Looking at her gave him a strange feeling. Her wounds had healed, at least superficially. Scars were evident, but healed she was. Her breath went slow but steady. She looked perfectly asleep just like normal, except that she had not woken up for weeks now. She had not moved and she had shown no other sign of life. Her body seemed slightly thinner and weaker. What was it that kept her in this condition?

Merlin didn't know. He tried hard to figure out what other options he had. The sisters always told him that they kept praying for her and that he should join them. But of course he knew it would not make sense. She looked so weak, so vulnerable…

He ran his finger slowly across her cheek catching a strain of her hair end curling it around his finger.

Too weak… maybe if he could give her some strength – the tea and herbs may have healed her body but was it enough to make her strong enough to wake up again?

So if he just gave her a bit of his energy… He tried to concentrate. He laid his hand on her chest, focusing on her heartbeat, and then focusing his own. Trying to catch the essence of live inside her heart he added his own energy. He could barely feel a spark inside her, but still he tried.

It made him feel dizzy, just for a moment, then he watched her tensely… But nothing happened. Nothing had changed. So what was keeping her from gaining her consciousness back?

Had his magical transfer of energy not been successful?

Was it the connection between his hand and her chest – maybe it needed bare skin and no clothes between it. Carefully he wiped away the collar of her gown, shoving it down.

He stopped as he saw her scarred skin. Partly red and swollen it was still looking painful.

Yes he had seen this image once before.

It had been when Nimue firstly had removed her veil in front of him. She had told him, that she wasn't ready for this. But he had ignored her complains. He had only wished to remove the scars from her skin and he had tried hardly. But he had not been able to do so. These scars had been caused by the magical fire of a dragon. A dragon sent to them by Mab. His only wish had been to restore his beloved Nimue and he had failed. Far worse she had indirectly hated him for that. Now she had thought herself a monster. Oh if she only would have understood, that her appearance had meant nothing to him. But her scars had destroyed their relationship.

She never had opened up to him again because of some simple scars.

Scars … given by a dragon … sent by Mab.

He felt a flush of anger again. He clenched his fist looking at Mab. It was her fault. Though it seemed she had endured the same fate now, she once had caused.

What use would it be to dwell in the past again?

The woman that lay before him was Mab now, not his lost love.

Merlin sighed.

He ran a finger over her scarred skin observing her face for any reaction.

Nothing – no sign.

He could try it. Maybe it would help her. She could not stay like this forever. Maybe he just had to finish her healing process – which meant he had to remove her scars.

So he laid his hand on her chest again, this time on her bare skin. It was a strange feeling touching that bruised skin.

He focused on his aim creating a mental image of her scars. Then he pushed his powers on them forcing their transformation into unscathed and beautiful pale skin. When he opened his eyes again he couldn't believe what he saw.

All scars had gone.

This time he had not failed!

Not only her neck and décolleté but also the rest of her upper body had healed again. His heart jumped happily - but then the smile faded on his face.

How naïve he has been… thinking something like restoring her beauty, or minor wounds would make her wake up. Of course her condition had not changed in any way, except for her superficial wounds. There was no trace of them left but still she would be too weak or whatsoever to awake.

Merlin gave up. He stood up and left her room. Restless he was wandering around the cross-coat. Brooding over the cause of her illness he roamed the halls.

Had he really lost her?

This thought seemed horrifying to him. But then again he knew he had tried to kill her. But on the other hand, if he had succeeded, then he really would be all alone by now. Everybody that he once loved or who just had loved him would be gone, if she died now. She was the little rest that was left of his former life. Could he really let that go?

She knew she was close. Close to the way out. It had been hard. Maybe it had been weeks, or it may have been ages, but she had not given up. She had not stopped wandering. Her soul felt like a haunted ghost, but she never lost her aim. Hounded she was running through the maze, straying through tight and angled walks. But it became harder with the time. And more and more the dark twilight began to fade into grey. Contours became blurred at times and the contrasts diminished.

And then one day, she finally had seen something that was looking like an exit.

She had seen a clearing or something like that with a stone gate outstanding on the grey background of the twilight. It seemed that the labyrinth opened half circled around that clearing, which on his backside abruptly ended on a cliff.

But then she had spun forwards towards the clearing full of joy thinking herself finally being saved. And then suddenly the thorny hedges had moved and closed themselves before her very eyes. And so also the last three exits she had tried, had closed themselves just before she had been able to reach the clearing.

Now she was moving slowly towards another opening. Maybe if she carefully watched her steps… The clearing came nearer and nearer. She could see the stones, high and proud they rose creating a monumental gate.

Only a few feet and she would be out of this miserable place. One other step –

and the hedges like a raging beast were clashing together!

Again she was trapped in the darkness of the maze.

She could hear a hysterical laughter echoing through the air. She remembered it to be Morgan's voice.

"Why won't you let me out of here?!", Mab called.

Again just laughter.

"Show yourself!", she shouted.

But no one came. Mab searching a new way through the dark felt panic rising in her.

"This is not my doing, but if I could… I would just push you down the stairs like you did with me.", the voice said ironically and faded.

Mab gasped. So if this wasn't Morgan's revenge, who else had the power to keep her here?

Was Merlin's mother right? Did Merlin's hatred keep her from surviving?

Merlin sat on a rock by the shore tossing little stones in the rising tide. On this place he often had dwelled with Nimue. They would have watched the waves of the sea, the sun rising or falling and the seagulls circling over their heads. Now he sat there alone, not knowing how Nimue was at the moment. She was lost to him, and probably so was Mab.

He heard footsteps approaching. Without looking he knew it was father Abbot. He had avoided him always when he had tried to ask him about Nimue and his patient. He had not told him anything, not even Mab's real name by giving him a fake name. After a while Abbot had given up on inquiring.

Merlin wondered what the monk was about to want now.

The old man took his seat next to him, for a while saying nothing.

"Merlin, you know that we can't help her.", he said.

Merlin didn't answer. So Abbot continued.

"Well I mean her wounds have healed miraculously good I found today, but her soul does not return."

With pity he saw that Merlin's eyes were filling with tears.

"See Merlin, I don't believe that our god can help your Mairéad."

Merlin chuckled bitterly.

"I never thought that he would.", he replied.

But Abbot wasn't repelled by that remark.

"I know you don't believe in his power, but that is not the point.", he said. "Our prayers have an immense power and usually they can work miracles."

Abbot tossed a stone onto the water watching it jump one time and then drowning. A moment of silence passed between them.

"But now after weeks of praying without an effect I have come to the conclusion, that this place may not be good for the healing of your friend."

Merlin looked up in surprise. What did he mean by that?

And Abbot like reading the question in his thoughts answered to him.

"I think it is time for you to leave with her."

He slowed down his voice and began to whisper;

"If she is no creature of our god, then her soul will never get a chance to return on this place which belongs to our almighty father now!"

"So you want us to go for the hope that somewhere else she may regain her life?"

"I believe so; if you wait any longer her body will decay without its soul."

The priest got up onto his feet. He turned and made his way back to the monastery, but before he could go, he heard Merlin call:

"Tell the nuns to get her ready, I will pack my stuff!"

Abbot turned once more and nodded firmly, and then he left. It was not easy for him to make them leave but maybe it was the only way. Avalon would always be a place giving help to those in need of it, but it seemed - not always it could provide the help.