Balinor and Sir Elyan waited at the crest of the hill for Hunith and Mordred to catch up followed by Sir Percival. The two knights had been sent to escort the dragon lord and the rest of Merlin's family to Camelot. They could see the city and castle from where their horses stood, it wouldn't be more than half an hour until they arrived.

Hunith was looking forward to seeing her elder son, though Mordred was not hers by blood she has begun thinking of him as a son and so had Balinor. The young druid would soon be old enough to join the squire's program in Camelot a day Hunith was not looking forward to, but this trip was not for that.

The group sat on their horses looking over Camelot in the distance, with a squeeze from his boot Sir Elyan's horse started forward again and the group rode at a steady trot toward the city.

Balinor was calmly excited, he had read Merlin's letter several times before Hunith took the letter concerned that something had happened. She was partly right something had happened, but rather than being a bad something it was a good something. The dragon lord could still hardly believe it, his son and the king had found a dragon's egg. He knew Kilgharrah would be disappointed to not be there, but the dragon had left to go seek out the dragons that Merlin and Lady Morgana had told him about meeting during their travels after having been taken from Camelot by Morgause.

The group soon arrived in the courtyard where they were met by Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, Morgana and the rest of the round table knights except for Sir Belivair and Sir Galahad who both had been assigned to respective positions Sir Belivair in Northern Essetir. And Sir Galahad near the Border of Camelot and Elmet.

The group stood as if they were following protocol to great for dignitaries. Hunith dismounted her horse and was soon swept into a hug my Merlin. She knew that nonsense wouldn't last very long, she could see Arthur exasperated look. Morgana stepped forward and gave her a hug then turned to hug Mordred.

"what?" Merlin asked seeing the way Arthur was looking at him.

"protocol Merlin," Arthur said.

"she's my mother," Merlin said "hugging her is protocol"

"you heard him," Hunith said holding her arms open for Arthur to come and hug her.

Arthur smiled and chuckled a little stepping forward to give Hunith a hug. He then turned to greet Balinor and Mordred shaking each of their hands.

Balinor, Hunith, and Mordred were shown to their guest rooms. Gwen had arranged to have them take the empty rooms near Merlin's quarters. As in these rooms were permanently assigned to them so they could have a place to stay anytime they wanted to visit.

The servants finished bringing their things to the rooms which took all of one trip. Even though Balinor had been recognized as a member of the nobility by Arthur, something that Uther had stripped him of when the purge had begun, Balinor and Hunith were both used to traveling light and so was Mordred. The small family still lived close to Ealdor but had moved to the nearby Estate of Ealda which was where the Lords assigned to watch over that area of Essetir lived. There had been no other Arthur could think of to ask than Balinor and Hunith. He trusted them and they knew the area better than anyone else he knew. Besides Merlin but he needed him in Camelot.

"Enter" Hunith called when there was a knock at the door.

The door opened and Merlin walked in followed by Sir Gwaine and Morgana.

"how are you settling in?" Merlin asked.

"the rooms are lovely Merlin," Hunith said.

"if I am not mistaken they are the same rooms we had when we came down for Arthur and Gwen's wedding"

"They are" Morgana confirmed.

"Gwen arranged for these to be your permanently assigned rooms for whenever the two of you and Mordred wish to visit."

The small groups chatted for a minute before Balinor brought the topic around to why they were there.

"Do you know when I am going to see this dragon's egg you mentioned in the letter you sent?"

Balinor asked.

"as soon as you'd like," Merlin told him "we just thought you might like to get settled first"

"If it's alright I'd like to go as soon as everyone is ready," Balinor said.

"I am if you are," Hunith said, She knew her husband had been looking forward to seeing the dragons' egg and possibly the hatching of the first new dragon in Albion in over twenty years.

"tell me, how did you come to find the egg?" Balinor asked.

Merlin and Morgana told Balinor and Hunith about Bordon and the trescilian on their way to the council hall were the dragon's egg was. Merlin was surprised but realized he really shouldn't have been when Balinor told him he had a veg recollection of Gauis having an apprentice named Bordon for a short time before the purge.

"where is he now?" Balinor asked.

"He's being escorted to the border of Anglia where he will be met by a small group of Anglian knights," Morgana told him.

"why is he being sent there?" Hunith asked confused, Anglia was not apart of Arthurs kingdom.

"well it turns out that in Bordon's search for the trescilian he killed a couple of people in Anglia and it wasn't self-defense" Merlin explained, "so Arthur agreed to King Cus's request to have him sent for trial"

The two guards at the doors nodded to Merlin and gave Morgana a small bow as he opened the door to council hall. Arthur, Gwen, and the knight were waiting for them. Merlin walked over and opened the box that on the table.

Balinor's breath hitched as he saw the dragon's egg sitting on a cushion in the box. Hunith took his hand giving it a gentle squeeze. Balinor once again found himself thinking Kilgharrah should be there.

"when you are ready Balinor," Arthur said "we would all be honoured to meet the newest dragon of Albion"

During one of Merlin's visits, Balinor had told Merlin how Dragon eggs were hatched and Merlin had told Arthur and the knights on the way back from finding the egg.

Balinor nodded and gave Huniths hand a kiss before releasing it and stepping closer to the egg, he placed his hand just over the egg and closed focused on the egg trying to find the name. He frowned a little and concentrated more. It was odd he couldn't seem to see the dragons name clearly, it was there but it was cloudy.

Balinor stepped back putting his hand back at his side.

"what's wrong?" Morgana asked worriedly. Had they found the egg to late.

"I can't call the dragon forward," Balinor told the group.

"I can't see its name clearly enough"

"is the dragon alright, "Merlin asked. "I thought you said dragons eggs can last hundreds of years"

"they can" Balinor confirmed" but sometimes certain dragons need to be called forth by a specific dragon lord"

"but you are the only dragon lord left," said Gwaine who was quickly glared into silence by Gwen, Morgana, and Hunith.

"I was yes," Balinor said " But Merlin should have gained his dragon lord abilities when he came of age"

"you want me to try?" Merlin asked (he did not squeak and if you accuse him of it he'll deny it).

"it won't hatch for me," Balinor told him "perhaps the first dragon in twenty-three years will hatch for the first dragon lord in twenty-three years"

Morgana and Gwen gave Merlin an encouraging smile and Arthur nodded when he looked to them.

The young Dragon Lord/ Warlock placed his hand out over the egg and concentrated, it took him almost no time at all to find the dragon's name it was as if it was reaching out to him.

"A-thu-sa" Merlin's voice was deep and demanded to be obeyed.

The egg cracked and a little white dragon pushed its way out of the top of the egg. The baby Dragon made a chirping like noise and smiled at Merlin, it looked around the room making happy noises at seeing everyone then turned back to Merlin and shocked everyone by saying "Papa"

"Well, Merlin," Gwaine said clasping his friend's shoulder" looks like your a dad without any of the fun making it happen"

Merlin gave Gwaine a half-hearted glare and gently picked Athusa up holding her in the palm of his hand

Athusa let out a stream of "Papa, papa, papa"

"that's amazing," Morgana said stepping closer, "I didn't think it would be able to talk right away"

"She, "Balinor said "she's a girl"

"Hello Athusa" Morgana cued. The baby dragon looked at Morgana tilting her head first to one side then the other, Athusa must have decided she liked Morgana because she made happy chirping noises almost like the ones she made when she saw Merlin.

Morgana was delighted when the baby dragon jumped up into her hand when she reached out to pet her, Athusa cuddled onto her palm "Mama"

Arthur did not almost faint and if you try to accuse him of it he will deny it.

Well, the plot gremlins are cueing over Athusa's cuteness so this is it till the next chapter.

Kilgarrah looks over my shoulder.

"and why was I not there? I am the great dragon I should have been present at the hatching"

"your a glorified giant lizard and I explained why you weren't there"