The Sorcerer's Secret (a Merlin story)

10

10.

3 years ago

"You two are unbelievable. Do you know that?" Arthur questioned with a smirk as Leon pulled away from Celeste. Celeste bit at her freshly kissed lips, embarrassed to be caught by Arthur.

"Don't tell Uther." She begged immediately. "He wants me to marry some lord from another kingdom," Celeste began as she clung to Arthur's arm. "I don't want to marry for the good of the kingdom, I want to love who I love. Please, don't tell him." Arthur looked between them.

"You," Arthur pointed at Sir Leon. "Come with me." Celeste opened her mouth to object. "You." He directed at Celeste. "Stay put. I will deal with you later."
"Arthur." Celeste whined.
"Leon." Arthur demanded.
"Coming your majesty." Leon replied, Celeste reached for him.
"I'm sorry." Celeste called after Leon.

"I would do it all again." Leon replied, blowing her a kiss goodbye. Leon expected his romance with the lady Celeste to end with his removal from Camelot. He expected Celeste to be shipped off to marry a man 10 years her senior and to never be allowed in her grace again. But Arthur surprised him.
"How long has this been going on for?" Arthur questioned when they reached his chambers.
"A few months..." Arthur rose a brow. Celeste had been keeping this secret from him for months? "Almost a year." Leon said after slight hesitation.
"Almost a year." Arthur repeated. He twiddled his dagger between his fingers, Leon's eyes followed the sharp blade.
"I love her sire."
"Love?" Arthur questioned with a laugh.
"Yes sire. I love her. And I know that what we did was not right. I should never have kept this from you but she knew what King Uther would say and she... I didn't want her to get in trouble for falling for a knight... Arthur I am truly sorry."
"All this time, you and Celeste have been sneaking around behind my back? Sneaking into her chamber at night too probably? Huh?" Arthur shook his head.
"No sire, I assure you I have been a complete gentleman." Leon said anxiously.
"How did you think this would end up?" Arthur badgered. "You think you would run away together? Have a life and a little home outside of Camelot? Steal her away and keep her form me?" Arthur went on.
"No, sire. Of course not. Celeste loves you and would never want to hurt you. That's why she didn't want to tell you. She didn't want you to have to keep a secret from your father."
"Leon-"
"Sire I have never meant to disrespect you. Or make you feel as though I am belittling you."
"Leon-"
"She is the one for me, and I will do anything to have the chance to be with her but I understand that what I did was unexpectable." Leon shook his head unable to look Arthur in the eyes.
"Leon-" Leon kept speaking, apologizing, begging for forgiveness and pleading on Celeste's behalf.
"I understand if you want me dead. I understand. But I would do it all again, because I knew her, I have become a better person. I wouldn't change a thing."
"Are you done?" Arthur questioned.
"Yes, sire. I'm sorry sire." Leon bowed his head low.
"You make her happy. You make her smile. I will keep your secret from my father." Leon's eyes shot up amazed.
"Thank you sire-"
"But you should know, that if my father finds out on his own, he will not be as gracious as I."
"Thank you."
"Just think, if you marry her, we would be like brothers." Arthur said happily. "Go on now." Leon took a grateful bow. "But let me be the one to tell Celeste." At that Celeste burst through the door.
"Arthur, thank you, thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed. Celeste wrapped her arms around Arthurs neck and kissed him over and over again.
"Not in front of your boyfriend, you will make him jealous." Arthur informed her as she moved hungerly to Leon. She wrapped her arms around his waist and tucked her chin into his chest.
"You take good care of her, or else you will have me to deal with."
"Of course, sire." Leon kissed the top of her head as he stroked her hair.
"Arthur," the booming voice of Uther drew closer and Celeste broke away from Leon and moved to sit at Arthur's desk. Leon crossed his wrists behind his back and stood up straight. Arthur welcomed his father in as Leon took a deep bow.
"Father, what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Celeste, my love." Uther held out his arms to her and she moved swiftly, hugging him. "You look as stunning as always, doesn't she?"
"Yes, she looks quite nice." Arthur said, his eyes flickering to Leon.
"Lovely."
"Ah Sir Leon. It's good you are here. I have a quest and I need someone I trust to lead the men."
"What about me father?" Arthur questioned, slightly hurt that Uther wouldn't pick his own son for an important mission.
"I need you here." Uther directed at Arthur. "So Leon, take three of your most trustworthy men and meet me in the throne room, immediately." Leon gave Uther a deep bow and exited.

"Be careful." Celeste said as Leon climbed onto his horse, ready to take off of his secret mission for the King.
"Thank you, my Lady." She leaned in giving his horse a kiss on the nose. "I love you." Leon whispered down to her.
"Good luck, be quick, be vigilant, be discreet, be careful." Uther said appearing from behind them. That was the last time Celeste saw any of them.
Three days had passed, but it wasn't until 2 weeks passed that Uther began to worry. Then 5 weeks passed and his search party brought back nothing. Uther tried to show bravery but he was concerned when they didn't return.
Then it was 3 months, no sign, no word, no anything they were just gone.

"Celeste is taking the loss of our knights very hard." Uther said one day after supper to Arthur. "Maybe we should take her to the market, bye her something pretty."
"I don't think that a new dress will cure her sadness, Father."
"Then what will? I don't like seeing her this way. I miss her smile."
"So do I father but she was close with Sir Leon. Having him gone, losing a friend..."
"You lost a friend too and yet you are doing fine." Uther remarked.
"Yes, but I have grown accustomed to loss. Celeste, she wants to believe things will turn out alright. She wants to believe that a happily ever after is possible." Arthur informed him.
"So what can I do?"
"She just needs time to grieve his loss." Arthur told him.
"It's different, she's depressed. Are you sure they weren't..." Arthur didn't answer. It wouldn't matter now if Uther knew now about Celeste and sir Leon. "Celeste wouldn't hide that from me, would she?"
"I don't know father."
"Sure you do. You are just not telling me." Uther took the final of from his goblet. "Tell me. Were they... romantic?"
"Father I..."
"Arthur, I am the king and will tell me." Uther demanded. "I need to know what I can do to help her. And I can't do that if I don't have all the information."

"Yes." Arthur said defeated. "They were together." Uther let out an annoyed breath. "I only just found out. I wanted Celeste to be the one to tell you but then... then... I am sorry father. I wish I told you sooner." They stopped in front of Celeste's room, her door was closed, locked.
"Why did she not tell me?" Uther ran a hand over the smooth wood of the closed door.

"You will have to ask her." Arthur replied, Celeste poked her face out at them. Her eyes red from crying.

"My darling," Uther coed. "Why didn't you tell me about you and Sir Leon?"

"I knew what you would say." Celeste said quietly. "I didn't want Sir Leon to get in trouble."
"All I care about is your safety and your happiness, Celeste. I wish you would have told me sooner."
"I love him, Uther. I love him so much and now he's gone and my heart... my heart feels like it's broken."

"Oh sweetie." Uther pulled her into his arms.
"My whole body hurts all over and I just can't find the energy to get out of bed. I don't know what to do with myself. Uther, I'm just so sad. I can't bare it."

"Arthur," Uther demanded and Arthur snapped to attention, peering into Celeste's room.

"Yes, sire."
"Come." Uther opened a hand to Arthur pulling him into a hug. "My family, my children." Uther told them, "I love you both so much. Please never keep secrets from me. I can't protect you if I don't know what's going on."