of Camelot and the prying eyes of the nobility to unite.
The moment he really remembered was when they took their vows. It wasn’t what they were saying that he remembered. It was her face; she looked so beautiful, her hair dressed simply with green tassels and white flowers. Her skin was radiant, her eyes were shining and her smile was small yet completely content. There was a sense of disbelief. They never thought they would make it to any altar and if they did it wouldn’t be together.
The kiss had been just as magical as their first kiss. Their lips touched and it was like flying only this time when they broke the kiss the soaring didn’t stop.
“To be honest I was worried you would get cold feet,” Gwen had confessed afterwards as they left the church. “That you’d realise that servants don’t make good queens and change your mind.”
Arthur had stopped. “You didn’t think that, did you?”
She had tilted her head, smiled amusedly and tapped his nose. “Of course not, you idiot! I knew you’d be there if you wanted this as much as me.”
He still felt the need to reassure her. So he grabbed her hand.
“Where are we going?” she chuckled.
“I want to talk to you in private!” he told her, tugging her up the hill beside the church.
Merlin and his now-bride were left at the bottom of the hill watching the exchange.
At the top of the hill Arthur had turned to Guinevere and made his own vows to her. He took her hand and didn’t stop to think about what he was saying (which probably wasn’t the smartest thing he had done). But it was heartfelt:
“Guinevere,” he began nervously. “I have never had cold feet when came to you. When you said yes all I could think about was marrying you. I had no reason to be frightened. We always knew getting to this point would be a trial, but we did it, and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t...”
Gwen was trying to control a shy smile.
Arthur sighed, “I love you, and the only fear I’ve ever had was the thought that... I wouldn’t be able to be with you.”
She reached up to stroke his cheek. “And I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t known this is what I wanted too. When you asked me, I knew I wanted to marry you. Any fear I’ve ever had was fear that I was unworthy of you...”
“Likewise,” he muttered, nodding. “Meaning I feared I wouldn’t be worthy of you!”
“I know what you meant,” she said with that same smile. “I wanted to be worthy of the place marrying you would take me. I wanted to be with you because I love you, but your love comes with a crown and I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to carry that burden. But I knew it didn’t matter; I’d take anything for you and... I know now we will endure everything.”
She leaned her head gently against his chest and muttered, still smiling. “I love you.”
Arthur wrapped his arms around Gwen. “I love you too.”
“I love you more” she sighed happily. “No you don’t,” he mumbled into her hair. “How do you know?” she asked. “Because no one could love you as much as I do,” he replied. “It’s impossible.”
And it was impossible. No one could understand how much Arthur loved Gwen. Of course, no one could understand just how far down Gwen’s love for Arthur went too. No one but them...
“Arthur!”
Merlin snapped his name, dragging Arthur out of his day dream.
“Yes?” Arthur said dazedly.
“You’ve been sitting quietly for about two minutes now,” Merlin said worriedly. “I asked you if you’d ever suffered from cold feet, and during your two minutes of silence the girls STILL haven’t turned up.”
“Oh,” Arthur said awkwardly, looking around the nearly empty church. “Right.”
“She’s got cold feet,” Merlin said with certainty. “I know it. I don’t blame her; she’s giving up a lot to be with me.”
Arthur rolled his eyes.
“No,” he said, answering Merlin’s question. “No, neither I nor Gwen had cold feet. After nearly five years of divering around there was no time for cold feet. It’s the same for you. She made her choice and she’ll be here.”
“What if she’s not...” Merlin said swallowed. “Like I said, I wouldn’t blame her. Her dad won’t even talk to her.”
“Surely that’s a good thing?” Arthur tried to joke. It didn’t work. He groaned, “Look just answer me this – do you love her? I mean really love her?”
The warlock stared at him as if he was stupid.
“Of course I do,” Merlin replied. “As difficult as you and Gwen find that to believe.”
“Yeah we do,” Arthur nodded. “And does she love you? I mean I don’t think she’d have stayed with you this long if it wasn’t ‘meant to be’.”
Merlin smiled faintly. “I suppose you’re right. I mean we did have true love’s kiss, didn’t we?”
Arthur patted him on the back.
“Of course you did!” he chuckled. “That’s the clinger for marriage partners, isn’t it?”
“Well it worked for you and Gwen.”
They both laughed.
The vicar came out at that moment and noticed how subdued Merlin was.
“Not here yet, is she?” he chuckled. “Don’t worry, the bride is always late.”
“So people keep telling me,” Merlin muttered.
Suddenly the sound of her voice wafted in from outside the church. Merlin leapt to his feet and stared towards the doors. The footsteps of her and Gwen came towards the hall. She sounded excited but nervous and Gwen was no doubt trying to reassure her.
The door opened and in they came. Merlin briefly exchanged smiles with her as she came up the altar with no ceremony. Gwen trailed behind her with a smile and exchanged a smile herself with Arthur who smiled back.
“Merlin,” the not-so blushing bride said. “I’m sorry I’m late.”
Merlin took Vivian’s hand and shook his head. “That’s OK. You’re here now.”
They both turned to face the vicar who looked between them, Arthur and Gwen. “Are these two your witnesses?” he asked, and Merlin and Vivian nodded. “Then we will begin.”
Arthur leant close to Gwen and whispered. “What took her so long? Cold feet?”
“Of course not,” Gwen smiled. “She was terrified that she’d get here and find Merlin had run away.”
“Tell me about it,” he muttered, glancing at the back of his friend’s head as the vicar began the ceremony. He and Gwen looked at each other, smiling still and said in unison. “Good luck, Merlin.”