- Merlin tells us what the terrain of South Wales is like and gives us a quick tour of his town. The nunnery where his mother wants to go is called the Community of St. Peter.
- Merlin's grandfather has an apple orchard surrounded by a wall. If Merlin's nurse falls asleep while he plays there, he can climb the trees and get up on top of that wall.
- From the wall, Merlin can see the activity on the road and bridge. One day, he sees a royal-looking dude crossing the bridge to his granddad's house.
- It pops into Merlin's head that this is King Gorlan, the guy Camlach wanted Niniane to marry. Merlin also tells Moravik that Gorlan's his real and true father. He doesn't know why he says it—he just knows.
- And now Merlin's being summoned to appear before this king. Moravik gets him ready by taking his fanciest duds out of an old Roman clothes-chest.
- On the chest, there's a painting of a bull and a man with a knife. Merlin doesn't know what it means, except that it's old. (Hold on to this detail—it comes in later.)
- When Merlin gets to the great hall, he sees most of his family there: Grandpa the King, Olwen the young queen, and his bully cousin, Dinias. Also, his mom and the stranger king are there.
- We learn that Dinias has been given the title of prince, even though he's the illegitimate son of the king. Too bad Gramps didn't have such warm fuzzies for Merlin.
- The king suddenly has a fit of bad temper and yells at Niniane—he wants to know the name of Merlin's father. Niniane just isn't singing on this one.
- It also appears that Niniane won't marry King Gorlan, and that annoys her father. He storms out of the great hall and knocks Merlin down with an enormous smack.
- Merlin has to deal with it himself, since everyone basically abandons him. Camlach catches up to him outside the boy's room.
- Camlach is impressed that Merlin has taken such a thumping without even crying. He's surprised, because everyone says that Merlin's a chicken and will never make a good soldier.
- Camlach has a little heart-to-heart with Merlin about Gorlan's intentions and tells the boy that if his real father had been alive, he would already have shown up by now. Way to kill his hopes.
- Merlin wonders what will happen to his mother and him. Camlach has a great idea: since Niniane wants to be a nun, wouldn't it be great for Merlin to become a priest?
- Merlin thinks this is a terrible plan. He wants to be free.
- Merlin especially wants to be free to pursue knowledge and power, but he at least is smart enough not to say this out loud to the paranoid new heir-to-the-throne Camlach.
- Camlach takes Merlin to get his busted face seen to and then takes him into a forbidden place: his grandfather's private garden. There are apricots there, and Camlach offers Merlin one.
- Merlin hesitates. His grandpa would whoop him hard if he were found there—and even harder for eating a fruit from the garden. But Camlach insists.
- Merlin still refuses, telling his uncle that the seemingly beautiful fruit is black inside. He tells Camlach that he can see right through it.
- Camlach is shaken. Merlin has used his baby supernatural powers to see through his uncle's plan to poison him.
- And Camlach's plenty mad about it. He throws the fruit against a wall and tells Merlin to keep away from him. Forever.
- Merlin is crushed by this rejection.