I will never own Merlin :(

So like I said, I'll probably update as often as possible, so don't be surprised by multiple updates in one day.

I'm not going to say anything about the lack of the reviews because I know I just updated a few hours ago but...

Please review! If thank yous and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas. I'll settle for reviews XD

"Your father? I thought you said you never knew him?" Arthur asks, confused.

"When I told you that the first time, that was the truth, but some time after that I did meet him. I knew him for one day before he died." Tears well up in his eyes.

"How did he die?" Percival asks quietly.

"We, we were attacked by bandits. He died trying to protect me."

"Wait, was this when you disappeared for 3 days? What does this have to do with my family splitting yours apart?"

"My father." Merlin sighs; he's never really known how he was going to tell Arthur about his gifts. "Balinor. Balinor was my father." He starts crying. "Arthur I'm so sorry, I should have told you." He looks for the rage in Arthur's eyes, but doesn't find it. Instead, he finds regret.

"Merlin. I- I'm sorry. I should have realized. The way you cried after he died. Oh gods." Arthur thought back to the days following Balinor's death. He had told Merlin that no man was worth his tears. He felt like punching himself. He should have been more supportive.

"No, there's no way you could have known." Merlin's tears look like they'd been released from a dam that had just fallen apart.

"I'm sorry, now may not be the best time to ask, but who's Balinor?" They all look at Gwaine.

"Balinor was the last Dragon Lord. He was coming to Camelot to help when the Great Dragon had been released. From the reports Arthur gave, he was killed by bandits." Leon answers solemnly.

"There's so much more I need to tell you. All of you." Merlin says quietly. Before anyone can reply though, a young woman comes in with some small children following closely behind.

"Would you men like to come out now? There are some people interested in meeting you." They all look to Merlin, silently asking if he felt well enough to move. He nods, and Arthur helps Merlin stand.

"What ever happens, please don't think any less of me. I'm still the same old Merlin." The knights give each other strange looks at this statement, and step out into the camp. A woman motions to them and hands them each a plate with some bread and what looks like some kind of bird, lark by the looks of it.

"We are grateful for your kindness. We know you could have easily turned us away."

"You're welcome your highness. We only want to show you that not all sorcerers are evil." The woman answers kindly, her eyes soft, not menacing like most of the sorceresses Arthur had come across before. This surprises him. He had always been taught that all magic was evil, that it corrupts, but there was no evil or hatred in her voice. He sat down with Merlin and the knights to eat. He wasn't sure if it was that Balinor was his best friend's father, or the fact that Merlin was never spiteful towards him, but he knew that he would always look at Merlin differently now. As they finish eating, a few druid men approach them. Arthur recognizes them as the ones that found them in the forest.

"Emrys, may we speak with you? It is of great importance." The knights look at each other. Arthur is thoroughly confused. Who's Emrys, and why did these Druids think that he was among them? Just as he was about to tell them that there was no one named Emrys among them, Merlin stood.

"Yes of course."

Dun dun duuuuunnnnnn, what will Arthur say when he learns of Merlin's other identity? What is so urgent that the Druids need to speak with Merlin? Will Gwaine be ok without a tavern anywhere nearby? Tune in next time...