A/N: Okay I know that this chapter has been a long time coming but I have been extremely busy and then I had an awesome idea that I just had to type and now it's up and running so its all good. Now this is the third installment of Merlin's Past!

I was completely astounded, running towards his house was Merlin, and he was six-years-old!

I smiled to myself, so the sorceress that put me here wants me to see Merlin's past, well this ought to be fun.

I followed the six-year-old Merlin to his house, I saw that he was holding a piece of paper with a lot of hand prints on it, all different colours.

It was good for a six-year old.

We reached his house that I recognized from when we stayed there, though it was in better shape now.

He opened the door and walked inside and I saw, for the first time, Merlin's dad.

He had the same colour hair as Merlin only it was cropped short rather than all floppy; he had a hard sort of face with a scar that went from his eye to his mouth, he was probably quite handsome once.

He was quite bulky, too.

"Daddy look, look, I made a pweety picture." Said Merlin, holding up the picture

"And what use is this in the world! This pretty picture, God you can't even talk properly, what are they teaching you at that damn, mother fucking school? You disgust me! You useless brat!" He yelled and there stood Merlin with tears in his eyes, his lip started to tremble.

"Oh you gonna start crying now are you? Pathetic!" and he punched Merlin in the jaw.

At this Merlin started bawling. And why wouldn't you when your only six and your dad punches you, honestly this man is horrible.

He then took the picture and tore it in two, a look of utmost disgust on his face.

Merlin's mother crawled out from her corner; I'd been so focused on the horrific scene before me that I hadn't noticed her.

She went over to Merlin and he jumped into her arms, a big bruise beginning forming on his cheek, he was still bawling.

"It's alright, it's a lovely picture," she crooned "You just caught daddy at the wrong time."

And she rocked Merlin to sleep.

Everything turned blindingly white and suddenly it was a different day, a different time. It was midday and I was in a meadow. I was still appalled that Merlin's father did that, then I saw Merlin, he looked thirteen now, there was a new bruise on his cheek, his lip was cut and there was several bruises on his arms and legs.

He was watching the other boys teasing a girl.

No, this isn't like Merlin, I know him, he's going to go and help the girl.

He frowned, took a deep breath and started towards them.

"Hey," he shouted, "leave her alone!"

The boys turned towards Merlin.

"Well isn't it little Merlin, I'm surprised your dad hasn't chained you up yet, little runt like you doesn't deserve to walk freely."

He ignored them, "What's your name?" he asked the girl

"Madeline"

"Come on, let's get away from these jerks."

The boys made angry motions, but didn't do anything, I wondered why they didn't try and stop him, if they wanted to they could.

He and the girl walked away.

Madeline. Oh my Lord, Madeline! This must be Madeline. Hang on she looks familiar…

Oh no, it couldn't be the sorceress.

I felt like shouting a warning to Merlin, Don't trust her she's a sorceress.

But of course I was in the past and could not be seen or heard so shouting wouldn't help.

"So what's with the bruises, you don't look like the type of guy who gets into fights?" asked Madeline timidly

"I don't purposely get into fights, but my dad he…has a temper."

"My dad too, only he doesn't only get violent"

"What? I didn't say anything about getting violent." He tripped over his own feet when he said this.

"Oh come on, it's obvious, the bruises, cuts and the shouting that I could hear from the other side of the village, last night, we just moved here. And the fact that you a have two left feet."

"Huh? I understand all the injuries but what does me having two left feet got to do with it?"

"In my old village, there was this kid, one day he was out and some guy hit him so hard on the head with a stick, it caused what they called 'brain damage' at least that's what the physician called it in the town over the way. He had two left feet for his entire life, I had to help carry him to the town and I asked the physician why he had it and not simply a bruise and he said that it was because he was so young, it rattled his brain and the skull wasn't thick enough to protect it, so it messed it up a bit and so his coordination was out of whack. I asked him whether other things could cause it and what the other symptoms might be, and he told me that it could be a blow to the head at a young enough age, or getting thrown around at a young enough age, violence really was it, some are just born that way but this can cause it also, and that the other symptoms were too horrible to tell a nine-year-old girl, anything sound familiar?"

I watched Merlin stare at Madeline, oh my God.

He…it was Merlin's that…its his fault that…Oh My God!

Merlin nodded

"See, now my dad didn't start hitting me 'till I was ten so my skull was fully formed so it doesn't hurt me internally." She said

"Are you always so out-there with this stuff?"

"Always"

"Then why hasn't anyone done something about it?"

"Because you're the first person to listen"

The white emerged and disappeared just as quickly as it had came, and then I was in the forest on the edge of the village, I saw Merlin limping through the tree's and started to follow him. He led me to a small clearing, there was Madeline waiting for him. She turned around when she heard him and smiled, she looked like she'd been run over by several horses.

"Hey" she said

"Hey" he replied

They took in each other's injuries, and then they both lay down in the long grass

"You tell first" he said

"Nup you first"

"No-"

"Merlin just tell me and then I'll tell you mine"

"Well alright, basically I honoured our pact to stop, and I stood up to my dad, but he kinda threw me against the wall and my mum was screaming and… well that's how I got the limp"

Obviously these two had gotten to know each a lot.

"Well I honoured the pact too, and when my dad told me to get into bed I told him "Screw you" and he said that's exactly what you will do, unless you want a beating, and I told him "I'd prefer the beating" so that's how I got the bruises" she finished

"You right?"

"Yeah, besides the beating he didn't touch me"

"No I meant have you stopped cutting, we said we'd stop cutting before someone noticed."

"Yes, have you?"

"Yes"

"Awesome"

A/N: So lots to think about there, if you didn't get it here it is- Merlin's dad was an abusive parent, henceforth the reason Merlin is such a cluts and is so close to his mum. And his dad was so bad that he used to cut himself, as did Madeline, only her dad wasn't only abusive physically but sexually as well! Wow that's some messed up life you got their Madeline! I'm sorry for the Australian spelling but it's reflex! Look out for the next chapter.

Spoiler- If you want to get the gist of what's happening or you've begun to lose interest then look up the song Madeline by Tickle Me Pink and listen to it or just listen to the lyrics, either is good!