Fic: What Brings Us Together
When the results of the blood test came back positive - that is what sealed their fate. Hunith Emrys had wanted to tie her family to another well off family, wanted to ensure the livelihood of the next generations, so she had agreed with her husband’s suggestion. Her daughter would marry the Pendragon boy when they were both of age. The blood tests had come back positive - she was carrying both a son and a daughter within her body. Over the next few days the terms and decisions were agreed on and the soon to be born Morgana Emrys would marry the just born Arthur Pendragon.
The loss of her husband, not three months later had depressed her, and perhaps that was why she ignored the doctors. She hadn’t foreseen any complications of carrying twins. Morgana hadn’t survived the premature birth but Merlin had. Her darling daughter couldn’t be saved by money or machines, and Hunith had only one single baby instead of the two she had hoped and dreamed and planned for.
Uther had been furious when she told him - at first. The man of old principles and old ideas had been tempted to call off the whole arrangement. But he hadn’t. His wife had insisted the deal stay and Hunith didn’t know why but he had listened to her and agreed to new conditions.
“Adoption is an option,” he told her dully. “I am sorry for the loss of your daughter; it must be difficult to bear after the loss of your husband as well.” He paused, thinking. “We will honor our agreement and instead of your daughter, Arthur will marry your son.”
Their meeting had quietly ended after that and Hunith had returned home in a daze.
==
Merlin was told that he was to be married upon his eighteenth birthday when he was five years old. Like all children he was excited and eager to meet his future bride. When he was told that he was to marry a boy, and not a girl, he accepted it with initial confusion (but boys are supposed to marry girls!) but overall the acceptance of his young age and rephrased his question.
“When will I meet him,” the dark haired little boy asked, his fingers tracing the flowery pattern of the quilt under him. He was lying on his stomach, waiting for his mother to finish getting ready so that they could go to dinner.
“Well,” his mother said, turning around on her vanity chair and beaconing him to sit on her lap, only continuing once he was comfortably seated. “He and his mother and father live in London - I told you we’d visit there one day - but we live in,” she paused, letting him tell her.
“New York,” he told her eagerly.
“That’s right darling,” her voice was proud of her brilliant boy. “So he-“
“What’s his name?” Merlin interrupted eagerly.
“Arthur,” Hunith told him patiently. “So Arthur and his parents live on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, a long way away.”
“Oh,” Merlin frowned at this. He opened him mouth to ask another question, but before he could he was picked up and cuddled. He giggled and shrieked as his mother peppered his face with kisses.
“Now, Merlin,” she said after she had finished her loving assault. “I believe that we have a date.”
Still giggling and red faced, Merlin gave her his hand and they walked from the bedroom and out into New York.
==
On the same night, Arthur Pendragon was also told of his impending marriage. He, on the other hand, took the news in a very sulky, spoiled sort of way.
“No.” He told his father, his chubby arms crossed over his chest and his blue eyes sparking with unhappiness. “That isn’t fair, I don’t want to.”
“It doesn’t matter what you want,” Uther told his son with barely restrained anger. “You are marrying the Emrys child and that is final, Arthur.”
Arthur’s blue eyes filled with angry tears and he moved them pleadingly towards his mother. “Mum,” he whined, fat tears rolling down his cheeks.
“This was decided a long time ago, Arthur,” Igraine told her son quietly. “There is no way to reverse it now.” She moved towards him and gathered him up in a hug.
“You spoil the boy, Igraine,” Uther growled from behind them.
“You upset him,” she countered, picking him up and letting the child bury his face in her neck. “News like this needs to be given gently. He’s still a child, for goodness sake.”
“The sooner he knows, the sooner he can begin preparing his life for his husband. He’ll need a proper education, a proper job, acceptable hobbies, he’ll need to know how to act in certain situations, how to make decisions. Arthur needs to begin learning all of this now, so that he can be exactly what Hunith expects him to be.” Uther listed off each lesson while pacing the room. His face was getting red in his anger and he spun tightly at the end to glare at his wife.
Igraine sighed softly. She carefully put Arthur down and knelt to brush the tear tracks from his face. “Go get yourself ready for bed,” she told him softly. “I’ll be there to tuck you in after I’ve had a talk with your father.
Arthur shuffled towards his bedroom, wincing as his father’s voice grew in volume behind him. His mother’s voice stayed soft and calm, just like it always did. True to her word, Igraine arrived in his room within the half hour and settled the blankets more snugly around the six year old boy.
“Now,” she said with a smile. “This is what you need to know.”
She always told Arthur exactly what he needed to know, even when it hurt.
“When you were just a baby, your father knew a man who was soon to be a father himself. His name was Mr. Emrys and he was going to have two babies, not just one. A little girl named Morgana, and a little boy named Merlin. This man was very excited. Your father and he made a deal that you, my sweet thing,” she ruffled Arthur’s hair, “and Morgana would marry.”
“So why am I marrying Merlin?” Arthur asked, still sulking about it.
“I’m getting to that dear. Now, not too long after your father made this deal, Mr. Emrys was killed in a car accident. Not too much later, Mrs. Emrys had her babies. Merlin was born first, and he was healthy and perfect, and Morgana was born after. But Morgana wasn’t healthy, and the doctors couldn’t save her.
“So, Mrs. Emrys lost her husband and her daughter, and was left with only her son to love. Mrs. Emrys is a lady with lots of love to give,” Igraine told her son, tapping him idly on the nose, “so I told your father that he wasn’t allowed to break the deal with her. Because this way she could love you too. Isn’t that wonderful?”
Arthur smiled at his mother.
“If you like,” she continued. “Tomorrow we can write a letter to Merlin, so that you can tell him about yourself.”
“Ok,” Arthur murmured, he snuffled nearer to her and fell asleep to the sound of her quietly humming a lullaby.
==
Several years later, when Arthur was seventeen and Merlin was sixteen, they met. Hunith fluttered nervously around her son, straightening his shirt and smoothing his hair. They were standing in the lobby of some grand hotel in New York, waiting for the Pendragon family to arrive. Merlin was clenching his room key tightly in his hand and trying to ignore his mother’s behavior.
“Hunith!” A female voice cried over the low noise of the hotel, and both Emrys’ turned at the sound.
A beautiful blond woman was hurrying towards them a smile on her face. Behind her were an equally blond teenage boy, and a darker haired man.
“Igraine,” Hunith returned, taking a few steps forward and embracing the woman.
“You remember Uther,” Igraine said happily, gesturing at the man behind her. “This is our son, Arthur.”
Arthur stepped forward, a little shyly, and bowed his head at Hunith. “Mrs. Emrys,” he said, “it is a pleasure to meet you.” The words sounded stiff, as though he had been practicing them in his head. He lifted his head and smiled stiffly before turning his eyes towards the boy standing slightly behind her. His facial expression didn’t change, but his eyes moved away in disinterest after a moment of studying the younger boy.
Hunith lifted an eyebrow and glanced at Igraine, who was frowning, and then at Uther, who was nodded calmly at his sons display.
“This is my son, Merlin,” Hunith said after a moment, she looked behind her and gestured for Merlin to come and stand at her side.
Merlin stepped forward and promptly tripped over a bump in the rug. He stumbled slightly, but didn’t fall.
Arthur sniggered and Merlin ignored him.
“A pleasure,” he muttered a flush blossoming high on his cheeks.
Uther was now frowning, while Igraine was smiling warmly.
“Merlin,” Hunith said, turning towards her son and smiling at him. “Why don’t you show Arthur your room? I’m sure you would like to get to know him better than you can in letters. You can order room service and spend the evening together.”
“What a wonderful idea,” Igraine said, agreeing with the other woman. Both mothers kissed their sons in farewell and the boys - eyeing each other in distaste - slowly moved towards the elevator bank.
“Merlin is utterly charming,” the blond woman gushed after the two had disappeared into the lift.
“He’s clumsy,” Uther stated flatly. “This isn’t what I expected, Hunith.”
“He was nervous,” Hunith sighed, before turning and leading the other two towards the hotel restaurant.
“So was Arthur,” Uther countered. “But he was perfectly polite.”
“Uther,” Igraine scolded before smiling warmly at the host of the restaurant.
==
Merlin stood stiffly in the lift, and stared at the row of buttons. He had built up Arthur Pendragon in his head; the last nine years of letters had only built him up further. He had been sent pictures of Arthur every month or so, and had foolishly framed a few of them. The boy standing next to him now was nothing like the framed football playing teen in his room at home.
“You’re a bit, skinny,” Arthur finally said, his eyes once again trailing over Merlin’s body. He didn’t look very pleased.
“And you’re very blond,” Merlin told him with a false smile.
The elevator chimed and the doors slid open to one of the master suits. The two boys stepped out and Merlin flopped down onto one of the stiff pieces of furniture that looked nice, but weren’t really intended to sit on.
“So,” Arthur finally said, after following him in and staring out the window for a bit. “Merlin.”
He didn’t say anything else, and he didn’t turn around to look at his future husband either. Merlin, on the other hand, opened a rather thick book and buried his nose in it.
“I must admit,” the blond said, finally turning around. “You’re not quiet what I was expecting. I mean, I knew you were a nerd - but you really look the part too. Your letters gave you a little personality, I admit, which was nice. But I thought you might at least be-” he paused, apparently looking for the right word. “Attractive.”
Merlin’s mouth dropped open and he stood up, his fists clenched tightly around his book and his fury flushing his cheeks. “I’m sorry that I’m not the Barbie you wanted, you giant prat,” he snapped, before turning on his heal and storming into his bedroom. The door slammed shut and Arthur allowed himself a small smile.
“Spitfire,” he murmured, one eyebrow lifting in surprise, before following the dark haired boy towards the slammed door.
“Maybe you don’t understand, Merlin,” he said through the wood. “All my life I’ve been groomed to be the perfect man for my future husband - my father was relentless, he’s made me do everything - and in the meanwhile I’ve had to turn down every offer than came my way because I have to study to provide for my future husband, or because I’m needed at some fancy bit so that I’m in the know for my future husband, or let’s not forget, because I’m already engaged to be married, to some bloke that I’ve never met before. Surely you can understand that.”
“Of course I do,” Merlin shouted through the door. “You think my life has been cake, just partying it up with all my friends and having a good time? I’ve spent my entire life studying to be a doctor, or a lawyer, or something so that my future husband won’t have to provide me with anything. So that I can provide for him. I’ve never had time to go out and have fun with my friends - of which I have very few, by the way, because I’m engaged to a man! And then I find out that I’ve been building my future on the thought that you might actually be a decent guy, somebody I wouldn’t mind being with forever, but you’re just like all the rest. Go away.”
The lock of the door clicked into place and Arthur stared at the door in surprise.
“I’m hardly like all the rest, Merlin,” he said finally, but at just that moment music began pounding inside the room and Arthur was pretty sure that his words went unheard. He frowned, but he could wait.
Twenty minutes later, his patience was rewarded and Merlin opened the door to his room and came out holding a menu. “I’m ordering room service,” he muttered sullenly, “what do you want.”
Arthur sighed and held out his hand for the menu, but instead of grabbing it, he latched onto Merlin’s wrist instead. One firm jerk and Merlin tumbled gracelessly into his lap. Arthur wrapped one of his arms around the small waist and used his other hand to force Merlin to look at him.
“I’m hardly like all the rest,” he said softly, looking intently into Merlin’s blue eyes. “I’m sorry about what I said, about you not being attractive, because that wasn’t true. I mean, sure you’re a bit pale, and skinny, and your hair is a mess but somewhere in that scruffiness is exactly the man I thought you were.” He offered a tentative smile. “Unfortunately, you’re stuck with me, and I’m exactly the type of prat that you think I am. I am, however, also the type of prat who doesn’t give up.”
He hesitated for a moment, gauging his fiancés reaction - because it was his first kiss too - and then carefully sealed his mouth over Merlin’s and tugged him a little closer.
“You are a prat,” Merlin told him, standing up and grabbing the room service menu again. But a smile tugged at his lips, so Arthur wasn’t too worried.
==
They were married six months after Merlin turned eighteen. Just before he was to start his first year at university. Their marriage was, apparently, a huge deal in the business world - and it received a huge amount of press coverage.
The night before the ceremony, Merlin was quietly freaking out while Arthur stood at the side of the room and watched him pace.
“Did your mother ever tell you about your twin?” He asked.
“Morgana?” Merlin asked, momentarily distracted from his panic. “You know about her?”
Arthur nodded and stepped forward to take the dark haired teen into his arms. “I resented you a lot while growing up. Resented being different because I was already engaged - and to a man, no less. When we first met, I couldn’t help but think that Morgana would have been a beautiful woman - a perfect bride, because I could see her in you. But later, when you shouted at me, I realized that I already had the person who was perfect for me. You were every bit of fire that I needed in my life. You are exactly who I thought you were, and when you locked me out of your room, I was ready right then to marry you.”
He cupped Merlin’s thin face with both hands and guided their mouths together for a chaste kiss. “I’m glad that it’s you, and not Morgana,” he said.