Thaumaturgy

Chapter 29

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Music played softly around the glen as Gwen made down the aisle between her gatheered friends and family. Her arm was linked in her father's and her kept throwing her proud looks from the corner of his kind brown eyes as they followed Merlin and Morganan to the alter were Lancelot stood, handsome in his robes, flushed with joy, impatient with nerves, but a handsome shmile peaking through his face.

As she reached her fiance and stopped at the alter looking at him, she looked away for a second, to Merlin and his raident smile, eyes shining in pure happiness at the beatiful majesty of the occasion. Her heart pattered in chest as Laneclot sooped her hand into his strong ones, knowing they would soon be family together.

Merlin's grin widened further than Arthur thought possible throughut the wedding, his face almost splitting in two when Gwen and Lancelot held their hands together over the sacred fire for the ritual handbinding that Gauis blessed them. As they watched the flames dance and refract in the happy couples's hopeful eyes, Arthur sidled up to Merlin's side and slipped their hands together also.

"I think I've just fallen further in love with you." he muttered to the warlock. Merlin tweaked an eyebrow and turned to glance at him.

"Reall?" he asked, cheekily and content.

"You look dashing, and radiant. If you hadn't lost your magic I'd swear you were glowing." Arhtur said.

"It's the earth." Merlin explained. "Magic is almost gone, but this makes her happy. She's showing off for us. Giving her blessing." Arthur smiled at this.

"You're basking in it. The earth adores you" hie said.

"It does. Can't blame it, can you?" Merlin quipped with a cheek. Arthur rooled his sky blue eyes before swallowing nervously. He gazed at Merlin for a split moment and then jumped right in.

"I can't wait to see you at our wedding." he said, keeping the tone of his voice deliberate and even, not daring to spare a glace at Merlin.

Merlin scoffed lightly.

"Why do we need a wedding?" Merlin asked, searching Arhtur with his confused look.

Arthrur felt his heart shatter into a million shards like a shattered mirror in slow mosion, blades of glass falling to the arth glitting in the sun.

"Oh. No reason." he said, stance taught and stiff, in memory of the regal lessons he had received from Gwaine. His face was as blank as a fresh page, but to Merlin it was an open book as always, the words of his feeling written in a language only MErlin could read, in an ink only he could read. He frowned at wat he saw there. Reading the misery there.

"What is it?" Merlin said lowly with a frown, squeezing his hand. Arthur paused and frowned.

"Why don't you want to get married?" He said finally looking firmly at Gwen and lancelot as they smiled at each other and Gaius intoned the ritual. Merlin laughed gentley, hurting his cracking burning heart even more still. He gulped as Merlin stepped forward and ran his lithe pale hands onto either side of Arthur's face. Reading the misery there, he spoke gently, as if to a child sruggling to understand.

"...Arthur we are married." Merlin said in an obvious tone. It was Arthur's turn to scoff, but in disbelief.

"Merlin I think I'd remember my own wedding" he said, with his tone harsh but hope unfurling slowly like a tiny blooming flower in his chest.

"Oh baby I thought you knew!" Merlijn exclaimed, looking destraught. "I would never have done it otherwise! I'm sorry I'm so very sorry."

"What are you talking about, Merin?" asked Arthur, uncertain what his boyfriend, or was it his husband? was talking about.