CHAPTER ONE

'Seren! Seren!'

Seren dropped her training sword at the sound of her mother's voice and ran up the stairs, arriving flushed and breathless in the great hall of the castle. The party that she had seen arriving earlier was now assembled in front of her mother.

'Seren, this is King Arthur's sister, Lady Gwyar.' Seren attempted a clumsy curtsey, looking up to see a strikingly beautiful woman with jet black hair and eyes as green as her mother's seldom worn emeralds. 'You will be Lady Gwyar's maid while she is here.'

'But-'

'Take Lady Gwyar to the blue chamber. And do whatever she asks. She is the king's sister.'

Seren led the way for Lady Gwyar. King Uther's daughter, although conceived some years after his wife had died, she was acknowledged as his bastard child. Not that anyone would call her that to her face. She was a few years older than Seren, although seemed more. Seren was already resenting the task assigned to her as it would take her away from the training yard, and she would have to wear a dress rather than her preferred britches.

Gwyar was looking at Seren curiously, probably wondering what she was to going to do with her as her so-called maid. She would undoubtedly be worse than useless, but she was all that was available who was of the correct, well, social standing.

'You may unpack my clothes,' she said, still appraising Seren as she hung her dresses, stroking out the travelling creases. They were the most beautiful creations Seren had ever seen. Embroidered, beautifully cut, the fabrics thick and expensive, all of them deep, rich colours.

'Here, Seren, try this on. Perhaps you'll look less like a boy.' She handed her the plainest of the dresses and helped her into it, smiling as she struggled with the structure of it, more used to britches and shirts, or loose blouses and skirts.

Gwyar tightened it in as far as she could around her waist, but it was still a little baggy as her body was still that of a girl, not a woman like hers. She stood back and appraised her. 'Better,' she said. 'Look.' And she did, staring at her reflection in the looking glass, transformed, her long dark hair curling onto her shoulders, her bright blue eyes sparkling with unshed tears as she looked so different.

'You may keep it,' she said.

'But-'

'It is old, I kept it only for travelling, but I will be here for a while. I do not need it. Keep it.'

'Thank you! Thank you, my lady.'

'So you are Lancelot's sister?'

'Yes, my lady. But he is not here and I do not remember him. He was taken by the Lady of the Lake when he was but a child.'

Gwyar nodded. 'I remember hearing that. He has not returned?'

Seren shook her head. 'No. My mother has not forgotten. She sometimes rages, but my father is not a well man and can do nothing.'

'There are great prophecies surrounding his return.'

'There are?'

'Yes, but not for many years. You need not concern yourself with them. Now check that trunk for any breakages.'

Seren opened the trunk to find a number of bottles all neatly labelled. 'What are they, my lady?'

'They are my healing potions, Seren. If you show an aptitude, you may learn how to mix them.'

Seren didn't know whether it was Gwyar's presence that triggered them, but that night the intense dreams she had occasionally had became more intense, more detailed. Now sharing Gwyar's quarters, it was to find her soothing Seren as she woke in a sweat, screaming.

'What did you see, my child?'

'A . . . a dragon. A great dragon. In a dark cave. And you. Holding an orb aloft. It has magic in it.'

'And could you see what I was doing with the orb?'

'No, my lady. It was then that I woke.'

'Have you had these . . . dreams for long?'

'Only this summer.'

'Since you started your monthly bleeds?'

Seren blushed. 'Yes, my lady.'

She waited, sitting on the side of Seren's bed, thinking. 'Have . . . other things happened to you?' Seren looked puzzled. 'For instance, if you become angry, do you get stronger?'

Seren was immediately reminded of when she had been fighting with Aled and he had used the wooden training sword to whack her on the back of her hand. 'Unfair!' she cried out, but he just laughed at her. The next thing both of them knew, he was flat on his back on the ground, although she had not touched him. He swore afterwards he had stumbled, although she knew that was not true, but he was more wary of her following that incident.

Seren said nothing, but Gwyar covered her hand with her own. 'You have the gift, child, and you have it very strongly. As do I.' Seren looked up at her sharply, but she smiled. 'Yes, I am sharing this with you as I see a great power in you, but we must keep this between ourselves. Is that understood?' Seren nodded. 'In return, I will train you, teach you how to harness and use your skills. And make you a very powerful sorceress.'