- Merlin gets the details on Ambrosius and Uther: they were taken in by King Budec of Brittany when Vortigern killed their bro and grabbed the throne of Britain.
- Ambrosius is now Budec's heir, but he has bigger ambitions: he wants to take back Britain and avenge his brother's death.
- Merlin is pleasantly surprised by Ambrosius' castle: it has working heating, unlike his grandpa's back in Wales. He's left with a servant called Cadal and given a bath and food.
- And then Merlin's brought immediately to Ambrosius, who's waiting to grill him further. Merlin gets his first good look at him and realizes that Ambrosius is a leader, and powerful.
- Ambrosius especially wants to know what happened to Niniane, Merlin's mom, in the hubbub after the old king's death. Merlin tells him that she will be going into a nunnery.
- Ambrosius tells Merlin that he and his god must be powerful to have brought Merlin straight to his door like this. He feels that he's fated to take Merlin on.
- Then Ambrosius asks Merlin how he got the name "Myrddin," wondering if he wasn't called after his father. Merlin says that his second name is Emrys, and that he's sure that's his dad's name.
- Merlin remembers hiding in the hypocaust under Niniane's room one night and hearing her speak the name out loud. He believes she was talking to his dad.
- Merlin also explains how he got the name Merlin, and Ambrosius likes that story. He decides to call the boy Merlin, too.
- Merlin promises to tell Ambrosius everything he can about South Wales, but Ambrosius has to promise that no harm will come to Niniane if he invades the country some day.
- After Ambrosius promises, the two of them chat all night. Merlin tells Ambrosius especially about Macsen's Tower and Snowdon, about Camlach supporting Vortimer, and all about the palace.
- Ambrosius asks how Merlin knew about the conversation between Niniane and Camlach regarding Vortimer, and Merlin admits that he has "the Sight."
- Ambrosius wonders if Merlin understood the vision of the bull that he'd had earlier. Merlin doesn't. Ambrosius promises to tell him about it another time.
- At bedtime, Merlin has a moment of concern: is Ambrosius going to use him as a sex slave? But he's led to his own sleeping space, where he immediately falls asleep.