A/N: This one is for thecharmingseal. "Arthur has Merlin followed and finds..." Well, you'll see ^_~
Merlin hadn't been sleeping in his bed. Arthur knew this because he had complained to Gaius after sending for his servant two nights that week only to be told he wasn't there.
He didn't know why this was – Gaius had made some vague comments about his ward becoming a man and needing some independence or some other nonsense, and he certainly wasn't going to admit his interest to Merlin... not that he was interested, merely... inconvenienced. He could ask on those grounds without looking curious, couldn't he?
Watching the idiot happily smoothing the bedspread and humming, he decided it just wouldn't do. He'd simply have to have the man followed.
Truthfully, Gwaine had only accepted this assignment so he could learn Merlin's secret and then taunt Arthur by refusing to reveal it – but this was just too fantastic. The scene before him was so astonishing he found himself rooted in place, jaw sagging. Only the disappearance of his quarry freed him from the entrapment.
Arthur's not going to believe this...
"You can't be serious," the king stared at the knight, waiting for him to admit his prank had failed.
"I saw it with my own eyes."
Gwaine seemed sincere, but...
"This is Merlin we're talking about."
"I know!"
Arthur found Gwaine's raptured expression disturbing, though he thought the discovery – if true – rather mystifying, himself. But no, there had to be some reasonable explanation.
"I have to see this for myself."
The pair of eavesdroppers crouched behind some barrels, tense with anticipation as Merlin looked about himself before knocking on the door of the humble home.
Alright; moment of truth...
Arthur leaned forward, holding his breath as a squeal issued from inside and-
Lords... Gwaine was right!
A little girl dashed out and was immediately swept into Merlin's arms, the servant laughing and grinning at her as another figure appeared in the doorway.
Hunith?
Perhaps the child was hers... It was unlikely, but Arthur was looking for any other explanation for the tiny child with Merlin's dark hair, pale skin, and broad smile.
"Sire..."
At some point he'd grabbed hold of Gwaine's arm and the man's fingers were beginning to go numb. He released the knight and returned to gaping at the now-closed door.
"I told you!" Gwaine was thoroughly enjoying Arthur's shock.
"But he's – she's..."
"I know!" Now that it was someone else floundering for words, Gwaine found the situation quite amusing.
Shooting to his feet, the king started marching toward the door, only halting when Gwaine tackled him.
"What do you think you're doing?" Arthur kicked the shorter man aside, intending to continue on his earlier path.
"You're going to confront him now – in front of his family? There's a child present!"
The twinkle in the knight's eye as he said that didn't make the point any less valid. Normally he wouldn't really care, but he had seen the way Merlin got when his family was concerned.
"Fine." He gritted his teeth in frustration.
Merlin was not going to enjoy tomorrow morning.
"You know, Merlin, if you had informed me you desired housing for your family I could have arranged it for you."
He had decided to act nonchalant about the whole thing, and Merlin's reaction – stopping in place and dropping the pitcher so that it hit the floor upright, water spouting up to soak his trousers – was well worth the restraint.
"I- I... hm. I don't know what you mean?"
Well, the idiot's talent for prevarication certainly hadn't improved despite his apparent ability to keep secrets.
"So who's the poor woman who got saddled with you?"
"I'd... rather not say..."
Merlin was inching toward the door, eyes searching for escape as his hands gripped one another.
"Don't tell me it was one of the tavern wenches. Merlin, it doesn't matter what Gwaine says-"
"No!"
The other man looked outraged. Good; that was more like it.
"So..."
"I'd rather not say." He announced it like a challenge, snatching the dirty dishes from the table and marching out the door.
Arthur scowled.
This is not the end, Merlin...
Supplementary Author's Note: Alright, reader participation time! Let me know who you'd like the mother to be in a review or pm :)