Arthur pressed a cloth to a wound on a man's shoulder. He guessed it came from an axe. The man's eyes were fluttering closed. He quickly spread a paste Hunith had had handed him on the wound, then tied it off. "Come," Arthur said. He supported the man with his hand behind his back and helped him lay down. The man fell asleep almost instantly.

Arthur wiped his hands as he scanned the group of refugees. There were only about two dozen of them. He sighted Morgana, Gwen, and Lancelot, also aiding as they could. Even Merlin and his friend Will helped. Rage rose in his heart. These people were barely surviving and someone had decided that made them easy pickings.

Arthur saw Hunith in intense conversation with Derric and one of the survivors. He marched towards them, standing just outside their circle to listen.

"We have very few weapons," Derric said, his forehead creased in worry.

"You should just give them what they want," the survivor insisted. "It's the only way to avoid what happened to us."

"We had a poor season," Hunith objected, her arms folded over her chest. "There's hardly enough to go around. And with your people..." Her voice faded, the point clear.

"We could forage," Derric said.

Hunith sighed. "There's not much in the forests, either."

"We can't fight them."

"You can," Arthur spoke up, moving into their circle.

Derric looked over at him nervously. "They say you're Prince Arthur from Camelot." He sent a furtive glance Hunith's way.

"I am. And you have the right to defend your home. No one should come and take what you've worked hard for."

Derric looked suddenly panicked. "We aren't soldiers, my lord. The raiders are forty strong or more."

"Then we plan and work hard."

"We, my lord?"

"I'm going to help you."

"Hunith?"

Hunith stared at Arthur. He felt she was weighing if she could trust him or not. Finally, she spoke. "I think we have little other choice."


"Lancelot, we can train these men to fight."

Lancelot looked skeptically at him. "We can give them perhaps a bit more skill, but these are farmers, Arthur."

"Farmers or no, this is their home and their food stores. They are willing to fight for them."

"And what about me?" Morgana asked. She had already pulled out her sword, wearing it at her side.

"I need your mind," Arthur said to her. "I want you to assess the village. Find its weak points and easy places of entry. We'll need to defend those."

"I can help, too."

Arthur looked to young Gwen, dressed similarly to Morgana, a sword dangling from her waist. "Aid Morgana."

"I can fight."

Arthur laughed. "Women don't fight."

Morgana coughed and scowled at him.

"Except Morgana."

"The women may want to defend their home," Gwen objected. "I would defend Camelot."

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her fervent declaration, surprised at the meek maid's sudden change of personality.

"She's right, Arthur," Morgana said.

"No, she isn't. The women and children will be safely protected away from any chance of battle."

"You can't stop them from fighting!" Gwen argued

Arthur glared at her.

"My lord," she amended quietly.

"We need all the help we can get, Arthur," Lancelot spoke quietly.

Arthur turned, sending a furious look at his friend. He looked back at Gwen. "Aid Morgana."

"My lord—"

"You heard me, Guinevere."

Gwen bowed her head.


Hunith observed as Arthur and his friends went about their preparations. She'd never expected the prince to care about such a small village. Uther hadn't deemed them worth a second thought, but Arthur...

Hunith mused as she moved back towards her home to prepare what meals she could for the men practicing to fight. Maybe she had misjudged Prince Arthur. Maybe. But even if she had, her boy's magic hung over her head. How many times had she wished he'd never been born with it! She'd told him he was special, but she had mourned so often that he was.

She had wondered over the years if Merlin's danger was her fault or Balinor's. More likely Balinor's. And then she would regret having fallen in love with the man. But memory would challenge her, thoughts of cherished times enveloped in a loving embrace.

Hunith opened the door to her home and stopped dead in her tracks when she beheld what awaited. Many of the women of the village had poured into her home. "You should be preparing food for your little ones."

"We want to fight," one of the women proclaimed.

Hunith stared at her. "That isn't your place."

"We have the right to support our men," another said.

"You have children," Hunith argued.

"Are you going to fight?" still another spoke up.

Hunith wrung her hands.

"We know you will," the first one said.

Hunith firmed her jaw. Of course she would fight, even though she knew little. She would do anything to protect Merlin. "You don't know anything about fighting."

"I'll teach you," a soft, yet determined voice proclaimed.

Hunith looked to her doorway at Morgana's petite young maid. "You?"

Gwen nodded succinctly. "My father's a blacksmith. I know a thing or two. Just don't tell Prince Arthur or Sir Lancelot."

Hunith smiled at the girl as she stepped inside the house and into the middle of the group of women.


"What do I get to do?" Merlin asked as Arthur returned from a training session with the men.

"You get to stay with the women and be safe."

"But..."

"No buts, Merlin. You're only a child."

"I'm not!"

"Yes, you are."

"I'm thirteen now." Merlin stretched himself to his height. He just about reached Arthur's shoulder.

"That doesn't matter."

"Lancelot's a good teacher."

"He is," Arthur agreed, "but you don't know nearly enough."

"I can help you!"

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted, stopping with his hands thrown up in the air. "When will you get it through your thick head I don't need your help!"

You do, Merlin argued silently, recalling the boar he'd stopped from mauling the prince.

"You don't have any formidable skill in fighting. You will stay with the women and that is final."

Arthur huffed away. Merlin stared after him. Will had asked him if he'd use his magic if someone were going to die. I would, he realized. If Arthur were in danger, he'd openly use his magic and hang the consequences.


Three days later, Hunith had to admit that Prince Arthur had done all he could to see that Ealdor was ready for any raids. He'd organized patrols, trained their men as best he could, and set a trap with Morgana's aid. They were as ready as they could be, but she worried even that wouldn't be enough.

She was just settling into bed when she caught the whispering voices of her son and Arthur. She leaned over to glance around one of the hanging sheets. Merlin sat cross-legged before the fire, listening to Arthur tell him some story from Camelot. Merlin stared up at him with bright eyes. Two sides of a coin.

Hunith sighed. Her joyful child had returned the moment he'd embraced Prince Arthur. Watching them now, she recalled her own brothers. They'd acted not unlike Arthur and Merlin were now. Merlin had been a bit of a lonely child, even if he had Will. He'd had no father to look up to, no sibling to guide him. Arthur seemed to have filled in the gap.

Hunith lay back on her bed. Two sides of a coin. What did that mean? One older, one younger? One prince, one servant? One warrior, one sorcerer? Destiny, the dragon had told her. Merlin destined to be a great warlock whose purpose was synonymous with Arthur Pendragon.

What if it were true? What if Merlin's joy came from his destiny? If so, how could she deny his return to Camelot? Merlin had finally found his purpose, and her fear was taking it away from him. She heard Arthur chuckling and Merlin laughing. The sound brightened her troubled thoughts.

Perhaps she had been wrong about Arthur. Uther would never have seen to the defense of a humble village in another kingdom. Something was different about Arthur. It's Merlin, her mind unwillingly told her. What had the dragon said? Arthur could change if his destiny flourished. And according to the dragon, Merlin was the key to that destiny.

Hunith drew in a long breath. Did she dare have the faith to send Merlin back to Camelot?


"They're coming! They're coming!" A farmer careened into Ealdor, screaming as loud as he could. The villagers went into action, Arthur's lessons ingrained in their habits. In the flurry of activity, Hunith saw that all the women were sequestered at the back of the village in the two largest homes they had. She hoped no one caught the furtive looks between them. They wouldn't be staying inside for long.

She looked back as she closed the door to see the men moving to their assigned places. Gwen slipped in right before she closed the door. Hunith sighted Merlin sitting next to Will against a wall, staring at her fearfully. She moved towards him, reaching down a hand to pull him up. She directed him to a quiet corner. "Merlin," she whispered intently. "I want you to listen to me." Merlin stared gravely at her. "No matter what happens, you stay here."

Merlin blinked, but his eyes so well known to her betrayed his thoughts.

She squeezed his arm. "You don't use it. Do you hear me?"

"I can help," Merlin whispered earnestly.

"No. You cannot. Do you understand? You will not leave."

"I can't let people die when I can save them. Why won't you ever let me be who I am?"

Hunith felt tears rising in her eyes. She pulled Merlin into an embrace resting her head on top of his. "I love you, my boy. Please obey me. This battle isn't yours to fight."

When she pulled back, she saw Merlin had tears in his own eyes.


Arthur peeked out from behind the stone wall of a home. He held his drawn sword in a hand. Galloping horses came into view, their riders rough and dressed in the hanging skins and motley armor of typical brigands. The first to reach the village jumped off his horse and flung open a door, entering a home. He re-emerged a moment later, confusion on his face. Others also went in and out of houses.

"What is wrong?" a deep voice cried out. Arthur assumed this large man to be the leader.

"They're all gone, Kanen," one of the raiders answered.

The leader, Kanen, glanced around, eyes narrowed. "They wouldn't abandon all they worked for."

"They heard of us and fled," another raider laughed.

"Easy spoils for once," a third commented. "Come on." Several of the raiders entered houses.

Kanen moved forward. Arthur looked at the main entrance to the village. He raised his hand to Morgana hidden in wait. A wall of barbed sticks sprang up, blocking off any escape. Several other walls would be going up all around the village.

"Kanen!" one of the raiders pointed at the entrance. The leader whirled on his horse. Arthur stepped into the lane.

"I'm giving you a chance to leave these villagers alone."

Kanen stared at him, then his face broke into a wicked grin. "Who do you think you are?"

"Someone you shouldn't cross."

Kanen twirled an axe in his hand. "Care to test that assumption?"

"If you force me." Arthur brandished his sword.

As Kanen moved towards him on horseback, Arthur cried out. "Now!"

Chaos erupted. Village men poured from behind houses, fighting with any and every sharp implement. Several of the raiders were so shocked they went down in seconds, but soon they were fighting back. Kanen's horse bucked and he hit the ground. He didn't stop for a moment, growling and rising, stalking towards Arthur.


The moment the shouts and clashes of battle hit their ears, the women of Ealdor unwrapped piles of blankets that had hidden farming tools meant for war. Merlin gaped as his mother took up a flail. Gwen reached the door, holding her own sword. Merlin stared wide-eyed at the girl who he knew as a shy maid, a furious look now on her face. "To me!" she cried, as she opened the door. The women poured out after her.

Hunith looked back at him when she reached the door. "Stay here." She looked at all the children. "All of you . Do not leave under any circumstances." The door closed behind her.

Merlin looked to Will at his side. His friend was as shocked as he. "That...was our mothers," he stammered.

Merlin felt betrayed. She told him to stay here, but went herself. He stood up, his expression growing fierce.

"Merlin?" Will asked.

"I'm going out."

"No!"

"Arthur may need me."

"He can fight just fine."

Merlin turned back and shouted. "It's what I have to do!" After all, if Gwen could fight, he certainly could. He rushed to the door and out.


Arthur had hoped Kanen would be an easy kill, but the raider was battle hardened. They circled and thrust and dodged, neither making any headway. Arthur heard Morgana's battle cry, and saw her swinging with her own sword not far away, a raider going down under her prowess. If he'd had the time, he would have stopped to applaud her skill.

He hadn't a moment to assess the battle, but he could see both raiders and villagers lying on the ground. His plan had been to hem them in and kill most by surprise. He wasn't sure how clever that had been. There was a sudden chorus of shouts, and Kanen backed up and turned his head, surprise in his eyes. Arthur glanced over as well. The village women had appeared out of nowhere, joining the fight, and at their front was a girl swinging her sword like mad and wounding one raider after another.

Arthur gaped. "Guinevere?"

He almost took a blow from Kanen's axe and turned back to the fight just in time.


Merlin slunk around the outside of the battle, skirting the woods, trying to get around to the entrance to the village. He knew Arthur would be at the front. He finally reached it and crouched down, staring into the chaos. He sent his sight out, passing Gwen screaming in rage, though he paused for a moment. His mother had reached the front as well, and he hardly recognized her, so pure was the anger in her expression. Where was Arthur? There! He was fighting a man one on one.

Merlin put a hand to his chest, feeling blood rushing through his veins and his magic stirring.

"What are you going to do?"

Merlin's sight snapped back as he looked to his side. "Will!"

"If you can go, I can, too."

"You shouldn't be here."

"Shut up. What do you want to do?"

"Hang on." Merlin turned back to the battle, sending his sight out again. Arthur screamed and he saw a mighty thrust of the sword. It pierced straight through the leader and out his back. Merlin pulled back his sight. "I guess...nothing yet." Arthur didn't need him after all.

"Mother!"

Merlin startled when Will pushed passed him into the battle. "Will!"

Will was running towards his mother who had fallen, a spear jutting out of her side. His own mother appeared, jumping in front of Will and his mother. A raider charged her. Merlin watched in horror as the raider swung his mace. His magic blasted forth without his hardly willing it.


Arthur was leaning over Kanen's corpse when he looked up in time to see Hunith standing her ground before a wounded woman and boy, a raider's mace about to turn her head to jelly. He could only see her from the back, and he stared in shock when a sudden whirlwind appeared in front of her, gusting with tremendous speed. It slammed into the raider attacking her and kept going, picking up several others in its wake.

A raider swiped at Arthur with his sword. Arthur answered in kind. A few more went down before he heard only groans and wails. Weapons had gone silent.

He staggered forward. There was a sorcerer in Ealdor? "Who did that?" he demanded when he reached Hunith who crouched down next to Will's mother. "Where is the sorcerer? Who have you been hiding?" Arthur felt foolish. Their plan had been at risk and he hadn't known it. Who knows what advantage a sorcerer could have taken of the situation?

Hunith stood slowly, turning squarely to Arthur. "It's me, my lord."