Chapter Text
Something was wrong with Merlin. The man had been anxiously hovering all day, and Arthur noted that he completed his chores with a fervor that was rarely seen. It wasn’t until that evening when he saw his manservant dash out of the physician’s chambers with a picnic basket of all things and into the courtyard that Arthur knew it was time to investigate.
“Ah, Princess, what’s got you all hot and bothered?” Gwaine asked as the knight saw Arthur approach. Arthur scoffed.
“Excuse you, Sir Gwaine, I am not hot and bothered. I am merely… going hunting! Yes, that’s what I’m doing. Now, if you don’t mind…” Arthur tried to get past the man as he saw Merlin through a window jumping onto his horse and securing the picnic basket. Gwaine followed his gaze and caught sight of Merlin.
“You’re going after Merlin, aye? I’ll go with you,” Gwaine smiled and ran a hand through his long hair. “I’ve been worried about him too, the man’s been acting off all day.”
“I am not worried about Merl in!” The king protested, but he knew if Gwaine had picked up on something about Merlin as well then there really was something going on. Gwaine must have noticed a conflicted expression on his face because he merely raised an eyebrow, waved him on, turned around and started walking. Arthur huffed, but he followed anyway.
When the two men arrived at the stable, Arthur’s other knights sauntered off the training field and towards them. “Where are you lot headed then?” Elyan asked with a laugh. “Not thinking about running off without us, are you?”
“Princess and I are headed after Merlin, you’re welcome to follow. He’s up to something, I’m telling you!” Gwaine shook his head, laughing also. Arthur noticed the knights’ faces crease with worry.
“You noticed Merlin too?” Leon glanced between Arthur and Gwaine, who both nodded. Even the gentle giant Percival seemed wrought with worry for the young servant. “It’s settled then. We’ll all go.”
Once all of his men and Arthur himself had their horses saddled and mounted them, they picked up Merlin’s trail. Unsurprisingly it led them into the forest, but for the life of him Arthur could not figure out why Merlin would just run into the forest with a picnic basket after behaving oddly all day. There was no way Merlin could be seeing a girl ! Arthur would know if Merlin was courting, and it’s not like the man had the time, what with all the chores he gave him.
“What do you think our little Merlin is up to then?” Gwaine asked cheekily. “I can’t imagine he’d need a picnic basket for one.” This drew some laughter from the knights, but they quieted as they saw where Merlin’s trail led in the distance.
“He’s run off to...a lake?” Leon quirked his brow. They all exchanged glances before dismounting and continuing the path on foot. As they approached, the knights could clearly see Merlin standing ankle deep in the water, picnic basket sitting on the shore. That was puzzling to say the least.
Suddenly, as if she had risen from the water itself- that was impossible, but Arthur had not seen her approach from any other direction -a woman threw herself into Merlin’s arms. His manservant laughed, picking the woman up and spinning her through the air before gently setting her down and leaning into a kiss.
Arthur’s heart stopped.
Merlin really was courting a girl? They seemed familiar enough with each other, meaning it wasn’t a recent development. Something festered uncomfortably inside Arthur. Did he really mean so little to Merlin that he wouldn’t even inform Arthur about such an important development in his life?
Arthur was pulled out of his thoughts by Merlin’s voice. “Freya, I came as soon as I could get away. What is it you wanted to tell me?”
Ah, so that was her name. Freya . She was certainly a pretty young woman, way out of Merlin’s league if you asked him. Just from the way their eyes sparkled at the sight of each other, Arthur knew they were in love. So how could Merlin not tell him?
Arthur looked at his knights, gauging their reactions. Gwaine looked positively stupefied (then again, Arthur probably looked that way too. It really was a shocking scene). Percival looked contemplative, Elyan surprised, and Leon...well, Leon seemed better at hiding his emotions than the rest of them. Arthur couldn’t quite tell what his first knight was thinking.
As the couple pulled away, Arthur seemed to regain his ability to breathe and consequently his speech. “We should…we should go,” he stated firmly, moving to stand and return to the horses. His words seemed to work their intended effect as it spurred the others into action. Before any of them could hear what is was this ‘Freya’ had to tell Merlin, they were gone.
The ride back to the citadel was filled with some of the most awkward silence Arthur had ever experienced before Gwaine managed to break it. “Did any of you...know?” Gwaine asked, but his voice sounded odd and slightly choked up. They all glanced at one another, but no one had to say a word to convey that no, they did not know.
“You’d have thought Merl in would have mentioned a girl given how much he talks,” Arthur grumbled, trying to ignore that ever-growing feeling of unhappiness. His statement earned him some muted laughs, but not much more than that. Everyone’s minds were elsewhere it seemed.
“Sire, should we...should we mention what happened tonight to Merlin? I can’t imagine he would react very well to having been followed,” Leon inquired, ever the planner, the strategist. Arthur paused at that, not having realized he could do something with the information. He was not the only one it seemed. Even Percival’s eyes widened in surprise at the idea of confronting Merlin about Freya.
“I’d rather we didn’t. For now this stays between us, understood?” Arthur ordered, and his men nodded. Now all Arthur had to do was pretend that he didn’t know his servant- no, friend, because that’s what Merlin is, isn’t it? Although he’ll never say it out loud, it’s the truth -had kept an important part of his life from him. Fine, Arthur thought, it’s not like I never have to act in front of the council. That was true, he supposed. It should be easy enough. Except I’ve never had to pretend with Merlin.
-
When Arthur woke the next morning, Merlin was practically buzzing. The man could simply not stop smiling! Guinevere found it amusing, but all Arthur could see was Merlin and Freya, hugging and kissing and laughing and keeping things from him- no. Arthur couldn’t think like that. If Merlin felt he could not tell Arthur, then that must mean he had done something to make his manservant feel like he could not trust the king. But what exactly?
Arthur’s face must have conveyed his inner turmoil because Merlin was suddenly in front of him, smile gone and calling his name. “Arthur? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine. How can you be so excited at this hour?” Arthur scoffed, and then Merlin’s wide smile had returned as if he had reminded Merlin of his happiness. Honestly, that wide of a smile had to be hurting the man’s face if he had been keeping it up all morning.
“Oh, now that you mentioned it!” If it was possible, Merlin’s smile grew wider. “I have some important news to tell you and Gwen this morning. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be off,” Merlin didn’t wait for permission before he was racing out the door, leaving Arthur dumbfounded.
“He’s certainly in a good mood this morning!” Guinevere laughed from across the table. “I’m glad for it. He seemed so tense yesterday. I was beginning to worry if maybe his mother was ill.” Arthur nodded quietly and took a sip of water, not trusting himself to speak without revealing what he saw the previous night.
Before Guinevere could say anything else, Merlin was bursting into the room again, this time with a girl at his heels. But not just any girl, no, it was Freya. Arthur began to choke in shock on the water he hadn’t had time to swallow. Guinevere looked between Merlin, Arthur, and Freya, clearly unsure of what to do. When Arthur’s coughing petered out, Merlin cleared his throat. “Arthur, Gwen, I’d like you to meet Freya, my wife!” Arthur’s jaw dropped. Guinevere dropped her fork in shock.
“Wi...wife?” Arthur managed to croak out. That was unexpected. He could accept that Merlin was courting someone, yes, but married ?
“Merlin, I’m...happy for you, but why haven’t you mentioned her before?” Guinevere asked weakly, obviously still in shock but trying to be kind. She was obviously handling this better than Arthur.
“Well, it never seemed like the right time. Freya was...called away, to deal with some…” Merlin trailed off as if grasping for an explanation. Freya grasped his hand and squeezed it before he could continue. “She was called away to do some work in another kingdom, but she’s been...relieved of her duties for now. I’ve missed her terribly and couldn’t bring myself to mention her. I did have important news to share with you though,” Merlin grinned, turning to look at Freya- his wife! -before glancing at Arthur again.
“Having a wife doesn’t count as... important news ?!” Arthur choked out and his wife seemed to be losing her hold on the calm mask she wore.
“Well- yes, but this is more important I suppose, though I guess that really depends on your opinion. I’m sure my mother will be thrilled, but you might hold different values of course-” Merlin was cut off by his giggling wife who nudged him, “right, sorry, rambling...All that is to say Freya and I are expecting a child in the spring!”
Arthur promptly lost consciousness.