500 Days of Freya (Merlin)

Pregnancy

Chapter 2

Warning/s: None.

A/N: Hello again guys. Sorry I've been absent for suck a ridiculous time, but guess what's coming up in a couple of weeks? EXAMS. I've been revising and making notes like crazy, like I probably should be doing right now. Instead, I'm posting this. This is what I do for you guys.

Thanks for all the reviews and follows, favourites, etc. It means a lot, and I kow that this story is never going to be brillianty popular because of the small amout of Freylin shippers, so it means even more that you're all taking the time out to read and review and stuff :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.

Quote for the chapter: "People don't want to have to think about lyrics anymore, they just want to be told something." – Nate Ruess

"It's been four months, Freya."

The court sorcerer's wife twisted her neck slightly to see the King, and then resumed her staring out of the window. "He will come back," she said softly. "He wouldn't leave me, not ever."

Arthur sighed and trudged dejectedly down the few steps to Freya. He rested a hand on her shoulder and joined her in patient waiting.

Suddenly Freya let out a strangled sob; then another escaped, and then came a flood of tears and pitiful wails.

Arthur, unsure of how to react, rubbed Freya's shoulder. Gwen appeared at the bottom of the staircase, apparently attracted by the sobs, and hurried upwards, clutching her skirts so she wouldn't trip. Once she reached the pair, she shot Arthur a dirty glance and took Freya into her arms, soothing better than Arthur could or would ever be able to.

Amongst the incomprehensible jumble of words from Freya that followed, Arthur picked out three sole syllables: "I'm with child."

"What?" Arthur blurted out. Gwen shot him a look that silenced him effectively. In hindsight, perhaps not the best idea.

"How long?" he tried instead.

"Gaius said – four – months, so just before – he left," Freya gasped out between hiccupping sobs.

Suddenly there was a chaotic mess of noise that came from the courtyard: a clatter of frantic hooves, shouts, cheers, yells demanding the King , and "Clot-pole! I'm back!"

There was a moment of pure silence after the roar, in which all of the kerfuffle outside seemed to pause. Not one of the trio spoke or even breathed.

Then Freya let out a loud, wild (and most unlady-like) whoop, a shriek of "MERLIN!" and then practically flew down the staircase and out of the door.

Arthur and Gwen were hot on her heels, and burst out of the arched wooden doors in time to see Freya leap onto Merlin. He closed his eyes and rocked backwards and forwards slightly, tangling one hand in Freya's hair. The other gripped round her hip, as if he scarcely believed she was real.

After a few seconds of their silent reunion, Merlin opened his eyes and sifted through the crowd, offering gingerly-formed smiles (he had several cuts on his lips) to those he knew, and mouthed words to those he knew well.

When his eyes found the two monarchs, his vision lingered on them a while before he made any action.

I'm sorry, he mouthed, for being so long.

It was only then that Arthur took notice of the various injuries littered about his person . Freya, too, had seemed to realize, and was now anxiously examining a deep gash on his left forearm.

Arthur strode towards the gangly man, who was now (unsuccessfully) trying to persuade Freya that he was "absolutely fine".

"No, you're not," Arthur greeted. "But I'm glad you're back." He pulled him into a heart hug and clapped him on the back lightly, afraid of disturbing any more unseen wounds.

When he released him, Merlin beamed quite happily and sincerely, beginning to assure him that he really was "just dandy".

Freya took his hand in her two, surprising him into silence effectively. "I know some of the more basic healing spells," she said more to Arthur than Merlin, "from my time with the druids. I can probably fix up some of the less major ones until we can see Gaius; he's out collecting herbs right now," she informed Merlin.

"I agree," Merlin said quickly.

"Of course you do," Arthur said. "Go on then."

"The sea, Freya – the sea! It glittered in the sunset and shone so brightly at the sunrise it hurt your eyes to look at it."

Freya smiled at his enthusiasm. Now that she had finished sealing up the small cuts and fading the bruises slightly he was back to his usual gesticulation, waving his arms around manically and jumping up to act out something or another.

"Merlin..." Freya said softly, hesitantly. So full of enthusiasm was he that she had to repeat his name several more times before he stopped bounding around the room, examining possessions with glee. ("Oh, I forgot I about this!")

"Yes?" he said, looking comically like a child caught doing wrong as he dropped a book entitled 'Poisons of the Highest Danger' – she didn't want to know – and focused his attention on her.

Freya's lips quirked up into a trembling smile – she felt quite certain she was going to cry with happiness. "I'm pregnant."

There was a look of stunned astonishment decorating Merlin's features. Then he whooped with joy, and ran over to his wife, scooping her up in a joyful hug. She giggled in joy and secured herself by folding her arms around his neck.

He put her back down carefully and studied her stomach intensely. "You're not showing yet."

"No, I had noticed myself."

He ignored her sarcasm – or just didn't pick up on it – and continued, "Have you announced it yet? To the court, I mean."

"Not yet. I was planning to say once the bump started to show."

"We'll do that then," Merlin replied, eyes still fiercely locked on her belly as if it would suddenly expand right before his eyes. Then he straightened up and ran over to his desk, retrieving a scroll and quill along with an ink-pot. It left a trail of black spots as he sprinted back to Freya, sliding to a sitting position and dipping the quill into the pot.

"We are going to need so many more things!" He enthused. "A cot, clothes, more food—"

"Merlin, we can't get stuff like clothes until we've had the baby. We don't know the sex or size or—"

Merlin silenced her with a kiss. "Oh," Freya breathed into the embrace. She had forgotten what it felt like to be touched by Merlin.

When they pulled away, Merlin said with certainty, "It will be a girl, and she will look like you, and have my eyes."

And she did.

A/N: Prompts for future chapters?