Secretly Betrothed

Lavenders Blue

They all went inside and a feast was held for Merlin's arrival. Alex was happily playing with some children he had met at the beginning of the feast. Merlin couldn't help but chuckle as his brother played. "I do hope I haven't caused trouble by bringing him here." Merlin stated to the King and Queen.

"Don't be silly Merlin, it's no trouble at all." Ygraine stated, then Merlin heard some bickering.

"I want to be the knight! You be the evil guy!" The boy Alex was playing with said.

"No, I wish to be a knight! You be the evil guy." Alex answered back.

"Would you please excuse me your majesty?" Merlin asked kindly.

"Merlin, when are you going to call us by our names?" Uther asked with a smile.

"Prince or not, I cannot do so as you are a higher rank then I." Merlin stated, Uther shakes his head with a chuckle.

"Very well, but you should know that you don't have to ask to be excused." Uther told the young Prince.

"I'll keep that in mind." Merlin stated as he got up and walked over to the two children, and started to play with them, pretending to be the villain so they could both be knights. Uther, Ygraine and Arthur watched him in amazement.

"Who knew he was so good with children, I always thought he hated children." Leon stated with a smile.

"No, that's Arthur your thinking of." Gwaine stated laughing at his own joke, the other knights joining in.

"That will all change when he meets the right person." Percival stated as he watched his friend play with his little brother and all the other children that decided to join in, a kind, happy smile on Merlin's face.

"I was young when I said that. You should know that I've grown to like the idea quite a bit since then. A lot more quite recently." Arthur told his friends, and they all smirk at their Prince.

"How resent Sire? If you don't mind us asking." Lancelot asked the blonde Prince.

"Let's just say very recently, and leave it at that." Uther and Ygraine smile at that, for everyone knew that Merlin had magic, he was even using bits here and there whilst playing with the children. This meant that if Arthur and Merlin did become a pair, then Merlin would be able to carry. Merlin was twenty years old and already showing the signs of an excellent mother figure, Arthur was twenty-one and was finally showing he had interest of becoming a father. The reason for Uther and Ygraine not telling the boys of their betrothal was simple, they didn't want the boys to go through with it just because they thought they had to, they wanted the boys to get married because they loved each other and it was something they wanted more than anything. When and if Arthur and Merlin marry, the King and Queen would then tell the boys of their betrothal because after all they deserved to know.

After a while Merlin came back over to the King, Queen and Arthur with Alex in his arms fast asleep. "I'm sorry, but I've got to take Alex to bed." He covers he mouth as he yarns. "And I think I'm going to head to bed myself." Merlin says allowing his tiredness to be see, if there was one thing Merlin never did, it was hind how he was feeling unless he felt it was completely necessary.

"Of cause Merlin. You're sharing Arthur's chambers and bed. The servants have made a room for Alex in the chambers next door to Arthur's." The Queen explained, Merlin nodded his head as a sign that he'd taken all of it in. "Arthur, would you please show Merlin where to go?" Ygraine asked her son who smiled.

Arthur gladly showed Merlin the way. He opened the door for Merlin so he could get into Alex's room to put him to bed. Arthur even moved the covers over as Merlin sat down on the floor and gentle woke his brother. "I'm sorry to wake you, but you must get dressed into your night cloths." Merlin told his brother, who nodded sleepily as he got up, grabbed is night ware and went behind the courtesy shutter to get dressed. Merlin stayed in the room to make sure his brother didn't wind up on the floor from tiredness, and Arthur stayed to make sure Merlin didn't do so. Alex came out and Merlin walked up to him who picked him back up and walked over to the bed smiling at Arthur slightly. He placed his brother onto the bed and pulled the covers over him placing a soft kiss to his forehead then went to leave with Arthur.

"Merlin." Said Alex in a quiet, tired voice.

Merlin turned around and asked. "Yeah?"

"Will you sing Lavender please." He asked his brother, to which Merlin smiled.

"Sure." He walked over to his little brother, so tiered he completely forgot Arthur was in the room by now. He sat down next to Alex who snuggled right up to Merlin and smiled as Merlin brought him into his arms and started to gently stroke his hand through Alex's black hair. Merlin opens his mouth, and what comes out put Arthur into a state of shock.

Lavenders blue,
Dilly dilly,
Lavenders green.

His voice was so sweet it was like honey, he had a beautifully angelic voice. Pitch and town were perfect, and it filled the castle halls.

When I am King,
Dilly dilly,
You shall be Queen.

His voice was quite feminine, but no one really cared, it was beautiful all the same.

Who told you so?
Dilly dilly,
Who told you so?

T'was my own heart,
Dilly dilly,
That told me so.

Merlin had grown a small crowd of people by now with his voice being carried through the halls. The crowd consisted of Arthur who still remained in the room, Uther and Ygraine just outside the doors.

Call up your men,
Dilly dilly,
Set them to work.

Some to the plow,
Dilly dilly,
Some to the fork.

Some to make hay,
Dilly dilly,
Some to cut corn.

While you and I,
Dilly dilly,
Keep ourselves worm.

By now more people had followed the beautiful voice, all Arthur's knights where now outside as well, all gobsmacked that the voice belonged to Merlin. Uther and Ygraine smiled, Merlin was more a mother then a brother in the dim light of Alex's chambers.

Lavenders green,
Dilly dilly,
Lavenders blue.

If you love me,
Dilly dilly,
I will love you.

Let the birds sing,
Dilly dilly,
And the lamps play.

A few maid's and servants were now listening as they watched the Prince sing to his brother. There were even people outside listening, for Alex's window was open.

We shall be safe,
Dilly dilly,
Out of harm's way.

Alex had fallen asleep a little while ago, but Merlin knows if he stopped, Alex would somehow be conscious enough to ask him to keep going. Merlin was the exact same at his ago. Whenever he had a nightmare he'd go to his mother and she'd sing him to sleep, even at the age of eight which is how old Alex is now.

I love to dance,
Dilly dilly,
I love to sing.

When I am Queen,
Dilly dilly,
You'll be my King.

Merlin started to yarn a bit now, his eyelids slipping closed

Who told me so?
Dilly dilly,
Who told me so?

Merlin's eyes were now closed, his voice so gentle.

I told myself,
Dilly dilly,
I told me so.

And Merlin was asleep with Alex happily sleeping in Merlin's arms, both breathing softly in their sleep. Everyone smiled at the picture, Arthur the most. How he wished Merlin would hold him like that. How he wished he could hold Merlin like that. How he wished Merlin would sing that to him every now and then. How he wished he could watch Merlin sing to his swollen stomach that had a growing child in it. How he wished to see Merlin hold their child for the first time and sing that song. That was when Arthur realised, he was in love with Merlin, and he never wanted to let him go, never wanted to see him get hurt. Wanted to marry the dark haired Prince and have a family with him. And he was going to make sure it happened.

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