For those who live in the U.S. Happy Thanksgiving. In celebration of this holiday I have chosen to upload the next part in thanks to all of those who have read and enjoyed this story. It has been a honor and a joy to write a story that people are enjoying. Thanks for reading, and for those of you who have reviewed it thank you for the reviews, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin, it is owned by BBC, SyFy and the creators of Merlin, I own Anne and Faston.
Uther pulled his legs up, and crossed his arms over his knees as he began to sob into them. Ygraine had died giving birth to his child, now Anne had died in the same manner as well, it seemed whoever was in charge of this whole mess called life was set against him and his family. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up, allowing the tears to continue falling unchecked on his face. Gaius was looking at him worriedly, "Sire?"
"Is it all right to go in? May I? I just need to let her know-" Uther's voice broke, not knowing how he could ever tell his dead wife how sorry he was for the pain and death he had caused her, how much he loved and needed her. He felt Arthur's hand on his shoulder. Uther glanced toward the door, unable to finish speaking around the grief settled in his chest.
"Of course it is all right to go in. You're the father," Gaius said, a puzzled expression on his face.
"Father?" Uther stuttered, "The child lived." He felt a bit of joy well up in him, though his heart crumbled around the news. The tears that had stopped briefly at the news of his child's birth had begun again. How could he deal with the conditions he now found himself in, once again? He felt Arthur's hand tightening on his shoulder throughout his and Gaius's conversation, Uther shrugged his shoulders letting Arthur know to let him go, and his son followed his silent command.
Gaius looked at him for a few minutes confusedly before his eyes widened, "Uther, this is not another Ygraine, they both are alive." Uther's head snapped up as he heard this, and seeing the truth in his friend's eyes, he pushed everyone away from him and burst into the room. As he entered he came to an abrupt halt as he took in his wife on the bed. She was lying, pale and silent, but her chest was moving confirming Gaius's words. He looked around for the baby and saw Morgana and Gwen finishing the bathing and working on getting some warm clothing on the child.
He walked over to Anne, and ran his fingers down her temple and cheek, before bending over and kissing her forehead, "My Anne." He bent down and kissed her forehead before laying his own against it, and took in shuddering breaths, as his tears of joy fell on her forehead. A few minutes later he quieted, feeling more peaceful than he had felt since news of her attack had arrived. He finally straightened up brushing the tears from his face, and moved toward the two young women.
As he arrived, Morgana looked up at him with a grin, "Arthur owes me several new pieces of jewelry." Uther cocked his eyebrow, and she replied to his unspoken question, "It's a girl."
Uther chuckled softly and looked down at the little girl, as he reached over slipping her from Morgana's arms into his own so that he could get a better look at her. Her head was tiny fitting into the area of his fingers, her torso resting on his palm and the heel of his hand, and her legs spanning half of his lower arm. She had her mother's mouth, nose and chin, but his forehead, cheeks, and the same shape of eyes. Her hair was soft and blonde. He stood there stroking her cheeks, and head of hair, while placing gentle kisses on her nose and forehead.
She slept contentedly, and his grin stayed in place. Morgana leaned over his arm and brushed her hand on the baby's head before pulling the little hand out of the blanket she was in, and kissing them. Uther took the hand from her, marveling in the fact that the baby's hand was so small. He splayed the fingers of both hands out over the tip of two of his fingers and counted to ten. Morgana realizing what he was doing laughed, but Uther ignored her content with the fact that his baby was perfectly fine.
He heard someone move behind him, and heard Morgana tease, "Congratulations Arthur you're an older brother, who will enjoy many fun times of playing the damsel rescuer."
He felt Arthur look around his arm, and reach out gently grabbing hold of one of the hands on Uther's fingers, "I think I can deal with that."
"You'd better or you can forget laying brotherly claims," a tired voice interrupted them. Uther spun around, tightening his hold on the baby a bit as he looked at Anne.
I felt my eyes flutter open, and saw Merlin standing above my bed, lips moving silently and a hand outstretched above me. I smiled softly at him, knowing what he was doing, but when I heard Uther's voice my eyes widened in fear for my friend, and glanced in the direction his voice had come from, the fear leaving me as Uther and the family were huddled around something, I was sure was the baby. Looking back at Merlin I smiled and murmured my thanks to him before turning back and watching Uther cradle the baby in his arms, with Morgana and Arthur crowding around him.
As I heard Arthur concede his defeat at not getting the little brother he wanted, I teased him, and watched as Uther spun around and locked eyes with me. His eyes were red, but his grin was huge, as he walked towards me, "I believe that there is someone you still need to see." He said talking to both the baby and I.
I smiled, and nodded my head, fighting to keep from falling asleep again as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed, gently resting the baby in my arms. "She's a perfect blend of you two," Morgana said grinning at me, as she came to stand by the bed.
I chuckled, and looked down, "Yes, she is." I kissed her forehead, and then looked up at Uther, "Did you finally choose between the two names we were thinking of?"
"Caylene," Uther said smiling down at them.
"It works," Arthur said, before Morgana slapped his head.
"It's beautiful, shut up." Morgana glared at him.
"Thank you, Morgana." I sent a glare in Arthur's direction, though Uther had fixed his glare on his son before I was able to. "Let her grow up a bit before you start harassing her about her name, Arthur especially since you are supposed to be the protective older brother." I smiled, as I finished teasingly lecturing him.
"Quite." Uther growled softly at him, causing Arthur to throw his hands up in surrender, as Gaius came over.
"Everyone needs to leave so that the mother and the baby can get some undisturbed sleep." As Uther began to protest, Gaius waved his hand at Uther, "I already know you refuse to leave, so I won't bother arguing with you today. But the rest of you, get out. You can come see the baby and Lady Anne later." Morgana and Arthur leaned down and kissed Caylene, before giving me a hug. Morgana kissed Uther's cheek, congratulating him as she walked out, and Arthur clapped down on his shoulder telling him congratulations. As they walked out the door Uther and I grinned at each other as Arthur and Morgana began arguing over what exactly had been wagered in their bet.
Uther chuckled softly as his son and his ward left, finally joining Anne on the bed, watching her as she held Caylene and lightly ran a fingertip over Caylene's features. Anne moved forward and he brought his arm behind her head, and she cuddled up to him, as he reached over cupping the child's head in one of his hands, softly brushing the top of her head with his thumb. He moved his head slightly and kissed Anne's temple, "She's beautiful. I'm so proud of you, love." Anne looked up at him and smiled, burrowing her face deeper into his chest before looking back down at Caylene.
They sat there quietly Anne resting in the crook of his arm, and Uther holding on tight to her shoulder, and one of the fingers from his other hand slowly and gently tracing the features of his daughter's face. When he felt Anne's breathing slow down, he went to take Caylene from her with his free arm and Anne's eyes flew open a protective glare shooting toward him as her arms tightened slightly around the baby.
"It's all right, Anne, I am just moving her to the cradle so you can sleep more comfortably." Anne's eyes softened and she nodded, loosening her grip enough for him to gently take Caylene into his arm, as Anne moved off the other arm so that he could use that one as well. She laid her head back down on the pillow and was asleep once more. He carefully maneuvered off the bed and set Caylene in her cradle, wrapping her up warmly, before walking back toward the bed and covering Anne up as well. He brushed the hair from her forehead and kissed it once more, before walking to stand next to the cradle and watch Caylene sleep for a bit, amazed at how perfect she was.
