we reach ealdor early next morning just as the farmers are starting work. we see my mother coming out of her house.
MOTHER. i call out. she turns around and smiles when she sees me and Arthur.
Merlin what are you doing here? she asks.
We are looking for a powerful sorcerer. Arthur says. Guais said that he stayed in ealdor about 20 years ago his name is balinor.
you had better come inside. Hunith says.
we follow her into her house.
i new balinor. she says after we have sat down.
he was a good man he and Merlin's father where inseparable for the year that he stayed here but then we got word that Camelots knights had tracked him down so he decided to leave for the safety of ealdor Merlin's father went with him and i never saw either of them again eight months later i had Merlin. Hunith explains.
Do you know where we could find them? I ask,
the last i heard your father had perished and balinor was hiding out in the caves of the mountains a days ride from here. Hunith says.
thank you Hunith. arthur says. we should be going we need t....
No you don't. Hunith says in a harsh but motherly way. you two need to eat and rest you cant find balinor in this state. i will cook you up something to eat and then you can go and sleep.
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i wake up before arthur and find my mother in the kitchen cooking.
ah good your up i need to talk to you before arthur wakes up. Hunith says. take a seat i need to tell you something about your father.
its OK mother i know that Balinor is my father guais told me. i say.
OK well that makes telling you a lot easier. she replies.
at that moment arthur wakes up.
oh good you're just in time for lunch before you go. Hunith says as arthur walks into the kitchen.
thank you but perhaps we could take it to go i would like to get as far as we can today so that we can find balinor as soon as possible. arthur says.
of course. i will wrap it up for you. Hunith says.
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we set up camp at the base of the mountain just as the sun disappears behind it.
i will go and collect some firewood. i say as we are dismounting our horses.
alright well i will catch us something for dinner. arthur replies.
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when i return with the firewood arthurs has not returned yet so i start the fire and just as it gets going arthur returns with two rabbits and tosses me one to skin.
i want to leave before dawn in the morning. arthur says.
i just nod and continue to skin my rabbit.
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i wake up to arthur shaking me awake.
come on merlin time to get up. he says as i sit up.
we leave after a small breakfast of the remaining rabbit.
the sun is high above the mountain when we come across a clear stream that runs from a spring at the top of the mountain.
i don't know about you but this looks like the sort of place that we would find someone that is living in the mountains. arthur says.
balinor would have easy access to fresh water and a good food source.
i agree. i say looking around. i see several caves but one stands out because of the thin stream of smoke coming out of it. i put my hand on Arthur's shoulder and point to the cave. we both dismount our horses and walk cautiously towards the cave.
there's no point in trying to sneak up on me. we hear from inside the cave.
we look at each other and look inside the cave and there sitting beside a fire was an old bearded man.
i may be old but i know these mountains better than anyone so i know when there is someone looking for me though that has not happened in nearly twenty years.
you wouldnt happen to be balinor would you? i ask.
i haven't heard that name in a very long time. he says. who are you and what do you want with me.
my name is merlin and this is prince arthur. i tell him.
ah so uther finally managed to find me after all these years did he and he sent you to kill me i presume. he says
actually we need your help. arthur replies. the dragon that was imprisoned under camelot has escaped and is destroying camelot so we need you to take care of it.
and why should i do this for you? uther forced me to capture kilgharrah twenty years ago and promised me my freedom but instead i was hunted and had to leave my home and when i finally found somewhere i was welcome i was soon forced to flee from there as well. uther pendragon deserves nothing more than to watch his kingdom burn. balinor says.
so you would condemn hundreds of people to death just to take revenge on one man. i say getting angry.
yes it would not be punishment enough if he did not have to watch his people suffer as i watched mine suffer. balinor yells.
come on merlin. arthur says to me. this old man is not going to help us we will just have to find another way to deal with the dragon.
let me talk to him alone. i say.
why what do you think you will be able to say to change his mind. arthur asks.
i don't know but i would like to try.
fine i will be getting ready to leave don't take to long. arthur replies.
i watch arthur leave and i turn towards balinor.
nothing you say will make me change my mind. he says.
you know my mother told me you were a great man. i tell him. she said that you decided to leave to protect her village.
i doubt i knew your mother. balinor says.
my mother lives in ealdor her name is Hunith. i say.
he turns and looks at me. so your mother remarried then. he says. i'm glad to hear it.
my mother never remarried she never loved anyone else. i say.
he looks up with a sudden look of realisation on his face.
i am your son. i tell him. and i have magic that i must keep secret and i must also protect arthur in order to fulfill my destiny but i can't do that if camelot burns.
