Merlin was first to speak
"Say that again."
"You are brothers. Well half brothers."
"How?" Merlin was surprised by how low and threatening his voice sounded.
"Me. Merlin, Leon, I'm sorry but I am mother to you both."
"I don't believe you. How could you?"
"Merlin, none of this was easy. But you both deserve an explanation."
Leon turned to look the woman in the eye, "Yes Hunith I believe we do."
"You had better both sit down. This will take some time."
"I have all the time in the world Mother, as does Leon."
"Ok. Right. Well, I firstly want you both to know that I love you and never wanted to hurt either of you. I was young and foolish and got involved with someone I shouldn't have. He left as soon as I told him I was pregnant. I came to Ealdor as Gaius was here at the time. I had nowhere else to go. Then your father came Merlin.
I loved him from the moment I saw him. He was kind, just and yet powerful. He told me his past but I didn't care. He made me feel alive.
Leon, you may have heard about the Purge. Well Uther suspected Balinor, Merlin's father of sorcery."
Merlin watched Leon for a reaction. Balinor was known as a Dragon Lord. Leon didn't move.
"Please go on Hunith."
"Uther sent out his most trusted knights to purge the land of magic. One, Sir Alain led a party to Ealdor. He spotted Balinor and saw me with child. He was a good man, a kind man who didn't agree completely with Uther but orders were orders. Rather than arrest us there and then he let us try and explain ourselves. Balinor pleaded with him not to take him away from me and Sir Alain clearly noticed I was with child. So he struck us a deal."
"My father promised not to reveal Balinor's whereabouts in exchange for the baby."
"Exactly. He didn't know it was not Balinor's and reasoned that any child of his could be persuaded to use magic. While if it was in his care, he could ensure it did not learn the Old Ways. His explained his wife was barren and nothing would bring her more happiness than a child to care for. We reluctantly agreed. I had to see you live Leon, if we had refused and Sir Alain had no choice to arrest us, Uther would have burned us at the stake, including you. And Sir Alain offered a life I couldn't give you."
"But mother, it didn't work. Uther came back for my father."
Hunith bowed her head and shed a tear. "He would not stop. Sir Alain told Uther that there had been no sight of him but that there had been reports of sorcery and those were now dead. It stalled Uther for three years but he could not be swayed from starting out again."
"Your father Leon, sent a note to warn us. And your father had no choice but to run Merlin. He didn't know about you. I swear."
"I know. I had to be the one to tell him."
The room fell silent. Hunith was sobbing now in the corner. Merlin was sat on the table watching Leon for any emotion, any movement. Leon was just staring into air.
Suddenly Leon rose.
"Hunith, thank you for telling me. Despite your motives you gave me up and let me live a lie. You've stolen my family away from me."
Between sobs. "I'm sorry, I'm just so sorry."
"Merlin, I can't. I need to get out of here."
Merlin nodded, he then walked over to Hunith and hugged her. "Mother I'm going now, we will be back soon. Leon just needs some time."
And with that Merlin and Leon left a sobbing, broken Hunith and walked outside.
Merlin led Leon outside. Leon didn't ask how two horses were already waiting for them. Climbing on he looked at Merlin as if he had been fatally wounded.