They arrived back in the small cottage.
Hunith was sleeping near the fire, a blizzard echoed from outside. The group walked further into the cottage and eventually saw Merlin.
He was sitting next to the fire.
His hair was recently cut, he wore the red shirt and black trousers. Around his shoulders was a small blanket. He had dark shadows under his eyes and was staring intently into the fire.
The fire started to die down, with a flash of gold eyes, Merlin got the blaze going again.
"This is the seventh night he stayed up" said Freya.
"Why?" asked Arthur.
"To keep Hunith warm" smiled Gwen.
"Surely Hunith finds out" said Gwaine.
Hunith woke up and looked at her son. She quietly sighed and went back to sleep.
The scene went to the next night at dinner.
Hunith watched as Merlin started to sway in his chair and went to catch him. She carried him over to by the fire and lay him down. She tucked him in and sat down next to him.
"That is what you get for protecting the protector" she told him with a smile.
"She drugged him?" asked Leon, shocked.
Giaus started to snicker behind the group.
"What is it?"asked Arthur.
"That must suck for Merlin" said Percival suddenly.
"In what way?" asked Lancelot.
"He's selfless, we've just seen his mother drug him in an attempt to get him some sleep. Gaius, how many times have you drugged Merlin?" Percival asked.
"Too many times. Have lost count" shrugged Giaus.
Arthur snorted.
"When we get back from these, I am putting him on a strict timetable" said Gwaine.
"Add eating times to the list" said Giaus.
"He doesn't eat?" shouted Gwen, covering her mouth.
"Hunith told me of a time, when their was no food in the village..." started Giaus but Freya waved.
"We're about to see that one" she smiled.
They landed outside. Hunith was talking to someone, Merlin stood beside her. They were outside the village.
"So, what Merlin spoke of is true?" asked Hunith, handing the hooded figure the picture Merlin drew when he was 1.
"Yes, but destiny has now chosen" said the druid.
"Okay. I wish for Merlin to have a normal-ish childhood. Can you promise that no one else will find out about him?" said Hunith.
"I promise. It was just luck that I found him. No one else comes this way. Your son will be safe. May I speak to him?" asked the Druid.
"Of course. Merlin?" Merlin looked at his name and stared at the druid, who bowed down to his level.
"Hello, what is your name?" asked the druid.
"Are you deaf?" asked Merlin.
"What do mean by that?" asked the Druid.
"Mother just said my name" said Merlin. Hunith whacked him on the back of the head for it.
"Merlin, do not be rude" said Hunith.
"I wasn't. I was just stating a fact" said Merlin. Then his stomach went.
"Are you hungry?" asked the Druid.
"I'm sorry. We haven't any food in our village"said Hunith. She bent down and picked Merlin up.
"No matter" said the Druid. She went into her bags and handed Merlin a bag of sweets.
"Merlin, what do you say?" said Hunith.
"Thank you" said Merlin.
Hunith smiled, say bye and left.
The group followed Hunith back to the village.
She walked until Merlin saw something and asked to be put down. Hunith complied and followed her son to a pregnant woman.
"Excuse me, are you okay?" asked Merlin.
"I'm fine. Just a little hungry" said the woman.
"Is your baby okay?" asked Merlin.
"No, their hungry too" said the woman. She spotted Hunith beside Merlin and threw her a confused looked.
Merlin handed the bag of sweets over to the woman.
"I know that it isn't much. But it should last until the food comes back" he said. He then turned and walked away.
"Erm, I don't know what to say" said the woman to Hunith.
"There's no need" smiled Hunith and she walked away, after Merlin.
"Those sweets saved that baby's life" said Freya.
"They did?" said Percival.
"Yes, if she hadn't eaten those, she would have miscarried the next day" said Freya.
"When did the food come back?" asked Gwen.
"It came back a week after this incident. Do you wanna see the baby?" asked Freya.
The group nodded.
They arrived back in the village. Hunith sat down in front of her cottage, Merlin sat by Hunith's feet, playing with some string. The group saw the woman walk up with a man and a bundle of blankets held in her arms.
"Hunith" said the woman. Hunith looked at her.
"May we speak with you, and your son?" asked the woman.
"Of course, do you want to go in?" asked Hunith. The newly made parents nodded.
"Okay" said Hunith. Merlin stood up and ran into the house, the adults followed suit and took a chair at the table.
"We wanted to thank your son" said the woman.
"Why?" asked Hunith.
The tip of Merlin's hair appeared beside Hunith and a cup of water appeared beside her. The same happened with the parents.
Merlin climbed onto a chair beside Hunith.
"Before the birth, we were seen by a fortune teller. They told us our baby boy would be healthy and happy but only if a boy does a selfless act. Merlin handed over the last of his food so the baby would eat. We wanted to thank him. Thank him for saving Andrew" said the man. The woman lay the blankets on the table and revealed a baby.
Andrew opened his eyes and looked at Merlin, he waved.
Merlin waved right back.
Gwen went "awwwwwww."
They found themselves following Merlin as he walked to the pond. He carried a basket and was humming.
Merlin sat down by the pond, went into the basket and pulled out a notepad. He began to write the alphabet.
"How is it that he can do that?" asked Percival, leaning over the boy.
"His mother taught him from a very young age. She believed that he needed to learn as much as possible" said Freya.
"Why?" asked Arthur.
"She felt that Merlin was not born for village life, and she was right. He found his place with everyone here" said Freya.
"What is he writing?" asked Gwen as she leaned over. Merlin had long since moved on from the alphabet and was writing names.
Arthur
Gwen
Gwaine
Giaus
Percival
Lancelot
Elyan
Leon
Merlin smiled, ripped the page out of book and, using magic, set it on fire.
Hunith came running down beside him, took the burning paper and threw it into the pond.
"Merlin, what was that for?" asked Hunith, turning her son's head to look at her.
"Destiny choose them" smiled Merlin and he fell asleep.
"Oh, my son, my beautiful son" Hunith cradled the sleeping boy in her arms.
"That was freaky" said Percival.
"He will not remember this" said Freya.
"And there is something to tell you. Destiny decided to that Merlin should not be lying about on his butt" smiled Freya.
"What does that mean?" asked Gwaine.
"Merlin will see Arthur from his fifth year all the way up to his first year in Camelot, in which our two groups will join together" said Freya.
Gwaine whooped and yelled " embarrassing stories about Arthur!"
And the group laughed at Arthur's face.