Love, Faith and Family

Chapter 57

"Mira? Are you ready?" Merlin called as he walked into Gaius' chambers, the physician out to see some of Miriam's patients in the lower town as she emerged from their shared room, wearing the white dress and floral corset she wore the day they shared their first kiss.

"Merlin, what is it?" Miriam asked as her brother merely stared at her, completely silent. 

"You look lovely."

Miriam gave him a loving smile.

"Thank you."

"I almost don't want to take you to see Arthur."

"Merlin," Miriam warned.

"I know. I know. Come on then, let's get going," he said as he guided her out and to the horses he had waiting.

Miriam was completely clueless as she followed her brother through the forest until she saw something in the distance.

Arthur was standing at a gorgeously laid little picnic, with pillows and wildflowers and a delectable array of food and fruit.

Arthur, however, stood with this back to them as he admired his reflection in a silver serving platter, Merlin and Miriam laughing as they approached.

Merlin then let out a loud bird shriek that startled the prince, the platter falling from his hand as he spun to face the laughing siblings.

"Miriam, you look....."

Arthur trailed off, once again unable to find the words.

"I think he's trying to say you look nice," Merlin filled in, Miriam laughing once again.

"Thank you, Merlin. That'll be all," Arthur dismissed as Miriam lifted her skirts to cross over the small stream.

"Have fun. But not too much fun," he whispered to his sister who shook her head but with a smile as she took her shoes off, because in her true fashion, rather than cross over the stream using the rocks, Miriam had slipped off her sandals and waded through the water, liking the coolness of it on her skin.

"You are something else," Arthur remarked as she let her skirts drop and took his waiting hand. 

"At least I keep things interesting," she smiled as he led her over to the picnic and they sat.

"Yes, I suppose I shall at least never be bored with you around," Arthur agreed before he saw her reaching for a plate. "Nope!" He said as he snatched it from her hand. "Today I wait on you," he insisted as he began piling food onto the plate.

"First a surprise picnic and now you're serving me, what has the world come to?" Miriam asked in amazement as Arthur lifted up a vine of grapes and she plucked one with her teeth.

"Well out here, I can be myself. Don't get me wrong, I love Camelot more than I can say," Arthur said as he handed Miriam her plate, picking up a strawberry. "But out here, with you, I have no responsibilities, no expectations, I can actually breathe."

"I like that," Miriam smiled as she lifted a grape to her lips. "I like that you can be yourself around me."

"Sometimes I dream of leaving Camelot," Arthur admitted and Miriam was genuinely surprised.

"Really? Where would you go?"

"I don't know. Somewhere where no one knew who I was. I'd get some land and become a farmer."

Miriam laughed at that as she picked up a blackberry.

"I can hardly imagine you toiling away in the fields all day."

"Obviously I'd take Merlin with me. He can do all the hard work."

Miriam shoved his arm, making Arthur laugh.

"I'm sure my brother would love that."

Her eyes then landed on the grapes as an idea sparked in her head.

"Speaking of my brother. We used to play this game all the time," she said as she plucked a grape off.

"What are we doing?" he asked.

"Ok, you throw first."

Arthur was confused but did as she said, tossing the grape high in the air and watching as Miriam caught it in her mouth.

"Wanna try?"

"Yeah. It's going to be easy but, still, toss it."

Miriam raised a brow but tossed the grape, Arthur opening his mouth to catch it only for it to hit him in his head.

Miriam laughed. "Easy huh, Mr Knight?"

Arthur sat up straighter, determination in his face.

"Throw another."

Miriam threw another, Arthur catching it but barely as he held his arms out in accomplishment.

With a glimmer of mischief in her eyes Miriam tossed up two grapes, tilting her head back to catch both of them easily.

"Ok, I think we've had enough food," he said with a pout as he began packing up their picnic.

"You are a sore loser, Arthur Pendragon," Miriam giggled as she laid back down on the pillows that were likely from Arthur's bedroom.

Arthur was sort of mesmerised as he looked back at Miriam, the girl like an angel, a vision as she lay there looking up at him.

"We should be heading back to Camelot soon," she pointed out as Arthur laid down, food packed away as he pillowed his head on his hand, Miriam turning on her side to face him.

"We can stay a while longer," he said. "I don't know when we'll get the chance to do this again."

"Perhaps when you become a farmer, we can be together more often," she teased, making Arthur smile as he inched closer to her.

"That's just a dream. I fear I will never leave Camelot. Stay still," he warned, his eyes growing wide and Miriam grew worried.

"Is it bandits?" she asked as Arthur raised his head, hand going behind him for his sword as Miriam raised her leg up, hand slowly reaching for the dagger strapped to her leg.

Arthur then lunged past her, making her flinch before he returned to his position laying down on the cushions.

"A wasp," he answered smugly and Miriam scowled at him as he leaned in.

And their lips met as Miriam leaned up, her hand on Arthur's chest while her other supported her weight, Arthur's head still pillowed on his hand.

Though both their kiss and their afternoon could go no further before they both jumped at the sound of hoofbeats, only to look up and see Morgana and Uther staring straight at them. 

And it felt as if Uther's hand that squeezed his reigns was squeezing her heart as well.

This wasn't going to end well.