Merlin had his breakfast and as soon as he was on his own in the house he dialled Arthur's number
"Hello Arthur"
"Hi Merlin great to hear from you, everything OK"
"Yeh, I wanted to sked you something" Merlin was now getting nervous, what if he's read the signs wrong, what if his parents and Gwaine had been wrong, he was going to feel such an idiot.
"Ask away, I'm all ears"
"No that's me!" Merlin quipped trying to take away the tension.
"And adorable ears they are to" came Arthur's sexy voice down the phone. No it was going to be alright he wouldn't have said adorable ears if they were just friends would he, Merlin thought. "You still there Merlin?" came Arthur's puzzled voice down the phone.
"Yeh I'm still here, Look if you don't want to I understand and sorry if I'm being an idiot and all but…will you came out on adatewithme" Merlin gushed the last bit before he lost his nerve.
There was a warm chuckle come down the phone "Of course I would love to. Why so nervous" Arthur asked.
"Because I thought you might say no" Merlin explained "I'm hardly in your league am I"
"Oh Merlin you are an idiot, I thought we had already gone an several dates while we were on holiday! So of course I'll go out with you, where and when"
"You mean they were dates! I have been worrying all night and they were dates, why didn't you tell me you prat" Merlin felt such a fool.
Arthur laughed "Well, we went out for romantic meals together and long walks, I didn't kiss you because I wanted to court you properly"
"I am not a girl you know to be courted!" Merlin said indignantly.
"Oh you would rather I had taken you out once then thrown you into my bed! I could have saved so much time if I'd known that" Arthur countered "Anyway I would love to come out on a date Merlin and I do realise you are not a girl"
Merlin went quiet then he laughed "I have been an idiot haven't I"
"Yes but my idiot, now am I going to get to know when or will you surprise me?"
"Tonight I thought I'd take you to a little restaurant I know, it might not be up to your posh standards but the food good" Merlin said knowing he was grinning like a fool.
"Do they serve oysters? Because after all the effort of courting you and you not knowing I may need them" Arthur joked.
"See you at seven" Merlin put the phone down, it was just as well Arthur couldn't see him as he knew he was blushing. Oysters indeed. Merlin screwed up his list. "Damn I could have had a good night's sleep after all that" he said to himself.
All his angst seemed silly looking back on it but Merlin soon knew without a doubt that he and Arthur were meant to be together. Once they both understood they were dating it didn't take long for to progress from there. A month later Arthur proposed and they were now flying off on their honeymoon. The wedding itself had been a dream, all organised by Morgana, who Merlin now knew secretly was his sister in law. They married at Arthur's county estate and all the guests stayed in the house in fact they were still there.
Merlin's mother had been so proud, the wedding ceremony had been in the garden on a beautiful autumn day, Balinor had been Merlin's best man and Leon Arthur's but what had been the icing on the cake, an uninvited guest, or rather one that had been invited but not expected to turn up. As the Royal family made their way up to Balmoral they stopped off at the wedding of Lord Pendragon, recently retired agent for MI6. The estate was prefect for such an unannounced visit, private and in the hands of a family friend. Hunith had been so pleased to spend some time talking to the Queen, who it seemed had heard of Balinor's and her separation. In fact the Queen gave both Arthur and Merlin a wedding present and a belated one to Hunith and Balinor.
Merlin was more pleased for his mother than himself, although he had to admit having the Queen of England and her close family to his wedding did make it extra special. Not to mention the wedding photo's.
Then to top it all Arthur had told no one where they were going for their honeymoon not even Hunith knew. Except to say it was warm and all Merlin's jabs were sufficient, he did mention that they would be staying in a holiday rental owned by friend of his. Merlin let it drift without too much thought. What Merlin hadn't dreamt of was that they would be staying on one of the most famous places ever for holidays Necker Island. Arthur's friend of course was Richard Branson! And the water's edge five bed accommodation was not quite the holiday home he had thought of, but perfect for a honeymoon.
Lying in the shade as Arthur was exercising his arm and shoulder in the pool. Merlin was thinking how lucky he was. Once they were back in the UK he would be helping Arthur part time fund raising for Doctors without Borders and working three shifts a week at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital leaning new surgical techniques. The best of both worlds.
"Hello Mr Emrys Pendragon still daydreaming are you?" Arthur asked with a grin as he sat down beside his new husband "Upset that you're not Lady Pendragon?"
"No just thinking of the past year and what changes have happened. You, mum and dad….. my new jobs, the Queen at our wedding!" Merlin admitted. "I don't need I title I've got you" he held out his arms as his new husband lay down beside him "It's a good job it's hot you're soaking wet"
"So are you now" said Arthur as he leant completely over Merlin to kiss him "The spy always gets his man in the end."
The end.