If all goes according to plan then this is part of a super fantastic update where I give you more than just the one chapter at a time. Of course this means that you haven't been getting anything from me in a while which is understandable because I'm a university student in the middle of five exams.

12: Sister

The travelers stayed for three days in Ealdor. The people there welcomed them back with open arms but they weren't given the exact reason why Arthur and the others were running. In those three days, Arthur didn't see much of Merlin. It was really starting to annoy Arthur; Hunith wasn't saying anything and Gaius said it was for Merlin to tell.

Fed up with his servant/knight's compulsion to keep secrets and bury his feelings, Arthur started asking around for him. No one seemed to know where Merlin had gone until Arthur had spotted a familiar dark head walking over to the village cemetery.

He found Merlin laying flowers on Will's grave. Arthur stood off to the side for a moment then picked a few more of the wild daisies that Merlin had found and walked over to him. Laying the flowers down next to Merlin's he stood next to his servant.

"Why are you here?" Merlin asked, sounding dead to the world.

"He did save my life," Arthur replied.

"But that's not why you're actually here," Merlin looked at him.

"No. I'm here because a certain friend and knight of mine has been acting rather silent and un-annoying for three days and I want to know what could be so horrible that he can't tell anyone else," Arthur stared at him.

Merlin smiled for a moment. "Mother didn't tell you?"

"No."

"And Gaius?"

"Also no. He said it wasn't his place to tell," Arthur answered.

Merlin took a sharp intake of breath. "This isn't a conversation for graveyards," he evaded and started walking towards the edge of Ealdor. Arthur followed, resting one hand on his sword. Once they were in the forest, Merlin sank to the ground against a tree. Arthur sat opposite from him.

And then Merlin told him everything. It was odd how they still could trust each other in situations like this despite everything that had happened. Arthur listened patiently to Merlin's story about this mysterious Balinor who had apparently fathered him and then run from Ealdor to escape Uther's pursuit.

When Merlin stopped he no longer seemed like he was brooding. "I just don't know what kind of man he is. When I was growing up, I always thought that my father was some sort of...I don't know..." Merlin trailed off.

"Dishonorable wretch?" offered Arthur.

"Something like that. My mother never spoke of him and when I asked, she always evaded the question or just said 'he left.'"

"And this caused you to doubt his character," Arthur assumed.

Merlin nodded. "But the way my mother spoke of him when she finally told me...that he was leaving to protect us...it makes him seem...honorable, almost. Though why didn't he take us with him? Why hasn't he come back? There hasn't been any soldiers of Camelot in Ealdor until you came with me to defend it," Merlin paused. "Is he dead? Did he come back, see Mother with me and think she married?"

"You have an active imagination. It won't help you discover the truth," advised Arthur.

Merlin chuckled. "You're right."

"Are you ready to come back?" Arthur asked.

"You're...being really nice to me...it's weird."

"Merlin."

"What?"

"Even if it's technically unofficial, I did knight you. If it were recognized properly, we could be friends and seeing as I'm probably not a Prince any more, I see no reason why we have to stand as Master and Servant any more," Arthur felt his brow furrow at what he was saying.

"Do you really feel that way?"

Arthur hesitated. "I don't know."

Merlin was about to respond when he heard a twig snap in the forest behind them. They jumped to their feet and saw Sir Leon, just Sir Leon, standing with his sword drawn.

Arthur was about to draw his sword when Merlin stopped him.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"If he wanted to attack he could've at any time," Merlin whispered back.

Arthur relaxed a fraction. "What do you want, Leon?"

Leon hesitated...and then put away his sword. "I just can't believe it; I can't believe that you're evil. Not after listening to that. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were still Arthur and Merlin...but you're not. You're sorcerers. You are evil," Leon seemed to be talking more to himself than to them. Arthur recognized the struggle going through his mind.

"Leon. I'm still Arthur Pendragon; I'm still a knight and I'm still your friend and mentor. I don't see anything that should change that," he told him.

"But you have magic...you both do," Leon argued.

"It wasn't by choice...for either of us. The mother of the sorcerer that was executed before I was nearly blinded forced her magic into me. With each passing day it becomes more and more bonded to me. As for Merlin, he was born with it, he didn't have a choice either," Arthur explained.

"And Lady Morgana?"

Arthur looked at Merlin.

"She was born a seeress and her abilities evolved into proper magic. She doesn't have a choice either," Merlin replied.

Leon nodded. "I've never questioned orders more than I am right now. What am I supposed to do? The King has ordered that Arthur and Lady Morgana be caught alive and everyone else killed on sight."

"A knight," said Arthur, speaking as his usual Royal self "does what is right in his heart. I taught you that, Leon. If your honor compels you to let us go, there is no shame in that. If you feel you must obey my father's orders then so be it but I won't go back without a fight. I know what awaits me in Camelot."

Leon relaxed. "The rest of the soldiers will be in the village by night fall. We won't touch the people there but if we find you there..." Leon shook his head. Arthur saw Merlin momentarily clench his fist.

"Thank you, Leon," Arthur and Merlin backed away from the knight and ran back to the village.

"We have to leave," Arthur announced and started readying the horses.

"Why?" Hunith demanded.

"Uther's men will be here by night fall," Merlin replied and Morgana and Gwen started repacking their packs.

"This is Cenred's kingdom; why is Uther pursuing us here?" Morgana asked.

"The fact that this is Cenred's Kingdom hasn't stopped Uther before," Merlin replied and helped Gaius into the saddle.

"Where will you go?" Hunith grabbed Merlin's arms.

"I don't know, Cenred's kingdom is vast, Uther can't search everywhere. Who knows, maybe I'll run into my father," joked Merlin, trying to cheer her up.

"There's something else you should know about Balinor. You wouldn't let me tell you when we talked and I haven't been able to find you since," Hunith took a deep breath "Merlin, your father...is a Dragonlord."

They'd been out of Ealdor within the hour. Merlin was in shock all over again and Arthur finally resolved to slap him. Hard.

"What did you do that for?" Merlin demanded.

"Stop brooding," ordered Arthur as they galloped away.

"I'm not brooding," defended Merlin.

"Yes, you are," Morgana called over to him.

Merlin looked behind him in the direction of Ealdor. "Will they really leave the village alone?"

"If they do anything to Ealdor and word of it reaches Cenred, Camelot will be at war. Even if he were completely insane, Uther wouldn't risk that," Gaius assured him.

"I hope you're right," Merlin muttered. Arthur almost didn't hear it.

Arthur heard the sound of horses in front of them almost too late. A patrol of Cenred's men ambushed them, Arthur felt his magic surge through his surprise and three of them found themselves up in the trees without their swords.

Merlin was about to cast a spell but another spell hit his target first. The rest of the patrol ran away from them.

Arthur looked at Morgana who shook her head.

"Don't be afraid," a voice like velvet called from the trees. A woman in a burgundy and silver dress walked out before them hands away from her sides. "I mean you no harm. My name is Morgause."

Cue the epic music. Morgause was always my favourite character that I love to hate.