The day was gray.
Arthur though that was the only way to describe their prospects. And now all their hope rested with a man whom his father would happily put to death and more than likely had already tried to. He pushed his was through the undergrowth, occasionally hacking at it with his sword in frustration.
Merlin and Balinor were off collecting wood for the fire tonight so without Merlin around Arthur was desperately in need of a distraction. He had been surprised by Balinor already when they had met barely 24 hours ago, most of which Arthur had been unconscious for. Yet again here was proof that magic didn't corrupt, and if he needed proof he need look no further than Merlin, with his big grin and big ears.
Ok, he had been nervous when he'd first discovered it. But Merlin was about as evil as a puppy dog, and about as threatening as one. He only wished Merlin would trust him enough to tell him the truth.
The wind dropped as he glanced up into the sky, a few clouds drifted but otherwise it was pleasant enough, he wondered if back in Camelot Gwen was looking up at the same sky thinking of him, No, he decided. She was far too kind to stop helping the others, she would be helping Gaius with the injured. It made him sick to his stomach to think about her, he purposely ignored the question playing on his mind.
Was she still alive?
No, he couldn't think like that.
At least he could be sure one person was safe, subjective to whether that person tripped over a tree branch ,fell over his own feet or something like that. The thought made Arthur smile, when he'd first discovered that Merlin was a sorcerer he'd figured the awkwardness and idiocy was and act, he'd quickly realised that it wasn't. His friend was one of the most accident prone, uncoordinated people he'd ever met.
The sound of voices brought him out of his reverie. Arthur crouched slightly, taking up a defensive position and slowly edging towards the source of the noise. His hand gripped his sword a little tighter,
"You spoke of Ealdor. You took refuge with a woman."
Arthur relaxed his grip on the sword a little, it was only Merlin. He was actually going to join them, he felt guilty eavesdropping on the pair but something stopped him. He edged closer, being as quiet as he could.
"That was a long time ago." the older man said gruffly.
From his hiding place Arthur caught a glimpse of Balinor through the trees, he had an armful of branches whereas Merlin had none prompting the prince to role his eyes. The laziness wasn't an act either.
"I grew up there."
"Ealdor?"
Arthur wondered what Balinor's connection to Ealdor was, but he didn't have to wonder long because Merlin spoke again,
"Yes, I know the woman."
"Hunith?"
A look appeared in Balinor's eyes then, it was almost hope. Arthur on the other hand, his eyes were wide in shock. There was no forgetting the woman had cared for himself, Morgana and Gwen like they were family instead of complete strangers.
"She's still alive?" Balinor asked.
"Yes...She's my mother."
Arthur noticed the sadness reappear in the mans face at that, it was obvious that the dragonlord had felt something for Hunith, that they had been together once.
Although he couldn't see his friends face there was no mistaking the emotion that was thick in his voice. It was sadness. He hated to see the boy so upset. Arthur was beginning to feel like he should leave, and he would have if he could have without alerting them to his position, after all he was a knight...not a ninja.
"Then she remarried?"
"She never married..." Merlin paused, was what he wanted to say that difficult. Arthur waited, breath held, "I'm your son."
Arthur realised that in the course of their conversation his jaw had dropped, he quickly closed it, Balinor looked as shocked as he felt. He remembered asking Merlin about his family, he had told him that he had never met his father, Arthur smiled at the thought that maybe now Merlin could have a family. He deserved it, prehaps more than anyone Arthur knew.
"I don't know what it is to have a son."
"Or I a father."
Arthur shifted slightly in an attempt to wake up his leg which had fallen asleep, a branch cracked and the two men before him looked towards the sound for danger.
He found it extremely difficult considering what he had just heard but Arthur forced himself to walk past, shooting a glance in the others direction. For Merlin.
Later back at their camp it had gotten dark and Arthur sat at the fire while Balinor sat opposite carving into a branch with an old knife. Merlin had reluctantly gone off to get more wood for the fire, not without complaint the prince noted.
There was a soft glow in the sky and a chill in the air. It wasn't the only thing in the air. Arthur felt awkward in the other mans presense considering what he'd heard earlier. But he'd decided that he wouldn't ask about it, not to Merlin anyway.
A wolf howled in the distance,
"I should go an look for Merlin." He got to his feet
Balinor didn't even look up from the wood,
"The boy'll be fine."
Arthur grinned,
"You obviously don't know Merlin. He's fallen over his own feet on several occasions in the past." He joked but the man didn't join him in smiling. Why was it that he felt like a naughty child around this man?
"I just want to make sure he's alright."
"He'll be fine." he repeated, "Sit down."
He did so. He definitely couldn't tell Balinor that he knew who he was, besides the guy scared him a little. But he could try and get him to admit to it.
"Who are you to him?"
Long hair hung down over the eyes of the man who went back to carving the wood in front of him, ignoring Arthur completely again. His hair was beginning to grey and his eyes were full of pain. All Arthur could think about was how could his father do this to another human being, magic or no magic this was just wrong. Had he no conscience?
"Come on, I've seen the looks he gives you. Who are you really?"
It wasn't a lie, he had noticed Merlin studying the man when he thought Arthur wasn't looking. Balinor stopped then, looking up sharply into his eyes.
"What do you know boy?"
"A lot more than anybody cares to credit me with. I heard you today." He admitted. "I asked him about you once, he told me he'd never met his father. I'm glad he got the chance."
"He didn't lie. I'd never met him before today, I didn't even know he existed before today."
"I believe you. Merlin hides things, but he never lies."
Balinor's eyes narrowed in suspicion but Arthur didn't break eye contact with him.
"He's a good person, your son. He's my best friend. I'd be dead without him."
His words amazed him, Arthur knew it was true and he like to think that Merlin knew it but he would never admit to it. Yet here he was confessing to a man he barely knew. He coughed again to cover his feelings, hoping that Balinor wouldn't pursue it any further.
"You're not like your father."
"I suppose not."
He'd answered quickly, but Arthur did want to be like Uther in some respects. He wanted to be a good king, to be able to command respect from his subjects. But he didn't want to be the cause of things like this, because of Uther's blind hatred for magic Merlin had grown up without a father. He didn't want to cause the kind of pain he could see in Balinor's eyes, he'd been forced to leave the woman he loved to save both their lives, and now he had discovered he had missed his son growing up. Arthur didn't want to be that kind of a king.
"He's lucky to have a friend like you." Balinor observed,
"And I him."
He meant every word.
If Arthur hadn't been facing the man he would have missed it but for a second he could have sworn Balinor smiled but it was gone before he could say anything so he remained silent.
The fire flickered, slowly burning down. An owl cooed overhead and a gentle breeze rustled through the leaves of the trees and an old dragonlord muttered to himself,
"Two sides of the same coin."
Arthur had heard the soldier straight away and woken the others as quietly as he could manage. They had seconds before Cenred's men had burst out from the trees yelling.
He was by far the more experienced swordsman so Arthur took on two at a time, leaving one each for Merlin and Balinor. One man was easily dispatched but the other was a little trickier.
Arthur caught sight of Balinor take down his soldier out of the corner of his eye. Not bad he thought to himself, for an old man. The fight took him further away from his companions than he would have liked, the knight kept blocking every strike but eventually he missed and Arthur took his chance. The man fell to the floor, groaned and then lay still.
He stood for a second to regain his breath and gather his thoughts when he heard the cry.
Merlin!
He didn't even think before running back to the place they had camped.
Arthur watched in horror as Merlin caught Balinor and fell to the ground with him, it couldn't be. Merlin was crying.
"You are my son, I've seen enough in you to know that you will make me proud." He said, gasping to draw breath. Tears began to form in Arthur's eyes, tears for his friend, tears for the man he had only just began to know, tears for Camelot.
This was what his father did to people he thought. Magic wasn't at fault, Uther was.
"Father...father." Merlin struggled to talk through his tears but it was too late, Balinor raised a hand to his son's face and then he was gone.
Arthur raced to his friends side, still running on adrenaline and emotion,
"NO!" he threw his sword to the ground."Camelot is doomed!"
Merlin stood in front of him, he had wiped the tears from his face but was far from composed. His eyes were red and he looked paler that normal. One look into those blue eyes and Arthur immediately regretted his words,
"Oh Merlin I'm sorry,"
No more pretending, no more lies he decided.
"About what?"
"You don't have to lie anymore, I know who he was."
Merlin looked at his friend with an attempt at a puzzled expression on his face, still not willing to reveal anything. He wasn't holding back the tears nearly as well though, his lip was quivering. Tears began to roll down his face.
"Come here."
Arthur hugged the warlock as he cried into his shirt.
It was a while before Merlin stopped crying and was able to speak again,
"What happens now."
"I don't know."
Merlin sniffed again and wiped at his eyes.
"We have to go back. Camelot needs us." He said.
Arthur nodded, both of us he thought to himself.
Something was in the back of the prince's mind at that moment as they packed up what little supplies they had brought with them and saddled the horses. Something he had overheard from Gaius. A dragonlord's power passed from father to son. Maybe he hadn't just let the last dragonlord be killed. Maybe there was hope. He glanced sideways at his servant as they rode, could it be?