The Wanderer

by BynWho

Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfic for entertainment purposes only. All characters and plots from the BBC show Merlin belong to the BBC. All other characters and plots belong to BynWho. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to leave a review!

Epilogue

There had been several years of peace in the land of Albion. The five kingdoms had banded together to keep the Saxon threat at bay and led by the infamous Knights of the Round Table, the fiercest and noblest of all the knights.

Uneasy to leave Marian, Gwaine rode to Queen Annis's kingdom to meet with one of her advisors. He'd expressed to Arthur that it wasn't a good time to leave, considering Marian's state, but the king insisted only he could reach the agreement needed for a supply chain through her lands to Helva, home of the Catha.

Fortunately, he didn't get far when Percival caught up with him. "Gwaine!"

"What is it, Perce? Is it Marian?"

Percival nodded. "It's time."

"Dammit. I should be there, not on my way out of the kingdom!"

"Arthur is dispatching a message to Annis to tell her you won't be coming."

They turned their horses around to speed back to Camelot. "If something happens to Marian and I'm not there, it'll be Arthur's head. I swear it."

Percival shook his head as they took off.

When they arrived, Gwaine sprinted to their chambers and to his wife. As he got close, he heard a scream come from within the room. Panicked, he rushed to the door, only for Arthur to hold him back.

"Let them work, Gwaine."

"Arthur, if you don't let me go—"

Gaius opened the door and dashed out, shutting it behind him. "They're in with her now, Gwaine. The queen has gone to her to offer her assistance, and Merlin is standing by just in case things take a turn. She's in good hands."

"I need to be in there!"

"You'll only distract her. She needs to concentrate. The babe has nearly arrived. It will only be a few more minutes."

Percival laid a hand on Gwaine's shoulder and squeezed in comfort. "Nothing will harm her, Gwaine. Merlin is in there to assist with his magic if need be."

"I know you're right, Perce. But it's tearing me apart. I should be there to hold her."

"Arthur!" Elyan said as he joined them. "I've just come back from Nemeth. Leon sends word. He's not able to make it to Camelot for Samhain, as Queen Mithian has already entered her time in confinement."

Arthur nodded. "He should be there for the birth of their child."

"Which is more than I'm allowed to do," Gwaine said, giving the others dirty looks.

Elyan eyed Gwaine warily. "How is she?"

Before Gwaine could answer, they heard small giggles and little feet running up behind them. A young boy chased a very young girl with brown hair down the passage. Gwaine stooped and caught her, scooping her up into his arms.

"Dada!" She hugged his neck and kissed his cheek before pulling back and giving him not just a serious look, but a Marian look—the one where Gwaine knew he had fucked up and she was about to set him straight. "Borre has said that I shall turn into a frog if he kisses me. Tell him not to kiss me!"

Arthur turned and bent down to his son. "Borre, is this true?"

The small child looked ashamed. "Yes, father."

"Why would you do this? Isn't Rosie your friend?"

Borre's eyes were wide as he tried his best to seem innocent. "She is, but she whacked me with her wooden sword. All I said to her was that girls can't be knights!"

Rosie turned in her father's arms and looked down at Borre.

"They can too! My dada said so! He said mummy was the bravest girl he knew, even braver than the Round Knights! I am going to be a knight when I grow up, and you can't do anything about it!"

Arthur and Gwaine chuckled at their children. Rosie may look like her father, but she had her mother's temperament. Another yell from inside the chamber startled her, and she cowered closer to Gwaine. "Dada, was that mummy?"

Gwaine kissed the side of his daughter's head. "She'll be alright, petal," he replied softly. "Soon you'll be able to meet your new brother or sister."

"Can you tell mummy that I want a brother?"

Chuckling, he brushed the hair that had fallen over Rosie's eye. "It's too late for that, petal. Would you be happy if you had a little sister?"

Rosie looked up at the ceiling in thought and then grinned. "Alright, but she has to play knights with me and Borre."

"Not another girl," Borre pouted.

It was only another couple of minutes before the door to the chambers opened, and Merlin popped his head out with a goofy grin. "She's ready."

Gwaine set his daughter to the ground and held her tiny hand in his as they walked into the room and over to the bed where Marian lay, hair sticking to her face with sweat. Gwaine reached over and affectionately stroked her head. "How are you, sweetheart?"

Her smile was as bright as a thousand suns as she handed him a small bundle. "Sir Gwaine, meet your son."

Gwaine let go of Rosie's hand and reached out to take his son from his wife. The newborn baby cooed at him, and Gwaine's voice broke. "He's beautiful." He let the baby wrap his tiny hand around his little finger while soft tears fell from his eyes. "Hello there, little one." When he lifted his head, he looked at Marian lovingly. "Jamie."

"Are you sure?" She smiled.

"I am." Still holding Jamie, Gwaine knelt down to Rosie. "This is your baby brother, petal."

Rosie peered over the blankets to look at her brother. He didn't look like the fat babies she had seen in the city—he was tiny and a bit wrinkly. He opened his eyes and looked at her curiously. Jamie grinned up at his sister. When Marian watched Rosie, she saw the young girl grin back. And when she looked over at Gwaine, his smile mirrored the children's. Her heart swelled with love because both of her children had their father's smirk.

"I like him. Can we keep him?" Rosie asked.

Marian and Gwaine chuckled.

"Of course, dearheart," Marian replied as she tucked a strand of Rosie's dark, wavy hair behind her ear.

Arthur, Borre, and the rest entered the chambers to meet Jamie. When Rosie climbed on the bed with Marian, Gwaine handed his son to Merlin

"You've both done well," Merlin said as he held the baby. "He's beautiful."

Gwaine placed his hand on Merlin's shoulder and smiled. "Thank you for taking care of her."

Merlin gave him a toothy grin. "She's my sister, or as good as. And I love you both as family."

"Thank you, Merlin," Marian said as he walked off to show Jamie to the others.

Crouching next to the bed Gwaine picked up a cloth, dipped it in the bowl of water, and wiped the sweat from Marian's face. "You did well, beautiful."

"Thank you, my darling knight." She pulled his hand to her lips and kissed his wrist. "I thought you had already left."

"I did, but Percival came after me. Nothing could keep me from you."

Arthur walked over to Merlin and cooed at the baby. "Marian, he's lovely."

Elyan clapped Gwaine on the back. "Well done, mate!"

"It was all down to Marian. She did all the work," Gwaine said without taking his eyes off his wife.

"Yeah, but you helped," she said, chuckling.

"Fair point."

Percival took Jamie from Merlin and when he reached over to touch him, a tiny grin crossed the baby's face. He smiled softly, already smitten with the newborn. "I'm your Uncle Percy, little one."

Gwen came up beside him. "You're going to spoil him too, aren't you?"

Percival grinned. "What else are uncles for?"

Rosie jumped down from the bed and ran over to Gaius to hug him. "Will you be my brother's granda, too?"

Gaius picked her up and smiled. "Of course."

"He'll make a fine knight one day," Arthur said as Jamie cooed. When Rosie turned and gave Arthur a sour look, the king cleared his throat. "Er… they both will."

Rosie stuck her tongue out at Borre and then smiled sweetly at the king. Arthur chuckled to himself. She truly was her mother's child.

Percival brought Jamie back to Marian. "I'm so happy for you both," he said with a wistful look in his eye.

"You never know, Perce. One day, you and Elyan might find a child in need of a family," Gwaine said. "And until then, you both can be the best uncles a child could hope for."

Percival smiled and nodded before going to Elyan's side and squeezing his hand.

"Tell us a story, Uncle Merlin!" Borre called out.

"Yes! Tell us how mummy and dada met!" Rosie said, leaping down from Gaius's arms.

"No! I want to know more about the Great Dragon!"

"We've already heard loads about him! Tell us about how Auntie Gwen saved you from the Lamia!"

"No! Great Dragon!"

"Lamia!"

"Dragon!"

"Lamia!"

Merlin chuckled. "Why don't I tell you of the time a goblin got loose in the castle?"

"Yay!" the children shouted in unison.

Merlin began the story of the goblin, using his magic to make shapes with the flames of the candles and the shadows to illustrate the funnier parts.

As the children settled in to listen, Gwaine climbed onto the bed behind Marian and tucked her against his chest. After she folded down a flap in her nightdress, she pulled their tiny son close to her bosom to nurse him. Gwaine kissed the side of her head as he watched his beautiful wife feed their precious newborn baby.

"I love you, Sir Gwaine of Camelot," she said softly as she looked up at him.

"I love you, Lady Marian of Camelot."