I do not own any of the Merlin Characters from the show; they are the property of the BBC and not I.

Chapter Twenty One – updated 29/02/12

Catherine paced restlessly from one end of her chambers to the other. Retracing the same path over and over again, she stalked nervously back and forth, her hands clutching the bulging bump that was her stomach. Gwaine was somewhere else in the ridiculously oversized castle, investigating the heart wrenching scream which had shattered the peaceful night.

A girl had been murdered, she knew that much. Gwen had come by to tell her, and that Gwaine would not be back for a while, since Arthur had demanded that everyone report to the round table for a meeting, as to how someone had be killed in the middle of the castle courtyard.

"You should sit down." Gwen said kindly, fussing around the fire to make sure that the room was warm enough. Winter was returning and it always seemed that no amount of kindling would keep it out of the castle.

Stopping sharply, Catherine lowered herself into the closest chair and perched nervously on the edge of her seat. Snatching up a book, she flicked distractedly through the pages, the words dancing and swaying mockingly before her eyes. Giving up Catherine hurled the book back down onto the table beside her, heaving herself up into a standing position while silently cursing the constant back ache that accompanied pregnancy.

"Gwen." She called quietly.

A short sharp pain shot through her stomach, forcing her to stifle a cry as she doubled over. Warmth began to trickle down her legs, dampening the fabric of her nightdress.

"Oh no." she murmured.

"How does anyone manage to murder someone in the middle of the citadel!" Arthur roared.

Gwaine felt the familiar worry roll in his stomach as he watched Merlin flinch at Arthur's anger, it seemed that Arthur had noticed Merlin's reaction too since he seemed to calm a little, and laid a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder.

"We will find the murderer soon." Leon reassured the Prince, sounding confident in his words but Gwaine could tell he was worried. Everyone was shaken. Someone had managed to get into the main courtyard and kill an innocent girl, as well as escaping, and not a single guard had seen them supposedly. It made them all nervous, it meant that there was the chance of someone getting inside the castle, and possibly getting to those close to the Prince.

"Did she suffer?" Arthur asked, directing his question at Guias who was lingering beside one of the windows, while everyone else sat or stood around the round table. His age showed clearly on nights like these. Merlin wasn't the only one to suffer during the kidnapping.

"No." Guias answered plainly, "She would have bled out very quickly, perhaps within a few moments. Death was swift."

Arthur nodded, moving away from Merlin and approaching the fireplace to warm his hands.

The sound of yells and footsteps racing down the stone hall outside the room echoed through the doorway, followed by the frantic knock of a nervous servant who stumbled into the room, face flushed red and gasping for breath.

"Sir Gwaine… Gaius" he panted breathlessly, "milady… the baby…"

"What!" Gwaine yelled, leaping out of his seat and hurling himself towards the trembling servant, grabbing hold of the man and shaking him roughly.

"What's happened? What's wrong?" he demanded, his eyes darting widely across the servant's features to try and obtain any indication of the situation that he could.

"Good God Gwaine!" Lancelot called out. "Let the poor man speak."

Reluctantly Gwaine took a step back, shifting from one foot to the other impatiently as he waited for the servant to continue.

"The baby is coming Sir." The servant revealed having caught his breath a little. "I've been sent to fetch you and the physician at once."

The room erupted into a flurry of activity.

"Leon!" Arthur boomed, "See how the search for the perpetrator is going and then return at once!"

Leon hurried out of the room quickly to follow his orders; Gwaine who had previously unable stand still was now rooted to the spot, gaping like a fish as he tried to process the information.

"Come on Gwaine." Lancelot urged, taking his friend by the arm, Percival grabbing the other. "Let's go see if there is anything that we can do to help."

The three men left the room, Gauis and Merlin followed, Gauis listing off what he would need and Merlin nodding along, while the rest of the knights and Arthur stood around the round table, wondering what exactly they were expected to do.

Catherine's scream ripped through the chatter of the birthing room. Gwen was stood by her bedside, clasping her hand tightly as another wave of pain rolled through Catherine's body. Gwaine was stood outside with Merlin, Lancelot and Percival. Apparently men were not allowed inside the room until the baby was born, excluding Gaius that was.

"I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS GWIANE!" Catherine screeched, dissolving into a strangled sob as her muscles contracted again.

Gwen began to rub small circles across her back and whisper soothing words, ignoring the sheen of sweat that coated Catherine's body as the woman gave birth to her first child.

"You're almost there." Gaius assured her. "I can see the crown."

Pushing again Catherine felt something give; the child was coming at long last.

"Stop!" Gauis said firmly, causing Catherine to scream in frustration instead of pain this time.

"What is it Gaius?" Gwen asked confused, supporting Catherine's weight as the exhaustion of childbirth took its toll.

"The child." Guias said solemnly, "The chord which attaches it to the mother is wrapped around its neck."

A sob of sheer sorrow wrenched itself from Catherine mouth as she buried her head into Gwen's shoulder.

"You could save it right though?" Gwen asked, attempting to calm Catherine's tears.

"I will try my best." Gaius told her. "Catherine, you're going to need to do exactly as I say."

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