Chapter Text
Epilogue
Arthur read his speech for the fifth time hoping it would help him find a conclusion. It didn't. The words were blurry and his mind wandering far away from the task at hand. When Merlin walked passed him to close the curtain, he gave up and put an arm around his consort's waist to pull him close. Pressing his face against his stomach he inhaled the comforting, earthy scent of Merlin's skin through his new tunic of court sorcerer. They might be distant in public, or at least as much as they used to before their hand-fasting, but in the privacy of their chambers Arthur had learned to let go of his royal façade and found he enjoyed nothing more than the comfort of Merlin’s embrace. Not that he gave in every time he felt like it, he had a reputation to maintain, after all, even with his lover. But when, like now, he was tired and doubts ate him away, he found letting his guards down was worth more than trying to keep up the pretence.
"I don't think Eadric is happy here," he whispered after a while, finally giving voice to his fears.
"Give him time. For now, he misses his family and Camelot doesn't feel like home yet. But once he gets used to his new life, I'm sure he'll like it. And he'll see you're giving him an opportunity that as a second son, he'd never had in Caerleon."
"Yeah… Maybe… I think he prefers you to me, though."
Merlin chuckled. Arthur could feel the vibrations against his face.
"That's because I make butterflies for him and you make him crawl in the dirt."
"Do I need to remind you you're supposed to teach him about magic?"
"And that's what I do. Let me chose my methods."
"Alright."
Merlin's fingers treaded into his king's hair, massaging his skull, and Arthur let out a content sigh. He'd never imagined raising a child would be so exhausting. Well, he'd never imagined he would raise a child one day. It had been Merlin's idea to foster Queen Annis’ nephew and take him as the heir to the throne, strengthening that way Camelot's alliance to Caerleon. For now, though, the boy had a hard time getting used to his new home and Arthur wasn't as relaxed about it than Merlin. Eadric was the future of the kingdom, after all.
"You should go to sleep, you look exhausted."
"I haven't finished my speech."
"We'll have a look at it tomorrow. We’ll have plenty of time before the feast."
Arthur nodded. He pulled away and made for the wardrobe to change to his night clothes but Merlin grabbed him by the wrist to pull him close and kiss him. Merlin loved to kiss him. Arthur didn’t see a reason to complain.
A moment later, when they climbed into bed, Arthur held his consort close, spooning him against his chest, tangling their legs. They might not have sex but they didn’t need it to be intimate. It hadn’t always been easy, of course. Their tendency to disregard their needs or discomfort to please the other had done nothing to make their lives easier nor had the weight of Arthur’s crown and the whispered words in the halls of the castle. There had been fights and moments they’d felt like it wasn’t worth the trouble yet they’d kept trying their hardest to make it work. They always would. Because, in the end, what they had was too precious not to.