Who is Hunith?
A/N: Last Chapter! Please Read & Review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters.
Chapter Six – Standing Out
Merlin watched as the other children ran around enjoying the May Day celebrations. He rested his head on his hands and sighed. He was longing to join in; however, for some years now, none of them wanted him to join them. His ears still rang with taunts as tears pricked his eyes. William was a great friend but he was also very popular. The young boy understood this but understanding this did not make his friend's absence any easier.
Tom, the leader of their village, sat down next to Merlin. He couldn't help feeling for the boy. Growing up without a father mustn't have been easy for the ten year old. H pulled out his knife, sliced a segment off the apple he'd been carrying and offered it to the boy. Merlin took it. "What you doing sat here then?" Tom asked.
Merlin shrugged his shoulders, "Nowt"
"Shouldn't yea be playing with the others?"
"They don't want me to play with them."
"Now why would that be?" Tom rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"I'm weird. They don't want to play with weird people."
Tom turned to stare at Merlin. With a quick glance around, he bent towards the boy and whispered, "You want ta know a secret?"
Merlin's eyes glistened, "Yeh!"
Tom smiled before adding in a whisper, "We're all weird an' don't you let anyone say anything different!"
Merlin ducked his head, "I'm weirder." He stood up and walked the walk of a defeated soldier back to his home.
Tom's heart went out to the boy. He shook his head and threw the apple away.
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Hunith sat by the table, quill in hand as she watched her son sleep. Slowly, she returned to the job at hand...
My Dear Gaius,
I know it has been years since I last wrote. I have found it too painful to pick up a quill. Now I am forced to write to you, my dear friend, to ask for your assistance.
I have an eighteen year old son, by the name of Merlin, whom I have educated to the best of my abilities. I feel he can achieve much more than both this village and I can offer him. I wish him to travel to Camelot to continue his education; however, without someone to look after him I feel he will go astray. So here I am, writing to you to ask for your assistance. Will you take my son and help him become all he could be?
I understand if you tear this letter up and never reply. If I do not hear from you, I shall assume that you have done just that and I shall never bother you again.
Although I cannot return to the past, I still love you,
Hunith.
Even as Hunith finished the letter, she knew she had not told the whole truth. It was getting hard for Merlin to hide his 'gift' in such a small village. She knew she was sending him to a place that killed those with magic but she had no choice. She had no friends elsewhere and maybe, just maybe, there will be too many people to notice his 'talent'.
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Gaius let the letter fall from his hand. It had been nineteen years ago when she left and the boy she mentioned in her letter was eighteen. Could it be possible? Was the real reason she had left was because she was carrying his child? He couldn't bear the thought of it being someone else. He picked up a piece of parchment...
Hunith,
How could I ever deny you? Send him to me and I shall treat him as the son I never had.
Yours Always,
Gaius
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Hunith's heart was torn apart when she read the single line Gaius had written. She wanted to tell the physician that Merlin was his son and yet she could not bring herself to do it. She turned to Merlin, "My child, there is something we need to talk about..."
