Characters/Pairings: Adara Ingle, Iseldir (Druid leader), Leon, Arthur Pendragon, Merlin, Gwaine
Summary: This is a personal history of Adara Ingle, a druid girl, in the Kingdom of Camelot.
Written for 'Welcome To Camelot' as part of the 'muse' profile of Adara Ingle.
'Magick' is the pagan spelling referring to spells and natural abilities.
'Grove' is the term for a group of Druids the perform ritual and magick together.
ADARA OF ESSETIR
In the time of the Great Purge many were persecuted for the natural gift of magick that they possessed. King Uther of Camelot declared such abilities were evil and all that possessed them were to be executed.
The Druids bore the brunt of this brutality. As peace loving people, they had no way to defend themselves when Camelot's Knights charged in to round them up for execution or just to slaughter them where they stood. The Groves of Druids scattered to the winds, hiding where they could find refuge.
Jana and Lukas, a Druid couple committed to each other for some time had a small daughter of two years of age traveling with them. When they thought they were about to be caught by the Knights of Camelot, they left their daughter with a sympathetic elderly couple and tried to lead the Knights away from the girl. They intended to come back for her when the danger had passed. It never did. Jana and Lukas were caught as they were trying to make their way back to their daughter.
They were dragged behind horses into the courtyard of Camelot and sentenced without trial and executed moments after they arrived.
The elderly couple caring for the young girl received news of the execution and vowed to keep the child safe for as long as they could. During the girl's thirteenth summer they elderly couple died from a fever leaving her all alone.
The girl knowing that her parents were Druids went in search of some. She knew her parents were from the Forest of Essetir so she decided to go there first.
Adara, or Dara as she was sometimes called, went to the Forest of Essetir to find the Grove that was supposed to be the remaining members of the group her parents had been a part of. Adara was a small girl with dark wavy hair and dark eyes. She found them and by showing the medallion left with her by her parents she was allowed to stay.
Iseldir and the members of the grove taught Adara rituals and magick. She was also taught to read and write with some proficiency. She found peace and purpose with them.
It was the practice of the grove to help those injured when they could. Sometimes the injuries were minor sometimes they were severe. In the case of the more severe, they druids would perform the Ritual of Life using a cup with magical powers they had obtained from a Priestess of the Old Religion. She had left the cup in their care when the High Priestess had been defeated at the hands of Emrys, the great warlock of the prophecy.
During the time Adara had been with the grove she had never seen a knight of Camelot. She was nearing her twentieth summer when one day after a battle near their cave. A group of knights of Camelot were defeated by Cenred's forces. The men of the grove brought back a solitary knight and preformed the ritual of life.
When the knight was healed Adara served him soup and bread. She had been curious about him but stayed back only doing what was required to help him. He left without causing any trouble to those who had saved him.
Several days passed and a trio of men came to the cave looking for the cup that was used during the ritual of life. Adara hid as she was instructed by the elders and watched as Iseldir handed over the cup to the man called Arthur Pendragon.
Another man was with him, Iseldir called the man 'Emrys' with his thoughts. Adara looked from where she was hiding at the man. She thought it strange that a man from prophecy should be so young. The ways of the prophecy being mysterious she did not question what she heard or saw. But Adara took a good look at his face so she would remember him.
The grove of druids remained hidden until they heard that the now king Arthur Pendragon had declared them free from persecution. Some of the members of the grove left to spread the teachings elsewhere. Others left to find family they had been separated from.
Adara decided to take her chances in Camelot. She set off walking to the great city in hopes of seeing Emrys again. Her journey has just begun….