Thank you very much for reading. Hope you enjoy. Sorry it took a little longer to update this time.

godric777: Thank you for your review. Romance will be a part of the story, but it's not the main part. I have honestly never known how to categories the story. I also never knew how to summaries the story either. So, I wanted to be as broad as I could to appeal to the widest demographic that might be interested. I am very open to what you all think as the story goes on.

Merlin could see the stream a little way ahead of him when he heard someone yelling. He couldn't make out what was being said, but it didn't sound good. Leaving the horses behind he walked back to where he had parted from Morgana. He saw her in her dark dress first. It took him a while to notice her amongst the trees. Fallowing her line of sight, he saw the agitated man with the crossbow. He had rushed forward without having a plan. Then when the trigger was pulled, he leapt forward instinctively again. Now he had a few seconds to think and could think of nothing.

Morgana kept her eyes shut as she felt the protective weight of Merlin on her back. Tensing up as they waited for the possible next attack. Before that came Merlin heard what sounded like someone running through the fallen leaves. Hoping it was the older man leaving he lifted his head. While not what he had hoped to see it was the second-best thing he could see. A young man about his own age was running towards them as the older man turned to face him fully. The crossbow hanging by his side. Morgana lifted her head too letting the grass and plants full to the ground as she moved to carefully stand up. Doing their best to not draw attention towards them. As he stood with her Merlin kept a hand on her shoulder. While she could more than defend herself, he couldn't get the image of her standing alone with a crossbow aimed at her out of his head.

When the younger man reached the older man, it was clear that they were family. They had the same flat nose. Placing his hands on the other man's shoulder the younger man spoke softly and gently. The older man dropped the crossbow to the ground as he seemed to deflate in front of them. Gone was all of his anger and hostilely. Leaving only his deep fear and confusion. It was hard to hold any animosity towards him, even after he had just tried to kill them. All they could make out from the hushed almost entirely one-sided conversation in front of them was that the older man was the grandfather of the other one. He also seemed to be able to calm and reassure the distressed older man. When the grandfather was calm the grandson turned to Merlin and Morgana.

"I'm so sorry, are you hurt." They shook their heads.

It was only now that Merlin had the chance to look at Morgana properly. It took him a second to process what he saw when he met her eyes. They had darkened and when he pulled back his focus to look at her fully, he noticed that her hair had lightened, and she seemed to have a light dusting of freckles across her nose.

"We're fine." She said, trying to keep her head lowered.

"He's confused...He just forgets things. Thinks-"

Merlin silenced him with a raised hand the other he slid up to Morgana's shoulder, pulling her closer. He didn't want the grandson to question them anymore than he would normally.

"It's fine. No one's hurt."

"Still."

"We aren't the ones that need your care right now." Morgana said, her head still lowered slightly.

The grandson looked back to his grandfather. He had moved to sit down on a fallen tree truck a little behind them. clearly tired from all of the excitement. When he turned back to Merlin and Morgana, he looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words. All of the worry and strain that it must be taking on him to look after his ailing grandfather was clearly weighing him down. They felt for him, but they had somewhere to be, and they had already been delayed enough.

"He thought you were a witch, that you were-"

"We're no threat." Morgana replied the closest she could get to being honest with him and not giving themselves away.

There was no way of knowing how the younger man would react to who they really were. Of course, he was also no threat to them, they still didn't want to risk it coming to that.

"We should really be getting on." On Merlin said. When he saw the grandson about to say something else, he pulled Morgana in closer and added. "We're heading home and..."

He gave a knowing glance towards Morgana and then back to the other man. He seemed to nod in understanding and didn't try and say anymore. He turned away from them back to his grandfather, starting to walk back to him. Though she tried to keep her face as neutral as possible, Morgana looked back and forth between the two men trying to understand what unsaid words they had exchanged. When the grandson reached his grandfather, he gently took his arm and helped him to his feet. Still holding his arm, he bent down and picked up the crossbow. Looking over his shoulder at Merlin and Morgana. Giving them an odd smile before he turned back and began to lead his grandfather away. A nagging feeling in the back of Merlin's mind, that he could help this old man. At the very least ease his suffering and that of his family. He wasn't sure exactly why, but there had to be a way. Morgans must have some idea.

He was about to call out to them when Morgana sharply elbowed him in the ribs. Pulling away from his hold Morgana shot him a sharp look. Having just figured out what the look between the two men had most likely meant. Then she spoke through a thin mouth. Responding to what he had been thinking. Without him having to say a word. "There's nothing we can do for him."

"You don't know that." Merlin hissed under his breath as he followed her back to the horses.

Morgana stopped and spun round to face him. Her face now back to normal. "You think he's the first elderly person like that I've seen. The mind is not something magic should meddle with."

"Maybe you weren't powerful enough."

Morgana had to give a slight nod at the arrogance and self-assuredness. "Maybe, but you are not skilled enough." It wasn't an insult it was the truth. "Why do you care."

"Because I could help him. Someone could help him and his family."

"Yes, maybe but not now. You saw how he reacted when he released who I was."

"He was confused-"

"No, he was right. He knew who I was and wanted me dead."

"So, we should let him suffer."

"You are still acting like this is all something new. That we have both haven't seen people that we could help, if they would just accept our help, accept us."

"It's not about that." He said in frustration.

Morgana remained calm in response to Merlin's outburst. " Then what is it about." He scoffed and moved to walk on, but she reached out and grabbed his arm. "Really Merlin what is it about."

"I don't know!" He yelled, before repeating himself in a low voice.

Morgana still didn't flinch at Merlin's out bursts. "Well then maybe we can forget about it and move on with what we are here to do." She moved on but Merlin stayed standing. She kept walking a little, but eventually she had to stop and turn around. "Merlin, why now." She spoke in the tone his mother and Giaus used when he had done something wrong, but they couldn't be too angry with him. "Why are you so upset about this one man."

Merlin opened his mouth but couldn't find the words to explain. He let out a sigh as he tried to make sense of it in his own head before he spoke again. He would have to try and think of something fast as he watched Morgana folded her arms, she was not going to give him much time to think.

"It's not him, not just him." She gave him the smallest nod. "I have lost count of the number of times I could have done something to help someone, and I couldn't, didn't. It was always...Keeping my secret, keeping safe. So that I could-"

"Help more than one person." Morgana finished.

"Yes. Now the majority are helped. I, we should be able to...But I still can't."

"Yes, you can."

"You just said-"

"Not him, but others."

Merlin chewed on his lip as tried to make his feelings clearer. "I thought things would be different when... I don't know."

"They are, it'll just take time. Fear is a hard thing to unlearn." Merlin nodded. "But you are still the same."

Merlin scoffed. "So that's the problem, me."

"It is for everyone else that knows you, maybe you're not any different." Morgana offered to lighten the mood.

"Maybe your right." He said before he finally started to walk forward.

Morgana didn't know what to say next. There was still something bothering him, but even he didn't seem to know what. As much as she wanted to be on their way again, she didn't want to have to deal with Merlin's mood while they got there, especially not once they got to Avalon. With a sigh, as he passed her, she once again took hold of his arm.

"You are your problem."

"Thanks, you haven't been clear enough about that." Merlin pulled his arm from her light hold with more force than was needed.

Morgana rolled her eyes. "If you want to be honest, then be honest. No one is stopping you. For once in your life do what you want."

"After I do what you want, of course." A smile now pulling at the sides of his mouth.

"Of course." Morgana quickly retorted. "I am the sister of the king after all." A smile now on her face.

"Maybe your right."

"Still maybe, you know I'm right."

He smiled as he gave a slight nod. For the first time Morgana gave his whole face a prober look. On his check there were two thin cuts. The arrow must have just got him as he pulled her to the ground. Her hand automatically lifted to the cut.

"Your hurt."

He hadn't noticed the injury until now. Even now that he had it was the light touch of Morgana's fingertips on his check that he felt and not the cut.

"It's nothing."

He lifted his hand too but quickly pulled it away just as he touched hers. Seemingly remembering that they had somewhere to be once again, Morgana began to walk away. This time Merlin followed her. They didn't speak much as they fed the horses and took them to the stream as they had planned to do in the first place. Getting back in the saddles they resumed their journey. They didn't have much further to go but the day was already drawing in. The sun had long since reached its peak and had begun its descent. So, they pushed the horses on a little faster wanting to make up for lost time.

At first it was hard to tell if it was the forest getting denser or the sun lowering but a haze started to cloud their vision. Forcing them to slow down so they could clearly see their way. Excitement began to build in Morgana's chest. This had to be the mists of Avalon. The further they pressed on the thicker the mist became. Morgana turned to her left to smile at Merlin. Even in the grey haze her smile still shone brightly. He smiled back, though not as brightly as her. For the first time he too was starting to get excited about where they were going.

A little further on the trees thinned out and the mist grew even thicker. Dismounting the horses, they walked up to the shoreline. Morgana touched the tip of her boot to the water and watched the ripples getting larger and drifting away.

"Now we're here, how do we get there." Merlin gestured with his hand out into the mist before them.

Morgana let out a sigh. "There has to be a boat nearby."

"Because whoever they are is expecting us." Merlin retorted with less scorn than he would have used a few hours ago.

"I don't know." Morgana said in frustration. "Alright I don't know. I don't have all the answers. I just know that we should be here, be there right now." She pointed out across the water cloaked heavily with mist. "That's its important."

Merlin started to feel regret for his tone. He hadn't meant to sound as harsh as he did. He was genuinely starting to feel a little of the excitement that she felt. He was frustrated with himself not with her. "I'm sorry. I think your right."

"We should start walking the shoreline. There has to be a way across, the lake can't be that large." Morgana said changing the subject. Getting them back on track.

He nodded and they began to walk the shoreline heading in a westerly direction.

After a little while of walking in silence, Merlin's hand reached out to take hold of Morgana's arm. "I am sorry." She nodded but didn't look at him. Slipping her arm from his tentative grasp she kept her eyes set either in-front of her or out across the mist.

He was about to say something else when he caught sight of something a little further up ahead. Morgana quickly spotted it too as she turned her gaze back to the path in front of them. They moved further on at a slightly faster pace. Coming to a stop when they reached what they reached the means they hoped would take them to Avalon. A small boat with room for just two, three at a push. Made of the palest wood lay half in the water of the lake the rest dug into the shoreline in front of them. When they looked closer, they noticed there was no paddle to row with. This fact didn't seem to bother Morgana or slow down her momentum, she lifted up the hem of her dress and carefully got into the boat. Merlin quickly raising his hand to help her, which she ignored.

"Seems we're expected after all." She said over her shoulder once she was safely, though still a little unbalanced, standing in the boat.

"Maybe not as much as you would like. They left no paddle." As Merlin bemoaned the condition the boat had been left in Morgana warily lowered herself to sit on one of the two planks of wood, the on nearest the bow, that constituted seats of the boat. Merlin took a firm hold of the stern to keep the boat steady for her. Once sitting she looked across the small boat at him. Giving him a look that told him to stop talking and get in the boat, he was holding them up.

"They could have left a paddle." He muttered as he pushed the boat off the shore before jumping onboard just before it was fully afloat on the calm water of the lake.

"Who needs a paddle, we have magic." Morgana encouraged, as she turned from Merlin to look ahead from her seat at the bow. Hoping to see the first glimpse of the isle of Avalon shining through the mist.

Merlin quickly realized that their roles had already been decided on without him being informed or even a part of the discussion. He would somehow power the boat forward and Morgana would keep a look out, navigating their path. It made sense he would agree with it, he just would have liked to have been part of the conversation. Turning round he held his hand out over the stern of the boat. Sending a strong current of air that hit the water and powered them forward. It only lasted for a few seconds before the boat came to a stop a few feet into the lake. He didn't want to go to fast too quickly and lose their way. It seemed simple, they just had to go straight ahead, but he felt very sure it was not going to be that simple. The shore could still be seen faintly in the mist behind them. Merlin held out his hand and did the same thing again. When they came to a stop again, they could no longer see the shore anymore. Looking around they could see nothing through the mist that was dense now it was all they could see. Reminding himself that it was still the best idea to just keep heading straight ahead Merlin lifted his hand to do the samething for the third time, but Morgana reached out and knocked his hand down.

"Wait." For a few seconds Morgana searched the horizon. Trying to see any sign of what they were heading towards.

Merlin could see nothing. Just the thick mists that was making it hard for him to clearly see Morgana sitting less than a foot in fort of him. The longer they sat there floating on the water, unable see much beyond their own face the more an uneasy feeling began to creep over him. He was beginning to feel like a sitting duck out here. He felt sure that if the boat had been left for them then however had done that would be watching them now.

As the minutes dragged on the fact that Merlin had been pushing from his mind could be held back no longer. It had been just at sunrise on a clear day when he had been here for the first time. When he had laid Fraya to rest in the gentle water. He had thought that he would be able to sense her, feel her gentle nature every time he came here, but he hadn't. Of course, he thought of her, but it hadn't been the all-consuming feeling he had expected. As exposed as he felt, sure that someone was watching them he also felt sure that she was watching them too. That gave him a feeling of comfort, but he also felt guilty, that he didn't deserve her protection.

While Merlin was lost in thought Morgana became lost in the mist around them. Her eyes squinted as she searched the mist for any sign of what lay before them. She was sure that she had caught sight of something catching the light and shinning. Just as quickly as she saw it, it disappeared. The harder she looked the less she seemed to actually see. Her vison began to blurry, making her feel even more unsteady on the gently rocking boat. Rapidly blinking a few times, she tried to clear her vison. When she opened her eyes again something had changed.

In the distance she could see now through the mist to the horizon line. The longer she looked the clearer it seemed to become. She could see a small dock it looked like it was floating a few inched off the horizon line. Beyond that she could not make out much. What she could see was a faint shimmering. Like when the sun hit the water on a summer's day or when a crystal glass caught the light at the right angle. With a smile on her face again she turned back to Merlin.

"There's a dock a little to the left, up ahead."

Merlin leaned forward as far as he could while keeping the boat balanced. He strained his eyes, but he couldn't see anything. With a shack of his head, he told Morgana that he didn't see anything.

"it's right there. " The witch said as she pointed towards the dock.

Merlin still couldn't see anything through the mist. "No, I can't see anything."

Morgana became a little disheartened, but kept her eyes set ahead on the dock, not wanting to lose sight of it. "I can see it." Her voice sounded deflated and unsure. She was beginning to doubt herself.

Merlin reached out to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. She shook it off, but he tried again and succeeded on rested his hand on her shoulder. They looked ahead silently for a few seconds till something dawned on Merlin.

"The seers sight."

Morgana turned to face him, not bothering any longer if she lost sight of the potential mirage. "What." She asked a little irritated.

"Maybe that's why you can see through the mist." He saw the skepticism on her face. While she had to admit he did make a good point. The things she saw due to being a seer was not anything she could really control. Why would now be any different. "Just tell me where to go."

She gave a nod and turned back around. Her eyes set again on the faint sight of the dock ahead. Letting her sight naturally focus out from the object she wanted to reach she saw the mist begin to drift away as if by a strong wind. More of the land beyond the dock came into view but still the only thing she could make out clearly was the shine that blinded her if she looked too long. Lifting her arm, she pointed a little to their right and Merlin propelled the boat forward. Morgana moving her arm to direct him.

While Morgana could see clearly the way ahead Merlin's vision was still clouded by the mist. He had been right Morgana unique magical powers, the first that had presented itself had been dreams of the future, over the years under extreme situations she had been able to see echoes of the past as well. Here it seemed to allow her to see through the magic mist that cloaked the isle of Avalon form sight. It did not take him long however until he was able to see the dock too as it drew closer. When he told her he could now see it as well Morgana lowered her arm, no longer needing to direct their way ahead.

They reached the dock, which was made of the same wood as the boat and stood a little over two feet above them as they floated on the water. Morgana took hold off on of the post, holding the boat steady. Allowing Merlin to hoist himself out of the boat and onto the dock. He then bent down offering his hands to Morgana. Taking hold of his wrist for a tighter grip Morgana helped Merlin pull her from the boat by walking up the side of the post. Unfortunately, her long dress got in the way. Getting in the way of her foot, she slipped losing her footing on the post. Merlin maintained his tight hold around her wrists, only stumbling forward a little as he regained his balance. In one quick tug pulled Morgana onto the dock, with her helping as best she could. She knelled on the dock in front of him for a second before he slipped his grip from her wrists to her hands and helped her to her feet. They stumbled back a little as they regained their balance fully on solid, not ground but a solid flat surface at least.

Morgana met Merlin's eyes. "We made it." He said with a smile that she returned with a nod.

"Emrys, Morgan le fay we have been expecting you."

It was the same melodic voice that had called to them a few days ago. Turning to face it all they could see was a blinding shimmering light. Lifting their hands, they tried to shield their eyes, but it did little good. They watched as the light eased and they began to make out the shape of a person.

Hope that you liked the new chapter. I'm not sure that the Merlin and Morgana banted worked all that well. I wanted to start to build up their relationship as a more positive one, but I don't think it worked all that well. It might be a little to quippy. Your feelings about this are really appreciated.

As always, I love to hear what you think. Any feedback, comments or ideas are very welcome.