Merlin was unaware of the latest events in the castle, he was either sleeping or looking after his son. Ailfrid was all he had ever wanted in a baby. Healthy even if small due to being early, and what's more a son, Merlin would have been happy with a daughter but he understood the need for a male child. He found watching his son sleeping to be his new favourite occupation. But he soon became worried. Hunith had gone out of the room to visit the privy when Ailfrid woke and started to cry. Merlin moved stiffly and gently picked up his son. Then he lay back on the pillows as his abdomen hurt from the movement. Merlin went to try to lift the blanket over him to keep both the baby and himself warm when he found the edge of the blanket moving up to meet his hand. He glanced down at Ailfrid to see his eyes glowing.

"Well that answers that!" Merlin exclaimed "But my love we need to stop that or I'm not sure what will happen."

"Stop what?" Came a voice from the door.

Merlin looked up fearfully then relaxed as he saw Arthur. As Arthur shut the door and walked closer he saw Merlin's anxious face "Our son has just used magic….what if your father sees? Ailfrid can't understand that he has to hide it"

Arthur looked at his husband ad baby son "I will never let him harm either of you" he insisted. Arthur sat beside Merlin on the bed and gazed with pride and love at then both "I never noticed before but he has your eyes" Ailfrid was looking at his father for the first time.

"Maybe but he has your ears thank goodness!" Merlin smiled "As for his hair well we will have to wait and see!" Their son had been born without even a wisp of hair. "But seriously what do we do about his magic!"

"We will have to hope for the best and deal with it when and if the King finds out" Arthur tried to reassure Merlin. "But I meant it I will not see any harm come to either of you"

"I will protect my son with my life!" Merlin said passionately as he clutched Ailfrid to him.

Hunith returned and guessed at what had happened by the looks on their faces, after being told what happened she smiled at her son. "Don't fret, until you were a couple of months old the only magic you used was to keep yourself warm and comfortable, as long as you make sure Ailfrid is both nothing will be seen. And I rather expect the King will be too busy to bother much, men aren't that taken with babies, unless they are their own, even then not much after the first few days!" she looked at Arthurs shocked face "It's true! Now when he starts to do things that will be different, but men aren't overly fond of dirty diapers and crying"

Then Hunith got serious "I heard gossip that the person responsible for what happened has been arrested, is that true"

Arthur nodded and looked at Merlin "It seems Agravaine was guilty, the King had him arrested after evidence was found, but he killed himself in the cells"

"Your Uncle!" Merlin exclaimed "I know he didn't like me, but to try to murder a babe!"

"We will never know for sure why, I guess it's the succession again" Arthur told him "But we are more interested in how he got the knife. Leon and Kay searched him when he was arrested and found nothing" pausing he added "I will make sure that two knights are outside this door at all times."

Arthur took Merlin in his arms "Nothing will harm you or our son" he kissed his husband. Then heard Queen Hunith cough.

"Look boys I'll leave you to it." Turning to Merlin she said with a smile "I will see you and my grandson later" as she walked to the door she turned and looked Arthur in the eye "And you remember Merlin needs rest, a hug maybe, but a rest!"

Both men reddened and then after Hunith had left the room they looked at each other and grinned "That's told you" Merlin said to his husband.

"Ah but she gave me permission to hug you" Arthur nuzzled Merlin's neck "Have I told you how proud I am of you? You are everything I need and now I have a son!"

Merlin frowned "A magical son, Arthur what will your father do if he finds out?"

"I don't know, accept if necessary we will leave here and go and live in Gangani if that's what it takes to keep you both safe" Arthur said sincerely.

An hour later George arrived with lunch for the pair and they sat and ate together Mab appeared and sat on the bed and leaned over and took some cheese. "The King and Crown Prince will be here within the hour"

Merlin smiled at his friend "Good I look forward to seeing them"

Mab looked at Arthur before saying "Are the men from Camelot naturally dense?"

Arthur growled "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well you don't seem to be bothered that Morgause is making her presence felt" Mab said snidely

"Morgause? What do you mean?" both Arthur and Merlin said almost in unison.

Mab snorted "The Pure One I excuse after all he has been stuck in this room and probably doesn't know it all, but you Prince Pratt!"

"Mab you will respect my husband!" Merlin said "Or leave now! I may call him a Pratt but he's my Pratt."

Arthur put his hand on Merlin's arm "Let her say her piece, that's if she has anything interesting to say"

He looked at Mob his eyebrow raised as Mab shrugged her shoulders "Well I am bored so I decided to go down to the dungeons and what do I find but your dear uncle had told you who had killed him and you were to dense to know" Mab leant forward and put her finger in Arthur's goblet and with her finger wrote on the white sheet 'MO' "Now why did no one think of Morgause? After all the witch Morgana had an alibi with the King did she not"

Mab laughed at Arthur facial expression. "Oh dear the coin has dropped! Yes Morgause, she has been in the castle I could sense her aura" The she looked at Merlin "Men!"

"Oui! I am a man" Merlin protested

"You are a Warlock not a mere man" Mab said then looked at Arthur once more "Now did it not seem strange that the witch should have broken her fast with the King just as her husband was murdered? Very convenient" she paused before adding "I do believe she has upped her game and decided she could do without the man she had come to see as outliving his usefulness."

"You are right Mab why didn't I see that!" Arthur mentally kicked himself. "I will send out patrols to trace her and arrest her"

"No point dear Prince Pratt" Mab looked at Merlin and shrugged "Sorry" before continuing to speak to Arthur "You will not find her. But you will warn her you are on to her. No wait and speak to Gwaine. He and I have been trying to get rid of her for years, now might be our best chance. Gwaine might be overly fond of Apples and his hair but he is a great fighter and between you, you might stand a chance after all you are a good strategist, for a human"

Looking at Merlin Mab continued "I have decided not to return to Gangani yet. I have a small Prince to look after…..your son will not be harmed I will stay with him! Morgause will not harm him, not while there is breath in my body!" with that she fly to the crib and sat on the end he hands folded across her chest. "Gwaine will have to wait I can torment him later once Prince Ailfrid is safe"

Morgana meanwhile was unaware that her plans so carefully made with Morgause had been uncovered. She was playing her part as a grieving widow, shocked that he husband had been found dead, after being accused of trying to kill her sister in law and child. She told her son that his father was dead then comforted him. Although telling Mordred after a few tears "We must be brave Mordred, your father would not wish us to show weakness with tears. We will prove him innocent, but you must now be the man of the family and act with dignity."

Mordred looked at his mother unsure how to react, his father was dead yet his mother did not seem as upset as he thought she would be. It seemed to him his whole world was turning upside down and he had no idea what to believe anymore.