Hi everyone! This is my first story ever on Fanfiction, it's called The Forgotten Druid and this is the first chapter. It's set before Arthur dies, probably in early series 5 sometime. Please comment and let me know how you find it, if there's anything you think I could do to improve just let me know in the comments! Thank you, enjoy!

The Forgotten Druid

Dawn was only just breaking in Camelot. The people were only just awakening, so none except the guards to the gates of the great city would have seen a small, hooded figure emerge from the morning mist and walk slowly towards the castle itself, where the great King Arthur was being served breakfast by his manservant, Merlin. It was a cold day, and the figure kept her sky blue cloak wrapped tightly round her. She had hoped to get through the gates, and into the castle where she was to seek the council of the King her mother had told her so much about without being seen, but her weary trials and her sickness had slowed her down, and she was not as inconspicuous as she hoped. Consequently, the eagle eyed guards spotted her, and stopped her before she could slip inside a side entrance of the great castle.

"What is your business here child?" Asked the one to her right.

"I…I seek an audience with King Arthur" She said, in the strongest voice she could muster.

"What is you business with the…" The other guard began the second question, but was stopped in his tracks when a handsome, strong looking man called to them from across the courtyard.

"What's going on here?" Sir Percival asked, gesturing towards the young girl. "Who are you?"

The girl had had enough. She felt her sickness was to overcome her anytime soon, and she needed to speak with the king for she must discover the whereabouts of her brother. She pushed back the hood from her head to release a beautiful tumbling mass of dark brown hair, and spoke to the gobsmacked knights,

"My name is Willow." She said loudly. "I have journeyed from Ealdor to speak with your King; I do not have long please!" Sir Percival nodded his head to the guards, and smiling kindly, offered a friendly hand to the girl before escorting her into the castle.

….

"Merlin for God's sake what's the matter you have a face like the rear end of a horse today!"

Merlin sighed and turned to face his King.

"Nothing I told you, I just had a bad dream." He repeated for the third time.

"Oh great, well that might explain why my shirt is inside out!" He bellowed angrily in his servant's ear. Merlin apologised quietly, and set his friend's shirt right.

"Happy now sire?" He grinned sarcastically. Arthur looked about ready to hit him, and probably would have done, if the door hadn't have banged open suddenly.

"Sorry to disturb you sire," It was Sir Leon, "but your presence is required in the council chambers as a matter of urgency."

Arthur thanked him, and grabbed his sword as Merlin slid his jacket on. Merlin hoped the misunderstanding had been forgotten as they both hurried towards the throne room.

As they entered, Merlin noticed that all the court members were already there, including Gaius. He rushed over and tapped the old man on the shoulder.

"What's going on?" He whispered in his mentor's ear.

Then he spotted a young girl, stood in the middle of the hall before Arthur, was this what they had all been gathered for? Gaius leaned back and whispered to Merlin,

"That child has requested an audience with the king."

"Who.." Merlin began to ask but Gaius shushed him, for Arthur had started talking.

"Welcome to Camelot," Arthur began "you needn't be afraid, no harm can come to you here."

That's when Merlin noticed the girl's features. She had beautiful tumbling brown hair, and a deathly pale face. Her lips were dry and cracked, but it was her eyes which made Merlin shiver. Her eyes were a startling electric blue, they were so intense it was beautiful. However, that was not what puzzled him. He had seen this completion before, it was so familiar, like the back of his hand but however hard he stared he could not quite but a finger on it.

He was drawn back to his senses when the girl started talking.

"My name is Willow sire," She began quietly, " My mother sent me to Camelot, she said I should seek council with the king because…" She took a deep breath in, and Merlin saw Gaius step forward out the corner of his eye.

" …because she said my brother would be in service to him." She wheezed. "and…"

Arthur stepped forward and placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder,

"Tell me, where have you journeyed from?" He asked gently.

"I… I have come from Ealdor." She stammered.

Merlin inhaled sharply. The world slowed down around him, voices became distant groans, and the only thing he could hear was the pounding of his heart. No, it couldn't be, could it? His mother, she hadn't… how? He was brought back to his senses and the world came crashing back into reality as he realised the young girl was falling to the floor, her beautiful eyes rolled back into her skull and a single tear fell down her pale cheek. Merlin wasn't sure what he was doing, but in instinct, he raced over to where the young girl was falling, and caught her in his arms. He was hardly aware of Gaius attempting to pull him away, nor was he aware of the tears falling down his cheeks as he cradled the girl's delicate body close to is own, as if he would never let go. It was then that he knew, he understood, this girl was his sister.

…..

"Merlin, you should get some rest, you've been up all night." Gaius said softly, resting his hand upon the young warlock's shoulder.

"I don't understand Gaius" Merlin whispered, his eyes sparkling with tears, "why did my mother hide this from me?"

Gaius sighed and looked down upon the eerily still body of the mysterious young girl whom had wandered through the gates of Camelot the day before.

"I don't know Merlin, but I'm sure she had her reasons" He said reassuringly

"Now go and get some sleep, I'll sit with her I promise."

Merlin nodded reluctantly and, without a word, stood and left the room, leaving Gaius to examine the body of the only family he had left apart from his mother, whom he hadn't heard of since Morgana had lead an attack on Ealdor just a few days before.

Wearily, the young man sat on his bed, and almost the moment his head touched the pillow, he was asleep.

Gaius shook himself awake, and cursed under his

breath as he realised he had fallen asleep. He glanced over his shoulder to see Merlin emerging from his room, looking hopefully over at Gaius, and the young girl lying on the bed beside him. Gaius turned back around to look in the same direction, and to his surprise, saw the young girl's beautiful blue eyes flutter open, then stare at him in absolute horror.