Season 1 Episode 12.
Story 12: Hidden
Epilogue
Five years had passed. It was the eve of Merlin and Gwen's fifth wedding anniversary. Their anniversary was being overshadowed by another much more important occurrence: the birth of their second child. Gwen's labor pains started around midday and Merlin immediately sent for Gaius. Merlin had learned with their first child, his handsome four year old son, Thomas, that he did not want midwives anywhere near Gwen nor his child. They had fussed far too much over the infant and had refused to let Merlin or Gwen hold him for days.
And Merlin knew he could trust Gaius.
Merlin could hear faint giggles outside of their room and he couldn't help but smile. Arthur and Eilonwy were taking care of Thomas while Gwen was in labor.
The relationship that had blossomed between them still shocked and confused Merlin. He had never seen Arthur act like such a lovesick fool, nor had he seen Eilonwy so infatuated with someone. They rarely had spent a minute apart when they arrived in Camelot.
Evi had accepted the offer and they had left for Camelot three days after the wedding. Neither of them had uttered a word to their father. They just left. Evi truly was a talented blacksmith and he was sought after by many to make various weapons or decorations for even the most noble of noblemen.
After several weeks of observing how Eilonwy interacted with his people, Arthur asked her to marry him. It was almost sickening watching them together. Merlin had never seen two people so right for each other. They were so similar, yet so different. Merlin had actually seen both of them apologize to one another and admit they were wrong about something. It may have been the strangest thing he had ever witnessed.
Arthur had feared that his people would be displeased with his choice of a bride and was shocked by their overwhelming support. People from all over Camelot celebrated his wedding.
Their marriage had been a fruitful one. Like all couples they had their ups and downs, but they always managed to overcome whatever problems arose.
About two years after they were married, they found out they could not have children. Merlin suspected that it was because of the magic involved in Arthur's birth. There was no other explanation, because when Merlin examined them, he found them perfectly healthy and capable of conceiving children. It was a blow neither of them had expected. It took them months to accept it, but eventually they did. They had different ways of coping with it, namely in watching over other people's children. They found this to be the best solution, because they could work it around their demanding schedules.
In particular, they enjoyed Thomas. He was such a well-behaved child. Thomas definitely took after his mother.
When guards had alerted Arthur that Gwen was in labor, he barely said a word to Merlin as he collected Thomas. He could see that Merlin was too nervous to focus on anything but Gwen.
Eilonwy had joined him a couple of minutes later. For hours they played with Thomas until they heard a piercing scream come from Gwen. It was immediately followed by the wail of a newborn.
Thomas immediately stopped playing with them and started to run towards the door. Eilonwy was faster than him and she scooped him up before he made it more than a few feet.
"Why did mommy scream?" Thomas asked. "Is mommy okay?" There were tears streaming down his little face. It broke Eilonwy's heart to see him so upset.
"Mommy is fine," Eilonwy said gently. "Do you remember how we said there was a baby in mommy's tummy?"
Thomas scrunched up his face. "Yes," he said. "No one would tell me why mommy ate a baby."
Arthur chuckled. "The baby had to stay in her tummy until it was ready to come out," Arthur explained. "Well your little sibling is ready. They just came out. Now we have to wait a little while before we can go in."
"But why would they hurt her?" Thomas asked. Their words had done nothing to appease him. "Why would they make her scream like that?"
"You made her scream like that too," Arthur pointed out.
Thomas looked horrified with himself and a fresh round of sobs racked through his tiny body. He buried his head in Eilonwy's shoulder and she held him close to her. Eilonwy sent Arthur an annoyed look. She loved Arthur with all of her being, but sometimes he wasn't very sensitive.
"Sweetie," she said, trying to cheer Thomas up. "The baby doesn't want to hurt your mommy, they just can't help it. But do you know what daddy is going to do? Daddy is going to make it so mommy doesn't hurt anymore. He'll make her as good as new."
"Promise?" Thomas asked her. He was still crying, but he had calmed down a bit.
"Promise," Eilonwy promised.
Thomas let his head fall back to her shoulder. He was exhausted. Crying really took a lot out of him. "I still want to see mommy," he said tiredly.
"You will sweetie," Eilonwy promised. "Very soon, I'll make sure you get to see mommy."
"Thank you Aunt Lony," Thomas said. His eyes drifted open and closed as he waited to see his mother. Eilonwy smiled at his nickname for her. When he had been learning how to talk, he could not pronounce Eilonwy. He settled for Lony which was easier for a two year old to pronounce.
Eventually Merlin came outside. He looked tired, but happy. Thomas snapped awake when he saw his father. "Daddy," he cried, reaching for his father.
Merlin took him. "What's wrong?" Merlin asked, taking in Thomas's puffy eyes and red face.
"Is mommy okay?" Thomas asked him. "I heard her scream but Aunt Lony wouldn't let me in."
Merlin glanced at Eilonwy apologetically. "Mommy is alright. She's resting now," Merlin told him. "If you promise to be really quiet, I'll take you in to see her. And you can see your little sister."
"I promise," Thomas said. He was practically bouncing in Merlin's arms.
Merlin walked towards the bed where Gwen lay. "Mommy!" Thomas cried, wiggling out of Merlin's hold.
Gwen stirred in her sleep and blinked her eyes. When she saw her son, she patted the empty space on the bed next to her. Merlin couldn't suppress his eye roll. He should have known better than to expect his four year old to honor a promise.
"What's wrong honey," she asked Thomas. She wiped away his tears.
"I heard you scream," Thomas said hysterically.
"That was a happy scream," Gwen explained. "I was so happy to meet your little sister that I couldn't keep myself quiet." Merlin had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. That was genius.
"Can I meet her?" Thomas asked. Now that he was certain his mother was okay he could focus on other things.
Gwen looked at Merlin with her eyebrows raised. She was tired. Very tired. Even with Merlin healing her, childbirth was exhausting.
Merlin extended his arms. Thomas readily climbed into them. Merlin walked over to the tiny cot that Gaius had brought with him. He was currently examining the child. "This is your sister," Merlin told him. "This is Alya."
Thomas looked at the child curiously. "Why is she so wrinkly?" He asked.
Merlin couldn't help but laugh. "She's supposed to look that way," he assured Thomas. "Now let's give mommy and Alya time to rest."
Years passed. Merlin and Gwen didn't have any more children. They had their hands full with Alya. She was Merlin's daughter through and through, right down to the magic. Do you know how much havoc a toddler can wreak during a temper tantrum if she has magic? A lot.
When Alya was six years old, Merlin and Gwen were dining with Morgana, Arthur, and Eilonwy when Eilonwy clutched her stomach in pain. She stood up and rushed out of the dining hall. She returned several minutes later, her face pale and her brow sweaty.
Merlin watched her concerned. "Has this happened a lot?" He asked her. She didn't look frightened by what had happened which only left the possibility that it was a common occurrence.
"For the past several days," Eilonwy admitted.
"I keep telling her she should go to Gaius, but she refuses," Morgana said.
"Why do you refuse?" Merlin asked her.
"Because she believes Gaius will tell her that she is fatally ill and she doesn't want to burden our people with that knowledge," Arthur told him. Merlin really looked at Arthur for the first time. He looked tired and it was clear this was eating away at him. He was worried for Eilonwy.
"Come with me," Merlin ordered Eilonwy.
"But–" Eilonwy started to object.
Merlin glared at her until she stood and joined him. Merlin left the dining room and walked towards the chambers Eilonwy and Arthur shared. He opened the door and waited for Eilonwy to enter before he did so himself.
"Tell me everything," he told her quietly.
Eilonwy started listing everything she had noticed over the past several days. Merlin waited patiently until she finished. "You know what this means," Merlin told her. "Why haven't you told Arthur?"
"You told us that we cannot have children. You said if we could it would have happened long ago. How can I expect Arthur to believe that after eleven years of trying for a child we have finally succeeded? I wouldn't believe it if I didn't know it to be true," Eilonwy said. She sounded terrified and Merlin knew her emotions were justified.
Merlin hated to question her, but he needed to make sure. "I need you to promise me you have been faithful to Arthur," Merlin told her quietly. "It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that you have been trying for eleven years."
"I swear," Eilonwy said. She never took her eyes off of Merlin. She didn't even blink. "I love Arthur far too much to ever betray him like that."
Merlin let out the breath he had been holding. He almost couldn't believe it. Almost. He hadn't been certain that the impossible could be done. "Okay then," he said. "When did you last bleed?"
"Just like that? You believe me?" Eilonwy asked surprised.
"I have no reason not to. I'm sorry I questioned you in the first place, I just needed to make sure. If I back you, Arthur will believe you, but I wasn't going to lie to him," Merlin explained. He couldn't help the happiness that swelled up in him. This meant it worked. He couldn't wait to tell Gwen.
Eilonwy nodded to show Merlin she understood. "How do we tell him?" Eilonwy asked.
A faint smile touched Merlin's lips. "You'll think of something," he told her.
"How did Gwen tell you?" Eilonwy asked.
Merlin closed his eyes remembering when Gwen told him she was pregnant with their first child. He had thought she was dying the way she set him up for the news. "You might want to think of your own way. This is a special thing. Only you can know the right way to tell Arthur," Merlin told her.
"And what if he believes I committed adultery?" Eilonwy asked.
"Tell him you didn't," Merlin told her nonchalantly.
"And if he still doesn't believe me?" Eilonwy asked worriedly.
"Then I'll talk to him," Merlin told her. "But I don't foresee it being a problem. Arthur loves you and I'm sure he'll see the truth."
"I hope you're right Merlin," Eilonwy said slowly. "I hope you're right."
Five days later, Eilonwy told Arthur she was pregnant. To her surprise, Arthur never considered the possibility that she may have committed adultery. "How is this possible?" He asked her.
"I… I'm not sure," Eilonwy answered. "Merlin says that sometimes it takes a long time. He's never heard of it taking such a long time to conceive a child, but he hasn't had much work with women in the early stages of their pregnancy. He's only had to help Gaius deliver a child on a handful of occasions."
"So we just got very lucky?" Arthur asked. He let out a joyous chuckle. "I don't believe this. I'm going to be a father. You're going to be a mother. I never thought I would have this chance."
Eilonwy watched him for any sign that he didn't believe her, but if he did have his doubts he didn't voice them.
After several minutes passed, a strange look came across Arthur's face and Eilonwy feared that this would be the moment where he became suspicious. To her surprise, Arthur practically ran out of the room with a, "I've got to talk to Merlin."
Eilonwy didn't try to stop him. She knew that if he was having his doubts she could trust Merlin to appease him. She was a little wounded that Arthur didn't trust her, but she wasn't sure if that's what he wanted to talk to Merlin about. He could just be nervous about the prospect of having a child.
Unable to stifle her curiosity, Eilonwy followed him. He had eavesdropped on her once before, it was only fair she returned the favor.
Eilonwy was partially surprised when Arthur entered the house Merlin and Gwen lived in without knocking. She didn't even need to listen at the door to hear his first question.
"What did you do?" Arthur asked furiously. Eilonwy hesitated before she walked closer.
"What are you talking about?" Merlin asked obliviously.
"What did you do? How is Eilonwy pregnant?" Arthur asked him.
"Well Arthur, when two people love each other and they–" Merlin started to say.
"I want the truth Merlin," Arthur told him. "Just three months ago I told you I was scared about what I was going to do without an heir. You told me that it may be possible that Eilonwy could not conceive a child without magic. I agreed that using magic was out of the question. I would never sacrifice someone's life so I could have an heir. So I ask you again. What did you do?"
"Arthur, I didn't do anything," Merlin insisted. Eilonwy couldn't even see him and she knew he was lying.
"Merlin," Gwen said quietly. "Tell him."
"Tell me what?" Arthur asked angrily.
"Are you sure? You said you didn't want to tell anyone," Merlin reminded Gwen. He completely ignored Arthur's question. Gwen had been overjoyed when she found out that Eilonwy was pregnant.
"I'm sure," Gwen promised. "He has a right to know what you did."
Eilonwy could hear Merlin let out a long breath. "I went to the Isle of the Blessed and I bargained with the last high priest of the old religion. A man known as Alator," Merlin said reluctantly.
"Whose life did you bargain?" Arthur asked. Eilonwy put her hand on her stomach. She had yearned for a child for years, but now she was not so certain. She had seen how awful Arthur felt about the death of his mother. Eilonwy was sure that hers was not the life that Merlin had bargained, but she hated the thought that the birth of her child would mean the death of another. Knowing Merlin, it was probably him. "I swear, if you bargained your own life… why are you laughing Guinevere?"
"Do you think I would ever let Merlin bargain his own life? I'm sorry, but I'm much too selfish to do that. I would have no idea how to handle Alya when she's having a temper tantrum. Unlike Merlin I cannot make her levitate in the corner when she's being bad," Gwen pointed out.
"Then tell me. How is this possible?" Arthur asked.
"It's not exactly a life we bargained," Merlin said slowly. "More like we bargained fertility for fertility."
"Um… what?" Arthur asked confused. Eilonwy was struggling to understand as well.
"You know that we decided we didn't want any more children," Gwen told Arthur. "Well since Alya was born, I've been drinking a potion so I wouldn't get pregnant. After you spoke to Merlin about your fears, Merlin had an idea that we could exchange my fertility to give you the chance to have children. We ventured to the Isle of the Blessed and Alator told us that he wasn't sure it would work, but he could try. We slipped the water he gave us in your morning wine. I didn't want you to know because we feared it wouldn't work." Gwen blushed and averted her gaze. "Merlin assured me that you wouldn't need to know about it to attempt to conceive a child."
Eilonwy stared at the door in front of her. She was barely aware of pushing the door open and she completely ignored the shocked looks that greeted her arrival.
"Are you saying this won't be our only child?" She asked breathlessly. She couldn't help the hope that had surged in her. She had always wanted a large family and she had been willing to sacrifice that for Arthur. She loved him far too much to do anything else. She needed to know if they could have other children. One child was a blessing. If she could have more, that was a miracle.
"You're older than you once were," Merlin said gently. "But you will be able to have other children. Not many, but yes, it is possible."
Eilonwy couldn't help herself as she lunged forward and embraced Merlin and Gwen. She was crying and she couldn't make herself stop. She would be able to have a family with the man she loved. "How can I ever repay you?" she asked.
She took a step back from them, wiping the tears from her eyes. "There's nothing to repay," Merlin told her sincerely.
"Yes there is," Arthur told him. "You do so much and you seldom ask for recognition."
"That's not why I do this," Merlin pointed out.
"Regardless. It wouldn't be wrong for you to take the credit for your actions," Arthur told him. "I know I don't say this enough, but thank you."
Arthur hesitated before he embraced Merlin. He seldom let his feelings show, but Merlin and Eilonwy had an uncanny ability to make him comfortable with expressing his feelings.
When he pulled back Merlin was looking at him with a faint smile on his face. "Can I get that in writing?" He teased. Arthur rolled his eyes. Merlin immediately became serious. "It's the least I can do. I owe you so much after everything you have done for me and more importantly for Gwen. I don't know where I would be without the help you gave us."
"You really don't see it, do you?" Arthur asked incredulously.
"See what?" Merlin asked confused.
"How much you have done for us," Arthur said. "None of us, myself included would be here if it weren't for you. I don't even know how many times you have saved my life. I've lost count. You saved everyone in Camelot when you killed Morgause. You've saved Morgana and you still help her with her magic. Let's not even get into all of the people that you have helped. Evi, Lancelot, Gia. And now you've given me a chance to have children. It is not you who is indebted to me, but I who is indebted to you. If ever you or Gwen are in need of anything, you need only ask."
Merlin opened and closed his mouth several times, staring at Arthur shocked. "I just did what anyone would have done," he said quietly.
Gwen let out a frustrated sigh. Everyone looked at her surprised. "No," she disagreed. "You've done what no one else was capable of. Ignoring all the miracles you've caused, we need look no further than your character to see what an amazing man you are. You could have become like Morgause or Nimueh, but you refused to allow yourself to manipulate your powers like that. You could have used your powers to kill Arthur and take his throne more times than I care to count. You went years without a good night sleep just so you could make sure I was safe and see me every day. You have earned the love, trust, and respect of a man that once would have killed you for your powers. If that doesn't prove you to be a good man, doesn't prove you to be special than I don't know what does. You didn't do what anyone would have done. You did what only you could do. And I am so, so proud of you. As I know we all are."
Merlin turned slightly and squeezed Gwen's hand. It meant something different coming from Gwen. Gwen was his wife, she was the love of his life. He knew she had been honest in her words. It was just difficult for him to look at it that way. There was a time when he would have given anything for someone to recognize all he had done, there were days when he felt like all the secrets he had to keep were tearing him apart. But now, he was so happy and making other people happy made him even happier.
"Now don't let this go to your head. It's big enough as it is," Arthur warned.
Merlin chuckled. "Look who's talking," Merlin taunted. "If your head gets any bigger your crown won't fit." Merlin dropped his voice to a whisper so only Gwen could hear him. "Luckily for him pride doesn't make his waist get bigger because his belt is running out of extra notches."
Gwen couldn't help the laughter that escaped her. She put her hand over her mouth to try and stifle her giggles.
"I heard that Merlin," Arthur said annoyed. "And I am not getting fat."
"You're right. You're just expanding in the stomach area," Merlin said with an innocent smile.
Arthur clenched his hand into a fist and smiled at Merlin. "You know Merlin. I think it's time you learned how to run," Arthur said.
With that, Merlin darted out the door, trying to escape Arthur's wrath. Arthur was hot on his heels. "You know with a little less padding, you probably could catch me," Merlin called over his shoulder.
That's the last thing Gwen and Eilonwy heard from their husbands. "Should we stop them?" Eilonwy asked. She sounded slightly worried.
Gwen shook her head. "No," she said. "Merlin won't hurt Arthur too badly." They started to laugh. No one would have ever expected a manservant to be more dangerous than a battle-hardened king. But nothing was normal when it came to the two men.
Eilonwy and Gwen went to stand by the door and watched while their husbands chased one another around. Every now and then a piece of rotting vegetable or some cloth that had been long discarded on the ground would be thrown by Merlin or Arthur. Their actions would have normally caught the attention of every commoner in Camelot, but it happened far too often to stir any interest. They exchanged an amused glance. They would never understand the relationship between the king and his manservant. But they supposed that that was one of the mysteries of friendship.
They had a good life. Eilonwy rested her hand on her stomach. She had many happy years ahead of her as they all did. They watched as Arthur eventually caught Merlin in a death grip and rubbed his knuckles over Merlin's head until he gave up. Merlin eventually threw his hands in the air in defeat.
Arthur put his arm around Merlin's shoulder in a gesture of friendship. They walked back to the house where Gwen and Eilonwy were waiting. Arthur walked towards Eilonwy and captured her in a hug. For a moment, Merlin just watched. He would never admit it out loud, but he was proud of the man Arthur had become. Feelings of happiness surged up in Merlin. He was truly proud of him.
I try to write one-shots... I really do. But quite often my brain takes a turn and they stop becoming one-shots and become very long stories. I hope this was okay despite the twists and turns my brain took to get it here :) Let me know what you think! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it :)