CHAPTER NINE
HUNITH AND BALINOR
I.
"Goodbye, British boy."
The kiss left a mark on Arthur's cheek. It burned on the spot. He tried to say a word but nothing came out. He wanted to yell at the boy for kissing him, for bringing this weird feeling to his chest. His mind throbbed and pounded, telling him that it was wrong. It was wrong. Or he thought it was.
As Merlin moved to turn away from him, a rush of emotion ran through his body. He didn't want to let go of the boy just yet. He didn't know why but a part of him wanted to hold on to the boy. And hold on he did. His right foot stepped forward and his other foot followed. It took five steps to reach the raven haired boy. He spun him around, put his arms around his waist, held him closer and planted his lips on his. It happened too fast. It's like his body had a mind of its own.
The warm feeling came back again and flowed freely through his body. It rushed through his chest and stomach and down to his feet. Merlin's lips had never felt good. His heart started beating faster and faster. His brain was in an overdrive and his knees almost buckled. Suddenly, he felt Merlin's arms wrapping themselves around his neck. The events throughout the day flooded Arthur's mind. They deepened the kiss. A moan from the other boy reached Arthur's ears. It made him smile a little. Suddenly, the thought of Uther and the marriage and royalty broke it all off.
He let go of Merlin and he let go of his lips in a snap. He stared at the boy for a moment and was left speechless. He saw Merlin was left speechless, too. Then, he realized he was in public. He looked around, surveying the area, to see if anyone had seen them but the streets were empty and there was no one around. He saw Merlin was in a haze.
He kissed a boy. Arthur's eyes went wide on the realization. He wanted to run away from the place and to think things through. But his gut told him no and to stay and kiss the boy more. Unfortunately, he didn't quite trust his gut at the moment and Arthur just wanted to ignore it and maybe kill it. He stood there, his feet rooted to the ground as he shifted awkwardly.
"I…I should go." Arthur mumbled.
It took Merlin a few seconds to realize what the other boy has said. "Oh yeah…It's late. You should…Um, bye." Merlin stuttered awkwardly.
"Bye."
Arthur turned around and left Merlin standing there. He didn't look back. He delved into his pocket and pulled out his phone and called Oswald. After one ring, the guy picked it up.
"Oswald, I need you in Central Park now. I need to get out of this place." He said it too fast that the guy didn't speak for a while.
"Oh. Oh! Right sire! I'll be there right away!"
Arthur waited at the sidewalk for a while for the car to arrive. It might come late knowing Oswald was probably searching the city for him, waiting for his call. He was quite surprised when two minutes after the call; the car arrived in front of him. He entered through the passenger door.
"Were you just around the corner when I called you?" He asked.
Oswald thought for a moment. "Um…yes, your highness! I was driving around Central park." He turned the wheel and they drove off.
II.
Merlin remained on his spot. He hadn't moved an inch since Prince left him there. He was confused and slightly dizzy. That was his first kiss; he'd never imagined it could've been that good. No, it hadn't just been good, it was amazing. He let go of the breath he'd been holding for the past minute. He felt like his chest was about to collapse and the ground was about to swallow him whole.
He kissed a boy. A boy that he had just met yesterday and had now left a mark in his memory. A boy that he wouldn't see again soon and probably would never cross paths with for a while. He feared he might not ever see him again. He touched his lips softly as he reminisced on the memory. Maggie would freak out once she learned about this. All of his friends would probably freak out about this. Merlin rolled his eyes at the thought.
Then, he realized he just got a 'hit and run' kiss. The boy walked out. He was probably freaked out by what was going on. Hell, even Merlin was freaked out and surprised a little. It was never his intention to evoke such a response on the other guy. Merlin sighed and turned his heel. He shuffled across the street toward his apartment. His fingers still lingered on his lips and his mind was out somewhere. He accidentally bumped into someone as he walked toward the glass doors.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" Merlin apologized.
"It's okay. I'm fine." The man said. Merlin noticed he has a camera around his neck. "I'll be fine. Are you okay, Merlin?" The man smiled at him.
"Yeah…wait, I'm sorry, do I know you?" He asked, confused.
"No. Maybe tomorrow you will. Good night." The man turned his heel and walked away from him as he whistled a hymn in a creepy tune. Merlin pushed him at the back of mind and strutted down the side walk. He hurriedly entered the building. He was about to push the elevator button when Barabbas did it for him.
"Prince Percival is worried about you." Barabbas said in a monotone voice as he glared at him.
Merlin rolled his eyes. "I'm fine Barabbas. See, no scratches or wounds." Merlin spun around slowly and showed his arms to him. "I was just with a friend." Merlin noticed as the man knitted his brows and stared at him in confusion. The elevator door opened and the two men entered.
"And who's this 'friend' of yours?" Barabbas asked.
"I said don't worry! He's just nobody. A British tourist who would be gone in the next few days. I just showed him around New York and probably would never ever in his entire life want to see me again." Merlin fumed. The thought of his 'first kiss guy' not explaining what he did was giving Merlin a bad headache. "Is that bad?"
"Yes. For your security."
Merlin rolled his eyes again. "No one knows who I am. So, security is not really needed."
They didn't talk for a while. The elevator was still on the 6th floor. Then Barabbas decided to speak. "So I heard that Prince Arthur was in the city." Merlin turned around and shot him a dirty look.
"Oh my gosh, not you, too. Seriously I'm going to rip someone's throat the next time I hear his name! Everywhere I go all I hear about is him and I don't want to hear about it from you. He's probably sitting on his throne right now with girls in his lap and getting himself piss drunk." Merlin ranted.
"Right. You don't really know Prince Arthur so…I'm sorry your highness." Barabbas muttered.
"Of course I don't know the guy but from what I heard he's a prat." Merlin looked around the elevator when he didn't see the other guy who always wore a trench coat. "By the way, where's Elyan?"
"Um…beating a guy with a camera down the block." Barabbas answered in a monotone voice.
Merlin looked at him in confusion then a second later, burst out laughing. "I didn't know you have a sense of humor, Barabbas!"
When Merlin saw his apartment door, his stomach sunk down and almost fell to his butt. He was about to face his mother. He was thinking about running away again but his mind was telling him no. It was about time to learn everything about why his father was a king and why he was born as royalty. He fished out his keys and put it in the keyhole. He turned the knob and opened the door. He walked in silently. Barabbas obviously stayed outside.
The smell of apple pie reached his nose; his mother had baked him his favorite dessert. He walked to the living room and found his mother watching the television. She turned around and saw him standing there.
"I…I baked you some pie." She got up quickly and walked toward the kitchen. Merlin followed her. "This isn't a bribe or anything to hear me out just a pie for my son. Because I know it's your favorite and I love you but this pie is a…" She mumbled.
Merlin just smiled at her. "Its fine, mom. Thank you."
Hunith looked up to him and smiled. Merlin sat on the chair as Hunith passed him a plate with a piece of pie on it. Merlin could smell it and smiled. Hunith sat down across from him.
"We need to talk." Hunith started.
"I know." Merlin took a bite of the pie.
Hunith didn't speak for a moment and stared at her son as he ate. "Are you sure you wanted to hear this now? Because we can talk tomorrow."
"I want to hear it. I've been walking and thinking and I think I'm ready for it. I won't judge you or anything if what you're about to tell me is bad."
Hunith nodded. "Thank you."
"Now, what happened before, mom?" Merlin asked cheerfully, trying to lighten the mood.
"It's a very long story. After I got pregnant I was…"
"I want to start from the beginning." Merlin interrupted.
"The beginning?" She asked curiously.
"Yes. I mean, how you ended up with…a royal dude. I want to hear everything." Merlin gave a half smile at her mother. She smiled back at him.
"Well," Hunith paused. She had been practicing what to say all day but her mind had gone blank. How was she supposed to tell him about her banishment unless she started from the beginning? "I met Balinor in the most unusual of places. My family and I were gathered around the bank of a river for a picnic to celebrate my graduation from university. We always gathered there anyway every sunny summer. But that day was different. I knew something was different the moment I stepped on the green grass and touched the warm water. I had no idea what I was getting myself into until I realized I couldn't look back."
III.
19 years ago,
Ealdor, Avalon.
"Hunith, where do you think you're going?" Gaius asked as he pulled some bread out of the basket and put it on the cloth spread across the ground.
"I'm just taking a walk with Charlotte." Hunith put her arm around the blonde haired woman beside her.
She had just graduated University after studying Botany for four years with a dear friend of hers, Charlotte. They'd been best friends since kindergarten and Hunith couldn't have survived without her. They'd shared their own secrets together and they'd been through thick and thin through all their problems in life, including boys.
"Don't take too long", Julian called out.
Julian Essetir had been a farmer for twenty five years and was a proud father of two. As an act of appreciation to Julian, Hunith studied botany to help her father with the farm. Although Gaius was doing government work in the palace, Julian was proud of his kids' life and careers. Ever since his wife and he divorced, Hunith and Gaius had remained supportive of them. Seeing his daughter graduating put a smile on his face. In fact, he didn't stop smiling for days.
"Alright, Mr. Essetir!" Charlotte called back.
The two girls walked down the bank talking and giggling to each other. Charlotte was bound to marry a farmer's son in the next few months and she had offered Hunith to be her maid of honor. Hunith gladly accepted. After Charlotte had accepted the proposal, she has been bugging Hunith to find another man to spice her life up. Hunith had been in countless blind dates throughout college set up by her best friend. She appreciated it, but she only had one man in her mind.
"I saw Marcus staring at you yesterday at the party", Charlotte nudged her on the elbow.
"No he was not!" Hunith argued.
"He was. He even asked me if you were single. I guess four years out of town and out of his sight has made him realize how much he really likes you."
Marcus had been Hunith's crush and love throughout elementary and through high school. In fact, she still liked the man. She was surprised the man even talked to her at Charlotte's graduation party in her house, but she wasn't really sure whether his intention was just to sleep with her or not.
"I've seen that man kiss a dozen girls at our school dance before. I kind of don't trust him in a relationship." She pointed out.
"Oh come on Hunith. We both know you've been crushing on him for a long time. He's a grown and mature man now with a wine business going not far away from Ealdor. Maybe you and he could have a very large plantation and who knows, maybe even be rich!"
"The thought does sound tempting. But I'm a farm girl. Dairies, animals, vegetables and corns are my specialty." She said defiantly.
"I know Marcus is your first love. There's no harm in knowing he wants to marry you!" Charlotte nudged her again.
The two girls laughed again when they heard a splash and rustling not far away from where they were standing.
"Shush, did you hear that?" She hushed.
Hunith listened and put her attention on the bank. She swore she heard a splash but Charlotte didn't hear anything. The chirping of the birds and the sound of the wind distracted her. But at the corner of her eye, a body was lying behind a giant rock. It was not moving.
Hunith and Charlotte rushed toward the rock and found a man lying still behind it. Hunith knelt down beside the stranger and rolled him to his back. He was not breathing. She checked his pulse and it was faint. He turned to her best friend.
"Charlotte, go call my father now! And call an ambulance!" She shouted. Charlotte hurriedly got up and ran off.
The man wasn't breathing. His pulse was still faint. His face was cold and pale. His clothes were all wet and she believed he might've drowned. She opened his mouth to try and feel his breath but nothing came out. Hoping she wasn't too late, she pinched his nose with her thumb and forefinger, opened his mouth a little and touched his lips with hers. She gave two full breaths and after that, started to compress his chest with both of her palms. She hoped he wasn't past the point of saving.
"One, two, three, four, five, six…Come on! Seven..." She counted under her breath.
She continued to press on his chest, but there was still no sign of breathing from the man.
Hunith put her mouth to his again and gave him another full breath and started pressing on his chest. Suddenly, the man jerked and rolled to the side. He coughed the water out of his lungs.
"Oh my God! Thank you! You're alive!" Hunith shrieked.
The man remained lying on the ground as he held Hunith's hand. His vision started to clear as he looked around him. The first thing he saw was the blue sky up ahead. He thought he was already in heaven when he heard the cries of a woman. He turned over and he found the woman hovering over him. He pulled her closer. "My brother? Where's my brother?" The man asked anxiously.
"I don't know. You're the only one here." She answered. She noticed Gaius and her father running down the slopes toward her.
"You saved me…" The man suddenly fluttered his eyes closed and Hunith screamed at him to wake up. She hit his chest again with her fist but the man didn't open his eyes.
Gaius knelt beside her and attended at the injured man. He gasped in surprise.
"Oh my god…"
"What?" Hunith asked in confusion.
"Hunith, this is Prince Balinor!"
~~~oOo~~~
"You saved him?" Merlin asked in shock.
"Yes. I did." Hunith chuckled for a while. "But it was a grim day for him though. That meeting didn't come with a price." Hunith went into a deep thought.
Merlin stared at her curiously, studying her expression. "Why? Did it have something to with why you guys aren't…together?"
"Of a sort." She answered.
~~~oOo~~~
"Is he going to be okay?" Hunith asked her father.
"He will. The doctors said he received some minor injuries." He informed her. The two were sitting at an empty bench. Nurses and doctors were running around the hallways going who knew where. Hunith had been fidgeting on her seat for the past hour hoping that the man she saved was safe and out of harm. Charlotte had gone back home since she's scared of hospitals.
"Gaius is still not here." Hunith looked around for him.
"He left for the capital ten minutes ago. Don't worry, your brother will be reporting to the king. The royal family will arrive here shortly." Julian patted her arm and assured her everything will be alright.
Reporters and news crews had parked around the hospital when they'd learnt about the accident half an hour ago. It was madness outside the building. The people were trying desperately to get in but the local officers tried to hold them back. There were many people crying and screaming and praying for the prince to be well and safe.
Hunith looked up at a small television screen on the wall televising Prince Balinor's car accident. Rescue crews and the media had been searching for another body, Prince George, the crown prince of Avalon. Hunith thought about what the man said earlier. It was something about his brother. If he was talking about the crown prince of Avalon then where was he now? She hadn't seen him beside him and if the crown prince was in the accident, she feared he might be floating on the river. She shook that idea out of her head.
After another hour, the royal family arrived in the building. The media outside went wild taking pictures and filming as the family entered the hospital. It was a doleful sight to see. King Elman's disheartened eyes were filled with pure sadness. Princess Nimueh tried to block her face as the cameras flashed in front of her as they entered the lobby.
Julian bowed his head down lightly as Hunith curtseyed when they approached. The King acknowledged their presence.
"Are you the family that saved my son?" Elman asked.
"Yes we are, your majesty." Julian answered politely.
"Thank you. There will be gifts delivered to you and for your daughter for your kind deeds in the next hour or, you could name your price and I would give it to you."
"Your majesty, there's no need…"
"I insist. If it weren't for all of you my son would be dead. Now where is he?" He turned to the doctor beside Julian.
The doctor started to lead them to where Prince Balinor's room where he was resting. Princess Nimueh smiled at them as she passed. Hunith smiled back.
"I'm happy he's okay." Hunith whispered on Julian's ears.
"Dear, you saved his life. I'm proud on what you've done."
The two looked in from the small window. Prince Balinor hugged his father with joy as he approached. It was the first time Hunith had seen the King cry. Nimueh was delighted to see her brother well and safe. The room was filled with tears and happiness and Hunith couldn't help but smile at the scene.
"At first I thought you were going to die." Nimueh hugged him tightly. Tears started streaming from her blue eyes.
"Shh… Don't say that. I'm glad I'm not. I'm like Merlin!" He joked. "Where's George?" He asked hoping there was news about his brother.
Elman and Nimueh looked at each other in worry. "They haven't found him yet." The king told him as he slowly found Balinor's hand and held him.
Balinor didn't speak for a moment. "Well, I hope he'll be okay."
King Elman and Nimueh hugged him again. A rush of relief and joy swept over them. Balinor looked over from Nimueh's shoulder to a small window where two individuals were watching them. He recognized the woman at the right instantly as his savior. He smiled at her.
The woman smiled back.
~~~oOo~~~
Five Months Later…
The royal family of Avalon had given many gifts to the Essetir family and even gave Gaius one of the highest positions in the royal family. The King had visited the town of Ealdor twice to thank them. Prince Balinor on the other hand had visited the town more times than Hunith could count.
Prince George died instantly from the accident. He was found seven hours later trapped under a giant tree branch sticking out of the water. Balinor was broken and somber when he heard the news. He didn't take it well. He stayed in a state of grief for weeks. The whole nation was in a mournful state. For a month, everyone wore black and paid their respects to the loss of the nation's crown prince and once future king. It was televised around the world.
The future king of the kingdom was gone. All eyes were set on the next heir, Prince Balinor, who was not ready to take on the responsibility as King. For many years since his birth, all the attention went to his older brother for he was meant to inherit one of the richest countries in the whole world. Prince George didn't have a child to pass the crown to and he wasn't married. Balinor, on the other hand, had the young Prince Percival although his wife died in childbirth a year ago.
Balinor visited the town once a week to pay his respect on the same bridge where the accident happened. During these visits, he visited Hunith a lot. He talked to her and Hunith helped him deal with George's death.
In time, the two became good friends and he even invited her to one of his summer vacations to the royal parties down in the capital. Hunith admitted that it was not her scene though, so Balinor instead stoleher away to Italy where they spent a week tasting every local food in the country. Food to Hunith was like heaven so she enjoyed the trip with a passion.
While Balinor had been introducing Hunith his life of luxury, Hunith has been showing him what it meant to be a farmer's daughter. The prince had tried to milk a cow and sow a corn field. He even tried to feed the pigs and cook turkey, much to the dismay of his father who always argued with him on visiting Ealdor. Balinor fell in love with the place and planned to put up a royal house in the town as his residence.
Overtime, Balinor grew fond of Hunith. Her charm and passion of things inspired him to be a better person. It inspired him to move on from George's death and accepted the responsibility as the crown prince of the nation. As a return of appreciation, he helped her with wooing her crush, Marcus. He bought her beautiful dresses and instructed her how to act in front of a man, especially when she liked him. He set up a restaurant for Marcus and Hunith although Hunith always protested to him that the date didn't really go well but she enjoyed spending time with him.
Slowly, Balinor found himself falling in love with the woman who saved his life. He thought of asking her out on a dinner now that Marcus was out of the picture. He intended to get to know her more and laugh with her. To hold her hand and smell the scent of her hair. He wanted to do all these things with her. He even thought of asking her hand for marriage and having a family with her, even though his father, nor his sister, agreed on his feelings. Under the law of Avalon, a prince would marry a person of noble blood. It had been a long time since a royal married a common citizen. Hunith was a daughter of a lower class man. Balinor couldn't do anything about that.
"What is this?" Hunith studied the small envelope on her hand. She hurriedly opened it and read the words written on it. She gasped in surprise. "An invitation?"
"I'm inviting you to my coronation event. I'm going to be the official crown prince by tomorrow night." Balinor smiled at her. A sad look crossed Hunith's face. "Is something wrong?" He asked. He was worried that Hunith might not accept it.
A week ago, he confessed his love for Hunith although she never really said anything back to him. They sat in silence as they watched the sun set from the horizon. A couple of days ago, he said the three words, but again the woman remained silent. He feared that what he was feeling right now might not be returned.
"No! Nothing's wrong. It's just…I don't have a dress to wear." Hunith extended her hand with the intention on giving back the letter.
Balinor snapped his fingers twice and a man came out of the car. He opened the trunk and pulled out a white box. He walked toward the porch.
"Hunith, this is your dress." Balinor pointed at the box as the man opened it.
A beautiful and elegant diamond beaded strapped, floor length purple satin dress lay before Hunith's eyes. It must have cost a fortune. Her eyes went wide in shock and excitement as she saw the name of the designer sketched at the right corner of the box. This came from Paul Smith, one of Avalon's most well-known designers. She hadn't even seen the dress featured in fashion magazines yet.
"Is this…"
"Tailor-made? Paul is a dear friend of mine and I asked him if he could make a dress for you."
"Balinor, I can't."
"Please, this is a gift. Without you, I might be holed up inside my room drowning myself in liquor." Balinor laughed.
Hunith hesitated for a moment. She had already told Balinor she never liked parties where everyone dressed to impress and outshine the woman next to them. She feared the dress might not look good on her since she has suffered through many horrible dresses from formal school dances to the black tie events in town. Balinor kept on insisting that the dress would look great on her and after a couple of minutes of convincing, Hunith accepted the gift.
~~~oOo~~~
"The dress upstairs? That's Paul Smith's?" Merlin gaped at her in shock.
"Yes it is. It's now a vintage Paul Smith's design since it's already lasted twenty years." Hunith crossed her arms and smirked. "By now, it could fetch at least one hundred grand, easy."
"No wonder you always told George never to touch it!"
"Of course! I'm planning on selling it in the near future. That's the only design he made."
Merlin laughed and shook his head. "I can't believe you got a design from him."
"Me too." Hunith took a plate and served herself with a piece of pie.
"Balinor said he loved you yet you never said it back. Why?" Merlin took a last bite on his piece and she served him another.
"Different things started to clash inside my head. Too many opinions and thoughts of things that were happening around me."
"Does this have something to do with you getting out of the country?" Merlin asked.
"No, not really. But this was one of the reasons why."
~~~oOo~~~
Jealousy. Jealousy and wonder was in everybody's faces. Their eyes were full of envy and spite. They whispered and asked about the woman in a purple dress who just entered the room. The wait staff, even their assistants had no idea who the woman was except Balinor, whose eyes were intently focused on her. She gracefully walked down the grand staircase and strutted towards him, smiling brightly. He couldn't help but smile back. His heart was pounding and time around him seemed to freeze. The woman's name was Hunith and Balinor was falling head over heels in love with her.
Balinor was right. The dress didn't just look great on her, it looked amazing. She was stunning. Everyone in the hall was talking about her. Her simplicity outshined them all. Everyone was wearing too much jewelry or too many accessories on them. Some even wore tight dresses that made them look like they couldn't breathe in it. The others wore gowns and dresses that were bigger than them and a few wore dresses that were shorter and totally inappropriate for the event. Well, their intention was to get the attention of the prince but somehow his attention was on Hunith alone.
Balinor took her hand, bent down and kissed the back of her hand. Hunith blushed a little at the gesture. Some people raised their eyebrow at the scene and even whispered at each other.
"You look beautiful." Balinor complimented her as he stared at her longingly.
"Thank you…you also look…princely?" The two laughed awkwardly.
"Thank you for coming."
"An hour ago I was contemplating whether to come or not."
"I'm glad you did."
Lady Catrina suddenly appeared beside him carrying two glasses of champagne. She never noticed the woman standing in front of him. "Here your highness. Champagne for your big evening." She took a sip of her glass. Balinor took it and gave it to Hunith.
"Perhaps you would like some?"
"No thank you. I don't drink." She refused.
Catrina turned her attention on her. She eyed her fiercely, glancing with contempt at she was wearing. She was wondering who this stranger was, it was rare for Balinor to speak to women other than her and those close to him.
"And who are you?" She interrupted.
"I'm Hunith Essetir." She smiled politely at her but Catrina never returned the gesture.
"Lovely. Who invited you?"
Balinor rolled his eyes. "I did." He glared at her. Catrina was silent and avoided his stare.
After a minute of awkward silence, Balinor extended his hand. "Shall we dance?" He asked, bowing lightly his head.
Catrina smiled and beamed at him. "Of course!" She said excitedly.
"We've danced a couple times before, Catrina. I was asking Hunith if she would like to." He turned his head to Hunith who blushed suddenly.
"I'm sure she'd be fine. She could sit for a while and maybe eat the meals served for the night. I heard it totally fills your stomach." She glared at her and eyed her from head to toe with spite.
Hunith flashed her a fake smile and rolled her eyes without Balinor noticing. "I'm not hungry. If you are, they could serve all of it on your table. Seemed like you need it." Hunith shot back. Catrina just gaped at her in shock.
Hunith took Balinor's hand and he dragged her to the middle of the dance floor where they danced gracefully. Balinor and Hunith were both smiling and laughing at each other while the people around them were staring at them. It was a scene of a fairytale that reminisced to everyone with Disney's Cinderella.
Catrina crossed her arms and mentally stomped her feet as she watched the two dance. She swiftly took another glass of champagne from the server passing by and gulped it all down her throat. Princess Nimueh stood beside her.
"What's the matter?" She asked.
"It seemed your brother is pretty fond with that woman." She answered harshly.
Nimueh instantly recognized her the moment she laid her eyes on her. "Ah, Hunith. Savior of Balinor" She informed her.
"The farmer's daughter he can't stop talking about?" Catrina asked, intrigued.
"That one." Nimueh rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. "He can't stop talking about it in front of me, too. Even to my father."
"I hope he doesn't get a hobby of this, Nim." Catrina remarked rather bitterly.
"Oh, Catrina, I'm your best friend. I can assure you that I think he won't." Nimueh smirked at her wickedly and Catrina just smirked back at her.
Hunith was beaming all night. She was smiling and dancing and laughing along with Balinor. She didn't care when people whispered when she passed by the corridors or when they judged her right in front of her. She didn't care that she was dancing with a prince because to her, he was just a guy, her dear friend, who she was falling helplessly in love with as the night slowly passed. No, she didn't care at all.
Balinor grabbed her arm and dragged her along the long empty corridor, leading her into an empty study hall. Hundreds of books were resting on the bookshelves that stood against the walls. Some of them even dated back before to the times before King Henry VIII.
"I thought we could get the hell away from formal greetings and shaking hands and take a breather for a while." He scoffed.
"I agree. I kind of felt guilty hogging their spotlight." She laughed as she sat down on the soft sofa across from the lit fireplace. Balinor walked toward her and sat next to her rather closely.
"But did you enjoy the evening?" Balinor asked, worried that his invited guest would say no.
"One of the best nights I've ever had." She smiled tenderly. Balinor gazed at her longingly. He slowly entwined his fingers with her as Hunith caught his eyes and locked it with hers.
"Mine too." He whispered sweetly. Suddenly, he leaned forward and captured her lips and sealed it with a kiss.
Hunith was flabbergasted. She didn't know what to do. Then, her arms suddenly rose up and snaked its way around his neck. Balinor put his arm around her waist and kissed her more deeply. Hunith closed her eyes. Everything around her disappeared. This was the first time someone kissed her like this. She could feel her leg was about to pop up. Then, Balinor broke off but lingered closely in front of her lips. Their eyes met and they were left speechless for a second.
"I know Hunith that we only met a few months ago. And I've told you twice already that I love you and that I wished you felt the same way. I guess what I'm asking is, would you like to be with me?" He asked with a serious tone. Hunith didn't say anything; her eyes looked down away from his. Balinor understood the gesture. It was doubt. "I know I have a son but he's a good son. He would love you. In fact, he already is dying to meet you." He persuaded.
Hunith looked up. "It's not that!" She protested.
"Of course not! Wait; does it have something with me being the future king?"
"No. It's just…I don't know, Balinor. I don't know." She flapped her hands around. "I'm sorry."
A guy rushed into the room and announced his presence before bowing in front of the prince. "Your highness, His majesty has asked for your presence in the ball."
"Thank you." The guy bowed his head again and quickly left the room. "It's probably my coronation. We should be there." Balinor got up with rather heavy shoulders and seemed dejected. Hunith watched him as he disappeared behind the door. She suddenly picked up her speed and bolted after him. She flung the door open and found the prince walking toward the hall. She ran toward his side and entwined her fingers with his and stopped him from his tracks.
She leaned over and whispered into his ear. "I think I love you too."
~~~oOo~~~
"Then what happened?" Merlin asked excitedly and urging his mother to continue.
"Well, we dated for almost two years after that and…"
"And then what?" He interrupted.
"I got pregnant. It was you." Hunith smiled happily as she reminisced from the memory. "Although we weren't married yet, we asked for his father's approval but…" Hunith looked down and stared at the slice of pie sitting on a plate in front of her.
"But what?" Merlin's smile dropped down into a frown.
"Well, he being with me wasn't approved by the whole royal family. When they learned Balinor intended on marrying me, they…freaked out. They said it was against the law. Although I did argue during that time that it was the twentieth freaking century and not the medieval ages but it was tradition that it has to be noble blood. Balinor disagreed with the law and changed it. We were bound to marry. Your brother was even excited about it. He even promised that by the time you are born, he would take care of you and be a good brother." She sipped on her glass of water.
"He promised?" Merlin asked, surprised when he heard it.
"He swore to it for weeks." She pointed out and laughed.
They were silent for a while as their laughter died down. Then Hunith shifted awkwardly hesitating whether to tell her son the next part of the story. "I got banished after that."
Merlin gaped in shock, eyes wide. "Banished? I thought you said you just left Ealdor!" Merlin attested.
"There's a reason for it."
~~~oOo~~~
17 years ago,
Ealdor Castle, Avalon.
Ealdor castle was built a year ago as the official residence of the crown prince of Avalon. Here lay twelve bedroom chambers, fourteen bathrooms, three grand halls, four study halls, a grand staircase, and a twelve acre garden at the backyard. Every day, the house was filled with light and life. Percival's laughed echoed across the halls and the staff was all happy working under the wing of the prince. Everyone was treated equal through the insistence of Hunith.
Everyone loved her and was so excited to hear that she would be the future queen of the kingdom even though it hadn't been announced to the public yet, except the royal household. By next week, a grand party would be hosted by the crown prince himself. He intended to surprise the guests that the said gathering would be his and Hunith's engagement party.
Though, that day seemed a little grim on Hunith's taste. It was raining heavily outside and the wind was whistling loudly. It also didn't help that King Elman and arrived to have a "talk"with his son in private. She had been waiting in the living room completely ignoring the opened book in front of her. She had abandoned it right after she opened it. She was fidgeting and rather impatient and curious as to what they were discussing. It sounded like it was very important.
A man in a black suit entered the room and bowed in front of her. "My lady, the royal family asks for your presence."
Hunith smiled at him in courtesy and walked toward the study hall. The moment she opened it, a gush of cold wind passed through her. It shivered throughout her body. She felt cold. A fireplace was lit and she proceeded to walk toward it. She was thankful for that. King Elman was standing near the window, looking outside the heavy rain.
She looked around and found Balinor sitting on the sofa silent and rather gloomy. He didn't look at her when she entered the room. Something was really wrong.
"You asked for me your majesty." She announced her presence and King Elman turned around and walked slowly toward the study table.
"Do you know why you're here?" He glared at her.
Hunith felt a little bit light headed from his glare. It was intimidating and Hunith glanced at the door for half a second hoping she could run and hide from it. She shook her head. "No, your majesty. I do not. Am I in some kind of trouble?" She asked, worried as she looked around the room and half hoping that Balinor would speak up.
Elman huffed. "Trouble? You're in a scandal, young lady." He crossed his arms and glared at her menacingly.
"Is it true?" Balinor finally spoke up and Hunith was relieved. But his tone was accusing and he stared at her with sadness.
Hunith was confused. "I…I'm sorry but I'm lost. I don't know what we're talking about."
"About your child." Elman looked down at her small bump. "Is it true that it's not my son's child?"
Hunith's eyes went wide with protest. "This is Balinor's child! What is this? Why are you asking me that? Isn't it clear he is the father?" She argued and pointed at the man who sat across from her.
Elman walked toward her and gave her a folder. She jerked it away from his hands although she didn't really care when the king shot her another glare. She read the papers contained inside it and it was basically a report of her cheating with another man. That her pregnancy was a lie and of another man's child.
"No…This is all lies! I didn't do this!" Hunith threw the folder and the papers on the ground.
"A few people have come up to me and said that what was said there was true and all their information rang similar to each other and some of these people were strangers to each other. How do you explain that?" Elman claimed.
"I'm being set up! Whatever the papers said it is not true!" She tore up. She looked at Balinor for a helping hand but the man sat there silently and in a deep thought.
"Bring them in." Elman ordered to the man in black standing beside the door. He left quickly and a few seconds later, three of the people Hunith knew entered the room.
Marcus was in his usual suit since he now owned a good wine business. Charlotte entered with her garden clothes and her father followed with a guilty look crossed his face the moment his eyes laid on his daughter crying and standing a distance away from him. Charlotte seemed uncomfortable there too. Marcus stood with composure and calm. Like he belonged there and had a right to be there.
"These are the people who came forward to me, Hunith. Do you think they're lying?" Elman raised his arm and presented them like they're an exhibit.
Hunith looked at the three of them with a confused and betrayed look. "What?"
"Is it true?" Balinor asked once again.
Without skipping a second, Marcus spoke up. "Yes, your highness. The child is mine."
"That's a lie!" Hunith objected.
"Silence!" Elman screamed. "You are still in the presence of the king and I hope you respect that! It is not your turn to speak. It's theirs." He glared at her. He nodded at Marcus to continue.
"The moment I learned about the child, I immediately confronted her about it and she protested it was Prince Balinor's child, but I know it was mine. She later admitted it was mine and that the child could have a better life living in a royal household so we came into an agreement that its best for the child but, I had a change of heart." He said convincingly and Balinor pursed his lips and stare at an imaginary object on the floor. "I want to keep the child." Marcus declared. Balinor shot him a look of doubt and a glint on his eyes said that he didn't believe what the other man said.
"It is true sire." Charlotte spoke up and Hunith felt betrayed. She felt like her heart was about to explode out of her body. Her best friend was accusing her of the things she didn't even do. A friend who she has treasured and shared secrets with for many years. A friend she trusted all of her life. She turned pale. "Hunith confided with me about this matter and I agree to keep it with her. But I know part of my heart felt this was wrong so…I told you about it."
"I bet this felt wrong too." Hunith muttered.
"Hunith!" The cry came from the man beside what used to be her best friend. A man who she knew all her life and had loved since birth. It came from Julian. "Please, dear, don't lie. This is not the life I wanted from you." Julian walked slowly toward his daughter and held her hand.
She pulled it away from him with force. "Father! How could you?" Hunith choked, betrayed. It felt like a million rocks was about to fall on to her head. She turned around and looked at Balinor who, at that moment, was standing and gaping at her feeling betrayed and abandoned and foolish. She could see through his eyes that he believed now what they were saying.
"Is this true?" He asked. Tears started streaming from his eyes. He curled his hand into a fist in anger yet a part of him hoped that this was all a lie. Yet, the words came from her father as well.
"Balinor, I beg you, don't believe what they were saying, even my father! They've been bought!" She pleaded.
Balinor looked at Julian. A man who was kind and gentle and would never ever do such a thing. A man who he cooked turkey for and who'd complimented him even after his dismal attempt. The man he was ready to call his father the moment Hunith was wed to him. This man would never lie to his daughter who he loved very much. He would never ever do such a thing.
Balinor stomped out of the room in a fit of rage. He passed by Marcus, turned around in second, and landed his fist on his jaw. The man fell toward the ground instantly and Charlotte knelt beside him to check if he was alright. He was knocked out. Hunith tried to chase after him but Julian grabbed her arm and held her back. Balinor walked out of the room.
"Because of this infidelity, I ask you not to see Balinor again. Ever. I want you to leave the country although you are welcome to stay but I can assure you that your life would never ever be easy." Elman threatened before walking out of the room followed by his guards.
Hunith cried for weeks before setting up a plane leaving to America and lived with her mother. She never forgave her father although he was pleading and kneeling in front of her for forgiveness. His betrayal hurt and Hunith swore she would never see his face again.
IV.
Present day.
"Then, seven years later, Balinor became King of Avalon. He married Catrina even though she already had a daughter from her first marriage and I was lost in memory." A tear streamed from Hunith's eyes and she quickly wiped it off hoping Merlin didn't saw it.
"Those fuckers." Merlin muttered in hate.
"No! Merlin, don't ever hate him." Hunith pleaded.
"Why the hell not? They hurt you." Merlin reasoned.
"It was his father's doing. Not his. He is still your real father. All they said weren't true and Balinor found out about it."
"He found out?"
"Yes, he did. He found an abandoned file in the palace and it was about Elman bribing my friends…and family to cooperate with him. Threatening their business and their family if they didn't comply. He threatened my father, too. It was all Elman's work." Hunith informed him. "That's why two years into his term; he searched the globe for you. He tried to find you, Merlin, and when they did, they kept tabs on you. He didn't want to disturb you from your normal life. He wanted you away from the troubles of being a royal." Hunith got up and walked toward her son. She sat next to him and held his hand. "Your father loves you."
"If he doesn't want me to be a royal, what was that last night?" He asked, irritated.
"That was just Percival being himself, too excited on meeting you. He was impatient. He searched for you too, you know." Hunith cupped his cheek and smiled at him. "We both love you. Gaius, George, all of us. We hid it from you because we wanted you to live life. I don't want you to live a life behind everyone's expectations of you. Cameras trained at you every single day. Gossip magazines talking about you harshly. I don't want that. It would destroy you."
Merlin smiled at her in appreciation. "Thanks, mom."
She smiled back and got up. "I'll clean the dishes and you need to go to bed. It's late." She started grabbing the plates off the table and putting them into the sink. Merlin got up and proceeded to the stairs. "And Merlin," Hunith called out and Merlin stopped from his tracks and turned to face her. "Go to your father tomorrow. They want to meet you."
Merlin thought for a second. "I'll think about it."
"And if you do decide to go," Hunith picked up a piece of paper from the side table and handed it to him. "That is their address."
Merlin nodded and headed up the stairs while Hunith watched him before returning back to the dishes.
After watching a couple of episodes from "How I met your mother",Merlin decided to go to bed for the night. No matter how hard he tried or how many sheep he counted in his mind, his eyes seemed determined not to flutter closed.
His thoughts wandered back to what his mother just said. The past was a scary place to visit and he appreciated his mother doing that for him. He still couldn't accept the fact that he was a son of a king and he was destined to sit on a throne ordering his servants to cook him meals or run to the nearest McDonalds and order him a big Mac. He imagined himself doing it but it never stuck at all. It scared him off.
He wondered if the royal family would even give him a choice in the matter. What if there was no choice but to comply and be a prince? He envisioned the royal police, or whatever Avalon's forces were called, would barge into the house, kidnap him and drag him to the palace. He would be pleading of course, and cursing at them and would probably try to fight back. They would glue him on the throne to make sure he never escaped and would be entertained and visited by other filthy rich (yet plastic) people who bowed down in front of him and kissed up to him to gain favor. It would be a slow painful death for him if that was the matter listening to everyone's problems and sitting for balls, galas, and parties and state events. Then, they would force him to marry a woman he never even met or just said hello in gatherings. He would try to have children and heirs.
But he was gay for Christ sake. He would puke the moment he saw a lady's private part right in front of him and would probably cry and sob himself to death if they had to do it in bed. He'd passed out right there. His imagination scared and grossed him out so much that he put a pillow over his face and beat the crap out of himself just to shake the image of making love to a woman out of his head.
Then, a light bulb lit up over his head. What if he told them that he was gay and maybe they would shun him (even though it would hurt a little) and they would get rid of him, maybe even forget about him. Merlin thought about it for a moment and agreed that it would be totally worth it. The royal family would turn their backs and walk away from him leaving him with a normal life as it should be. They would forget that he ever existed. Just like the Prince from India, that he can't remember his name of, that got cut off from his family because he came out of the closet. Now he was living life to the fullest without royal duties! In fact, didn't Balinor (or father) want him to have a normal life instead of joining the household?
Yes, tomorrow he would try to get rid of them or persuade them that Merlin Phillips being a royalty was a totally bad idea. He should probably bring his school records with him just in case they needed proof on what exactly his thinking and decision skills were. He needed to do what was right and what would restore the balance of the world. He guessed that the likely scenario would be that they would give him no choice at all. He didn't want to be a prince. He didn't want to be stuck in a life his mother had suffered.
He got up and marched toward his study table, pulled out a pen and a piece of paper from its drawers, and wrote his speech for tomorrow.
After the thirty-fifth sheet was crumpled and thrown to the bin, Merlin gave up and returned to bed, deciding to improvise tomorrow instead.
He lay down on his bed hoping sleep would come to him, but the thought of Prince and the kiss slowly crept into his mind. Oh God, this is going to be a very long night.
