Rays of sun started to stream in through the curtain, waking Uther up in the process, who had no idea what had happened just an hour ago. His arms were wrapped around Merlin as he had done ever since he found out that Merlin was pregnant, perhaps it was the need to protect both at all cost that made him do it, he didn't know and didn't oppose to it any way. Merlin was still asleep, Uther noticed, and he decided to let him rest some more as Merlin complained about being tired the past few days. But how could he not? He was over eight months pregnant which took a toll on his body. Not that Merlin mind, he loved carrying their son inside him. Uther saw Merlin putting his hands on his stomach at every possible occasion, whether it be during dinner or when reading a book, his hand was on it… and so was Uther's hand. He loved seeing his husband like that, all round with their babe, but he also couldn't wait for the moment that he would actually be able to hold him. It would be a moment he would never forget, he was sure of it.

Uther bend forward and pressed a soft kiss on Merlin's temple, before detangling himself from him so he could get off the bed and into his robe. He went to the door to see if there was a servant or maid nearby who could get their breakfast. Merlin was sad to the fact that he couldn't get it anymore, but his back just couldn't take the walk to the kitchens and back to his chamber anymore.

When he stopped a servant and asked him to bring breakfast, Uther closed the door and made his way to bed once more, and when he slipped under the covers, Merlin started to stir and his eyes blinked open, accompanied by a yawn.

"Morning, sweetheart." Uther whispered, pressing a kiss on top of Merlin's lips before lowering his head to kiss Merlin's expanding stomach. A smile playing on his lips when he lifted his head and putting his hands on either side of the bump. "You're beautiful." Uther whispered, and taking one last look at the bump before nestling himself down on the bed again and pulling Merlin close to him.

"I've arranged for breakfast to be brought in, so we can stay like this for a little bit longer."

Merlin hummed pleasantly. "I'd like that. This one has been keeping me up half the night."

"What?" Uther lifted himself up a little bit and supported himself by his arm. "Why didn't you wake me? I could rub your stomach or back or something."

Merlin lowered his eyes. "You looked so peacefully. I couldn't bring myself to do it. And you have duties to do today, hardly possible to do when you're half asleep!"

"Love, we are in this together. I don't care what it is, however big or small, if there's something bothering you – including you being up at nights – then you tell me. I don't want you to suffer alone."

Merlin chuckled softly. "It can hardly be called suffering, Uther. Just part of the process, I guess. But if that's what you want, then okay."

"Thank you, Merlin. Now, how're you feeling? Excited for your birthday in three days?"

Merlin shrugged to his best abilities as he wiggled around the bed until he sat up against the headboard. "It'll be my 31st birthday, nothing special." Merlin laughed, and at that time came a knock on the door.

"That'll be breakfast. I'll be right back." Uther said and got of the bed. But when he opened the door he was not met with the servant, no, he was met with his son and Lancelot and Leon.

~oOoOo~

Down in the cells

Arthur leered at the man behind the bars, his fist itching to just punch that smug smile off him. From the start he had a bad feeling about this man, but never acted on it since Merlin was so happy to have family around again. But how he wished now that he would've listened to that gut feeling of his.

If what Tynan said would be true, he had no idea how to break the news to Merlin. How could he possible tell Merlin that the man he thought was his uncle, was actually his father. How that was possible, was still a riddle to Arthur though.

And then the bit about wanting to get rid of Merlin, what did that mean?

Arthur breathed deeply in. "I would start telling soon, Tynan. I'm running out of patience."

Tynan snorted. "I don't have to do nothing."

Arthur slammed his flat palm against the bar, making Tynan laugh. "Oohh, don't hurt yourself." He mocked.

Arthur backed away, he needed some space from that man or he wouldn't be accounted for his actions he would most certainly do. He went to the two knights.

"You have both heard what he'd said in the room as well, didn't you? About him being Merlin's father?" Arthur had lowered his voice, not wanting to have Tynan listening in on their conversation.

Leon and Lancelot nodded. "Every word."

"But how's that even possible!" Arthur hissed.

"And what about him talking about disposing Merlin?" Leon asked, who was still trying to put all the pieces together and miserably failing at that.

Arthur shook his head. "I don't know."

"We need the King, Arthur. If it involves Merlin, he wants to know. And perhaps he gets him talking." Lancelot supplied.

"I know," Arthur ran a hand over his face. "It's just – this all is just too absurd. Why would you want to hurt Merlin?! He'd never done anything to hurt another person. And why would you want to kill your son, if that is even the truth." Arthur shook his head again. "It all doesn't make sense."

"Let us get your father now then," Leon said. "I want to get to the bottom of this, just as much as you want too."

~oOoOo~

Arthur knocked on the door and waited patiently until it opened. For a moment he was afraid that Merlin would open it, but luckily for him, it was his father who did.

"Arthur? What are you doing here? We would discuss your patrol in the Throne Room, didn't we?"

Arthur inhaled deeply. "Yes, but what I'm about to tell you isn't about that and it isn't something that can't wait. It's something delicate what we have to discuss with you." Arthur took a small pause. "It's about Merlin's uncle."

Before Uther had even time to react, Merlin was the one beating him. "What about my uncle?" Merlin smiled softly at Arthur and the other knights as he went to stand next to Uther. He had thrown on a robe over his nightshirt and help one hand in the small of his back and the other on his protruding stomach. Uther wrapped one arm around him, keeping him close.

Merlin's smile faltered when he saw Arthur's serious face.

"Arthur… w-what is it? Did something happen?"

Arthur looked between his father and Merlin. He didn't know whether he could tell Merlin about what he had found out this morning. He had no idea how it would affect Merlin and the baby.

Feeling defeated, Arthur let his shoulders sag. "It's better if you two dress and meet me in the throne room." Arthur thought the throne room would be a better place to let Tynan explain himself to Merlin, that way, Merlin didn't had to go all the way down to the cells in his condition.

~oOoOo~

Tynan was brought down onto down onto his knees in front of the two thrones with Arthur standing before him. Lancelot and Leon were both standing next to Tynan, one hand placed on his shoulders with their other hand on the hilts of their swords. They were waiting for Merlin and Uther to arrive and that didn't took long. Once the door opened, Tynan tried to get up but Leon and Lancelot held him down.

"Uncle!" Merlin yelled when he saw how his uncle was held down and he made his way as quickly as possible to his uncle, dragging Uther with him to keep him upright. He only let go when he was at Tynan and he fell down onto his knees, hands cupping Tynan's jaw. "Uncle, are you alright?"

"Arthur, what is the meaning of this?" Uther asked, making Merlin's head snap around. "Yes! What, why-?"

"Merlin, he is not who he says he is."

"Shut up!" Tynan spat, struggling in the hold he was in. "Merlin, don't listen to them."

"Arthur, what on Earth are you talking about." Merlin turned to the two knights. "Release him. Now!"

"I'm sorry, but we can't do that." Lancelot said, tightening his grip for good measure.

"Arthur, I think it's very wise if you'll start explaining yourself soon." Uther said, as calm expression on his face, having no idea what to make out of this situation. His son wouldn't just suspect Tynan for no good reason.

Arthur address both Merlin and Uther, and waited to tell the story until Merlin stood next to Uther. "When Leon, Lancelot and I returned from our early patrol this morning, we saw light coming from Tynan's bedchamber. It was very strange to see that in the early morning so we were going to investigate. Once we were close, the door was ajar and I could see into the room and saw the servant Cedric. He is in the holding cells now, awaiting trial. I first thought he was trying to steal something, but that wasn't the case when I heard Tynan talk to him, inquiring about something." Arthur pulled the crystal from his pocket and handed it over to Uther who did a soft intake of breath.

"The crystal of Metamorfo," Uther muttered under his breath, looking at Tynan. "What did you want to do with it!" His hand clutched tightly around the crystal.

Tynan saw that there was no way out of this and he would probably die within a few hours, so he only huffed, turning his face away.

"Uncle?" Merlin said softly, but Arthur interrupted him.

"Merlin, you need to know something. Tynan isn't your uncle, he -"

Tynan snapped his head back. "Don't say it!" He growled.

"- is your father."

"You fool." Tynan spat.

"W-what?" Merlin's voice wavered and his hand searched for Uther's and when he caught it, he squeezed tightly. His head was shaking side to side. "No. That… no, mum wouldn't… you're her sibling!"

"You ignorant boy!" Tynan hissed. "You really don't see it don't you."

"See what!" Merlin yelled.

"Balinor!" Tynan yelled back. The two knights tightened their grip even more, keeping Tynan down. "I loved him, but because of him," Tynan looked at Uther, " he had to run." Tynan huffed, his eyes still set on Uther. "Because of your actions, you almost killed your husband." Tynan turned his head back to Merlin. "And you… you betrayed us by marrying that tyrant!"

Merlin shook his head. He couldn't believe what Tynan said, it just couldn't be! And in that moment, Merlin started to realize that this was what his mother wanted to tell him in her last breaths. She wanted to tell him that she wasn't his mother, she was apologizing for keeping that for him, that's why she wanted his forgiveness. It had to be that! Merlin's breathing picked up and his free hand went to his chest. He was having trouble breathing. He couldn't get enough air into his lungs so it seemed. In blind panic Merlin tightened his grip around Uther's hands even more, but just seconds later his grip loosened and he sagged against his husband just when Uther turned to him and caught him in time before he would've hit the ground.

"Merlin?" Uther tapped lightly against Merlin's cheek. Panic rose into him when he saw Merlin's closed eyes. "Merlin!"

Arthur rushed to the pair and went down onto his knees. "Merlin! Come on Merlin, open your eyes."

All eyes were drawn onto Merlin, and Tynan felt the tight grip on his shoulders loosen. He waited a few moments longer and then pulled himself away from the two knights and ran off.

"Stop!" The two knights yelled and just when they were about to get after him, Arthur yelled. "Forget about him, get Gaius!"

The knights were torn. Tynan was a threat to Merlin, but right now Merlin needed medical attention. They looked at one another and both knew that the best decision right now was to get Gaius. They would never forgive themselves if something would happen to Merlin or the unborn Prince.

~oOoOo~

The realisation that there was something wet on his face woke him. Merlin's eyes fluttered open and it took him a few moments to register in his mind that he was in his bed in his bedroom. Turning his head to the side he saw a tired looking Uther with a cloth in his hands and a worried Arthur leaning against the wall by the window with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Thank god," Uther whispered when Merlin looked directly at him, and he bent forward to press a kiss on top of Merlin's hair. "I thought I'd lost you, both of you." Uther's eyes flicked to Merlin's blanket covered stomach. "But Gaius told me that the baby is fine."

Merlin frowned, his thoughts slowly coming back to him, and he started to realize what happened earlier. "And my unc… Tynan?" Merlin asked, no idea what to call Tynan now. He still couldn't grasp the thought that what had happened in the Throne room had really happened, it was all so absurd!

Merlin saw Uther shake his head, and he knew Tynan was gone.

"He ran." Uther explained, "And he has a death wish if he would show his face here ever again." Uther's expression darkened until Merlin placed a hand on his husband's.

"I'm… we're alright, Uther. Don't worry." Merlin looked down at his large stomach, in about two weeks the baby would make his arrival.