His Love

Chapter 23

A/N: Hi guys so sorry for the wait!! ive been busy writing my story now and i hope you all like it when i start posting! there's a few chapters left to go on 'His Love' and then y new one will be up!! anyway hope you enjoy!!

Merlin is in his rooms with the kitten. The sunflight was streaming in through t windows causing a warm spot on the floor whihc the kitten was laying in quite happily. Merlin was trying to entice him to play with a short frayed bit of rope he had found but after giving it an adorable halfharted bat with his tiny paws the kitten had given up and gone to sleep, and now Merlin was bored as he sat cross legged on the flagstone sloor. His mind wandered back to thoughts of Arthur. Since they had met in the tavern, the blonde had rarely left the sorcerer's mind. He felt drawn to the Handsome Prince in a way that could not be entirely accounted for by his strong muscles, or his twinkling periwinkle eyes and crooked smile. Merlin was determined to woo him.

Suddenly the door opened and the man himself came in, the broad smile on his face filling Merlin's heart with joy until he felt it might spill over and flood out of him, drowning the city in a cascade of his adoration of this man, this perfectly sculpted golden god, radiant in the sunlight that shone into the darkened room and making everything around him seem dull by comparison, even the rich mahogany of the four-poster-bed and the deep jewel tones of the heavy tapestrys that surrounded it, seemed to be mottled and moth eaten when seen next to Arthur's stunning beauty and regal grace. Merlin's heart skipped a beat as Arthir gazed towards him.

The man occupying Merlin's thoughts bounded in, arms full of blankest, cushions and a basket of delicious smelling food.

"Merlin!" Arthur grinned brillilantly before stopping in his tracks at the sight of the sunbathing kitten and dopping the blankets, cushions and food in a heap, rousing the cat.

"That's a cat." Said Arthur.

"Yes, it is." Agreed Merlin nodding and smiling slightly at Arthur's adorable confusion.

"Where did you get a cat?" Arthur asked, eyes narrowed suspiciousy at the small tabby kitten which appeared to be glaring at him for distrubing it's slumber.

"I just found him" Merlin smiled innocently and Arthur relaxed. Merlin's sweet face was too much for him to handle and continue questioning the where about the cat was from. Arthus was slightly distracted by the jet-haireds man's face.

"Mewl" cried the tabby before scamping off through the open door, perturbed by being awoken by Prince Arthur.

"Kilagarrah! Come back" Merlin called half-heartedly as he dissappeared down the stone corridor of the Camalot castle but the small kitten was gone, scampering along the long halls of the castle to who knows where. Merlin sat on the floor and pouted, sad that his new friend was gone.

"Kilgarrah?" Arthur asked, one eyebrow raised in a way hat would rival Gaius.

"Yes, I hope he's okay. He's only little." Melrin replied, tears of concern pooling in his eyes.

"Merlin, sweetness, he'll be fine. I promise." Said the future kind as his laced the fingers of one hand through Merlin's and ran the fingers of the pther hand along his jutting cheekbone. Where there hands were linked the prince pulled the wizard towards the pile of blankets, cushions and food where they were piled on the bed.

"Here look, I've got a surprise for you!" He said gently, ad Merlin sniffed.

"What is it?" Merlin asked curiously.

"We're going for a picknic!" Arthur said brightly showing Merlin the food.

"I got all your favourites. I thought we could go throught the woods and maybe...you'd remember." He trailed off not wanting to think about the future where Merlin did not remember. Merlin smilled salaciously.

"If you wanted to seduce me with blanket there's an eaiser way." he winked and Arthur rolled his eyes and walked out of the room with all of the pillows and blankets and food he had cathered for their day out, Merlin following behind with a big grin on his face.

They mounted their horse, Degore for Arthur and Piggott for Merlin, who exclaimed at how lovely a horse he as when he saw him, and they left camelot under the late morning sun, to travel to a hill overlooking ove of the vallies. it was one of Arthur's favourite spots. All around them the birds were out and so were the flowers. All the trees have there leaves and are covered in blossoms and the smell is in the air. Merlin smiled at the scenery; he loved nature. By his side, Arthur was on a horse, throwing nervous glances at him every few paces and feeling like it was their first date.

"Arthur why would this ride make me remember?" Merlin asked the blond man riding beside him. Degore whinnied gently. Arthur patted her flank as he answered.

"Because...we were riding down this very path one day when your horse spooked and threw you off to the ground. You were so hurt and...I was scared. I was so scared that I'd lose you, I treasured you so much. I'd always thought that it twas because were my friend, you didn't defer to me always, just treated me like a normal man and not prince I am, and spoke your mind, and I thought that was why I valued you, but when you fell, I reliased that it was more than that, it went much deeper. I could not imagone my life without you in it, and I wanted to hold you close and protect you from the world, to kiss you..." He trailed off into silence staring at Merlin so earnestly that the milky pallor of his face began to blush red from the intensity of it.

"And then what?" He asked, gulping but not braking eye contact.

"Then I took you to Gaius. I had to save you. He did what he could but I couldn't bare to leave you. I thought you might die". Arthur let out a manly cough to cover the lump in his throat and the tears that were threatening to form in his eyes. Merlin's soft smile showed him that he had failed.

"He couldn't do anything, and he told me that it was up to fate. And even Prince's can't control fate. So I sat up with you all night, I had to spend any time I could with you. And in the morning, you woke up and felt the same as me." Arthur smiled in a way that made Merlin's heart flip and his stomach wriggle at the intensity of the young royal's happiness. Arthur's smile made their love feel like a miracle.