Merlin

The New Wave

France Gamble

Chapter 6

It was just after dawn when Arthur came down the steps to the courtyard. He sat down next to his manservant. "You doing alright?" he asked.

"They still won't let me in," he admitted as he looked on toward where the physician's tower was. Gwen had shut the door on him as soon as they had come back the night before. Gwaine had pulled him from the door and out to the steps. "I'm his assistant. I have been to child births before."

"You are also the father this time…" Silence stretched after Arthur's statement. The wind blew through the yard gently, the smell of snow coming in soon.

"You could have taken Gwaine up on his tavern trip," Arthur reminded him.

"I don't want to be drunk the first time I hold him," Merlin told his king.

"You are always in the tavern, but this time you want to be sober," Arthur shook his head.

"I am not always in the tavern," Merlin was offended. Why did Gaius have to constantly say he was off and drinking. He didn't even like alcohol. He only ever drank when on quests at the inns. How is it that his friend never believed him? "How often have you ever seen me drunk?"

"Please, you are constantly disappearing on me to drink," Arthur said.

Merlin was about to lose his temper when he spotted Gwen coming toward him. He stood up and ran toward her. He could hear Arthur coming a bit more slowly behind. "Gwen?" he asked when he got to her. She suddenly smiled brightly at him, "You have a son."

"Is Lilly…?" he couldn't finish.

"She did very well. The midwife is teaching her how to feed hm right now," she assured him. She knew she looked a mess from staying up all night, but she was so excited for her friend. "Go. I am sure we will want to know his name later."

Merlin hugged her and ran off toward them. He had a son. He knew it would be a boy, but only because Dragonlords always had sons first.

He still felt his heart in his throat when he entered the room to both. "Lilly," he whispered as he came in toward them.

A bright smile came over her face. Her highlight hair was stuck with sweat, but she was beautiful. He had to admit now he was sure he was falling for her now. Yes, marrying her was going to be alright if she smiled like that now every day. It was the first genuine smile she had given since he knew her. Not the shy ones when he complimented her or told her a joke now. A pure joyful lit smile.

The midwife moved out of the way while helping Gaius clean up some of the linen they used. "He's so little," Merlin marveled. He had seen newborns before, but this time it was almost different. This time the little sleeping baby was his. He sat down next to her gently on the bed to marvel.

Gaius patted his shoulder as they both left the room. Arthur cleared his throat, "Don't forget to name him, Merlin." His tone was almost condescending, but the Warlock knew he was teasing him.

"Well, I will get on that as soon as we can discuss it," Merlin assured him.

"Nothing like the hawk you are named after, please?" Arthur continued. Gwen smiled behind her husband, and Merlin felt Lilly shift next to him with a small smile herself.

"It is a falcon."

"Whatever. You were named after a small bird," Arthur crossed his arms.

"At least my mother had some form of imagination. Your name is Arthur," Merlin shrugged his shoulders. "I can't imagine where Uther came up with that one."

"Merlin!" Arthur started in an aggressive tone. Unfortunately, it was just slightly loud in the small chamber. The babe drew in his breath and screeched. "Never mind. If you sounded like that, I am sure you sounded like your name's sake."

"We will leave you," Gwen assured them while she usured the other monarch out of the room.

"It's my castle!" Arthur protested as he let her push him along.

"I know, dear," she said as she shut the door behind her.

Merlin laughed even though the baby hadn't stopped crying. He rubbed the child's cheeks, "It's okay. The prat is gone now."

Lilly rocked her arms back and forth like she had seen mothers doing in her tribe. "Take him, please? I am still very tired. He is fed."

Merlin reached forward to hold the little sobbing mess in his arms. He curled the baby up against his chest to cradle the head against underneath a collar bone. Gracefully, which was weird for him, he stood to his full height to pace the room. "Wow, he certainly isn't struggling to breathe."

The rumbling of his voice seemed to do the trick, though, because the baby stopped. Looking over and he saw Lilly was very much asleep.

"See? Life isn't so hard right now. Warm fire. Full stomach. Now to just keep you both safe," Merlin whispered as he gently rubbed the baby's back.

A little sniffle happened into his shirt. How could life go so weird for him?

He still wasn't ready to be a father. He honestly wished he had had the normal 40 weeks' time to get used to the idea, even. Still, here he was trying to come up with a name for the new baby. He probably should also see about the house that the Knights were looking into down in the town for them. They couldn't be bothering Gaius for longer. They both had jobs to do, and the baby would get into the way. Lilly would also probably want to be a true mother and wife. She couldn't do those things here in the chambers to the physician.

Now he would need a name before going to attend to Arthur later, though. What name to give a child of Emrys?

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