Word Count: 385
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Merlin, Hunith
Warnings: foul language
Summary: Merlin wants to know what a word he heard means.

Answering the Hardest Question
"Merlin, come in. It's almost dark." Hunith called from the doorway of the cottage.

A dark haired boy of about five years of age ran up to Hunith and pushed past her.

"Wash your hands, Merlin." Hunith said. She turned and pointed at the basin at the end of the table. She went to put supper on the table.

Merlin pushed up his sleeves and washed his hands. "Mother, what is a 'bastard'?"

Hunith looked up from stirring the pot of stew that had been simmering all day. "Where did you hear that word?"

"Will's Mother said I was one. What does it mean?" Merlin wiped his hands on the towel next to the basin and sat down.

"It doesn't mean anything." Hunith said. She was going to have it out with Frieda. She couldn't believe the woman would say such a thing in front of Merlin.

"She said it was because I don't have a father." Merlin said.

"You have a father. He just isn't here." Hunith said. She ladled out stew in a bowl and set it on the table. "Sit and eat."

"Where is my father?" Merlin asked. He took a spoonful of stew and put it in his mouth.

Hunith looked at the ladle in her hand then put some stew in a bowl for her. What could she say? It had been almost six years. There was only one answer that she could give him to make him stop asking questions.

"Your father is dead. He died before you were born. We spoke vows so you are not a bastard." Hunith said as she sat at the table. "Eat your food and then we need to get some rest."

Merlin tucked into his supper and didn't ask anything else.

Hunith ate quietly and watched her son. She worried about him. She knew he would hear that word again. One day, he would be old enough to know what it means.

Merlin was so like his father. He even had magick. One day she would have to tell him about the man that didn't even know he was a father because he was being hunted for the same magick that Merlin had inherited. That was a day she hoped would never come but she knew it would come all too soon.