Merlin looked at the page in the book one last time and then stood straight. He placed his hands on his bare stomach and closed his eyes, concentrating. "Móstreme." Merlin spoke and opened his eyes. His irises turned gold and his hand vibrated. Just seconds later a ribbon of colour rose from his stomach and Merlin breathed out a laugh when he saw the colour. It was blue. He had a feeling it would be, since a Dragonlord's power will be given to the first born son, but he wasn't sure that his child would be a boy indeed.

Merlin closed the book and then set off out of the door. The three guards that were on duty to protect him were quite startled when the door suddenly slammed open and the Consort ran out.

"Sire!" They all yelled and set after the Consort.

Merlin turned a corner, he had just one goal and that was to get to Uther as soon as possible and tell him that he would have another son. He would be pleased, he just knew it. As would Arthur. He could already see Arthur teaching his little brother on how to hold a sword, it would be a bliss to see, but that would be thoughts for another day.

Merlin reached the door and ran straight in, not bothering to knock. He half scared his husband to death who was engrossed with some reading letters of State and was now reaching for his sword, but stopped that movement once he saw who entered his study. "Merlin, what in the world?"

Merlin walked up to the desk, his breathing coming quickly in and out. Running when seven months along wasn't perhaps the best idea he'd ever gotten, if you could call what he just did running. Uther met him halfway and closed him into his arms. That moment a guard came into the room and saw Merlin and Uther together. "My lord, I was just-" The guard stopped talking once Uther dismissed him with a flick of his wrist. Once the door closed, Uther looked down to Merlin and took a step back.

"Can you tell me why you came barging in here all of a sudden? Not that I'm complaining to see you, not at all, but is something wrong?" Uther's eyes widened and his breath hitched. "Is – is it the baby? Merlin, are you feeling ill?"

Merlin shook his head, nearly succeeding in regaining full control over his breath. Uther led him to a chair and sat him down, he took the chair next to Merlin and reached out to take one of Merlin's hands into his own.

"There's nothing wrong with the baby." Merlin finally managed to say after catching his breath. "But I have news about it."

"News? What news?"

Merlin looked up, his eyes shone with mirth. "We're having a boy."

"We're having a boy?" Uther questioned, the information not yet seeping through completely. "We're having a boy!" Het then yelled and threw his arms around Merlin with a loud laugh. "But, how - how do you know?"

"A few days ago, I found a book in the library and there was a section in it with a spell that could show the sex of the baby. Purple for a girl, blue for a boy and if it would be yellow, it would be twin girls and green twin boys. If the colour would be orange it would be a twin boy and girl. But it turned blue! Oh Uther, I'm so happy."

"You know that it wouldn't matter to me what sex the child would have, it was most important that it would be healthy and happy. But, I'm sure Arthur would be delighted to have a little brother, I'm sure that if it would be a girl, the poor girl would never get a husband with such an overprotective brother." Uther snickered. "Have you told him yet?"

Merlin shook his head. "No, I wanted you to know first and then I would tell Arthur and after I would tell my uncle. I've arranged to have a picnic with my uncle this afternoon. Don't worry," Merlin added after he saw Uther's worried eyes, "I will take enough guards with me. I'll be fine, we'll be fine." Merlin said, placing his hands on his large stomach. The past month his stomach nearly doubled in size.

"Alright." Uther finally said and leaning in for a kiss, which Merlin happily returned.

"I'll leave you to your letters then." Merlin said as he stood up and nodded towards Uther's desk. With one last peck on his husband's cheek he left the room to find Arthur and tell him the news.

~oOoOo~

As Merlin neared the training grounds he already heard the clashing of swords. He liked to watch Arthur and the knights train, especially since he didn't had much else to do these days. He was forbidden by Uther and Gaius to do any heavy works or lifting to ensure the child's health so there was nothing much for him to do than to take walks or watch Arthur train.

His small group of guards didn't stray more than a few feet from him. He still found it annoying to be followed by people, but he came to live with it. He actually didn't know whether Kilgharrah had just lied to him when he said that there would be some kind of darkness, but so far he hadn't experienced anything like that at all. If any, it was the opposite. The Kingdom was at peace, his baby was growing well and he had found his uncle again. There was no such thing as darkness, and Merlin started to believe that the Dragon had just wanted to play him.

When Arthur caught sight of Merlin he first turned to his men. "Take a break, we'll continue on shortly."

"Merlin, what a pleasure to see you here." He eyed Merlin's stomach. "How are you feeling today, here, please sit." Arthur led Merlin to a wooden bench close-by and didn't heard how Merlin muttered to himself, "I wished people would stop offering me a seat."

"I'm well Arthur." Merlin said, louder. "As is your little brother."

It didn't took Arthur long enough to understand what Merlin was saying and his face broke out into a huge smile. "Is it? Merlin!" Arthur stood up and picked Merlin up as well as he could and swirled him round. When he set Merlin down on the ground again he still had the same smile on his face and Merlin saw some of the knights giving them an odd look. Merlin turned to Arthur.

"It is." Merlin confirmed once more. "I've done a spell and found out what the baby will be, a boy."

"Does father already know?"

Merlin sniffled. "Do you really think I would let something big as this out from him? He was the first to know, and you're the second. So I take it you're happy with the news?"

"Happy?!" Arthur exclaimed. "Ecstatic!" Arthur thought for a moment, before looking at Merlin again. Merlin could already see some sort of plan forming.

"In fact," Arthur continued, "I will go to the blacksmith at once and order a sword for him. Yes, that's exactly what I will do now." He turned to the field. "Leon! Take over."

"Arthur," Merlin laughed and grabbed Arthur's upper arm before he could even take a step. "The babe isn't even born yet. A sword can wait just a little bit longer don't you think? He'll be at least three before he can even hold it. There's no rush, just, be happy." Merlin smiled and Arthur sighed.

"I suppose." Arthur answered.

"Good." Merlin gave a short nod. "Well, I will have to go. I am meeting my uncle for a picnic."

"Shall I come with you, as protection I mean."

Merlin swatted against Arthur's arm. "No. You, stay, train." He said, using only verbs.

"But,"

"No buts, Arthur. I'll be fine. Look," Merlin turned to the three men still standing close-by and then turned back. "I have my group of protection already. Don't you worry."

"I just don't like your uncle." Arthur admitted and Merlin gave a sigh. Ever since the first night his uncle came, Arthur had been reacting cold against his uncle and Merlin blamed it on Arthur not wanting to share, because when Merlin asked, numerous times, what it was that his uncle did to offend him, Arthur had no answer… just a feeling. And that convinced Merlin even more that Arthur was a bit jealous because he did not spent as much time with Arthur as before his uncle arrived in Camelot.

"I will come to you this evening. We can talk more then, okay?"

"Fine." Arthur pouted and went to the squire nearby and quite harshly grabbed the goblet from his hands. Merlin watched him and shook his head, Arthur would calm down before he would return. Merlin then turned to the three men. "Let's go."

~oOoOo~

"This was a brilliant idea, Merlin." Tynan smiled as he took a bit of the freshly baked bread and a gulp from his wine. "But I'm more curious to why you wanted to go away from the castle so close to your birthing date."

"I was bored, uncle. No, I just needed to get out of the castle, because everyone is staring at me, being concerned about me, declining me to do stuff." Merlin growled softly. "Just, I just wanted some time alone and I wanted to spend some time with you. I have missed you these past six years and I won't let that happen ever again."

Tynan forced a smile.

"And there's something I want to tell you." Merlin said, lying back a little and gently rubbing circles around his stomach.

"What is it?" Tynan asked.

Merlin grinned. "I am carrying the next Dragonlord. It'll be a boy."

Tynan looked at Merlin and saw so much of Balinor into him. He smiled tightly as he felt his eyes starting to sting with unshed tears. He breathed in deeply. "That's amazing news." He replied, trying to keep the sadness from his voice. "I am sure you'll be pleased."

"I am." Merlin smiled down at his stomach, but when he looked up and Tynan saw his eyes holding some sadness. "What's wrong?"

"It's –" Merlin shook his head. "Nothing."

"You can tell me."

"It's stupid."

"Nothing is stupid."

Merlin breathed in deeply. "Just missing my father, I suppose. Which is stupid, because I barely knew the man."

This took Tynan by surprise. He had talked about Merlin's father and what Merlin thought was his mother, but was in fact his twin sister, the first night he was in Camelot, but he kept it vague. But now Merlin talked directly about Balinor and it brought two different emotions within in. One of sadness of missing his lover and second anger, how dare Merlin bring Balinor up. He's the reason that Balinor had to kept hidden, even when he was in a courtship with Uther and magic was unbanned. Back then, there were still knights out there looking for Balinor. His hands clenched in tight fists.

Tynan didn't look up to his son once Merlin continued talking, his anger was getting the better hand off him. He eyed the knife lying closely to him. He could reach his hand out and he'd be able to grasp it and plunge it into Merlin's neck. That would let Uther know how it was to live without the love of his life, if it weren't for those damned guards and servants standing around.

"I mean, I just imagine how my father would be reacting once he would find out he'd be a grandfather. I think he'd like that." Merlin then shook his head. "Never mind, uncle. It's just some rambling from my own." He looked up to the sky. "And I think it's time we have to go back, it's starting to get dark within the hour."

Tynan jumped when Merlin reached out to touch his hand. "Uncle?"

"You seemed – distracted."

"Just tired, I think." Tynan answered then stood up. "We should head back, we're nearly out of daylight." He reached down to give Merlin a hand in standing up. How much he hated to act nice, he knew he had to keep up with it to keep suspicion away from him.

Just three more weeks. Tynan thought as Merlin stood up and walked to his horse. In three weeks the celebration of Merlin's birth will be held and then I can set my plan in motion.

~oOoOo~

Tynan stepped out of the darkness, startling the stable hand that walked passed. In the early hours it was still dark outside, and the stable hand hadn't seen the person standing there until he entered the lone torch's light. Only then he recognized him and he smirked. "My lord, at what do I owe this pleasure?"

Tynan was not into pleasantries right now, he had more things on his mind. "Do you or don't you have it, Cedric?"

"Of course, my lord. But not on me, it is in my chamber."

"Good, bring it to me before the first light." With that, Tynan swept around and out of the stables.

~oOoOo~

Arthur, Lancelot and Leon walked quietly through the corridors of the castle after a long and rather dull morning patrol. It was just an hour or so away from the sun rising, and Arthur hoped to catch at least six hours of sleep before he needed to get ready to train the knights at midday. The trio rounded another corner and something that caught Arthur's eye made him put up his hand and stop the two other knights. They frowned at him silently asking with their eyes what was wrong. Arthur looked at them and put his index finger against his lips as the international sign of silence and made a following motion with his other hand.

At first, the two knights had no idea what possible could've caught Arthur's eye, but once they neared one of the many doors they had started to understand. There was light coming out from underneath the door of Tynan's chamber, which was highly unusual for this time of day. Maids and servants weren't even up at this moment, let alone a lord.

Arthur inched closer, making as little sound as possible, and when he was close enough he saw the door not entirely closed and he could peak inside just barely. He saw a servant, some stable hand of which's name he momentarily had forgotten, but Arthur didn't saw Merlin's uncle. That's why he was making eye contact with the two other knights and signalling them that they would barge into the room, because there was just no obvious reason that a servant was in a lord's chamber at this time. Arthur was just about to give the final signal when he heard another voice.

"So, Cedric, where is it?"

Arthur immediately put his hand out to the other knights, stopping them from coming forward. Arthur peaked back through the small slit that the door was ajar.

"Right here, my lord." Arthur saw the stable hand –Cedric– pull a pouch from his shirt and handed it over to Tynan, who had stepped closer to Cedric and could now be seen by Arthur. He continued watching them, it was all just too suspicious to just pass it off as Cedric bringing a basic errand to Tynan.

The two other knights were on high alert as well. They perhaps couldn't see what was happening, but they certainly could hear it.

Arthur saw Tynan opening the pouch and pulling a string out. He frowned, it was just a basic leather string that could be bought at the market at any day. Why would Cedric have to bring that in the middle of the night? He kept watching, hoping for some clarification… which he got once Tynan pulled some more on the string and a crystal was revealed from within the pouch.

"So this is the Crystal of Metamorfo?"

"It is, my lord." Cedric answered. "The traders said it was, and they demonstrated it to me as well. I've seen its work with my own two eyes, my lord." He smiled wickedly and Arthur didn't like the happy tone Cedric used as he answered Tynan. "You will have a piece of hair of the person you want to resemble and bring it in contact with the crystal and you will transform into that person."

"Excellent." Tynan held the string higher until the crystal dangled in front of his eyes. "With this I will finally be able to do what I wanted to do a long time ago. I will finally be able to dispose this world of Merlin, my son."

Arthur stared and didn't blinked. He did not believe himself of what he had just heard. Even questioning himself if he heard correctly. He heard a sharp intake behind him and turned his head and saw Lancelot unsheathing his sword and seeing it brought him back to the present. He hadn't misheard. Tynan was planning in killing his nephew – no son –, wait what?

Arthur head still swam lightly, but came into action nonetheless. He had heard enough and actions needed to be taken. He unsheathed his sword as well and with his two knights stormed into the room.

Tynan's head snapped to the side and his eyes widened. He had no idea how much Arthur had heard and so decided to play the role of the victim. "Arthur, thank god. This servant just barged into my room, demanding money. I demand him to be removed from my chambers and be severely punished."

Tynan smirked when he saw Leon grab Cedric at his wrists, thinking his plan had worked. His smirk soon faltered though, as Arthur pointed his sword up to his throat. "Don't play me Tynan, I heard everything. You're under arrest for treason to the King." With that Arthur signalled Lancelot forward, who bound Tynan's hands and then gave Arthur the crystal. Arthur accepted it and still held the tip of his sword at Tynan's throat, while said man tried to make up excuses and resisting heavily.

"I will not hesitate to strike you where you stand." Arthur told Tynan through gritted teeth. "Now, walk!"

Arthur, Lancelot and Leon brought the two prisoners to the cells. Cedric kept begging for his life to be spared while Tynan remained strangely calm and when Lancelot opened the cell, he told the knights, "When Merlin finds out what you three have done to me, he will demand that I'll be released. Who do you think he believe, you, or his beloved uncle?" Tynan cackled loudly.

Arthur brought the hilt of his sword into Tynan's gut, making him stop cackling and start grunting instead. "Just be glad that this is all I will do to you now. If it were up to me, you'd be bleeding out in your chambers by now." With that Arthur pushed Tynan into the cell, which Lancelot locked.