Set about ten years after Season 5
Merlin was pretty sure this was revenge for all the years he kept his magic hidden. Even though the composition of the Council had changed over those years, there were still one or two holdouts like Sir Ector. They were the ones who insisted that Merlin sit down with them and explain in detail exactly what the latest magical threat had done and meant to do. The Prat, excuse me, His Royal Highness, King Arthur, had skedaddled about an hour into the annoyingly long Council session, claiming that his lack of exact knowledge about magic meant he was useless. Merlin was sure he had seen Arthur grinning as he left the Council room to go meet with Leon about knightly stuff. Once the Council was finally done asking every inane question they could, Merlin escaped. Really, those were supposed to be some of the wisest men around. Lord Geoffrey was on the Council and he had actually answered half of the questions before Merlin could. Why hadn't they just asked him in the first place? Again, Merlin could only conclude that this was some form of revenge for hiding his magic for so long.
Merlin hurried toward his quarters. He and Mairwen had claimed one of the towers as theirs once their family started growing. If he could just make it to the door to the tower he would be safe from being bothered. Generally, only their friends would approach them there. He was so close when he heard it, "Ah, Merlin. I wondered if I might speak with you."
He turned to find Leon standing here, a smile on his face. "Of course, Leon. What can I do to help you?" Merlin quietly waved his peaceful time with his family goodbye as he followed Leon back down to the tiny office the First Knight had by the Armory to go over patrol routes and known areas of infestation of magical creatures, both harmless and harmful. It took over an hour before he was able to get away from his friend, especially since Percival showed up with Galahad and they spent time showing the boy exactly what they were doing as an impromptu lesson for the young knight-in-training.
He departed the office to find George waiting for him. He had promised to hex George if he called him anything but his name, so he stopped when he heard him call him. "Merlin, I need your help."
Merlin sighed, "Yes, George. How can I help?"
"There is something in one of the supply rooms and I can't figure it out. It keeps making a mess of things. It must be magical."
Merlin's brows met in the middle as he tried to mentally run through the lists of magical creatures that might play pranks on humans. "Let's go take a look."
Another hour later, Merlin left George and the brownie that had taken a liking to the supply room together to hash out an organization scheme that would please them both. Merlin warned George not to call the honey and cream he'd leave for the brownie a payment or the harmless creature would leave. Merlin shook his head at the idea that there were people like George in every species.
With everything that had been going on today, he'd missed lunch, and his stomach was not happy. A detour to the kitchens was definitely in order. Audrey stood there, spoon at the ready to smack his hand as he approached her with what he hoped was his most charming smile. "And what do you want?"
"I was so busy that I missed lunch, Audrey. I was wondering if I could just have some bread and fruit? After all, Arthur has made me promise to eat every meal."
Audrey grumbled as she put together a small plate. Merlin wasn't lying. Arthur had made his displeasure known many times over when Merlin skipped meals. After all, it didn't look very impressive if the Court Sorcerer was laid out on the floor in a dead faint because he was silly enough to just not eat. "Here. Next time, call for something, you daft wizard."
Merlin popped a quick kiss on her cheek and, just as quickly, hopped out of range of her spoon when she swung it at him. "You're wonderful, Audrey! Thank you." Merlin escaped the kitchen with food in hand and no new bruises, so that was a win. He started chewing on the bread on the plate when he ran into Arthur. Neither said anything as the king fell into stride with Merlin as he walked toward the tower, until Arthur sneaked one of the apples off Merlin's plate. "Oi! That's my lunch."
Arthur offered the apple he'd just taken a bite out of and spoke so elegantly with his mouth full, "Want it back?"
"Ugh! I thought you were supposed to be raised with manners." Arthur just shrugged and the two walked in companionable silence through the castle.
Finally, Merlin reached the door to his tower and opened it, Arthur following him up the winding stairs. "You are going to hate this place once arthritis kicks in. You know that, right?"
Merlin just laughed. "I'll just work on spells to make me fly, then." Arthur snorted.
The door to the family's chambers was closed but Merlin could still hear the shrieking behind it. "Sounds like the whole castle is being tortured in there," Arthur mumbled.
Merlin grinned as he pushed the door open and the volume rose to near deafening levels. The kids inside noticed him and the king and swarmed over them. A few of them belonged to each and then there were the strays that belonged to their friends. Mairwen rose from her seat with Lance in her arms and gently waded through the tiny mob. She gave him a kiss and handed the baby over to him before she shooed all but Mim away from him. Merlin knelt down and gathered his youngest daughter in his other arm. "Happy birthday, Mim. You were asleep when I left this morning. I've been trying to get back here earlier all day, but I got too busy."
"That's alright, Da. Everyone else has been around. Uncle Arthur is here twice already. But now you're here." Mim looked just like her mother, with her red hair and freckles all over her face. The only physical trait she had of Merlin's was his eye color. She hugged him tightly as she put her hand over the one holding Lance. Mim liked to spoil her little brother.
The mob of children slowly dispersed, with parents coming to get them or the older ones just running off to create mayhem and chaos around the castle. Finally, Merlin was left with just his wife and the youngest three of the children. Bal had run off with Elyan and Merlin, frankly, didn't want to know what they were up to. They were whispering to each other before they left and that was never a good sign. Let it be Arthur's turn to catch them in their mischief. Mim was curled up by his side as he leaned against the table in the room. The floor was cold, but he was warm enough, and tired enough, to not care. He was just about to fall asleep to the peaceful sounds of his children and wife talking when he felt Mim tug on his hand. "Da, I forgot to show you my birthday present from Uncle Arthur."
"Well, then, go get it so I can see it." He watched Mim pull a small wooden box from the other side of the room. It was almost too big for her. "Want me to get it, Mim?"
"No. I have it." Merlin wasn't quite sure if the stubbornness came from him or Mairwen, but his children had it in spades. He relaxed back against the table as she dragged it across the room, so proud of herself when she got it next to them. "Uncle Arthur and Aunt Gwen got me dolls, Da. But they're special dolls." She opened the box, the lid obscuring his view of the inside. As she pulled dolls out, Merlin saw what she meant about them being special. They had each been made to look like Merlin and the other adults in Mim's life. "Here's you, Da." She handed Merlin the fabric doll that was unmistakably supposed to be him. It even had the little neckerchief he still refused to stop wearing. Merlin saw Gwen's work in the tiny clothes sewn onto the bodies of the dolls.
"These are brilliant, Mim."
"I know. And look, they even have little things to go with them." Mim pulled out a feathery concoction that made Merlin sit up straight. "Uncle Arthur said this is for your doll, but I don't think so."
Merlin grinned, "No, let's make sure the Arthur doll is always wearing this hat, eh?" He took it and the Arthur doll from her and put them together. "I think this suits him very well, don't you? The red cloak and the Red Hat of Doom. What do you think?"
Mim just giggled as she nodded as she pulled out another doll. "This was supposed to be for Uncle Arthur." She put the Arthur doll on the horse and pranced him over and around her father's legs. Merlin picked up the Gwaine doll and the two proceeded to have a mock swordfight, with Gwaine having an overly dramatic death scene, leaving Mim giggling madly before she remembered something and reached for the box again.
"Uncle Arthur said this was also for your doll. I like it. He even showed me how it worked. Watch." This time Merlin just groaned and thunked his head on the leg of the table as his daughter pulled out the world's smallest pillory and proceeded to stick her father in it.
Mim is turning three in this one. I only have my nieces and nephews for comparison, but I've had some rather grown-up conversations with them around that age, so I hope my depiction of her age is close to accurate. If not, just consider her precocious.
As for Merlin's children, there are: Balinor (Bal), Freya, Miriam (Mim), and Lance. Arthur has: Elyan, Igraine, Thomas (Tom). I'll put up the my version of how Galahad comes to join the troupe soon. I just want to go over it a few more times before I do.
