Three days later, the horse crested the final hill over the White Mountain, just as dusk was falling on the longest night of the year. He thought it appropriate, that he should come back to the place of his birth, on the night celebrating the anniversary of his rebirth.

Merlin smiled to himself. "It won't be long now." He called back to the woman on the horse. To ease the burden, he'd been leading the creature for most of the way. It was laden with extra bags of food, and a few furs, courtesy of the queen. The horse also carried the most precious treasure Merlin had ever possessed. Glancing back, his grin widened...'Two most precious treasures.' He corrected himself.

Most of the homes were dark, when they finally arrived in the small town. Merlin tied the horse to a post, and assisted Sefa to the ground. Taking her hand, he guided her to the door of a house near the center of town. He rapped lightly on the door, and waited.

Soft candlelight fell through the door, when it opened a crack. "Yes?" A woman's voice asked tentatively. Her blue eyes blinked in the dim light. For a moment she paused, trying to discern if she was dreaming. Then, she threw the door open and gathered her son into her arms. "Oh, my boy! I haven't seen you in so long!"

"Hello, Mother." Merlin returned her embrace vigorously.

"Come in. Come in!" She said, preparing to drag him into the house.

He held back for a moment and looked over his shoulder. Hunith's eyes followed him to the woman bundled in a cloak behind him. "Mother, this is Sefa."

"Well, you are more than welcome to come in, too. Both of you, out of the cold now."

It felt good to be home. He noticed the traditional Yule Log set on the table, with a large candle burning in the center. It was to burn all night long, in order to welcome the sun's return to the world the following morning, when the days would once again, start growing longer. Midwinter...even though there were still months of storms ahead of them, had always signified a chance for change and renewal. Merlin embraced that thought, as he untied his cloak and began helping Sefa with hers.

(~*~)

Hunith busied herself, stoking the fire and lighting a few extra candles. Her sharp eyes didn't miss how her son was so gentle with the young woman. She smirked and thought it was about time he found someone. She nearly dropped the log she was feeding into the hearth, when the distinctive cry of an infant pierced the air.

Spinning around, her eyes widened. Her hands flew to her mouth to cover her gasp of shock. "Merlin...is that?"

"A baby?" His face was filled with more joy than she had seen from him in years. He stepped over to her, a bundle of blankets in his arms. "Mother, I'd like you to meet your granddaughter, Liliane."

She squealed and reached for the small child. "Liliane. Such a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." Hunith pulled the girl close to her, and fell immediately into old habits of babbling and cooing. "Oh, Merlin, why didn't you ever tell me!"

She looked up at her son and the young woman he had brought. Sefa shifted nervously on her feet. The young woman's lips were pursed and Hunith could tell she was holding her breath.

"I didn't know about her, until less than a week ago." Merlin stated plainly. He put his arm around Sefa.

Hunith evaluated them both for a moment. "So...you're not married then?"

"Mother?!" Merlin chided and drew the young woman closer to him.

Laughing, Hunith's eyes sparkled. "Oh you know I'm only teasing you. " She saw Sefa's tension ease slightly. "Merlin's father and I were only together for a short time. I had to raise him all on my own."

"You did a fine job." Sefa said, finally finding her voice in the foreign environment. She looked at Merlin, and he back at her.

"I'm glad though, that my son will get the chance his father never did...to know such a sweet, little angel."

"I need to go take care of the horse. Will you ladies be alright?" He asked, pulling his cloak back over his shoulders.

Hunith waved him off. "On your way back, make sure you grab the manger out of the goat shed."

"The manger?" He asked, his eyebrows disappearing into his hair.

"Yes, it's good enough for babes in stories, and it was good enough for you, when you were Liliane's age." She turned to Sefa. "Sometimes those tales in the books the monks speak from, have very practical ideas."

Sefa giggled, beginning to feel very much at home.

(~*~)

The straw pallet, covered with a blanket, was more comfortable than any feather bed Sefa could imagine. Merlin dozed lightly at her side, an arm wrapped around her protectively. Liliane had thoroughly enjoyed the spoiling that her new-found grandmother had lavished upon her, and was sleeping in the manger, set close to the fire.

It was a dream come true. Was it only days ago, she had worried about even surviving the winter? Now, her future seemed as bright as the coming dawn. Like the days following the Winter Solstice, the light in her heart could only grow.

~Fin