Chapter 20- Lake

Author's Note: Here we are at the penultimate chapter of the story. After everything Merlin and Freya have gone through, here they are at the Godswood before Lord Stark. They are reunited with an old friend before talking about a dream they had a very long time ago- a dream involving a lake.

Thank you all, it has been a pleasure writing this for you. Please, please leave a review and let me know what you think.

FREYA

A pair of turtle doves zoomed down from the blue sky, through the trees of the Godswood. They glided into a freshly built nest on a tree. One of them picked a maggot from a nearby leaf and fed the other before snuggling together on that nest.

Below them, two groups of people moved at a steady pace, like two bodies of water that were going to be joined for eternity. The sunlight brushed through the canopy of trees to illuminate a man in sky blue robes and raven black hair.

He hugged the lead man from the other group, who was dressed in maroon and white, before turning to face Freya, who wore a purple dress from her shoulders to her feet. The dress wasn't elaborate, nor was it bold, yet it was simple, well made and smart. On her shoulders was a maroon and white cloak.

"Hi," Merlin said as his group approached Freya's.

"Hi," croaked Freya, giddiness rising in her chest. He looked so wonderful and handsome, his powerful yet gentle eyes, his black hair, his goofy smile, his good and honest heart. Even after everything she had told him and failed to tell him, he was still by her side. She didn't deserve him, but here he was and she was going to do all she could to repay him. There were only a handful of people there, but she felt herself go red as their eyes burned into her. She wore a flower necklace around her neck and a single white rose on her head, her hair was tied in a bun and braided around her crown.

"You look beautiful," Merlin whispered, causing Freya to blush. She could see that behind Merlin were Robb, Jon, Maester Luwin and Jory.

"Shall we get going?" Lancelot suggested. Merlin nodded and they all made their way towards the weirwood tree, where Lord Stark was there to receive them. He shared a glance with Merlin, Freya and Maester Luwin.

"Who comes before the weirwood on this day?" he asked.

Freya opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Lord Stark gave her a slight smile and nodded to her.

"Who is this maiden?"

"Freya, of House du Lac," she said, as clearly as she could.

"A woman grown and fair," Lancelot said. "She comes before the weirwood to be wed."

"Who claims her?" Lord Stark asked.

Merlin stepped forwards. "I, Merlin of House Ealdor, claim this woman as my wife."

"Who gives her?" Lord Stark continued.

"I, Lancelot of House du Lac!"

"Freya, do you take this man to be your husband?" Lord Stark asked.

Freya looked Merlin in the eyes for a moment, Of course I take him, I take him with all that I have, all that I can give, with all of me, from this day until the end of my days and beyond! She realised that she hadn't spoken and had to be prompted again. She blushed and nodded. "I take this man."

"Then in the power vested in me, as Lord of Winterfell, I declare that Merlin and Freya to be husband and wife. You may cloak her now."

Lancelot took off the maroon and white cloak that was on her shoulders, as Jon passed Merlin a blue and red cloak, which he draped over Freya. Her fingers brushed against his, as she reached to secure the cloak, sending waves of euphoria down her spine. It was done, he was finally her husband! In that moment a burden was at last lifted off of her shoulders, as if the wings of the Bastet that pierced her back had faded away.

They all sat, ate, drank and danced, while some of the servant boys and girls sang and played music. Sansa gifted Freya a white scarf, while Bran and Arya joined in the songs and danced merrily.

Freya excused herself after a moment and stood at the border of the merriment. Truly, she was happy, she was glad and so blessed, so why was this occasion almost suffocating her, why were there tears coming down her face?

"You did it," a voice called out to her. Freya turned and saw a young woman, she saw her dark brown hair, her smooth, beautiful and radiant skin, her warm eyes, her long robes and dark blue headdress. There was something ethereal about her, as if she was not from this world yet she blended in very well. Despite looking very different from when they last saw one another, Freya recognised her at once and her heart took another leap.

"Tamara?"

"Hello, habia, how are you?" Tamara smiled.

"Are you….. how….?" Freya stammered. "I don't understand…..." Her heart was overcome with emotion.

"There, there," Tamara comforted, reaching out and holding her hand. "It's OK, listen to me, it is OK."

Freya took a deep breath and smiled back, glad to see Tamara once more. "Is this what you used to look like? When you were young? Are we all young in the afterlife?"

Tamara simply smiled and did not answer. Instead, she ran a hand over Freya's hair. "You made patience your shield and armour, you were prepared to give away all there is to give for the man you love, you deserve to be happy, Freya, you really do. But I know there's one thing holding you back isn't there?"

Freya opened her mouth but no words came out. She simply nodded. I forgot how much you can see, Tamara.

Tamara signalled behind Freya with a nod and chills ran through Freya's spine.

"Hello, sweatpea," the voice of her father said. He and Mother were younger than what Freya could remember; next to them were Hannah and Daegal, in the prime of their youth.

Freya broke down and apologised.

"We're very proud of you, Freya, believe me we are. What happened wasn't your fault, it wasn't you!" Mother admonished gently. "So you need to forgive yourself, it's time to let go."

"Freya, are you all right?" Merlin said, appearing behind her. She quickly tried to wipe her eyes, but it was no use, despite her attempts to shy away, he saw and placed his hands on her shoulder.

"Hello, Merlin," Tamara smiled. The groom gawked in astonishment, before a grin of recognition came across his face.

"How…? Tamara, you look….. well! But how?"

"By the Grace of the Great Spirit," Tamara answered.

"So this is the groom?" Father said.

"I am," Merlin replied quietly yet confidently, nodding towards him and Mother, and acknowledging Hannah and Daegal.

"Lancelot has already given him that talk," Freya interjected, causing a chuckle from Father.

"I wasn't about to do that. I just want to say that I know of all that you've done for Freya and I couldn't ask for a better man to become my son by marriage."

"Thank you," Merlin said. "That means a lot."

"Look after each other," Mother advised. "Give your love freely and selflessly to one another."

Freya looked towards Merlin and held his hand in hers, he squeezed back, as they looked towards her parents, siblings and Tamara.

"Goodbye, Merlin, goodbye Freya," Tamara said.

"Goodbye both," her parents said; they and her siblings gave their blessing, with that they were gone.

Freya felt a little sadness, but all that was trumped by a peace and serenity that had just emerged. She looked at Merlin's blue eyes and said: "Thank you. For everything."

Merlin simply smiled, as she leaned on his shoulder and he kissed her on the forehead. They stayed like this for a few moments, before Robb Stark and Theon Greyjoy found them.

"I think the bride and groom are getting a little restless!" Theon snickered.

Merlin shot him a venomous look, while Freya turned red but glared at him.

"Father, I think we should end the night!" Robb called.

"You know where to go?" Lord Stark asked Merlin, who nodded. Merlin hugged Lancelot, while Freya was bidden good luck by Sansa, Arya and Lady Stark. Sefa held little Rain in her right arm and pulled her left over Freya and kissed her cheek, while Lancelot and Lina hugged her and wished her joy.

So it was, that Merlin and Freya were allowed to retire as a couple, with the blessing of the Starks and their household.

Twilight fell on them, as a legion of fireflies surrounded them like guards and flew by them as Merlin and Freya made their journey away from the Godswood and towards a clearing in a field, at that moment, Merlin clasped his hands over Freya's eyes.

"Merlin, what are you doing?" she giggled, her heart beat but there was no anxiety, just pure excitement.

"Trust me, just follow me," Merlin said, before coming to a stop. "OK, now open your eyes." He released his hands from her face.

Freya opened her eyes and gave a small whimper of delight. Before he was a homely cottage coated in light brown cobbles, with a small front garden that housed three vegetable and fruit patches. There was a wooden door, four windows- two on the lower floor and two on the upper floor that gazed back. A chimney protruded from the far end of the thatched roof.

"Is this… ours for the week?" Freya asked. Or maybe the moon?

"No, it's ours for life and then it will belong to our son," Merlin smiled, brandishing a parchment with an official seal of the grey wolf on it.

"And that's not all," Merlin said cheekily. "Do you remember when we were in the catacombs of Camelot, what we talked about?"

Freya gave him a confused look. That was so long ago! We talked about a lot of things, how can I remember?

"About what sort of place we wanted to get to?" Merlin grinned.

"No!" Freya shook her head in disbelief, as that memory resurfaced from deep within her heart, but she could do nothing to hide her excitement.

He led her around the cottage and pointed west where there was a mountain in the distance. "Look at that we have a mountain!" he narrated. "Look behind from where we came and you'll find a field, with a couple of cows grazing."

Freya rushed back in her jubilation and saw the cattle in their metal enclosure, surrounded by a seal of brilliant flowers.

"Wildflowers!" she commented. She recalled seeing them briefly when she walked behind their homestead, in front of the mountain.

Freya saw the same blue in Merlin's eyes and almost broke down again, as her heart beamed. "And behind the cottage is….."

"A lake," Merlin replied charmingly.

Freya pulled him in and kissed his lips slowly for a long moment and he kissed back. When they pulled apart, she gazed at him under the sunset. Her heart was beating very fast and beaming in her chest that was resting and rising against Merlin's, no her husband's chest, that thought gave her tingles, as she imagined sleeping on his chest tonight, being with him, holding him and having him hold her and love every inch of her and her being. She imagined having this blessing for all of the days for the rest of her life.

Freya caught him looking and gave him a sultry but loving look; she took his hand and guided that hand over her both of her bosoms as if it were a pilgrim, savouring the sensation and Merlin's smitten smile, before she allowed it to rest over her heart.

"A lake," Freya affirmed, feeling so blessed and thankful.

Author's Note: And there we have it! There will be an epilogue and then that will be it for this story. Please let me know what you think, it was quite a chore to finish this chapter. I hope it was worth it. :)