Night was falling over Camelot, a dark but comfortable blanket of sleep, the stars reflecting on the stonework in a pattern like a waking dream. It was peaceful, the air, and content, but an undercurrent stirred the hearts and minds of anyone left awake to feel it – an experience of expectation.

Arthur and Guinevere were to be married in the morning.

The castle was full of visitors and guests, as were the inns of the town below, and even in the darkness now people were milling about, preparing food, tuning instruments, making last minute alterations to dresses and polishing ceremonial armour.

Yes, the castle was busy, but the roof was very quiet, and Merlin was thankful for that. He done enough today, he'd organised and coordinated, he'd even set up spells that were, hopefully, going to keep the weather warm and all the clouds out of the sky. That had been weird, standing in the great hall, arms outstretched whilst he weaved the spell into the air in front of a crowd of amazed servants and nobles. But then again, the newly created post of Court Magician basically meant he could do whatever he wanted.

The wind changed direction slightly, ruffling the young warlock's hair as he continued to lean against the north parapet, and Merlin supposed that if one of the servants looked up from the courtyard below, they might think he was a statue, silently made of stone, not just silently pondering what he was going to say to Arthur.

He just didn't know what to say, he knew the words he wanted to say, but that was beside the point, what he was required to say was something quite different, even if it wasn't what Arthur wanted to hear.

Absentmindedly, he muttered a few words, conjuring a ball of blue flame, and started to roll it around his finger tips, turquoise sparks falling from his outstretched hand and dancing on the stones around his feet.

'Don't burn yourself.' Came a quiet voice from behind him, but Merlin didn't turn around.

'Can't.' he said simply, flicking the flame around for another second before squeezing it back into nothingness in his palm. 'Arcane fire.' The dark haired man closed his eyes slowly, as he felt long arms wind their way around his waist and a voice whisper in his ear;

'Magic, is it?' Arthur muttered sternly, 'How dreadful, I might have to call the guard.' Merlin leaned into the blonde.

'Yes sire.' He said seriously, but unable to hide a grin. 'Though if the guard take me away, you'll never get to see me in that hat.'

The Court Magician had a really stupid hat.

'That's as may.' Arthur said, nuzzling into the warlock's neck, making him shiver, 'I'd rather see you wearing nothing at all.'

'Arthur…' Merlin said pleadingly, they couldn't do this now; they couldn't do this ever – not after tonight. 'Don't.'

'Why?' asked Arthur, and Merlin heard the anger barely disguised in his voice, as the royal's hold on him became even tighter.

'Because you're getting married in the morning.' Merlin said softly, pulling away from the blonde and then turning to face him, his face fell when he saw Arthur's, not angry like his words, just sad, and scared.

'I don't want to.' The blonde said quietly, 'You know that.' Merlin nodded, stepping forward to wrap his arms around the blonde's shoulders.

'I know.' He said gently, 'And I don't want you to either.' Arthur leaned into him heavily, and Merlin sighed, 'But you have to.'

'Why?' Arthur grumbled.

'Destiny.' Merlin said simply, and the other man looked away.

'It's stupid.' Arthur muttered, and Merlin wanted to agree, but stopped himself – this was how it had to go.

'It's what's going to happen.' He said sadly, and Arthur pushed away from him, turning to face the black sky.

'It could be lying.' He said, "It" of course, being the Great Dragon.

'It's not though.' Said Merlin, 'He really does see the future.' Arthur span around.

'Well who's says that's the future?' he demanded, 'Who says I can't change it?' Merlin watched him silently, 'Who says that I can't choose you, and Gwen can't choose Lancelot – that's how it should be.' Merlin smiled sadly.

'No,' he said gently, 'it's not.' Arthur's face fell from angry to broken once again. 'King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, rulers of Camelot – the greatest Kingdom in all of history.'

'With the Court Magician Merlin, and their most courageous Knight; Lancelot – Yes, Merlin you told me all about it.' Arthur finished miserably.

'Exactly.' Said Merlin, trying to sound reasonable.

'But that isn't what I want.' said Arthur, 'It's not what any of us want.' Merlin forced a smile.

'You have to do what's best, we have to do what's best – for everyone, not just for ourselves. Gwen and Lancelot understand that, so do I.' Arthur frowned at him,

'They said they spoke to you,' he said slowly, 'and then they knew what to do.' He looked at Merlin warily, 'What did you tell them?'

'I told them what I saw.' Merlin said quietly, turning away from the blonde, 'What I saw after the Dragon told me how to see the future for myself.' Arthur blinked.

'You… saw the future?' he asked, and Merlin heard a whisper of fear creeping into the other man's words.

'Yes.' Merlin said, his voice now small, 'And it has to happen. It needs to happen. We can't stop it.' Arthur stepped forward, standing next to him, and took his hand in his.

'What did you see?' he asked quietly, squeezing Merlin's fingers, and Merlin shut his eyes, remembering it all.

'Everyone was happy.' He said, 'Everyone. Even through there were battles, and enemies, disasters and monsters and magic. Oh, lot's of magic.' He said wryly. 'But they couldn't be happier, and they love their King and Queen.' He leaned on Arthur's shoulder, the blonde silent. 'And their King and Queen are happy as well, and they love each other.' Arthur snorted and Merlin bumped his hip to make him shush, 'they do, in their own way. And Camelot is the greatest it's ever been, the castle has been rebuilt, the town extended, there's even a massive statue of Good King Uther down in the town square – even if the Court Magician thinks it's an eyesore.' Arthur suppressed a laugh, but Merlin could hear his tears.

'And what is the Court Magician like?' he asked, and Merlin smiled.

'A crotchety git with a beard, who gets far too annoyed at everything and loves talking in riddles.' He said proudly, and Arthur scoffed.

'A beard.' He asked?

'A very nice beard.' Said Merlin with a huff, and Arthur chuckled.

'And what is he so crotchety about if everyone else is so happy?' he asked, and Merlin took a deep breath.

'That would be because the young Prince and Princess break into his study and steal his potions and draw in his books.' He said quietly, and he felt Arthur tense and take in a sharp breath.

'The Prince and Princess…' he whispered disbelievingly, and Merlin continued, his hands shaking and his own tears forming now.

'But he never gets mad at them, because they always say sorry, and because they look so much like their father and it breaks my heart…' he stopped, his voice unsteady, and tried to wipe the tears away with his free hand.

'I understand.' Arthur said quietly, and Merlin turned to face him again, the blonde's face resigned now, serious. 'I know what we have to do.' Merlin nodded, as Arthur leaned over and kissed him, softly, one last time.

'I love you forever.' He whispered, and the warlock nodded, not trusting his voice. Arthur nodded in return, and then he left the roof, to get the sleep he would need before his wedding day.

Merlin went to sit on the edge of the roof again, and didn't move until the sun rose.

-x-x-x-

And the future that Merlin had seen and shared came to pass, and the people were happy. But at certain moments, always unbidden, dark and painful thoughts passed through the hearts and minds of the King and the Queen, the Court Magician, and the King's most trusted Knight, a terrible sadness that all of them kept silent and subdued, because that was what they needed to do.

But one day, after many years, when there were no enemies left, when the magic was peaceful, and when the Prince and Princess were grown and having adventures of their own, the Queen ran away with the King's most trusted Knight, and the King was left to rule alone, with the Court Magician.

And everyone was happy.

Soooo, I hope that was o.k. ^^"

I love this pairing, more so than I actually like the series itself to be honest - give me Doctor Who any day - but i've been writing Arthur and Merlin in a collaberative fic with freinds (a very gay Arthur and Merlin too XP) so I thought i'd write something of my own. Which was a songfic actually, but I kinda lost track of that and wrote this instead. I just wanted to think about the great destiny that the Dragon is always on about, and what might have to be sacrificed to bring that about - even if it was o.k. in the long run ^^

Hope somebody likes, and reviews are oxygen to me of course XP

Strictly xx