Gaius looked at Arthur his expression as serious as Arthur had ever seen. "Sire he needs to be awake to push so he can give birth safely. It is our hope that using your bond you can wake him, nothing we have done has worked. His waters have broken already."
Arthur looked down at his omega "What do I do?" He demanded.
"I suggest you lay with him and allow your pheromones to flow, maybe you can reach him that way, and you do have the strongest of bonds" Gaius told Arthur.
"Leave us! I will call if I need you" Arthur instinctively knew this should be a private moment and not one for witnesses. When the two healers looked at one another and didn't make any effort to leave Arthur turned on them, his protective instincts now working overtime. He has an omega and a child to protect. "LEAVE!"
The two men left after making the King promise to call should Merlin waken. Arthur stripped off down to his smalls and got into bed with Merlin gently pulling the omega into his arms. He made sure there was as much body contact as he could between them. Then he started to rub gently against his omega marking the pale man with his scent. Occasionally he could feel the contractions but still Merlin showed no signs of waking. Arthur took Merlin's face between his hands and kissed him with tenderness "Little Hawk I need you to wake up our baby needs you to help get born"
The pheromones in the room where overwhelming as Arthur forced as many out as he could, enveloping his omega in his scent and love. "I need you little one, you must wake, let me see your beautiful eyes." He pulled Merlin as close as he dared, taking great care not to hurt him further or put strain on his healing wounds. "I am not angry with you, you broke your word but you saved so many lives. But I beg of you not at the cost of your own or the baby" he stroked Merlin's face then put a hand on the swollen abdomen.
"Be patient little one your papa is very tired, I need to wake him up for you, he loves you very much so I know he will open his eyes when he knows how much we both need him" Arthur could feel the baby move inside Merlin as well as the contractions as they built up.
With his firm Alpha voice he commanded his husband "Wake up sleepily head, you can sleep again later for as long as you want, but I order you to wake up now!" the order was ruined by the note of pleading in Arthur's voice.
As he hugged Merlin he heard a small voice "sleepy,goway"
Arthur beamed his delight "Merlin" he pulled away enough to look at Merlin's face the eyes were mere slits. "No I cannot my little one your baby needs you! He wants to see the world and for that he needs you awake"
Another contraction went through Merlin "urts" he muttered so quietly Arthur could hardly catch him.
"I know sweetheart, but you must wake up, you have been so brave and made sure our child was safe, now you need to help him out" Arthur explained softly "Then you can sleep I promise"
There was a pause, the blonde thought for a moment that Merlin had drifted off again then there he mumbled "sorry"
"You have nothing to be sorry for, I should be cross but I am just so pleased to have you back and our enemy vanquished because of what you did"
Merlin's eyes opened a fraction once more "not that…..lied to..you"
Arthur frowned "Whatever it is it can wait and I promise I forgive you. I need to call the physicians, you will stay awake for me?"
Merlin weakly grasped Arthur's hand and looked into his eyes "bout baby"
That made Arthur frown even more "What about baby" his voice now has an edge, what was his omega trying to tell him that couldn't wait. "I can feel the babe moving, it lives"
"two" Merlin gasped "two babies"
Arthur looked at his omega incredulously "What… how… when?"
"Magic told me when I protected….."
"You endangered two babies!" Arthur raised his voice.
Merlin's face screwed up and tears started to fall "orry, bad omega, hate me"
"No Little Hawk never that, we will talk later now we have children to see into the world" with that Arthur called out and Gaius and Iseldir came in with Hunith who was to help, she had acted as a midwife in her village man times. "Merlin is awake, just, he tells me he has twins"
Both physicians raised their eyebrows, Gaius's got lost in his hairline they went so high. Iseldir looked at Arthur "If you could leave us Sire we will call when all is finished."
Arthur glared at him "No I am staying."
Hunith put her hand on the Kings arm "It would be best you left Sire. A birthing room is not the place for an alpha"
Arthur looked at Merlin then the other three "I am staying, I woke him and it is I who will support him through this" he made himself more comfortable in the bed and stroked Merlin's brow. Then impatiently added "Get on with what you have to do"
Hunith looked at her son who was barely conscious but had his eyes open "Do you want your alpha here son?"
Merlin squeezed Arthur hand gently and nodded too tired to talk any more. And so the King of Camelot stayed with his Omega. He found the process worrying and hated seeing Merlin in yet more pain. He said at one stage "I will not allow my omega to have more children"
Hunith laughed "You will sire. Once the birth is over and you hold the babes in your arms all this is forgotten."
It was a gruelling four hours before the first baby was born. Gaius handed the messy babe to Hunith to clean and looked at Arthur and Merlin "A son sires" then he continued to instruct Merlin as the second birth began.
Hunith washed the baby and wrapped him in swaddling an placed him in a cot where Arthur could see him. The King had tears in his eyes as he gazed at his son, looking down at Merlin between contractions he said "He is so beautiful my love"
As the second child was born the process was repeated. Iseldir and Gaius instructing Merlin to expel the placenta. Once that was done Hunith picked up both babies and took them to Merlin "Before you sleep son your babes need their first feed, your milk is different now and they need yours not the wet nurses, then you can sleep"
With Hunith's help and Arthurs support Merlin did as he was bid. Arthur heaping praise and love on his omega. But before the little girl had finished Merlin slipped into an exhausted sleep.
Gaius and Iseldir cleaned the sleeping omega up, he didn't even wake as Arthur lifted him so the bedding could be changed. Once he was once more comfortable in bed Arthur looked at both his children and nervously held them, not quite able to believe he had two children. Worried about Merlin he turned and asked "Will he be alright? That must have been an ordeal on top of his injuries"
"You are right Sire, childbirth is never easy, but Merlin is strong and his magic will have helped him. He will sleep now and hopefully feel better once he wakes" Iseldir told Arthur.
"How long will he sleep?"
"I suspect it will be a couple of days, I believe he will wake to fed the little ones although how much milk he will have is hard to say, But he must rest if he is to fully recover"
Arthur nodded "I will stay with him. Gaius could you please ask Morgana to announce the births, it will give the towns people something positive after what they have gone through. And ask the Princess Morgana and Leon to run things for me until Merlin is awake once more."
Hunith grinned "Sire I don't think the Princess will be kept out from seeing her nephew and niece, will you allow a short visit? I know she is waiting outside and has been since she found out what was happening. Then we will take the little ones to the nursery so they don't disturb you"
"Let her in if you must, but leave the children here, I know Merlin will rest more soundly with then close"
It was hardly a minute later when as sparkly eyed Morgana was peering in the cribs at the babies, as they were asleep she resisted the temptation to pick them up. Then she looked at Arthur and Merlin, in a quiet voice she said "Leon says he hopes you don't expect this to be a new fashion, he has no wish to see me give birth." Then she glared at Arthur "I hope you have no intention of shouting t Merlin about what happened? He has given you two beautiful children after all"
Arthur looked at Merlin, whose head was resting on his chest. "Never, he is the most perfect omega"
Morgana looked at Hunith who was still in the room "You heard that Hunith"
"I did my dear, but your brother has been very supportive, I don't think Merlin could have managed without him, not in the condition he is in." she paused "Come let's leave them to rest." looking at her son in law she smiled "I will come back with a drink for you and something in case Merlin wakes. But call when he does and I will make sure he has broth. George can bring it, he's hanging around like a mother hen"