A young boy with unruly, black hair ran across the road with a loud laugh. His exhausted mother trailed after him, a slight frown on her face. The young boy was oblivious to his mother's exhaustion, and he had no idea where they were going. He followed his mother's pointing and vague communication and he knew he was going the right way.

Three days had passed since they left their small town, and finally Hunith saw Camelot's gates in the distance. She picked up her young son and he squirmed fiercely against her. She ignored his cries and she walked confidently into the city and ignored peoples obvious dislike of the crying child. She nodded to the city guards and walked to the citadel itself. Once inside, she asked a guard for directions to the Court Physician's chambers and he escorted to her to the room she requested.

She entered with the crying boy and an elder man looked surprised at her entrance.

"Hunith!" Gaius exclaimed and he rose to hug her gently. He looked at the young boy and raised his eyebrow.

"Who is this?" He asked.

"This is Merlin. My son." Gaius mouth formed an 'oh' and he smiled gently to the young boy.

"Hi Merlin. My name is Gaius!" The young boy was facing away from the physician and he did not notice the physician. He squirmed free of his mother's arms and looked around the room in fascination, his crying stopping. Gaius tried again.

"Hi Merlin." The young boy still did not notice the man and he ran to the table that had books strewn across it. Gaius looked at Hunith.

"I don't know what to do." Hunith admitted with tears in her eyes.

"How old is he?"

"Five this last spring." She wiped a tear from her eye. Gaius did the math in his head and nodded sadly. The boy was Balinor's son.

"I can do more tests, but it seems that he has no hearing." Hunith nodded stiffly, knowing that it was not her imagination as she had hoped.

"Ok. Can we stay with you a few days? I am exhausted."

Gaius nodded and patted her shoulder encouragingly. Merlin, now noticing Gaius, ran over to him and shook his robes. Gaius knelt down next to the young boy and nodded.

Merlin pointed to the table with his eyebrows raised. Gaius looked over and saw the pages flipping by themselves. Gaius quickly ran to the table and put his hand on it to stop the mysterious pages.

"Hunith. Is there anything else that is strange that Merlin has been doing?" Hunith's eyes grew sad and nodded. Not wanting to say it out loud, she just began to cry again.

Gaius sighed and went to pick up the energetic young boy.

"He is the same age as the prince, and I have to go see him. I will take Merlin with me. Go get some rest."

Merlin looked around excitedly. He kept pointing to the different things that he never seen before. Gaius had to put him down and dragged him up the many steps to the young prince's chambers.

Merlin walked into a huge room filled with toys and colors. He gazed in awe as the old man who he had been following walked toward a huge bed. Merlin bounded after him, and he saw a blonde boy with a wrapping on his arm.

Merlin climbed up on the bed and waved at the curious blonde boy.

"Gaius, who's this?" The young boy asked with a demanding tone.

"This is Merlin." Arthur looked at Merlin.

"Get off my bed." Merlin didn't listen and simply touched the boy's arm, fascinated with the bandage.

"He cannot hear sire." Gaius said softly to the blonde boy. Arthur shook his head.

"How can he not hear? Everyone can hear."

"Some cannot. He is going to be staying for a while."

Merlin had released Arthur's arm and smiled. Arthur yelled out in shock!

"What is it?" Gaius asked quickly, looking over the young prince. Arthur just looked at the other boy in wonder.

"My arm... It doesn't hurt anymore!"

Gaius looked up at Merlin with wide eyes. Gaius quickly walked to the door and closed it.

"How did he do that!" Arthur sat up and looked at Gaius.

"Sire, do not talk about this to anyone." Arthur looked confused.

"Why not? My arm doesn't hurt anymore!"

Gaius grabbed Arthur's shoulder gently but firmly.

"This is a secret. Merlin could die if you tell." Arthur's eyes grew big.

"He's going to die?"

"If you keep this secret, he won't." Arthur nodded enthusiastically.

"I promise!" He ran to Merlin who had found his knight figurines.

"Can we play?" Arthur asked Gaius, the older man nodded and he sat down at the table next to the fireplace.

Gaius watched as the young prince played with the young warlock. Neither of them knew who each other were, but they played like they were best friends.

The young black haired boy ran up to Gaius. He pointed to the prince with eyebrows raised. Gaius nodded and pointed also to the flabbergasted prince.

Merlin became frustrated and stamped his foot. Gaius scratched his head, not knowing what to do. Arthur came over and tapped the black haired boy on the shoulder.

Arthur pointed to himself and the gestured to the room while he said, "My room." Merlin's eyes followed the prince's hands curiously and copied the gestures by pointing at the prince and then the room.

"He understood me Gaius!" Arthur cried out in triumph. Gaius looked at the deaf boy curiously.

Gaius pointed to himself and Merlin and then the door. Merlin turned and started to head toward the door. Before he left, he was stopped by the young prince running in front of him.

"Thank you." Arthur said as he gave the boy one of the knight figurines. Merlin looked at the blonde boy curiously. He launched himself at the young prince is a hug and laughed. Merlin let go of the prince and looked at the old man he was following earlier and pointed down.

"Yes." Gaius said while nodding his head. Arthur went back to his toys and watched as the black haired boy and his physician left his room. Suddenly, the room felt too big for the young prince.