Autumn stared at Merlin for a few moments and then she burst out laughing. Her laughing was like ripples in a still pond after a stone has been thrown in. It seemed as if it radiated outwards through the packed hall of children who had up until that moment been quite silent. Now if they had been in a public place, then they too began to titter and soon the ripples of laughter became great waves of hilarity.
“That was a good one….my God…for a moment I thought that you were really serious about it!!” said Autumn as Merlin smiled at her as well.
Merlin laughs. It’s a sound she hasn’t heard in a thousand years and it’s a sound she would wait another thousand to hear. He leans close, their breaths are mingling. He kisses her again. Short and sweet. “I love you,” he tells her, “I love you.”
“
