By the forest of Ealdor, a light shined at night, making it seem almost dawn. Hunith looked concern as she looked out into the bright forest. As soon as the light appeared it seemed to have vanished as if never there. She knew that feeling, it could only be magic and powerful too. Her mind instantly went to her only son Merlin. She frowned as she started to head over to where the light was. She had to check had to make sure if, by some chance that was Merlin calling out to her if she didn't come, she would never forgive herself.
She slowly trekked through the forest to where the light had appeared it was then that she saw a patch of black hair poking up from a tree root an arm spread over the root. Her instant thought was Merlin as she rushed over but was surprised when it was only a five-year-old boy. She bent down to check his pulse to find him alive she looked around to find no one and no sign of injury on the boy either. She sighed as she picked the small child up she couldn't leave him alone in these woods after all.
Once back she placed the child in Merlin's old bed. She smiled fondly at the boy, she could almost feel the power coming off him like how she felt Merlin's. She knew this was something Merlin had to look at. Once the boy seemed comfortable she wrote him a letter and sent it to Camelot. Merlin had to come and met this strange boy. Why she couldn't say she just knew it had to be just.
It was days later by the time that letter reach Merlin and the boy still showed no sign of waking. Merlin, on the other hand, had gather supplies for his trip to Ealdor. He now only had to convince Arthur to let him go. To do such a thing he had everything on his chores list prepared early.
"Everything is done, sire." He pronounced to Arthur
Arthur looked over at him with an eyebrow raised, "Everything? Clothes, stables mucked, armor polish, room cleaned." Arthur started to list as Merlin interrupted him.
"Yes sire, all my daily chores are finished," Merlin told him again with an unusually pleasant smile.
"Okay out with it, what is it you want?" Arthur said.
"You see sire, I need some time off. My mother in Ealdor has sent a letter requesting I go home shortly for an urgent matter." Merlin explain.
Arthur looked at him with concern as the last time his mother came for help their crops were being raided. What would her second call be about, it was probably dangerous if anything. He couldn't let Merlin go alone unprotected. "That's fine I will go with you. We leave at first light prepare the horses and gather supplies." Arthur told him. Merlin opened his mouth to argue about going alone but Arthur spoke again. "You can't stop me from going now go on do as you're told for once," Arthur said.
"Prat…" Merlin mumbled loud enough for the prince to hear him as he exited the room.
It was a few days later before they reached Ealdor his mother had gone worried as the boy still didn't stir it was like he was in a forever sleep unable to wake. It wasn't until her son followed by Prince Arthur entered her house that she smiled again.
"Mother? Are you all right?" Merlin asked. She nodded as she looked over at the young boy. I had found him in the forest about a week ago. I have been forcing food and water down his throat but there had been no sign of waking. Yet no sign of injury that would explain his state." Hunith said.
Merlin made his way over to the boy, there was something about him. He couldn't explain it but it was almost as if a dominant power laid in him that had yet to wake. He reached out and placed a hand on his forehead and that's when he felt the boys power spike out reacting to his own as his eyes shot open and pain seemed to fill those eyes as a blood-curdling scream filled the house. Merlin felt a tear fall from his eyes as he could feel some of the pain the child betrayed on his face. He quickly wiped his tear as he tried to calm the boy down. "Hey it's okay, you're safe now," Merlin told him as he placed his hands on his shoulder. The boy slowly calmed down and looked around confused.
"Where am I? Who are you?" The little boy said showing bright blue eyes that seemed to match his own. If one did not know better they could have been cousins or even brothers. Arthur himself look between the boys a few times.
Merlin stayed calm and only smiled. "You are in Ealdor. My name is Merlin, that's my mother, and over there is Arthur." He explained softly.
"Dear I found you in the forest by yourself, out cold what happened?" She asked the young child.
"I…." The boy said softly, "I...I don't know...all I remember is a bright light and then pain...a lot and a lot of pain…" The boy said softly. Merlin looked confused at that answer before looking at his mother.
"I saw a bright light in the forest and went to investigate by the time I got there the light was gone and the boy was all that was left," Hunith explained to the two boys.
"You think sorcery was involved here?" Arthur asked knowing the answer already but only asked to confirm his own thoughts.
"I do, no other explanation could there be. A mysterious bright light and a young boy attacked in it with his memories wiped. He probably saw something he shouldn't have." Merlin said sadly. Though as he said this he felt it was wrong like there was more to the story somehow. But one thing he knew was that leaving the boy alone felt wrong. He felt the boy and him where suppose to meet and stay together. "Do you remember your name?" Merlin then asked.
The boy sat in silence for a bit and for a second he thought he forgot it, "Danny…" His soft voice spoke.
Merlin smiled warmly at the young boy now known as Danny. "Well, Danny what do you say you come with me until we can get you memory returned?" Merlin said.
Danny stared at him for a while before he simply nodded a yes.
"Merlin." Arthur hissed, "Can I speak with you outside alone?" Arthur dragged him outside so the boy couldn't hear him. "Are you insane? You invited an unknown kid into Camelot? What if he is the sorcerer? For all, we know he could be lying." Arthur told him.
"If he wanted to come straight for Camelot why not pass out in the forests by Camelot why Ealdor? He looks no older than five or six years you really think he is a skilled assassin? And what if he is still being hunted by the sorcerer who took his memory? My mom could be in danger if he came back for the boy. Camelot is probably the safest place for him." Merlin reasoned with the prince. He just knew that Danny had to come back with him he didn't know why. He just felt it like that was the way it had to be.
Arthur sigh as Merlin had a point he was just a young boy. "He shall be your responsibility if you take him with us. You understand this?" Arthur said sternly. He didn't have time to help him look after some kid.
"Not a problem. Gaius and I will be fine looking after him." Merlin told him happily as he walked back into the house. Danny had a bowl of some food his mother had made and was eating it slowly. He moved as if his whole body was sore from something probably the magic he spoke about earlier. The boy he was looking at now was tired and still in pain but he wondered what would happen once he had proper rest. What kind of person would he be then?
"Danny after you eat you should rest. We leave at first light for Camelot you should be safe there." Merlin told the boy with a gentle smile. Danny looked over at Merlin and gave him a small nod before he went back to his food.
It had been the middle of the night when Merlin woke again, this time it was more screaming he got up quickly and followed it to see Danny was the one scream in his sleep. Merlin looked shook as Danny seemed to be screaming bloody murder. He went over to try and wake him shaking him and calling out his name but nothing worked. He just kept sleeping, he was about to use his magic to calm the child but he then heard a voice from behind him, "Can't you shut him up." Arthur said in an annoyed voice.
"I'm trying but he is having a nightmare and I can't wake him up," Merlin said standing up he looked back at Arthur his frustration and worry clear on his face.
The said prince sighed as he walked over and sat on the bed. He picked up the screaming child and hugged him close and slowly started swaying back and forth, humming a tone. Merlin didn't think that would work but to his surprise, the boy slowly stopped screaming and held onto Arthur tightly in his sleep. "What do you know you have a soft spot for kids." Merlin teased him.
"Shut up, this was something my nursemaid did for me when I was scared at night. It always calmed me down when I was a kid I figured I try it for him. If you tell anyone I did this you'll wish you weren't my manservant." Arthur threatened. Merlin placed his hands up in a plead of mercy he was just happy to see Danny calmed down. This new side of Arthur wasn't half bad either.