Previously: "Nevertheless, my offer still stands." He paused, "Will you come with me?" A simple question, with only two possibly answers, but they both knew that he wasn't just offering her a home. He was offering her a new start, a chance to start afresh with him, without any of the worries they had when they first started their relationship. "Yes."

Oblivious

Chapter 13: No More Secrets

Merlin was sitting somewhat sullenly while he watched his mother pack up what meagre belongings she had brought with her. The only belongings she had left. He had missed her terribly and had spent so little time with her while she was here but now she was getting ready to leave again and he was not sure when he would next get to see her. It was not as if he ever got time off his duties to visit her.

"So you're definitely going to live with Uncle William then?" he asked, Hunith paused suddenly midway through putting her rather light looking purse away.

"Actually, I sent him a letter yesterday telling him I had found alternative arrangements." She said.

"Oh?" Merlin was not aware of any 'alternative arrangements' but he was certainly glad his mother would not have to put up with his Uncle's overbearing attitude.

"Your father has asked me to stay with him." Merlin stiffened, "And I accepted." Merlin was quiet, his emotions about this news were mixed. He could hear the happiness in his mother's voice despite her trying to cover it up, knowing how he currently felt about Balinor, and Merlin desperately wanted her to be happy, it was the least she deserved. But he also knew that any chance he had to visit his mother he would also be forced to face Balinor. He was getting more used to the idea of Balinor as his father but that did not mean that their relationship was going to be running smoothly from now on. There was still a lot of trust to be gained on both sides before that could happen. Merlin still knew so little about him.

"Are you upset with me?" Hunith asked softly.

"No, Mother." Merlin embraced her warmly, feeling more like a child than he had in years, "I just want you to be happy."

"I am happy." Hunith said, hugging him back, "But I want you to be as well."

"It will take some getting used to." He admitted.

"Talk to him. For me. Please." She pleaded, Merlin paused and eventually nodded.

Balinor had been saddling his new horse when Merlin suddenly appeared next to him, causing Balinor to jump in surprise.

"I'm sorry I overreacted. And I'm sorry for avoiding you." Merlin said before Balinor could ask what he wanted.

"It's fine." Balinor replied, "I doubt anyone else could have acted better in the same situation."

"That doesn't make my behaviour acceptable. You saved Camelot, even though you didn't have to, and I've been rude to you about something you have no control over." Merlin was quiet for a moment. "Mother told me where you are going, you should know that there are bandits in the region so you should stick to the main roads, knights occasionally patrol them so bandits usually stay clear. It's your responsibility to look after Mother now, and if anything happens to her I will hold you solely responsible." There was a dangerous glint in Merlin's eyes that left Balinor in no doubt about the truth of Merlin's words.

"I will protect her with my life." Balinor promised.

And just like that, the two of them had formed a mutual understanding. To anyone else, Merlin's words might have been cold and harsh, but Balinor knew that Merlin was entrusting him with the closest family he had and from here Balinor could start to regain the trust he had lost by not being there in Merlin's life. It may not have been much, but it was a start and it was better than nothing.

Merlin watched his parents leave, Hunith turning back to wave him goodbye and he raised a hand in acknowledgement, already feeling the loss of her warm presence. He was dimly aware of Gaius arriving beside him.

"Haven't seen you an awful lot the past few days." Merlin said glumly. Gaius was silent.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you that Balinor was your father when you left Camelot."

"Don't worry about it." Merlin didn't hold grudges, he would never know how the situation might have turned out had he been forewarned and there was no point dwelling on it. The past was the past, it was the present and the future that were important.

"My father's finally calmed down since Balinor left." Arthur announced cheerfully as Merlin laid out his clothes for the next day. "He's been taking out his anger on everyone else in the castle, so everyone who knows the dragonlord was the cause are relieved too." Arthur sighed, "Although I don't suppose we'll ever see him again, which is a shame, I liked him, he was very brave to come to Camelot." Merlin squashed down the small amount of pride he felt at that comment.

"Just make magic legal when you become King." He said grinning, "He won't be the only one that is grateful." Arthur rolled his eyes.

"It will take some time for people to get used to the idea that magic isn't evil. My father has been telling them that it is for so long that it will be hard to persuade them otherwise.

"You actually want to do it?" Merlin asked surprised.

"Of course, at the very least I'll remove the death penalty and stop people being hunted down like common criminals." Arthur said, "But I won't be able to do any of that until I am King. You and Balinor have shown me that magic can be used for good, and helping people like you is a small token in return for all your help to a kingdom that would condemn you for what you were born as."

Merlin was awed by Arthur's trust inn him, and incredibly grateful to Balinor for his help in convincing Arthur.

"Arthur." Merlin said slowly, "You know we said no more secrecy?"

"Yes. What about it?"

"My mother is going to live with Balinor."

"What?" Arthur shot up in disbelief, "But she's only known him a few days."

"Actually, she's known him for about twenty years." Merlin paused significantly, however Arthur failed to understand the point Merlin was getting at, he sighed heavily. "Guess how old I am."

In the castle, if anyone had been unsure as to whether life would return to normal after the devastation caused by the dragon, they were immediately reassured by the familiar royal shout of:

"Merlin!"

AN: Next up will be the epilogue, and hopefully I'll get two chapters of bonus content done for you guys as a reward for the amazing response to this fic. The epilogue will improve the Merlin-Balinor dynamic as it takes place a little while after this story, I couldn't put a full reconciliation in this chapter because I still felt it was too soon for everything to be resolved between them.

Thanks to reviewers: cflat, IndiaMoore, rmatri540, WE-ARE-SHER-LOCKED, I Am The Catalyst, Laughy-Taffy the Grape, jayley, OhMyLeppy, MegamiTenshiHime, bloodyhell95, Amethyst M, SERIOSLYNICK.

Response to reviewers:

cflat: The epilogue and at least one of the bonus chapters (should I actually get it done) should resolve some of those issues but I don't feel there is enough for me to go on for a sequel.

WE-ARE-SHER-LOCKED: Should have a few more little Balinor/Hunith moments in both the epilogue and the bonus chapters, and depending on what I choose for the second bonus chapter it could be a big Balinor/Hunith moment :)

bloodyhell95: Didn't turn out quite how you predicted :) you were close on the Arthur part though.