Albion

Disclaimer - I do not own Merlin. The BBC have that honour. If I had my way, Merlin would not have ended.
No copyright infingement intended.

Preface

There was a time, when people closed their eyes at night, that they dreamed impossible dreams. They dreamt of magic, they dreamt of dragons and fairy-tale creatures that only existed in a person's deepest imagination.

When these things became true, people shied away. They hid, in fear of what could become. There were those, who discovered magic and embraced their gifts out in the open. There were some that did not. They discovered their magic and hid their talent in a hope to save themselves.

There was one who wanted to cease all magic in the lands. When he found the sorcerer's and sorceresses alike, he killed them and threatened all those around him in an attempt to squash any sorcery from being learnt and practiced in all of Avalon.

He was a King. And Uther Pendragon was his name, and Camelot was his Kingdom.

Our story starts twenty years ago, when magic still graced the land. When people did not hide away in fear. King Uther was very young, and oh, so naive. He was a newlywed and his wife, Ygraine, so beautiful, was unable to conceive a child.

Uther, being desperate for a son to carry on in his stead should he die, called on the court physician. His name was Gaius, and he was trusted by Uther as a man would trust his best friend. In many ways, Gaius was indeed Uther's best friend and was loyal to his rulings as a companion and confidant could be.

Acting on the Kings request, Gaius travelled to the Isle of the Blessed and sought council with the High Priestess, Nimueh of the Old Religion and asked for a way to give Uther and Ygraine the chance to conceive the son they needed so much.

She conceded to the request that the King needed an Heir, but she warned Gaius that for such a wish to be granted, a price must be paid. And paid it was.

On a cool summer's eve, the King was given a son. But due to complications during the birth, Ygraine did not survive and shortly passed away after holding her child in her arms.

With her last few breaths, Ygraine managed to part very few words, but she was able to name her son.

She named him, Arthur.

The years passed and the Prince grew, learnt, fought and earned the respect of his father's people. But during that time, Uther began to hate magic and hunted it to near point of extinction. He killed the dragons of the Old Religion, save one which he imprisoned underground, beneath the castle of Camelot.

Now if you asked this dragon about the future, he would tell you one thing. That magic was coming back, and he was right of course.

Leaving the past where it belongs, in the past. We come to twenty years in to the future, where if you looked to the east, to where the sun began to rise over the tops of the hills of Camelot, turning the grass the richest green you could see for miles, you could see a girl.

This girl, who had travelled acres, all the way from her home in Ealdor, would be the salvation Camelot needed. She would help Arthur become the King he was born to be. She would help unite Albion and bring magic back to the lands of Avalon. She would be the greatest sorceress that ever lived.

Her name would be revered. Her name was, Merlina.