Part 63: link


    Merlin and Morgana follow the couple out, and Freya and Elliot bring up the rear of the wedding party proper. They all line up just within the French doors leading inside the house.
    Tom and Robert exit next, followed by Uther with Helena on his arm. Arthur had insisted that she have that place of honor. You’re the closest thing I’ve known to a mother, he had told her, trusting that his father and Merlin’s mother, who normally do not get along, would behave themselves for this one day.
    As Uther walks back, a shock of white hair in the crowd catches his eye, and he turns his head. It couldn’t be… he thinks. Why on earth would he be here?
    Tom and Robert file through, hugging and Поцелуи all the ladies and hugging the men. Tom holds Guinevere to him for a long time, squeezing back tears that are threatening. Gwen sees his glassy eyes and laughs warmly at him.
    Uther hugs both Arthur and Gwen, and kisses Gwen on the cheek. He shakes Merlin’s and Elliot’s hands and goes off to one side.
    Helena hugs Gwen, saying, “Take care of him, he’s like a son to me, Ты know.”
    “I know, Helena, I will. I promise.”
    She hugs and kisses Arthur, and he squeezes her as if she were his own mother.
    “You’re going to break my ribs!” she exclaims, laughing, as he releases her.
    “Mum,” Merlin says, hugging and Поцелуи his mother. “Thank Ты for playing nice with Uther.” He leans in close and tells her softly, “I saw what Ты did. Are Ты getting soft?” he asks, grinning at her.
    “Certainly not! I still think he’s arrogant and pompous and acts too grand for his own good. However, I can see that he’s softening a bit, and that is good to see.”
    “That would be Gwen,” Merlin explains, laughing. Helena looks over at Gwen, who is smiling, eyes twinkling at the first of the guests coming through to greet them.
    “She is something special,” Helena says. “So is Freya,” she says pointedly.
    “Yes, Mum. I know. Don’t worry.”
    The guests continue to greet the wedding party and the couple. Uther watches from the side, waiting to see how this man from his past knows Arthur and Gwen.
    “Dr. Gaius,” Gwen says, hugging him warmly and Поцелуи his cheek. He kisses hers then, and holds her at arms’ length.
    “My dear Guinevere, do Ты do indeed look like a Queen today,” he says with a wink, and she laughs warmly and squeezes his hand.
    “Arthur, my boy, I heard all about Tom’s сердце attack,” Gaius says quietly to Arthur as he hugs him. “Good work, lad, good work. Well done.”
    Arthur nods and smiles at him, understanding the strange old man’s meaning perfectly.
    The firemen are Далее in line, and Gwen hugs Leon and Thea. Alec is hiding behind his mother, and Gwen peeks at him, waving.
    “Leon!” Arthur exclaims, hugging his friend warmly.
    “Hey Chief,” Leon says.
    “I could say the same to Ты now, Ты know,” Arthur says. “I miss Ты on my crew, mate.”
    “I miss Ты guys, too, but I’d be lying if I сказал(-а) I wasn’t enjoying my promotion,” he grins.
    “Alec, mate, how are you?” Arthur holds out his hand to the boy, and he shakes it solemnly.
    “Still not a smiler, eh?” Arthur says to Thea, hugging her.
    “He brings it out once in a while,” she laughs.
    Paul envelops Gwen in a giant but gentle hug, leaning over her.
    “Hi, Paul,” Gwen laughs.
    “You look lovely, Gwen,” he says softly. He looks at her like he wants to say something else, but can’t find the words.
    “Paul? Is there something else?” Gwen says, still holding his hand.
    “Um…”
    “What’s up?” Arthur asks, noting Paul’s demeanor.
    “The girl that sang…” he starts, blushing, hoping she’ll understand what he’s asking.
    “Autumn,” Gwen smiles broadly. “She works with me at the library.”
    “She was wonderful,” he says softly.
    “We’ll introduce you,” Arthur offers, slapping him companionably on the shoulder. Paul suddenly looks like he’s going be ill.
    “She’s… single? She’s not with that guy she sang with?” he asks.
    Gwen laughs, “Oh, God, no. Patrick is as gay as they come.”
    “Oh, um…” Paul’s eyes are wide, petrified.
    “Paul, she’s very sweet. Even for an American,” Gwen offers, laughing. Then she leans up on tiptoe and say in Paul’s ear, “And she likes tall guys.”
    Arthur laughs as Paul once again looks ill. He’s clearly smitten, Arthur thinks. We’ll have to do something about that.
    “It’s all right, Paul, we won’t push. Much,” Arthur says, shaking Paul’s hand as Wayne approaches Gwen with a glint in his eye.
    “Wayne,” Gwen says to him, holding her arms out to hug him. He grabs her and dips her backward, Поцелуи her.
    Morgana and Arthur look on, stunned into temporary paralysis.
    “That’s enough, Wayne,” Morgana finally says, recovering. She pulls him back by his collar.
    He straightens up with a devilish glint in his eye and a smile that would make a prostitute blush as Gwen gasps for air, laughing uproariously, holding her stomach.
    “Got her all warmed up for you, Chief,” Wayne says, winking at Arthur.
    Arthur looks at him. He is not angry, and not especially jealous either. Just exasperated. He knows that Gwen has always been immune Wayne’s considerable charms, and her current laughing fit is just further evidence to this point.
    “I assure Ты that it is not necessary, Wayne,” he says levelly to him, and actually hugs him. “But do that again and I will knock Ты into Далее week. And that’s child’s play compared to what Morgana might do,” he says quietly into Wayne’s ear as they hug.
    Wayne nods and grins, and moves on to harass Merlin.
    “You threatened him, didn’t you?” Gwen asks Arthur, smirking at him.
    “Maybe a little bit.”
    She snorts and shoves him. “You know where my сердце is, love,” she whispers into his ear, and the feel of her warm breath and her soft lips at his ear makes his heartbeat quicken. He steals a quick kiss. Then another.
    They greet the remaining guests and all file into the parlor for cocktails before dinner.

    Gwen changes from the silver heels she is wearing into plain white sneakers, glad to be out of the three-inch heels. Arthur’s пальто is returned to him, but he doesn’t put it on, choosing instead to drape it across the back of his chair at the head table. Cedric and Morgana collect the train of her dress and bustles it in the back, securing it with hidden buttons and loops so it doesn’t drag on the floor или get in her way. The Золото sash is removed from her hips to allow for this, but the dress is still beautiful without its unique detail. Finally, her veil is removed, but the tiara remains perched in her hair. Much better, Gwen thinks.
    Patrick is joined by two other young men on an upright бас, бас-гитара and a small drum set near the Пианино in the corner and they begin to play background Музыка as guests mingle and chat.
    Uther spots Gaius again and corners Arthur. “Son, how do Ты know that man?” he asks.
    “He’s a friend of Guinevere’s. He frequents the library, and they’ve become good friends. Nice old man, I like him. Why?”
    “He was the Emergency Room physician that attended your mother,” he says simply.
    “What?” Arthur is stunned.
    “He delivered you.”
    “Does he know this? I mean, does he remember?”
    “I don’t know. I spotted him on the way back in here, but whether или not he remembers the name или recognizes me, I cannot say.”
    Arthur looks at the doctor. Henry Gaius, he thinks. “Is that why my middle name is Henry?”
    Uther nods. “He was an excellent doctor, and it was my way of thanking him for, um, saving you,” he says, clearly pained at the memory. “Your mother wanted to name Ты Arthur William, but I took it upon myself to change your middle name. He was so kind, so wise. Top-notch fellow.”
    “Would Ты like to talk to him?” Arthur asks.
    “No. Yes. I don’t know,” Uther says, conflicted.
    “Come on,” Arthur pulls his father’s arm.
    “Dr. Gaius,” Arthur taps him on the shoulder, “I was going to introduce Ты to my father, but apparently Ты two have already met.”
    “Ah yes, Mr. Pendragon, I presume,” Gaius says, extending his hand.
    “Doctor, I’m, um, surprised to see Ты here,” Uther says, a bit uncomfortably.
    “It is a strange coincidence, is it not?” Gaius agrees, sneaking a sideways glance at Arthur that clearly says There are no coincidences here.
    “Are Ты still practicing?” Uther asks.
    “Goodness no, I’m a retired библиотека крыса now,” he laughs.
    “You’re a friend of Gwen’s?”
    “Yes, she’s a wonderful girl, isn’t she?”
    “Very much so, yes,” Uther agrees.
    “And young Arthur has grown up quite well, I’m pleased to see.”
    “Indeed. So, I’m curious. Did Ты know, when Ты met him, that he was…”
    “Not at first. Not until I learned his last name. One doesn’t forget a unique name like that. Especially considering the circumstances in which I first heard it,” he smiles sadly.
    “Yes, I understand. But Ты didn’t say anything to him? About his birth, I mean?” Uther is curious now.
    He shakes his head. “I didn’t feel it was my place, sir.”
    Arthur smiles at them. “Well, Dr. Gaius, I’m glad Ты could make it today. I’ve got to go find Gwen,” he says and leaves the two men to talk.
    Arthur finds Guinevere chatting rather suspiciously with Autumn, their heads close together, glancing surreptitiously in Paul’s direction occasionally. He comes up behind Gwen and wraps his arms around her.
    “Hello, Mrs. Pendragon,” he purrs into her ear, bringing forth a wide smile from Gwen. He kisses her neck a few times.
    “What are we talking about, ladies?” he asks.
    “As if Ты don’t know,” Gwen laughs.
    “Interested?” Arthur asks Autumn, nodding at Paul across the room.
    She nods, smiling. “Very. He’s huge. I like that in a man,” she looks again. “Quite cute, too.”
    Arthur laughs. “He’s a really good chap, but very shy. We may need to give him a gentle shove.”
    Leon passes just then, and overhears Arthur’s comment. “You mean Paul?”
    “Yes, how did Ты know?” Arthur asks.
    “Good God, Ты should have seen him when she was singing,” he nods at Autumn. “Hi, I’m Leon, by the way,” he introduces himself.
    “Autumn. Nice to meet you,” she shakes his hand.
    “Yes?” Gwen prompts.
    “Totally smitten,” Leon explains, laughing. “Thea’s waiting for this, must dash,” he says, holding a drink aloft.
    Just then the trio in the corner starts a new song. Just the bass, the opening riff to Fever by Peggy Lee. Autumn sighs and says, “Oh no…”
    “What?” Arthur asks.
    “Autumn Kowalski, please Сообщить to the platform. We need your assistance,” a voice comes through an amplifier, summoning her.
    “I’d better go. There’s no ignoring that man.”
    She sets her drink down and crosses the room, not rushing, taking care to walk past Paul on the way, even lightly brushing against him as she goes. Arthur and Gwen see this and laugh.
    “That’s my girl,” Gwen says.
    She reaches the platform, glares at Patrick, and begins the song. Gwen watches her. “She’s Пение to Paul,” she says to Arthur. “Look.”
    He does, and smiles. She’s looking right at him, Пение the sultry song, and as far as Paul is concerned, there is no one else in the room.
    “Well, this should be easy,” Arthur says.
    “Where’s Morgana?” Gwen suddenly realizes that she doesn’t see her maid of honor. “Dinner will be starting shortly, where did she go?”
    Arthur looks around. “Wait a minute. Where’s Wayne?”
    They look at each other. Oh, no. Gwen sighs and looks at the ceiling, and Arthur starts to laugh again. “They’ll turn up soon enough, I’m sure,” he says.
    The song finishes, and Autumn makes to leave the platform, but Patrick detains her again for another song. “Okay, one more, then I’m done,” she says, and they start Dream a Little Dream of Me. Again she sings to Paul, who has moved closer to the platform in the corner.
    “Why is she working in a library?” Arthur asks. “She’s very good.”
    “She says she loves Пение too much to try and make a career of it. Says she’s afraid it would become work and she’d grow to hate it. I guess she’d rather keep it as a hobby, a passion, rather than a vocation.”
    “Interesting.”
    “I see your father has been talking with Dr. Gaius for a while now,” Gwen says, indicating the two men talking quietly in a corner alone.
    “Ah, yes, interesting story, that…” Arthur begins, wrapping his arms around her again and Поцелуи her before explaining anything.

    Just before the guests start sitting at their tables, Morgana and Wayne reappear, slightly flushed. Wayne looks a bit disheveled but Morgana is inexplicably tidy, save her rosy appearance. Gwen sees them coming down the stairs together and fixes them in her gaze, hands on her hips, trying not to laugh.
    “And where have Ты been, Miss Morgana?” She asks when they sit at the head table.
    “Whatever do Ты mean?” Morgana Ответы innocently.
    Gwen turns and looks at her.
    “Okay, yes, Ты caught us. There’s this little crawlspace we found upstairs, and…”
    “I’m familiar with it,” Gwen interrupts matter-of-factly.
    “Wait. You’re familiar with it, или you’re familiar with it?”
    Guinevere raises an eyebrow.
    “Oh! Ты tart!” Morgana gasps.
    “Hello Pot, my name is Kettle,” Gwen retorts.
    “Touché. Anyway,” Morgana continues, leaning in close. “He loves me,” she whispers excitedly. “He told me. He actually loves me!”
    Gwen gasps and hugs her friend. “And…?”
    “Of course I do, and I told him so, Ты silly cow,” she laughs. “He wanted to talk to me alone, and I got worried, thinking he was going to be a complete жопа, попка and break up with me at your wedding, but then he just said it. We were in the corridor upstairs. Then one thing led to another, and then we found this small door, and…”
    “Yes, yes, I got it,” Gwen smiles. “So I imagine you’ve worked up an appetite, then.”
    “A bit, yes,” Morgana laughs.
    “What was that about?” Arthur leans over and asks Gwen.
    “They found your hiding place,” she tells him in his ear, and he laughs. “But they сказал(-а) the Big Words, Arthur.”
    “Really? Wow. I was right.”
    “You were right?”
    “I accused Wayne of being in Любовь just yesterday, in fact,” he grins, and she laughs. He kisses her again.
    “I can’t get enough of Поцелуи Ты today,” he whispers against her lips, and kisses her again.

    “I have to find Leah and Tess and Kiss them both,” Arthur says between bites. “This Еда is so good.” He stabs another piece of beef with his fork and pops it into his mouth.
    “I know, they’ve done an excellent job. Try my chicken,” she says, reaching her fork over to his plate to help herself to a beef tip. “Freya, how is the eggplant?” Gwen leans вперед to inquire after her cousin’s vegetarian meal.
    “Oh my God, I’ve died and gone to heaven,” she says. “This girdle is going to get a workout tonight.”
    They all laugh at this, and Arthur reaches for a секунда bite of Gwen’s orange-glazed chicken.
    “Hey! I only took one bite of yours!” she protests.
    “You’ll never finish all this. Besides, there’s cake yet.” He grins at her and leans over to Kiss her neck.
    People are finishing their dinners and servers are circulating the room dispensing champagne. Leah comes to the head таблица with two bottles. She fills most of the glasses from one, and Gwen’s she fills from the other, winking at her as she shows her that it is only sparkling яблоко cider.
    “Arthur, Ты didn’t have to do that,” Gwen says when she sees him grinning smugly at her. “I would have been fine.”
    “I just remembered that face Ты made at our engagement party, and I couldn’t have Ты scowling like that at our wedding,” he chuckles, Поцелуи her yet again.
    Merlin grabs Leah quickly and sends her over to his mother, and Leah fills Helena’s glass with the cider as well. Gwen sees this and gives Arthur a puzzled look.
    “Helena’s actually a recovered alcoholic. It was way back, before Merlin was born,” he whispers into Gwen’s ear.
    “I had no idea!” Gwen says, trying to disguise her shock.
    “Not many do. Father doesn’t even know, actually.”
    “They don’t get along, do they?” she says, еще of an observation than a question.
    “No, she thinks my father is a pompous, um…”
    “Ass?”
    “Yes.”
    Gwen laughs, knowing Arthur doesn’t like to swear. She finds it cute but amusing as well.
    Merlin, fidgeting, takes a deep breath and stands, tapping his fork against his glass for quiet. “Now или never,” he mutters ruefully.
    “Merlin hates public speaking,” Arthur whispers to Gwen.
    “Hello? Hello. I’m Merlin, if Ты don’t know me. I just wanted to take a moment to say a few words about the happy couple. A very short moment,” he says, clearing his throat while the other guests chuckle politely. “Arthur, Gwen, I wish Ты all the happiness that I know Ты both truly deserve. Ты really are meant to be together, and I know Ты will have a long and wonderful life together. I Любовь Ты both and wish Ты only joy. To Arthur and Gwen,” he raises his glass, and the room echoes him as they all тост the couple.
    Merlin sits, face bright red, and Arthur leans over and hugs him. Gwen stands and walks to him and gives him a hug and a Kiss as well.
    
    After dinner, some tables are taken down and others are pushed to the perimeter of the room. The shining hardwood floor is swept, and DJ Minstrel takes over the entertainment. When Patrick closes the cover on the piano, Autumn looks visibly relieved. He’s changed into еще suitable attire, trousers and a clean, pressed рубашка and tie. Still all black, but Uther approves.
    “Ladies and gentlemen, please direct your attention to the dance floor for Mr. and Mrs. Pendragon’s first dance as a married couple,” Minstrel announces over the sound system.
    Arthur takes Gwen’s hand and pulls her to the middle of the room. Strangers in the Night by Frank Sinatra starts, and Arthur grins down at her, quite pleased with himself for remembering.
    Arthur holds his hands out in proper dance form, and Gwen looks at him, eyebrows raised in surprise as he holds her waist in his right hand and her hand in his left and begins a perfect foxtrot around the dance floor with her.
    “You can actually dance?” she asks him, following his lead easily.
    “Of course I can. I was a spoiled rich kid, remember?” he says, twirling her as she laughs.
    “And here I thought I knew everything about you,” she smiles at him.
    “Oh, I’m full of surprises, me.” With that, he abandons the ballroom dancing and wraps both his hands around her waist just as he had the night they met.
    She brings her hands up behind his neck again, and he gazes down at her.
    “I Любовь Ты so much, Arthur,” she says, her fingers in his hair.
    “I Любовь you, Guinevere,” he replies, holding her closer, his hands on her back moving slightly, feeling the familiar contours of her shape.
    “I can’t wait until this is over with, Ты know,” he confesses quietly to her within the safety of their embrace. The other people in the room may as well not even exist.
    “Oh?”
    “Yes. All I want now is to be alone with you. My wife.” Her hand strokes his cheek, his earlobe, and he kisses her wrist as it nears his lips.
    She smiles at the word, and leans up to Kiss his chin. She brings her hands down from his neck and wraps them around his back, under his arms, and rests her head against his chest.
    Arthur makes sure to remember to keep moving to the Музыка this time, since people are watching.
    In truth, the wedding guests are beginning to feel like intruders.
    The song ends, Guinevere pulls back from Arthur, and they Kiss as the guests applaud. Minstrel changes to a faster song to which all can dance, and soon the middle of the room is jumping and pulsing with bodies.

Part 65: link