Merlin is stunned when his mother, Hunith, turns up in Camelot, bruised, battered and desperate for help. Their village has been attacked by a bandit — Kanan and his men. Kanan is demanding all of the harvest and will be back in a week to collect everything or they will pay with their lives. However if they give Kanan their food they’ll starve to death.

Merlin gets Hunith an audience with the King. Uther listens to her story but refuses to do anything. Ealdor is beyond the boundary of Camelot’s realm, none of Uther’s soldiers can cross the border and to do so would be an act of war.

Merlin goes to Gwen to pick up some weapons and armor but when he gets there he finds Morgana’s with Gwen. After hearing Hunith’s appeal, they couldn’t let Merlin go alone.