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“The last order of business I wish to announce is something I believe will benefit many people,” Arthur stood up, parchment in hand, finally - finally! - bringing the end of the meeting to a finish.
Ever since Arthur became king meetings have been ever so long and Merlin was almost bored out of his mind, he could no longer send Arthur looks since the king now had to pay attention to said meetings.
Numbness echoed through Merlin’s legs, reaching all the way up his thighs, he could no longer feel his feet. He stood off to the side of the room, far enough out of everyone's way, close enough if Arthur needed something. The midday sunlight shone through the glass panes and made the heavy, boring air shimmer just a bit brighter.
“-revoke the ban on magic.”
What.
Hold on. Hold your horses. Hold the fuck up. Wait a minute.
Merlin looked at the Round Table, Arthur still stood talking to the council members.
“The process will take time and caution, many people believe what my father implemented and there is still a large prejudice against magic and sorcerers.” He looked like a king. The good ones. The ones you hear about in myths or fairy tales. The ones that people say are good and fair and just, the ones that people love.
He looked like a king of the future, but this was now.
Was it prompted? No, it couldn’t have been. This must have taken a while, this speech was well rehearsed, and Arthur had only been king for barely a year. Merlin hadn’t written this speech and the council members and knights all looked equally surprised.
This was completely of Arthur’s own will, even after everything he accepted magic. Arthur stood at the table, looking like an angel preaching the words of the Goddess. In a way he was, wasn’t he? Magic was finally free, the prophecy was partially fulfilled.
The prophecy was secured. Arthur would return, Merlin had hope, unlike all the past times, he had hope.
Something traced his skin, trickling down his face, Merlin wiped it away. And then he realised he was crying. Endlessly crying.
Merlin placed the heels of his palms into his eyes, trying to stop crying, trying to not disrupt the meeting. But the tears kept coming, he furiously wiped away the tears, he wanted to remember this moment for the rest of his life, and goddess damn him if he ruined it. Merlin looked up at the ceiling, too happy to care he was crying but hoping he wasn’t too loud, the tears still pooled in his eyes, making the ceiling look a little too blurry, but that didn’t matter.
When the tears finally came to an end, Merlin wiped his eyes a last time, his hands covering his face, he braced himself to look at Arthur, he wanted the king, his friend, to see how happy he was. He pulled his hands away and looked at the table.
Suffice to say, he was surprised at what he saw. Arthur was staring at him, Lancelot had twirled a flower in his fingers, and just about everybody else looked gobsmacked.
“Oh, Merlin,” Arthur said, breaking the strange silence. He looked at Merlin with the softest expression, his lips were parted like he was about to say something, his brows raised slightly as if he were surprised. Arthur put down the parchment and left the Round Table behind him, he strode over to Merlin.
Merlin didn’t know what to do, he bit down on his lip because he could feel another bout of tears on the way. Arthur was within arms reach now, Merlin still didn’t know what to do with himself, but at the same time, he didn’t know what Arthur would do.
In one quick motion Arthur encased Merlin in his arms, there was no space between them. Arthur rested his head on Merlins and wrapped his arms around him.
Merlin finally let the tears fall free, sobs wracked through his body, he quivered against Arthur’s strong hold. It wasn’t captive, it was comfort, Arthur offered such security and Merlin gladly clung to it.
Merlins cries soon turned to sniffles, which turned to hiccups.
“Merlin I promise, if I had known, this would have happened a lot sooner, I wouldn’t have waited so long,” Arthur whispered into Merlin's hair.
Merlin pulled away slightly, now looking directly at Arthur, his eyes puffy and cheeks red. “What do you mean?”
“If I had known you were a sorcerer, I would have done this a lot sooner.” Arthurs hands drifted to Merlin's arms, his gaze soft and caring, but Merlin pulled away, stepping back.
“How long have you known? When did you find out?” With each word Merlin asked he sped up further.
Arthur frowned, it seemed like they were having two different conversations. “What on earth do you mean, was this not you?”
Arthur gestured to the room, and then Merlin saw it.
The walls, windows, floor, ceiling and every other possible surface was covered in greenery. Flowers clung to the walls, looped around the chandeliers and hung from the ceiling. The floor seemed to be covered in grass and small dainty flowers, Merlin being the epicentre. Chairs were weaved with ivy, even the knights had flowers knotted onto them. Gwaine grinned at him with daisies sprouting in his hair, Lance smiled with tears in his eyes, in his hand a yellow rose twirled.
“Magic can be influenced by emotion, thus creating the possibility of accidental magic fueled by emotion,” Merlin said, chuckling. “One of the first things I learnt.” He looked around the room, seeing what he had caused.
Merlin turned back to Arthur, on his head twisted on was a crown of sunflowers. “Magic can be beautiful, it can help everyone, please, let me prove it to you.”
“Arthur this is the part when you make Merlin Court Sorcerer,” Lancelot quipped.
“I agree too, sire. Merlin does have a lot of knowledge, as you will soon learn, with most magical things. He has already done a lot for Camelot.” Gaius agreed.
Arthur frowned in though for a second and then quickly raised an eyebrow in interest and curiosity. “Alright then, a sorcerers input would be greatly needed and I have been thinking about the position,” Arthur carried on.
“Get to the point, Sire.” Elyan interrupted.
Arthur huffed and then smiled at Merlin. “I would have no one else for such a job,”
Merlin glowed an infectious smile. Everything about him seemed to buzz, even the plants. “Oh!”
Arthur gave him a look to continue. “I have an idea, you won’t regret this!”
Merlin was already running to the doors.
“What do you mean? Where are you going?” Arthur shouted after Merlin.
Merlin reached the door and grinned at Arthur. All he said was, “Druids!” and ran off.
Arthur stood at the side of the room, looking at the spot Merlin had disappeared from, all the worries he previously had, had melted away. He pulled one of the sunflowers out of his hair, between his two fingers it beamed like the sun.
Arthur smiled, it really was going to be okay.