- Turns out that the bearded dude in the pub is one of Vortigern's men. Merlin has no choice but to follow him as the guy "asks."
- Merlin tells the guy the same story he told Dinias. He doesn't really identify himself—but an old guy lurking in the bar does that for him.
- Now the whole world knows that Merlin didn't die in that fire—and that he's back in town. And that he's the old king's grandson. Yikes.
- Now Blackbeard (that's what Merlin calls the bearded, hostile Saxon) wants to know who Merlin's father is. We all know how this is going to go.
- Merlin teases Blackbeard and says that a devil was his father. Blackbeard doesn't like the joke. Blackbeard's actually all business: Vortigern wants to see Merlin, and they've been looking for him.
- Suddenly both Dinias and the old man are really, really worried. They're pretty sure they've just sealed Merlin's fate—and not in a good way.
- Merlin isn't worried for himself so much, but Blackbeard perks up when he learns that Niniane is still alive and living in the convent nearby.
- But the old man is confident that Blackbeard won't hurt him—because of his family connections. He tells Merlin to go with the creepy dude.
- Dinias is given some coin as a finder's fee for helping Blackbeard locate Merlin—even though he never intended to do that. He actually looks pretty sick about it when they take Merlin away.