Merlin sits up in bed, careful not to wake Arthur sleeping beside him. He stands and pads over to the full length mirror in their bedroom, blinking the sleep out of his eye.

In the dim light, Merlin looks pale. He is still skinny and tall, and as he pulls on a shirt the scars on his shoulders from where his arms were severed gleam in the watery early morning sunlight.

Merlin looks eye to eye with himself in the mirror. His jet hair is a mess and his missing right eye a scarred hole. He pulls on his eye patch and adjusts it.
After Gaius' death a little over a year ago, not long after king Uther's assassination by the spy Morgana and Morgana's consequential execution, Merlin has been made court physician.

Today, however, is a very important day. Today, magic is no longer outlawed and Merlin will be named the court sorcerer.

"Merlin?" Arthur whispers from the bed.
Merlin looks around at his husband, smiling.

"Are you ready?" He asks, walking to him and clasping his hand.

Arthur smiles back.

"I think I've been ready for a very long time."

They enter the great hall minutes later, greeted by Gwen, the members of the Royal Court and the Knights of the Round Table, including the newly wed Gwaine and Percival. They beam at the King and the court physician, happiness practically radiating from every face which is raised to them.

They are growing. They are changing. And they are ready.

It is raining.