Love, Faith and Family

Chapter 83

"Is there something I can do for you, my lord? I'm afraid Miriam isn't here," Gaius asked as the king walked into his quarters, the physician eating at the table with Merlin.

"Yes, Gaius, I would wonder if I could borrow Merlin for a moment?"

Both men were confused that Arthur would ask permission for such a thing.

"Sure?" Merlin answered but it came out as more of a question.

Standing, Merlin followed Arthur outside where the king began to twist one of the rings on his fingers anxiously.

"What's going on? You're making me nervous," Merlin said as Arthur exhaled and looked up at him.

"I'd like to formally ask for your blessing to marry Miriam."

What happened inside that war tent the morning before Arthur's fight with Annis and Carleon repeated itself, even more so after Miriam had told them that he knew that she was a dragonlordess.

But whereas Merlin was merely reliving that moment before heartily giving his consent, Arthur saw his silence as hesitation.

"Look, I know I messed up, but I proved that I trust her and that I love her. I don't want to lose her again and I want her to be seen as my equal in every way and to everyone. Please, what can I do to change your –"

"Arthur, I was going to say yes," Merlin chuckled as he interrupted Arthur's rant.

"What?"

"Years ago, I told you Mira was as stubborn as you are. If you were able to change her mind and get her to forgive you then I have no good reason not to give you my blessing."

Arthur broke into a grin as he clasped Merlin's hand to shake before pulling him into a hug, surprising the servant greatly.

"Excellent, now, exactly would I go about proposing to your sister?"

Merlin laughed openly at this, genuinely wondering what Arthur would do without him.

"I've got some ideas about that."

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"Merlin, where are we going?" Miriam asked as she followed her brother's horse into the woods.

"You'll see," he said as they stopped and he jumped off his horse, Miriam following suit. "I, uh, I have to pee. I'll be right back," Merlin said nervously, and Miriam rolled her eyes as she patted her black mare.

"Subtlety is not your strong suit, big brother," she called as he walked off.

"I know," he replied, making her laugh before she turned around.

Having focused more on her brother and the trees around them than the ground to see the path of white orchids in front of her.

With a confused smile on her face, Miriam followed the path laid out before her.

And it led her to Arthur.

He stood with a loving smile on his face and a picnic set out behind him.

"We don't have a good track record with picnics," she laughed as she walked towards him, hands twined behind her back.

"That was before I was king. No one will disturb us now, so please, join me," he invited, and Miriam was more than inclined to do so.

As they sat on the blanket, pillows strewn about it, Arthur pulled the cloche off of a platter to reveal a chicken, the smell of the seasoning very familiar to Miriam.