Okay here's a Merlin fic for you all. I have to tell all you Merthur or Arlin shippers this fic doesn't have gay pairings. I ship Merthur as much as the next Merlin fan but for this fic to work they'd both have to be straight. So yeah... Hope you all enjoy the fic.

SUMMERY: Rhiannon, the daughter of Merlin and Morgana, is now the ward of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. She doesn't really know why or how that happened, but she knows that somewhere out there, her father and mother are alive and maybe... just maybe they're searching for her.

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The Daughter.

Prologue – To Beg a Boon From The King.

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It was a dark night, shrouded with shadows. Arthur stared out at the kingdom of Camelot from the battements. He knew better then to wonder what his old friend Merlin was doing. After all, a King shouldn't have time to wonder. He ran a hand through his blond hair and wished that Merlin was there. He missed his dearest friend. Now Arthur had a son and his duty to Camelot was fulfilled. Yet somehow Arthur felt there was still more of a duty to perform. His son, Dylan, was one year old on this day and yet the night had become the darkest of any night Arthur had ever known.

That was when he spotted it. A small pinprick of light in the distance. Arthur watched as the light came closer. Then he saw that the light was attached to a creature. In fact, the creature was a beautiful white unicorn. Arthur went down to the dungeons and found the exit that he sought, an old grate that he should have had covered with stone. Yet Arthur could never bring himself to do it. The unicorn stopped near the grate and Arthur noticed two figures on the back of the magical creature. He recognised a green silk cloak from the glow of the unicorn and immediately knew that it was Morgana, his sister in all but blood, and the other figure wore a cloak of red. The red-cloaked figure carried a bundle in their arms and dismounted with Morgana, who seemed unsteady on her feet. They came forward, and the red-cloaked figure uttered a few arcane words, and the metal grate was gone, just leaving an opening. Arthur knew then that the other figure was Merlin.

"Merlin? Morgana? It's been so long!" Arthur stated. Morgana seemed unlike herself as she walked forward to hug Arthur.

"Morgana?" Arthur was confused by her sudden show of affection. Morgana seemed to be weaker than the last time he'd seen her. Merlin stepped forward then. Arthur was shocked to see the bundle in Merlin's arms was a baby.

"Arthur, I've never asked you for anything in all the time I've known you. But I need ask you now, to beg a boon from the king..." Merlin trailed off.

"If I can do it I will." Arthur said softly.

"Take care of our daughter." Merlin said softly. Arthur looked down at the baby in Merlin's arms. He looked at Morgana. She looked back at him.

"I'm not well Arthur. The birth took a great toll on me. I'm barely strong enough to keep myself standing at this moment." Morgana said softly.

"I have to take her to Avalon to heal her. But we can't take Rhiannon with us. If we did, she wouldn't grow properly. The magic of Avalon would corrupt her as a person. She wouldn't be able to make decisions for herself and she'd never be able to leave." Merlin almost begged. Arthur nodded and held out his arms. Merlin had a single tear streaking down his cheek as he handed over his precious bundle. Morgana had stood away from Arthur and now clung to Merlin. The baby stirred and gurgled. Arthur could see her eyes were the same exact shade of blue that Merlin's were.

"I thought it was impossible for a baby's eyes to have a fixed colour from birth." Arthur said softly.

"It is. Rhiannon is different. She's like me Arthur. She will start doing magical things when she's strong enough. She'll move things with her mind before she can talk. Don't make her feel like a monster for it. No matter what anyone else might say." Merlin practically begged. Morgana was clinging to Merlin and looked at her adopted brother carefully.

"Please Arthur. Love her for both of us." Morgana begged softly.

"I promise I will protect her with my life." Arthur replied. Morgana nodded, her eyes welling up with tears that cascaded down her cheeks. Merlin bit his lip.

"We have to go. But one day we will be back Arthur. Say hi to Gaius for me." Merlin promised. Arthur nodded.

"Good luck." Arthur said softly, as Merlin helped Morgana back on to the Unicorn. He made the grate reappear as it was before. Then he jumped on to the Unicorn, behind Morgana.

"Thank you Arthur." Merlin whispered. Somehow the words reached his ears, as the pair rode off on the unicorn into the night.

Arthur looked down at Rhiannon, as the child stared back up at him curiously.

"I'll look after you. I promise. I won't let you or your parents down." Arthur said gently to the baby staring up at him. Rhiannon gurgled happily at her new guardian. Arthur decided that it was time to introduce Rhiannon to Gwen and Dylan. He cradled the baby close as he walked through the dungeons and up into the castle, hoping that Merlin and Morgana would come back soon. After all, without them, how could his family be complete?

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Okay end of the prologue. I hope you liked it. Please R&R and tell me what you think. I'll be posting the next chapter soon.