A/N: Sorry about the lack of an update last week! Hope everyone had a merry Christmas (or whatever holiday you may celebrate), and I wish everyone a happy New Year!

Thank you to everyone reading, and to those who have put this story on their favorites or alert list!

Chapter 17: The Picnic

A fortnight had passed since Arthur had won his tournament. He carried his new knife everywhere he went, and had spent most of supper the night he had bought it showing it to everyone and talking about it. Merlin, for his part, had long since finished his sweets, but was just happy that Arthur had more time to play again now that the tournament was over.

As supper was drawing to a close one night, Hunith turned to Arthur.

"Merlin and I were planning to go for a picnic tomorrow, and I wondered if you might like to join us," she told him with a smile.

Arthur looked up at her in surprise, "A picnic? Me?" He and Merlin had gone for a walk and taken a picnic before, but being invited along with Merlin and his mother felt different.

Hunith nodded, "I know Merlin would love to have you there, and I would enjoy it too."

Arthur hesitated. He had become used to Hunith and Merlin sharing suppers with him and his father, and there had even been a few nights when his father had been busy and it had just been the two boys and Hunith, but something about this felt different. A planned outing, just the three of them? Like a family? The idea made him feel shy and nervous,. But he also felt something warm in his chest.

Perhaps Hunith sensed that he was feeling conflicted, because she gave him a gentle smile, "It's up to you, of course. If you would rather not, I don't mind."

Until she spoke, Arthur hadn't been sure what answer he was going to give, but at her words he found himself shaking his head, "No, I… I'd like that." he looked toward his father, "If…. if I have your permission, that is."

Father didn't seem to hear Arthur at first. He was looking at Hunith with a funny expression on his face, one Arthur hadn't seen before and couldn't quite figure out. He would almost have thought that Father was having some of the same confused emotions he himself was, but why would he have had strong feelings about Arthur going on a picnic?

"Father?" Arthur asked, a little louder, and the king finally turned his gaze away from Hunith to look at Arthur, "Yes? Did you ask me something, Arthur?"

"I wanted to know if that was okay with you," Arthur repeated, "For me to go on a picnic with Merlin and Hunith tomorrow."

For a few heartbeats, Arthur's father didn't answer, and he still had that strange expression on his face. Then, like a torch being extinguished, his expression went back to normal. "Do you have lessons or training tomorrow?" he asked.

Arthur shook his head, "No, I have a day off from lessons, and Sir Ector canceled training, because he's ill."

Uther nodded. Whatever he had been feeling before, there was no trace of it in his voice now, "Then you may go if you wish. Just make sure you conduct yourself appropriately."

Arthur nodded, "Yes, Father."

Hunith smiled at him, "It's settled then, we'll leave a little before midday tomorrow."

Merlin clapped his hands in excitement, "Yay! Arthur's coming with us! This will be the best picnic ever!"

Arthur grinned sheepishly. "You think everything is the best ever," he pointed out.

Merlin shrugged, "Well this really will be the best! You'll see!" Hunith laughed softly, and Arthur couldn't help but laugh too.

Then, to everyone's surprise, and perhaps the king's most of all, Merlin turned to Arthur's father.

"Would you like to come with us too?" he asked innocently, "It'll be very fun, and I bet the cooks will pack your favorite foods if you ask them to. Well, you're the king, so I guess they have to do what you ask, anyway."

Arthur looked at his father to see his reaction. Uther seemed caught off-guard, which wasn't something that happened very often.

He looked from Hunith to Merlin and then back again.

"I… have duties I must attend to tomorrow," he said finally, his voice gruff.

Merlin seemed to accept this easily enough. "Maybe you can come with us some other time, then," he suggested.

Arthur thought his father looked uncomfortable as he answered, "Perhaps. But I am usually quite busy."

Arthur ducked his head over his plate so no one would see his grin. It was hard to imagine his father on a picnic, sitting on a blanket on the ground as he ate, though Arthur knew his father went on missions with the knights sometimes, and he supposed he would have to eat outside then. Still, eating around a campfire with his men seemed a far cry from sitting on a picnic blanket with a sticky-fingered little boy chattering away.

The next day, Hunith and Merlin arrived in the entrance hall of the castle, where they had agreed to meet Arthur, to find the young prince already waiting for them.

"My lady," Arthur greeted Hunith politely, his formal manner almost reminding her of his father.

"Hello, Arthur," she smiled at him gently. She hoped this picnic would give her a chance to get to know the boy a little better. He and Merlin had quickly become close, but from Hunith, the boy had kept his distance. He wasn't ever rude, it was more like he was shy, or even wary. Hunith had the feeling he wasn't quite sure what to make of her yet.

That was all right. She knew it couldn't be easy for him to have a strange woman come into his life, when it had always just been him and his father. It would take time, Hunith knew, and she would never want to push him, or try to force herself into his life in a manner he wasn't ready for (he had never known his mother, but that didn't mean he would welcome Hunith attempting to take her place. But still, she hoped this outing would be a step towards showing him that she wasn't a threat, but someone who would care about him if he gave her the chance.

And she did care about him, even after the short time she had known him. Uther may have been a stranger, and sometimes not a very likable one, but it felt very natural to let Arthur into her heart, even if he wasn't ready to let her into his.

Hunith had heard others call the young prince arrogant, even a bit of a bully. And it was true that he put on an air of bravado. He was eager to prove himself the best at everything he did, and already, he was learning to hide his emotions behind a mask, just as his father did. He and Merlin bickered, and sometime's Arthur's words could be unkind, but it was in that thoughtless, unaware way of children, not intentional as Cenred's barbs had been.

But Hunith had seen glimpses of the boy behind the mask, the kind-hearted boy who had defended her son when Cenred had been so cruel. Arthur might tease, and occasionally even shout at Merlin, but he allowed him to follow him around with little protest, and used his prize money to buy him sweets. And Hunith had seen too, how desperately Arthur needed warmth and affection. She knew Uther loved his son, that had been clear to her during that one brief talk where he had opened up, but showing that love was another matter. In all her time here, Hunith had never seen Uther hug Arthur. The most he gave him was the occasional pat on the shoulder. Sometimes she just wanted to shake Uther, to ask him "Don't you see? Don't you see how your son needs you? How he craves your love and approval?" Other times, it was all she could do not to wrap her arms around the boy herself.

All these thoughts passed through Hunith's head as she and the two boys made their way across the courtyard. Hunith was carrying a picnic basket she had picked up from the palace kitchens in one hand, while Merlin held onto her other. Arthur was walking alongside Merlin, and the two boys were having a spirited conversation, though Merlin was doing more of the talking. Neither seemed to have noticed how Hunith's mind had wandered.

The topic of the boys' conversation appeared to be whether sweet or savory fillings were better for pies. Merlin was very insistent that sweet pies were better, while Arthur insisted that meat pies were superior. Hunith smiled as she listened.

Before the debate could dissolve into bickering (though it was a close call), the three arrived at the palace stables, and the boys were distracted. Hunith had sent word ahead that they were coming, and Arthur's horse, as well as Hunith's own mare, which had been a wedding gift from one of Uther's allies, had already been saddled. A stablehand hurried to take the picnic basket from Hunith and affix it to her mare's saddle. Arthur climbed onto his own horse with an easy confidence.

Merlin watched closely, and then tried to copy him, but he slipped back down and fell on his bottom. Arthur snickered, and Merlin stuck his tongue out at him.

"It's all right, darling," Hunith reached down to pull Merlin to his feet, then gently brushed him off, "Here, let me help you." She lifted Merlin up onto the horse, reflecting with a pang of nostalgia that soon he would be too big and heavy for her to do that anymore. Then she climbed up behind him.

Two of Uther's knights joined them then, their own horses already saddled and ready to go. While they would only be traveling a very short distance from the citadel, and the area was quite safe, the queen and two young princes going out alone simply was not done. It would have been the same back in Essetir. Hunith knew from experience that the two men would keep themselves at a reasonable distance, near enough to handle any threat, but far enough away as to give the royals an illusion of privacy. Nevertheless, she had made sure the kitchens packed some extra food for them. She wouldn't have them going hungry, and they deserved a bit of enjoyment as well, even if they were on duty.

Hunith put her arms around Merlin, and picked up the reins of her horse. She looked over to see that Arthur was holding his own reins.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked him.

He nodded, and she could see a boyish excitement in his smile. He might be less expressive about it than Merlin, but he was obviously looking forward to this picnic too. Hunith was glad.

"Perhaps you should take the lead," she told him, "You know this area after all. I'm certain you will know where to find the best picnic spot much better than I would."

Arthur's smile grew wider, and he set his shoulders proudly, "I'll find the perfect spot. Follow me, my lady." And with a squeeze of his heels into his horse's flanks, they were off.

They were soon out of the city, and trotting through the surrounding countryside. Arthur led the way proudly, seeming confident in where he was going. After a few minutes' ride, they entered a patch of forest.

"There's a clearing up ahead, with a river," Arthur called back to Hunith and Merlin, "My father and I ride through it on hunting trips. I thought that would be a good place for our picnic."

"It sounds lovely," Hunith called up to him with a smile.

"I don't like hunting," Merlin told Hunith, and though she couldn't see his face, from the tone in his voice, she could picture the expression that was surely on it, scrunched up nose and pursed lips.

"I know you don't," she told him affectionately, remembering how cross she had been when Uther had criticized Merlin's reaction to hunting the first time they had met.

"I do like picnics, though," Merlin added, "And riding with you."

"I like those things too," Hunith replied, giving him a small squeeze.

Hunith could hear running water nearby, and just as Arthur had said, after perhaps a quarter-hour's ride, they broke through the trees into a small clearing. A small stream- Arthur's river- ran through at one end of it.

They tied the horses up near the stream, so they could drink and graze, and then Hunith began to unpack the picnic basket. The two knights who had escorted them had taken up posts on either side of the clearing, a few paces into the trees, and she called them over to give them the food she had set aside for them, to their surprise and gratitude. Then she spread out a blanket on the ground, and the two boys helped her unpack the rest of the food. They ate in silence for the first few minutes; even Merlin was too focused on his food for his usual chatter, after an initial declaration that he was "starving".

It was Hunith who broke the silence, turning to Arthur, "Do you often go on picnics?"

Arthur shook his head, swallowing the bite of food he was chewing, "When Father takes me out riding or hunting, we eat meals outside, of course, but I don't usually eat outside for no other reason than to eat outside."

"Back in Essetir, Mama and I used to eat lunch outside lots, if the weather was nice," Merlin said, "Usually just in the palace gardens, but sometimes we'd go out on a ride like we did today."

"Merlin would eat every meal outside if I let him," Hunith said, her eyes twinkling with amusement, "And sleep there too, no doubt."

Merlin grinned unapologetically, "It's more fun outside than it is inside!"

"I like being outside better too," Arthur said, "But I don't think I'd want to eat or sleep outside all the time. My bed is much more comfortable than the sleeping roll I use on hunting trips."

He chewed thoughtfully on his meat pie, "Eating outside is nice sometimes, though. Like today."

"You chose a beautiful spot," Hunith told him with a smile, "I think the horses like it too."

Arthur grinned, looking around the clearing in satisfaction, "It is a good place, isn't it?"

"Can we go swimming after we eat?" Merlin asked, looking at Hunith hopefully.

"I'm not sure the water will be deep enough for swimming," Hunith said with a small smile, "But I don't see why you can't go wading, if you'd like." She was glad the stream didn't look too deep or swift. She had taught Merlin to swim, but he wasn't a very strong swimmer yet.

Merlin grinned in excitement, and started shoveling his food into his mouth as fast as he could.

Hunith laughed, "Slow down, before you choke. Let's enjoy our meal, and then there will be plenty of time for you to go wading afterwards." Merlin's mouth was too full to answer, but he nodded his agreement, and when he had finally managed to swallow his huge mouthful, his next bite was much more normal.

"Do you and your father go out riding or on hunting trips often?" Hunith asked Arthur.

"Well, not all that often," Arthur responded, "Father has a lot of duties as king, so he doesn't always have time for things like that." He looked sad for a moment, but before Hunith could offer words of comfort, he brightened, "But he takes me along almost every time he does go on a hunting trip now. And I can make a kill all by myself. Just small things, like rabbits and squirrels so far, but Father says I'll be taking down deer soon enough. Maybe someday I can get a bear!"

Hunith had to smile at his enthusiasm, though surely Uther had the sense not to let a young boy anywhere near a bear. "Your father told us about your first hunt when he visited Essetir," she told Arthur, "And how you had taken down a bird by yourself on your most recent hunting trip."

"He did?" Arthur looked surprised, "He talked about my hunt in Essetir?"

"He did," Hunith confirmed with a smile, "He was proud of your accomplishment." She knew Arthur didn't hear it enough from Uther, so she wanted him to hear it from her.

"He was?" Arthur looked puzzled, almost disbelieving.

Hunith nodded, "Of course he was."

Arthur's smile grew slowly, but it was bright and genuine. "He was proud of me," he whispered, seemingly to himself.

"Do you really like hunting? Merlin broke in, looking at Arthur with the same scrunched-nosed expression that Hunith had imagined him making earlier.

"Of course I do," Arthur said, "It's my favorite thing, aside from swordsmanship."

"But why?" Merlin looked flabbergasted.

Arthur frowned. "Because it's a noble sport. If you want to be a good hunter, you have to be swift, and strong, and brave."

He looked at the younger boy, obviously just as confused by Merlin's stance as Merlin was by his, "Haven't you ever gone hunting with your grandfather or your uncle or anything?"

Merlin made a face, "Once. It was awful."

"Awful?" Arthur asked incredulously, "Why? I thought you liked being outside. Was it because you couldn't catch anything?"

"I didn't want to catch anything!" Merlin exclaimed, "Doesn't it make you sad to hurt the poor animals? They never did anything to you. I bet it isn't fun for them."

"Hunting is what men do," Arthur said, an edge to his voice now, "If people didn't hunt, then we wouldn't have any meat to eat." He waved a half-eaten meat pie for emphasis.

Both boys were becoming agitated now, and Hunith thought she better step in before a real fight ensued, "It's okay to have different opinions, boys," she said gently, "You don't have to like all the same things."

Merlin turned to her. "But you think I'm right, don't you, mama? It's mean to kill animals just for the fun of it. Or to prove you're strong or whatever."

Arthur scowled, "You don't know what you're talking about."

Hunith held up a hand, "Listen to me, both of you. Just because you disagree doesn't mean that either of you is wrong. I think you both have good points to make, if you'll listen to each other without getting angry."

Both boys fell silent, but they were still scowling at each other. Hunith sighed.

She took Merlin's hand, "I love your kind heart, my sweet boy. I love how you care about people and animals alike, and I don't ever want that to change."

Merlin smiled at her, but Arthur's scowl deepened, "Of course she's taking your side. She's your mother. That's the only reason why."

"I am not taking anyone's side," Hunith said firmly, "I said that you both had good points, remember?"

Arthur's scowl didn't dissipate, but it seemed to loosen just a bit, "I guess."

"Now, Merlin," Hunith continued, "I'm sure Arthur doesn't enjoy hunting because he thinks it's fun to kill animals." She turned to Arthur, ":Why don't you tell us what you do enjoy about hunting?"

Arthur's scowl eased, and he seemed to be thinking, "I like… the challenge," he said slowly, "Tracking down an animal, and then waiting for the right moment, and being able to bring something home at the end. And-" he broke off quite suddenly, looking away.

"And what?" Hunith prompted gently, "Go on."

Arthur frowned, clearly still reluctant, "And, well.. I like that it's something that my father and I do together, I guess."

Hunith smiled at him, "I can understand that." He gave her a hesitant smile in return.

Merlin stuck out his lower lip, his expression half-pouty, half-thoughtful, "Well, I guess all of that doesn't sound so bad, but I still feel sorry for the poor animals."

Arthur hesitated, then seemed to relent a little, "Sir Gorlois, my father's friend, says that a good hunter makes sure the animal suffers as little as possible."

Hunith smiled, "Sir Gorlois is a wise man." She squeezed Merlin's hand again, "I know it seems harsh, Merlin, but it doesn't go to waste you know, the meat that they bring back does feed a lot of people."

"I guess…" Merlin frowned, "But I still don't have to go hunting right?"

Hunith smiled at her son, "Not ever again, if you don't want to, I promise."

Merlin slowly smiled back, "Well… I guess that's all right then." That seemed to settle matters, at least in Merlin's mind, for he changed the subject, "May Arthur and I go wading now, Mama?"

Hunith nodded, "Of course. If Arthur would like to. But be careful, the rocks may be slippery, and parts of the stream may be deeper than they seem."

The two boys stripped off their shoes and socks. Merlin tossed his aside carelessly, while Arthur set his neatly just beside the blanket. Then the two boys waded into the center of the stream, where the water was knee-deep on Arthur, and about waist-high on Merlin. Soon enough, they were laughing and splashing under Hunith's watchful eye, all arguments forgotten.

Thank you for reading! Any reviews would be greatly appreciated.