New King, Old Fears (Hunith and Merlin)

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Hunith had heard of the happenings, as most in all the kingdoms had. Word spread quickly when a king died, and especially one as known as Uther. She knew it would be a hard time for Camelot, at least for a while. The coming of a new king was always a difficult time until the new ruler could prove himself and earn the respect of those around him.

Her mind was full of questions as she made her way toward Gaius and Merlin's quarters. If Arthur was king, was Merlin's destiny fulfilled? Would he be able to reveal himself now and not have to live in fear? It was clear that magic was still banned,and this confused Hunith. Arthur was not his father, that much was clear in the short time she'd been around him. But was he going to ultimately have blood on his hands just like Uther? Would Merlin have to fear Arthur as much as he had his father?

She knocked, anxious to see if her son was here or not.

[em]

It had been a VERY long day. Merlin found himself juggling more jobs than before as well as having Cabal and Bohrs chase him for a good half hour around the castle grounds. He was meant to be exercising them! Not them exercising him! Then again Arthur had said he needed some muscle on him, and lately he was indeed looking more like ‘twiggy’ (as the Prince had christened him) than muscles.

Merlin was now slumped face down over the table and trying to gain some well-earned rest. He would hear Gauis would tut occasionally from where he was working. Merlin stayed face down on the table all the same. “Bench is on fire again” he mumbled without looking up “lafian” he briefly looked up towards the table, his eyes flashing gold for a few moments before resting his chin on his arms. “You’ve really got to stop setting things alight” he sighed.

“And you’ve really got to stop moaning Merlin” Gauis retorted and got a mop to clean up the water that Merlin had produced to extinguish the fire.

A knock at the door made them both look up and towards it. Merlin rose from the chair and headed over to the door, opening it and sticking his head out. His face turned into a grin when he was standing there and immediately he pulled the visitor into his embrace. “Mother!”

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She returned the embrace, happy to see him again. It was the one drawback to staying in Ealdor, her visits with him were so few and far between. It was still relatively easy for word to travel about the loss of the king, but far enough that her duties in the village kept her from traveling too often. She was just glad that, this time, at least, the traveling wasn't being prompted by an illness, like before. She had no wish to repeat that experience.

Hunith took a moment to greet Gaius, and then turned her attention back to Merlin.

"I am happy to see you...I wish very much that I could come more often."she said."I came because I heard of what happened...I could not help being curious. Wondering if Arthur really would make any differences...but I have heard otherwise."

[em]

"I am happy to see you...I wish very much that I could come more often." Merlin ushered his mother in and brought her a chair to sit down. Ealdor was quite a journey to Camelot and even Merlin had felt a little drained after making it all those years ago. "Well your here now" Merlin smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder, "and that's all that matters to me".

Of course she'd heard of Uther's death. News travelled fast . Merlin could feel his face darken slightly as he knew he could have prevented Uther's death had Morgana not have interfered. "It was hard for him..." he began and pulled up his own stool, "but I believe that Arthur will do what he thinks is right for Camelot." Carrying on Uther's legacy sounded daunting enough without having to buid your own.

"I sat outside the great hall all night waiting for Arthur, and thinking...thinking about what I could have done...and then I thought, "What does it matter? Everything happens for a reason - Why shouldn't Arthur's time be now?"" He looked at his mother a little guiltily. "Was that wrong of me to think that just after a man had died?"

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"As do I." She often wished he hadn't to go to live so far from home, that they could see each other more often. He was better off here, despite the danger he was always in, and she trusted Gaius, but it didn't stop her from missing him all the time. She often worried about what would happen as more time passed, and she grew older. She hated to think of growing too old to make these trips.

She recognized what he was saying about things being hard for Arthur. The death of a parent was hard on a person at any age, child or adult. And it was hard to imagine being a young person with the future of a whole kingdom on his shoulders. Arthur did have a lot in his favor, though, and it was not hard to see that he would be a good king.

"Yes, I think he will. And I am proud to know that you have a part in helping him to become a good king." she said.

Merlin was struggling with his thoughts, fearing he'd had the wrong attitude about the king's death and if he could have helped. This was a very difficult thing to answer-many were saddened at the loss, and there were others who probably happy about what had happened, and she knew it.

"It is true that everyone has a time, and that nothing can stop that time from coming. But neither should anyone wish for that time to be hastened for someone else. You are still in a difficult position-your actions could have served to help Arthur see a different side of magic. But you could also have greatly endangered yourself. It's never easy to take a stand in such a situation, and I understand it being difficult. But perhaps it was Uther's time, and nothing you could do would have stopped it. It probably isn't an entirely good way to think, but what has happened can't be changed now. You can only look to the future and try to do what you can to help."