Hey everyone! I'm back with an update! I hope you enjoy it. This one is right after 4x3, "The Wicked Day". I apologize in advanced for the angst.

A very big thank you to Lady of Stormness Mountain for being my beta. I love you ^_^

Disclaimer - I do not, in anyway, own Merlin. :/

Comfort

Barely a week since Uther's tragic death and not three days since the arrival of Merlin's urgent letter Hunith finally set foot in Camelot. Hunith had traveled as fast as she could, more than once wishing she had a horse to ride, but none were free in Ealdor for her use. She arrived just before sundown and the closing of the citadel's gates. Hastily, she made her way towards Gaius's chambers.

Focused on her mission, she didn't bother knocking and gently opened the door. "Gaius?" she called out as she made her way inside.

Standing at the table, the older man turned to face her. "Hunith!" he greeted, concerned. "I am surprised to see you. Is everything alright?"

She smiled reassuringly. "Yes, Gaius. Merlin wrote me and told me what happened." She moved forward and hugged him tightly, which he returned. "I am sorry. I know he was a friend."

Letting Hunith go, Gaius smiled sadly. "Not so much in recent years, but it is odd for him to be gone. Thank you, my dear." Gaius folded his arms in front of himself and eyed her suspiciously. "Now, I hardly think you've come solely to comfort me in this loss. What did Merlin tell you?"

"He said that Uther died from a stab wound he received defending Arthur on the prince's birthday," she answered.

Gaius nodded. "That is the short of it, yes," he agreed.

After getting a bit more information about the situation from the physician, Hunith headed off in the direction of Arthur's chambers. Gaius tried to persuade her to wait until morning to see the king, but she was immovable. Hunith made her way at a more sedate pace than the one she set to get to Camelot, doing her best to remember which corridors to take. It had been a long while since she had been to the castle.

As luck would have it, Merlin came around the corner just as she was feeling unsure. He was walking slowly and hunched with his eyes down cast. Hunith's heart immediately went out to him. She began walking faster towards her son.

"Merlin!" she called out, just lough enough to be heard.

His eyes snapped up to meet hers, and his demeanor completely changed. A smile instantly filled his face and his shoulders relaxed as he, too, quickened his pace. "Mother," he answered warmly.

As soon as he was in reach, Hunith pulled Merlin in for a hug, which he eagerly returned. He held on for longer than usual, and she let him, imagining what was going through his head. As soon as Merlin let go, she stepped back to get a better look at him. "How are you?"

He gave a wan smile and shrugged. "I'm fine. You got here fast. I wasn't expecting you for another day."

It was Hunith's turn to shrug. "Your letter was urgent. I could tell you both needed me, so I came as quick as I could."

Merlin froze. "What do you mean 'both' of us? I just wrote about Arthur," he replied warily.

Hunith looked at him pointedly with a raised eyebrow. "I know you, Merlin. You may not have said anything in your letter, but I could tell you were upset about something. Something probably only Gaius knows about."

Merlin avoided her gaze and shifted nervously on his feet. "I can't talk about it here," he answered after a moment, looking back at her with pleading eyes.

Hunith nodded. "Later tonight, then."

Merlin nodded, then turned back the way he came and offered her his arm. "Heading to check on Arthur?"

Hunith smiled softly as she took his arm. "Yes, I figured it may be a better time to talk to him instead of trying to catch him tomorrow. Gaius said he's been very busy."

Merlin nodded as he guided her. "You chose a good time. He's even dismissed me for the night already."

"So soon? It's still rather early," she noted, brow furrowing in concern.

He shrugged. "It's only been just over a week since Uther died. Some days he's angry, other's he's quiet, but he also has moments where he's so sad he'd rather be alone."

Hunith nodded as she began to understand. "Even surrounded by friends and family, it can still be hard to express such sorrow freely."

Merlin half smiled. "Which is why I figured you'd be better at talking to him than me."

Hunith swatted her son. "I highly doubt. Still, it will be good to see him," she said as they moved into the main corridors.

"Good to see who?" asked a low but friendly voice from behind them.

Merlin and Hunith turned around to see two knights walking towards them on a night patrol. Hunith didn't recognize the one who had spoken – he had longer dark hair, a scruffy beard, and walked in a relaxed yet confident manner. However, she instantly recognized his fellow knight, Sir Leon.

"Gwaine! Leon!" Merlin greeted after they turned around.

"Hunith, it is good to see you again," Leon said as he & Gwaine joined them.

Hunith bobbed a quick curtsy as she still held her son's arm. "And to see you as well, Sir Leon.

"Gwaine," Merlin addressed the other knight, "this is my mother, Hunith."

Gwaine dramatically threw his cloak back from himself, nearly hitting Leon who had just managed to dodge out of the way, as he took up Hunith's free hand in his right, bent low, and kissed it. A huge smile had spread across his face by the time he straightened. "My lady! I must thank you for raising one of the best men I've ever known!"

Hunith tilted her head, accepting his compliment. "Thank you, Sir Gwaine. And I thank you for being a friend to Merlin, despite your penchant for trouble."

Leon's eyebrows shot up while Merlin snickered, and Gwaine feigned hurt, a hand flying to his heart. "My lady, you wound me! How ever did you come to such a thought?" Then he turned to her son and playfully glared at him. "Merlin said something, didn't he?"

"He wrote me a little." She gave her son a scolding look that silently berated him for not writing her more. Her expression made him squirm in guilt. "But," she began, relieving Merlin and glancing back at Gwaine, "I doubt most need much prior information to conclude the same."

Leon couldn't help chuckling while Gwaine outright laughed. "I can see where Merlin gets his sharp wit!"

"How long are you staying, Hunith?" Leon asked.

She turned towards the older knight. "Probably no longer than a few days."

"Awww," Gwaine whined. "That's just not fair."

"What is it?" Hunith asked, confused.

"He's going on a patrol tomorrow afternoon," Merlin provided.

"And I shan't get the opportunity to get to know the Lady Hunith or good stories about Merlin growing up," Gwaine complained.

"I'm hardly a Lady," she argued. "There will be other times, Sir Gwaine," she assured him.

"I'm barely a knight," he countered. "And I shall hold you to it."

Hunith nodded in assent. She looked forward to getting to know him better, but first she had to attend Arthur. "If you wish and are able, you could always walk with us for a while," she offered as she tugged Merlin's arm to get him walking again. He followed her lead, and the knights fell in with them.

"Where are you headed?" Leon inquired.

"To visit the king," she answered.

Leon nodded, but Gwaine's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why would you visit the princess?"

Hunith's eyebrows sprang up while Leon smacked Gwaine on the arm and Merlin rolled his eyes. Deciding it was probably best for now to avoid the reason for her trip, she gave an alternate reason. "I wanted to let King Arthur know how Ealdor was fairing."

That just confused Gwaine even more. "Why would he care about a small village in Cenred's kingdom?"

Hunith easily began to tell the story of her home's connection to the young king. "Ealdor is an outlying village and very near Camelot's border. We were being attacked a couple years ago, after Merlin came here, by marauders who stole our crops," she explained. "Cenred cared not for us, so I came and plead for help from Uther. He could not grant the request for aid, so Arthur snuck away and joined Merlin, Gwen, the former Lady Morgana," all three men tensed at the mention of the witch, but Hunith ignored it, "and myself on our return trip. His help was instrumental in our survival. I have since kept him apprised per his request."

They soon reached the corridor that led to Arthur's chambers. After promises of a longer visit in the future, the pairs parted ways – Leon and Gwaine to finish their patrol, and Merlin and Hunith to continue to see the king. Hunith intended to knock on the door, as was proper, but Merlin argued otherwise.

"If you knock, he's more likely to hide his feelings," he whispered. "Whereas he's used to me walking in without knocking and just continues with what he was doing – mood and all."

"He will still be surprised when he realizes it is me and try to hide his emotions when I enter," she countered.

"It's better than completely masking it."

Hunith conceded her son's point. Upon arriving near Arthur's door, she dismissed Merlin. "No need to wait for me. I will see you later. And then we will talk," she said, softly determined.

Merlin dropped his mask a moment before he nodded and kissed her good night. Hunith returned the kiss and squeezed his hand as he walked away. How she longed to tend him, but Merlin had written her for Arthur's sake, so she would comfort the new king first.

Hunith took a deep breath and pushed the door to Arthur's chambers open. Merlin had left a good-sized fire roaring in the fireplace, Arthur's dinner dishes remained on the table nearly untouched, and there were plenty of candles left lit all around. As she scanned the room, she noticed Merlin had left Arthur's bedclothes laid out so the king could change later. She finally caught sight of the young king standing in front of a window across from the door, seeming to take in the beauty of the twilight, though Hunith doubt he saw it. She softly slipped into the room, gently closing the door behind her. She began to debate how to announce her presence when Arthur solved that dilemma for her.

"I thought I dismissed you not that long ago, Merlin," he said tiredly.

A small empathetic smile quickly crossed her face and left just as fast. "It's not Merlin, Sire," she answered, remaining by the door temporarily.

Arthur froze at her voice. He half turned so that his face was in profile. His face would've been completely shadowed were he not standing near a small candelabra, but ask it was, the candlelight distorted his features a bit, which he was probably counting on. However, he could not hide the way the candles made his tear-filled eyes glisten. Hunith guessed Arthur refrained from turning around completely to save face.

No matter the reason, he was able to take sight of her. "Hunith?" he asked, choking up a bit. Ducking his head, he cleared his throat and turned back to the window. "I wasn't aware you were coming."

Slowly, Hunith began to walk towards Arthur. He held himself so tensely she could see him start to tremble. "That's because I didn't send word I was coming, not even to Merlin," she replied as she stood beside him. She, too, looked out the window. The last bits of pink and orange light were just fading beyond the horizon and dark blue, purple, and black filled the sky. Stars were peeking out from their hiding places and traces of moonlight spilled from behind Arthur's chambers. It was a beautiful sight. One Hunith again doubted Arthur saw.

"Why are you here?" he asked hoarsely after a long moment.

Hunith turned to look at him, and her breath caught in her throat. The sorrow that resided in her young (adopted) son's eyes was so deep it penetrated the growing darkness. There was a desperation, too. A fear of the sorrow – one that made a person doubt if he'd ever survive it and feel well again.

Hunith gently reach towards Arthur and placed a hand on his cheek. Immediately, a tear leaked out of his eye, which she brushed away with her thumb. Hunith smiled softly, tears blurring her own vision. "Why, Arthur?" she began, looking deep into his eyes, hoping to convey the comfort and love and warmth she wanted to. "Because you need me.

And with that, Arthur collapsed.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Arthur couldn't help it. Those four words Hunith spoke simply undid him. His knees buckled, and he quickly made his way towards the floor. Hunith caught him and succeeded, not in preventing Arthur's fall, but rather in keeping him from dropping into an undignified heap as she was dragged down with him.

As much as Hunith held him, Arthur clung to her more. He felt Hunith shift as she got comfortable to sit on the floor. Then, she gently guided his head so he was tucked between her shoulder and chin. A few tears began to leak from Arthur's eyes as his defenses steadily weakened. He trembled as the effort began to strain him.

Next, Hunith began to rub his back in a firm yet soothing manner. "It's okay, Arthur," she whispered. "You need not fight this."

But fighting was all Arthur knew. He had rarely cried since he was a boy. His grief was so strong, it terrified him to think of what would happen if he let it loose. He had to be in control, that was what Uther taught him. But Arthur was losing his grip on his control. It was a powerful beast, this grief, big and scary. His shaking became stronger. He had to fight, so he buried his face deeper into Hunith's neck, desperate to find strength in her, and stubbornly shook his head. "No," he whimpered.

Hunith shifted her ministrations so she held his shoulders tight and began stroking his hair. Arthur hardly felt that was fair – she knew he'd succumbed to such comfort in the past and it would render him at her mercy. He tried to shift, retreat away from Hunith's hands so he could continue to fight his tears, but he had not strength left to move.

"No," he whimpered again. Oh, how he loathed to sound so weak.

"Yes, my dear," Hunith replied in her firm yet gentle way. "You will feel better once you do, I promise," she soothed.

Desperately, Arthur shook his head again, though tears were beginning to break through in earnest now. Hunith held him tighter.

"I imagine Uther taught you not to cry over your men's deaths in order to try to protect your heart and to show strength," she started.

No! Arthur mentally screamed as he vainly tried to burry himself even farther into Hunith's shoulder. He feared he knew where she was going, and if she did – whilst continuing to stroke his hair and hold him as a mother would – he would be defeated.

"But my dear, a father whom you loved – and who did love you as well, even if he rarely showed it –"

No, here it comes.

"– he, Arthur, is most certainly worth your tears."

And with that, Arthur's defenses were gone. He sobbed uncontrollably. Hunith's shoulder was soon wet, but she did not leave him. Instead, she continued to alternatively stroke Arthur's hair and rub his back to sooth him and help keep him relaxed enough so that he didn't start to hyperventilate. Neither was aware of how much time had passed as Arthur let his grief out. Slowly, his sobs turned into hitched breaths, which turned into sniffles. When that happened, Hunith pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and gave it to Arthur. He shifted so he could use it properly, but he didn't fully sit up, not ready to leave her side.

When he finished, Hunith rewrapped him in her arms and placed a kiss on the crown of his head. Arthur closed his eyes and relaxed into the wave of warmth that had engulfed him by the simple gesture. How long had it been since he was shown parental love so? A while anyway. He probably would've started crying again if he had not felt so drained and empty.

Hunith seemed to sense his exhaustion. She moved in order to lead him to stand. "Come, Arthur, it's time for sleep to work its wonders now*."

Knowing she had not the strength to pull him up, Arthur made an effort to stand. Once he succeeded, he was quite grateful for Hunith's presence as he swayed dangerously. Together, they slowly made their way to his changing screen, and once he was behind it, Hunith retrieved his bedclothes from where Merlin had laid them out and handed them to him.

After taking a while to change since he was so tired, Arthur came out from behind the screen to see his fire stoked, most of the candles extinguished, the curtains drawn, his covers turned down, and a chair pulled over by his bed. He turned to see Hunith approaching him with a cloth in one hand and a goblet from his dinner tray in the other. She offered him the cloth, which appeared damp, to him first.

"Here," she said. "Use this to wipe you face."

Obediently, Arthur did what he was told. The cloth was cool and felt good on his skin. Once he finished, she took it back and handed him the goblet. He stared at it skeptically, which made Hunith chuckle softly.

"It's simply water, my dear," she assured him. "I had time for nothing else, and you need it."

Arthur recognized the truth in her words and, again, drank it without further protest. Taking back the goblet, Hunith place both items on his dining table and guided him towards his bed. Hunith didn't sit down until she had properly tucked him in (which he also remembered her doing a couple of years ago when he had been rather ill), and he would have blushed had he not been so exhausted. (For what grown king was tucked in as a child would be?) Arthur's eyes began to droop when she finally sat in the chair she had pulled over. Just then, Arthur realized the implication of what she was doing and fought to open his eyes and looked over at Hunith.

"You needn't…stay all n'ght," he said sleepily. "Y'need…chair's hard…" he trailed off.

Hunith smiled and leaned forward. "I shan't," she replied. "I'll only stay until you're asleep. And you are to sleep in tomorrow."

Arthur's eyes again began to close. "M'kay," he breathed.

He felt her lean forward even farther and place another motherly kiss on his temple before she began stroking his hair. Again, Arthur relished the warmth that coursed through him from the loving gestures. He let out a soft sigh as his eyes closed all the way and he began to fall asleep. But before he completely drifted off, he heard Hunith say, "Good night, my dear."

And Arthur fell asleep with a small smile on his face.

* This is me referencing St. Thomas Aquinas's 5 remedies for sadness. I know Aquinas lived at least 800 years after the legends of King Arthur, but I feel like the remedies are actually natural ideas.

The five remedies are: 1) enjoying something you like, 2) having a good cry, 3) share your sorrow with a friend (a grief shared is a grief lessened), 4) contemplate truth, and 5) have a bath and take a nap.

I already have ideas for a follow-up to this chapter with Arthur and a separate one-shot for Hunith talking with Merlin about his unintended part in Uther's death. I do plan to write more fun and fluffy stuff, I truly do! Just, you know, angst likes to take over.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! See you next update.

Blessings,

~Fierce