Thank you for reading. As always I hope that you are enjoying the story and will like this new chapter. For those of you that may not be that interested in the story right now, as not much is happening I can promise that something interesting will happen at the end of this chapter. As there are only twenty chapters left in this part of the story, there is a lot of drama to come. Things I hope for you will get more interesting now. Things will more clearly begin to move towards the climax of this part of the story.

As there were no reviews for the last chapter, then I will just get on with the story.

For the month that followed Eleanor's arrival things in Camelot went by as they had done for the last two years. Arthur had however spent the first two weeks or so of that month sending out scouting parties, each led by a Knight of the Round table to the farthest parts of his kingdom. He did this under the pretence of wanting to gather together an accurate view of the state of Camelot. Where the largest villages where, if any village was in need of assistance in any way. The information that he was really trying to find was the location of two people. His most trusted Knights, the Knights of the Round Table, knew the real reason for these scouting parties. Nimueh was their top priority, but they also were told to be on the lookout for Morgana. None of them held out much hope of finding either of the witches. It had been years since either of them had been seen, but they did as their King had instructed. Trusting him.

It had been a mouth without any further sign of either of them or of anything out of the ordinary happening anywhere in the kingdom, but Arthur could not let it go. There was nothing that he could do till he found out more, till something else happened, he knew this but he could not stop feeling that he should be doing something more. He stood at the large window in his chambers that looked down onto the main square. It was just after mid-day and the last of the scouting parties that he could justifiably send out was just returning after a three day absence. Leon who had been heading this last scouting party looked up at the palace as he dismounted his horse. He just happened to look up at the King's window. Seeing Arthur he gave a small shake of his head, indicating that he had not found any sigh of either Morgana or Nimueh or anything else that could be of interest. With a sigh Arthur nodded in understanding and turned away from the window

"I take it they did not find anything either." Her tone was empathetic, but there was a trace of relief in it too.

Gwen slowly made her way further into the room. Arthur didn't answer, he didn't have too. The look on his face said it all. As she drew closer, he moved to the left to sit at his desk. Laid out in front of him were a number of maps. Rather than looking at Gwen who now stood by his side, he looked down at the maps. A worried feeling began to gnaw away at her. She had lost count of the number of times she had seen him staring at the maps like this. Trying to find something that he may have missed. At first she did not worry too much about this behaviour, she understood that if they acted fast enough then maybe they could find a clue to either of the witch's whereabouts. Now it was starting to become a kind of obsession.

She had seen a similar kind of obsession in Uther years ago when Morgana had been taken away by her Sister. He had been so determined to bring her back, that he became blinded to anything else. She had also been the one that had taken care of the old King when Morgana has revealed her true nature. It broke him, all his obsession had had been for nothing, he was lost. She knew that there were things that Arthur had in common with his Father, this was by far the worst for her to see. She did admire his determination and drive, but not at his own expense. The idea that they might not find any trace of her, that he like his Father would feel defeated and it would break him too, broke her heart.

"Arthur, you need to rest."

He didn't look up at her, he kept his eyes locked on the maps. "I can't afford to rest."

"You have done all that you can." Finally he turned to face her, his mouth half open, before he had a chance to say a word she placed a hand on his shoulder. "You have, there is nothing more you can do till we know more." He let out a sigh and turned away from her. "You have done all you can to learn more, there is nothing more you can do now. Please, for me, rest."

Arthur smiled a half smile as he lifted his hand to rest on top of hers. "For you."

"Thank you, now you should eat then sleep a little."

"Gwen, I promise that I will rest, give this up, but I can't take a nap."

It was a pointless argument so she let it go. "Fine, but you have to eat something."

He nodded but did not make any attempt to stand up, he also did not make any attempt to remove his hand from on top of hers. Thereby stopping her or himself from moving to get him any food. Realising that he was not going to let her hand go she bent down to knell at his side. Smiling a reassuring smile, she looked up at Arthur who did not look at her. With her free hand she reached out to touch his face, gently turning it to look at her.

"Arthur, you are only hurting yourself."

Looking into her eyes he saw so much pain and he was the cause of it. He never wanted to see her sad, not even for a second. He would give all that he had to make sure that she was never sad or unhappy. It was an impossible task he knew, but that did not stop him from trying. A feeling of déjà vu came over him. He has seen that look from this angel before, a number of times.

"Why do you do this." He quietly asked.

"Do what."

He gestured with his head towards her hands that held him. Understanding she answered. "Because I care about you, so I worry about you. That is what happens when you love someone."

"I'm sorry." He said in a low voice as he moved to stand up.

Gwen using the chair, pulled herself up to as she asked him a question in a confused voice. "What have you to be sorry for."

He did not notice it, as he would not be expecting it or looking for it, but there was a hint of fear in her voice. Not because of what he might have done to warrant an apology, but because she did not feel that she deserved any kind of apology form him. It had been over two years since she betrayed him with Lancelot, but she still felt as guilty about it as she did when it happened, she just didn't think about it as often now. She did her best to avoid the Knight, a hard task, but made easier by the fact that he was doing the same thing.

"Making you worry-"

"As I said, worry comes with loving someone."

He nodded as he knew this to be true. He worried about her a great deal as well. He had come very close to losing her too many times. When he did something that risked his wellbeing or even his life, there was always a voice in the back of his head that asked him, nagged at him with the same question over and over again. What would happen to Gwen if he was no longer around. He did not doubt that she could take care of herself, she would get on with her life. The kind of life that would be was what worried him. She might live a long and lonely life, or more selfishly for him worse, she might move on and marry someone else. If they were married, then she would have to rule the Kingdom along. He loved her and believed her capable of many things, but he did not think she was capable of ruling a Kingdom on her own, at least not now.

"Is that something that you can live with."

Gwen smiled as she took his hand in hers. "It is something I could not live without."

"The worry or the love." He asked with a confused look on his face, that she found adorable.

"For the latter, I will put up with the former."

Arthur was silent as he took a minute to think over what she had said. Once he understood he smiled and placed his free hand on the side of her cheek. "Marry me."

"You have already asked me that, and I said yes." She placed her free hand on top of his hand touched her face. "Do you really want to risk asking me again."

"Is there a chance I will get a different answer." She shrugged. "I'll take the risk. Guinevere, will you marry me this summer."

Gwen's mouth opened, but no words came out. She did not know what to say. They had been engaged for so long now, without there being any officially date for the wedding. Now he had named one. Despite how long it had taken to get to this point, it still seemed rather quick. The marriage of a King or any member of a royal family was a matter of great important and interest for many. She doubted that it could be organised in such a short time frame.

"Are you sure, that is not very long."

Arthur moved his hands so each was placed on her shoulders. "I think it's too far away. We have waited long enough."

"Arthur. You do not need to prove anything to me."

"It is not about that. I have all but put my life, our lives on hold since…and it has to stop. I don't want to wait anymore. I don't want to…..I want to do something that is not about what is best for the Kingdom….I want to be selfish. I want to marry you."

"And I want to marry you."

"So is that a yes. Can I start to make the arrangements."

She gave a small nod as an answer. He smiled and let out a sigh of relief. Pulling her into a tight embrace he felt a small part of the weight that he had been shouldering for so long leave him. Now he did not have to shoulder it alone.

As she had said Eleanor did possess magic, but it was not very powerful. It took her about a week to be able to move more than one object with her magic at a time. Recently Merlin had been trying to teach her how to control unsolid objects, such as water and fire. She was getting better, but her progress was slow. Merlin was very patient with her, she was his first student, so he did not have anyone to compare her with. They practiced in Merlin and Gaius's rooms most evenings. Gaius would leave on his rounds or some other errand. Though Merlin was sure that he was more likely standing guard near the door to their rooms, making sure Eleanor's lesson was not interrupted. While he helped them, Gaius made a point of not getting directly involved in the lessons, he didn't even ask Merlin about them. He would not stand in their way, but he was also not going to encourage them.

Merlin had overheard the report that Leon had given Arthur on the last scouting party. He expected what he heard, that they had found no trace of either Morgana or Nimueh. What he did not expect was how he felt about it. He was a little disappointed. Normally he would be glad not to hear of any danger on the horizon. This time though he wished there was some news. Not because, for warned is for armed. Especially when it came to ?Nimueh or Morgana. It was because he like Arthur was tired of waiting for there to be a change. Whatever it was that was coming, what Nimueh was planning, it was going to change things. She would not have waited so long to make her move if she did not believe it would work. Tearing the veil had created a new world, and he planned to make the most of that chance, but had to know more.

Arthur and Gwen choose not to inform anyone just yet of their wedding plans. They wanted to have at least made a plan for what they wanted the day to be like, before they told anyone. The whole kingdom knew of their engagement, when they announced the wedding date, it would not be a surprise. They just wanted to enjoy having it be something special between just the two of them, like when they first got engaged or further back when their relationship began.

That evening after dinner, like most nights Eleanor made her way to her lesson. She expected to be working on controlling fire, maybe even creating it with her own magic. A little over a week ago she had gained control over the very basic magic of controlling water, after which they moved onto fire. While she enjoyed her lessons, gained a lot form them, she did not particular enjoy working with fire. Something about it made her feel very uncomfortable. Sitting at the large table across form Merlin, a large candle standing in-between them. The flame danced on the wick. She could not take her eyes off of it. This may be why she did not fully trust fire, it could be hypnotising.

With a deep breath she focused on the flame and it grow till it was almost touching the ceiling above them. Quickly she cut her control of it and the flame was extinguished. She had to learn to not put so much force into what she did. It was very dangerous.

"Well done. You're getting better."

She sighed. "A little."

She watched him try and think of a polite response. "Any progress is better than none."

"Very diplomatic." He offered a small smile and shrug. "Speaking of progress, did the scouting party find any information." Merlin gave her a confused look. He had not known that she had been interested in the searching for the high priestesses. He would have thought she would want to stay out of that, to best keep her secret. "They returned with no additional numbers…..and you seem distracted tonight."

He didn't answer. They had never really spoken about anything other than her lessons since she revealed what she was and he agreed to help her, this was a little surprising. "It's nothing."

"If it was nothing, then you would not be distracted right now."

Again Merlin did not answer right away. He took his time to think not just of an answer to her question, but also how much he wanted to tell her. "I just thought that they would have found something by now."

"Maybe that is the problem." he looked at her slightly confused. "I doubt either of them would want to be found by a scouting party from Camelot." He gave the smallest nod, she did have a point. "Maybe you could find them."

"I am not a witch or a high priestess, scrying is not a skill I possess."

"There are other ways-"

"I think they will we be more likely to hide from me than-"

"They fear you."

Merlin could not help but let out a burst of laughter. "Morgana most certainly doesn't."

"Then why."

The humour that had light up his face just a few seconds ago now faded away. "Neither of them hold a very high view of me."

The word why wanted to leave her mouth, but she managed to stop herself, whatever the reason for this was he did not want to share it or think of it. She instead gave a nod of her head to let him know that she would not push the matte further. Glancing to the small window she saw that night had fallen. "I should leave."

Merlin too now looked to the window. "It is getting late."

They both stood up and moved towards the door. He opened to the door for her and she moved to leave. "Thank you Merlin." He gave a small nod and closed the door after she left.

A few minutes later Gaius returned from his rounds, at least that was what he said he was doing. In silence he entered the room, and began to prepare their dinner. This was not that out of the ordinary as of recently, they had took up a, don't ask don't tell attitude towards Eleanor's lessons. Gaius did not ask about them, so Merlin did not tell him about them. Once the dinner was ready, they sat across from each other at the large table.

After a few minutes of silent eating Gaius broke the silence. "How are the lessons progressing." Merlin looked up from his bowl of stew, not knowing what to say. "She must be improving by now."

Merlin nodded his head once. "Yes, slowly, but she is progressing."

"That is good." Gaius lowered his head and began to eat his stew again.

Merlin however did not. "Why do you ask."

"Should I not."

"No, I just….I thought you didn't want to know. As I was taking such a risk."

"It is a risk, but you have taken risks before."

There was a tone to his voice that Merlin was not used to. He sounded irritated, but was trying very hard to hide it by being overly nice to him. "Is something wrong…did I do something to upset you."

The old man did not rely, he dropped the fork in his hand and lifted it to rub his forehead. "No, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Then what is bothering you." Gaius did not lift his head or make any sigh of being about to reply. "Gaius please. You are worrying me."

With a sigh he lifted his head. "I am sorry Merlin, I did not mean to worry you. It is my job to worry about you."

"I thought as friends, family it was our job to worry for each other."

A small, faint laugh escaped Gaius's lips. "That would be true, if you did not have more important things to worry about already."

"The people I care about are important to me."

The physician nodded and reached out with his right hand to pat Merlin's that held his fork. "I know. I am just an old man-"

"Gaius."

"I have no plan of departing this world in the near future. I am just an old man, and the world in changing. I see that now more than I have before." Before Merlin could say anything more, Gaius made a point of ending the conversation. "You should hurry, don't you have to remove Arthur's dinner tray soon." Merlin didn't not nod or reply, he silently went back to his dinner.

As he walked back to his rooms from the kitchen after returning Arthur's dinner tray, he could not help but think over the conversation he had just had with Gaius. Things were changing, there was an air of something important about to happen in the air. That was enough to make anyone question things, think too much. He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of a quick footsteps making their way down a stairwell that he had just walked past. Instinct kicked in and he quietly turned around and walked back to the stairwell. As he expected he did not see anything in the dark stairwell. He did however hear the faint sound of a door being closed. It turned out this stairwell led directly to one of the many small side doors of the palace. There was so many reasons that someone would be walking down this stairwell, there was nothing that made this suspicious, but he just couldn't shack the feeling that he should check it out.

Making his way as quietly as he could he went down the stairs and out of the palace. In the distance, walking into the forest that rested behind the palace he saw a figure. They were moving at a steady pace, clearly they had not noticed that they were being followed. Things were no starting to get suspicious. With a small sigh he reluctantly followed the figure a good few paces behind.

They walked through the forest what felt like almost an hour. The area they walked though was uncomfortably familiar to Merlin. The Valley of the Fallen Kings was not a place that he liked, especially not on a moonlit night. As the got deeper into the valley and he was not sure he knew exactly where he was, he lost sight of the figure. Following where he has last seen them, he came to a set of steps that had been building into a step narrow part of the valley. He stopped at the top and strained to see if he could the figure at the bottom. All of a sudden a warm glow came out of a small opening in the wall of the valley to the right. As he looked harder he saw that there was a door in the wall next to the small window that the light came from.

As carefully as he could he made his way down the steps. From the door he could he a faint voice, but it was too quiet for him to hear what they were saying. Bending down he made his way to the window. As he got closer he could make out the voice more clearly. It was a low female voice that was offering words of comfort and reassurance. Something about that voice seemed familiar, but he could not palace it. Slowly be pulled himself up to look through the window.

The room that he looked into seemed to be small, but he was sure only appeared so as almost every part of it was in use. Form the large table in the centre, covered in numerous object he could not make out clearly, to the bed in the far corner and the racks of shelves. While all of this would be enough to hold his attention, making out what all the books were about and what the bottles held, but it was something else that did that. Something he had not seen in so long, something impossibly unique.

"Aithusa."

He whispered in a low voice, filled with pain at the sight of the damaged creature, but it was loud enough. The figure that had had their back to him, turned sharply around. His instinct was to duck down out of their line of sight, but something stopped him. He met their eyes, dark eyes that at first he did not know, that then lighted till they were a faded green that he knew all too well. Her name was on the tip of his tough when she spoke first.

In a second he was sent back by a strong force. Letting out a groan he started to move to pull himself up. He did not get far as he looked up to see her know standing by his side, Aithusa by her side. A small smile crossed her face as she spoke again one word under her breath, sending in into a deep sleep with a million questions racing through his head.

Once again and as always thank you so much for reading, I hope that you liked it. I also hope that you liked the twist at the end. I was going to build it up for a little while, but I honestly couldn't think of much to do with Eleanor as she was, I had to revel who she was to make any use of the as a sort of character. As I said I hope that it works, that it is a bit of a twist, but a good one. One that makes sense and doesn't feel forced or comes out on nowhere. I don't know if it works but I tried to make the description of the hovel as like the one in season three as I could. So maybe some of you may have figured out what was going to happen before it did. The next chapter will be a two header between Morgana and Merlin. I of course plan to explain the twist then, but I just wanted to ask if you don't like the twist what needs to be explained for it to make sense. All other feedback is very welcome, so I really hope to hear from you. Not to stress the point but, the more feedback, input into the story, the faster it will be updated. Thank you.