Merlin opened his eyes and looked around the clearing. There was a small fire going and his mother was beside it, asleep. William was slumped against a tree, his sword still in its scabbard. Merlin smiled to himself, William was always falling asleep on watch. But why were they in the woods in the first place. The last thing he remembered was being in the castle and then…
The events of the previous night came back to him. Merlin looked at the castle in the distance and saw a few trails of smoke. The castle has fallen. Merlin sat down suddenly, tears streaming down his face. What if his father didn't make it? What if Wills father didn't make it? William would never forgive him.
"Merlin?" Hunith asked him. Coming over to him. Probably was woken up by his sobs.
"Did father get out?" Merlin asked and Huntih stopped for a minute. Her eyes glistening with tears and Merlin felt his heart stop. He had always had his father there to guide him.
"Balinor, fought till the end." She choked.
"And Sir Hilion?" He asked. Sir Hilion was Williams father.
"He was by your fathers side. Till the end." She looked down, tears hitting the grass.
"Where do we go now? What do we do?" Merlin asked.
Hunith looked up at her son.
"We go to the village my father grew up in. It lies in cenred's kingdom. So we have to keep your gifts a secret. It is close to Camelot." Merlin looked at her horrified but her look stopped him from protesting. He had heard horror stories about Camelot. How he executed anyone who could wield the tiniest amount of magic.
"I will wake William. We should start for Ealdor soon." She said and leaved.