Long Live the Kings (a Merthur story)

A trip to Ealdor

The next day, at breakfast, Arthur and Merlin were pretending the previous afternoon had not happened. Merlin hid his tear stained face as much as possible.
As the day went on Merlin couldn't quite handle the awkwardness and tension. He rushed back to his room and packed a bag. Some spare clothes, a bit of food, his book of magic, diary and a small blade.
He ran out of the castle and once he was out of sight of anyone and into the forest, he slowed to a walk.
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By nightfall, he was out of the forest and could see Ealdor on the horizon.
It took him a mere half hour to reach the edge of the village and he looked around at the familiar buildings of the place he once called home.
He found his mother's house with ease and knocked on the door. Hunith opened the door, "Merlin!" she exclaimed as she embraced her son.
"What are you doing here?"
"I needed a break, can I stay for the night?"
"Of course, dear."

Merlin and Hunith did some catching up over a cup of hot coffee and Merlin settled into his old bedroom. He missed this room and this village, he missed Will.
He started to miss Camelot though now, he'd only been away for a few hours but he missed Gaius, Arthur, Gwaine, Percival and the others.
He eventually drifted off to sleep.
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"Gaius, have you seen Merlin?" Arthur inquired.
"No sire, checked the tavern?" Gaius replies.
"No, surprisingly he wasn't there."
"Maybe he is busy polishing your armour?"
"No, he can't be because my armour is in my bedroom."
"Oh, I don't know sire, maybe he will turn up in the morning."
"Night Gaius"
"Night sire"
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Arthur woke up, and there was still no Merlin. He questioned Gaius, who hadn't seen him, asked the other knights, checked the armoury, kitchen, tavern. Merlin was nowhere.
Then it dawned on him, Merlin must have been freaked after the incident the other day. And where does Merlin go when he is freaked? His mother's.

Arthur rushed to Gwaine and Percival's room and alerted Leon. They all assembled in the throne room and got ready to leave.
They set off about mid morning for Ealdor.
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Merlin woke up to the sound of his mother making breakfast and he felt like he was a kid again. He missed being a child, he'd get up, feed the pigs, eat breakfast with his mother and go off to school with Will.
He walked downstairs and sat at the breakfast table. His mother brought over two bowls of porridge and they tucked in.
"It's been lovely to see you mother, but I have to move on. By now Arthur will have realised I'm gone and might come looking for me. When he does, he will probably look here, but he won't harm anyone, he's not that sort of King." Merlin explained.
"Please stay safe, Merlin. Arthur means well, you are two sides of the same coin after all." Hunith answered.
Merlin smiled, "I'll be fine, I've got my magic remember! I just needed a break though, if Arthur really cares, he will come looking."

Merlin packed his bag, hugged and thanked his mother and set off to the next village, hopefully there would be a tavern he could stay at.
He got to the woods and followed the path. Suddenly, he heard a noise behind him. He slowly turned round but it was just a deer. He laughed at himself and took a step, tripping on a large tree root and knocking his head on the stump.
He led there unconscious.