Love, Faith and Family

Chapter 67

Lancelot had died.

Lancelot was dead.

He had been the one to sacrifice himself to close the veil.

Gwen had been beside herself and Miriam's heart broke for her. Gwen had been the last person standing at his funeral pyre, watching as her husband's sword and cape were reduced to ashes and melted steel.

But while the entire kingdom was in tears as they mourned his loss, Merlin, Miriam and Gaius had bigger problems.

Agravaine had come to Gaius in search of a sorcerer called Emrys. And there was only one place he could've heard that name.

Morgana.

Miriam's bad feeling had been right.

There was nothing they could do to prove Agravaine's betrayal yet though, so they were left pretending to trust him until they could prove otherwise.

In the meanwhile, however, rolled around a very important day for Camelot.

"Arthur? Arthur, wake up," Miriam said softly as she roused the prince, the sun still a few hours shy from rising.

"Miriam? I've had this dream before," he muttered as she furrowed her brow.

"What dream?" she asked as his eyes opened and he sat up.

"Nothing. What's wrong? Did you need something?"

She beamed as she pulled her hands out from behind her back.

"Happy birthday!"

In her palms was a small cupcake, a single candle alight on top of the blue frosted desert.

"I wanted to be the first person to wish you a happy birthday," she admitted and the look he gave her was something of adoration. "Go on. Make a wish," she encouraged and Arthur thought it over. His eyes closed as he leaned forward and blew out the candle with a single breath.

Miriam then proceeded to pluck out the candle and offer the treat to the prince, who took all of a bite before she couldn't help it as she smashed the cake in his face before breaking out in laughter.

"Was that at all necessary?" Arthur asked as he licked frosting from his lips, the crumbs falling onto his bed.

"My mother," Miriam huffed as she stopped laughing, trying to take a breath. "My mother used to tell us stories of the few times she had cake. And when Merlin and I arrived in Camelot, where cake was everywhere, we revived this tradition every year on our birthdays."

His eyes filled with mischief.

"Well, then," he said as he began to wipe the cake off his face, gathering it into his hand. "Far be it from me to get in the way of tradition."

Miriam's electric blue eyes widened as Arthur lunged for her and she ran for the door, but Arthur was faster.

Just as her fingers brushed the iron handle, Arthur's muscular arm encircled her waist, pulling her back flush with his front as she tried to break his grip before he covered her face with what was left of the cupcake.

"Was that truly necessary?" Miriam repeated as she turned to face him, wiping the cake from her eyes.

"Thank you for making this a good morning, even if it's the crack of dawn."

"You're welcome," she smiled as she licked her fingers.

"So," Arthur said.

"So."

"I know it's not a life and death situation, but it is my birthday and I'm your prince, so you have to grant me this."

Her eyes narrowed.

"I've never cared about your title so do you really think I'm going to listen if you play that card?"

Arthur merely shook his head at the woman he loved.

"Would you please just kiss me?"

She twined her arms around his neck, cake and frosting still covering her hands and both their faces as she pretended to consider his offer.

"I don't know about -"

Arthur cut her off as he brought his lips to hers, the kiss sweet, even more so as both their lips tasted of frosting.

"I love you," Arthur said as he pulled away. "Even if you covered my face in cake."

"I love you too," Miriam said with a pointed look.

"So, seeing as we still have several hours before either of us have to be awake, would you care to stay here?"

"Like I would say no. Your bed is the most comfortable thing I've ever slept on," she replied as she moved over to Arthur's bedside, pulling a cloth out of the draw and beginning to wipe off her face.

"How did you know that was there?" Arthur asked in confusion as he made his way over to her.

"Because I put it there. I have healing supplies stashed everywhere. And it's not like you ever actually open your own drawers."

"I do!" he defended.

"Then why didn't you know it was there?" she asked with a smirk as she wiped the last of the cake from her face.

Arthur was speechless, unable to come up with a response.

"Just wipe your face and come to bed," she laughed as she threw him the cloth and slipped off her shoes.

Though, by the time Arthur got cleaned up, Miriam was already asleep. Her body was half concealed by the velvet covers of his bed and her hair slightly fanned out on the pillow as her chest rose and fell in even breaths.

His smile was nothing but loving as brushed his thumb across her cheek before getting into bed next to her.

She stirred as his arm wrapped around her, pulling her to him as she nestled herself in his neck. And Arthur found that sleep never came easier to him than when Miriam was in his arms.