Avalon- A Merlin FanFic

Chapter 10- Setting Up Camp

Hello everybody! Sorry this took a while to update. I hope you enjoy the chapter :) I'd also just like to say another big thankyou to everyone that reads this because it really inspires me to carry on writing so thankyou :D

Merlin's POV

I realised that Avie's magic was very different from mine as I watched her start to build a shelter for us. We had decided that it would make more sense to build a shelter rather than bring one with us when we left Camelot, and as I was busy tending to the fire, I saw Avie start to build. She had assured me that she had the means to create a functioning shelter so I had agreed to let her take care of it whilst I fished and built a fire. She used a kind of magic which I had never seen before. She was focused and twisting her hands into all sorts of different shapes, and as she did so the very ground began to change shape and grow. The ground grew upwards to create a raised platform. Then the earth surrounding the platform raised up as Avie changed the shaping of her hands, and I realised that it was forming a small house, and the earth was a floor and walls. I was mesmerised by this type of magic.

When the walls had formed, plants began to grow out of the walls. Climbing vines intertwined and snaked around each other and twisted until they made a canopy. Then, the magic stopped.

As the house had been built Avie sank to her knees and then lay down on the floor. Concerned, I got up and walked over to her. Her breathing was very heavy and her skin had gone immensely pale. It was then I realised that she converted to her elf form during the flow of magic. However, the hair which I knew should be red was a very dull reddish brown and seemed completely different.

'Avie, what's wrong, are you ok?' I said. I was getting worried, I had no idea if this was normal for an elf.

She groaned and her eyes fluttered open. Slowly, her gaze focused on me and she gave a small smile.

'I should have learnt not to overexert myself by now. When I perform magic like this, I can end up in this state. It only happens when I do too much. Normally this kind of magic would not tire me so, but lately I have had to maintain magic constantly to disguise myself. I think some time in my true form will do me good.' She barely whispered this, and her voice faded slowly as she talked.

Gently, I picked her up, and carried her over to the fire, and then placed her next to it. The fish that I had caught had finished cooking, and I placed it into one of the bowls we had brought with us (that I had also borrowed from the castle cook) and set the bowl down in her lap.

'Eat, and then you must sleep Avie. I'll go and collect some water, I'll need to boil it and then I'll put it in the waterskins so we have fresh water ready in the morning.' I grabbed the other bowl that was by me. I might as well boil the water whilst the fire was still roaring hot. To my surprise, Avie reached over and squeezed my hand. 'Thankyou Merlin.' She said with a smile. I squeezed her hand back and then made my way over to the lake to collect some water, unsure why my heart had suddenly started beating a bit faster.

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The next morning, I awoke to the smell of berries. I slowly rose from the floor of the little house and made my way outside, where I saw Avie stirring a pot that hung over a newly made fire. Avie looked much better, her hair was so red that it practically glowed and her skin was still pale, but there was colour in her cheeks.

'Merlin, would you mind fetching the bread that you brought?' Her voice was clear and was sounding much better than the rasp that I had heard yesterday. I nodded at her and went to fetch the two large bread rolls that I had brought with me. Whilst I was there I picked up two cups, so that I could have a drink with whatever breakfast Avie had cooked up.

Making my way out of the house I went to sit down next to Avie, by the fire. She took the bread from my hands and placed it by her side.

'Right I think that should be ready.' Avie smiled as she handed me one bread roll, after she had dipped it in the strange red substance in the pan.

I hesitated as I stared at the roll. I had no idea what she had dipped it in, and I was not too eager to find out.

Avie saw me staring at the roll and just laughed. She dipped her own roll in the pan and took a bite. 'Go on, try it!' She smiled at me encouragingly.

So I took a bite. The red liquid tasted sweet and fruity and then I realised that this was some sort of berry mixture. My hesitation was completely dissolved and I tucked in, loving the taste of it.

When I had finished, I looked up at Avie and asked her what it was.

'That's called jam. Back in my homeland we have it often. It's easy to make, all you need is some sweet berries and you just mash them and heat them in a pot. I used the berries we picked yesterday. They were snowberries, we have lots of them back where I come from.' She trailed off and looked at the ground. She looked a little sad, but after a few seconds she shook herself and picked up the pot. 'Sorry, I got a little homesick there. I'm just going to go and wash this, I'll be back in a few minutes.' She walked off in the direction of the lake. I could tell that she wanted some time to herself so I made my way back to the little hut and found the spell book that Gaius had given me yesterday.