Destiny Begins

by Milui Elenath

For centuries Merlin thought himself the sole remaining wielder of magic but he'd forgotten the Great Dragon's words of long ago, that Merlin's future was joined forever with the powerful sorceress Morgana Pendragon. Merlin believed her death by his hand had brought that destiny to a close. He was wrong; it was only the beginning. Albion's fate would rest once more on his shoulders

8. Chapter 8

Destiny Begins

by Milui Elenath

Chapter Eight

Aithusa was in Scotland! Merlin had in the past heard rumours of dragons or dragonlike serpents in Scotland but his inquiries had never indicated any tangible proof of Aithusa. He remembered he had been drawn north during his madness – as far north as the forest of Caledonia but he had neither the desire nor wits to call the white dragon. But, he concluded, there had been something, some familiar presence that called to him even in the midst of that terrible time. Had it been Aithusa? Her magic? Would she have come to him if he had called? He had not been ready, not ready to to confront her for what she had done or ready to understand.

Time had marched on and suddenly it was too late to call her, too dangerous to call forth a dragon from her hiding spot wherever that was. The danger had only increased through the eras. Merlin could not even imagine what might happen if a dragon were seen flying into Sommerset in the 20th Century!

Still, it was amazing that he had not heard something more of a white dragon. How could a dragon's presence go completely unnoticed anywhere at any time in history?

"Where in Scotland is she?" Merlin asked Morgana.

"Near Inverness," she said, "along the Loch Ness."

Merlin gaped, half surprised at Morgana's easy admission but more so at the implications in it. "You don't mean to say Aithusa is Nessie!"

Morgana's forehead wrinkled into a slight frown. "Yes, although we did try our best to keep that story from growing. We always tried to keep a glamour spell in place when she was feeding but sometimes people with magic or our own lack of it caused a few to see Aithusa, even if in some distorted way."

"You've been keeping her hidden through magic?" Merlin wondered aloud.

"Of course, someone had to."

There was an open rebuke in Morgana's tone. He was the dragonlord, it should have been his duty. He couldn't deny perhaps he deserved some of that rebuke but dragons were free creatures and he could not change the past. "What about now? Is Aithusa safe?"

Morgana nodded but paced a little. "I left some spells in place. Aithusa is too ill to leave the cave, her magic is very weak. I stored extra food and we have rarely encountered people through the centuries, it's a rugged spot."

Merlin took all of this in, the worry in Morgana's step, the knowledge of Aithusa's location, the distance they would have to travel to heal her but his thoughts of Aithusa had not driven from his mind his other discovery, that Morgana's wound reacted to his anger. He could see she was hoping he had forgotten in how quickly she was directing his attention to Aithusa.

Merlin debated about demanding answers from her. The strange flare of her wound at the increase of his anger was baffling and he felt understanding the connection was important. The magic that currently kept them bonded could not have caused it and should have protected her from any magic done by him. But it hadn't been magic, just feelings of anger. How could his emotions have caused her wound to be in pain? He could not begin to guess but Morgana knew. He could see she did in the way she recoiled and she was not surprised by it. He knew he should find out the answer but Morgana never did seem to give things up willingly and he was not feeling up to another bout of argument. There would be plenty of time on the journey or after to discover what it meant. He would be patient, no harm could come of that.

"Alright," he agreed, "I'll travel to Loch Ness with you and as soon as we can but Morgana, is there anything more I should know?"

Morgana's mouth pressed together as if to keep the truth from her lips as she shook her head.

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Merlin watched the scenery whiz by outside of the train's windows. Morgana had fallen into a light sleep beside him. He was glad she was not privy to whatever ill expression his face had taken on right now. He felt sick to his stomach with anxiety and with anticipation at seeing Aithusa again. The horrifying vision continued to plague his thoughts and had almost made him change his mind several times but his promise to help and his hope for answers from the dragon vied with it. He had so many questions but no assurance that Aithusa would have any of the answers nor that she might be well enough to give them. The closer they got the more Merlin feared that Aithusa may already be dead. It would explain so much of his vision. The tears of the dragon, all alone and dying and then of Morgana's grief and anger that was turned on him. It would be his delay that cost her life. As to why he was immortal he would never know, nor it seemed would he escape it.

He shifted in his seat and tried to think of other things. He had carefully tidied and locked the house and left it under a spell of protection. From what or who he wasn't sure but his home was a great treasure of magical knowledge beyond anything any sorcerer could wish or imagine. Prudence was warranted.

He and Morgana shared some worry that the hospital might still be looking for her but so far nothing had come of it. His thoughts abruptly found themselves at the dead end of trivial concerns. There was no wondering if the stove had been left accidentally on, no fear that he had forgotten to pack a pair of socks, nothing that could stop his mind from drifting back to the vision.

The dragon, Morgana, the cave with the gorse, the gravestone and himself alone. He shuddered.

Morgana stirred beside him and opened her eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Talk to me about something Morgana," he said, "Anything."

Her eyes raked over him with concern but she didn't probe just rallied for a subject. "I wish we were travelling to the loch in the autumn. The changing colours are magnificent but the mountains are always beautiful whatever time of the year and summer brings a lot more life to the loch. So much," Morgana breathed in with a smile, "magic in it. You know what I mean?"

Merlin nodded, he did. There were places around the world where magic still sang even if there were no longer creatures of magic deeply tied to it, unicorns, spells performed as acts of great good, these things left their mark. He smiled momentarily but the gloom he felt could not be deterred by small talk.

"Tell me about visions Morgana," he urged suddenly. "How do you know which path to take, what to do?"

Morgana took a moment to think. "I guess the best way to explain it is that you must look inside yourself. The best way to learn how to deal with them is to think back to visions you had before, what were they telling you? What did you do and what should you have done? As a seer sometimes just telling others of my vision was enough for events to change, the visions were meant for them, other times I should have seen the future as a warning of my own actions and my own behaviour. I guess as the recipient it is important to know visions are not about others actions, they're about yours." Morgana gave a little shrug, "I'm sorry, that's probably not very helpful."

Merlin pasted a reassuring smile on his face he didn't feel. "No, it's helpful." The truth was anything was helpful at this point.

Morgana looked relieved by his expression. For an odd moment Merlin felt as he had many times in Camelot. Merlin couldn't name it except to say that it was a combination of satisfaction in comforting others whilst his inner turmoil lay hidden. He had almost forgotten what it was like. He supposed he had not had the opportunity to protect anyone in that manner for some time.

He turned over what Morgana had said. It wasn't exactly a new idea to relive visions of the past in order to find out where he'd gone wrong but perhaps in all his what ifs he had missed something critical. He knew he had been warned many times of Mordred and at the critical moment he'd focused on Morgana, allowing his feelings of anger to dictate his actions and causing him to fail but that didn't help him with this vision. Perhaps there were other visions that held the answer.

He remembered the very first vision he'd had. The crystal had shown him Kilgharrah setting the kingdom on fire and himself filled with grief over his father's death. Could he have prevented that? Merlin had been wracked with enough guilt without taking on more but it could not be helped. He had to think about these things. Many in Camelot had also died as a result of him freeing the dragon. He'd told himself he'd had no choice, he'd done so in order to save Camelot from the sleeping spell and that in itself had come at the cost of making Morgana his enemy. Merlin frowned. There was a lot more connected to those events than he had considered before.

He still could not see how it helped his current situation.

"Do you want to talk about it at all?" Morgana offered.

Merlin shook his head without even considering it. He'd been used to shouldering things on his own. Sharing problems and asking for help was not something that came easy to him. He'd always been better at giving help than taking it.

But now as Morgana gracefully turned back to the scenery he wondered how he could possibly state that he'd seen her death, let alone the rest. How would she take the news? Would she still stand by her declaration that Aithusa was worth it? Or would she hesitate, as he had, lest it set things in motion? Merlin was aware that there was another reason to avoid telling her. He had tried to kill her directly twice and it would be natural for Morgana to feel furious with him for taking yet another risk with her life. For choosing something that may already lead to her death.

He closed his eyes hoping to find some rest from his busy thoughts, willing the hours to speed by.

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At last, the train arrived at Inverness and Merlin followed Morgana as they transferred to a bus. He was surprised to discover that Morgana was known to the driver.

"I travel occasionally into Inverness for supplies," she explained as they found a seat. "I often ask to be let out at an unauthorised stop. I let the bus drivers believe I am an amateur photographer who likes to get wild shots and I plant a memory of my return to prevent concern. . . It used to be coach drivers. I miss horses." She mused.

Merlin was amazed by the genuine warmth and congeniality that Morgana exuded with the driver, with the sentiment about the trip. She was at home here he realised. He surprised himself by feeling pleased for her. In spite of all that he had lost, all that had happened between them he was glad that Morgana should at last find somewhere that she belonged. He'd wanted that acceptance all his life, had come close but never really attained it. If she could find it perhaps there was a chance for him. If he got through the next few days unscathed from his vision.

It was a short bus ride and they were both let out on the side of the road in the unscheduled place of which Morgana had spoken.

"They're not really supposed to," Morgana confided, "and would never admit to having done so if asked. . . I may have used a little magical persuasion on both accounts."

Merlin worried how often she used her magic on others. "Magic isn't something to be used lightly, Morgana. It's for great deeds."

She had been busying herself with a bag as the bus pulled out of sight in some sort of pretence at a delay but at his words she halted her movement and raised both delicate brows at Merlin. Her expression was between amused and exasperated. "Are you seriously lecturing me about magic use after all these centuries?"

"Sorry," Merlin put his hand behind his head and scratched at his head. "I guess all those lessons with Gaius have stayed with me." He gave a thin smile feeling foolish.

"I seem to recall seeing your washing up doing itself before we left," Morgana added wryly, "but still you think Gaius was right?"

Morgana surprised him with her question. Merlin thought about it. It was true he used more magic in his daily life than Gaius would have approved of but he was right. "Yes, mostly. I think he was correct. Just because you can do something with magic doesn't mean you should."

"Morgause taught me exactly the opposite," Morgana said calmly.

"Well, she would," Merlin grunted.

Morgana's mouth twitched downward. "She wasn't the monster you think."

Merlin didn't respond. He didn't know Morgause well but he'd seen her actions, seen how she'd corrupted Morgana, seen the deaths she'd wrought through Cendred and his army. He couldn't see how he could be wrong about her.

"It's water under the bridge now," Morgana shrugged but her tone was sad. She checked the road to see the bus was no longer in view, nor other passing vehicles and began to tread a path away from the loch through the wilderness. Merlin followed.

They hadn't gone far into it when Merlin began to feel light-headed. It took him a few moments to understand there was an enchantment at work. The impenetrable forests surrounding the Dollares plains and the Dark Tower had felt similar. The magic there had been Mab's but not this enchantment, this was Morgana's, with a hint of dragon, Merlin determined.

Morgana was using her magic sense to navigate it and Merlin began to do likewise even though he need do no more than follow her. He enjoyed the use of his magical senses, perceiving paths of lightness woven within the confusion and darkness. He'd missed this sort of challenge, even the thrill of danger although he wasn't sure that he should admit the latter. He even found the brush of Morgana's enchantment strangely comforting and enjoyable. It was almost enough to subdue the dread of the destiny ahead of him.

The woodland was thick and some parts were rugged with steep mossy and slippery rocks to scramble over, shaded by the canopy above. They travelled up and then down again seemingly further than they had gone up. Morgana said little, offering only cautions and directions. Through the bond he began to feel her side aching, her fatigue gnawing at her but outwardly she plunged on.

Merlin was not so keen to hurtle towards his destiny, it may not be too late to turn back and yet he had followed her, uncertain how to stop or if he should. Now with her breathing hard, he saw a chance for a reprieve, a moment to really decide if this is what he should do.

"Let's rest a moment," Merlin called.

"It's not much further," she insisted, her words were broken with laboured breaths.

"You need to rest, I can hear and feel it," Merlin said catching her up and pulling at her elbow until she was forced to look at him.

"I'll rest at the cave," Morgana said, "please Merlin, we're so close."

Merlin was conscious of the unguarded plea shimmering in her eyes. He was certain a few days ago that he could have resisted such a look with ease but now his heart gave a silent squeeze. She needn't ask his permission, she could push ahead without him and he would likely follow, yet she seemed to be seeking his approval. Her lashes fluttered and her eyes ducked and lifted to him uncertainly. Merlin found it impossible to deny her.

"Alright," Merlin agreed, "but at least let me send you some magic for that wound."

He had barely begun to gather it to himself and lift his hand when she recoiled, holding her hands up to ward him off.

"No Merlin, don't!" She cried. She had the same look of alarm and horror on her face as she had when he'd attempted to understand the wound when it reacted to his anger. "You could kill us both."

His hand fell back to his side. "Why? What's going on? We've shared power before."

"I . . . I was prepared the first time," she stammered still warding him off.

"What does that mean?" Merlin asked.

Morgana didn't give a response but she was looking for one in that mind of hers and when she found it, it would be a lie.

Merlin had not pushed for an answer last time she recoiled and now he regretted it. Something lay ahead of him, some choice, some terrible act or event that would set him upon the path of his vision. Aithusa was involved somehow and the closer he got to her the more likely his destiny would unfurl. If he had any chance to change destiny, any way to choose a path other than the one his vision had shown then perhaps whatever was going on with Morgana would be important knowledge. He had to know. He couldn't afford to be deterred.

Merlin hardened himself, armouring his heart against further weakness. His stance shifted as he drew himself taller and rooted himself to the spot. "I'm not going another step Morgana until you answer and I want the truth. I'll know if you're lying, you know I will." There was a dark timbre to his voice, a steely tone that brokered no argument. "If you choose to lie I will send my power to examine the wound and discover for myself the reason, one way or another."

The fear on Morgana's expression leapt then faded as she closed her eyes in resignation. She leant heavily against a tree as she spoke. "The first time I protected the wound from you and from your power mixing with mine but that spell has dissipated. I can't initiate it again while we're joined, it wouldn't work. If you send your magic to me now it will only fuel the wound. It hungers for more, to overpower me, eating away at my resolve. Because of the bond it will likely be lethal to the both of us!"

Merlin wrinkled his brow. "How can my magic fuel the wound? How could it do anything harmful?"

"Have you really done nothing to understand the past Merlin?" Morgana snapped, her voice brittle.

"Morgana," he prompted back irritatedly.

Morgana took a deep breath and folded her hands protectively against herself and looked away from him, he realised whatever she was about to say was difficult for her. "What do you think happens Merlin when a powerful sorcerer full of resentment and revenge plunges a sword forged in a dragon's breath into another sorcerer?"

Her question was shocking. Merlin had no answer and he was starting to feel sick at the possible answers. Was he guilty of more than just physically plunging a magical sword into Morgana? Had he also used his own magic? He tried to determine why it was that seemed so much worse. He'd sensed something in the wound that first day, something horrifying and familiar. His own magic – dark magic. "But Excalibur," he stammered, "forged by a dragon . . ." he trailed, it was enough to do this, it must have caused this – not him.

No, she had to be wrong, she was making this up to cover for whatever the real truth was, the real reason she didn't want his magic. She was trying to make him feel guilt so that he would stop wanting to know. "You're lying!" He accused.

"I'm not." Morgana locked her gaze with his. She wasn't but there was something, something she was hiding.

Her deceit at a time like this was maddening. "Then what else Morgana? You're keeping something from me," he gritted.

Her lips trembled, tears pooled in her eyes; her hand shakily went to her throat.

"What else?" He demanded icily.

Morgana wasn't answering. He realised she was prepared to die with her secrets if needed. Which made no sense. She was supposed to be protecting herself what reason could she have at this point to lie?

"Aithusa," he uttered. It occurred to him that Morgana had said all along she was prepared to die for her. There was no else. "You're protecting Aithusa."

She was suddenly full of distress, she moved toward him and took his hands. "Merlin please, please don't let her die. Not yet, let Arthur wait a little longer, not forever, just a little while more." She fell to her knees and covered her face. "Just this once choose Aithusa."

Merlin looked down at her completely confused. Was she hysterical? What did healing Aithusa have to do with Arthur and his return? "Whatever are you talking about?"

What little colour she had seemed to drain away. She pressed her lips together and said nothing. She seemed to think she'd said too much, perhaps she had but Merlin didn't seem to grasp exactly what.

He wanted to shake her but he knew it would be pointless. She was waiting for him to put the pieces together and he also saw that she was half hoping he wouldn't.

She had told him that his magic had joined with Excalibur's, that the two worked against her but how could she have survived not just a dragon's magic but his own? She simply couldn't, it wasn't possible but she had because here she was, crumpled on the ground still lying to him, still keeping secrets and never willing to give them up.

He knew it was dangerous but if she would not give answers what choice did have. He had to have a magical understanding of her wound. With care he projected his magic towards her and brushed his magic ever so lightly across her wound, cautious of containing his power and deftly avoiding the insatiable, writhing tendrils of the dark magic that tried to siphon more power out of him. He braced himself for the memory of Arthur's wound that Morgana's would surely provoke with its fiery mineral tang of a dragon's magic but there was nothing. Merlin gasped, no dragon magic at all.

Morgana merely winced.

Kilgharrah's magic was gone. Excalibur's magic was gone. There was nothing left but his own. He reeled. Some of what happened in the hospital with Morgana and himself began to make sense. What he did not understand was how Morgana could have removed dragon magic. Aithusa perhaps? Why then was Morgana so fearful for Aithusa? Why was she so worried that he would not heal the dragon because of Arthur? Arthur had been wounded by Aithusa, surely if she could heal him that would be reason enough to keep Aithusa alive. But Kilgharrah had not offered to heal Arthur. Kilgharrah had told Merlin that he could not help that only the Sidhe at Avalon could. "You went to the Sidhe," he concluded.

All the strength seemed to leave Morgana at once and she nodded defeatedly. "Morgana la Faye," she confirmed and a disturbed look crossed her eyes.

The old stories, Morgana had mentioned that in the cafe, given hint to her survival. She had not been so coy then but none of that explained how it tied into Aithusa. Aithusa would know. Like a blast from a dragon's breath it hit him. He was a dragonlord, he could command Aithusa to tell him all bypass Morgana and her games altogether. Only what if that action with Aithusa was what lead to his vision?

Morgana wiped the tears from her eyes. She was still frightened, frightened for Aithusa it seemed and Merlin realised that it was high time he used that weakness.

"You went to the Sidhe and then what Morgana?" He asked. "If you don't tell me I will command Aithusa to tell me."

"Alright," Morgana relented, "alright." She sighed and smoothed her clothes as she got to her feet. "I spent a few days waiting for Kilgharrah to die but the Sidhe could not do anything about your magic and so I left. What exactly did you want to know about?"

Merlin frowned, felt his eyes enlarge and his heart beat faster and faster as he went over her words. Kilgharrah had died within days of her wound. In deed the old dragon had been weary and weak when Merlin had sought him for Arthur's sake. At last Merlin was able to voice his conclusion. "Excalibur's magic died with Kilgharrah."

It came out in a whisper but such was its affect on Morgana that he may as well have shouted it. She had assumed he'd already concluded it. She had lost.

Merlin now sought to connect this knowledge to Arthur. Arthur's wound had been by dragon sword, Aithusa's magic. Did this mean all he had to do back then to save Arthur was kill Aithusa? Could he have? Would he have? Merlin left those questions for another time. It was too late for Arthur now . . . wasn't it?

Merlin moaned and stumbled as the implications hit. Arthur's return! Was his mortal wound preventing him from returning while Aithusa lived? The ramifications of this hit him hard. He was a dragonlord, he did have a duty to them but Arthur was his destiny. Had to be.

"I have failed Aithusa," Morgana wept. "You won't heal her now will you?"

Merlin didn't answer. Could he, last of the dragonlords, let Aithusa die? Or would he, assuming he could, heal her and fulfil his duty as dragonlord but delay Arthur's return – if he was to return at all that was.

Kilgharrah had said it would happen in Albion's time of greatest need and it seemed to Merlin that time had long since passed but if it were to come in the future and Aithusa still lived then Merlin would have failed Arthur a second time. Could that be the meaning of the vision? Was it that Merlin had saved Aithusa and doomed the world? Prevented Arthur's return. If he let Aithusa die now it wouldn't be as if he was killing her, just allowing nature to take its course. Morgana would not forgive him. Her tears and her death had been in the vision too.

She watched him now, unaware of his thoughts and waiting for answer.

"I don't even know if I can save her," Merlin stalled.

"But will you if you can?" She insisted.

Morgana wanted clarity but he could not give her what he didn't have. "I don't know."

"Because of Arthur," she said resentfully.

"It's more than that," Merlin retorted, "it always was."

Morgana suddenly straightened and glared at him. "No it wasn't. It was always about Arthur. You think I don't know now about the Dsir, how you were willing to let Mordred die? You, think I haven't read the stories of old? The stories linked to our time? You lied and killed for Arthur."

She was so vehement it halted Merlin's reply. Arthur's life was intrinsically tied with Camelot and Albion everything he'd done had been with that aim in mind. Wasn't it? "It was my destiny to protect him." Merlin defended.

"And your responsibility to everyone and everything else? Your duties as a dragonlord? Your friendships? Your sense of what is right?"

His jaw set. "I hardly think you can lecture me about right and wrong Morgana."

"I can because I know about bitterness Merlin and about justifying the means for the sake of the end. Forgetting who you are for the sake of a cause. It seems to me there was a lot more of it going around than I knew at the time."

Merlin struggled against her words, she was manipulating him, trying to get him to heal Aithusa and forget that it might condemn him to a life of endless, meaningless immortality and if that wasn't horrifying enough, she wanted him to believe that Arthur's return wasn't important.

"Morgana," he tried to reason, "I just do not know. The vision I saw, it didn't show me Aithusa's death, just her tears and it showed me nothing of Arthur's return. I can't make promises."

"Aithusa's tears?" Morgana was visibly shocked, her entire demeanour had turned inward. She was thinking very hard.

"Yes, why?"

Morgana shook her head and shrugged, coming back to the moment promptly. "She's never cried, is all."

Morgana's evasiveness never seemed to cease but Merlin didn't think he could take any more revelations however small.

Morgana hurried on. "Very well Merlin. I won't ask for promises, I know you will do whatever it is you want to. I can't change that. So I'm going to her now."

She sounded utterly broken, her skin had regained none of its colour and through their bond, he sensed that her energy levels hadn't improved but the defiant tilt of her chin and the rigid way she held herself made it clear she was no longer seeking his approval.

Her green eyes fixed on his determinedly. "Whatever you decide I hope you won't be a coward and let her linger on. If you won't heal her at least have the decency to make her death quick and painless." Her tone was sharp and imperious but her expression was changing to one of worry. "Only," she said softly, "please Merlin, don't frighten her."

She was giving him that look again, the intimate plea that made him want to change his mind, that made him feel wretched if he didn't but there was so much at stake and killing Aithusa had not been in his thoughts at all. "Morgana I'm not saying I won't help her. I don't even know if I can help, but, I do want to speak to Aithusa. I want to get answers about many things if Aithusa can give them and is willing and if it comes to," he paused, "being kind, I won't . . ." he trailed and hesitated, knowing it might be unwise to give even this promise, "I won't do anything without telling you first."

Morgana nodded gravely in acknowledgement. He could see the tears welling in her eyes as she turned away from him, they were not of thanks but the beginnings of grief.

Her sorrow didn't surprise him but her lack of anger did. He'd expected threats of retaliation or shouts and recriminations. If they had not been bonded he would have expected spells. Morgana had changed. It was strange to believe but somehow over the centuries she'd recovered some of that kind, compassionate person she'd once been, whilst still incorporating something of the priestess patience and resolve. Merlin had failed to realise that some of Morgana's traits as a priestess could be admirable when combined with a good heart, good intentions and the right situation. Merlin had been so focused on the past that any hint of antagonism or disagreement from her had been met by his own. Perhaps she truly no longer believed that the ends justified the means.

Morgana did not wait for further confirmation but set off, her pace was determined but sedate. Merlin followed a little distance behind sensing that she needed space. He required it too. His head was swimming with so many thoughts not the least of them the possibility that Arthur would return but at the cost of Aithusa.

Trees and gorse continued to line their path, a rather modest bolder appeared but beneath it the ground inclined and fell away. Morgana had said it was close and there it was, the cave.

Merlin recognised it. It was identical to what he had seen in his vision. The same gorse bush grew beside it, the same shape, the same colours lit by the sunshine and the same shadows played on the ground about him as if everything he had seen in the vision had happened mere moments from now or at the same time of day and season.

Merlin drew back. "Morgana," he protested.

"What?" She was not to be stopped. Morgana was so focused on getting to Aithusa.

He had told so little of the vision and nothing of the grave bearing her name. Nothing would deter Morgana at this point.

He swallowed hard. "It's nothing," he said at last.

Morgana entered the cave.

Merlin steadied himself and followed.

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Authors note – sorry! I know it was a month (and a bit) between chapters. I assure you this will not be abandoned and hadn't been forgotten at all. Just a combo of life and a difficult chapter. I hope it's not too convoluted and was clear what was happening and what had happened in the past. Did anyone guess about Nessie? Historically it seemed possible in timeframe. The next chapter should be up much, much sooner – I know I promised that last time but it was entirely wishful thinking, this time however I've already made progress towards it. I am really looking forward to bringing you the next chapter . . . sooo very much!

I thank you for any reviews, any follows, favourites and feedback via private messenger. I hope the story is enjoyable so far and fairly in character.