JayJe: Yes, lots of kissing, lol. I know you love it. :P Yes, you do know what happens this chapter. :P

Guest one: (I'll label you guys one and two cause I don't have any other way to do it) You're not offending me at all, I'm always glad when someone points out errors. Yes, I did use google translate, it's the best I could do, as I don't speak Welsh but it fit with the story, and I don't know anyone who DOES speak it. If you want, you could help me out. I'm always willing to learn. Thanks for pointing it out.

sjritts: Well, if they're busy making out, why would they think about that? :P I can't wait for the talks, either. :)

Guest Two: Glad you liked the story! :) I wouldn't want Hunith angry with me, either…

MICKEY.G.B: Yeah… totally embarrassing… But she can't very well have her son disrespecting a woman, particularly one of noble birth, now can she? :P

Chapter Ten

Once they were outside Hunith released Merlin's ear, which he promptly started rubbing, looking rather put out. "That hurt, mum," he grumbled.

"How could you be so disrespectful of her, Merlin?" Hunith demanded, her glare softening to disappointment.

Merlin stared at his mother in shock. "Disrespect her?"

"She is a woman, Merlin, she wants to be loved, and to have the perfect wedding night, giving herself to her husband and him to be her first."

"Mother, we're…"

Hunith narrowed her eyes at him. "Until you are married, if you ever manage to make that happen, you will do nothing like that with her. You need to learn to respect women, Merlin. I know that, as Arthur's servant, you don't have much time for relationships or love, but I'll not have you disrespect a woman, particularly not one of noble birth."

Merlin looked down in shame, his cheeks burning red. "Sorry, mum…" he murmured.

Hunith raised an eyebrow at him. "Merlin, it is not me you owe an apology, but Morgana. She is a sweet girl and, more than likely, she is uncertain what she wants other than love. She knows you love her, Merlin."

Merlin nodded, keeping his gaze averted. "More than anything, mum, she means everything to me. I've never… never loved anyone the way I love her. I don't want to lose her, mum, but when she returns to Camelot…"

"Returns to Camelot? Merlin, Uther knows of her magic, he has threatened her with death should she ever return, what on earth do you mean?"

"Arthur is not his father, he is a different person and he does not feel the same about magic as his father does. He has stood up to his father for people who have magic a thousand times before, mother. Arthur will welcome Morgana back with open arms when he is King. Morgana is a woman of noble birth, when she returns to Camelot… I'll lose her…"

The sadness in Merlin's eyes and voice caused Hunith's heart to break for her son. No mother wants her child to suffer, and certainly not to find love only to have it ripped from them by the ranks of nobility. She rested a hand on her sons cheek.

"All the more reason to be careful now, Merlin. When she returns to Camelot, if she does, she will be married off to form or strengthen an alliance, her chastity must remain for that to happen. No nobleman will willingly marry her knowing she is no longer pure, especially if it is at the hands of a servant. Merlin, losing your heart to Morgana was foolish, understandable, but foolish. This will cause you both far more heartache than either of you want, need, or deserve."

Merlin looked away, saddened by the truth of his mothers words. As much as he loved Morgana and wanted her, she would never be his, even if her heart was. "Yes, mother," he murmured.

Hunith wiped a few stray tears from Merlin's cheeks as they fell, he was already feeling some of the heartache that would come from this young love. She knew all too well what it felt like to have love ripped away from you.

Merlin stood quickly and started towards the woods. Hunith caught his arm, looking at him with concern. "Where are you going, Merlin?"

Merlin shrugged. "A walk, I need time to think, mother."

Hunith nodded and released his arm, watching sadly as her son walked dejectedly into the woods. She sighed and got up, walking back inside to talk to Morgana.

The younger woman's head snapped up when the door opened, a hopeful look on her face. Hunith watched the look turn wary and sad, she knew what was coming, and if she had to hazard a guess, had listened to the conversation between mother and son.

"Morgana," she started.

"I heard everything you said to Merlin," Morgana interrupted. "And I care not about any of it. I will not go back to Camelot, I am happy here. I have never been happier than I am here, with Merlin. I have never loved before. He is so sweet, so caring… He is everything I have ever wanted and far more than I deserve. I know that Arthur will want me to return to Camelot, to continue as I was before Uther banished me, but… I cannot. Not when my heart is here, with Merlin. If I never go back to Camelot and being a noblewoman, I will be happy, so long as Merlin is here with me. I know many will think it foolish for me to love someone so far beneath my station, but I believe that love has no bounds."

Hunith smiled softly. Morgana was so passionate and determined, that was something she knew Merlin had always admired about the woman. "Morgana, I know what it is like to love someone and to have that love ripped away. Merlin's father, Balinor…"

"The dragonlord?" Morgana asked in shock.

"Yes," Hunith answered, smiling fondly at the memory. "He was a dragonlord, on the run from Uther's purge. Uther had convinced Balinor that he wanted to talk to Kilgharra, the great dragon, when, truly, he wanted to lock away the last dragon. He tricked Balinor into calling the dragon to him, then Uther locked Kilgharra in that cave with specially enchanted chains. Balinor was forced to run, for fear of execution. He came to Ealdor where I met him, we fell in love quickly. We were married in secret. Uther chased him hear, it was only a few months before he discovered the whereabouts of Balinor. He was forced to flee Ealdor, for Uther was determined to find him, no matter whose Kingdom he was in, and kill him. A few months after Balinor left, Merlin was born. Merlin never knew his father because of Uther. Morgana, I would hate to see something similar happen to you and Merlin. You would be called back to Camelot, what if you were to become with child? Do you truly think they would let you keep the child? More than likely they would keep you here until the child was born and then leave it here, with Merlin, and take you back to Camelot, if Merlin was even fortunate enough to survive. I could not watch such a thing happen to you and not to my son. Morgana, I raised Merlin, so a mother's love is easy for me to feel for him, but you," she smiled. "When you came to Ealdor to help us, I knew you were a good and kind woman who deserved the best in life. If only you had been given a real chance to have the love you want."

Morgana nodded, tears starting to fall from her eyes. "I understand," she whispered. "I don't want to leave here. I want to stay here…"

"Unfortunately, child, we do not always get what we want and we must be prepared for that. I only wish you both did not have to feel such heartache."

Morgana nodded. "Where is Merlin? I need to speak with him about this…"

"He went for a walk, he needed to thik, to sort things out in his own mind. I'm certain he wouldn't mind some company, though."

Morgana nodded and rose, hugging the woman who had become like a second mother to her before she walked out the door in search of Merlin.