The Lady Of The Lake and The Impossible Child

Here's why

May

A week later and Arthur was slowly getting around to the idea, not to say he liked it but he was beginning to wrap his head around it. Which, was a huge step from when Merlin found him in his room after he had stormed out of Gaius' chambers. It was almost like the five stages of grief - at first, he was angry, objects we're flying around the room almost hitting Merlin in the process. In his anger, Arthur shouted a lot of things, at his servant... and, at everyone, really. A couple of days later denial set in, he was acting as if nothing was going on, forbade Merlin from speaking about it. But Arthur isn't stupid and as much as he doesn't want it to be true, it was... and he couldn't do anything about it other than accept it. Honestly, he had gotten over it quicker than Merlin thought he would, sometimes he wondered whether depression and bargaining were just around the corner but they never came. And just like that, the days went by, with Arthur struggling through with his ailment and Merlin and Gaius trying to figure out how it happened and more importantly, what are they going to do next? It wasn't hard to realize that as a man Arthur didn't quite have the necessary body parts to carry on with the pregnancy much less delivering the child... If it even was one. The only people that knew about it - for now - were Arthur, Merlin, and Gaius. They couldn't risk this getting out of the castle walls but nevertheless, Gaius instructed the King to take it easy, not only for the child but for his sake, as the Physician wasn't sure what the condition could possibly do to him. Thankfully his condition wasn't yet physically apparent so they didn't have to worry about hiding it yet, which made it easier for Arthur to keep up appearances. But all this time Merlin couldn't stop thinking back to when it happened, he was sure it was Viviane, she must've made it happen with that spell, they just couldn't have known. The words kept running around in his mind 'your most precious desire will be your downfall.' What did that mean? Why did she even do this? Hold on, Arthur's most precious desire... What does Arthur most desire? Certainly not to be with child.

"Arthur?" Merlin spoke up from his spot polishing Arthur's armor at the table while his King was trying to distract himself with work.

"Yes, Merlin?" Came the tired reply.

"What is it, that you want the most?"

"What?" Arthur was taken aback by the random nature of the question.

"What do you want most, in life?" Merlin straightened himself a little and faced his master.

"What does that even matter right now? Merlin, if you want to buy me a gift that's not how you should go about it."

"No, Arthur, you don't get it. Don't you remember what Viviane said right before she put the spell on you?"

Arthur shook his head.

"Your most precious desire will be your downfall. What do you think she meant? What does the King of Camelot most want? As a King, as a human, as a man, Arthur. What is your greatest desire?"

"Isn't it obvious? An heir." Right as the words left his lips it dawned on him, he spoke no more, afraid of his answer.

Merlin sat back in his chair, finally having found the missing piece.

"But it doesn't make any sense. Why is giving me an heir, albeit in an unusual way, supposed to be my downfall?"

While Arthur spoke trying to make sense of their new revelation Merlin, left, leaving his work behind, and Arthur dumbfounded.

"That's what I'm going to find out." He spoke to himself on his way to the stables.

                                                               ***