Another Way Out

Ealdor

By the time they had arrived in Ealdor, it was already nearing sunset. People had started to put their horses back into their small barns and starting making their way back home so they could be inside before darkness prevailed.

It was a warm evening, a gentle breeze caressing Merlin's face as he made his way to his old house to see his mother. He knew he shouldn't have dropped in without at least sending her a letter to prepare her but he had no where else for Morgana and the young dragon to go. Hunith, his mother, did after all tell him he was welcome to come back whenever he wished and she'd be happy to help him with anything he needed. Merlin never planned on taking the offer but he realised how important it was to get the two to safety and to someone he could trust.

He was directly outside of the door wondering if he had made the wrong decision, if he should've just left them inside a cave with some food and a blanket..no. He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't subject them to something like that after all they had been through.

While thinking this, he didn't notice his mother sticking her head out of the window near the door, "Merlin?",she inquired in a state of shock. "Merlin, you're here. You're finally here. I've been wondering about you. You haven't sent any letters to me and it seems to be the same with Gaius. I was so worried, I thought something had happened to you."

Merlin looked over his mother's weary face and grinned at her, his smile not fully reaching his eyes. "Mother, I'm fine. Gaius and I have just been rather busy lately. I'm very sorry we've caused so much worry."

Hunith soon realised that he was still standing at the doorstep so she opened the door and ushered him in with haste. "There must be another reason you're here, Merlin. I know what you're like and I know that you wouldn't be standing at the door, looking like a lost puppy for the sake of it so spit it out. What's on your mind?"

He took in a deep breath, "there's just been a lot going on recently and...I've found Morgana." His mother looked into his eyes and questioned him, "isn't that what you wanted though? So Camelot can be safe?" Eyes peered back at hers sadly, " yes mother but not like this". He proceeded to tell his mother what was going on and what the two in the barn had gone through.

"I see." His mother's face looked like she was thinking then all of a sudden, she smiled at him. "Well, we should get your old bed fixed and we'll sort out how they'll stay without being questioned by the villagers. I'll speak to Morgana tomorrow."

He couldn't mask his surprise. Merlin's mother was a nice woman but he didn't think she'd accept them so easily. "Thank you, mother. I just hope they won't be too much trouble." "Oh I doubt that, Morgana may have done some bad things before but I can see it Merlin, she has a good heart." He silently agreed but knew it would take a lot more to get her to be cooperative.

"I'll be staying just for the night but I'll be back as soon as possible. I need to get some potions from Camelot to help heal Morgana and her dragon. Oh and mother? If anyone, Gaius included, asks where I have been for the past couple days, please tell them that I was visiting because you were ill and I'm going back to Camelot to fetch some medicines."

Hunith nodded at him and smiled a little. She was so proud of her boy. He was slowly becoming a man.

She made his bed and he fell asleep as soon as his head hit his makeshift pillow. Into the darkness he fell, slumber taking over, the first peaceful sleep he'd had in a while which was definitely not going to be the last.