November 2000 England

It was the day of the funeral, the past months had been hard for everyone. Especially when they were told that Balinor and Hunith had to be identified by DNA as they were badly burnt. Merlin's body was never found, it was assumed that it had been burnt to a crisp or that the authorities wondered if it had been thrown free and predated by a wild beast. That was an idea Uther kept from the others. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the small boy had perished. Instead it was planned to bury a small empty coffin with Merlin's teddy inside along with his parent's coffins. The day was cold and dreary as they listened to the service and followed the coffins to the family graveyard at Balinor's country estate.

Gwaine had been very difficult at first he had refused to accept what he was told, believing they had all walked away from the crash and would turn up. This went on for a couple of months. Then he had become very angry with everyone and everything just had his ninth birthday but had refused to celebrate it in any way. He had been very badly hit by the tragedy believing he should have been with them and if he had been somehow it wouldn't have happened. He confessed to Arthur that he had prayed and asked god to take him and let his family come back, even if it was only Merlin. Gwaine hadn't realised just how much he loved his younger brother until he was no longer there following him around. He missed the cheerful smile and constant 'why' questions that children of that age asked.

Gwaine was still having nightmares and was withdrawing into himself, Uther had arranged a counsellor but Gwaine refused to speak to him. Only Arthur was able to comfort him. Gwaine and Arthur stood by the grave long after everyone else had left. Uther was waiting back slightly to give Gwaine privacy, he hated anyone seeing him crying.

Ygraine, Morgana and Mordred waited at the car. Morgana had been a real help to her mother after the crash, she might only be six but she had decided that Mordred needed someone special, and as Gwaine was so upset it would be her. Uther and Ygraine had spoken to Gaius and the children and had become the orphan's legal guardians. They had no intention of adopting them, Balinor and Hunith would always be their parents. Gwaine was now the Earl of Essetir, but Uther would manage the estate for him until he became of age.

After Gwaine and Arthur left the graveside they went back to the house, more a mansion. There the family, friends and business associates gathered for the wake. It was a huge place and had been in the family for over six hundred years. Uther had told Gwaine if he wanted they would move there as a family. Gwaine refused saying he wanted to sell it and never go back, it held so many memories. Uther kept his silence and found a manager for the estate and kept on a small staff to care for the house. He then arranged for the valuables to be put in the bank for safe keeping. Before they left Gwaine walked round his old home and collected a few things to take with him. In his brothers room he found Merlin's plushy toy dragon and hugged it as tears ran down his face "I will never forget you Merlin"

He hid it in his suitcase and continued to look around. He already had his fathers and mothers wedding rings on a chain round his neck. They had somehow survived. As soon as he was ready he walked out to find the rest and not looking back got into the car. He would not return for ten years.

2002 INDIA

Amita and Merlin, who now thought of himself only as Ramesh, had left the countryside as soon as Merlin had recovered enough to walk beside his 'mother' and made their way to Mumbai catching a train with the money Amata got for her goat. Once there Amita hoped to find her brother who had moved there several years before but failing that she intended to work to keep them both. By now Merlin was speaking in his adopted mother's language and had settled into his new life. His real family and previous life gone from his memory as the struggle to survive took over. They settled in a small shack in the slums near the rubbish dump at Deonar, where they both picked rubbish to make enough to live. The work was long and hard but at six years old Merlin was not the only child working, in fact there were as many children working the dump then adults. Merlin hated the smell from the dump and missed the woods and open areas, he missed not seeing his beloved mountains. But his mama told him they had no choice so he slowly adapted.

If they were lucky they even found enough food to eat amongst the waste and could save there pitiful wages for clothes and other necessities. Merlin found it hard to make friends, his new mother's metal state was still fragile and his pale skin and the fact that he clearly wasn't Indian made it hard for him. He found their remarks hurtful and would run to him mama "Mama, they called me a Gora, why can't I look like them? Why am I so pale and have blue eyes"

Amata looked at the slender boy and hugged him "Take no notice of them my love, you are a good boy, tell them to come to me" she would reassure him. But he was beginning to feel isolated and out of place, even here in the slums so he asked once more. "Can we go back to the mountains Mama?"

Amata shook her head "I am sorry my son, but there is no work for us there. I know you like the mountains but we have to live" she didn't add that at the back of her mind was the fear that if they had stayed then one day she would lose her Ramesh just as she had found him.

Merlin did his best for his mama and worked hard, staying at her side as much as he could. He worked hard hoping that if they could earn enough they could go back to his beloved mountains. He tried making friends but after a while gave up and just stayed near his mama. He was safer that way as his leg made it impossible for his to run if the others picked on him. But he slowly found he was doing more than his mother and also having to look after her as her condition worsened.