Caught in the Storm

Chapter Forty-Eight

48. The Hardest Death Scene

Balinor and Magdelena were left at the fire by themselves, "You can rest if you want I can watch," she says not looking up at him just staring into the fire still. 

"You have not slept nor eaten since you have come to me," he says having taken notice that she refused sleep and food each time it was offered.

"Do not worry about me," she says the woods go silent once again minus the crackle of the fire as it ate at the wood they had gathered earlier. 

"You do not speak of Hunith very fondly," he says noticing her reply when he said they reminded him of her, and the response in her eyes when he mentioned her beauty like Hunith, "I have found most mothers and daughters are closer like a father and his son."

"I am not going to talk back about your love," she says, "That makes for bad relationships."

"I am your father you can tell me," he says and she finally looked up at him his brown eyes which met her ember eyes.

"Hunith and I weren't able to bond like a normal mother and daughter," she says, "It was no one's fault but our own and nothing to do about it."

"Why do you say that? Surely there is something you can do," he says making her smile softly.

"She will never stop being scared of me," she says softly looking down at the dirt, "She has good reason to be scared as well."

"Why was she scared of you?"

"Everyone fears Death," she says taking a deep slightly shaking breath, "I can't blame her for it either. Everyone has been scared of me at some point, those that know me."

"I do not fear you," he says, "I know you will not hurt me."

"How does it feel to know that you have not one but two children?" she asks, "Must be pretty strange, from being alone for so many years." 

"It is a change that I am glad has come," he says, "Are there any suitors that I should be aware of?"

She chuckles slightly, "None."

"I find that hard to believe," he says smiling softly at her, "You are truly beautiful."

 "You have to say that, you're my father," she says staring at him with a small chuckle moving around slightly on her wooden seat as she goes back to looking in the fire. 

"I barely know what it means to be a father," he says making her smile over at him.

"Well so far you seem to be doing pretty well," she says making him smile at her.

"What is that gold thing on your chest?" he asks and she looks down to see part of the Pendragon mark showing, she quickly covers it with her cloak shaking her head. 

"Nothing of importance," she says, "I am going to check on the horses." She stands quickly and rushes over to where the horses were tied, minus Gilthunder who greeted her. 

'Is it nice to have met your father?' he asks nudging her slightly.

"Yes and no," she whispers to him, "He is noticing too many things. Things that can be dangerous."

Magdelena allowed the fire to die as she stayed near the horses watching them carefully when she heard the sound of people coming toward their camp. Soldiers by the sound of the clanking of armor, she runs back to camp to see both Balinor was gone and Arthur was up having heard them as well. Merlin wakes up to see a wooden dragon carved from wood, Arthur quickly pulls him back covering his mouth as they crouch. 

Suddenly Cenred's men attack and Magdelena quickly grabs the two daggers she had taken out two of them before grabbing a sword, going over the moves and tricks that Morgause had taught her. She is able to take out a few of them, Merlin was doing alright for never being taught how to use a sword Balinor had joined the fight.

Magdelena saw Merlin become disarmed she runs toward him knowing these men kill first then ask questions but Balinor was closer and took the blow straight in the stomach. Magdelena quickly appears next to them as Merlin catches his father as he falls screaming and sending the men flying with magic.

"Ah, I see you have your father's talent," Balinor says strained as of the pain, "Merlin..." Magdelena can feel him slowly passing each second and she shakes her head. Lifting his shirt as tears stream down her face. 

"Please, no. Please. I can save you. Maggie can save you," Merlin says almost sound as if he was begging her to do something which she was as she tried to dap her cloak on his stomach wound. 

"Listen to me. When you face the dragon, remember: be strong. A dragon's heart is on its right side, not it's left," Balinor says trying to give Merlin enough knowledge to face the dragon and win.

"I can't do it alone," Merlin says on the verge of tears.

"Listen to me!" he says rather sternly, "Oh, my son. I've seen enough in you to know that you will make me proud." Merlin holds his father's hand tightly hoping it would be enough to keep him here.

"Please do not die, I need you," Magdelena whispers as his other hand grabs her hands trying to clean his wound, "Please let me heal you."

"There is nothing you can do Maggie," he says using her nickname he had heard Merlin use a few times which only brought on tears harder than before, "You must stay strong, I am proud that you are my daughter, Death or not."

"Please, I just got you, father, I can not lose you!" she says rather loudly not caring at this point who knows she kisses Balinor's cheek as he passes into the world, she feels him stare down at her and Merlin for a moment before he leaves the world. She stops crying suddenly and just goes numb, frozen as she kneels before him. Merlin's mouth moves but she was unsure what he said, she hears someone come up from behind them before a sword hits the ground hard.

"NO!" Arthur cries out, "Camelot is doomed." He says sound almost defeated but she shared a look with Merlin who quickly wipes away his tears trying to not show he had been crying. Though both of their red swollen eyes were a slight give away, Magdelena and Merlin quickly bury him using magic while Arthur went to gather the horses which he thought might have run away during the fighting.

Rain begins to come down as they get on their horses and ride hard back to Camelot, Gilthunder said nothing as they raced to the white stone city but knew that his mistress was deeply wounded by the death of her newly found father.