Disclaimer - I do not own BBC's Merlin or any of it's characters. I do not have rights to any of the storylines/plots used in the show. I am only responsible for my OCs and any variations from the original storyline.

Amara was wondering the outer borders of the druid camp. On top of the hill it overlooked the nearby villages. She often came here to think, to wonder what her life might have been if she'd grown up with a normal life.

It became clear at a young age that she had a remarkable gift for sight. She lived a normal life with her parents in the small village of Nettlestone. She would often have extremely vivid dreams of her friends and neighbours. As a young girl, she saw no harm in telling all her friends about them. As time passed it became evident to the villagers that hers were no ordinary dreams, everything she dreamt came to pass. In a peaceful time no one would be worried but this was during the purge. In fear, the villages went to Uther and informed him of Amara's abilities. It was not long until the knights of Camelot descended on the village. Fearing for her life, her parents carried her to the woods, but the knights were not far behind them. Once they were deep in the woods, her father put her down.

"Amara, I need you to listen to me very carefully. We have to leave you here sweetheart."

"Daddy-"

"Amara, please. We have to lead them away okay? When we leave, you need promise me you will run as fast as you can in the other direction!"

"Daddy I don't understand!" Amara wept, tears flowing down her cheeks. Her mother knelt down next to her.

"We love you so much honey. We love you so much that we have to leave you. We don't want to."

"NO! I want to go with you!"

"Darling, you can't."

"WHY?!"

"Sweetheart, we don't have time to explain but if you come with us there are bad men that will hurt you."

"Why?" she sniffed.

"Because they don't understand how special you are. Listen to me, don't ever think your dreams are bad. They are a gift. A gift that must be shared. Your father and I are so proud of you. We love you so much and that is why you must promise me to run away when we tell you. Promise me!"

Wiping away her final tears, Amara attempted to be brave.

"Okay mummy, I promise."

Engaging in a final family embrace, her father placed a kiss to her forehead.

"We love you sweetheart."

"I love you too."

With a final squeeze her parents released her and started to run and call out to the knights. They paused and looked back a final time.

"Run!"

Casting a final look at her parents, Amara took off in a run, pushing herself as fast as she could. She hadn't run far when she saw flames coming from the village and heard the agonizing screams of her parents. Letting out a heart-wrenching scream, she cried until her voice went raw. In her grief she sent a shockwave of energy around her, cutting down trees and plants. All her energy exhausted, she collapsed.

The next thing she knew, she was waking up in a druid camp. Aneirin was the chief of the camp. When she had sent out the shockwave, it had been sensed by a nearby druid group. As they came to investigate, they found her unconscious with the Camelot knights in close pursuit. They took Amara back to their camp and helped her recuperate.

That is how she became a member of the camp. They put up a barrier around the camp and taught her how to control her gifts. Her use of magic was limited however. Her gifts for sight were unmatched but she struggled with casting spells and charms. Her most powerful visions focused on Emrys and the Once and Future King. Over time it became clear to her that Prince Arthur was to be the one to unite Albion in a time of peace, but despite her wishes the druids felt it best not to intervene with his destiny in order to help him. It seemed that she would just have to wait for peace to come.

But it had been 11 years since she had joined the camp, 5 years since her visions of Arthur had begun, and nothing had changed. Their camp survived the purge but magic was still outlawed and they had been isolated from the rest of the world by their barrier. She longed to be a part of the world again. She had been named the primary seer of the camp but it gave her very little freedom. Nearly everywhere she went she had a guard, but on odd days she snuck away to take time to herself. She sat atop of the hill and looked out on her old home. She watched as families and neighbours interacted during their everyday lives. She watched friendships form, people fall in and out of love and the birth of their children. She wanted to be a part of it.

"You have to stop doing this Amara."

Amara sighed deeply, she had been found.

"I can't breathe Aneirin. I'm being smothered."

"You know why we do it. You mean too much to us to risk losing you."

She scoffed "You say that like you actually care. You don't care about me, only my gifts."

"You know that's not true. You're just lashing out."

She closed her eyes before looking up and smiling. "Have I mentioned how much I hate your empath ability?"

"Think it's come up a couple of times." He laughed before sitting down next to her. "It also means I know better than anyone how you feel."

"Knowing isn't the same as understanding." She said glumly.

"Then help me."

"I'm always watching." She admitted. "Ever since I was little, I've always watched the world. From this hill or through my visions. I've never experienced anything for myself. I just want a chance to live. Really live, for myself."

Aneirin sighed deeply before standing up and turning away guiltily.

"I understand how you feel, but we have responsibilities. We can't just put our needs and desires above what we owe other people. Your visions are a gift, you owe it to the world to use it to better our cause."

"Our cause?! We haven't done anything that further our cause! All we do is wait for Emrys and Arthur! Wait! That's all we ever do. "

He placed his hand on her shoulder, turning away. "I know you feel resentment, like we've trapped you here, but I promise you will see it our way someday." She shrugged off his hand violently. "I'll send for Marcus to watch over you…from a distance."

Amara didn't move as Aneirin walked away. She looked back over to the village. She was never going to be a part of it. She continued to gaze over the village when her vision began to blur and her head began to ache.

In a flash of white her vision cleared.

Author's note: I decided to switch the names of my OCs in my 'A Family's Secret' and this one. Sorry for any confusion. Meriona = Amara now.