PART 11

Gwen had been in labor for nearly three days, when the midwife told her to push. Merlin stood at her side giving her support and holding her hand. This was unusual because men were rarely allowed at a birth but the Queen had requested him to be present as he was the Court Physician and a member of the Council.

"Push Your Majesty. Push hard."

Gwen pushed as hard as she could and screamed. She gripped Merlin's hand so hard it hurt him.

"One more push, You Majesty."

Gwen pushed again and then there was silence. She looked up at Merlin. "What happened? Why is it quiet?"

Merlin went over to where the midwife was trying to get the little baby boy to breathe. She looked up and shook her head.

Merlin took a deep breath. This was what she waited for and she will still have nothing. He turned back to the bed and that's when he saw it. BLOOD. She was bleeding from the birth. He held out his hand and said a spell but it didn't work. Then he tried another. It didn't work.

"Merlin, I want my baby. Let me see my baby." Gwen said weakly.

"He's gone, Gwen. He didn't survive his birth." Merlin said quietly as he took her hand again.

"I want to hold him, please Merlin." Gwen insisted. Tears were welling up in her eyes.

He could not deny her what may be her last request. He carefully wrapped the child in a clean towel and handed him to her.

"He looks like his father. Merlin I'm cold can I have another blanket." She was starting to shake.

He nodded and the midwife came with a blanket. He tried another spell and then another. Blood was soaking through the blankets

"Gwen, I can't stop the bleeding. Can you hear me?"

"Yes, Merlin I hear you. We are going to see your father, my sweet. I'll say hello for you too, Merlin." Her eyes closed and she breathed one last shuddering breath and she was gone.

Merlin's knees gave out and he fell to the floor. Tears started to stream down his face. He prayed to the gods the spell he said the night Arthur died would bring them back. It had to work.
O~X~O~X~O~X~

Gwen had been in hard labor for an a little more than an hour when the alarm bells started to go off on the monitor.

Arthur head jerked to the sound. "What the hell is that?"

"Get the nurse now Arthur" Gwen said seriously. I'm not losing this child.

Arthur looked confused and hesitated.

"DO IT NOW. DAMN IT." Gwen yelled at him.

He ran out to the nurses' station. "The alarms are going off, please hurry. Call her doctor."

A sweet faced nurse named Amy came in to check the monitor. "It's ok, love. We will call the doctor. Looks like a dip in the heartbeat."

"Tell him I want a c-section now." Gwen demanded.

"There's no need to get upset, love." Amy said trying to calm her.

"I want a c-section now, damn it. Do you hear me? What doctor is here now? I want to speak to a doctor now."

"I'll get the doctor on duty." Amy leaves the room.

Arthur looks at Gwen. "What does that mean 'a dip'?" he was beginning to be afraid. Gwen reaction to the alarm was extreme.

"The baby is in trouble. Its heartbeat slowed down. That's what set of the alarm." Gwen explained.

"Oh God!" Arthur grabbed her hand and looked at the monitor. We can't lose this child.

"What seems to be the problem?" The on duty doctor said as he came in the room.

"I want a c-section now." Gwen said as she squeezed Arthur's hand.

"The nurse said the dip was slight and didn't last long."

"I don't care. I want the c-section now. Do you hear me? NOW DAMN IT!" Gwen screamed at him. Why are these people so thick?

The doctor winced then nodded and left.

Amy came back in. "Gwen, we are going to take you to surgery now." She looked at Arthur. "You can come but you need to change and sterilize."

Arthur nodded and followed them down the hall. He was too afraid for them both to speak.
~X~

After the drama of his arrival, the sweet baby boy slept in his mother's arms after being suckled. He was pink and perfect. This time.

Gwen was tired and sore but alive. This was a good day all around. She was surprised when she looked at his face for the first time and he looked like the child born still all those centuries ago.

"Will you let me hold him now?" Arthur held out his arms to take his son.

"Not yet. I just want to hold him a little longer." Gwen sighed. "You got to hold him right after he was born."

Arthur sighed. She was right they had handed him the baby right after he was born. He remembered the look of surprise on Gwen's face when she saw him. I guess she thought it was a girl.

Merlin knocked at the door. "May I come in?"

"Yes Merlin, come meet our boy." Arthur said proudly.

Merlin walked over to the bed and looked at the baby in Gwen's arms. He gasped. "Gwydre!"

"What did you call him?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur, remember that was one of the names we had chosen before …." Gwen reminded him.

"Yes but why would Merlin know that?" Arthur looked confused.

"I must have told him." Gwen shrugged. "Arthur, could you get a nappy from the nurse? He needs a change."

Arthur nodded. "Sure, I will be right back."

Merlin checked to make sure he was down the hall. "Gwen, that is Gwydre!"

"You think so too? Then I'm not imagining it." Gwen looked at her boy and smiled.

"No, you're not. But there is one way to be sure. Does he have a mark?" Merlin looked at her.

"A mark?" Gwen looked confused.

"I wrapped him when I handed him to you. There was a mark on his right leg." Merlin reached over and pulled the blanket back to reveal a crescent shaped mark on the baby's right thigh. "He's Gwydre. He's the Prince."

Gwen looked at her baby and blinked away tears. "You are my sweet aren't you?"

Arthur came back with the diaper. Gwen laid him on the bed and changed him.

"Now, may I hold him?" Arthur asked impatiently.

"Yes," Gwen smiled. "Gwydre go to your father now."

"Are we really going to name him that?" Arthur frowned as Gwen put the baby in his arms.

"Yes, we are because that is his name, Arthur." Gwen smiled at Merlin.

"Well then we will have to have more to use up the other names we picked." Arthur kissed Gwydre's forehead. "Would you like a little brother or sister, Gwydre?"

Gwen looked at Arthur like he was mental. She laughed.

"Arthur, she has to heal before you can make more." Merlin shook his head and laughed.