A/N Holy Crap thank you all, your amazing I've never gotten this much feedback within a day. Seriously eight reviews, three favorites, and eight followers! I love you all already. Thank you Ruby890, 04, Nameless Secret Keeper and Daily-chan for their reviews the rest of you were anoymous but still THANK YOU! I'll respond to your reviews at the bottom along with some final notes.

Arthur opened his eyes to a dark night. Looking around he frowned, this wasn't his bedroom, and this wasn't where he fell asleep. He was in what appeared to be the town square of Ealdor that was alight with fires and the sound of galloping hooves.

Except he hadn't been in Ealdor when he fell asleep. He hadn't been in what appeared for all purposes to be a witch hunt either.

"Balinor you do not have to go!"

"Hunith it's not safe!"

"But it's safe to leave? I do not believe that Balinor, you can not fool me, you're as safe with me as you would be out there!"

Arthur quickened his steps, he knew that voice, Hunith perhaps she could explain this – anomaly, as to why he was here in Ealdor instead of back at home in his bed with Gwen sleeping beside him. Turning around the corner he blinked.

Well this was awkward.

Hunith pulled away, her mouth only inches from the man's, their breathes intermingling in a cloud of white. She raised a hand and brushed a lock of dark hair away from the man's face, Arthur could see the tears glistening in her eyes.

"Balinor, please I don't want you to go, I need you! We have a life, we can have a family – please do not go!"

The man's wild features softened an almost tender look flashing across his face as his hands stroked a piece of hair away from her forehead, fingers playing with the dark brown strand. He placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I have to go it's not safe for you. I love you Hunith but it's not safe for us to be together now – all those knights that set those fires? They were looking for me and I can't endanger you anymore, I'm sorry I have to go."

The man bent down his forehead gently bumping Hunith's, he smiled and placed a final kiss on her forehead before turning and disappeared, the black of the mare he was riding blending in with the dark of the night.

Hunith fell to her knees clutching at a small pendant around her neck, sobbing. Arthur frowned and knelt down next to the women.

"Hunith?"

No response. He tried again.

"Hunith?"

She was crying, perhaps she was too distraught to hear him; he tried again this time laying a hand on her shoulder only for it to just slip through. He sat back reeling, what in the god's was going on? This was not right, what was going on?

Hunith sobbed.

"Balinor...don't go I'm pregnant, we're gonna have a baby!"

Balinor….why did that name sound so familiar to Arthur?

She sobbed again and then the scene dissolved – it's the only thing Arthur can find to describe it as the area lost color and rapidly shifted – and came back, shifting again rapidly. Around the third scene he realized that what he was seeing was either a) a fever induced nightmare, or b) were memories and that he had been put under a spell.

Probably by Merlin, Arthur felt his temper rise at that, didn't the idiot know better, he would only make it worse for himself, right now he was only facing execution but for placing a spell on the king? He would face torture as well.

Merlin, Arthur decides is an idiot, a lying, backstabbing, spell casting idiot.

How was he even doing magic from inside those dungeons? They're supposed to block the magic from the sorcerer so that they can't cast anything. Arthur pondered this as the scene shifted again and Arthur found himself standing in Hunith's home as Hunith sat up in bed a small bundle of blankets in her arms.

"Hunith."

The woman looked up, face sweaty, with hair plastered to her forehead but she was grinning only for the grin to fall when she saw the look on the midwife's face.

"Hunith the child – he's not crying, he does not make a sound, he does not move."

"But he breathes."

"Yes, but for how long? I would suggest – do not name him, it will only make it harder."

Hunith's face crumples and she pulls her knees closer to her chest until the small bundle of blankets was barely visible, Arthur creeps foreword unsure of what he was seeing, was this Merlin's birth? Or did Merlin have a sibling that did not survive infanthood?

If so why was it so important that he see it?

"You want me to give up on him?"

"Not necessarily but the child – Hunith some babes simply do not make it, it's not your fault."

Hunith looked up then.

"Thank you Liza' but please – go."

The woman nodded she grabbed an extra blanket from the back of a chair and wrapped it around Hunith's shoulders before leaving. Hunith shifted her hair out of her face and gently pulled back the blankets so the child's face was in clear few.

"Hey there little man it's your mum, don't listen to Liza' she thinks in facts but we both know that facts aren't always relevant."

She swiped a hand over his head and Arthur watched as little downy black curls shifted through her fingers. She kissed his nose and his forehead then his ten fingers and ten toes; all the while the child did not move, nor cry.

Hunith took to rocking him.

Her voice shook as she sung an old lullaby that Arthur remembered nursemaids singing to him when he woke from a nightmare as a child – except they hadn't been able to sing it this way, the way that Hunith was singing to the little child.

Love, he thinks is what was missing from their song.

Hunith keeps singing until her voice goes and then she simply sits rocking the child back and forth well into the morning hours until finally at first light she sobbed and Arthur tensed, had the child passed? But no, the child's chest still rose and fell.

"My little boy, you need to wake up now, sleeping time is over, and you need to wake and eat, come on, up!"

The child didn't stir.

"Please…please baby, wake up, mummy needs you, mummy loves you, come on, up!"

Hunith waited a moment and then sobbed again but this time Arthur could hear the laughter. Stepping forward he lent his head over the young mothers shoulder to stare into small golden eyes as small hands raised up in the air, golden sparks flying from tiny fingertips.

Arthur stilled, Gwen had mentioned that Merlin – because it was indeed Merlin, with the babe's black hair and molten gold eyes – had said he was born with magic, that he had never made the decision to learn, but this? Merlin had been doing magic before he was two days old.

That was a scary thought.

"You have eyes like a falcon when you're doing your magic huh? Just like your daddy. Well then how about we name you Gawain?"

The baby blinked, eyes now an electric blue that was startling on an infant. The child's face scrunched up, tiny nose wrinkling and let out a wail. Hunith for her part took it in stride, merely shifting the child and gently rocking him back and forth.

"Horus?"

The child still wailed.

"Seaghdha?"

No change.

"Merlin?"

The baby stilled and gurgled against her breast and Hunith laughed.

"Well then Merlin, I do believe you will be the only babe that has ever picked his own name, aren't you special? But I always knew you would be, how could you not be with Balinor's blood in you?"

She sighed.

However, you won't have it easy will you? With this magic in you? But don't worry tiny love, we'll figure it out, no matter what Uther Pendragon says you aren't a monster. I'll protect you, I'm your mum it's my job. Now come, you must be hungry?"

Arthur turned away cheeks blaring as he heard the child begin to suckle. He was relieved when he felt the scene change and he turned around again. Hunith was a few years older now, and a small Merlin sat in her lap as she ran a brush through his raven curls

"But mum it's not fair why can't I?"

Hunith sighed.

"What happened today can't happen again you can't show anybody Merlin!"

"But why? You always tell me my magic is a talent, a gift even, but aren't gifts and talents supposed to be shared? Why do I have to hide it, I'm good at it Mum! I saved her today that cart would have hurt her!"

Hunith sighed again.

"I know my love, I know…but Merlin it's not safe for you to be doing magic out in the open like that. If someone saw you it could mean your life."

"Why would they kill me Mum? I haven't hurt anybody, I'm good, I do my chores and I'm nice to Will even when he's being a prat – I thought only bad people, people who hurt people were killed for their crimes."

Hunith looked at him her eyes watering.

"Merlin – the world we live in – something happened once to the king of Camelot that turned him bitter towards people who practiced magic. The king decided that magic had to be abolished and he managed to convince the other rulers like our king – Cenred. Merlin, i know how much you hate hiding your magic but it could mean your life if you don't."

"What happened?"

Hunith paused, because of course Merlin would want to know why someone would make that kind of decision, she pierced her lips.

"He made a deal without knowing the full consequences and he lost someone he loved very dearly."

"Oh, is that why the villagers say that magic users are monsters?"

Hunith sucked in her breath.

"Who said that?"

"Keith said that his mum and Dad told him that magic users were monsters and that they needed to be killed at all costs – Keith said if he ever see's anyone doing magic he'll kill them."

Hunith sucked in a breathe her face going pale.

"Oh Merlin, you must promise me that you'll be more careful from now on especially around Keith and his family, I don't want to see you hurt."

Merlin nodded.

"I promise mum."

There was a pause and Hunith started to brush Merlin's hair again until the curls had been brushed through and the brush slid through with ease, and then she sat the brush down on a side table smiling slightly as she saw Merlin's drooping eyelids and tiny yawn.

"There all done, now come let's get you ready for bed."

Merlin nodded and Arthur followed the tiny Merlin into what appeared to be a bedroom, Hunith helped him out of his clothes and handed him a sleep shirt that Merlin clumsily pulled over his head. With that done she tucked Merlin into bed – a straw mat, a pillow, and two blankets – and kissed his forehead.

She was half way to the door when Merlin spoke.

"Mum?"

"Yes Merlin?"

"Am I a monster?"

"No Merlin, no. Never, you'll never be a monster."

"Good, I didn't think so. Night mum."

"Goodnight Merlin. I love you."

"Love you too."

Then Hunith was gone. Arthur watched her walk over to a small desk and sit down, pulling a sheet of parchment paper closer she dipped a quill into ink and began to write, over her shoulder Arthur read:

"Dear Annette,

I hope your well and this letter finds you. Things here aren't going well. Merlin is only six and yet his magic grows each day, today he managed to save a little girl from being crushed by a cart simply by raising his hand and glancing at her, the child flew out of the way and landed safely on the other side of the street. Merlin listens well and is incredibly smart for his age and it's rare for him to use magic in public but days like today worry me.

What if someone saw?

What if someone reported him?

What if gods forbid he was taken from me to Cenrid's court to be executed?

I barely survived Balinor leaving I don't think I could survive losing someone that precious to me again, Merlin didn't seem to understand why it was so important he did not do magic where other people can see and I told him about Uther. Not the full tale of course but I told him enough that he knows Uther is to blame. I know you tell me that he isn't as bad as I think he is but on days like today, when I have to fear for my child's life because he saved someone I can't help but hate him.

It's sad to think that if Nimueh had explained in full, if Uther hadn't wanted a child so badly, if Ygraine had been able to get pregnant, then perhaps I would have Balinor here with me and perhaps then I wouldn't have to fear for my sons life everyday for simply doing something that is as natural to him as breathing.

I wish you were here Annette you were always the best cousin a girl could ask for, you always had the best advice. I need your advice again.

What should I do Anette? How do I raise a child telling him that he has to hide what he is without making it seem like it's something to be ashamed of? How do I look him in the eye and tell him he has to hide who he is until the day he dies?

Do you remember? In our girlhood days, back when this land was something utherworldy and just - free? Do you remember, Mrs Alberts? Remember how she would take us into her home when we were made the butt end of the other girls jokes because of how close we were? Do you remember her tales, of Unicorns and Leprechauns? Do you remember how she would heal the villagers and make stories out of light to make the little ones laugh. Do you remember when she was dragged away to be executed for helping that boy?

Do you remember how scared we were, she used to be our hero afterall? Because Anette i do. It's the terror i feel for my child every day, the terror that someday Merlin will be killed.

I pray that someday magic will be restored to this land; I pray that someday Merlin can be proud of his talents that he will be able to help people and freely do magic without fearing for his life. Someday I pray that this land will be free of the tyranny that has overtaken it.

I miss you and love you,

Hunith.

And then she turned away and cried, and for reasons beyond his comprehension Arthur felt like crying right along with her.

Merlin is resting against the stone wall when they come to see him, he's been going in and out of consciousness for the last few hours and is exhausted and dizzy the pain barely bearable, he knows his magic is being sucked from him and he knows that he could be dead before his scheduled execution if he doesn't get out of this cell.

He wonders what a better way to die, an executor's axe and having to stand in front of the people he has known for years and that had once trusted him and now might as well hate him, or die slowly and painfully in a cell as his magic is sucked from his very body.

He thinks it's the second option that sounds the best.

They come with shouts and angry cry's and Merlin sits up straight, they unlock the cell and literally drag him down the hallway, Merlin who's still dizzy and vaguely confused doesn't try to struggle until he sees the torture devices that line the walls of the room he had just been brought to.

He nearly screams.

They force him down into a chair, one on either side of him holding him down by his shoulders while two grab his wrists in an iron strong grip. The fifth and six push a table up until it's pushing uncomfortably into his stomach and then they speak.

"What did you do to the king, sorcerer?"

"What?"

He didn't realize he'd spoken out loud until he felt the man's hand on his cheek, snapping his head sideways, Merlin was sure his cheek was already red. He tries again because no matter what he would never do anything to hurt Arthur.

"Arthur? What's wrong with Arthur?"

He earns a slap for that.

"The king still breathes but refuses to wake; I'll repeat what did you do?"

Merlin freezes.

Oh dear...

So as Arthur has stated the dungeon's Merlin's in are meant to block a person's magic however because Merlin IS magic it's acting differently with him and sucking it out of him instead of blocking it. Merlin does get himself into the worst situations doesn't he? Annette is a lesser known servant that I've created who works in the castle she is Hunith's childhood best friend, cousin, and confident, she will probably only be mentioned and if she does make an appearance it will be briefly

Ruby890: Yes Arthur is being a jerk isn't he? Still i hope to change that. No, as you've seen in this chapter it's just going to be Arthur which is causing some problems for dear Merlin. I hadn't read it before you mentioned it but yes it is quite good it's a pity it hasn't been updated in almost a year. THANK YOU for reviewing!

Tigertiger: I read your penname as TiggerTigger as in Tigger from Winnie the pooh lol. I hope i didn't disappoint you! Thanks for reviewing!

04: THANK YOU! Did you like it? Also thanks for the fave!

Nameless Secret Keeper: Glad you liked it and THANK YOU for reviewing. I tried to but i can't promise all updates will be this quick truth is i had this one started before i posted the first chapter and just had to finish it. Thank you also for the watch.

Guest: I'm glad you liked it. I plan to!

Guest: THANK YOU, is this quick enough? lol

Reddiamond29: Thank you! I tried to make my OC's original without making them mary-sue's and i tried to make my plot original without sounding too cliche.

Daily-chan: You were my first reviewer THANK YOU! I hope i have kept your interest with this chapter. Also thank you for the watch!