Balinor's Son

Our Son

The air was cold, damp, and a thick layer of fog coated the wet slippery leaves.

"Balinor lives in a cave a little ways into these woods. It's hard to find if you don't know exactly where you're going."

"And how do you know where he lives?" Morgana asked.

"I sell him my wares, cloth and clothes. He gives me medical supplies. Most people who know he lives here don't trust him, think Uther'll come and kill us all. But, Uther wouldn't dare send his men this far into Essitir."

The group had left their horses back in the town as the treacherous terrain wasn't fit for riding. They trudged along, taking care not to slip or make too much noise.

"It isn't far now."

Morgana glanced at Hunith who was making an effort to walk on her own. As she fell in line with her, she noticed her pale features and concentrated expression.

"Are you alright?"

"Hmm?" She seemed to break from a trance of thought.

"I asked if you were alright."

"Oh, why yes of course. I'm fine, my Lady." She smiled at her, weakly.

"Because it's okay if you're not. It's alright to feel strange, knowing that you're going to see someone like this again."

"Yes. I suppose it is. But I can't waste my time with things like that. Not when Merlin needs me."

"Hunith, you can't just shut yourself off. You have to allow yourself to process this."

"It feels wrong."

Morgana frowned. "What makes-"

"With all due respect, my Lady, I'd rather focus on other things, the task at hand."

Morgana was silent for a moment. "Do you still have feelings for him?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know. It doesn't matter. My son is-"

"Of course it matters! It's love that will convince him to come back with us. It's the most important thing in the world."

"I said I don't want to talk about this anymore!" Hunith raised her voice causing the others to look at them curiously. "I'm sorry, my Lady. I didn't mean to shout, but I'd rather not rely on such an unpredictable devastation. I'm sure you've seen love do wonderful things, but I've seen it's despicable aspects. I'm counting on Balinor to help his own son simply because it's the right thing to do!"

"Hunith, wait," Morgana tried, but Hunith had already picked up her pace to fall in line with Rose.

********

Hunith tried to conceal her stinging eyes from Rose as she walked beside her. She massaged her forehead, trying to ease the headache that had persisted since her time in the tavern. As much as it pained her to think about, she couldn't stop pondering scenarios of their reunion in her head. Her love for Balinor had grown numb in his twenty year absence. Would everything come rushing back the moment she saw him. She didn't know. 

"Are you alright Hunith?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that!? Sorry, sorry, I'm fine thank you."

"You seem tense."

"How far are we?"

"Actually..." Rose paused momentarily, then took a few steps to her right. "I almost missed it in the fog. There." She pointed down a small slope. Hunith squinted through the fog and managed to make out the concealed entrance of a small cave. "That's his humble abode," Rose sighed.