The feast was in full swing when Merlin arrived at the banqueting hall.
Wine and cheese accompanied with fruit were flowing freely and fast as servants dashed to and fro, taking out empty platters and bringing in fresh ones.
The air itself felt as though it was part of the celebration. Even the grouchiest man couldn't help but lift a smile in this atmosphere.
Usually Merlin would be hustling about with the servants, but tonight Arthur was kind enough to allow him to enjoy the evening as a guest. Merlin was still reeling from that; he couldn't believe Arthur could be so nice!
He walked around nodding in greeting to those he passed by.
Then he saw her, the one he was looking for.
Hunith's smile shamed the candlelight that came from the chandelier above. Nothing compared to the look she gave her son.
Merlin embraced his mother tightly breathing in her soft scent that always reminded him of home. "Oh Merlin!" Hunith cried in delight.
"Mother! Don't cry. It's supposed to be a happy moment," Merlin teased his mother.
"Oh you! I can't help it," Hunith laughed in reply, but she wiped her tears away.
"Merlin," his mother began. "I would like you to meet someone. This here is Tytus, he has been living in Ealdor for 8 months now."
A man around the age of his mother stood besides her. His eyes were sharp and alert as he studied Merlin before extending his hand towards him.
"A pleasure to meet you, Merlin. Your mother is very proud of you. She never ceases to talk about you." He gave a gruff laugh at his last statement.
Merlin studied this man. He was unsure of the relation between his mother and Tytus.
Merlin put on a pleasant smile when he realized the man was talking to him. "Oh, sorry. Likewise." Merlin shook Tytus' hand.
There was something that Merlin could not single out about this man that gave him a queer feeling, but he silenced that thought before it could grow any further.
Not today, he thought.
Just then the crowd began to applaud loudly. Cheers and toasts were made at the entrance of the King and Queen.
Merlin excused himself from his mother and strode towards the royals. "Something tells me it is going to be a long night for you two," Merlin said quietly to them.
"Tell me about it," Guinevere said as she sighed and placed her hand on her abdomen. "I think I'm going to need something to keep me going, otherwise I'm not going to be a pleasure to be around."
Arthur's eyes went a bit wide as he knew the side effects of pregnancy. Merlin chuckled when he saw Arthur's expression.
"Merlin," Guinevere said, stopping anything from erupting between the two men. "Would you please run down to the kitchens and get some fig jam for me?"
Merlin's attention went to Guinevere.
"Certainly, my lady," the manservant replied and bowed. "Anything else?" She shook her head and he left to the kitchens.
Merlin had been sent on a few trips to the kitchens since Guinevere's pregnancy began. She had been craving sour foods as it helped with the nausea.
Merlin couldn't help the smile that formed when he thought about his friend.
Gwen, that young lady who was so flustered when he first met her. She always corrected herself and stumbled over her words when she was talking to him or any other gentleman.
But then things changed and so did she.
She was no more that flustered lady, but a confident and wise woman and so much so that Arthur fell head over heels for her.
He remembered the times he and Gwen would spend together in the kitchens late at night after they had tended to the Pendragon siblings. They would tease Arthur's silly habits or Morgana's tendencies to always fuss over her hair.
Merlin missed those times, but he couldn't be anymore happier for his friend. From servant to Queen.
"Oi!" said a voice which startled Merlin causing him to bump his head.
"Ow!" he exclaimed rubbing his head as he turned to see who dared startle him.
Oh good grief, he thought when he saw the person standing in front of him.
It just had to be her didn't it?
"How many times do I have to tell you?! Keep your grubby hands off of my stuff and ESPECIALLY during a feast!" The head chef huffed and stormed away.
Merlin scoffed as he closed the cupboard door which guarded the secret stash he kept for Guinevere.
That woman had given him grief for so many years, and he often wondered if she just enjoyed annoying him. After all these years, and even with his amazing intellect, he still could not understand why that woman was so obsessive over her food.
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When he entered the hall again, the energy of the place had risen significantly. He even noticed some people who were more cheery than when they first arrived.
The Pendragons certainly knew how to throw a party.
He reached the head table when Guinevere noticed him. "Oh Merlin!" she cried in relief. "You are a life saver!"
The irony of that statement thoroughly amused the both of them as they shared a look.
Guinevere wasted no time in opening up the jar and scooping out its contents without being undignified. Oh, the joys of bearing a child!
Arthur was talking to a foreign dignitary but he couldn't help feeling a little left out of the fun the two friends were having beside him. He continued to converse, but kept an eye on them.
Once Merlin was satisfied that Guinevere was taken care of, he excused himself to find some food. While looking for a place to sit, he spotted that same golden haired girl at the opposite side of the room.
Her face was crumpled up in confusion as she studied her plate. Amused, Merlin headed towards her.
"Hello," he said cheerily, taking the seat next to her, but she didn't respond. She was so focused on her plate she didn't notice his presence.
"Hello, is anyone home?" he gently tapped her plate to get her attention.
"My olive," the girl simply said.
Now it was Merlin's turn to be confused.
"I'm sorry?" he half laughed.
"My olive," the girl said again. "I swear I had two olives on my plate and now I can't find the other."
Merlin let out a small chuckle at the innocence displayed before him. The girl looked about the age of 20, but her innocence made her look even younger.
"Here," he said kindly, offering her his olive. Her eyes went wide and he couldn't help but notice the speck of gold in the pool of brown.
"You-you are giving me your olive?" she was so adorable that he couldn't help the bright smile that came to his face.
"Yes, it's just an olive," he replied with a shrug.
"Thank you so much," she said and bit into the olive.
Merlin watched her as she continued eating with satisfaction. He missed being ignorant of the evil in the world. He gazed at the girl next to him and smiled.
Then he stopped himself.
Had he felt that feeling again? The one that he thought died when he lost Freya? Was he ready to love again?
He wasn't sure, but he did know that Freya would always be his first love and for her sake he would give love a second chance.
Merlin had the feeling he was being watched so he lifted up his head only to see Arthur wiggling his eyebrows at him and glancing at the girl next to him.
Suddenly there was a chill in the air that grew rapidly cold. Merlin began to rub his arms to warm himself up when he saw that dark figure again. It stood behind Arthur's chair as it drew a black, stone knife. It was poised in the air ready to stab Arthur, but Merlin stood.
"Arthur!" Merlin shouted.
Then all went dark.