Hunith woke to find Leon up and making tea. She smiled. The feelings Merlin had for him where clearly mutual and she adored Leon herself. She knew Merlin would have questions about his fit but also knew she didn't have the answers to them. The answers she had where to a whole other puzzle.
"Ah Hunith. Did you sleep well?" Leon kicked himself for the question. Of course she hadn't had slept well. Her only son had had a massive fit and then he had turned up, as if he was saving a damsel in distress. What must she think of him? It was bad enough with Arthur seeming to get the wrong impression without Merlin's mother. He simply cared for Merlin.
Leon couldn't remember when he and Merlin had bonded. It just happened. Their mutual respect for Arthur had helped, until Leon realized just how badly he treated Merlin. They had a shared love for nature. Leon loved riding, fishing even just walking outdoors and Merlin responded well to requests for walks. Leon let Merlin talk about various plants and herbs in a way that Arthur simply would not have understood. He smiled at the thought of Merlin wanting to ride with him by the second day of any hunting trip they were both on and was always apologetic after he had caught something. He could feel Merlin's eyes burrowing in to him. Once they had rowed about hunting but once Leon explained to Merlin that he had to do it as part of being a knight and that it wasn't like he wanted to go into the forest and butcher every harmless rabbit, Merlin relented. Leon chuckled at the thought that Merlin still gave Arthur hell for killing innocent animals.
"Leon, would you like some water?"
Hunith's question snapped Leon back into the real world.
"You coughed?"
"No, it was a..Leon could hardly say a laugh at a time like this. It was just something small. I'm fine."
"Is Merlin up?"
"I'm here mother."
"Right, well you both must be famished. I shall do you breakfast. Then I need to talk to you both."
"Mum, I can't stay, Arthur needs me. Something has happened."
"If you think you are going anywhere this morning then you have another thing coming."
"Leon, I'm fine."
"You are not fine. You had a fit. And you left Camelot in a hurry after a row with Arthur. You aren't going anywhere just yet."
"Fine."
Hunith was still impressed as to how Leon made Merlin co operate. On another occasion she would ask him how. She also thought that Arthur could do with some lessons too.
"Mother, what do you want to talk to me about?"
"Not just you Merlin, Leon too. I'll do it once we've eaten. "
Merlin shot Leon a look. Leon shrugged and returned a look as if to say "she's your mother."
After breakfast was finished, none of them wanted to speak. Hunith by now was a bag of nerves. She didn't know if she could do this.
Her son was growing irritated. "Mother, I love you but unless you start speaking, I'm out of here."
"Merlin, don't speak to your mother that way."
"Well, it's driving me crazy Leon."
"And I bet you drove her crazy, show some respect."
"That's enough boys."
"Merlin, I know why Leon is here."
Oh great Leon thought, someone else thinking him and Merlin were engaging in nighttime activities.
"You do?"
"Yes and it has come as no surprise to me."
Merlin was blushing. Leon rolled his eyes; Merlin was useless at this sort of thing.
"I can assure you Hunith that you are mistaken."
"I am not. You have feelings for each other."
"That is correct. But I am not Merlin's lover."
Merlin spat out his tea. It was bad enough when he had had this talk with Arthur, let alone his mother.
"I know you are not. You have a different love."
"Yes Mum, Leon and I are like brothers."
Hunith stilled and feel silent.
"Not just like brothers. You are brothers."