Good afternoon, readers! Whether you're new to my stories (yay, this one makes them plural!) or an old hat, my name is Olivia and I like Merlin. Yup, that just about covers it. ;) I love winky faces, smiley faces, reviews, Robin Egg whoppers for Easter, and not-burnt chocolate cookies. I also love you! Yes, I do mean you, reader. You know who you are…

Well now that I've thoroughly confused you (yet again, old hats!) I've decided to bless you with a 2-chapter story I wrote as an accompaniment to Merlin 2.13, the Last Dragonlord. The story is in third person present tense, something I NEVER do, so if it sounds absolutely terrible blame it on my lack of using present tense.

Hope you like it! :)

Reason For Living

'The boy knows absolutely nothing,' is Balinor's first thought.

The boy fidgets as he speaks, trying in vain to cover up the lie that Balinor already knows is coming. The words pass the boy's lips, and the slight familiarity of the tone and the shaping of the words makes him angry. Does he look like a fool?

Something breaks inside him, and the utter loneliness Balinor has felt for too long breaks free as he shouts at the boy, tells him his story which is highly unnecessary but-he needs to know! This young man needs to know why Balinor has lived the way he has for too long, abandoning life and love to escape the fate that awaits him back in Ealdor! Uther's betrayal runs deep, and nothing can persuade him to turn his face towards Camelot and answer its plea for help. Camelot will fall, and it will all be because of Uther.

Uther and his hatred of everything good and pure in the world.

The way the boy speaks rings with a familiar pain-he almost hears the echo of Hunith's voice in his head, her mouth forming the words that the boy now speaks, and he finds himself wanting to help this man.

But no, he mustn't give in - not when the unabashed prince, not the slightest grateful, shouts at the boy (Merlin was his name) to not try too hard. The prince has given up hope, as he should.

But the boy brings up Gaius, and Balinor stops to think. It was Gaius who snuck him out of Camelot in the first place. Gaius who sent this boy to plead for help. Gaius who led him to Ealdor, and to the ever-eager young woman Hunith...

Merlin's eyes bore through Balinor's memory, a reminder again of the love he had once had. And it is this thought that compels him to sneak after the two men, his thoughts still unsure. Should he risk innocent bloodshed and give Uther what he deserves?

This answer, although slightly plausible, weighs on his conscience. He knows his answer.

They welcome him, and the relief on Merlin's face brings him a slight happiness that he hasn't felt in years.

Then comes the firewood - Balinor finds himself collecting damp logs for a fire with the boy, and he begins to suspect something as Merlin asks too many questions about forbidden magic. He's way too curious for his own good. He'll get himself killed with that interest.

Merlin asks about his father and Balinor stops. He senses the tension rising, the swell like an ocean's wave about to come crashing down on his shoulders. Something big is coming. Merlin mentions Ealdor.

"I grew up there," He says in a voice that means everything, and yet it means nothing to Balinor - yet.

"I know the woman," Merlin says.

"Hunith?" Balinor asks, feeling rejoice seep into every pore of his being. "She's still alive?"

'Thank God to Gaius for keeping her safe.'

"Yes. She's my mother."

First comes the shock, followed quickly by the lapse of pain. No wonder Merlin looks so familiar - Hunith's blood runs through him as sure as the sun.

But this means that she has moved on. He has been naive to think she would wait for him, and for this he offers her a begrudging respect - she has done what he can't: move on from him. She is his reason for living, for not giving up and letting the pain and loneliness seep through his being and poison his mind with suicidal thoughts.

"Then she married," Balinor voices quietly, letting his gaze fall from the wide blue eyes that look at him so intensely. "That's good."

"She never married," Merlin contradicts, a sad smile playing across his pale face. Balinor looks back, surprised to see the tension ease from his face as the swell pours over him.

"I'm your son."

The next chapter will be up so fast you won't even see it coming! So hope you like it and will take a moment to read the next chapter too! Love you dearly!