Updated hope it is better than the last. please enjoy and review. and if you want please give your opinion of how many babies you think Merlin should have in a review the option are one through four babies. one is rare, two or three is normal, four is very rare. so if you want please leave a review on how many babies you think they should have later I will have a poll for baby names. thanks.

Chapter 8

Merlin followed Arthur to Arthur's parents chambers. When they got to the door Merlin stopped his hands were shaking, his mind was racing, and fear of what they would find out was coursing through him. Arthur could feel Merlin's fear through their bond "Merlin are you alright?" Arthur asked turning to face Merlin who look at him, fear in his eyes as he said "What if this means something terrible will happen, What if no one can tell us what it means? I so afraid of what this could mean Arthur, but I am more afraid that I will lose you and need you more than ever now. I just so afraid." Merlin was close to tears because of the fear and uncertainty racing though him.

Arthur pulled Merlin into his arms rubbing circles around his back and growling comfortingly while Merlin buried his face in Arthur's neck. "Merlin whatever this means we will find out and when we do we will get through it together. Nothing will stop me coming back to you. We will get through this together and come out of it together stronger. I promise." Merlin was shaking with unshed tears Arthur let out a comforting growl and held Merlin close to him while he cried.

When Merlin finally calmed down Arthur said "Merlin I know your frightened truthfully I am too but as long as I have you there is nothing that can stop me from coming back and I know we will be just fine. So let's go in and get this figured out so we can move on to happier news like you being pregnant." Merlin nodded still curled close to Arthur's side for comfort and the strength he needed.

Arthur knocked on his parent's door and his mother answered it "Arthur, Merlin is everything alright?" Arthur answered his mother while Merlin's hand clutched his "We need something answered and we need Gaius here as well as father and you. After we get this settled we have others news but this is more important at the moment." Ygraine looked between the both of them, then let them into the room but before she clothed the door she asked one of the servants go and get Gaius a bring him to Uther and Ygraine's chambers. The servant hurried off to get Gaius while Ygraine tried to get answers out of her son.

"Arthur will you at least tell us what this is about?" Arthur sighed this was the sixth time his mother had asked that in a few minute time span. She was like a dog with a bone when she wanted to know something. "Fine mother, It is about our mating marks they are two different symbols and they are symbols I have never even heard or seen in any of our books before. So we want to know what that means."

Ygraine paled and Uther's eyes got big as they shared a look at Arthur's explanation "What, why do you both look like you have seen a ghost." Merlin asked his voice shaking but this time Uther answered "It is an ancient story but we better wait for Gaius he knows it well and understands the prophecy that goes with it better than anyone." Just as Uther finished speaking Gaius was admitted to the room.

"Sire, Milady what is it you need of me?" Ygraine replied "Gaius what was that old legend about the mated pair with mating marks that were two different symbols. It seems that Merlin and Arthur have something to do with it." Gaius's eyes widened and his eyebrows rose so high on his face they almost disappeared into his hairline but he nodded and started his tale.

"It is said that two thousand years ago when the land was young and in chaos a mated Alpha and Omega pair one a new king one a common born brought about a golden age which lasted for ninety years.

They both had two different mating mark symbols that had never been heard of before but they balanced each other out perfectly. The common born Omega Queen had a unicorn while the king had a rearing golden dragon. The Omega queen's mating mark symbolized how pure, loving, and selfless she was how she would give her life if it meant saving someone else. The Alpha king is her counterpart hot headed, determined, and loyal but at the same time gentle and caring. Together they brought a time a piece the land and it's people prospered.

The Omega queen was a seer and her mate was a sorcerer. On their death bed the Omega queen gave a prophecy that a decedent from both sides of their families will be mated together and have the same mating marks they bore. When their heirs showed themselves a time of war then another golden age would begin. But this time it would last forever because one would have magic so powerful that once they were bonded forever neither can die because of how powerful the one hair was the bond between the two transfers the same power to the bonded mate.

But the most important part of this prophecy was that eleven months after they mated they would bring the land into time of chaos for a year but only together can they win the war if the alpha tried to do it without the omega they fail and darkness and chaos will rain." Gaius paused then said "That is the story but why do you ask milady?" Ygraine looked at Arthur and Merlin and asked "Arthur what symbols did your marks take?" Arthur was already wide eyed at the tail that had been told "The very ones from the prophecy Mother. Mine is a rearing golden dragon while Merlin's is a unicorn." Ygraine looked to Gaius who said "So the reason you wanted to hear the story and the prophecy was because Merlin and Arthur are the ones the prophecy speaks of. It is understandable because Merlin is the most powerful sorcerer to walk this earth, he is Emrys, then the mating marks are the ones of the prophecy, and on top of it they are a bonded pair. That means that if the prophecy is true once the time of war is over Merlin and Arthur will practically be immortal and the golden age to follow will last forever." Merlin and Arthur looked at each other with a small smile on their faces then Arthur spoke "So we'll live forever watching the ones we love die but we will always have each other." "I'm afraid so Arthur but as long as you have one another you can get through anything you both will need to fight this war together to win." Merlin finally spoke after being silent the whole time "As long as we together Arthur we can get through anything. It may be difficult at times but we can do it together." "I know we can as long as I have you I can do anything." Arthur replied then nipped Merlin's ear just as Merlin nipped his jaw affectionately.

"Well I guess we have things we will need to look out for to signal the time of war starting. But Arthur didn't you say you both had other news that Hunith and Morgana needed to be here for because they will be here in two minutes. "Yes I did mother and this is good news." Arthur replied not taking his eyes of Merlin's

Hunith and Morgana were admitted to the king and queens chambers two minutes later and when all of them were seated at the table Arthur started with their news "Now you're all here Merlin and I have some good news. You all know that Merlin just went through his first heat but we also know how uncommon this is. For some reason Merlin and I are just an uncommon case all around. Merlin is pregnant and we have already agreed that we want to do that procedure that you mentioned to Merlin mother but we both want to be there when it is done." When Arthur finished Hunith, Morgana, and Ygraine squealed with joy while Gaius and Uther simply smiled and clapped both boys on the back offering congragulations.

"We can do the procedure tomorrow at midday I will meet you both in my chambers and we will do the procedure then." Gaius told Arthur and Merlin as the meeting between the family was coming to an end "Thank you Gaius, we will be there. I can't wait to see how many pup am to expect in this litter." Merlin said excitedly. Gaius just chuckled as all of them went their separate ways for the day. Arthur and Merlin went back to their chambers for the night because the meeting had lasted all day while the others stayed and talked about what they could do to help the newly mated pair prepare for the roles they were supposed to play in the coming months. They all hoped that they all made it through this.