How To Train Your Dragonlord

Grandma Hunith

Merlin was awoken early in the morning, before sunrise, by a gentle tugging on his arm. He woke immediately, but forced himself to react slowly. There had been many occasions where he'd reacted too quickly to being awoken and George had nearly been thrown from the window.
He was glad that he did react slowly. It was Megaira. "Megaira," he whispered, to avoid waking Arthur. He sat up slightly, careful not to move too much. "What's the matter?" he asked.
"Nightmares," she whispered, her eyes wide. Merlin lifted the bed sheet and Megaira climbed into the bed and burrowed in between the two kings. Merlin closed the sheets again, to keep the heat in. Then he wrapped his arms around Megaira.
"Do you want to talk about them, or be distracted from them?" Merlin asked quietly. He noticed that Arthur had stirred in any case, but Megaira hadn't, so he didn't mention it.
"Distracted please, papi," she whispered.
Merlin nodded. He understood the desire to be distracted. He knew it was most wanted when the nightmare was linked to bad memories. He silently cast a spell and a little blue butterfly fluttered into existence. It flew around the bed. Megaira watched it, almost in a trance.
She reached her hands out. Merlin thought that she was trying to touch it until, that is, a little purple butterfly joined his little blue one. The two butterflies then flew around the bed together and started to fly in little patterns.
Merlin gave Megaira a proud, gentle squeeze and, as he did, noticed her pride in herself. She was beaming from ear to ear and Merlin could guess why. He knew how it felt to have seen so much destruction caused by magic. He knew how it sat in his heart. How it had when he was Megaira's age. He knew how good it had felt the first time he'd used his magic to help people. To make life brighter, if just for a little while.
Then there was a light tap on the door and George entered the chambers. On instincts that Merlin was afraid he'd never get over, his little blue butterfly disappeared. Then he noticed that so had Megaira's little purple one. George, oblivious, bowed to the three of them and crossed the chambers. He pulled open the curtains.
As he crossed the room, back towards the door, he spoke. "I shall bring breakfast to these chambers, if my lords permit?" Merlin found that both he and Arthur were nodding. George bowed again and pulled the chamber doors shut as he left.
"I think," Merlin declared, "I should like to remain in bed until breakfast arrives. What do you think, Megaira?" He watched as she quietly nodded, a small smile on her face. He gave her a little hug and was also smiling. He didn't notice her eyes' colour grow that little bit brighter, to match his.

He, Arthur and Megaira did remain in bed until breakfast arrived. Then, once George had left, they set Megaira at the table to start eating and went behind a divider, to dress themselves. It was only once they were dressed that Merlin and Arthur joined Megaira at the table. Megaira was happily tearing into bread rolls and meats, her nightmares seemingly forgotten.
When George arrived to clear the table, Merlin also asked him to inform his mother that she could visit Megaira. "Of course, sire," George replied in his usual prim manner. He bowed a little then retreated from the chambers.
Merlin, while they waited for Hunith, told Megaira a little about her grandmother. That she would love her. That she would be doted on constantly. That her grandmother wanted to make her some pretty dresses to wear, too.
And then Hunith entered the room. She smiled to Arthur, who had sat at his desk, to start dealing with the business of the day, including organising his new daughter's affairs as she officially became a princess of Camelot. Then she noticed Merlin sat beside a little girl.
She approached slowly and knelt gently beside the girl. "Hello, my dear," Hunith said gently. "You must be Megaira. I'm your new grandma, Hunith."
Megaira looked deeply into Hunith's eyes, almost as if she were gently peeking at her soul. Then she smiled. "Hello, grandma," she whispered, her tone light and happy. "Papi says you wanted to make me dresses. I don't have many dresses."
Hunith smiled softly. "You'll have more dresses than you can possibly imagine, soon," she promised, mentally declaring her undying love for the child in front of her. "Your fathers know so many seamstresses from across the land! And, of course, if you want dresses, grandma is more than happy to oblige!"
Megaira's smile widened. "Can I watch how you do it?" she asked.
"My my! Your papi was always very curious, too! Of course you can watch me working on your dresses, my dear!"

~ A/N ~ Hello from university! I'm sorry it's been so long since I last published here! Have a feel-good chapter while I decide where this story goes next! Love you all xxx