The Letters of Camelot

by I.thought.slash.meant.horror

Before Merlin and before the Great Purge, magic ruled beside King Uther Pendragon as well as his cousin and friends, the Knights of Camelot. But when a Dragon attacks, young Hunith meets her own saviour, Balinor. And this is where we begin. Love, Hate, War, Peace and Magic filled in a world on the cornerstone of change. Can be read on its own or as a prequel to OtherVersionofEvent

5. The Father and the Child

A/N: Wow... I am so sorry it has taken me this long to update this story. I've been chipping away at this slowly because it's a bit more... detailed? Interwoven? Knitted together? Sewed up? Stitching terms... :/ Anyway, my point is, I'm sorry. This shouldn't have taken so long. mrlnfan, thank you very much for the compliment. There are more Sayard/Ector/Balinor scenes and Balinor/Hunith scenes. CaptainOzone, thank you very much. Here is more!

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Dear King Uther,

I am the Chieftan from the village of Orelege and am writing for assistance. There are men from Caerleon's land coming to invade our village. They have stated that should we not yield to them, they will execute us all. We have three days to state our allegiance, however we refuse to turn our backs to Camelot.

We are a small village and we are along the bordering trade routes. Please, I beseech you to help us.

Sincerely,

Chieftan Tyrron

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The Father and the Child

It was a cold winter, the snow drifting heavily towards Camelot and making every man on the patrol shudder. Ector, Walden, Goloris and Lewis were those most familiar with the bordering lands of Caerleon and Camelot so took lead on the expedition to ensure the borders were being kept.

Caerleon and Uther had been restless in their peace treaty of late, neither agreeing quite where the border was and the King had suspicions the neighbouring kingdom would be more than willing to test the borders in their own way by going after the confused villages.

Judging by the smoke and flames, it was to late.

Ector called the halt, raising his hand up as he saw the smoke and waving it once to order them to dismount. The horses were given to one of the younger knight, Thaddeus who had been inducted upon his eighteenth birthday weeks previous. He was used to do some of the grunt work and a bit of ribbing from the older knights and huffily complained but the tense feeling that the four older knights were giving off shut him up completely.

"Olson, Damon and Samuel, check the perimeter. Goloris, Walden and Lewis with me. Thaddeus, stay with the horses." He nodded once and watched in awe as Ector and his four closest knights withdrew their swords and approached the village.

Red and white scarred the earth and bodies lay over bodies. They tried not to react as some had iced over while others were working as kindling to the dampening fire, but sometimes the slightest flinch crossed their faces as they saw the young and the women, terror still on their faces that must have come with the attack and the fire. Nothing was alight to the point of disaster, the flames crackling calmly as the fighting had ended.

They started a search of the huts and barns, looking for survivors. They had to stay silent, in case Caerleon's men were still about but the village was so still apart from the fires that warmed the snowy air and melted parts of the white ground, but the snow was still drifting "No one is here." Lewis said in a low voice.

Ector nodded once to agree with him but none of them lowered their weapons. In the centre of the village, a red and gold flag that the people had proudly displayed to show their defiance to Caerleon had been ripped down from the staff it had been buried in and was replaced with the maroon and green of Caerleon, the savage bear in place of the golden dragon. "Uther is not going to like this." Goloris spoke under his breath.

The farmhouse Ector was walking around was torn down, the animals dead in front of the doors and the owners buried beneath them. He was walking slowly, his feet crunching in the snow, when he heard the slightest of whimpers. He turned his head with a frown and halted the other men with a single gesture so he could listen. He himself took another step and there was another sound, but it was more of a sob.

He followed it, and found himself behind the farmhouse altogether, faced with a small boy, no older than seven or maybe even younger by his tiny size, bundled up with his legs drawn to his chest, shivering from the cold. He wore an overly large shirt and his lips were blue from the cold, tears frozen on his face beneath big brown eyes and hair as dark as a raven's feather. "Hello there." he said gently, kneeling down his level.

The boy whimpered and squashed himself further back in between the barrels and the farmhouse where he must have been hiding. "Don't worry little one, I'm not going to hurt you." He stuck his sword in the ground and reached out one hand gently. "I only want to help."

The small boy whimpered and didn't budge and Ector side inwardly, trying to remember what Balinor was like at that age and how he dealt with him when he was frightened. The thought gained momentum and Ector quickly dug into his pocket and withdrew an apple he'd stole for himself from the kitchens two nights previous. The skin was slightly bruised but Ector was desperate and he needed to the boy to trust him before he caught his death from the cold. "Do you like apples?" The boy was staring at the fruit, eyes wide with hungry and trembling from the cold. "If you come here, and let me get you warm, I'll give you an apple. Does that sound fair? I won't hurt you. I swear upon my honour and that means a lot to a knight of Camelot."

It was the words more than the apple that did the trick. As soon as the boy heard 'Camelot', he stood and bolted to Ector, practically diving at him. His small arms wrapped around his neck and Ector stood, pulling his cloak around both of them so he could start warming the boy. The apple forgotten, Ector put his sword in his scabbard and rushed back to the centre of the village. "We need to start a fire." he said, feeling how impossibly cold the boy was through his gloves.

The miracle was that he was alive, but as soon as the boy touched Ector, he bent his head and started sobbing, more tears freezing on the knight's neck. "There are no others." Walden informed Ector and with a small nod, they left the village – unable to camp on the death infested land – and the all the knights surrounded Ector as he tried to hush and calm the boy.

They found a cave where they would be spared from most of the weather and when the fire was lit, Ector made no fuss about stripping the boy and rubbing his dry, the snow sinking through his clothing. With help from Lewis, he cleaned the boys face and put one of Thaddeus' tunics on him, the knight by far the slimmest of them all. Even then, the child was swimming in the white tunic and wavering on sleep depravation. "What's your name, little one?" Lewis asked with a smile, trying to keep the boy lively.

He wouldn't answer, his lip jutting out in his only response. Ector did search his clothing and found a small leather band that had been his bracelet with the name Flynn carved into the hide. "Flynn?" Ector said quietly to himself. "Is your name Flynn?" he asked the boy more directly. He wavered, still standing as Lewis tried to tie knots around the shirt to hold it together then completely dropped onto Ector's shoulder, holding him even though he was fast asleep.

"He nodded." Lewis offered quietly.

He had, just before exhaustion had taken him over. Ector pushed strands of hair off the boys face and wondered sickeningly if this boy had witnessed the horrors of his family's death. He himself had seen such death when he was just a year older, and he didn't quite know what would have become of him had he not had Sayard. Just the thought of his second father brought warmth and ease to Ector's mind and he snuggled Flynn's tiny body closer to his chest and slid a hand through his hair. "It'll be alright little one. I have you." he said, just quietly enough for only Flynn to be reassured.

The other knights glanced at him, concern on their face for the child. "I'll sleep with him under my blankets and keep him warm." Ector offered, keeping his arms as tight as he could around Flynn's little body. Lewis donated his cloak and Ector his bed, as they bundled up the small boy in his sleep. Ector laid down and dragged little Flynn with him and already felt his skin warming up by Ector's proximity and the warmth of the flames.

"We'll figure out what to do with him once we get to Camelot." Lewis said quietly, although he already had half a mind of what the recently wed Ector was planning.

---

BOY FOUND. YOUNG, AGED SEVEN SMALL FOR HIS AGE. BLACK HAIR, BROWN EYES. RESPONDS TO FLYNN. PARENTS DIED IN MASSACRE IN THE TOWN OF ORELEGE. IF THERE ARE ANY KNOWN FAMILY LEFT, PLEASE SEEK HIM OUT IN CAMELOT WITH SIR ECTOR CYNYR of CAMELOT.

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"Flynn! Stop running, I cannot keep up!"

Fifteen year old Hunith laughed at the three month pregnant Julia as she tried to reel in her adopted-son's energy as he darted through the markets during the late spring. Her 'sister-in-law' – as the ex-slave affectionately called her due to Ector boldly declaring Hunith to be his sister one evening whilst heavily intoxicated – had only just announced her pregnancy to the Court but Queen Ygraine, Hunith and Emelie had known for a few weeks and the four women were shopping in the markets for fabric, escorted by Sayard who had returned the previous year, declaring the War over and the Déaþgodas, extinct. He brought their books and teachings and gave them to Balinor as a gift, but only the knowledge that the future-Dragonlord possessed was left of their legacy.

He stood a great deal away from them, perusing the markets himself as not to look conspicuous. The lesion he received during the war on his hip had left some permanent damage and he was not one for fighting anymore, but it did not mean he couldn't stand guard for the Queen and couldn't refuse her direct invite and wouldn't ever.

"Get used to it, Julia." Emelie said, hand over her five month enlarged stomach. "I have a feeling our boys will be filled with twice that energy."

"Boys?" Ygraine quirked her eyebrow up. "What makes you so certain they will be boys?"

"I drew a crystal over my hand." Emelie said, a smug smile. "It swung north-to-south. I shall be having a boy."

"And I shall be having a boy too then I presume." Julia said, a small smirk on her lips. "Is that what your great crystals have told you, without even swinging it on my hand?"

Emelie, whilst highly beautiful and generous was slightly daft when it came to more serious topics, much to her husbands chagrin. It didn't stop the fair Lady from Corbenic from holding his full fascination and his heart. Lewis greatly wanted many children and so did Emelie, her daftness made up for by her overwhelming mothering skills. "No silly. I drew the crystal over your glove one time when you weren't looking. It swung perfectly from the Northern Plains to the Mountains of Isgard. You, my dear, shall be having a boy."

"If nothing else, Nimueh confirmed it." Hunith added, tilting her head to Julia. "She said your first born would be a boy."

Julia only bristled slightly but, all in all, the Court Sorceress had welcomed Julia into the fold the most. She was about to say something along the lines of already having a first son, when her eyes spotted the young boy in question, huddling under a meat stall and trying to steal a morsel for himself. "Flynn!" she snapped and the boy froze, caught in the act of his thievery. "Get back here now!"

He looked panicked for a moment then went to dart behind another woman's skirts to hide from his furious looking mother. "We still cannot get him to stop stealing food." Julia scolded.

"Leave him be. He still does not understand that what we have is plentiful here." Emelie said, and the four women had a small reminder of how skinny and sickly the boy had been upon his arrival.

"Don't worry. I'll get him." Hunith said, already picking up her skirts. Flynn loved Hunith, often curling up on her lap to be read to and refusing to take writing lessons from anyone else.

Ygraine tutted her tongue and said, "I will get the child."

"Milady." Hunith scolded her lightly. She was the only one of them of the serving class and, in public, often acted like she was the Ladies handmaiden as was proper. But, as much as Flynn loved Hunith he possibly did love the Queen Ygraine more who gave him sweets and spoiled him relentlessly.

"You four continue as you were." Sayard stepped in front of them and caught Flynn's eye. "I think this one is like his father." He took a few uneven steps, his gait making up for the lake of movement in his leg and scooped the boy up affectionately.

He had been living with them for three months and had gained his father, uncle and grandfather's affections the most. He often had nightmares of the attack, often wetting himself in fear at night and it would take one of the three men to comfort him, Ector especially.

They weren't quite sure what his family life was like before the attack on his village. The boy didn't talk. He had been completely mute up until the day when Balinor and Hunith had taken him out to walk around the citadel and he had fallen and scuffed his knee and exclaimed, "Ouch." He had looked up at Balinor, a little shocked he had spoken and then started howling and sat on his lap while Hunith cleaned the scrape. But after that he had failed to talk again.

Sayard picked the small boy up and pulled him over his shoulder, causing him to giggle. "Flynn, you don't steal." Sayard scolded lightly and the four women resumed shopping for their materials.

"This is quite pretty." Ygraine said, picking up some lace. "To make a shawl for Vivienne."

"So you two are talking again, I suppose." Emelie hummed, already divulging in the gossip. Hunith rolled her eyes and continued on with Julia who tried not to snort. "What with Goloris and Uther working in such close quarters."

Ygraine hummed back. "Goloris and Uther have always been good friends, and despite what I feel for him, or loathe of him as the case may be, he does keep Uther in check and questions his more radical thoughts in a way that not even I can." she lowered the lace and frowned. "I always fear to anger him. I do not wish to make him unhappy."

Hunith glanced in Ygraine's direction, her eyes swimming with guilt but she swore to Balinor and Sayard she would say nothing. Her eyes darted to the happy Julia and she bit her lip, knowing the terms of the agreement. At least someone is happy. "The King could never get mad at you." Emelie tutted her tongue. "Uther has been in love with you forever. He would give up his kingdom to indulge you."

With a blush the Queen replied, "I do not think he is that dedicated."

"He would." Hunith said, usually not one to involve herself with any conversation about Uther and Ygraine's marital status. "Uther would destroy heaven and earth for you." She tried to keep the sad tone from her voice, but it was there underneath everything as she still dreamt about how Goloris and Ygraine would dance at the banquets. "He loves you very much." she added finally then turned back to the lace. "I believe Vivienne would love that shawl. It would come in handy as she nursed her child."

The third pregnant woman who lived now in Camelot's upper town, was Vivienne Le Fay, the wife of Sir Goloris, heavily pregnant and about to give birth. Ygraine could not stand the sight of Goloris with the spell she was under but Nimueh had died it back so the two could put pettiness aside and Ygraine and Vivienne actually found they got along quite well. They would never be the best of friends, but Ygraine did offer to help prepare for her own oncoming birth.

They shopped on and Hunith found some small materials she wanted for herself to make a new shirt for her father. She did not earn a lot and was simply fortunate her friends enjoyed spoiling her and received many favours from the younger knights, including Sir Thaddeus who wasn't quite keen to give up his affections on her.

Unofficially, the two were courting. Not many interfered as Hunith finally gave in and let him take her on a picnic one afternoon, not knowing that Lewis, Ector and Balinor were not far behind watching them under the strict orders of Ygraine and Nimueh. Balinor wasn't quite comfortable with it all, but Hunith decided she could not wait forever for him to open her eyes and see her and pushed aside her feelings for him as a silly childish crush and Thaddeus was quite kind to her.

"Oh." Hunith went to pay for the materials for the shirt and paused, her hand over her pocket. "Oh no. I think I've left my coin purse at home." She spun on the spot, trying to see whether she had dropped it or not but could not recall if she had picked it up off her nightstand.

"Here." Sayard approached from behind and offered the coin for the material, but Hunith grabbed his arm. "That is very kind, milord but I cannot have you pay for this."

"Once we find your coin purse, you can give me the money back. Let us not make a scene." he said gently.

Ygraine smiled coyly and snorted, "You will not let her repay you."

Sayard gave Ygraine a stern look in reply and she couldn't help but sigh beneath it, even though she was Queen. His face softened as he smiled at Hunith. "Your home is not far from here and I believe the blacksmiths are nearby. Uther needed a new dagger and I said I would get one. Ygraine can choose the engraving." He adjusted Flynn in his arms, the little boy tucking his head underneath Sayard's head. "I need to ask your father something anyway."

"What?" Hunith frowned, a little confused as they started walking towards her home with filled bags.

"You still have not answered me properly regarding whether or not he properly knows about Sir Thaddeus or not."

Hunith turned bright red whilst Ygraine snickered and Julia giggled under her breath. They got to Hunith's home and Sayard said Julia and Emelie should properly stay within the cool confines of Hunith's home whilst he and Ygraine go to the Blacksmith so they went passed there first.

Opening her door, Hunith didn't call out to her father as he should not have been there. Blushing at the lack of niceties, she let them into her home and apologised profusely for every detail of her house. "I know it is not to your standards…" she muttered but Ygraine rolled her eyes.

"Hush now. I've been here before. I like your home. It's quaint and lived it. I sometimes get frustrated with how sterile my life has become. I sometimes long for the days when Tristan, Agravaine and myself were on the run from Vertigern and trying to get to Anglia by living in hunting houses." she sighed, reminiscing but then straightened up. "Of course, the terror is not something I miss, but the independence and such."

"I was lucky if I got a bed, sometimes." Julia commented, looking at the mattress in the living room where her father normally slept. Hunith's room was behind the divider beside their small pantry. Sayard just shrugged and put Flynn down on the bed where the boy collapsed back and grinned toothily.

The only one who looked put out was Emelie, who hadn't lived in anything but castles and manors her entire life. She blushed a little then sat on the edge of the chair that was offered for her by Sayard and tried to hold her quick to judge tongue. "Lord Ambrosius and I will go to the blacksmith." Ygraine said, having not sat down. "We will return and Hunith, try and find your purse." she added the last part with a comforting smile which Hunith returned.

"I will. Thank you." she was about to start her search when she asked, "Do either of you want something to drink? There is a well just behind out house where the blacksmith gets their water from, it won't take me long to make."

"Don't bother yourself."

"I'd love one."

Julia and Emelie looked at each other sharply as they replied differently and Julia gave Emelie a pointed look before the slightly older Lady said, "Actually I'm fine."

"Nonsense." Hunith turned to grab the bucket from beside her bench top when she spotted her fathers work satchel on the table. She paused and stared at it just long enough for Julia to grow concerned. "What is it?"

"That is my fathers." she said slowly, approaching it as though it was a beast that could attack her. "He takes it to work every morning and…" she opened the satchel and found an apple, a bread roll and a water skin, his usual lunch except… Normally, he took dried meats and she knew there was quite a bit in the pantry. She turned her head and felt a chill creep up on her. "Father?" she called out.

Julia stood and Emelie moved with unease. "Father?" she said louder and started walking towards the curtain divider and pulled it back roughly, fear gripping her throat as a scream of terror ripped out of her.

Two doors away from her home, Balinor had, by chance, met with his father and Ygraine at the Blacksmith's. He grinned as they walked in and wiped the grime from his face, having been beating iron for the last hour. "Hello. Father, my lady." he bowed and many of the men in the forge stopped work to pay their respects to the Queen.

"Are you still working on those chains?" Sayard laughed. "It's been years, Balinor."

"I have made nearly a thousand links." Balinor said, proudly and showed his father his efforts. The links were the size of a mans torso and the chain had taken up much of the forge but they made allowance for Balinor. "What brings you here?"

"A new dagger for the King." Ygraine said, smiling more at the owner, a young man named Tom who had recently inherited the place.

He beamed and nodded. "Immediately my lady. Shall you have it commissioned?"

"Yes."

"I will make an order for some finer gems and gold and silver."

Before the conversation could continue, a loud scream was heard over the roar of the fire and the beating of the iron. Sayard frowned and said, "That is coming from Hunith's."

Balinor all but dropped his tools and started running, the name all he needed to move. Sayard and the Queen were right behind him and as they slammed through the room to see Emelie standing on her chair and Julia with her arms around a crying Hunith, dragging her away from a body on the floor and Flynn still screaming from his position on the bed and staring.

At the sound of the slamming door, they looked to see Balinor, Sayard and Ygraine standing there and Hunith ripped herself away from Julia and flew to Balinor, crashing into his arms as Ygraine pulled Flynn away from the sight to calm him.

Lying on the dirt compacted ground , stiff and pale with death, was Owen Adhan.

Hunith was an orphan.

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Dear Terra Adhan,

I am quiet aware that you may not know me. My name is Gaius and I was his sister-in-laws, brother-in-law and have known him for many years. I live in Camelot and have employed his daughter as my assistant.

I am sorry to inform you that Owen has passed away, his death caused by a heart attack. He had fallen at home whilst Hunith was not there and his home has now been emptied and Hunith is with me.

Hunith has informed me that should anything happen to Owen, she was to live with you and your sons. I am writing to see if this offer still stands. If it does not, I and quite a few in Camelot are more than willing to adopt Hunith into our care.

Again, I send my condolences for your loss.

Sincerely,

Gaius

---

Nimueh gently closed the door and Balinor, Ygraine and Thaddeus stood outside the room anxiously, watching as Gaius too extracted himself from the bedroom. "She is asleep." Nimueh said gently. Ector looked up from where he was sitting on a bench in Gaius's chambers, Flynn asleep on his lap and raised an eyebrow. "Gaius had to sedate her. Alice will stay with her in case she wakes once more."

"You cannot keep her under sleep forever." Thaddeus snapped. "She must wake and deal with this."

Balinor looked like he was about to snap, but Ygraine touched her arm to his forearm and tugged him away. "Bal…"

"Is she alright?" Balinor asked, stepping forward, his voice pained. Hunith had cried herself into exhaustion and thrown up, screaming about her head aching. Ygraine and Balinor had just held her up between them and then Nimueh came along and sent her into a forced sleep with a touch of her fingers.

When she'd woke again, she was started screaming again and no one could calm her so this time, Alice and Gaius made a draught for her so she wouldn't get sick again. "She'll be fine." Nimueh offered. "She just needs to calm herself. She will." With a small sigh, she wiped her brow and said, "I must see to Vivienne. She was complaining of stomach cramps."

"The child?" Ygraine asked, her voice strained.

Nimueh shook her head. "I'm going now to check."

Balinor slid his arms from out underneath his pits and went to the door. "I will sit with her."

"Alice is there." Thaddeus said calmly.

Balinor glared at him tersely and repeated firmly, "I will sit with her." Nimueh kept her tongue tucked behind her teeth, unwilling to give away the future she knew was coming.

She waited for Balinor to walk passed her and went into the room with Alice. Ygraine sat beside Ector on the bench and Flynn shuffled until he was between them both, holding onto Ector's arm but resting his head on Ygraine.

Looking back at Gaius she said, "I'll come by later to check on her." Leaning down, she pressed her lips to his old weathered cheek and smiled. "Take care of her." Her eye lingered on the door long enough for the physician to realise she also meant for her to care of Balinor.

Thaddeus looked very annoyed as Nimueh passed him by and went down the hall. Owen's death had come quite suddenly, though Nimueh knew first hand that the heart was a fickle thing that could easily break. Watching Ector with Julia reminded her of that, even though she knew she was blessed with the Immortality of a High Priestess.

Her reflection caught itself in a knights armour and Nimueh took a moment to glance at it. She knew she was very pretty and often sought out, but in truth she hadn't felt beautiful for a long while. Not since Ector gave up his efforts on her and moved on to Julia.

The Sorceress gritted her teeth and tried not to resent the woman who took her place by Ector's side… You chose magic. He moved on. You helped him move on. Remember that Nimueh. She sighed lowly then knocked on the door that led to Goloris and Vivienne's chambers, housed in the lower castle with the other knights and some of their families. While both Ector and Lewis made their own homes in the upper town, moving out from the castle, Goloris and Vivienne chose to stay and Uther offered his hospitality out towards them to stay for however long they needed.

"Come in!" Vivienne called out from inside, and Nimueh went in and found herself affronted with the sight of Vivienne in nothing but her nightgown, fanning her face. "I sensed it was you. I am sorry. I've just been so ferociously hot of late."

Nimueh calmed herself then kept walking towards her. "It's understandable. You're a few days away, I believe and the summer has gotten quite hot. I supposed you would be uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable isn't a word to describe it. In pain is a better option." Vivienne had lost much of her ferocity in her pregnancy, one of the side effects, Nimueh presumed. Often mild tempered women because strict and harsh while the reverse was true for those who had originally been angrier. One day, Nimueh wished to understand why such things happened, but for now she was content with Vivienne being… humane.

"It's brilliant though in one way." she gushed then showed off her bare wrist gleefully. "I have not been struck by a single vision. I don't think my daughter will be a seer. I actually think she'll block all sorts of magic."

Nimueh moved closer to the bedside then rested the back of her hand over Vivienne's head and felt the temperature. "You're burning up a little. Maybe I should have someone bring up a cool bath."

"It's fine. Really, I'm quite alright."

"Even so…" Nimueh slid her hand down over Vivienne's rested over her stomach and murmured, "Better to be safe than sorry." She had just finished her sentence, when Nimueh was forced to gasp.

Nimueh so a young blonde girl, eyes the colour of the earth with hair that was kept up with a silver comb. She played with her dolls, carved from wood and painted then turned her eyes into narrow slits and broke it apart.

The scene changed and it was of Vivienne, watching her daughter from a doorway with Goloris just behind her, both their eyes fearful as the small girl slept in her bed. "Balinor would not lie. Even so, Kay saw her too. She tried killing the baby in his cot. Hunith was beside herself with worry. He stopped breathing but Arthur tackled her away." Goloris murmured.

"She is just a child." Vivienne whispered back. "She didn't know what she was doing… Did she?"

The girl then flew forward in time and she was a woman, wielding a sword and conducting an army to invade Camelot, throwing her arm out in front of her to call the command. The army invaded and she saw a man with curling brown hair, carrying the colours of Essetir alongside of her.

Time shifted again and the blonde woman wore the same silver comb in her hair and slit the throat of Goloris, gleaming in his blood. She turned her head and saw Vivienne being held under a spell, unable to move and the blonde Prince she had seen from her visions with Uther and Ygraine's marriage tried to strike her down but was thrown across the room, falling dead.

The girl lifted up her arm and struck down the King, beheading him and time shifted again to her sitting on the throne, hands gripping the armrests with a crown on her head. "Bring them in."

Nimueh watched as herself, Vivienne, Sayard, Balinor and a crippled boy whom she vaguely recognised as Balinor's son, dragged in by chains around their necks. The chains were handed to the new Queen who smirked and sucked in their magic through the silver rings.

Nimueh gasped, almost feeling the pain she would feel in the future and doubled over, arms caught by Vivienne. "Nimueh? Nimueh, what happened? What did you see?"

She opened her eyes to look down at Vivienne, then looked at the bracelet around her wrist that stopped her seer powers. Vivienne was the most powerful seer in all five kingdoms, Nimueh's powers paling in comparison as she only saw versions of the future. Vivienne could see what would truly be, but the dark haired witch denied her powers and contained them out of fear.

If only you trusted your gifts… Nimueh pushed herself up from her companion and whispered, "Nothing. I'm fine." When Vivienne tried tightening her grip on Nimueh, the High Priestess pulled away. "I'm fine. Really. You rest." she patted Vivienne's shoulder. "Rest. You need it." She pulled away from Vivienne and stalked away from the bed, furiously considering what she should do with her newfound knowledge of Goloris and Vivienne's child.

---

To my Brother Agravaine,

How are you studies in Anglia coming along? I have heard from the King himself that you are becoming quite masterful in the art of battle planning. I do hope Prince Bagdemagus is putting you through your paces

You ask what is going on in the palace. Well our sister and Uther are happily – and sickly – enamoured in marital bliss, there are officials from Nemeth here to discuss the new treaty between our lands and the Lady Vivienne is about to give birth to her first born with Sir Goloris. He has excitedly already had a wooden sword made up for the day his son – or daughter, he has informed me – will learn how to fight. I have not seen him so happy since he announced his engagement to our sister. It still saddens me he is not our brother-in-law, but I suppose it is good he is still my brother-in-arms and he has assured me that his son or daughter will call me Uncle Tristan no matter what.

I'm afraid, though, that is where the good news stops.

King Wulfhere of Mercia has died and his son, Bayard has taken over and continued the feud between the kingdoms by striking out against the bordering villages. At the same time, Caerleon is continuing his attacks on his borders. The men are growing restless and war looks to be brewing, though who will strike first is anyone's guess.

Closer to home, Hunith's father has passed away. It was a heart attack and there was nothing anyone could do. She lives with Gaius for the time being, but I have every faith she will not go to Ealdor as her aunt wishes. Crossing borders at this time would be quite difficult and, no doubt, Balinor wishes to keep her close.

Anyway, my dear brother. Write back if you have the chance. I heard you may go across the seas to Ierne and visit Lobeth before you return. If you do, send my regards to the King and please, politely, refuse his offer, once again, to marry his daughter. The Princess Reba may be extremely beautiful but she is horrifyingly heartless.

Sincerely,

Tristan

---

Balinor leant back against the door of Hunith's home, watching her anxiously.

It had been four days since her father's death. Four days of her sleeping in and crying and staying indoors, but finally the taxes needed to paid and, even though Balinor had been more than willing to pay, Hunith had pointed out he couldn't pay for the rest of her life.

So she chose to sell her home and go to Ealdor and it was something no one wanted, not even Hunith. "They're the only family I have now." Hunith had said sadly.

"You cannot go to Essetir." Ector had argued that morning, as they ate breakfast in Sayard's chambers with the entire Ambrosius clan, plus Hunith. "The way things are now with Mercia makes our alliance with Essetir unstable. Aethelred, the King has a strong companionship with Bayard and, should things go to war, Ealdor would be the first place to take soldiers and armed men. You would be in a warzone."

"Aethelred and Bayard's alliance isn't that strong and should it come to war, it would be best if I was there." Hunith said firmly, trying not to cry. "Ealdor has no physician and I'd be able to help my family–"

"Your family who you have not seen for ten years for longer than a week." Balinor added. "Hunith, there is a reason why I don't see my cousins longer than a week. Their cute little tendencies start sending me up the wall!"

"Ugh, especially Lucy." Ector growled. "That little tutting thing she does on with her teeth."

Balinor demonstrated, clicking his tongue on his back teeth over and over until Ector growled, "Stop!"

Sayard glared at both his sons while Julia hummed in amusement. "She is your mother's niece. You will not disrespect her." he said to Balinor then added, slightly impishly, "She only makes that noise because she is missing a back tooth."

Balinor looked apologetic. "My point is, Hunith. You should stay here in Camelot. With us."

"Where?" she demanded. "I cannot burden Gaius any longer, I am sleeping in a patient's bed. And I'm not going to throw Alice from her room, that would not be fair and Gaius wouldn't allow it."

"He probably would." Ector said. "But I don't understand why you won't stay with us. Father, we have the room in here." he said, waving around to their compartmented chambers.

It was true. Like many of the small families who lived in the castle, they had a set of chambers which shot off from each other, with a large dining room and four chambers around, three of which were bedrooms and the last which was Sayard's – and when he was acting Lord, Balinor's – desk and writing space. "Since we have moved to the upper town, there is space here for Hunith." Julia pointed out.

Hunith shook her head, blushing, "I'm not imposing…"

"Hunith, my dear, do not think you are any sort of imposition on myself or my family." Sayard said calmly. He looked over the table to Balinor who had a keen glint in his eye. "If you wish me to, I can declare you as my ward. I see no problem in doing so."

"But…" she stuttered. "But, that would make me… me a…"

"A Lady of Camelot, yes." Sayard shrugged. "More specifically, a Lady of Ambrosius. Actually, you would be the Lady of Ambrosius now that I think of it." His face fell into a small frown but then he shook it off. "But it wouldn't be so horrible, I don't think. It would just be a title. You can keep your name. Ector has kept his."

Ector grinned then winked. "Then you'd be getting men from across the lands trying to court you." He yelped as Balinor kicked his brother under the table.

The youngest Ambrosius turned to Hunith, eyes wide with nerves. "You can think about it, but… it's a good offer. Not just one for status. We genuinely care for you and wish you to be apart of our family." Balinor smiled gently. "You're too good to be let go, Hunith."

She was absolutely scarlet by the end of his speech. Sayard looked to have said all he needed to say, Ector looked unfazed and was eating his breakfast as though they'd spoken about the weather, Julia and even Flynn were gazing at her keenly and Balinor looked like he was about to topple off his seat with anxiousness and excitement.

"I… I…" She had absolutely no idea what to say. She bit her lip. "Can I think about it first?"

"Of course." Sayard said, when Balinor leant forward to protest.

Before breakfast could continue, there was a knock at the door. Everyone glanced up but it was Sayard who called the order of, "Enter."

The door opened to show Nimueh, looking frazzled and a little out of sorts with her hair up in a messy fashion, strays escaping everywhere. "Sayard?" she asked, her voice cracking. The Lord stood up and stared at the pale girl with heavy shadows under her eyes, trembling in his doorway.

Balinor and Ector stood, both drawing their swords slightly, waiting for an attack. "Nimueh, what is it?"

"Can I… May I talk with you?" she quickly swiped at a stray tear from the corner of her eye and sniffed. "Alone." she added

"Of course." Sayard stood up and nodded to his family and went to the door. Balinor followed him with concerned eyes, but didn't move to object or assist.

When Sayard was well out of the room, he and Nimueh paused, staring at each other, one tentative and the other apprehensive. "Nimueh, what is it?" he asked.

Her blue eyes darted around uncertainly and she finally landed back on Sayard. "It is… it was a vision. A very powerful vision. Of… Of the child the Lady Vivienne is about to give birth to." Her eyes watered and Sayard quickly grabbed her shoulders to calm her.

"What is it? Does the child not survive?"

Nimueh laughed mirthlessly. "Oh no, she survives. She survives and she kills all of us." She glanced back at the door that led to Ector, Julia, Balinor and Hunith then snarled, "She takes pleasure in it. Especially in beheading the King and ripping her father's throat out. Then in draining us of our magic. You, me, Balinor, Vivienne and your grandson."

Sayard tilted his head to the door and blinked. "Ector's child?"

"No." Nimueh whispered. "Balinor and Hunith's." The older man's face relaxed and he seemed unfazed by this new information, a deeper look of understanding crossing his face. "If the child is allowed to live… Sayard, I don't know what to do." she moaned.

He blinked and thought of his nephew and the grandson yet to be born and his family. But at the same time, it was a child. An unborn child at that and to think of the pain Vivienne and Goloris would go through should they know. But wouldn't it be worse if she betrayed them?

Lords, I hate the gift of Sight. "Come. Let us speak with Gaius and Alice. This is something he has dealt with before." he murmured, thinking of how many people the two had silently saved with swift action plans. He smirked a little at the thought that, despite all the years, Gaius would never man up and propose to Alice but Alice was perfectly content with their not-so-secret secret relationship.

At the very least, they would know what to do. They knew how to make such problems go away.

---

I, King Bayard of Mercia, officially declare a continuance of war between my peoples and the peoples of Camelot.

Signed

King Bayard of Mercia.

---

Uther actually had to hold himself steady to stop himself from smacking his own head at the absolute stupidity of Bayard.

He'd met the Prince once or twice at tourney's growing up and while they were never the best of friends, they'd gotten on well enough bar the pathetic jibes. Not many knew he was the Lost Prince of Camelot, Budic keen to keep it a secret for the safety of Uther and his kingdom. Instead, he claimed Uther was his ward and the child of a fallen knight of his own realm and Uther was treated accordingly as the King's ward.

Bayard had no problem with Uther or Bagdemagus but had made a great scene towards Ector and Balinor as Ector proudly boasted he was a citizen of Camelot and Balinor, as he always did, supported that claim.

Son's of a Dragonlord or not, Bayard had mercilessly beaten up Ector and Balinor with his fellows for being men of Camelot then quite vulgarly tried to describe it to Uther. "They're my cousins." Uther said dryly after Bayard attempted to string sentences together that sounded half intelligent with a goblet of wine in his hand.

It had shut him up and he didn't speak to Uther again after that. Uther had helped patch up Balinor and Ector under the cover of night so Sayard wouldn't find out his son's were fighting outside the tourney, then slapped Ector over the back of the head for provoking a Mercian with his heritage.

If Uther had learnt one thing from the entire experience – apart from the fact he was going to have a horrible time explaining to the entirety of Albion that he was indeed the Lost Prince – it was that Bayard had, had either little training on formalities of the court, or he'd just slept through all his lessons. Either way, with the arrival of the letter, he could safely assume that his vocabulary skills hadn't improved by much.

As he wrote his reply, he toyed with the idea that he should suggest to the new King to hire a scribe but thought better of it as he signed off on the council approved notice to continue their war efforts on Mercia. It came at a good time too as Caerleon had decided to have war with Mercia for some arguments over an apparent insult so while Bayard and Caerleon went at each other for a while, it would give the army enough time to fall back and recover.

There was a knock at his door and Uther looked up. "Enter."

The door in and in swept his beautiful wife. His face softened and a warm smile spread over his face. "You know, this is your room too. There is no need for you to knock."

She wore a matching grin and came over to his desk, sitting on the armrest. "I know, of course. I simply like knocking. It is more polite." There was complete and absolute adoration in her eyes as she stared at him. Uther had been frightened he would get sick of her, following him around and agreeing to everything he said but he found it frighteningly pleasing.

Nimueh had talked of slowly removing the spell and Uther had just nodded and said they would discuss it later, but Uther didn't ever want later to come. "You don't have to be polite. Not with me." He slid his arms around her waist and tugged her closer.

"Would it please you for me to be otherwise?" she asked, eyebrow raised.

Uther shrugged. "Maybe. Sometimes." He pulled her lips to his and they kissed long and slow. "If it's just you and me, I think it's alright."

Ygraine twisted around and put her legs on either side of Uther's waist, just the way he liked, the way he'd dictated so long ago and she'd simply followed with a smile, willing to please him. "I will refrain from knocking in future." she whispered heatedly on his lips.

With a small bob of his neck, he agreed and let Ygraine attach herself around his waist. He lifted her up and guided her over to the bed, throwing her down. It was the middle of the day and they had no time to waste by trying to remove her from the many layers and bindings of her dress, so Uther simply dragged the ruffles up and rested it between them and dragged down her underclothes.

She giggled and fumbled with his lacings, and soon they were kissing again and Uther was bedding the only woman he wanted to be with, their movements filled with love and ravenous affection.

"Uther!" she cried out and the King grinned into her mouth and too soon it was all over.

They were lying together afterwards, his lacings done back, her dress arrange to cover her decently but her underclothes lost somewhere under the bed. "You know, I came in here to tell you Vivienne has gone into labour." Ygraine panted. "But you distracted me."

He hummed. It happened often when Ygraine set her eyes on him. She stared at him like he was some sort of mythical creature. Lachlan had noticed this and called it Ygraine's 'unicorn' eyes.

He'd said it often and Uther had just tried to grumble and ignore him, but eventually – and stupidly – he had to ask. "What are unicorn eyes?" he demanded.

The Knight grinned boyishly and Frenwyn simply rolled his eyes at how the King caved into his brother's antics. "Unicorn eyes. Every time she see's you, it's like she's seeing a unicorn for the first time. You know? Like this." His eyes widened twice their normal size and glazed over all doe-ishly and the young knight looked simultaneously adorable and idiotic.

"Stop that." Uther grunted, dragging himself away from the knight who was doing an excellent job at making an impression of his wife.

Back in the present, with Ygraine, he turned to look at her. "Vivienne is giving birth?"

"Mmmhm."

"I have ten gold coins on it being a boy."

"You will lose that bet, my dearest. Emelie did her strange crystal thing over Vivienne's hand the other day. It swung east-to-west. It is a girl."

"I have absolutely no idea as to what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't." she said teasingly, leaning over him to nip at his lips. "You're a man." She tried getting up but he dragged her back towards him. "I'm supposed to be at the birth. I thought you should come too and stand with Goloris and the other men."

"You don't like Goloris." Uther said, his voice hardening a little. He was always suspicious when it came to Ygraine and Goloris and he knew one kiss shared between them would shatter all the magic Uther had put into keep Ygraine by his side.

"No, I don't. But he is your best friend and I do like Balinor. His hand is going to break if Goloris doesn't calm down and you have that tendency to make him sane." she rolled her eyes slightly. "Idiot."

Uther's expression softened and he stared at Ygraine, arms around her waist and lips inches away. "May I ask you something? It is something we have never discussed."

"What is it?" she asked dutifully, eyelids batting together over her 'unicorn' eyes. Damn you Lachlan!

Now the King was stepping into dangerous territory and he knew it. He squeezed her tighter, just in case she ran away and asked, "You were to be engaged to Goloris. It was a willing engagement too. What do you feel of all the time spent with him now?"

"I'm not sure. I love him and then I didn't. I loved you. I love you." she smiled and leant down, kissing him. "I love you so much, Uther and I know you would never betray me like Goloris did."

Uther knew he should quit while he was ahead but he had a sick curiosity. "How did he betray you?"

She continued to stare at him and, for a moment her body went rigid and her eyes cleared of their 'unicorn' impression and turned confused and almost disgusted. She pulled away momentarily, blinking away a haze and turned her head away but Uther caught her chin and dragged her head to make him the prominent part of her vision. She stared, a little wide mouthed then blinked again and was staring at Uther with nothing but love once more. "I don't remember. I just remember waking up and realising I hated him. I am thankful I never shared a bed with him. Not the way I share a bed with you."

Uther pasted a fake smile on his face and nodded. "Me too, my darling. Me too."

The King and Queen got themselves together and headed to the chambers where the Lady Vivienne would give birth and they separated reluctantly so Uther could go stay with the men and Ygraine, the women.

Julia was there with Flynn on Hunith's lap, curled up with a tired look on his face. Ygraine knew that Julia and Hunith had been with Vivienne since her pains had started the night before and Flynn was most likely there too, the boy rarely leaving his newfound parent's side if he could help it.

Emelie was there too, stitching some pretty embroidery. Ygraine raised her eyebrow and peered over at the sign of Goloris stitched into a very delicate blanket. "What?" Emelie asked, staring down at the stitching. "Oh, we all know that Vivienne is hopeless at stitching."

"It's… girly." she merely pointed out with a sniff.

Emelie rolled her eyes. "I told you. She is having a girl. Do not doubt the crystal."

"Uther believes it shall be a boy."

"All men believe it will be a boy." Julia said. "Until of course it isn't. Then they mope around until they, unknowingly, become wrapped around their daughter's tiny finger."

Ygraine laughed, head tilted back and Emelie just grinned. "My father never wanted me to be a son." Hunith said quietly and all the women turned silent as they watched her play with Flynn's hair. "He wanted a daughter because he said he never wanted to have to train his boy to use a sword. My father wasn't much of a fighter. I mean… he could fight." she corrected herself. "He just didn't like fighting."

The women stared at her sadly but before they could ponder further, the door to Vivienne's room opened and out came Alice, her face twisted up into a sombre expression. Ygraine frowned and tilted her head to glance at Nimueh who was standing over a basinet with Gaius. There was no crying, no screaming, no noise coming from the room. "Alice?" Ygraine asked suddenly, standing up.

The old woman looked at Julia and Emelie sadly then quietly sad, "Stillborn."

"What?" Julia gasped, her hand zipping to her lips.

"But…" Emelie whispered. "But no. It can't have been. Nimueh said the child would be healthy."

Alice pursed her lips together then said, "Daughter. She was. Until she simply stopped breathing. Nimueh saw a healthy birth. This happened just after. Vivienne is asleep. She is passed out. But someone needs to go get Goloris."

Ygraine's heart thudded in her chest and she turned to Emelie, who had stilled her stitching and clutched her stomach in fear. At the word 'stillborn' Hunith tightened her grips on a confused Flynn and Julia reached out and hugged him with one hand still resting on her slightly swollen stomach. "I'll get him." Ygraine whispered, realising she was the only one not to feel the loss so strongly.

Hunith had just lost her father and was already grieving and the other two were expectant mothers and only just considering what would happen if their children were the same. Ygraine only had Uther and she loved Uther but she hadn't yet fallen pregnant – definitely not through a lack of trying either.

Her earlier thoughts on Goloris stirred through her mind as she mutely started to walk to the door. When Uther had asked her… really, asked her about her feelings towards Goloris, something in her heart twisted and jerked and made her believe, just for a moment that she was not in love with Uther. That Goloris – pathetic, sweet, gentle, Goloris – was indeed her one true love and everything she felt with Uther was a lie.

But then she saw Uther again and her mind made peace with the fact he was her real love and all her confusion died at the sight of his panicked expression.

She walked down the hall and went to the room where the men were waiting for news and paused outside of it. If Goloris hates me too, maybe this is not such a good idea. But rather dwindle on it, she opened the door and went inside.

The men there were Balinor, Ector, Lewis, Lachlan, Frenwyn, Walden, Tristan, Bedivere, Sayard and Uther. They were all gathered around Goloris, drinks of ale being passed around and chatter amongst them.

When Ygraine looked up, they all stared at her expectantly and she just pattered around nervously. Her eyes found Uther first and for a moment she was taken aback by him, almost gasping at his handsomeness and how much she desired him. She stared, blinking as though the daylight shone around her beloved but that all stopped when Goloris, the object of her hatred stepped in front of her line of vision. "What news?" he asked.

Ygraine frowned as she tried to force her hatred to patter out, but it only grew stronger. For a moment, she was conflicted with laughing at Goloris's misfortune or hitting him, but then she focused her thoughts on the fact that a child, a baby had died. What sort of cruel beast was she to take glee in his misfortune of that? Feeling quite ill with herself, she glanced away to gather herself then looked back up at just Goloris, her eyes soft and filled with genuine grief. "May I speak with you? Alone." she said, not wanting to make the announcement in front of all the men. It was one thing for Alice to tell the women all at once, but this was Goloris. The father of the child and…

Memories of happier times slid into her thoughts and for a moment she pictured Goloris with the golden light that belonged to Uther. She had loved him. It seemed like a forgotten memory now and she could not even for the life of her dredge up a memory to cause her to stop loving him. She was confused but a stronger part of Ygraine forced herself to remember what she needed to tell him. Goloris looked hesitantly at the other men then to Uther who looked decidedly nervous. "I shall escort you." he said and, for once, his voice didn't have the normal knee buckling effect over Ygraine.

What is going on? she thought to herself, stomach twisting in discomfort. But her own thoughts did not matter. I have to tell Goloris.

She firmly looked at Uther and said, "It is important I speak to him privately. I will return." Uther was stunned by her forwardness and Ygraine felt an empowerment she had been sorely missing for almost two years. Her heart thudded excitedly but then she saw Goloris's worried face and she ached.

Why don't I wish to see him broken anymore? Together they left the room, not heading much further than the room across the hall. It was a guest room, set up with a bed and a dinner table and as soon as the door shut them inside, Goloris turned to her angrily. "What?" he demanded.

The anger coiled off her and she couldn't understand why. The two hadn't spoken a proper word to each other since she threw his ring at him and as she strained to think of why they broke apart, she couldn't make a single thought from it. "I… Maybe you should sit down."

"What happened?" he demanded.

Ygraine bit her lip and stepped forward, a magnetic force pulling her closer to the knight. She rested her hand on his shoulder and said. "Vivienne is fine." This didn't seem to change his critical eye on her. "Your daughter… she did not make it." Ygraine said quietly, her own eyes filling with tears at the horrible thought that they would need to bury a baby.

There was a horrible moment of silence, where Ygraine and Goloris simply stared at each other. It went on for an age, where everything that had ever gone wrong between them simply erased themselves and all she could see in his eyes was pain and, like when his father died and when they'd lost their first man to the terrible war against Vertigern, she wanted to sweep him into her arms and kiss away all the pain.

The knee-giving out effect must have been postponed and delivered to Goloris by accident, because the next thing Ygraine knew, the knight had collapsed onto her. Her arms wrapped around his chest and his giant form made her fall and they were both clutching each other on the floor. She held him tight and soothed him as sobs, larger than his stature, wracked them both. "No." he begged, pulling his face off her shoulder. "No, tell me no. Say it's not true."

Ygraine's bottom lip trembled and all the hate she had ever felt for Goloris disappeared as they both cried together. "I'm so sorry, Goloris. I'm so sorry."

He leant his head forward again and almost crushed Ygraine with his weight, but it was a burden she was willing to carry. She felt his pain consume him as he howled and the noise attracted the attention of the other men.

Uther barged in first and started to pull his sword out when Ygraine threw her hand up to stop him. "It's fine." she said, crying herself. "It's fine. He's fine. We're fine, my love." She stroked Goloris's straggly hair and a sense of familiarity pulled at her, but the sight of her husband kept her away. Behind the King was Sayard, Tristan and Ector and she had no doubt the others were just in the hallway. "The child did not survive." she whispered and Goloris shouted again, shoving his head into Ygraine's shoulder and sending her rocking back.

She moved with him and steadied herself and let him grip her waist tighter and he bawled. "We'll be fine." she repeated, running her fingers through Goloris's hair again. She rested her hand on the back of his neck and put her mouth to his ears. "Everything will be fine, Goloris."

She didn't see Uther's shoulder's deflate or Ector's hand move to his mouth in shock. Nor did she hear Lachlan's reluctant sniffs or Frenwyn comforting his brother alongside Walden or Balinor falling back against the wall. But when Ygraine glanced up, her eyes forced away from Goloris's back when she felt her brother come up beside her and help lift the giant knight to stand, she saw Sayard. And she frowned at the acceptance in his eyes. She frowned because it wasn't a resoluteness that came with moving on or even a determined strength.

It was the absolution that came with knowing he had a job to do and it was almost as if this was the signal he had been waiting for. The death of a child had confirmed something inside of him and, as the hatred that had clouded her mind slipped away and she became more aware, Ygraine wondered what that was.

---

Dear Irena and Elissa,

Sayard departs this afternoon.

Love your sister,

Nimueh

---

As soon as Ygraine had confirmed the death of the child, Sayard knew what he had to do. He turned and saw his youngest on the floor, staring miserably out the window and his eldest shaking with horror. He could, no doubt see Ector's thoughts, consumed now of Julia and their unborn child and wished he could spare his son the pain.

Just as Nimueh finished recounting the entire vision to Gaius and Alice, the four of them discussed quietly in the back room of the physician's chambers the best course of action. "What do we do?" Nimueh asked. "We cannot simply let her grow up to be a killer?"

"You see possibilities of the future." Alice said, taking a seat. She looked between the three standing fellow magic users and simply said, "How do we not know this isn't just a turn of events that could arise?"

Sayard was curious of this himself and turned his head to view the semi-madness on Nimueh's face. "I don't know. But is it a risk you're willing to take?" her eyes sought out Sayard's. "She turns one of your grandson's into a cripple and kills the other. I didn't get to see what she did to Ector, but Balinor was in pain. Do you want to risk it all for the chance it might not come true?"

Balinor's sadness came more from his talent of empathy. It wasn't a gift of magic, but simply the way he was made. Sayard looked to both his son's then lifted Balinor off the floor and wrapped an arm around Ector, dragging them both close and kissing both their foreheads. "My boy's, do not despair." he told them evenly. "Ector, go be with your wife. Balinor, I am sure Hunith will need you. You must be strong, my boys."

They both looked at him, eyes balanced with equal amounts of pain and strength. "I better go find Julia then." Ector murmured, clearing his throat. He dragged himself completely away from Sayard but stopped half way to grasp his arm. "Thank you."

Sayard squeezed back and then turned to Balinor who looked slightly more distressed as Tristan guided Goloris from the room and towards his wife's chambers to be with her and to most likely see the babe with Ygraine and Uther tailing behind. Sayard's stomach squeezed at that thought but he knew Nimueh would ease Goloris's pain however she could.

"He will be fine." Sayard whispered. "Go, find Hunith."

Balinor nodded dumbly then evacuated the hall to go to where he had last seen the girl. Sayard looked around and saw Frenwyn, Walden, Bedivere and Lachlan, still standing looking at him blankly for an order or for an idea of what to do with themselves. Lewis had rushed off to find Emelie as soon as he had heard and the four single men were saddened and unsure of how to assist. "Are the officials from Nemeth still here?" he asked no one in particular.

Walden nodded his head and Sayard's eyes locked with him. "Good. Go find Cedric, Uther's manservant. I believe that he promised them a banquet tomorrow night. Have Cedric make preparations with the kitchen and go hunt some deer on behalf of the King before reminding him of his promise to the Nemethian's. He will not remember but it is not appropriate to forget in these war-torn times, despair or no despair, he is still a king and we must pick up his slack."

"Yes, my Lord." Walden bowed and went to leave when Sayard stopped him.

"And tell Balinor to sit in my stead tonight. Ector, with his wife too."

"Are you going somewhere, my Lord?" Lachlan asked, a small frown on his face.

"Yes. I was called away from duties from my superiors." Sayard explained simply. "I must go to the Mountain of Dragon's. Tell my boys it is not for war, but for peace. Make sure they know that."

Before Sayard could go on, he found himself with an armful of Lachlan and the younger man hugged him tight. "Lord Ambrosius… when… when you come back, can you help me with something?"

"What sort of something?" Sayard asked, a frown forming on his face.

"A big kind of something." he confessed. "I didn't realise how important was until just this second."

"Of course." Sayard agreed, nodding to the younger man.

"What if we ensure the child is raised right?" Gaius insisted. "Brought up in the right environment with the right people. Show her nothing but love. Surely she won't kill then?"

"I saw her with my own eyes. She's fascinated with death and cruelty." Nimueh shuddered. "She tried to suffocate a baby when she was seven years old. I hardly think we can blame Goloris of not showing love. Vivienne… sometimes. But that's not the point."

Sayard reached the door to where Vivienne had given birth and could hear choking sobs coming from within. His heart hardened and he pushed the door open to find Ygraine holding her hand to her mouth. Uther was across the room, unable to hold Ygraine for some reason and Vivienne was asleep on the bed, unaware of what was happening through one of Gaius's well placed potions. He met the eyes of his old friend across the room and the older man nodded once sombrely before moving to Alice's side and clutching her hand. Nimueh was up against the wall, watching on sadly and squeezing her hands together, avoiding eye contact from anyone.

And, in the centre of all the chaos and madness was Goloris. In his arms, cradled to his chest was the figure of a tiny baby, as still as a silent night. She had been washed and bundled up in white silk and around her neck was a charm, her eyes closed and blonde tufts of hair escaping from the cloth.

"We must stop the child." Nimueh hissed. "If she is allowed to live, then we all die."

"Can you kill a babe?" Gaius asked and the question confronted them all.

Her hands trembled and she looked up at Sayard who had steely eyes. "I have to do what I must to protect the Kingdom." she whispered.

Sayard's heart broke for the man and he felt like confessing. He wanted to throw himself to the ground in front of the softly spoken giant knight and beg for his forgiveness and have everyone confess, because the absolute broken expression he wore as he cradled his dead daughter ruined everything in Sayard's mind. "We… we were going to call her… Morgause." he murmured. He kissed her tiny nose and sniffed back more tears. "Her name was Morgause."

He looked up and his eyes finally met Nimueh's. He questioned her without words. Was this the right plan?

Slowly, she nodded and then reluctantly turned back to Goloris, her face holding a similar pain to his, Gaius and Alice's. The conspirators in their crime, sworn to secrecy.

"We should consult the High Priestesses of the Isle." Gaius said. "There was a reason for this vision."

"It was a warning." Nimueh snapped.

"No, there is something more to it. If it were trying to encourage us to kill a child… Tithe's are strictly black magic." he explained. "Maybe this is a test?"

"If it's a test, they'll never tell us." Sayard grunted over the High Priestesses constant allusiveness. "I might be able to get answers from the other Dragonlord's. Maybe Ignacio would be willing to talk."

Nimueh glared at all of them. "And should Vivienne give birth today?"

"We will do something." Sayard assured her. "We must."

"The High Priestesses." Alice murmured and then looked up to meet the other's expectant gazes.

Gaius tilted his head slightly and Sayard nodded once, following. The two of them walked to leave the mourning people alone and only Nimueh and Alice remained. Instead of heading out into the hallway, however, Gaius led Sayard into an adjoining room. No one seemed to notice however and they shut the door behind them, fairly undisturbed.

"You know what to tell the King." Sayard asked quickly as he was handed a rucksack and equipment.

"We've been over it a million times already." Gaius sighed then looked back to the door. "Is this the right thing to do, Sayard? Are we really doing the right thing by those children?"

Sayard turned his head and glanced back at the wood, not seeing anything but knowing what just laid beyond it. He then turned his head and saw a crib, set up from much earlier with a sleeping child, identical to the one he had just seen, in her crib and dressed in a similar silk cloth.

The baby looked so innocent, so beautiful but if Nimueh was right.

"We can take the child to the Isle." Alice said, looking between them. "Fake her death in childbirth and no one will know the difference."

Nimueh's eyes lit up as she glanced at Sayard. "She will have magic through her mother. Even if it is slight. I've already seen some of it. She can be raised with my people, as a High Priestess."

"Is it wise?" Gaius asked. "Teaching someone who may bring about our demise such powerful things?"

"She won't be connected to Camelot." Sayard gruffly said. "Whatever happens to make her wish to kill Uther and Goloris, it won't happen if she's bound to the Isle. It means she can live."

Sayard was handed the baby, Morgause as she would forever be known, and clutched her to his chest. Gaius helped bind her to his chest and then both men used magic to conceal her and stop her from being hurt by the rattling of the horse. When they were prepared, the Lord pulled his cloak over his shoulders and said, "Send Hermes ahead with a note." he explained quietly, walking to the door. "Tell the women to be prepared. They'll need to feed her as soon as I get there."

"Of course, my Lord." Gaius bowed his head and then added, "Stay safe."

"You too, old friend." he clapped Gaius's shoulder. "Please remember to keep care of them."

Gaius smiled. "Don't I always?"

Sayard chuckled then dragged his hood over his head, whispering concealment charms to make him, more or less, unnoticeable. He left through the second door in the room and looked around briefly before going to the stables.

"But how do we fake a death of someone so small? Surely Goloris and Vivienne will want to see their daughter." Nimueh demanded.

Alice blinked a few times then her eyes widened in surprise. "I know." she stood and walked over to her bed box. From inside of it, she withdrew a white crystal on a fine gold chain. "This. If we slide this over any things neck, dead or alive it will take the form of whatever blood is spilt over it."

"And what are we going to kill the size of a child?" Nimueh demanded. "A cat?"

Hooves beat themselves into the earth as Sayard travelled to the Isle of the Blessed and he knew, high above him, there were slower, deeper beats of wings. He glanced up and saw Aodh, following and sighed, turning back to the horse's neck.

He extended his mind out and concentrated on the Dragon. His dragon kin. "Aodh, now is not a good time."

"I know what you are doing." he interjected into Sayard's mind. "I simply don't understand why. The future is malleable. What the Sorceress saw may not come to pass." Sayard thought back to exactly what Nimueh had described in the dream and all who relied on him.

It was late at night and Sayard had just been preparing to retire for the evening when there was a knock at his door. He huffed. The day had been long and tiring and now that they had a plan, it was very hard to think of anything but.

The Lord just needed to rest.

It may have escaped everyone else's notice, but Sayard was an old man, fifty-four almost fifty-five and while he loved his son's and nephew and the young knights and ladies who looked up to him as a father, sometimes it made him feel twice his age. "Come in." he said, trying to hide the yawn from his voice.

The door opened and in came Hunith, wearing a sky blue dress he knew Ygraine had ordered for her a while ago for some event. Sometimes, Sayard lost track, the way his children celebrated, though it kept the entirety of Camelot's city, from the lower town to the castle happy, as everyone was encouraged to join. It was actually a good way to keep up spirits. "Hunith, how may I help you?"

Hunith played with the pleats of her dress for a moment as she thought. "I have an answer for… for what you asked me this morning."

"Yes?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

Hunith shyly nodded. "I… I would very much like to stay here as your ward. I would still work with Gaius, of course and I don't expect anything more than a place to stay but–"

She was cut off by Sayard's hand raising and the broad grin that crossed over his face. "I don't expect anything from you, Hunith. You can work and do as you wish. I will announce it tomorrow. You will be my ward."

Her eyes watered as she smiled and Sayard beckoned her closer. She walked over to him and hugged him tight, squeezing around his waist. "Thank you."

"No. Thank you." he pulled back slightly and stared down at her, the young woman who would be the mother of his grandchildren and the future of the Dragonlord people. "You'll keep the light in Balinor's eyes. I know it."

Back in the present, Sayard glanced up at the sky once again but had no time to pause. "For all our safety, it is best not to take such a chance." he said easily. "I do not wish you to be apart of this Aodh. Please, do not make me order you to do otherwise. I simply wish for peace. If my son's or anyone ask, you took me to the Mountain of Dragon's."

With a long sigh, rumbling through Sayard's mind, Aodh agreed. "Alright old friend. I will keep your secret. I will meet you at the mountains south of Camelot upon return."

With that, Sayard was alone with the baby Morgause and his mission.

---

Dear Sir Ector,

My name is Geneva and, I am not sure if this is the same child, but my brother's son, Flynn was lost in the massacre in Orelege. He was young, seven years of age. I had not seen him for a little over a year but I am quite sure he is the same boy. I have seen him sometimes running around with your wife.

I live in the lower town of Camelot and have tried to approach you, but am unsure of how, so I chose to write you instead.

If he is my nephew, I wish to care for him. He is my family after all.

I live in the home next to the bakery. Please, come find me.

Sincerely,

Geneva

---

Balinor watched as Ector's lower lip trembled, holding the boy who had become like his son on his hip while Julia sniffed and packed his bag and adjusted his jacket. He kept staring at the young Flynn and squeezed his thigh every now and then to assure he was there. Flynn had his head on Ector's chest and was asleep, the dawn too early for the boy. "Ec, you're doing the right thing." Balinor said quietly. "It's his family. I'm sure they love him just as much as you do."

"I know." he murmured, then kissed Flynn's forehead.

"And it's not like he's going to leave Camelot. He'll be living in the lower town. You can still care for him and see him." Balinor pointed out.

"I know." Ector nodded and Julia came around and sniffed back her own tears.

"What if they're not good people?" Julia asked, looking between Ector and Balinor. "It's been six months and now they recognise Flynn?"

"Hunith said she knows Geneva. She's not like that. And her brother, Paul was from Orelege." His words didn't seem to assure either parent who were still riding the emotions of the day before and worried about their own unborn child in the wake of Morgause's death. "Like I said, he'll just be in the lower town. You can still watch for him everyday and if anything happens, you're a knight and the King's advisor. I'm sure you'll work it out."

Ector shot him a look of disdain but then it softened and he nodded. "I wish father was here."

Balinor felt the same strange dread he'd had tugging at his heart ever since the revelation that his father had gone to the Mountain of Dragon's. It wasn't really a Mountain for Dragon's, but a Mountain where the Dragonlord's trained and counselled. The Elder's convened there, including his father.

"Let's go, shall we?" Balinor offered.

Ector reluctantly nodded then slid one arm around Julia's waist and tugged her along, out of their home and into the streets. It was early evening and it was now or never for Ector to hand over Flynn. The finishing banquet was that night and the three still had to get ready for it, appearing in front of the court on behalf of Sayard.

They found themselves standing in front of the house beside the bakery and neither Ector nor Julia's tear streaked faces could bring themselves to knock. Balinor looked at Flynn and, as much as it broke his heart, he knew he had to be the strong one and reached forward, rapping his knuckles on the wood.

He straightened up and waited shoulder to shoulder to his brother. When the door opened, a blonde haired woman came into view, her eyes widening at the sight of Sir Ector, the Lady Julia and the acting-Lord Ambrosius. "My Lords, my Lady." she quickly bowed and then looked at the child in Ector's arms. "Flynn." she gushed.

The boy stirred and batted his eyes. He turned his head to look around and then spotted Geneva. His eyes widened in surprise then he turned in Ector's arms and reached out for the woman, clenching and unclenching his little fists to grab at her. Ector kept himself as composed as he could as he passed Flynn over to her silently, the young boy recognising him and looking enthralled. "So this is your nephew?" Ector said, hugging Julia to his side as she buried her face away in his shoulder.

"Yes. Oh yes. I'd just assumed the worst until I saw a notice…" she looked up at Julia and Ector, drawing her eyes away from Flynn who looked pleased to be in his aunts arms. "Thank you for taking care of him." She kissed his forehead and then smiled. "Flynnie, you're home."

Flynn looked momentarily confused then looked up at Ector, Julia and Balinor and seemed to realise what was going on. He grizzled and tried reaching over for Ector and Julia again. Balinor frowned and Ector bit his lip. "Flynn, you're going to stay here now. With your aunt, but… it's not that far from my home. See?" he pointed up the street to where the archway that led up to the upper town was. "We're just up there."

He whined again and shook his head, this time reaching for Julia. Julia was crying, unable to hold herself together. "No, no, little man." she reached forward and kissed his forehead, but didn't let her cling onto her. "We will visit and we will see you and you can stay with us whenever you please, but for now… you need to be with your family."

Flynn shook his head again and then, did something that surprised Ector, Julia and Balinor. "Ector."

Balinor's jaw dropped in surprise and Ector and Julia didn't look much different. "He speaks." Balinor laughed and Flynn turned to him and smiled sheepishly.

"Excuse me?" Geneva looked between them and her nephew. "What do you mean, he speaks?"

"I want to stay with Ector." Flynn said, ignoring his aunt. "I want to stay with you."

"He hasn't spoken apart from saying 'ouch' once." Ector reached forward to take Flynn from Geneva but she pulled away.

The knight stopped and she glared at him. "You can't take him. He's my nephew."

"He wants to stay with us." Julia piped up. "Surely that counts for something?"

"He will learn to live with me." Geneva turned to Flynn and said, "Flynnie, it was kind for Sir Ector and Lady Julia to take you in, but you're home now. You're with me. I will take care of you."

"No." he tried pulling away and reached out for Ector again. "No, I want to stay with Ector." Before Geneva could argue more, Ector swept in and collected Flynn from the woman.

"He may learn later. He's been through quite a trauma and I'm not going to put him through another one." Ector tightened his grip on Flynn, dragging him away. "He hasn't seen you for how long and I found him. He can eventually come and live with you, but when he is ready."

Balinor watched on, vaguely impressed but more concerned for Flynn who clung to Ector and looked as though he would never let go. Geneva looked saddened. "No. He is all I have left of my brother."

"He is afraid and a child and not some sort of totem to hold onto." Ector said sternly. "Now I'd much rather not argue in front of him. He is your nephew, we can confirm that much, but he will not be living with you until he is comfortable with it. Is that understood, or must I call the King?"

She immediately balked and staggered back. Balinor watched as she clutched her door handle and nodded briskly. "Alright. Okay. We shall do this your way. But Flynn is my nephew. He will live with me eventually. All children should have their family."

"I agree. All children should have their family. But it just so happens, we've become his family too." Ector took Julia's hand and nodded to Balinor. "We shall take our leave. Brother." Balinor knew what he wanted and Ector led the way off with Balinor staying behind in case Geneva tried something.

Flynn was trembling and clutching onto Ector, unable to be moved. "We'll speak about this later." He tightened his grip on Flynn then said to the boy, "How would you like to come to a feast tonight?" Young Flynn nodded and put his face into Ector's collar and stayed there for a long while.

Just outside their home, Balinor split from his brother and his family, and went up to the main castle. As he finished preparing for the banquet in his chambers, he heard some loud banging noise outside and twisted his head out to look. There he saw Hunith, struggling in front of the mirror in the dining chambers with a hairbrush and looking glass, trying to brush down the back of her hair.

The day previous, when the baby Morgause had been lost, Hunith hadn't been so much devastated as saddened. When he pulled her aside much later for the two of them to talk, after she insisted she help prepare dinners for all the shocked parents, he asked her the only question that could come to his mind. "How are you so… together?"

Hunith blinked then said, half dazed, "This is, surprisingly, something I know how to deal with. Children dying during childbirth. It's something that I've grown up with as a constant. Maybe it isn't as common amongst the nobles but amongst the peasants… The reason we have so many children, is because not many of them survive. You mourn but you move on." She blinked again and then looked up at Balinor, eyes watering. "Just as I need to do with my father."

He watched her for some time before coming out of his hiding spot in the doorway and ducking over to where she was. "Need help?" he asked before he hit the sight of the mirror.

She jumped and spun around, clutching her hand to her chest. She wore a dark blue dress made from linens and designed by herself and Julia the previous summer. He recognised it and was a little surprised it still fit her as she had grown taller since then, though not by much. "I'm trying to make this birds nest that I call hair, lay flat."

"Flat? Aren't you to do it in braids?" he asked, eyebrow raised.

"I cannot do braids myself. And I do not want to bother anyone." she turned and looked in the mirror and sighed. "Sometimes, it would be much easier to cut my hair short like a boys and be done with it."

He snorted. "You would look funny with boys hair."

Hunith flushed red and glared at him through the mirror. "You would look horrible with women's hair, but no one's told you to cut your locks yet, have they?"

Balinor frowned and touched the ends of his slightly longish hair and said, "It's a fashion."

The corner of Hunith's lip quirked up. "Yes. All the prettiest women of Camelot wish for locks like yours."

He half glared at her then his brow furrowed. "I am going to help you. But if what I'm about to do ever leaves this room, I'll make you suffer."

"How could you make me suffer?" she said asked, but let him ease the brush from her hand.

"Before Ygraine came to Anglia with Tristan and Agravaine, Nimueh would have me do her hair." Balinor sighed and then shook his head. "It was the most embarrassing thing ever, but she said because I was the youngest, I had to. Now I'm very skilful at braiding."

"That…" she glanced up at him through the mirror and saw him frowning, his eyes warning her to choose her next words carefully. "Is a secret I shall take to the grave."

He smirked then started pulling and tugging at her hair, using the various spins she'd spread out on the dinner table. "Is there no mirror in your room?" he asked.

"No. I have yet to bring my one from Gaius' chambers up. I had moved all my things from my home to there and bringing them up all those flights of stairs is tiresome, so I've moved it slowly."

"Hunith, you are Lord Ambrosius's ward now. Father signed your rights to be deemed Lady Ambrosius before he left and that is left is for the seal to decorate the papers. You could simply order someone to bring them up."

Hunith scowled. "Yes. Because that does seem like a thing I would do. Ordering someone to carry my things."

Balinor rolled his eyes. "It does not make you weak nor does it make you entitled. Consider it help."

She said nothing of it and stared at her hands. "A new family is living in my house. The one in the lower town. I walked by it today and the child... he bowed to me."

Balinor flinched. "It does take some getting used to. You can, as I do, tell them not to. They get the point eventually."

"I don't mean to sound so ungrateful, but I wish I did have to. Why could your father not taken me in as a serving girl? Why a ward? I'm a village girl, not a Lady of Camelot."

"I think you're more proper than a lady of Camelot." he said. "Far more beautiful too." He watched the red flush the back of her neck and cheeks and she tilted her head down, ruining the strand he was braiding. He tugged her hair back up and she let him and stilled.

"I am not more beautiful than Ygraine or Nimueh. I'm not even as pretty as Emelie or Julia."

"I think you are." he said truthfully, a warmth spreading over his chest. "I think you far outshine all of them. You're smart and you're witty. You always speak your mind, no matter who is present. I don't think you've noticed, but you've had half the court enthralled with you since the first time I walked you through the castle."

"Really?" Hunith asked, her voice wavering with doubt.

"Honestly. There is a reason why Arnold wished to marry you all those years ago. And why Thaddeus is so enamoured with you now. You are truly one of a kind, Hunith Adhan."

She hesitated then replied, "Hunith... Ambrosius."

Balinor smiled. "If you wish.

Balinor nodded slowly and finished the first braid, then pinned it back to the centre of her hair. Hunith's hair was long, longer than most women's, down passed her back. He never understood why, but she kept it near her waist and often just tied it up in scarves the way Nimueh showed her. Quietly, he started on the other side and pulled that back too, pinning it to make a braided crown.

"See? I'm not half bad." he grinned.

"Yes. You are missing your true calling of being a handmaiden." Hunith teased and when Balinor glared at her, she just grinned back. "It looks very nice. Thank you."

"You're welcome." his lip quirked into a smile then he held his arm out. "May I escort you tonight?"

Hunith batted her eyes together in surprise and said, "But… you've never escorted me before."

"No, I guess I haven't." he frowned, thinking about it. "But now you have nicely done hair, so I can't exactly refuse."

She looked at his arm and then back at him, blushing. "Whilst the offer is quite… flattering, I must refuse. Thaddeus has already –"

"Ah, yes. Thaddeus." Balinor withdrew his arm and chuckled. "Well, at least walk with me to the Dining Hall."

"Of course." she said and slid her hand around his elbow.

He grinned and together, the two headed downstairs where he found his brother, now dressed in his full armour and cape with Julia and little Flynn dressed for the occasion. "Flynn." Hunith grinned, but there was a nervous surprise on her face. "I didn't expect to see you here tonight."

Balinor patted her arm. "I forgot to explain. I'll tell you later."

Hunith merely nodded just as Thaddeus came from nowhere to claim her. She turned her head, grinning at his sudden arrival. "Good evening Lady Hunith." he said, bowing to her as he took her hand. She chuckled, a joke between the two and, as he rose, he took in Ector, Julia, Balinor and Flynn. "Sir Ector, Lady Julia, Lord Ambroisus, Master Flynn." The little boy giggled and hid behind Julia's legs. "Would it be alright if I stole away with your father's ward?" he asked.

"As long as you stay within out vision, sure. Why not?" Ector grinned, his teeth bared. Balinor simply rolled his eyes and shooed them off, but, as he watched Hunith turn to leave with Thaddeus, a distinct flare of jealousy swam up inside of him.

He frowned, a little confused by this sudden new strange feeling but beat it away and looked back to Ector and Julia, nodding to them that they should get to their seats. Flynn was ushered to where the child ate and he looked a little longingly at Ector and Julia but did as he was told, keeping them in eyesight.

As Balinor sat down on Ector's right, Julia taking up his left, he leant over and asked, "What are you going to do with him?"

Ector sighed. "He has gone silent again. As long as he is with us, he seems content, but I worry about that. I do not wish to cause him distress and you know we want to keep him but… she is his aunt. She obviously cares for him. It isn't her fault he's attached himself to us and we to him but… it's all to hard, Bal."

Balinor squeezed his arm. "You will figure it out. You're good at that stuff."

Ector raised his eyebrow. "You really think that?"

"Most of the time." he chuckled.

Before he could go on, the King and Queen were announced and everyone stood to greet them. As usual, Ygraine looked beautiful and drew the eye of every man in the room, except for, the first time, Balinor's. After taking in the golden dress the Queen wore, his eyes moved across the room to where Hunith sat with between Thaddeus and Lachlan, chuckling with the latter about something, no doubt he inappropriately said.

She pulled her hand away from her mouth for a moment while she took her goblet to sip some water and looked up over the rim to see Balinor watching her. She smiled politely at him and he smiled back, looking away with a shake of his head. Sometimes, I don't understand myself.

It happened just before Uther and Ygraine sat down. There was an icy trickle running down Balinor's back and it reminded him, scarily of the evening he met the Executioner. The feeling of dread, spreading through his insides, burning through his insides with a fire made of ice.

The next thing he knew, he was seeing a lush forest ahead of him, jolting as though he was on horseback, and then he was back in the Dining Hall. He took a step back to steady himself, staggering under the weight of the terror that swelled up inside of him as the ice cold feeling got worse. Ector turned to him, frowning but the ceremony of the King and Queen sitting kept going, no one noticing but Ector. He turned to his brother and watched him clutch the back of his chair to hold himself up. "Bal?"

Balinor knew something was wrong now. Momentarily, he lost control of his magic and it flew out and connected with another mind, this time recognising what he was doing. At first, he didn't know whose mind it was, but saw through the person's eyes a landscape shaking through the eyes. The man was on top of a horse, galloping.

He fell to his knees, suddenly weak and Ector wrapped his arms around his shoulders and dragged him up. "Balinor." Ector snapped, but the words were thrumming around his ears unintelligibly.

Suddenly he was back on the horse and Balinor saw a familiar mane and pommel. The horse was Garron and belonged to his father. "No…" he muttered, feeling dread and confusion creep up inside of him as he saw his own hand – his father's hand reach out and stroke the beasts mane as he demounted. "Father?" he whispered, but Sayard couldn't hear.

Ector was shaking him on the floor of the dining hall and a few started to notice their predicament, but Balinor was much too involved in the vision.

Sayard was setting up a camp for the evening. He tied up Garron and was about to search for firewood, when there was a snap of a twig in the forest. "Run." Balinor moaned, trying to warn his father of his dread. "Father, run!" he shouted and the people at the banquet fell silent as Balinor lurched, trying to get Sayard's limbs to cooperate with Balinor's wishes.

But he wasn't Sayard, he was simply viewing the events unfurl as though he was. "Who's there?" Sayard called out into the darkness.

There was no response. "Hineásæle." A flash of gold and whispered words erupted from the darkness and Balinor thrashed as Sayard was ensnared by invisible binds, the exact same ones that had trapped him three years ago.

Sayard fought and tried to get away as a woman, dressed in the same gear The Executioner had been stalked forward. This Executioner – Déaþgodas, seemed more capable however than the other and obviously was the last of her kind.

To Balinor's great surprise, she ripped the mask of her head. "There you are." she whispered, revealing dark brown eyes and auburn hair. "And there you are." She stared straight into Sayard's eyes and Balinor knew she wasn't seeing his father but him. "The Great Dragon Lord, Sayard Ambrosius and his son, at my command."

"Balinor?" Sayard asked, panic seizing him for the first time. Balinor wanted to shout at his father for his stupidity that this was the first time panic had seized him, at the thought that he was in danger.

"He's not here, but he is there…" The woman knelt in front of Sayard, straddling him over his middle and pointed straight into Sayard's eyes. "The one who got away. I knew Omar shouldn't have been trusted with trapping the son of Camelot's pet Dragonlord. Only a professional should have." She licked the side of Sayard's face and both father and son flinched away, though Balinor on instinct. "Hmmm… Almost as good as the taste of dragon."

For the first time, Balinor – and Sayard – noted the woman's gear was decorated in the scales of her kills as well as her shield and sword. "You made a mistake hunting my brethren, Sayard. Because I will kill you and your son shall feel it and then, feel it all over again when I hunt him down."

Sayard hissed. "Balinor, get out of my mind."

"I can't." Balinor replied but his father could still hear him.

"He can't." the woman answered for him. "I've trapped him there. There's only one thing that will severe this connection." She withdrew a knife.

Sayard forced his eyes closed and Balinor's world was black. "I love you Bal. You and Ector. I love you both so much." He kept speaking, telling Balinor just how much he loved him and Ector, and Balinor felt the tears rip down his face in utter shock.

"Father?" he begged and he felt arms tighten around him and then the knife pressed against Sayard's throat. He cried out and tried to push the knife away, but only met air, hysterically trying to fight what wasn't there.

"Stay safe, keep each other safe. Don't come for me. Don't try to avenge me."

"Eac cwealmdréor ic copestþín drýcræft." He heard the words the Déaþgodas said and knew what was coming next. Before she sliced the knife though, Balinor felt the weight shift over Sayard's body and the voice of the woman was beside Sayard's ear. "I'm coming for you, Ambrosius."

"I love y-" the words were cut off by a choking noise and Balinor watched as Sayard's eyes flung open in surprise of the pain. He was gasping and clawing for oxygen and Balinor was too, scraping fingers against his own throat in a fit.

People were trying to pin Balinor down but he was thrashing too hard. He tasted blood in his mouth, but it wasn't his own blood. It was his father's and he could feel his eyes watering as death loomed upon him, but they were Sayard's eyes and it was Sayard's death. Balinor was simply sharing it.

The woman stared straight at Sayard as he choked on his own blood and lifted up her bloodied palms to the moon and basked in the magic. She repeated the spell that Balinor knew too well. In bloodshed, I steal your magic. She licked her palms clean sickly as blackness flittered on the edge of Sayard's consciousness. He was choking on his words but Balinor already knew what he was trying to say.

"I love you too." he sobbed and felt the connection severed.

In the same moment, Balinor roared and lurched up until he sat upright. A new magic flooded him and ran through him like fire. It filled the spaces in him he hadn't known were empty and quenched the pain of the dull ache he hadn't known was there. The roar erupted with magic and his eyes burnt gold until he had no energy left.

He fell back onto the tile, and curled up. His fingers coiled around nothing until they were tight fists and he felt boneless as the magic that had just energised him and made him feel more alive than ever before, drained him of everything he had. Or maybe that was just the misery.

Though there was this new burning inside of him, one that felt similar to having a second heart, he was empty. He stared out blankly as feet gathered around him and he was hauled up between two faceless men and dragged out of the dining hall and to his chambers.

He was rested in his bed and he felt his brother tugging on him, removing his boots and his cloak and his belt and sword. The only reason why he knew it was Ector was because he'd heard the intermittent tears and the only person who would cry – the only person who had reason to cry – would be Ector. Everyone who just bore witness to what happened knew.

Balinor had just become a Dragonlord and the only way for that to happen was for Sayard Ambrosius to die.

---

Dear Nimueh,

We have sent Sayard on his way. He should be arriving within the day.

All is well here.

Irena

---

Time passed, though Balinor couldn't tell how long until he saw dawn break. Maybe he had fallen asleep, but he didn't know. He couldn't remember or tell time in a linear fashion. A chair was beside his bed and Ector sat in it, holding Balinor's hands in his own.

He had been silent and undemanding but maybe Balinor had fallen asleep because Ector was watching him in surprise. He had obviously been waiting for him to rise and his eyes were dried of all tears and replaced with a hollow serious stare. Balinor watched him cautiously then shied away, burying his face in his pillow and closing his eyes again, unwilling to see his brother's empty gaze.

"Bal? Look at me?" Ector begged.

There was so much pain in Ector's voice that it made the numbness inside of Balinor flare up with agony. For a moment, he could breathe but then the numbness returned as quickly as it had passed. As if he'd consumed too much wine and his head was heavy, Balinor slumped his head over until he saw Ector, paying attention to him instead of staring through him. "Please." his brother begged, sliding his hand into just one of Balinor's and gripping just as tightly as Balinor felt himself holding on. "What… what happened?"

Balinor licked his lips and then paused his movements. He tried again and then a third time. It was in the fourth he got his vocals to work, and slowly said, "He died." He licked his lips again and went on, "There was a Déaþgodas left. They must have missed some. She used some sort of magic to… to pull me into his mind. She trapped me there, inside of him, to witness everything." Ector stifled his pained reaction and nodded for him to go on. "She told him I was in his head and he closed his eyes so I couldn't watch." There was another long pause and Balinor frowned, reaching his empty hand up and rubbing his neck and chest. "But when she cut open his throat… he couldn't stop his eyes from opening and watching her. Watching her drink his blood… I could feel it all." he choked.

Ector shivered and his hand gripped Balinor's tighter. "Did he fight back?" he whispered.

"He didn't have a chance. She was so powerful." Balinor had felt it. "She killed him and I watched it and I felt it." He curled up, clutching Ector's arm to his chest and started gasping. "I couldn't stop it. Ec, I couldn't–" Quickly, Ector hushed him and, without pulling his arm away, gathered Balinor up until he was against his chest.

Ector did his best to remain calm as Balinor broke apart, his mind reeling as he remembered everything with crystal clarity, every pain and every gasping breath… It was as though Balinor had died himself and, he thought to himself much later, a part of him had. "He was scared for me." Balinor whispered eventually, getting through gasping breaths. "Scared that I was there. He just kept saying he loved us and trying to protect me. He was dying and he was trying to reassure me."

"That's what father's do. That's what they have to do." Ector explained quietly in his ear a small part of Balinor remembered how he'd held Flynn the previous day, fiercely protective and how he had been held by his own father like that many years previous. "Let me tell you about my father." Ector said gently, carding a hand through Balinor's hair. "Have I ever told you about him?" Balinor shook his head. "Would you like to hear about how he saved me? Saved me from Vertigern?"

Balinor felt his head spinning and could only manage to nod. He felt dizzy and sick so Ector tugged him against his chest and he laid there limply, feeling his brother's heartbeat and letting that calm him. "The day Vertigern took over Camelot, there was so much confusion that my father, managed to get us to the physicians chambers, Gaius's room now. Gaius slept in the spare room then and my father shoved me at him and said, 'Take care of Ec if I don't return.'" Ector frowned and then squeezed Balinor's shoulder. "He grabbed a sword and there were soldiers outside in the room. It created enough of a distraction for Gaius to get us out of there. He killed all the men but one landed him a mortal blow.

"He followed us out for a few minutes but fell. Gaius had to drag me from the corridors screaming. Then… then our father was in front of us."

Balinor shivered and closed his eyes, tears spilling from the edges of his eyes. "He had you in his arms. Holding you tight like you were about to fall and had Uther's hand in his only free one. We didn't even have time to talk before more soldiers came and Uther clung to Gaius and the only person free to hold you was me." Ector carded his hand through Balinor's hair again to calm his shakes. "So I took you and I held you and I ran with you as fast as I could while our father fought everyone tooth and nail until he got us to the secret passageway under the dungeons and we set off to Anglia.

"And I haven't let go of you since, Bal." Ector hugged him and smiled. "And I won't. Ever. I promise. We'll get through this together just like we've always done. You'll be a great Dragonlord and you'll make our father proud. You'll make my father proud. You'll make me proud. You already do."

Balinor nodded and sniffed his tears back, sitting up by himself and making it to the edge of the bed, supporting himself with his fists in the mattress. He choked for a moment on the sobs that wished to escape him but held his breath and stopped them. "But… what if I can't? What if I'm not a Dragonlord."

"Last night Bal, you started screaming in Dragon tongue." Ector patted his back and rubbed soothing circles along his spine. "You're a Dragonlord, brother. I'll take you to the Mountain of Dragon's myself for your initiation."

Balinor asked in a quiet voice, "Do I have to go?"

"You need to be trained. You need to learn your fathers law." Ector nudged Balinor and he looked up at him, petrified and horrified at what he'd witnessed. "He loved you, Bal. He loved you so much. He'd have moved heaven for you and I know that he didn't want you to see that or feel that pain. But I also know that he wouldn't want you to dwell on it. He'd want you to be happy again."

"But he's gone." Balinor insisted. "What am I going to do now that he's gone?"

"I'll tell you what we're going to do." Ector sat with him, shoulder to shoulder and made sure his brother was staring at him. "I'm going to take you to the Mountain of Dragon's. I'm going to leave you there to train and I'm going to come back to Camelot and take over your duties. In six months, when you come back, you will be given your proper title of Lord Ambrosius and I will be your guard and no one else's. I'll have no other priorities but you and whenever you need me I'll be there. How does that sound?"

Balinor smiled through his tears and shook his head slightly. "I don't want a slave, Ec. I just don't want to be alone on the Mountain."

"Well then I'll stay with you." Ector promised. When Balinor looked like he was about to object he said, "To hell with the law. I'm knight of the Lord Ambrosius, am I not? If you don't want to be alone, I'll be with you and they can't reject me. I'm kin, still. Kind of." he added the last part with a small roll of his eyes.

"It's not that." he said quietly. "You have your family. You have Flynn and soon Julia will have your second child…"

"I know, I know. We'll work it out." Ector squeezed his arm.

Balinor wrapped on arm loosely around Ector's shoulders. "You know that you're kin, right? You'll always be kin." Balinor concentrated and in his palm shone a bright blue light. It spun around his knuckles then landed on Ector and sunk into him. "There. You've got magic now."

Ector frowned. "What?"

"Not anything to cast spells with." Balinor assured him. "More like… a sense. You'll always be able to feel magic and feel my magic in particular. We'll always be connected. No matter what, you'll be slightly magical, just like the rest of us Ambrosius'." He smiled and Ector returned the smirk and let Balinor lean forward and press his head into his shoulder one more as he closed his eyes and tried to erase everything he saw and felt from the night before.

The two sat like that for some time, until there was a knock on the door.

Slowly, they peeled away from each other and Balinor hoarsely called out, "Come in."

The door opened slowly and standing in the doorway was Hunith with a rucksack over her back. Ector frowned but Hunith was just smiling sadly. "I'll leave you two." Ector said, standing up slowly.

He looked at Hunith and her rucksack then stepped outside just as Hunith stepped inside. As the door closed behind her, she met Balinor's brown eyes with her blue ones and the two stared and, without words, knew what they were to say. "You need to go to Ealdor." he said.

Hunith nodded. "And you need to go to the Mountain of Dragon's." she sat back on her heels. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Balinor. I… I'm going to miss Sayard." Her eyes water and so did his.

"Everyone will." Balinor stood properly and as the blood rushed to his legs, he felt light headed, but he squeezed his eyes together and stood straighter. "We can still talk weekly. It have a personal messenger bird."

"Hermes." she murmured, nodding in agreement. "Your merlin falcon."

"Yes." he smiled. "I will write to you. Every day."

"I will reply to every letter." she promised. "And I will visit when I can. Ygraine has already told me that she wants me to stay, but if I leave I'll already have a room waiting for me to come back."

"Well, I will return from my time in the Mountains come next summer." he assured her. "I will only be there for eight months and, but I first need to go to the Ambrosius Manor and sort things out there and then when I come back, I'll will inducted properly into Court life, though I already have most of that…"

"Balinor." Hunith said, her voice raised to interrupt his rant. "You're rambling."

He blushed and nodded. "Yeah. But, my point is. I'll have free time come next summer."

Hunith grinned, her cheeks flushing the same colour red as Balinor's. "I'll be here."

The two stood on opposite ends of the room, staring at each other before Hunith took the door handle and left for Ealdor.

---

To my son Balinor,

If you are reading this, you are no longer simply a man. You are a Dragonlord and I have passed on.

Congratulations my boy. We both knew this day would come and, though I am saddened to leave you behind I am glad to know my legacy is in such goods hands. You will do well as a Dragonlord, and I know you will be honourable and courageous and become a leader of our people, one better than I could ever be.

This is a great new power for you, my boy. I have always told you that you will not understand it until you own it so I know you understand it now. I know that you now appreciate the great responsibility you now carry.

I give you this advice, my son.

Remember that the Dragon are your kin, forever and always. Ector is your brother and you must protect him from the things that will come after him because of you, dragons, magical creatures and beasts and most of all, any of our enemies. He will protect you too, but, as much as he denies it, you are the stronger of the two with your magic.

My third advice is my greatest, Balinor.

Find a good woman to love. Settle down. Have children. Make your own family, Bal. Yes, Ector is still there, Uther and your brothers-in-arms amongst the nights are your family too, but I know you my boy. I can see it in your eyes, that if you had your own family you would flourish and become the man you were destined to be. Because you, Balinor, have a great destiny ahead of you.

I love you very much, my boy. Please make sure Ector never forgets that he was my son too and I loved him just as much as I love you. You and I both know he forgets that.

Your father,

Sayard.

---

A/N: I am not going to make this a focal point or plot or even mention it… But after all writing about Tristan – and it hasn't been much – I think he's gay. I'm totally cool with that and, if I get inspiration, I'll post something about him just on it's own but for now his sexuality has nothing to do with anything. It was just a little thing I thought of when I was writing about Agravaine going to Ierne – which is another hint about OVoE – and thought it was interesting I plotted out for all the characters to have love lives – big or small – but never Tristan. I was trying to figure why because Tristan de Bois is actually one of my favourite characters – he comes back from the dead to avenge his sister and I secretly feel he wouldn't have killed Arthur if they fought – then I was like, 'Because he's a very private gay man.'

Anyway, my point is he does have a great love and is very happy with him, but again, it has nothing to do with anything else in the story so I'm not that tempted to write it. I mean, I have no way to just subtly work it in. If I do, you now know why

Anyways, Review!