Hello there! I'm sorry it's been so long since I last updated. I have a number of excuses, but I think I'll just move on instead.

Thank you all for all of your wonderful support! I was having a bad day the other day, but reading all of your reviews made me so happy, so thank you. Now, as promised, the next chapter!

Merlin and Cai sat on a nearby log and reveled in the beauty of the sunset. Orange sunshine splashed the horizon. The world grew silent. The birds that had been chirping stopped, the blowing wind ceased, and the day had gone. The sun was replaced with a swirling, dark purple sky.

"The stars are forming," Cai stated as she blissfully gazed up into the night. "First you'll be able to spy a few, but soon you'll see that there are actually millions and millions in the distance. It makes me wonder," Cai paused and slowly entwined her hand with Merlin's on the log, "how can there be something so vast and enormous living alongside so tiny and inferior beings such as ourselves?"

Merlin pondered her profound thought, but quickly came to his answer.

"Without large, godly things, there cannot exist small things. And without inferior beings, there is no such thing as superiority."

That's when Cai knew. It was then that she realized what she liked about Merlin; he was poetic and philosophical. He was more thoughtful than other men. For him, fighting was a form of self-defense, not a way of life. He didn't feel the urge to show off strength or bravery. Yet even though he was very deep person with a complex mind, he was still able to see the world for what it was and maintain a sense of humor and jocularity. These were the traits that truly won Cai's heart.

Merlin admired similar traits of Cai's. He was intrigued by her mutual love for nature. He recognized the sincerity and passion that she used in everything she did. At this point, he longed only to learn more about her. One thing did inhibit him from furthering his relationship though, and that thing was the secret which he kept from her and the rest of the world. The closer they became, the more he would want to tell her.

Cai, on the other hand, had no worry of Merlin discovering her magic. She hadn't used it since she had arrived in Camelot, perhaps she never would again. This thought made her stomach churn, but she had learned early on that sometimes to gain great things such as a life and family in Camelot, sacrifice had to be made. Her use of magic was a hefty price to pay, but the reward of living in the hearth of the kingdom and the promise of romance was no small gift in turn. She decided that it might just be worth it.

Merlin broke her train of thought, "I'm still rather hungry, would you mind if I picked a few more blackberries?" Cai laughed and shook her head. She supposed all men had one thing in common: a desire to eat food.

Merlin talked to her as he dropped a few berries into the palm of his hand, "Are you from Camelot?" He asked. Cai stood up and picked a couple berries herself.

"No, I traveled here for the first time only recently. My family used to live in a small village shrouded by the forest. I don't suppose you've heard of Fawr?" Cai asked. Merlin shook his head. "It sounds familiar, but nothing comes to mind. I'm from a small village too, Ealdor," He replied.

"Oh, I passed through Ealdor once. It was quaint and cozy." Merlin chuckled, "That's one way to describe it."

A single, plump blackberry dangled overhead. Even Merlin, who was rather tall, had to stand on his tiptoes to reach it. As soon as he plucked it, a long, thorny branch from underneath the shrub flew out and wrapped around Merlin's leg.

He yelped in pain and fell to the ground.

"Merlin!" Cai cried as she rushed to his aid. The branch began to pull him into the shrub. The thorns pierced his leg. Other vines began thrashing around in the air as if the bush had grown a mind of its own. More prickly vines grasped him.

One large, thorny bough lunged at Cai, but she jumped away.

"Run, Cai!" Merlin shouted. If she ran now, she would be safe and he could use his magic to free himself. But Cai didn't move an inch. Merlin, on the other hand, was slowly being yanked under the bush. He wrestled with the branches, but they continued to wrap around his body. They scratched his arms. This was it; he had to do something! Before he could begin to utter his spell, he heard a voice behind him.

"Ástríce!"

The vines immediately released Merlin and retracted into the shrub.