Just One More Chance to Say Hello - Hunith and Balinor

Set after Season 2 Episode 13, The Last Dragonlord.

What if Balinor hadn't died? What if he went back to Ealdore with his son to be reunited with his one true love?

Chapter 1

Merlin woke the next morning to feel a raindrop fall on his cheek. As he slowly opened his eyes, he focused on something sitting on top of the log next to him. It was made out of white rock and had two perfectly carved wings. A mini replica carving of a dragon. Dragon. The word sparked something in Merlin's memory. His eyes flew open. Camelot. Kilgharrah. People dead in the courtyard. And with that, the events of the past few days came flooding back into Merlin's mind.

People's mangled bodies lying over all the castle courtyard, fires everywhere, knights yelling at each other, total panic, him and Arthur riding out to find the person who could stop the dragon. The Last Dragonlord. Merlin's Father. His Father. A huge grin appeared on Merlin's tired face. He rolled over and looked over at the bundled-up figure on the other side of the now-dead fire. Merlin picked up the dragon-replica carving and ran his hand over the tiny etches. Memories of last night replayed themselves in his mind of him and his Father talking around the fire. The way it should be.

"How did you become a Dragonlord?" Merlin asked.

"It's not something you can learn. It's a sacred gift, passed from father to son. And that's what you now must become, Merlin." Balinor replied.

Merlin smiled. "When we're finished in Camelot. I'll take you to Ealdore."

Balinor laughed. "She won't recognise me."

Merlin recounted his fathers story of fleeing Camelot from Uther's men during the time of The Great Purge. Gaius helped him out of the city walls and hid him in Ealdore with his sister, Hunith, Merlin's mother. Balinor stayed there for many months, during which he became very close to Hunith, before catching word that Uther's men were on their way to Ealdore, to find and arrest Balinor. As soon as he heard, he raced back to Hunith, explained what was coming, gathered his things and gave Hunith a lingering kiss before dashing into the woods away from his one true love, unaware that he was soon to be a father.

Arthur soon woke up after Merlin had woken, and asked, well more like demanded, that Merlin start organizing breakfast for the three of them. Even though the Prince had shown no respect towards his servant, Merlin didn't protest. He was in such a good mood he was not going to let the arrogant prat ruin his day.

A cold breakfast of dried meat and fruit was soon served, and although Arthur scrunched his nose up at it, Merlin and Balinor downed it without a second thought.

"Merlin? Have you fed and watered the horses yet?" asked Arthur.

"Ahhhhh..." was Merlin's reply.

"I'll take that as a no." Arthur rolled his eyes and then narrowed them when he saw Merlin was still just sitting there. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go and do it!" Arthur yelled.

Merlin sighed and lowered his voice before saying, "Dollophead."

As soon as the horses were packed up, they mounted, (Balinor riding behind Merlin) and headed towards Camelot.

As they got closer they could hear the muffle screams of the people and soon the huge shadow of the Dragon came into sight. Arthur urged his horse into a gallop heading straight towards the castle gates. Guards standing on watch, saw the two galloping horses and ran to inform the King of his sons arrival.

As they rode through Camelot, the sense of panic was contagious. People milling around everywhere, putting out fires or helping someone who had been injured. Some of the men looked like they had not seen a bed in a few days and had black shadows hanging around their eyes, however when they saw the prince and the stranger that he had returned with, their eyes lit up with hope.

Arthur, Merlin and Balinor arrived in the courtyard and quickly ran into the doors only to run into Gaius went as white as a sheet when he saw Balinor.

"Balinor? Is that you?" Gaius asked in amazement.

"Hello my old friend." Balinor smiled down at him as the two men embraced eachother for a few brief moments. Arthur looked confused for a moment, wondering why the two men embraced each other like they had been old friends, but all thoughts had soon vanished as he soon remembered his father waiting upstairs.

"Umm...sorry, I'm going to have to break up the reunion but we've got to keep moving." Arthur said rather impatiently as the three other men nodded and followed him up the stairs.

As Balinor walked into the council chambers where Uther and his lords were waiting, he felt a sense of belonging overcome him, even though it contained the man who had seeked to murder him.

Arthur entered first, then Gaius, then Balinor with his son right next to him.

Balinor wanted to yell and scream at Uther the second he walked in the room. He is the King of Camelot. Shouldn't he be out there with the Knights fighting the dragon, not just cowering in his little sheltered room?

Uther looked into the eyes of a Dragonlord for the first time in 20 years. He had mixed feelings about the man standing before him. Part of him wanted to grab Balinor's neck and yell at him for causing such havoc in the kingdom, yet another part wanted to thank the person above that all was not lost.

Of course, Uther wasn't about to thank the man that he has hated since the time of the Great Purge, in front of all his officials. No, he still had resentment for this man. So he decided to just nod his head in acknowledgment at Balinor.

Balinor nodded back.

"So," Uther started, "Now that you are here, are you confident that you will be able to rid us of this monster?"

Balinor bit his lip to keep himself from lashing out a retort when Uther referred to Kigharrah as a 'monster'.

"Yes, I am." Balinor's voice was gruff and had no welcoming tone in it.

Uther nodded. "Yes, well, you are able to restock supplies here and then be off when you are ready." were the King's last words before he left the room. But Balinor stopped him with his words. "Just so you know Uther, I came because I owe some people that live here a debt that must be repaid. Not because of anything else. If they were not here, I would have let Kilgharrah destroy the whole city." Uther started to turn towards the group of people again, then decided against it and continued walking down into the hall.