Prologue
"Cecilia!" The shrill voice of a woman called. Her disembodied voice carried over the breeze that turned the tall summer grass into a sea of green. "Cecilia!" She bellowed over the lush field where two young adults were playing. Both similar in features, the boy, and probable elder of the two, was leading the girl around in circles as they danced to music only they could hear. The boy, who was actually a young man, had a large build that had become very muscular as he grew older; the girl however, was thin and frail. The woman sighed as she marched closer to the two children. The boy saw the woman noticed the woman first and a wide grin plastered on his face. "Mother." He cried as he let go of the girls hands, his deep voice a noticeable contrast to that of the woman. The girl, with long dark hair, stopped dancing, in fact she stopped moving. The smile still on her face as she glanced around her, trying to see the woman the boy could see. "Mother, Cecilia and I were just dancing. She was singing Mother. Cecilia called it the 'Woods Waltz'; she claims the trees taught her the song. Mother you have to hear it." The woman, obviously the children's mother, hushed the boy before he could say much more.
"Percival, you must not say things like that in the public eye. Someone, who does not know Cecilia, might think that she is a Druid and take her to face the King." She whispered. Even at a young age both children had been aware of the hatred toward those with magic. Percival never saw it as truly fair, mainly because he knew his younger sister was born with her abilities and had never given reason to anyone to think that she was dangerous, in fact Cecilia was the kindest, gentlest person that Percival knew, he could compare her touches to butterfly kisses, even angry Cecilia couldn't harm a fly. Percival looked at his beloved little sister and sighed, he was eighteen only a few days prior and would soon be heading towards Camelot to work, leaving his younger magical sister defenceless.
Only about a week later Percival was away. He had said his goodbyes to his friends and family. He left with his few possessions on his back and began to long ride to Camelot to earn his fortune. Everyone believed that he was doing it for himself, as a man, but the truth was that Percival was going to Camelot so that he could earn enough to give his little sister, Cecilia, a decent life where she wouldn't have to ever worry about anything. Only Cecilia and their mother knew the truth about why Percival was leaving. Their mother, now being the main and only source of income, worked on the fields to keep food on the table. Cecilia worked with those too old to work by keeping them company, she looked after them and they looked after her. They often asked Cecilia to sing for them, as she was known to have a voice that only song-birds could compare to.
It had been little over a year before Cecilia heard the winds whisper good news to her. A smile beamed across her pale face as she sang with the winds, thanking them for bringing her such precious information. That evening Cecilia waited for her mother in the main area of their home, normally her mother would have to fetch Cecilia from the fields or from the town hall as she had little concept of time. Cecilia was on the edge of her seat when the door opened. She burst into telling her mother the news. "Mother! You would not believe what the winds have told me this day. Such good news." There was a pregnant pause while Cecilia waited for her mother to reply. "Mother? Is this a jest? Are you pretending you are not there so that I must come find you?" There was still no response, beginning to get desperate Cecilia cried out. "Mama! What is the matter?" Cecilia could feel her eyes begin to sting with tears. A deep voice, belonging to a man who lived near Cecilia, answered.
"I am sorry Cecilia. Raylene is not coming home." His tone tender and soft, apologetic, exactly what Cecilia didn't want to hear?
"Ho...How did it happen?" Cecilia asked, her voice shaking and cracking with grief.
"It was so sudden. We think her heart just gave out. She was not yet old Cecilia, but she had you much later than most. She probably just, stopped." The man paused for a moment; Cecilia could hear him rub his stubbled cheek as he thought about how to continue. There was no easy way to give such horrible and tragic news, especially to a young woman who depended solely on her mother's care. "There was no pain. She went to pick up something in the field and didn't get up. I am sorry for your loss." There was the creaking of the door as the man left Cecilia alone, to wallow in her grief. Unable to hold back any longer Cecilia broke down in tears, her screams and sobs could be heard through-out the village, each person feeling Cecilia's sorrow. Late into the night Cecilia cried, if had been anyone else, for any other reason they would have claimed that person as soft, but Cecilia had every right to cry for her mother. She had every right to make others feel the burden of her sorrow as she sunk into a depression. The howls of distant wolves only seemed to mirror Cecilia in her cries; owls hovered and landed on the roof of her home, as if to offer her comfort the best they could. Outside the door were frogs, cats and a collection of foxes, trying to give warmth and care to the broken girl.
The morning came around too slowly for Cecilia; she wanted nothing more but to stay in her mental darkness as the world around her remained closed off to her eyes. Her mother, Cecilia's' guiding light was gone and Cecilia didn't know where to turn. She knew she had to bury her mother that day, the village would not wait for Percival, who at least a week's ride away, to return. Every member of the small village was gathered on the outskirts of a field, where a square hole had been dug under a large oak tree. It had been Cecilia who chose the spot as she had remembered Percival telling her that it was there where their mother used to sit. The service was simple and quick, everyone was moved on from the tree once Cecilia was directed on where to throw the first of the dirt. Once back home some of the men and women who worked with Raylene came to talk with Cecilia about her last wishes. "Cecilia." A woman began, her voice soft and calm, just like a grandmothers. "We understand that it is hard for you. But there are some things that we must talk to you about." Cecilia didn't trust her voice and just nodded, a singular tear escaping her eye. "Your mother, Raylene, had a last wish." The woman paused to look at Cecilia; there was no response so she continued. "She wanted you to go to your brother in case of her death. She said that she could only sleep in peace knowing you were taken care of." The woman drifted slightly and a man, the same man who gave Cecilia the original bad news took her place.
"We have organized for an escort to take you to Camelot tomorrow. You should be there in seven days, if the weather holds, once there the escort will try to find Percival for you."
"That won't be necessary." Cecilia finally said, her timid voice wavering as she whispered. "I know exactly where Percival is." Her cloudy eyes looking directly at the guests in her home, Cecilia smiled.