Merlin had never given birthdays any importance, let alone hers. She only saw it as one more day in her long existence of over 3,000 years. The only difference that year was that she was a week away from 9 months pregnant.
As it was becoming a new habit for her at night, Merlin sat on the bed she shared with her partner, after Arthur had updated her on the events in Camelot, to continue her readings accompanied by a tray of homemade sweets. The fact that Arthur had somehow forced him to be at home to rest and prepare everything for the arrival of his baby, or as Arthur liked to say, little brother, didn't mean that he couldn't be aware of the matters dealt with the Court. She was the King’s Counselor for a reason.
It was 1 a.m. and Merlin was already on her tenth slice of mango cake while she was taking notes from the book that she was reading lying relaxed against several pillows that helped her with her back pain.
She opened her eyes of the impression to half-bite the slice when she noticed a contraction running through her back. She put the book aside as well as the biscuit and put one hand on her bulging belly somewhat alarmed. She had read that during the last few weeks she might experience fake contractions, but the problem was that they might become strong without being able to differentiate them from real contractions. She took a deep breath trying to calm down and remember what she had read in the books.
-If they’re fake, they shouldn’t be constant, and they shouldn’t go on. I'll wait a few minutes -she tries to calm down and keep the situation under control.
Five minutes. Every five minutes that pain ran from top to bottom stronger and stronger, cramping her legs from pain. She wasn’t ready. She had not yet realized that this day would come and how hard it was going to be. As she could, she teleported Aldan to her lab to tell her boyfriend that the time had come.
-You were supposed to give me one more week. -she gasped from pain tightly squeezing the sheet that covered her legs terrified that something might happen to both of them.
Actually, in less than 10 minutes the magician arrived together with the midwives, with whom the couple had already spoken to count on them when the day came. The magician went up to his room to look for Merlin, meanwhile the midwives prepared everything needed in the living room on the ground floor. He opened the door and put his hand on hers and with the other he pulled away her bangs to kiss her wet forehead due to the sweat of the effort that the black-haired woman was making.
-Do you need help going down? -he asked worried when he saw her so tired. Not even the fight against the Demon King had left her like that.
-What do you think, genius? Of course I do! Can I know where you were?! It took you so long! -she shouted as another series of contractions pierced her, squeezing the man’s hand while her head rested on the opposite’s shoulder.
Merlin immediately noticed that she was being carried and taken downstairs. Holding on to the opposite’s vest, she could see how the midwives had arranged a space near the fireplace of the room. They had placed several blankets, pillows and cushions on the floor as well as bowls with hot water and various wetting cloths leaning on them. Merlin was left lying on the cushions and one of the midwives put a sheet over her lower body while her partner was at her side helping her to position herself and holding her hand.
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Screaming, Merlin squeezed her partner’s hand so hard that the man thought she was going to break his hand in a matter of minutes. She was exhausted and she was no long before she gave up. She had started labor early in the morning and had spent more than eight hours trying to bring her offspring into the world.
-I'm begging you… come...please...-gasp of tiredness as a tear slipped down her cheek and her knuckles were white from how tight she clenched her fists. -I thought Cath was the hardest thing I’ve been through, but you take the prize.
-You can handle this and more Merlin.- her partner assured her while he stroked his thumb on the back of her hand and helped her to hold on in a comfortable position because she was twisting at each contraction.
-You best shut up because you’re the guilty all of this! You better love this baby with your whole being because after this I won’t have another one! Even if another 3,000 years pass!
Another hour had passed in which the little wizard on the way still didn't want to appear and his mother’s patience was only minutes away from completely disappear before trying to resort to some potion, spell, invention or anything that came to his mind to speed up the process. Not only were the contractions killing her, because she had sworn that if any of the midwives ever checked her again and told her she couldn’t start pushing because the baby wasn’t well off, she would kill them with an Exterminator Ray.
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She must have been in another state of exhaustion, because Merlin thanked the Gods that after 12 hours of starting, it was all over at last. She swore to herself that she would never get pregnant again and that if her husband wanted another baby he would be the one who would get pregnant and give birth even if it was a challenge against biology. I’ll find a way to make it happen if I have to.
-Congratulations! It's a boy! - exclaimed one of the midwives.
She dropped on the pillows and heard the little baby she had just brought into the world start crying, as if he was telling his parents he was already there. The midwife left the baby lying on her mother’s chest, covering him with several blankets to warm him up while the others checked that the mother was okay.
Merlin opened her eyes instinctively when she noticed that a small lump was left on her chest and smiled to herself as she saw her little one with her as some treacherous tear slipped from her golden eyes. With one finger she caressed the baby’s tiny hand very carefully, fearing that it might hurt him, but greater was her surprise when the new little wizard let him grab his mother’s clothes and wrap his fingers around his mother’s thumb while he lay still in her arms.
-You won the bet-the golden-eyed woman turned her head somewhat surprised towards her partner without understanding what he was talking about.- Except because he’s a boy in the rest has come out to you. -the oldest man in the room smiled tenderly.
-My genes are the dominant ones, as expected. - she said tired and paid attention again to the little one sleeping in her arms.
Anyone who saw the baby would clearly say he was a mock-up of his mother. It would still take a few days to know if his skin tone was more like his mother’s or his father’s, but his black-hair was an exact copy of his mother’s. He had also inherited not one, but two face moles like the one his mother had under her right eye. One of them was under his left eye and the other on the right side of his small open mouth slightly o-shaped. They still didn’t know what color his eyes were, but Merlin was sure they’d be like hers.
-So you are the little being that has given me so much work.-she pass a finger through his plump cheek without being able to remove the smile from her face.-It will seem nice to you make me wait after wanting to come early. -she was telling the baby.
Just having held him for a few minutes already made it difficult for others, especially midwives, to be able to take him for a few minutes to check that the baby was healthy and to wash him a little. The newly appointed father intervened in the matter being the one in charge of the baby to be able to give him a bath, obviously under the supervision of Merlin who, although she was tired, would not be calm until she had her baby back with her. Who would have seen her and who’s seeing her now. None of her group mates would ever bet that she was a protective and loving mother because of all the times she had punished them for interrupting their experiments and researches.
She smiled when her partner came back to her side with the fruit of their love in his arms wrapped in a baby blue blanket and her little hands wrapped in white mittens.
-You must see this. -said the man, bending down beside her, pulling the blanket a little from his son’s face. The magic woman opened her eyes in surprise. Two golden orbs identical to hers looked at the man and then looked at her sleepily.
Understanding his son’s silent request, he left him back with his mother. It took a few seconds for the baby to know that he was with his mother to fall asleep immediately.
-Welcome, my little magician.
-Happy birthday.-he kiss the head of the black-haired woman-You too-he looked at his son.
Merlin smiled at her partner’s warm gesture.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE GREATEST MAGICIAN!! 💜💜
