Hunith was taken to a room and had a bath and given new clothes. Once she was ready Uther come in to see her. "The Lady Morgana is nine years old and is the daughter of Galois and Vivienne, good friends who have both passed on. I want her looked after and treated kindly. You will be her maidservant, help her and look after all her needs, which includes keeping her chambers clean. You will not discuss with her your past life. Do you understand?"

"I do, poor girl to be orphaned so young. But Sire please tell me about my son I beg of you" Hunith looked at Uther trying to hide the hatred she felt for the man who had killed her husband, and who now had her son's life in his hands.

"You no longer have a son, he is mine to do with as I please. But I will let you know as you ask. He is to be trained as a protector of Camelot. His magic used to destroy those who threaten my Kingdom. And once his dragonlord powers surface I will use the dragon as well." Uther looked at the woman in front of him.

"He has already been told that your life and that of Gaius depends on how well he does. He is young yet but he will understand. As to you, your behaviour will also reflect on how well he is treated. You have your husband to blame for this, had he not turned traitor neither you nor your son would be in this position. Don't attempt to take it out on your charge and if I find you are trying to turn her against me. I will see how Merlin copes with weekly floggings" with that he stomped out of the room.

Hunith sank to her knees "Oh my dear gentle and kind son, what will he turn you into. Balinor I am sorry I have failed to protect him, I should have been braver and stopped him ever being born to such a life."

Another servant came in and took Hunith to the Lady Morgana's chambers, there she found a pretty girl with long dark hair and beautiful green eyes that were full of grief and fear. Hunith couldn't find it in herself to hate the child, she was innocent of all this. The girl clearly needed someone to love her and Hunith doubted she would get that affection from the King.

Hunith walked towards the child and curtsied "My lady I am Hunith I have been sent to be your maidservant."

Gaius had been upset when he was told that the two had been separated, although he had wondered how much longer the situation could have been allowed to continue. He was told by the King that he was not to acknowledge either Hunith or Merlin if he saw then and the consequences if he did. But there was one thing the physician did do. He waited one night until the castle was quiet and carefully made his way down to the cavern where Kilgarrah was kept. He had thought about going before but decided not to take the risk but now he felt he needed advice.

The guards to the entrance had been easy to deal with. A sleeping potion in some wine was all it took. He made his way carefully down the steps, remembering the last journey he had made carrying Balinor's body so Kilgarrah could send his dragonlord to his last rest. How Balinor would have hated what had happened to his family. As he reached the platform Gaius called out "Kilgarrah may I speak with you"

He heard the flap of wings before he saw the large shape appear. Kilgarrah settled on the rock and looked at the physician "You have aged my friend" he said

"I have Kilgarrah, times have not been good for Balinor's family"

"I felt the new one born, I have also felt his distress through our bond, but cannot contact him, tell me what has happened" the dragon demanded.

Gaius told Kilgarrah everything that had happened in the past four years. The dragon roared in pain and distress. "Uther can't live, how could he treat them so"

"I need you advice, I don't know what to do. Merlin's power must never be under Uther's control, I regret not helping Hunith to stop the babe being born"

"You did right, the one you call Merlin is Emrys, and he will free us all in time. But Uther must never know the extent of his powers, it must never be under his control. Go to the druids and they will speak to Alvarr. The prophesy speaks of my Lady's charge helping, when the time comes. Emrys will stand by the side of the once and future King." The dragon lowered his head towards Gaius "Help the boy where you can, but do not risk either of them, visit me when it is safe old friend, it is hard living as you do, but you have taken the right path"

"Thank you for that Kilgarrah, but I feel I have failed them" Gaius's shoulders showed the burden of guilt he carried.

"We all feel guilt but it is our destiny" with that the dragon flew off into the depths of the cave.

Gaius went back upstairs and removed the drugged wine and left an empty wine skin behind, if anyone found the guards before they woke it would be assumed they had just drunk too much. The next morning Gaius would go into the forest to gather herbs and hopefully see the druids.

Elsewhere in the castle Merlin was in a small room sobbing his heart out, he wanted his mummy. The King entered and looked at the boy not a shred of pity in his heart. No matter how young this was after all a sorcerer. "Stop your snivelling boy."

Merlin looked up and even at his young age he knew that this man had to be obeyed. He wasn't kind like Gaius or William but he was like some of the other guards who he had met who would be cruel because they wanted to. For a four year old he had leant hard lessons early in life.

"Now you will stay with some other men and they will train you to use your magic. Do as you are told and you will be treated well. Defy me and your Mother and Gaius will be hurt. Do you understand?" Uther told him.

"Mustn't use it" Merlin muttered

"We'll you can now" Uther turned and beckoned a man forward, He also had a collar round his neck "Look after this boy and make sure he learns and fast, he is to stay with the rest of you for now"

The man walked forward and bent down in front of the terrified boy "My man is Alvarr come with me" he held out his hand and took Merlin out of the room. As he past Uther he bowed and carried on. They were accompanied by two guards and taken to an area of the dungeons Merlin had never been to before. As the cell door was opened the chain was removed from Merlin's collar and then they were locked in. The cell was large and had five sorcerers that Uther had selected over the years, the rest had been killed at different times for various reasons.

"Merlin this is Edwin, Gilli, Ari, Cedric and Jonus. Friends this is Merlin who Uther has ordered us to train. He will live with us now, be nice to him he has been torn from his mother and is scared." Alvarr looked at Merlin "You are the boy who had lived in the other cells aren't you? Is your mother Hunith?"

Merlin nodded as tears fell down his face "I want Mummy, where's my mummy" he said in a very timid voice.

"Your mummy is safe Merlin she is in the castle still. But you have to stay with us now" Alvarr told him

"He's Balinor's son" Ari said "A dragonlord, poor kid"

Edwin spoke next "He will be powerful, to be using magic so young, we need to make sure that Uther never gets that power"

"What are you suggesting?" Alvarr asked "We keep the boy safe you understand me, the druids say when he was born magic knew, they say he is Emrys and will save us all" he whispered.

"Is that true boy? Will you kill Uther for us?" Cedric demanded

Merlin looked at them all totally confused and bewildered, he moved closer to Alvarr as if seeking protection.

"Leave the boy be! I will look after him, just leave him alone and let him settle down." Alvarr put his arm round Merlin "Come with me boy there is a pallet near mine you can sleep on"

"Let him have the one between us, I'll help you" Ari spoke up.

Merlin was given the pallet and curled up his thumb in his mouth and cried for the mum he was missing so much already.

Hunith found that except for missing her son and fearing for his life she was now better treated. Morgana was a nice child who was feeling lost and confused. But the two soon built a bond. Although even Morgana seemed to instinctively know not to allow her guardian to know how fond she was getting of her maidservant. Hunith was popular with the other servants, she had always been good to them when she held a high position. They also felt sorry for her and her son. The man who took the food down to the dungeons kept her informed as to how Merlin was. Hunith was pleased to hear that two of the men had taken Merlin under their wings. Morgana seemed to be frightened of Uther, although Hunith had no idea why, the King seemed to treat his ward with more kindness than his own son. Hunith often saw Arthur as he had the next chamber. She felt sorry for the boy who seemed never to be able to please his father. It cut Hunith deeply to see that Arthur looked so much like her late sister in law. She could even see Balinor in him sometimes. The Kings insistence that his son should remember at all times that he was better than anyone else was beginning to make the young boy arrogant which was a pity as Hunith could see that deep down he had his mother's kind heart.

Morgana for her part found a mother figure in Hunith. She knew that the woman was sad and often cried when she didn't know anyone was looking. But she had no idea of why. Morgana could tell from her guardian's attitude to her maidservant that he didn't like her for some reason, and it puzzled her, how could anyone not love Hunith. Although Morgana was only nine she was old for her years and soon learnt how to keep the king on her side, and that meant saying nothing nice about Hunith when he was in earshot. So she treated Hunith just how she saw Uther treating his servants, when he was present. But when he wasn't they were good friends. Morgana knew that Hunith understood.

Arthur never kept manservants long, even as a small boy of eight he was demanding and difficult to please. Arthur noticed his father's actions with those in a lower position and followed his example. This meant that he and Morgana often argued.

Merlin's life changed from the day he was separated from his mother. He, along with the other sorcerer's was removed from the cell they shared every day and taken out to a patch of grass near the knights training grounds. One of them was selected to stay with Uther who was able to control the magic. The rest under the guidance of Aredian were allowed to practice magic. But only things that Uther wanted them to use. Aredian was a cruel and sadistic man who enjoyed the power he had over the sorcerers. He often took some of them around the Kingdom on his witch hunting trips for the King. Where they would be forced to kill their own kind is as cruel a way as he could. The collars meant the men had no choice. When Aredian saw Merlin he immediately gave a sadistic grin and started to terrify the boy. By the time the training session was over Merlin had wet himself twice and was an emotional wreck. Merlin didn't show any sign of his magic that day or the next.

Uther saw Alvarr the next day and demanded to know why Merlin had yet to show any magical skill.

"If Aredian scares Merlin so much he will never be able to use his powers, he is a small boy. I doubt he has any control at his age anyway, he needs nurturing not terrifying" Alvarr didn't want Merlin's potential power to be fully known, but at the same time he didn't want Merlin killed or punished for something that wasn't his fault.

Uther for all his hatred of magic could see the sorcerers point and knew full well of his witch finder's methods. "So what do you suggest?"

"Maybe get someone else to supervise the boy's sessions with one of us to help the boy" Alvarr hated what he was doing but felt he had no choice.

"I will consider it" Uther dismissed Alvarr back to the dungeons.

Uther did consider what the sorcerer had said and come up with a solution, there was a knight who was loyal and as such was training the young Prince. He had a way with children and yet Uther felt he could be trusted with having control of the collars. He called Sir Kay to come to see him.