Pain. Or the absence of pain, is the first thing that struck Merlin like a slap to the face, as he floated calmly in the twilight of the semi darkness, in the space between not quite sleep and full wakefulness, as he slowly drifted towards the shores of consciousness; after his endurance. He groaned slowly, and low, as he stretched his gangly limbs - which had grown accustomed to the luxury of a grand and princely bed - and now felt constrained - like the Great Dragon in the bowls of the castle - in the cot of the sick room.

"Merlin?" he heard Gaisu's voice in the distance and wondered what had happened. He remember riding, and hitting his head.......suddenly every came back to him in a sudden rush! Arthur! Their son! His eyes flew open dramatically and shot up in the small bed, or tried to, but he failed, as Gais hand pushed down on his chest to keep him lying down on the bed.

"You must rest Merlin. You have been though a lot today." He said calminly and offered Merlin a cup of water which he gratefully took and drank from. He gasped when he finished and handed it back to Gaisus, who put it on a side table.

"Where's Arthur?" He said. He was scared. Arthur was not there, and his son. Where were they? Were they safe? Was their son even alive? Gaius tutted and raised an eyebrow.

"Calm down, Merlin," he said as he gentley pushed his ward back down onto the bed

"Clam down?" shrieked Merlin.

"Yes, Arthur's fine. And the baby's with Uther." Gaius smiled as he shook his head slightly as he puttered away moving various jars around.

"Uther?!" he yielded and struggled to get out of bed, accidentally becoming caught in the bed clothes and almost falling, only stabling himself at the lest moment before racing out of the room and into the cold stoney corridor beyond, frantic with concern for his young, blossoming family.

Merline tore through the winding corridors of the castle. His feet pounding along the dull stone floors quickly as his panicked heart. As he came closer to the chambers he shared with Arthur his heart skipped a beat in terror as a high pitched squeal flew through the air out of the door from the room. His heart stuttered as he drew close to the door to the chambers, afraid of what he might find, of what might of happened to Arthur to allow him to be parted from their son, of what Uther might have done to the obviously magical baby he had just given birth to. Without giving a thought to his own fate Merlin flew through the large oaken heavy door.

The thick door slammed behind him as he stopped to a halt just inside the door, as his eyes were first immediately drawn to Arthur's half naked form sprawled out on bead, not moving at all. Merlin felt he could not breath. What had Uther done?!

The young sorcrer stepped cautiously towards his husbands still form, hand outstretched at the end of his nervous arm. On one the plush chairs, propped up by a ludicrous amount of cishions, sat a baby: his son. Merlin's own son, and Arthurs son. Merlin's first look at the child made his heart climb into his throat with an overpowering lover that took his breath away.

The boy had sparking cornflower blue eyes, and skin as white as winter starlight, and there was a downey tuft of blonde hair on his head, from under which poked a pair of oversized ears that Merlin was sure his son would never grow into. But there was more to amaze Merlin: Kneeled in front of his childs chair, was his grandfather, King Uther Pendragon: Ruler of all Camelot and feared warrior. His eyes were hidden by his gloved hands and, as Merlin watched, he pulled them away, smilling, and whispering kind words to the boy. Merlin and Arthur's young baby was grinning gummily at his grandfathers cleverness: shrieks of laughter and delight coming from his tiny lungs.

Uther noticed Merlin watching them and smiled the most genuine smile Merlin had ever seen from the man. He scooped the swaddled baby into his arms and carried him to Merlin, allowing the child to gnaw sloppily on the strict leather of his gloves, as he did so.

"Merlin, do you want to meet your son?" he muttered softly. Merlin could only nod slowly and gently wide eyed and struck dumb as he cradled the cooing abby in his arms. Looking down at his son he spit into a blinding smile and his tears watered with tears of pure joy. Just as he thought he was about to get lost gazing at his son there was a stirring from the bed.

"Arthur!" Merlin cried is worried delight that Arthur is not dead, but he didn't know how he was.

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Uther shushed him quickly and Merlin looked confused at him with a frown.

"He's sleeping. He seemed to be exhausted. He just brought both of yours son to me and was out like a light" explained Uther at Merlins' frown of confusion.

"That'll be because of the dragon" Merlin muttered unthinkingly.

"The dragon? The one that was outside Camelot? Is it slain?" asked Uther in fear and a inkling of rage that a dragon might be terrorizing his kingdom. Merlin paused, caught like a deer in Arthur's crossbow cross-hairs on a hunting trip in the woods as he held their son close to him.

"It's not going to be a problem anymore." Answered Merlin dimplomatically with a sly grin. Uther deflated in relief.

"Merlin?" Came Aurthur's fuzzy voice from the bed.

"Oh Arthur!" Merlin cried and rushed over to his side to perch on the side of their bed next to Arthur with their baby son still swaddled in his arms

Uther looked concerned at Merlin's clumisiness.

"Maybe I should hold him," he said gently holding his arms out to have the child returned to them. Merlin passed his son over with a small pang of regret.

"You should get some rest, you look like you're about to fall down." Uther told him, turning away tastefully as he settled himself next to his son.

"You know when you and Arthur wed, I never thought I'd see an heir," said Uther, never taking his eyes off the now sleeping babe as he headed towards the chamber door. Before Merlin could respond he continued.

"I have feared childbirth for so long, since Ygraine... I am so glad you get to do this together." He finished, opening the door as he held the baby in one hand.

"We're so lucky." Smiled Merlik from his bed.

"And you didn't even have to use magic to get him." Uther smiled brightly, finally glancing up at his son in law, as he swept out of the room, door clanging shut behind him. Merlin gulped into the darkness. Merlin shook off his stun with a shake off his head and climbed into the big bed next to Arthur. Merlin cuddled up cloe to his husband and he wrapped his arms around him lovingly.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked

"What is it babe?" said Arthur with his eyes still clothed as if he were asleep.

"What should we name our son? Presuming your father hasn't named him and planned out his future yet of course" Merlin responded with a slight frown at the though of Uther runling his son's life like a nanny.

"I was tinking...Balither." Arthur said tentatively: nervous with concern that Merlin wouldn't like his idea..

"What does that mean?" Merlin asked frowning some more. Arthur raised Merlin's chin to at look him in the eyes, and Merlin saw his eyes wee open now and looking at him almost nervously. He loved the deep blue of Arthur's eyes and how it reminded him sometimes of stormy seas or a bright spring morning over Calmelot, just like the morning they had wed.

"Well, it's our fthers names. Bali from Balinor, your father, and ther from Uther, my father. And it carries on the tradition of the pendra-" Arthur's stammering explanation was cut off as Merlin kissed him suddenly and passionately.

"Oh Arthur, it's perfect! I love you Darling" he said when they broke apart with matching face splitting grins.

"Get some sleep. I think we're going to need it!" Arthur said with a chuckle, and Merlin snuggled into his chest and slowly drifted off listening to the sound og his husbands heart.