Archive of Our Own ^beta

Balinor is pushing his horse along at a steady pace, his son just a few steps ahead. They were on their way to Ealdor, Merlin has been so excited to bring him back to see Hunith. Balinor isn’t as sure Hunith is going to be as happy to see him as Merlin believes, if she is even able to recognize him. 

But after Balinor had come to Camelot and stopped Kilgharrah, Merlin has barely talked about anything else since. Though Balinor had made sure to have Gaius check him over to be sure he had healed fully from his wound before they left Camelot. He wasn’t going to travel to the small village if his son wasn’t back to full health yet. 

Though Balinor had to wait for him in the forest outside of Camelot. Arthur had been true to his word and gotten Balinor safely out of Camelot’s walls. Uther had been furious that Balinor had been allowed to leave, but Arthur had somehow managed to get him off of Balinor’s back. No doubt after a long talk, working to convince his father and many empty promises made. 

Balinor knows that isn’t going to be the end of it, Arthur may have managed to pacify his father for now, but that bitterness and hatred won’t stay reigned in for long. Balinor will just have to stay on guard.

“We’re almost there!” Merlin looks back at him with a beaming smile. “Once we get there, if you wait a little bit farther back I’ll just let her know first, that way it's not such a shock for her. She’s going to be so happy to see you!” Merlin continues to chatter happily. 

They arrive at the border shortly, Balinor stopping at the tree line, looking over the bustling village. 

Merlin climbs down from his horse and looks back up to him, “I’ll go find her and in a few minutes you can come to the house.” Merlin glances back and then gasps, “There she is, we'll just be a minute!” He hurries over to Hunith. 

Balinor sees Hunith walking in the direction of her hut with a bucket of water. She looks up and sees Merlin, a bright smile lighting up her face, identical to the one he has seen on Merlin’s face. Merlin definitely got her smile.

“Merlin!” She quickly places the water bucket down and runs over to him and pulls him into a tight hug. She quickly kisses him on the cheek before pulling back, gently cupping his face in her hands. “What are you doing here, Merlin, is something wrong?” She asks as her face creases in concern.

Merlin is quick to reassure her, “No, mother, nothing is wrong. Um-“ Merlin shifts his stance, looking a bit nervous. “I actually brought someone to see you.”

Hunith’s face changes to one of confusion before Merlin blurts out, “It’s father. Fathers here.” Merlin turns back in Balinor’s direction and points to him.

Hunith’s eyes widened, her mouth parted in an o-shape as her face pales. Then she’s running across the short distance over to him, Merlin close behind.

He quickly gets down from his horse just in time for Hunith to reach him, shocking him as she wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him down into a tight embrace. He quickly hugs her back before she pulls back and looks around. 

“Let's get back home, that way we can talk.” Hunith turns back to the direction of the small home, and the father and son follow after her, all three hurrying to it.

When the door shuts behind them Balinor doesn’t really know what to do. It has been a long time since he has been here. Merlin seems perfectly at ease, seating himself on a small stool at the table while Hunith moves a third stool over to the table before taking a seat herself. Balinor sits down on the empty seat. 

Merlin looks between them for a moment, practically shaking with curiosity, before he seems to get impatient and speaks up. “Mother, why did you never tell me about father? I know Gaius said that you just wanted to protect me, but- he’s my father, I should have been told.”

Hunith smiles sadly, glancing quickly at Balinor before turning her attention back to Merlin. “I know, I was scared. Uther had already forced your father away, I couldn’t bear it if he had taken you away from me too. If it had gotten out that the last dragonlord had a son, Uther surely would have hunted you as well.” Hunith says quietly, reaching out and grabbing hold of Merlin’s hand.

Merlin nods before brightening again, “So, how long has it been? Y’know, since you’ve spoken to each other,” Merlin asks curiously.

Hunith laughs, “How old are you, Merlin?”

Merlin stops and shuts his mouth, tilting his head in thought. “I didn’t realize you hadn’t spoken to each other at all, I thought you would write to each other every once in a while still, even though you couldn’t see each other in person.”

Balinor shakes his head, “Any contact could have been dangerous. I wanted to keep your mother safe. Though if I had known about you, I would have tried to do something for you both.” He says guiltily. “I know it must have been hard on the two of you, I wish I had been here.”

Hunith reaches out with her other hand to grab onto one of Balinor’s. “While I will admit it had been hard, none of the blame for any of that should be yours to carry, it was solely Uther’s doing that did this to our… our family.” Hunith smiles reassuringly before gently squeezing both Merlin and Balinor’s hands. “But we are all back together again now, we may have a hard road ahead of us, but we can get through it as long as we have each other.”

Merlin smiles happily and nods. Balinor looks at Hunith and can’t help but smile too. They were a family, his family. 

Later that night after they had eaten, Balinor sat back at the table with Hunith. Merlin had fallen asleep, still getting tired more quickly after his injury, much to Hunith’s distress. 

At first, they sit in a pleasant silence, holding onto each other and basking in the glow of the other's joy at being together once again. Something neither of them had ever thought would happen again.

“I hadn’t thought you would recognize me,” Balinor mutters, “Much has changed since we last saw each other.”

Hunith clicks her tongue. “How could I not recognize you,” she runs her hand through the shaggy beard on his jaw. “Though you are looking quite shaggy after all this time,” she teases. “I think I may like this new look on you.”

He chuckles, “Well you look as beautiful as ever. And I have missed you more than I can say.” He takes her hand from his cheek and kisses the back of her hand. “I love you.”

“I’ve missed you too, I love you.” Hunith smiles warmly, leaning in to press a quick kiss to his lips. 

Balinor hadn’t been expecting that, but now that she had kissed him that once, he can’t help but want more. He leans in once more, slightly longer this time, but they quickly pull apart when Merlin shifts in his sleep. They look back to each other and laugh quietly, feeling like they were young once again and trying not to be caught sneaking around. 

“Should we be worried about getting in trouble if he catches us?” He jokes, speaking more quietly this time. 

She laughs, “Of course. I am an unmarried woman, I cannot be caught with you in this compromising position.”

They both smile before Balinor’s face goes grim. “I’m not sure it would be safe for me to stay here with you.”

Hunith’s eyes tear up and she nods, “Yes, it is still too dangerous. I had been about to say something. I want to be with you, almost more than anything, but I want Merlin safe the most. I need him safe. I won’t ever do anything that could put him at more risk.”

He nods in agreement, he couldn’t put his son at more risk either. He hasn’t known him long, but he would do anything he had to, to keep him safe. He’s not sure what he would do if anything happened to him, especially if it was something he could have prevented or if he was the cause.

“Please don’t leave,” Merlin’s voice suddenly comes from behind them. “We can figure something out, you don’t have to leave again.” Merlin slowly sits up, his hand going to his chest for a moment before dropping to the side.

The wound had been healed but there were still some pains, though significantly less than it had been, and should be gone within the next couple days.

“It's not safe for you if I am here, or for your mother. Uther won’t just let me go. He isn’t-”

“What if you just stayed nearby? There are some caves nearby- and I know you just left some caves, but you could still be close that way. I know how to navigate them, if Uther tries to come for you, I will come here, and we can leave through the other side of the caves to escape.” Merlin says hopefully.

“That could actually work, you would be far enough away for it not to be too dangerous for us and you could still stay nearby. We could still see you.” Hunith looks to Balinor. “But it is still your decision, you have the final word.” She raises her hand when Merlin starts to say something, and his mouth snaps shut.

Balinor purses his lips in thought, looking from Hunith’s carefully guarded features to his son's optimistic expression. He sighs before turning back to Merlin, “You are sure that this can be safe?” 

Merlin nods quickly and sits up a little straighter. “Arthur tells me almost everything that his father is going to do, so I would be able to get here fast enough to warn you if he did ever come. But Arthur promised you he wouldn’t hand you over to Uther, he keeps his word.” He pauses for a moment and grimaces, “And I know that the thought of moving to another cave might not be the most appealing, but I can help make it nice. We can go retrieve your other belongings and- we can still be a family, we can be happy together.” Merlin adds, desperately trying to convince him.

While moving to live in another cave isn’t the most comfortable lifestyle, he could still remain hidden and be able to see Hunith and his son. “Alright, we will try and see if this can work. But! If this puts you and your mother at risk, the moment that happens I will move somewhere where you two will be safer. I’m not willing to put either of you at risk.” Balinor spoke firmly, he wasn’t going to budge even a little on that.

Hunith stands and steps back over to Merlin, lightly pushing on his shoulder to get him to lay back down. “If it comes to that then we can deal with it. Now, you should get to sleep, your father and I will be doing the same shortly.”

Merlin looks at him, a fearful expression on his face. Hunith sighs and runs a hand through his hair, “He won’t be leaving in the night. Don’t worry Merlin, if he tries to leave he will have to get away from the both of us. Even the last dragonlord couldn’t get away from the two of us,” She reassures him with a smirk on her face as she says so. 

Balinor thinks she is right, the two of them could probably find him if they put their minds to it. Though he finds that there is only a warm feeling that blossoms within him when he thinks about it.

“Get some sleep, you look exhausted. Sleep well, my sweet boy.” Hunith presses a kiss to his forehead before moving back to the table. Merlin’s asleep again a few moments later. 

She clears up the dishes left, setting them aside to be taken care of in the morning, before she stops in front of Balinor. “We will be taking the floor tonight, usually Merlin does but, I don't want him sleeping on the floor right now.”

“Yes, I don’t think sleeping on a hard dirt floor would be too good for him right now. Let me help with this.” He goes to help her with spreading out some blankets on the floor.

Once they are beneath the blankets they both begin to feel sleepy, Hunith grabs ahold of his arm and cuddles closer. “We will get through this. Together.”

And she sounds so sure of it, that Balinor can’t help but believe her.