Sweet and damp mist was wavering through the woods. The air was sticky and humid. Drops of rain water were dripping down from the trees. After hours of riding they had approached the Barnstable forest. It had seemed that the rain had been following them through the moor and countryside. Yet, the journey had been remarkably uneventful. Neither of them had said much.
Mab was still vexed about Merlins reluctance against bringing her to her own realm. She was convinced that Merlin tried to make her life as hard as possible, not being able to admit to herself that he indeed was nothing but caring and supporting for her.
Besides that she felt miserable and cold. Their wet clothes were clutching on their bodies for there had been no protection against such weather.
As if prompted by Mabs grumpy feelings the evening-sun broke through the clouded sky. Its rays radiated through the trees and sparkled on the wet leaves. But she took no notice of it.
Merlin on his side was deeply in his thoughts, too. He was remembering all the times he had returned to this place. It always had felt warm and welcoming to him. Not far from the path they were riding on, he had first met Nimue.
He had been so young then. It had been an even sunnier and warmer day so many autumns ago. He had been dreaming lightly asleep in one of his favorite places – a hollow tree. He had felt most vivid there. Then he had heard them, laughing voices, some of them debating fiercely. When they had approached him, Merlin had been stunned by her appearance. That girl had looked far more beautiful than any of the girls from the village. She had had an aura of grace and authority around her, so that she had seemed the most beautifully being he had ever seen, until then at least.
Of course his first meeting with Mab had had a similar effect on him, not that he would ever admit it to anyone. Mabs beauty had been an ethereal one, something unearthly and celestial; it nearly had been overwhelming for the adolescent mind of the young Merlin.
It seemed the more beautiful the women had been, the more willing the young boy had been to follow their orders. So it had been, when the Lady of the lake had entered his life. She had been the visual perfection of her sister. Everything that had been dark on Mab had was white and untouched on the Lady. He had thought her the purest being on the world.
But for beauty he had learned it soon enough, beauty was only an illusion. He believed it had been Mab who had taught him this in so many ways.
"hhrrrm", Rupert cleared his throat. "Are you two finally getting off my back, or do you want to spend the night in my saddle?"
Merlin looked up. They had reached his hut without him noticing.
There it stood in the midst of the clearing.
Mab forced her attention towards the little wood made cottage. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. This was ridiculous, she should live here? That was not even an improvement to the barn they had spent the last nights in.
But Merlin did not wait for her reaction. He simply did what Rupert had asked of them and got off the horse's back taking Mab after him.
She immediately tried to resist his assistance. But when he had pulled her down, her knees gave in not used to such efforts. Hissing she still tried to push his hands aside.
"Just let me sit here", she complained, "leave me be!"
So he just shrugged; "Fine, be there!"
He turned and moved towards the cottage.
Inside nothing had changed at all. The small hearth, the bench, the storage boards and the beds in the back - everything was in its place just a thin layer of dusk was there. With a wave of his hand it disappeared. He checked his stocks. There were dried herbs he could use for a brew, oat flakes and some flour sacks. It would be enough for a few days, and then he would have to ride to the village for new supplies. In a box near the wall he found his old clothes and towels. He took a look around.
The two beds in the back of the hut still looked like he had left them. They were made like boxes: a wooden slatted frame with enough space underneath for furs, blankets and other stuff. He rummaged through them until he had found clothes for him to change in.
Because of the rain his old attire was soaked and dripping wet. Additionally now in the evening it began to get colder. A shiver ran through him as he tried to shake off the cold.
With another wave of his hand he had lit the fire in the hearth. He continued drying himself and changed into his new clothes. Mab still sat outside of the hut. His sharp ears could hear her suppressed sobs.
When he was done he searched for clothes he could give Mab. But he had nothing left of Ambrosias old stuff. So he just took his long waistcoat made of rabbit fur and some towels. Then he began to fetch some water from the cistern behind the hut and oat flakes from his storage to prepare some porridge.
While the oat was cooking he decided that it was now time to face Mab's wrath again. There she sat in the dark and in the mud in front of the hut. She was freezing but made no attempt to move into the warmth. All she did was giving Merlin an angry look.
He just shrugged his shoulders and moved towards her.
"You will come inside now.", he stated.
"Forget it!", she hissed.
But he ignored her reply and started to fetch her up.
When she tried to wriggle herself out of his grip, he finally lost his nerves:
"WILL YOU STOP THIS MADNESS AND DO AS I SAY?", he yelled at her with his fist raised in motion.
Mab immediately was shrieking back. Instinct had taken over and she was covering her head with her arms.
Merlin instantly felt sorry for threatening her like that. Nevertheless she had stopped her resistance.
With caution he put his arms around her, whispering calming words into her ear. Then he gently lifted her up and brought her inside the hut. There he placed her on his old bed. Taking the wet cloak from her he began to warm her up. With towels and blankets he supported her, rubbing her frozen body until she stopped trembling.
"Put off your gown, it needs to dry" he said.
This time she did what he said without any remark.
He still was sorry for shouting at her. He nearly had punched her again. He felt that they both needed some time to rest. Without words he handed her his waistcoat and turned to prepare the meal. He afforded two small bowls.
When Mab was ready, he took the wet clothes and dropped them near the fire, while Mab was provided with one bowl and a wooden spoon. He took the other and seated himself on the other bed.
Wordlessly they began their meal. After a while Mab looked up.
On his questioning look she just snorted: "That's disgusting."
Merlin sighed not knowing that in secret Mab was only admitting to herself, that this food was much better than the thin soup they did have in Dun Tagell. But she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that.
After dinner she curled up in the furs of her bed. A few moments she pondered about Merlins decision to take her here, but the sleep came fast this time for she was feeling more exhausted than ever as so often these days. Merlin on his side had more difficulties in finding sleep that night, even if he was in the same bad need of it as Mab was.
She was running again. Through thorny hedges as if she was haunted by something. She heard laughter but she could not remember to whose voice it belonged. She ran only faster, knowing the exit had to be just around the corner. There it was. 'Someone else does blame you!', it echoed through the grey air. She flung herself through the stony gate. But then there was fire everywhere. Not an exit at all, instead she was in the burning Camelot.
She was roaming the corridors trying to escape the fire but they all turned out as dead ends. Encircled by the flames she only could retreat to the last room possible. Panting for air she entered the room with the smashed round table. 'Are you satisfied with what you have done?' Mab spun around to face Merlin. He looked so different. His face was nothing more than a wrathful mask. With fierce steps he approached her raising the sword Caledfwlch in his hands.
When the first stroke hit her, she wanted to scream, but no sound came over her lips.
She couldn't breathe and she couldn't move. But the sword came down for her again and again.
In his sleep he heard muffled noises. Instantly Merlin was awake. It took him a short moment to realize what it had been that had pulled him from his light slumber. Mab was dreaming again, he should have foreseen this. Quickly he was at her side trying gently to shake her out of her nightmare.
"It's alright! It's alright you are save." But when she finally opened her eyes to see him, she started panicking even more.
Nearly hysterically she screamed: "Don't kill me! Don't kill me Merlin! Please! Please…please…" she repeated until she was nothing but a sobbing mess.
Merlin was shocked by the mortal terror shown on her face. He couldn't believe that she was frightened to death of him.
"Mab, please calm down!" he said. "I'm here to protect you, not to harm you."
She still said nothing. Of course it sounded quite a bit unbelievable, for she had been absent for the last months and her last memory was that of him trying to destroy her.
He guessed that her memories were returning in her dreams, but she could not know, that now he wanted to care for her.
"I know the last time we had an encounter, it was not on friendly grounds, but things have changed so much now!"
Gently he stroke her cheek with his palm pulling his other arm behind her back. Then he pulled her to him in a deep embrace. Finally she relaxed melting into his arms.
"Do not kill me" she whispered.
"Never… not ever", he returned.