Deserving - Merlin One Shot

The only thing that kept Merlin from cracking other then the desire to keep is position and his head on his shoulders was the thought of the turkey that was roasting in the kitchens all day. Dinner would be magnificent tonight. The thought of it helped while he dressed Arthur, held up the shield with the target painted on the front during training, sharpened Arthur's blade, washed his laundry and trailed after him during the afternoon's hunt.

His muscles ached as he opened the door to his and Gaius' dwelling. The seductive aroma of the cooked, plump poultry made his mouth begin to salivate. He dropped his satchel with a loud plop and made his way to the table where a single platter sat waiting. Just as Merlin assumed Gaius must have already eaten a hand suddenly appeared to slap his greedy one away before he could reach the plate.

"Ah, ah!" Gaius wagged his old wrinkled finger. "I have one last job for you."

"Can't it wait? I haven't eaten all day!" Merlin tried to go around his mentor but was intercepted once again.

"No it cannot. I need you to deliver this bag of herbs to Opal immediately. I meant to give it to her today but it slipped my mind. It is important she gets them." Gaius crooned diligently. Merlin opened his mouth to speak but was intervened. "And no dinner till it is done."

Merlin, begrudgingly so, accepted Gaius' medicine bag and made his way out the door and out of the palace. Getting past the guards at this hour of the evening was easy for once since he actually had the permission to be out.

Merlin knocked limply on Opal's door; the sooner he made the drop off the sooner he could eat. He heard feet scurrying around inside and Opal's voice call out. "Coming!"

The door to her house creaked open. Merlin was going to walk in, say his hello, deliver the herbs and bid her goodnight but he stopped in his tracks just as he was walking in. There at Opal's small, round dining table was a lit candlestick in a silver holder and two platters of roasted turkey.

"What is this?" He turned to see Opal close the door behind him.

"It," She smiled, "is our anniversary."

"Our anniversary for what? Since we've been courting?" Opal led him toward the table. She had managed to sneak two plates from the palace kitchens and get them here still hot.

"Heaven knows there is no specific date for that." She laughed softly.

"Then what?" He looked up at her as he sat.

"Since the first day we met. I'll never forget it."

"You remember the date?"

"Of course I do…" She placed a hand on his shoulder as she stood over him. "Merlin within one day, the first day, you saved my life, revealed Lady Shaula for the malicious sorceress she was and convinced Uther to let me stay in Camelot as Gaius' apprentice. Needless to say it was a tremendous first impression."

"I had help." He confessed. Opal sat and tucked in her seat.

"Still, I've never seen anyone risk so much for a stranger. I think it's safe to say that was the day I fell in love with you," She smiled at him whimsically over the dim candlelight and he smiled back, "even if I didn't realize it at the time."

"Well if that's the case," Merlin picked up a fork, "I'm sorry for being the one to take so long to finally admit it out loud."

"Merlin," Opal rested her chin on her fist, "you were worth the wait."

"Was I?" He grinned through turkey. He was a cheeky boy, he was.

"Absolutely." The two then fell into a deep conversation as they dined in the candlelight.