Starting from the episode 'A Remedy To Cure All Ills' taken from season 1 episode 6, this is an OC of my own making and her personal journey throughout the TV series of Merlin.

Thank you to any readers and lets all share in the love for Merlin a show a dearly miss and possibly leave a review please to share your thoughts. Enjoy x

Elaina had her fingers entwined in Edwin's fiery curls, lounging on a low branch of a tree while he read one of his father's books to her. She wasn't paying much attention to the story, and didn't know if they were close to the end or not. She just enjoyed the sound of his voice and the peacefulness of the forest, just beyond Camelot, where the two have secretly met up for years now, ever since Elaina wandered off on her own, after her father had allowed her to join him on a ride out.

He had been sat in the exact same spot, between the two great roots of this tree, doing the exact same thing as he was now, reading. She hadn't wanted to disturb him when she first saw Edwin, but her horse started to whinny and it had caught his attention. He questioned her of course, wondering where she had come from, who she was with, and why she was here, and Elaina answered honestly.

He was somewhat cautious of her, as he knew she was a noble judging by her rich clothes, but after a while he gained a better sense of her character and began to enjoy Elaina's company. They were surprised by how easy conversation came between them, as if they had always known each other, which was strange because Edwin didn't have any friends his own age, or anyone really besides his parents. While Elaina, though she had a sister and many other children of courtiers to socialise with, she didn't exactly fit in. People actually thought she was strange and favoured Morgana because of it, not that she resented her sister for that, because Morgana accepted her no matter what, their father too, but still, she was lonely in Camelot.

So they made a pact, to meet in the forest when the weather permitted, and since then, their friendship has only grown, with Elaina having met Edwin's parents on certain occasion.

Sighing, she became aware of the silence.

"you're not reading," She said.

Edwin laughed, "well, I've finished my book. Shows how much you were listening."

Elaina frowned, "I was listening!"

Tilting his head up to her, his pale skin had turned peachy in the sun, and his blue eyes sparkled, "really, then how did it end?"

Elaina was at a loss there, and she thought about it for a moment, jumping down from her branch beside him when she came up with an answer, "well, happily ever after of course!"

He grinned amused and thumped the hardback book on her head, "actually the king had lost his battle and had died on the battlefield."

Elaina sneered, "that isn't a good ending, I think I prefer mine. It's not as sad."

Edwin shook his head, pulling Elaina in close so she could rest her head on his shoulder, while his arms wrapped around her.

"it wasn't sad; it was touching really. After the battle, the remainder of the king's knights came and surrounded his body, chanting his name. They were still loyal to him, even after his death, and carried his body the many miles back to his queen, swearing to her that his life was not in vain, that he defended his kingdom and died honourably. The king is dead, long live the queen, those were the last words written."

Elaina let what he said sink in, imagining the ending playing out before her.

"That is touching," she agreed and took the book off him, rubbing her thumb along the cover. She was interested now, interested in how the battle came about.

"Can I borrow this?" she asked and Edwin nodded.

"Good to see I'm improving your taste in books."

"I'll say, the only thing my father has lying about is the knights code, or the odd letter or summons sent by Uther."

Elaina never addressed the king of Camelot by title and it drove her father mad, fearing she would do so in court in the monarch's presence.

She didn't understand how Gorlois could follow a man like Uther without question, when there was nothing nice about him. He was selfish, proud and hateful, with his hands gushing with the blood of innocent lives.

Those people with magic in particular.

Elaina began to shiver, the thought of what Camelot's king has done to those with magic has always made her blood run cold with the sorrow and dread. She might not have any magic, but Elaina has dreams. Dreams which tell her things, like how her mother was a high priestess and kept it hidden from everyone who encountered her, as well as bearing a child before her and Morgana named Morgause, who had to be taken away to the Isle of the Bless, since she too demonstrated signs of possessing magic. It was never explained to Elaina why her mother went missing one morning, but she blamed Uther nonetheless, and because of these dreams, she fears for the safety of both herself and Morgana.

"Are you alright Elaina?" Edwin squeezed the daughter of Gorlois closer, rubbing his hand up and down her arm to warm her up. He knew her well enough to know that when she was cold, it meant she was upset, so there was no use in hiding anything from him, even if she wanted to.

"It's nothing, only… last night, Morgana was having a nightmare and her eyes; they were glowing, glowing like fire."

For a long time now, Elaina has confided in Edwin about her suspicions of Morgana having magic, and from what she has described Edwin believes them to be true, since his parents were sorcerers also.

"but she hasn't cast a spell while awake has she? Sometimes it can't be controlled if she loses control of her emotions," he explained.

Elaina shook her head, "not that I've noticed. But Edwin, why do you think I haven't been able to cast a spell? I know of my family's history on my mother's side, I've seen it and if two of my sisters have magic, why haven't I?"

Edwin was quiet in deliberation and with her cheek still pressed in the curve of his neck, she lifted her gaze up to look at him.

Finally, he admitted "I've wondered the same thing and asked my mother about it."

Interested, Elaina sat up a little, "you did? Well, what did she say?"

Edwin shrugged, "sometimes magic skips a child, but then you have visions of both the past and present and seem to have a natural intellect for potions and spells when need be. She thinks you're a physical embodiment of a Grimoire, a very rare individual indeed."

Elaina looked dubious, "a Grimoire, that's not nearly as exciting as a High Priestess."

Nudging her, Edwin tried to reassure Elaina, "that a Grimoire carries all magical knowledge and many things might have gone unknown to those with magic had those like herself not existed. They are important even now and extremely precious."

Elaina blushed at his claim and he grasped her chin between his fingers, turning her face towards his watching as the blush deepened in her cheeks the nearer he got and then suddenly, he pressed a kiss to her lips and took off running, leaving Elaina with her lips still pursed.

"Edwin!" she yelled, aghast.

He only laughed, and outraged she sprung up to her feet and started to chase after him, making grooves in the long grass. This went on until they fell to the ground worn out and panting for breath, as the blue skies turned to orange, red, pink and purple with the setting sun.

They waited knowing it wouldn't be long now, and then they heard it, the bells of Camelot ringing in the distance, to signal the oncoming night, which beckoned Elaina home, before her father began to worry.

It was a sad time of the day for Elaina and Edwin. The time where it came to an end and they had to part ways.

Reluctantly, Elaina got up and wiped the dirt off her skirt, trying to make herself a little more presentable for when she walked through the city. Edwin stood up too and helped by brushing his fingers through her long hair, which he said reminded him of autumn, since all the colours of the falling leaves were captured in her shining curls.

With a heavy heart, the two turned to gaze at each other. His blue eyes locking on her green.

"Meet again tomorrow?" Edwin asked earnestly.

Elaina smiled, "yes."

Then she leaned in, teasing him with a kiss, but before their lips could meet she ran far away from him, calling over her shoulder, "we'll need to if you want a real kiss, because the one you gave just wasn't very good was it?"

Again he laughed and waved her off and Elaina could remember, just how happy she was in that moment. How inconceivably happy indeed.

Pity, that it had to end…

Elaina became aware of a hand waving in front of her as she snapped out of her trance.

"Are you alright in there sister?" an amused individual asked.

Blinking a good few times, before her vision became clear to the faces of her Morgana and handmaiden Gwen, the last remnants of the forest she had been in not a moment ago faded.

"Uh, yes…" she answered, though she wasn't very convincing.

The two women in front of her exchanged a look and went back to whatever they had been doing, but Elaina carried on talking.

"I'm just day dreaming is all…" and all the while her fingers were stroking the cover of a book she held dear, as someone knocked the door and presented Morgana with an arrangement of pure white lily's.

"who would you like them to be from?" Gwen asked sweetly, watching one of her ladies stroke the petals of the bloom.

"I don't know, a tall dark stranger!"

The two giggled and Elaina smiled when Morgana looked at her so that she seemed pleased for her sister, which Elaina was, but it was hard work to show any emotion besides longing for the boy she had known in the forest.

Her dear Edwin…

Tears threatened to spill from Elaina's eyes, so she snapped her head to look out the window into the courtyard, where there was a number of people dashing busily about, but someone stood out to her.

A hooded figure standing alone.

Who was that? Elaina wondered staring at them intently.

"Elaina!" Morgana called, and for just a second she looked to her sister exiting her chambers and bidding that Elaina follow. She held up a finger for her to wait and looked out the window again, but when she did the figure was gone.

But still, something of her senses made Elaina suspect, that she knew that person, whoever they were…