From Prat to Husband, how the hell did that happen?

Chapter Sixteen, The Mele

"I won my first melee with this blade. The edge has been dulled, it's perfectly safe." He said, as he handed the sword to Arthur. "All of Camelot is eager for a victory today, Arthur. I know you won't let me down." He finished, clapping his hand on Arthur's shoulder and staring him in the eye, almost like he was daring Arthur to not go against his wishes. "Oh, and Merlyn," Uther said, before he left the chambers. "Tell Gwaine that he will be Knighted tonight, it'll be a double celebration." He ordered before he left.

Merlyn looked rather troubled, and with none of her usual talk got Arthur into his armour, her talk hadn't gone how'd she wanted it too, but then it never does, even if he dies knowing about magic now doesn't mean it stops him. Arthur looked on at her in concern but said nothing. Promising he'd talk to her afterwards as they were running late thanks to his father.
"Come on Merlyn, everything's going to be fine." Arthur coaxed, Merlyn smiled weakly at him.
"I hope you're right." She said softly, turning to leave but Arthur stopped her and pulled her into his arms for a passionate kiss that lasted several minutes and left them both breathless.

Arriving quickly Merlyn joined Gaius in the sidelines as they watched all the Knights line up on either side of the Tourney Field, their weapons held aloft. Merlyn shared a concerned look with her uncle when she spotted Oswald and Ethan opposite Arthur with dark looks on their faces. As Uther was raising his hand everyone put down the visor on their helmets, the horses whining and raising up a little. When he lowered his hand they all charged at each other, their swords clanging against each other leaving those closest with slightly ringing ears. It was a mesh of silver, only the browns, blacks and whites of the horses broke it up a little, the only way to tell the Knights apart was from the coloured ribbons they had tied to their arms. It was ferocious even if people thought all the weapons were dulled as some Knights were flung from their horses or dragged across the field by the stirrups on the saddle being cut.

Merlyn was getting more anxious as the battle commenced especially as it was obvious the Knights were getting injured by someone's sword. Merlyn was preparing to use her magic when she saw Sir Ethan swipe Arthur across the back with his sword injuring him, angering the young Mage as her magic bubbled beneath her skin.
"He's heading straight for Arthur." Merlyn said worriedly, clutching Gaius's arm. When she saw Sir Oswald heading towards Arthur's back who was now busy fighting another Knight, only for Arthur to turn and duck just in time, however, the force of his swing unseated Oswald and sent him tumbling to the floor. Sir Ethan who had been fighting another Knight noticed Sir Oswald on the ground and hit the Knight in the face with the but end of his sword sending him tumbling to the ground where he stayed.

Sir Oswald and Sir Ethan now set their sights on Arthur who was fighting a Knight, one of the only ones to remain on horseback.
"Arthur's in trouble." Merlyn gasped again, just before Sir Oswald launched himself at Arthur and dragged him from his horse. Uther stood up aghast as Oswald held his sword above Arthur ready to kill him, but the King did nothing. As the sword came down with a yell from Oswald, Arthur who had gotten his breath back after the fall had winded him, rolled away and just in time too. As the sword was now buried in the ground where he had previously laid. The crowd cheered as Arthur staggered to his feet, the horses and the injured Knights being carried away on stretchers by some other servants to have less risk of injury to any of them, leaving only a few left on the ground and leaving only Arthur, Sir Oswald and Sir Ethan, who was still on his horse, left on the field.

A ferocious battle ensued between Arthur and Oswald much like that day on the Training Field, only this time Oswald was determined to kill Arthur. Sir Ethan seeing Arthur was fighting Oswald rode around the edge of the field with his sword in the air preparing to attack Arthur from behind.
"I know I was against this and I still am." Gaius started, his eyes fixed on the battle in front of him as he spoke hurriedly to his niece. "But you'll have to do something, otherwise Arthur will die." Instead of answering Merlyn stared intently at Sir Ethan, her eyes flashing gold as the stirrups on the saddle snapped sending him to the floor, hard. A satisfied grin spread across her face before she schooled her features before anyone noticed and turned her attention back to Arthur. However, it strayed to Gwaine. She prayed Gwaine was not one of the injured Knights or better yet anywhere near the field.