A/N - Please note I do not own any of the characters or some of the quotes used in this story, all rights go to BBC.
A woman ran through the torrential rain, she was on a mission and nothing was stopping her path – not even the weather. She had no care for herself and instead was pouring all of her worry into a bundle wrapped in a brown cloth, hidden beneath her cloak.
She hurried through the streets going past stalls and homes and even a tavern with a sign flapping in the wind, a bright sun painted on it. Nothing was stopping her, despite her shivering and her aching lungs – there were more important things to worry about.
She powered through the pain and the discomfort towards her one guiding solace – the physician's chambers. When she had originally been in Camelot, Gaius had been a true friend to her and she knew that he would be the only one who would understand.
Gaius had been sifting through his supply checking his stock for the next day and had planned to go to bed straight after. That plan was yanked away from him by the abrupt crashing open of the door. Startled he looked up at the figure wrapped in a long cloak – the hood securing their face and the material wrapped around their body. They suddenly pulled away and the hood, and Gaius let out a gasp.
"Hunith?" He cried out hurrying towards her.
She flinched away, clutching something to her under her cloak. "Please Gaius." She begged, "I didn't know where else to go." She then revealed what was under her cloak.
Gaius stared in awe and wonderment, in Hunith's arms was a baby not even a year old and he was staring at Gaius with such emotion a baby shouldn't possess. What made Gaius even more shocked were its eyes – deep depths of cerulean blue.
That's when it all changed.
The eyes changed from blue to gold and some of the vials Gaius had been inspecting before Hunith came in exploded in a sea of glass. Gaius could only stare in horror.
"Oh, Hunith." He breathed out.
"You have to help him, Gaius – Please… Merlin" She gasps out, "Please help Merlin."
It was as if something had clicked in Gaius in that moment, not only the fact that this child was born with magic – something that had never been heard of before. But, this was Hunith and judging by Merlin's age it also meant something else – possibly entirely worse.
"This is Uther's son."
She flinches away, but slowly nods.
"He can't know he has magic; he can't know about Merlin." She pleads.
Gaius shakes his head, "You cannot keep Uther from his son, Camelot from another heir." The situation washes over him and he could not help, but feel a wave of sadness and pity for Hunith – stuck in an impossible position.
"Uther will never accept a child of magic, no matter if he was born of it."
Gaius hesitates slightly, "This is his son."
Gaius almost laughs at the irony of the situation, a son of Uther possessing the one thing that he hates. He can't help, but think it was possibly a result of Uther's own brother having powers too.
He shakes his head and decides to think on it later, "We must tell Uther, this is another Prince – do you not want Merlin to be raised a noble?"
Hunith clutches Merlin tightly to her chest, desperation pouring out of her. "Please Gaius – do me one last favour?"
Gaius barely nods.
"You must hide Merlin's magic, suppress it please – it's out of control he won't be able to hide – it would be known."
"Merlin was born with magic, suppressing it could cause him a lot of harm."
"Then do it for a few years, until he's old enough to learn to control it. Teach him Gaius." She begs, "Do this for me, one last thing."
Gaius was confused, it sounded as if Hunith was pleading for one last fulfilment. That's when he noticed how pale she was, her face was gaunt – her blue eyes were rimmed red, but also had rings of black surrounding them. Now he noticed that she was not only shaking from the cold, but also from some kind of illness.
She rushed forward and gently placed Merlin into Gaius arms, placing one kiss on his forehead.
"My sweet boy, please never change."
She then collapsed and Gaius knew there was no point checking for a pulse.
She was gone.
Gaius looked down at Merlin in his arms, not once had he made a noise during the entire exchange, but when his mother fell Merlin finally cried and more vials exploded.
Gaius made his decision and got to work making the potion.
Gaius made his way to Uther's chambers slowly, he was trying to think of ways to approach the subject and tell Uther the news. That he had another son, that he missed out on nearly a year of his life. That Hunith was dead. He feared for the magic situation, hoping Merlin's powers never came to rise.
He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
"Enter."
Uther was sitting at his desk with paperwork in front of him, Gaius was glad that he wasn't yet preparing for bed. Uther leaned forward in surprise and delight to see Gaius.
"Gaius, what can I do for you?"
"Sire, I come bearing some important news."
Uther's face flashed in confusion, "Important news? Out with it Gaius."
Gaius shuffled, his nerves rising for how Uther would react. Would he cast Merlin away? Would he accept him as Camelot's second prince? Uther saw this hesitation and frowned.
"Come now Gaius, out with it." He demanded.
Gaius took a deep breath and began, "I was checking my stock over when someone unexpectedly burst into my chambers, it was Hunith sire."
Uther's face briefly showed desperation and longing, before it became a blank mask again.
"She was riddled with illness and she passed away in my chambers before I could do anything."
The sadness was there now, crashing into his mask, Uther goes to speak but Gaius quickly continues his story.
"But before she did, she brought with her…" Gaius stuttered, "That is to say, she brought with her a child."
Uther sat back suddenly, "What?"
Gaius stared into his gaze, "The child is nearly a year old, and Hunith ran away nearly a year and a half ago… I suspected something when she was here, but I couldn't be too sure and then she was gone. But her being here today confirmed it, and she even confirmed it herself."
"What are you saying Gaius?"
"I'm saying that you have another son, there is a second prince. He's yours Uther."
Uther leapt from his desk in hardly a king-like manner. "I have another son, where is he Gaius?"
"He's in my chambers sire, but he's…"
Uther had already stormed from the room, cloak fluttering through the door as he quickly made his way to Gaius' chambers. Gaius could only follow, hoping to catch up to him.
Uther leant his head against the door of Gaius' chambers, his heart was pounding in his chest. To think he had another son all along, a second prince hidden away from him for a whole year. Anger coursed through him for a second, before it died – Hunith was dead now, and his son was here. The past must remain in the past.
Gaius had just caught up to him, as he opened the door and a baby's cry greeted him. It sounded so lonely and desperate for a child so young. But, judging from the sheet covering something on the floor – Uther could understand why the child, his son, he corrected himself was feeling so much pain.
"I tried to warn you, sire." Gaius huffed out, "He hasn't stopped crying since his mother's heart stopped beating."
Uther walked over to his son in almost a trance-like state as he stared at the small bundle on Gaius' bed, writhing in sorrow – his eyes were ringed with red which made the blue stand out more, the second he looked into his son's eyes he knew, he just knew.
Uther bent down and cradled him to his chest, showing affection and care not heard of from the king in a while. Gaius could only look in surprise, his eyes widened even more when he realised that Merlin had stopped crying and Uther had a soft smile gracing its way onto his lips.
"What's his name, Gaius?"
"Merlin, sire."
Uther stared into Merlin's eyes as he said, "Welcome to Camelot, Prince Merlin."