His Love

Chapter 25

Merlin and Arthur were speinding time together in their chamblers, sat close together on the broad wide windowsill with the window craked open, a slight chilly breeze tickling through the orofice to signal the change in the weather that was about to befall the kingdom striking the lush leaves from the tree and turning the farming fields into a vast expanse of brown, that looked like the land had died when in reality it was only biding it's time to burst into fulsome productivity once more. Fluffy clouds skudded quickly acros the sky occasionally blocked the sun and casting the kindom into breif shadow. They found it important to spend as much time together as they could, in case Merlin's memory came backa the smallest gesture, which the dragon has said it might. Then there was a nock at the door.

"Come in!" Arthur called. The door opened and his father entered the room grandly, his Pendragon cloak sweeping behind him.

"Arthur, come, you must come and see this" He said seriously. Arthur look at him and fround.

"What is it, farther?" He asked in concern. He stood up, ready for action, and felt Merlin's hand trail away from his arm where it had been resting when he di that. Arthur missed the contact and yeard to hold Merlin close again but his father looked very dire and Artthur was worried.

"There is evidence of sourcery in the kingdom!" Uther said dramatically and Merlin gasped.

"I bill come at once" Arthur said. He glanced at Merlin and heald out a hand as if to say 'stay here' and the raven man pouted but stayed. Arthur followed the king out of his and Merlin's rooms and, he thought they were heading towards the thrown room.

"What has happened father?" He asked concerned.

"You will see." Uther sai sternly and said nothing else. As the father and son duo walked down the long corridor towards the throne room in the castle, Arthur notices the tabby cat that Merlin had been plaing with some days now. It stood on the wide window sill of the large window that over looked the courtyard below. The cat's bottom was lifted high in the air and it was wiggled slightly. Arthur knew that stance. As he had expected, the kitten launched itself threw the air at Uther, mewling in disatifaction when it fell well short of its mark, landing on it's feet as cats do. Arthur watched at it climbs back up the wall and tried again. The kitten appeared to be growing frustrated.

Uther eyed the cat in distrust.

"That beast has plauged me for days son" he said to Aurthur to explain why he was glaring. Arthur lifted an interested eyebrow. Uther eludicated.

"For the last three nights, I have been awaken by that creature howling and urinating in my bed. Every time I chase him out, he comes back, he has torn a valuable tapestry hanging in my chambers. The thing is a menance." He spat. Arthur tried not to smirk, but grew concerned as his father spoke on.

"The cat means a grat deal to Merlin, it is bringing him comfort." He said gently, hoping to quash his father's burning ire. Uther stopped dead in his tracks and staired back at the kitten.

"He helps that much?" he asked.

"Yes. I think Merlin misses Balithur and needs something to look after." Explained Arthur. Uther sighed greatly.

"I will not order the cat's execution just yet." He conceded. As they talked, they reached the ornate grand door to the throne room. Uther paised.

"Arthur, what is in here may shock you, neither Gaius nor I can find a rational explanation for it." He intoned seriously.

Uther threw open the doors to the thrown room dramatically and Arthur was assultied by a sweet, warm scent. It smelt like summer, which was odd, because it was spring. He gaspsed at what he saw before him, the vast thrown room was absolutely filled with peaches, all ripe and delicious, covering the floor and every availableable surface. Arthur gasped. He was shocked. Peaches are not growing in spring as it is too cold, so these would have had to have been brought from somewhere warm. They had very little contact with the southern nations where such things would grow as Camelot had no ships army to speak of. Because of this, it was quite a mystery as to why the peaches got there.

"You see it don't you Arthur this fruit is the work of dark sourcery!" Uther proclaimed loudly looking furious. Arthur thought quickly. Arthur gulped. How could Camelot withstand this attack from a socerer when Merlin was sick? Wait a minute. Merlin! On their romatic picnic that had got so out of hand, Merlin had become so updset that Arthur knew all his favourite things, but that he, Merlin, knew next to nothing about his husband, Arthur. Arthur had told the inky locked man about his love for peaches and how he had always looked forward to summer time as a child so the peaches would be in season. Merlin's eyes had lit up at this new's with a smile that ignited all of Arthur's love: if he were a poet, he had thought, he would write sonatras about that smile. There had been a mischeivious twinkle on Merlin's eyes which Arthur had forgotten all about in the embarassment of the day, but the mountain of peaches did seem like Merlin's overblown style. He had to think fast to stop his dad tearing the kingdom apart looking for the sorcerer responsible and finding him very close to home indeed, Arthur could not alow that to happen.

"They're mine." He blurted out suddenly and Uther looked at him in confused surprise.

"Your peaches?!" He cried. Uther was very confuse. Arthur had to think fast. Fortunetly knight training made this easy, as he often had to make split hair decions on the battlefield.

"Yes." Arthur raised a finger and gestured to emphasise his point. He was deeply concerned for his beloved and was having to think fast.

"I had no idea you were so passionate about out of season fruit Arthur." Uther said septically with eyes narrowed. There was no reason for his son to lie or protect a sorocerer.

"They are for horses. I spoke to a horse wrangler when I was last in... um... Merica. And he had the fastest horses in the land. He spent an entire evening telling me about how good peaches are for horses, coats and hooves. And it makes them...faster!" he explained being as convincing as possible.

Uther ket out an unconvincing hum in repose. He reached into one of the many many piles of peaches and picked one up tossing it lightly in his hand before taking a bite out of it. The peach was sweet and succulent.

"And how do you explain them getting in here with noone noticing? Not even none of the guards?" he asked in a menancing tone undercut but the peach juice running down his chin. Arthur took a moment to quickly think of a response.

"That's my fault dad. I have been so busy looking after Merlin and Balithur I am afraid, I have neglected my duties somewhat. Although, I did tell them to deliver the fruit to the stables" He explained with an innocent aire. Uther chewed looking Stern. Then his face relaxed.

"Okay that makes sense. I will have these taken down to the stables post hate. We will win many jousts yet!" Arthur sighed on the inside and relaxed. He was glad he had protected Merlin from his fathr but every dayy he grew more worried that Uther would find out about his son-in-law and he would lose the love of his life.