Balinor's Son

Unfair Bargain

They didn't stop riding until light filtered through the trees. All four were exhausted, especially Hunith who hadn't said a word since they fled from her pursuers. Arthur kept her steady on his horse as they galloped through the forest.

"The town should just be a few minutes away!" Morgana shouted as she peered at the map Gaius had given them.

"Prince Arthur?" Hunith spoke up.

"Yes?"

"I thought we were going back to Camelot."

"We're going to a town called Corbeck. It's in Cenred's kingdom."

"I have to see Merlin."

"Even if we did go to Camelot, you wouldn't be able to see him. I haven't even seen him since Ealdor. My father has him somewhere deep beneath the castle."

"Oh," she said quietly.

"You needn't worry though," Arthur tried to reassure her. "We're going to Corbeck to look for Balinor. Hopefully he'll be able to help."

Hunith didn't answer.

As they spoke, the trail of wet leaves became a path of well trodden dirt. We must be close, Arthur thought.

---+---

"My Lord, Prince Arthur and the Lady Morgana still have not returned."

Uther drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. He knew he shouldn't have let them go, but Morgana always had a way of twisting his will. In truth, every time he looked into those beautiful green eyes, there was a combination of love and guilt. Guilt that his actions led to the death of Gorlois, guilt that he deceived him in more ways than one. 

"What should we do, my Lord?"

An interesting question. What was he to do? They wouldn't have been ambushed my mere bandits or saxons, not so close to the citadel. It had to be Balinor. It had to be. Fortunately, he now had a way to get confirmation.

"Should we send out a search party?" 

Uther pondered the situation. "No. Leave me."

The knights bowed respectively and retreated from the room. Once they had left, Uther rose from his ornate chair and made his way down to the former abandoned cell block. He was hit by a sudden wave of hot, disgusting air. 

"Wake up!" He banged on the bars. He heard shuffling and a gasp from inside. After fumbling with the ring of keys around his belt, he opened the door and grabbed the squirming form by the back of his shirt. The boy cried out as Uther unhooked his chains from the wall and dragged him out of the cell. "Guards!" 

The king was flanked by two men who held open the door. They lit the torches along the walls before leaving the king and the warlock alone. 

"You and your father have caused me much trouble."

"Really? From where I see it, it seems like you are the one causing trouble. We never asked you to try and kill us."

Uther brought his metallic wrist across the boy's face. Merlin clutched the wound and Uther was satisfied to see blood leaking through his fingers. "Don't test me, boy," he snarled though gritted teeth. "You're going to do something for me."