Author: Sukie.

Fandom: Merlin/Arthurian legend

Characters: Morgana, Morgause, random Druid women, baby Mordred. Arthur is mentioned.

Pairings in this chapter: Arthur/Morgana, sort of. I'm not writing this as an Armor fan, but it sticks to legend with them getting it on. So it can be Armor if you want!

Rating: T-M. It's got childbirth, gore and a bit of horror in.

Plot: This is an AU. Prior to this chapter, Morgana had lived in the court of King Mark of Cornwall, with Tristan of Cornwall and random others. Her and Arthur had never met. Morgause hatched a plan for Morgana to get pregnant with Arthur's baby, so she hooked them up when Arthur was visiting the Cornish court one day and that's probably that...for now!

Disclaimer: Merlin and all the characters belong to the BBC etc.

Chapter One

All she could do was breathe, push, and breathe. Gasping in lungfuls of incense clogged air to give herself the strength to carry on. Morgause was holding her hand, but it was cold and clammy and she resisted the urge to push her away with an irrational sneer of revulsion. Her sister had been a solid source of support and knowledge these past few years, and had never judged her for anything she'd done. But the energy seeping from her skin into hers was sickly and nauseating.

It was rising in her womb, and it needed to be pushed out.

She let out a little whimper, and her eyes flashed gold for a brief few seconds. Morgause must have seen this, and squeezed her hand tighter "You're nearly there, sister. He's nearly with us, you must keep your strength for a little longer" her blue eyes were keen, and fierce.

Morgana ignored her and let out a chest tearing cry as her loins burst with a new and terrible pain. The Druid women around her had plied her with as much tisane as they could, but she had refused the aqua vitae and the poppy-in-wine. She wanted to remember this, wanted her child to be healthy and screaming when it came out.

But he was coming now, he was coming now. She could feel her body tearing in two, and she could hear Morgause uttering excited words of encouragement. Her head swam in a giddy blackness tinged with pain and sweat. It built and built, and built some more. It arched and made her cry out, but she was hardly aware of any movements she was making. The only thing she saw was blackness behind her eyes. Stars and silver flecks and bursts of light were flying towards her vision, the pain was hitting a crescendo…pitched high until it was cut short. Like a shining silver axe had been swept down and had lulled the pain to a sore searing.

The instant sound of a baby wailing made her smile.

She cracked her eyes open slowly and squinted through the torchlight. A woman was between her legs, cutting the cord with a small knife. She knew what was coming out next, but had no care for it. She needed to hold her son. Her pale arms extended outwards. The women were busy cleaning him off with cloths "Please…my son" she croaked it out quietly, but their heads snapped up and they folded him him up, bundled and knotted so he was warm. Their eyes were full of concern and love, and already they were muttering prayers to the Gods.

The infant was pushed gently into her arms, and she looked down. His hair was jet black, and his eyes were grey. Pale skin. Dark, thick lashes. Everything about him screamed his mother, but the longer she looked, the more of his father she could see. It caused a jolt of pain and self-hatred to catch in her chest, but she wouldn't let it cloud the love for their son. His father was a good man. No one was to blame. No one had known that they shared blood.

She leant forward and kissed the child's forehead.

Morgause stood over her and looked between her and the child "Prince Arthur must not hear of this. He must not know…it will only make people gossip" she sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the side of the boys swaddling down to observe him. Morgana noted the venom in her eyes. It was warm, but sharp.

She glared at her sister and pulled him away from her meandering grasp "That would be for the best. It hurts to think of Arthur not knowing, but…the pain in his eyes would be too terrible for me to bear. But let me tell you now, that I will not be dictated to. He is my son, and if you so much as hint at taking him from me I will tear down the foundations of this keep. Do you understand?"

The blonde woman's eyes grew a little wide, with anger and surprise. But her face softened and she nodded with a smile "Of course! I would never take him from you. He is your son, and he holds a great power. No one can contend with the love of a mother" she reached out and rested a hand on her exposed arm, which was covered in drying sweat. Morgana managed a smile and when she looked down, Morgause piped up again.

"What is he to be named?"

Morgana had known in the first few weeks of her pregnancy. The name had come to her in a dream. A hare gnawing at the corpse of a golden haired man, the fur around it's mouth stained in blood. A hare feasting on the King. But the Gods had sent her the dream, like they sent all others dreams, and she couldn't ignore it.

"He'll be named Mordred" she smiled warmly, and kissed him again. Mordred, son of Arthur, son of Morgana. Prince of the Britons.