A/N: So, I got a little impatient and decided to update early. I felt like the first chapter didn't really give a good feel of what this story is going to be like, so here it is: the second chapter that explains it all... Warning for some language!

I'll try to update every Monday, but don't shoot me if I don't post until Tuesday!

Chapter 2: 11 years ago

Knights were searching the village. Knights wearing the red capes of Camelot. Hunith knew that this was bad news, that this was why her beloved had fled, and it chilled her to the bone. After all, it wasn't only her own life on the line now.

She stood by her window, trying not to be too obvious as she watched the patrol, when she noticed him. The King himself had come. She was about to go check again if she'd left anything of Balinor's behind when movement caught her eye. One of neighbours, Clara, was pointing at her house. She'd never gotten along with the woman, but she never thought that she'd stoop this low.

Moving back from the window, Hunith considered running, but the men were on horseback and they were blocking all the village's exists. She had nowhere to run. Trying to calm her racing heart, she decided she could be brave, and sat down calmly at her table, and waited.

She didn't have to wait long. A minute later, the door was kicked in and Uther Pendragon strode in. She'd never seen him up close before, just from a distance when she'd visited her brother Gaius once. He was even more intimidating than she remembered. "Are you Hunith?" he asked, glaring.

She refused to shrink back, and sat up straighter. "I am."

"Then you are under arrest for harbouring a dangerous fugitive. We will take you to Camelot, where you will be tried and sentenced, do you understand?" he asked, even as his men grabbed her arms.

"I do," she replied, thanking the goddess that her voice didn't waver. She knew that the trial would be a mere formality, and that she would be put to death as soon as they got what information they needed out of her.

"Put her on a horse. We ride for Camelot," Uther ordered. Hunith tried to hold her head high as she was put on a horse, her hands bound to the saddle. The position was not only uncomfortable, but made her fear for the child inside her. She'd heard stories of women losing their children in the womb after sloppily riding a horse, or taking a fall. She hoped to the goddess that this wouldn't become one of those stories. This child was all that she had left of her Balinor.

It was a two day ride, and it was every bit as uncomfortable as she had imagined, but at least she didn't lose blood, which was the first sign of a failed pregnancy. At least there was one good thing about going to Camelot: she could see her brother again.

One of the knights took pity on her when they stopped to make camp that night. He untied her bonds and kept watch as she stretched her legs. She wasn't used to riding on horseback, and she was sore, but grateful for the young knight. "Thank you," she whispered, and held out her hands to be bound again. The man nodded and retied the rope, a little loosely this time. She could have wriggled out, in time, but why would she? She couldn't run, they would catch up to her in no time, and she had nowhere to run.

As the men sat down around the campfire, Uther strode over. Hunith steeled herself. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she would be damned if she would appear afraid. He sat down on the log in front of her, glaring at her. "Where is Balinor?" he questioned. So it began. It appeared the King didn't have the patience to wait until they'd reached Camelot.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully.

"You lie. Where is he?" he asked forcefully. "Tell me now and I may spare your life."

"I cannot tell you what I do not know," she replied calmly. She knew not to antagonise this man, so she would tell him all that she knew. She trusted Balinor to take care of himself, to hide where he would never be found.

Uther glared. "Tell me how you met him," he asked, and it took Hunith by surprise. She hadn't expected him to ask that. From the look on his face, he'd noticed her surprise.

"I found him, injured in the woods just past the village. I took him to my home and nursed him back to health. When he was well enough he told me who he was and why he was running. He offered to leave me in peace." Uther simply regarded her, no expression on his face. Hunith wondered what he was thinking. "I declined. He lived with me for another season, helping me with the harvest, and whatever else I needed, to repay me for my kindness."

"You loved him." It was a statement, not a question, but Hunith nodded all the same.

"I still do."

"You loved a man, even though you knew what he was?"

"Magic is not outlawed in Cenred's kingdom. Your laws did not apply to me, or so I thought." It was a subtle jab, and one she probably shouldn't have uttered, but she couldn't help herself. Uther was the reason she'd lost the love of her life. The reason her child would grow up without a father, if it got the chance to grow up at all.

Uther glared. "He left, why?"

Hunith looked at her bound hands. "We got word that patrols from Camelot were searing the border towns, and knew that it would be a matter of time until you'd reached Ealdor. He left in the night, leaving me a note to tell me he was sorry, but that this wasn't the sort of life for me. I burned it straight away. A month later, that patrol rode into my village and my neighbour turned on me," she said matter-of-factly. She didn't blame Clara for turning her in. The woman didn't like her, and had five mouths to feed, and no one knew about her pregnancy.

"Tell me where he went, and you shall be free."

"I stand by my choices, sire. And if it comes to that, I shall die by them. But it does not matter, because Balinor refused to tell me where he went. He didn't want me to follow him, and he didn't want you to torture me for his location." Still, Hunith was perfectly calm, staring the King in the eyes. Confusion and pain passed there, for what reason, she couldn't fathom, but it was there nonetheless.

Abruptly, he stood up and stalked away, leaving Hunith somewhat confused. He'd not gotten what he'd wanted, and yet had not raised a hand towards her. From what she'd heard of him, Uther usually did not shy away from violence to get what he wanted. So why hadn't he?

/*/

The next day was even worse than the previous day. She'd only gotten some water at supper, and some stale bread at breakfast. She was used to small rations, but this was a little extreme. She hadn't eaten at all the previous day. She feared that if not for the ropes holding her in place, she would have tumbled off the horse long before they reached the capitol. As it stood, she only swayed sideways when they'd finally come to a stop in the central courtyard of the citadel. Hunith was vaguely aware that it was the King who caught her before she fell, but then everything went dark.

She woke up in a cell, with her brother hovering over her. "Gaius," she whispered.

He looked worried. "What is it?" she asked, her hands automatically resting protectively over her belly.

"I had to tell the King, I'm sorry Hunith," he said, and put a hand over hers.

Her breath left her. What would the King do now? He would never allow the child of a known magic user get away. "What'll happen now?" she asked, not even bothering to hold back tears.

"He wants to interrogate you further, find out where Balinor is, how he escaped Camelot… But I don't think he'll do anything, at least until the baby is born. Which I'd say is in about… six months…"

/*/

It had become a habit of the King, to come to the cells every night. He asked her the same questions, every time, but her answer never changed. He yelled at her, tried to bribe her, threaten her, starve her, anything he could think of, but she wouldn't break. Almost against his will, he had started to admire the strong woman, whose character so resembled his beloved Ygraine. Even thinking of comparing this whore to his wife made him sick. Hunith definitely had spirit, though, and yet never raised her voice, and – though he knew she cried when he couldn't hear her, as reported by the guards – she never showed weakness when faced with him. There was a kindness in her that he had not expected. Gradually, she began to overtake his thoughts, until he couldn't let go of her. He hated himself for thinking these vile things. She was the lover of his enemy, of a sorcerer, who was no doubt planning Uther's demise by now. He had to be eradicated.

It was on one such day that he went down to the cells again. He almost didn't hear the screams until he was at the cell door. He raced ahead, to see what was going on. Gaius was already there, holding Hunith's hand. "You cannot push, my dear, it is not yet time," he was saying. Hunith was about to give birth.

He had known she was pregnant of course, and had stopped the starving and physical violence when he'd found out, but that didn't stop him from feeling the revulsion all over again. This was Balinor's bastard child. It had to be put down before it could spread the filth that was magic any further.

He remained in the shadows by her cell, untouched by the woman's screams. He would be ready to intervene the moment the child drew breath. Hours passed, and the night wore on, but Uther remained where he was, ever vigilant of the sounds he'd only heard once before. As he dwelled on that thought – his son's first screams as he entered this world – the very same sounds from his memory came to life as Hunith's child was born.

Uther stepped out of the shadows, observing the scene before him. Hunith lay on a heap of straw, covered by a blanket Gaius had no doubt produced. And at her breast lay the child. Anger coursed through him as he stepped into the cell. Instantly, Hunith's eyes were on him, and the walls he was used to seeing were erected once more.

"Sire, she needs rest," Gaius tried to say, getting to his feet. "She's–"

Uther ignored him and stepped up to the prisoner, who was now holding the wailing child even closer. "Please, sire," she whispered, utterly exhausted, but holding on to her strength for her child. Unbidden, admiration rose in him for this peasant woman. But his disgust outweighed his admiration, and he snatched the child from her clutching hands. "No!" she sounded desperate, and tears spilled over her cheeks, letting him see her weakness for the first time.

Glaring, Uther took the babe, and turned on his heel, ignoring the protests of his prisoner and her brother.

Evil, Uther knew, could only be cleansed by fire and water, so he headed to the well. He'd ordered many magical children to be drowned there, and now, one more would join their ranks.

Only now did he look at the child – who was no longer wailing. It was a girl. Uther frowned. Could girls even inherit the powers of the dragonlords?

The baby looked up at him with huge, blue eyes, only a shade darker than Arthur's when he'd been born. Uther tried to fight it, but the memory of his son's birth came rushing back as he stared at this child.

He recalled with perfect clarity his own son's screams as air filled his lungs for the first time, his tiny fists clenched and feet kicking. Uther had been so proud, so focussed on his child that he hadn't noticed Ygraine's laboured gasps and Gaius's worried eyes. With her last breath, she had asked him to be kind, and Uther had interpreted is as 'be kind to our son'. He had handed the infant to his nurse and had sat with his wife as life left her body. Arthur had gone quiet then, too.

Looking up, he saw that a light burned in his son's room. He refused to admit it, but Uther knew Arthur was afraid of the dark. The little two-year-old always asked his nurse to keep a candle burning.

The babe in his arms made a sound, and Uther glanced down to see the child yawning widely, and grabbing a tiny fistful of the King's shirt.

Perhaps… perhaps a girl would not be so dangerous, his mind whispered treacherously.

Uther swore. If he couldn't be sure that the child would be a danger, he couldn't kill her. He wracked his brain for a solution, because surely the child couldn't remain here in Camelot. And the mother… Hunith couldn't remain either. She evoked uneasy feelings in him, feelings that made him feel unclean. She would have to go as well, but where…?

"My lord?"

Whirling around, Uther faced the soldier standing behind him, and sent him a glare. "What?"

"W-we have received word, sire. King Olaf will be here by morn."

A thoughtful look crossed the King's face. Olaf was a dear friend and ally, and slavery was not yet outlawed in his kingdom. Perhaps…

He walked past the soldier, back towards the dungeons. The wench would have her wish then, her child would live, and she would be free of him. As the King re-entered the cell, he saw Gaius hugging Hunith, who now sobbed uncontrollably. The man got up immediately, though, when the King entered. Silence reigned suddenly, as the woman held her breath in anticipation.

Uther handed the child over to the physician without a word, and headed out. He had important matters to attend to.

/*/

Hunith left Camelot with Olaf three days later, as a prisoner. It would be months before Uther heard of her again, though the news did not please him. Olaf had fallen for the whore's wiles and had married the woman, claiming the baby girl as his own.

Had his friend gone completely mad? Or was magic involved somehow? He'd been sure that Hunith possessed no such power, and the child was far too young.

He'd raced to Galdara, but was not met with the hospitality he'd come to enjoy in the allied kingdom. Uther cautioned Olaf, almost pleaded with him to get rid of his new bride and her daughter, but his friend would not listen. He claimed he loved Hunith, and that Merlynn was his daughter now. Not even the knowledge of who the girl's father was could sway his old friend.

There was nothing he could do.

A/N: Okay, so I know Royal!FemMerlin has been done before (over and over again, I might add), but I figured this was a new way to look at it. And it has repercussions, I promise. Also, obviously not a royal-merlin-is-engaged-to-arthur sort of story, and, while the pairing is there, it won't show up for, oh... 10 more chapters? I've really gotten into slow burn lately, and I just don't believe that this version of Merlynn would fall for Arthur all that quickly. So expect more friendship at first.

Anyway, review!