Hidden Royalty Chapter Three

King Balinor sat at his grand mahogany desk and stared at the picture of Merlin and Hunith sitting on the terrace of the local coffee shop. He had framed it the second after he found a perfect photo frame for it and placed it at the corner of his desk so he could watch it whenever he found himself in his official office which was quite often lately. The office itself was expensively decorated and felt grandeur and magnificent; suitable for any diplomatic visit or any other kind of visit for that matter.

His attention faltered a second when there was a knock on the big double teak doors, which opened shortly after he bid the person a subconscious permission to enter. Lancelot appeared in the door opening and Balinor struggled to tear his gaze from the picture but finally managed to look up to the person that entered and acknowledged his bodyguard with a nod of his head.

"Sir, Miss Gorlois is here to see you."

Balinor stood up and closed two buttons of his pinstriped black jacket. "Very well, please send her in."

Lancelot inclined his head and disappeared from the view. A few seconds later Morgause appeared with a large yellow envelope clutched in her hand and her designer bag in her other hand. She walked up to the desk, only to briefly stop and acknowledge the King. "Your Majesty." She said softly.

Balinor extended his hand to gesture to the white Victorian sofa in front of the fireplace. "Please sit." He said as he himself started to walk towards the sofa, but let Morgause sit first before he sat himself down on the vacant spot. "I take it you have news?" His head nodded towards the yellow envelope that currently laid on the glass coffee table.

Morgause's eyes glistened with pride of her accomplishment. "Indeed Sire, very good news even." She reached forward to grab the envelope from the table and handed it over to the King. "It holds the answer which you've been waiting for. About your… son."

The King's breath hitched and for a moment and let his fingertips glide over the line that closed off the envelop to the document with the evidence. It suddenly became very real and almost very sudden; he had prepared himself more for the impossibility than for the possibility that Merlin was indeed his son. And now the evidence of it was there, right this second, in his hands.

His hand moved to grip the adhesive strip at the side and with one rip he had opened the flap. Balinor tentatively reached into the envelope and gripped the document at its top and pulled it slowly out, millimetre on millimetre of white paper started to appear until suddenly big bold black letters met his sight.

BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

With one tug he pulled the whole document out and his eyes roamed all over the document. And there it was, the actual proof of his parentage towards Merlin; his own name in the small box that said 'FATHER'S NAME'. He didn't doubt anymore that he was a father, his name was right there. Balinor Richard Adalric Emrys and reading those names made the uneasy feeling in his guts go away and he could almost cry from joy at finding out that he has a son, and he could cry as well from the hurt from being denied to know his son for the last nineteen years.

He steeled himself though, he wouldn't cry. At least not now. Instead he looked up to Morgause. "And you're absolutely sure this is official?" He asked, tightening his grip on the single piece of paper. His Personal Investigator nodded.

"As sure as I can ever be Sir." She said humbly. "It wasn't easy to get access to it for some reason though. The Prince was born in another country and well let's say that they were a bit difficult to persuade to give me a copy. But fortunally I have my methods and several contacts and they were able to provide me a copy of the official certificate. You can see that registrar's raised, embossed seal and its signature are present, which makes it an official document."

Balinor nodded in response and looked at the place of birth his son was born. As soon as his eyes fell on the words NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK he knew that Hunith must've gone there after she left the palace since her brother James lived in New York. He felt slightly betrayed because he had rung James up shortly after he had found Hunith's letter and asked him if he knew where she was, but he told him that he had no clue about his sister's whereabouts.

The next thing he noticed was the date of birth and he realized that Merlin was born not yet six months after she left, he could mentally slap himself. How could he not have noticed she was pregnant.

And finally his foggy haze cleared up and he finally noticed his son's full name. Merlin Linor Edward James Browne. At first his mind got stuck at the last name. He couldn't believe that Hunith had changed her surname when it was brought to his attention the first time, when his bodyguard provided him that information about a month ago. It should be Swain not Browne, well in his opinion it should've been Emrys for almost two decades now.

He noticed Morgause looking intensively at him and his focus on the now so important document to him was momentarily disrupted. His eyes reached Morgause's and he nodded again and started to put the document back into the envelope. That was when he noticed that there was another piece of paper sitting in the envelope. He looked questionably up to Morgause before pulling the piece of paper out. It was only a row of numbers.

"What's this?"

Morgause shifted in her seat, acquiring a better position on the sofa. Her hands neatly folded together and resting into her lap. "That, your Majesty, is the Lady Hunith's telephone number. I obtained it just recently. I thought you might found it useful if you would like to contact the Lady beforehand."

Balinor's breath hitched right in the back of his throat. Even his most experienced bodyguards failed to obtain that important part of information, no matter how much effort they had put into getting it. He didn't know what to do with this newly found information now he actually got it in his possession. He could call her, or not. It would be just as big of a shock for Hunith to hear his voice again after twenty years, as it would for him to hear her angelic voice again.

Balinor swallowed the abundance of saliva that was currently found inside his mouth into his dry throat and hitched his forefinger between his neck and collar to release some of its tension. It suddenly seemed far tighter than thirty minutes ago.

"Is there something else you require of me sir?" Morgause's voice drummed through and broke his fascination with the row of number. He looked up and shook his head.

"No, that would be all for now. Thank you miss Gorlois."

Morgause smiled tight-lipped, just the right-side corner of her lips quirked up. "I'll inform you immediately if there is any newly found information." She stood up and inclined her head slightly. "Sir." She muttered and let herself out of the office through one of the two grand teak doors, leaving the King alone on the sofa.

Balinor gripped the two documents in his hand, as well as the envelope, before he retreated back to his desk and laid the two documents side by side on the worktop. His eyes switching sides every few seconds and let them finally rest on the birth certificate. He would worry about whether or not to call Hunith a bit later, he would have to think about it.

His mind now thought about the meaning of the names Hunith gave their son. First off; Merlin. His heart made a tiny jump of joy. When Hunith lived with him in his apartment they talked about children and what kind of parents they would be. They weren't really thinking about baby names, but that somehow just happened. Balinor was convinced that their child should get a strong name that was fit for a King or Queen, while Hunith always leaned towards the softer and unusual names.

One day she just brought the name Merlin up and he had to admit that back then he thought that name was absolutely absurd and unfit for royalty, but how naïve and wrong he was. A few days after Hunith had brought it up he found himself in the aviary in the Royal gardens and saw a Merlin falcon. He was fascinated by the bird, and although small, the bird was strong-minded and it inspired him. From that moment on he was absolutely sure that Merlin was a strong name and had Hunith informed that, no matter what, their child would be called Merlin. He could still recall the look of surprise that travelled over Hunith's face for a moment before she broke out in a big smile and wrapped her arms around his neck so tight that he almost suffocated by her grip.

And then the name James. That could either be after her father James or after her brother, who's name officially was James Junior and JJ for short. Maybe Hunith named both of them, he did not know.

But what struck him most were the names Linor and Edward. Edward was his father's name and he couldn't recall any of Hunith's relatives being called Edward, so that must be the only explanation. But he was confused on why she would include that name. Yes, it was an unofficial tradition to name the first born son of a Prince or King after its grandfather, just like he was named after his grandfather Adalric. But then again, Hunith had been treated horribly in the time she spent in the palace and he was just baffled that after everything she had been through, she still kept the tradition in honour and added his father's name in their son's name.

Then the last name that he had to ponder about was the name Linor. There was just one thought that came to him and that that name must be a shorter version from his own name. Maybe Hunith thought that adding his full name was too painful, but maybe she still wanted him a part of their son's life, somehow. He just did not know what Hunith's intentions were with adding his name, or at least a part of his name, but it didn't mattered to him, he was just happy to be a part of the importance of his son's name.

A deep sigh escaped his mouth and his elbows found a way to the worktop of his desk. He buried his head into his hands and blew out another large amount of oxygen. After twenty years of being unaware of having a son, all this information was a lot to take in.

Balinor leaned over to the side to tap in the secret code of his top drawer, after inserting the right code a soft beep was heard at which the drawer then slid open a few centimetres, just enough for Balinor to slip his fingers in it and pull it open all the way. He kept documents and other important things in there and since a month he kept the locket with Hunith's picture in there too when he brought it with him every time he had to go to his office. Pulling the locket on its string out, he placed it on his desk and placed his son's birth certificate into the drawer at which he shut it close again.

He opened the locket and placed it down onto the paper with Hunith's phone number, her bright eyes stared back at him. His fingers drummed nervously on the table top and he kept licking his chapped lips. His mouth dried out and swallowing became harder, but his stomach felt as if thousands butterflies were unleashed there and his heart was beating at a fast rhythm. He felt like all those years back again when he asked her to be his girlfriend… It was absurd to act this way now, he knew that. All he was planning to do was to call her on the phone, but he just couldn't help it that he felt like a lovesick teenager.

The drumming continued for a few moments before he drew in a deep breath of air and reached out for the black telephone receiver an arm's length away. The fingers of his free hand tentatively pushed the correct numbers and he heard the line connecting. Balinor sat back in his big leather swivel chair, drawing in deep breaths to calm himself, but it did little to the heavy pounding of his heart against his ribcage.

One, two, three, four connecting tones rang through his ears and he almost put the phone down when he was sure that the phone wouldn't be picked up at the other side. But just as he sat up straight to place the receiver back in its place again, the other side connected and a breathy "hello… hello?" was being spoken. Balinor's eyes widened and he really wasn't prepared on what to say, it was just in an impulse he picked up the phone and pressed the numbers, he didn't really thinking he would be speaking to Hunith. But now he was and he was lost for words.

"Hello, Browne residence." Hunith said after a beat of silence. But Balinor was too shocked at hearing her voice once more. He quickly put the phone down on its base, breaking the connection and his hands found their way to his eyes. He placed his palms firmly over them and then brought them up to rake them through his already greying hair.

Her voice, her beautiful angelic voice. Heard again for the first time in two decades.

What was he supposed to do.

It was impossible for him to continue to be ignorant about the fact that he has a son, a heir. He has to do something about it, he has to get to speak to Hunith somehow, but not on the phone. He has to speak to her face to face. He has to know what happened all those years back and he really has to know why she never mentioned the fact that she was pregnant.

A headache started to play up just behind his eyelids.

An important question to all of this was if he was ready to be a father. He's been known for the entire time he has been a monarch as this ruler that stood alone, with no immediate family.

But he was determined to make it work, this was his flesh and blood. Oh yes, it would be hard at first, but eventually he would adapt into the role he was meant to be. To be a parent rather than a ruler, that would come at a second place.

A thought struck him and that was about the possibility that neither Hunith nor Merlin would want to have anything to do with him.

He couldn't think like that, not when he didn't even got a chance to have met his son in person. Nor having talked to Hunith. Yes, he would wait… for now. He would think long and hard about the best way to approach this delicate situation.

For now he just wanted his family to be safe.

Balinor reached out for a little white button on the telephone set and seconds later the teak door opened once more and his most trusted bodyguard entered.

"Sir?"

"Lancelot, do enter. There is something I need to tell you that is of utmost importance, please sit."

Balinor leaned forward in his chair and waited with folded hands on the table top for his guard to approach and take a seat across. As soon as Lance sat down, the King started to tell about the information he just had received from Morgause and that Merlin was indeed his son.

At the end of sharing the most important information, Balinor sat up straighter. "So you see Lancelot, I need you to inform all the teams with this information and I want a special team following Hunith andMerlin's every move, but make sure they aren't seen by Hunith or Merlin, they cannot know about this, not yet. They're only allowed to intervene and make their presence known when the situation becomes dire." Balinor waited a moment for Lancelot to confirm the assignment. "I want to know who they come in contact with and where they will go to. I want weekly updates and to be notified immediately if there's any suspicious behaviour. Understood?"

"Yes Sire. We will do everything to protect the Prince and Lady." Lancelot nodded.

Balinor smiled. "Thank you Lancelot, I know I can trust you."

"Of course Sire." Lancelot said, standing up from his chair. "I'll call the teams together for an emergency meeting right away." He inclined his head and turned after the King's consent to leave.

For the second time today he found himself alone again in the massive room with his head full of newly found information. All he would do for now is wait and he was content with that. He didn't want to rush into things, he needed to calm himself first and get his head straight again before he would do anything rash and regret it later on.