A/N: So, I realized, just as I went to publish this chapter, that I haven't actually finished Chapter 27- onward. Which means that I'm either going to have to neglect my pressing academic obligations to pound out a mediocre chapter, or it's going to be a little while longer before the next chapter is posted.

Sorry guys... college is a lot of work. Enjoy this chapter, and I hope to have the next up within the coming few days!

It had been a cool summer, so when Camelot celebrated the autumn festival, it didn't seem like it was time for that. But, there had been the customary feasting and tournaments held at Camelot. Much to her chagrin, the heavily pregnant Merlin seemed to be the main attraction though. And with the excitement of a new life, it wasn't that hard to see why.

Arthur took pity on his very uncomfortable wife and tried keeping her away from the masses as much as possible. Merlin appreciated this, and for once, actually listened to him instead of acting on her own accord. Maybe she had finally figured out that Arthur wasn't always an idiot. (Or maybe she was just appeasing Arthur, knowing what he wasn't able to openly admit: he was usually an idiot.)

The quill was still writing on its own, still a valued consultant to Arthur, but he could tell based on how slow and sluggish the quill was becoming as the days passed, that the child's arrival was imminent. Sure enough, three days after the beginning of the festivities for the autumn equinox, Arthur received word that Merlin had gone into labor.

The tournament and feast hadn't been cancelled, but everyone was preoccupied, waiting for the arrival of the newest royal. Arthur knew that if Merlin were aware of how much people were paying attention to her, she would have been mortified, but he doubted that she was concerned about that; she was probably deep in the throes of childbirth.

So, after one of his advisors left his study, he glanced down at the quill and whispered, "Be good to your mother. Please be kind and merciful."

The quill rolled over, trying to raise itself up. Eventually, Arthur picked it up and helped guide the letters onto the page.

Of course, Father.

Hours later, Arthur cradled his daughter, still overcoming his tears of joy. He had never felt as connected or as honored to be in the presence of one of his newborn children, but here she was, his daughter, the Princess of Camelot, perhaps the most precious thing he had ever come into possession with. And she was lovely; her dark hair stuck up wildly, not all that different to Merlin's hair when she had had it short when they first met, and she had the same crisp blue eyes that he had come to know so intimately.

She was lovely. And tiny. She was lovely and tiny, perhaps even a bit extraordinary too. Merlin had outdone herself with this one.

Merlin had almost done herself in too with this one, but fortunately, she was sleeping now and would just need to rest. The delivery had been rather long and difficult, leaving everyone in the castle on edge, but as soon as it was announced that the queen had given birth to the newest member of the royal family and both were alive and well, the celebration began.

Arthur, who had still been working in his chambers at the stately desk that his father had used, had known that the fourth child had arrived when his quill suddenly went lifeless. It had terrified Arthur at first, who had feared that the child had died, but when he heard a knock at the door a few minutes later, his fears subsided. He had sprinted from his chambers down to Merlin's, bursting through the door to find his exhausted wife cradling the impossibly small bundle. For whatever reason, this time, it seemed like the baby was fragile and Merlin actually seemed like the delivery had taken something out of her.

"Hi," he had said softly upon entering the door with a loud crash.

The servants and delivery assistants had all stood at attention, staring at him after he had made such an abrupt entrance. Merlin, who also had been startled by his entry, laughed at him as he approached the bed. "I think we know where she got her ability to enter a room," Merlin mused.

"She?" Arthur asked, stiffening.

She? Well, that was unexpected. Arthur had thought that the first three children were daughters, and yet again, he was wrong. Merlin smirked. "Hopefully she doesn't get your estimation abilities."

"Oh, come off it," Arthur groaned as he sat down next to Merlin in the bed, kicking off his shoes and moving up so that he was resting against the headboard. "I'm still smarter than you."

"Oh, okay."

She grinned widely and rested her head on his shoulder, still holding their daughter, who appeared to be quite bored of her parents already. "We haven't talked about names for a girl," Arthur pointed out.

Merlin hummed and brushed the baby's hair off her forehead. "No, I suppose we haven't. Since I got to name Rhys, and we named both Gareth and Bowen together, how about you name her?"

"Are you sure about that?" Arthur asked hesitantly.

"Of course, I'll have final veto power, but right now, I'm so tired, I would probably name her Excalibur or something. Ooh, what about Excalibur?" Merlin laughed.

"Go to sleep, Merlin."

She chucked as she leaned against Arthur, admiring her daughter's features. Arthur couldn't help but admire Merlin. After all that she had done, and here she had gone and done something miraculous again. There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't know why he loved her, and this day was no different. Today was akin to the day that Rhys was born; an entirely unknown journey lay before them, though today brought not their first child, but their first daughter. Arthur knew that this would be their last child, but he wasn't worried about that.

He was complete. They were complete.

Before Merlin fell asleep, he took the infant from her arms and helped Merlin get settled against the pillows. "I won't go far," he assured his wife. "In case, you know… she needs feeding or something."

Merlin nodded sleepily and let out a contented sigh before closing her eyes. Here they went again.