Balinor's Son

Not You Too

Merlin's face fell. He had hoped to spend more time with his mother. As the knights prepared for the night, Merlin took their empty dishes to a nearby creek. He rinsed each bowl before returning to camp. The knights were asleep in a circle around the fire. He put down the dishes and watched the knights, contemplating. As quietly as he could he crept back through the forest in the direction of Ealdor.

"Merlin," Arthur whispered from the darkness causing Merlin to nealy jump out of his skin.

"Arthur?"

"Don't be such a Girl, Merlin." The pair stood in awkward silence for a moment. "Where are you sneaking off to?"

"I have to pee."

"I don't believe that for a second."

"Wha-?"

Arthur cracked a smile. "I'm not a monster, Merlin. I'm not going to stop you from visiting your mother."

Merlin relaxed. "Thanks," he said shyly. Arthur began to make his way back to camp.

"I expect breakfast bright and early tomorrow."

"Yes Sire!" Merlin bowed in a sarcastic fashion. Before Arthur could respond he sprinted in the direction of his old home.

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Merlin knocked softly on the door of his childhood home. The door opened and he smiled warmly as his mother's weathered face greeted him.

"Merlin!" She beckoned him inside. The one room hut had barely changed since his last visit. Delicately weaved baskets hung on the walls housing a variety of herbs and preserved meats and a small wooden table sat in the middle of the dirt floor. Damp clothes hung over a lit fire and a small hard bed was made perfectly in the corner. It wasn't much but to Merlin it meant the world. He remembered how his mother used to sit with him on that bed and rub his shoulders whenever he was upset.

"They won't let me play with them. They say I'm a bastard. They say I'm evil."

"Well, obviously they don't know you like I do."

Merlin smiled at the memory. He looked back at his mother and was surprised by her expression. She bit her lip and her hand rubbed her furrowed brow.

"What is it? Did something happen?"

"Merlin... what did Gaius tell you about Balinor?"

"Ummmm... not much. He was a Dragon Lord. Gaius said he helped him escape... he didn't say much more. Why? Did you know him?"

She didn't look at him. "I'm sorry Merlin." She sank into a chair. "I've never talked about him before because... because I thought if I didn't tell you maybe it would keep you safe."

"Mother?"

"Gaius did help Balinor escape. He sent him here with a letter asking me to hide him. I did. He stayed for longer than he should have. Uther's men caught up with him."

As she spoke something dawned on Merlin. She didn't mention him to keep him safe? He stayed longer than he should have? Why?

"Is he... mother, is he...?"

"They found him. Here. He had to flee."

"He's my father. Isn't he?" The tears in his mother's eyes held the answer.

"We were supposed to get married. We were going to be happy."

Merlin sat down on the bed. "Why did you never tell me?!"

Hunith winced at his sudden shout. "Merlin, please understand," she sat next to him. "Everyone thought he was dead. I thought it would be safer for him and for you if you believed the same."

Merlin looked curiously at her. "What do you mean?"

"When the knights who pursued Balinor returned to the village they claimed that Balinor had died trying to escape. They said they chased him to a ridge and he fell, hitting his head on the rocks below." She looked into Merlin's eyes. "But I knew it wasn't true. I don't know how I knew, but I did." She smiled.

"Was he like me?" Merlin asked. "Did he have magic?"

"Oh yes! He was extremely skilled. You look like him too."

Merlin beamed. "I do?!"

Hunith wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry I shouted," said Merlin.

"I love you." She kept her arms protectively around her son until he asked the question that was on both of their minds.

"What are we going to do? Arthur's looking for him. He's going to ask the others if they remember him. Will they?"

His mother looked at him sadly. "I don't know, Merlin."

Merlin jumped up and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to talk to Arthur. I've got to talk him out of this."

Hunith shook her head. "No, Merlin. You'll put yourself in harm's way."

"I don't have a choice! I can't let anything happen to you."

"It's not your job to protect me."

A dark look crossed Merlin's face. "I'm not letting Uther take you too." He didn't wait for her to respond before disappearing into the night.