The Dragon's Call - Part 1

No man or woman, or even a girl, can know their destiny. They cannot glimpse their parts in the great story that is about to unfold. Like everyone, he must live and learn. And so it will be for the young warlock arriving at the gates of Camelot. A girl that will, in time, mother the legend. Her name: Mairwen...But no one expected her to be twelve years old...

Mairwen was a girl of twelve years of age. She left her mother at the borders of Camelot and had made her way alone. She was alone as she entered the fortress that was camelot. As Mairwen entered Camelot, she heard the sounds of the trumpets and the sound of execution beat of drums. Everyone in the court gathered around to a poor man who was ready for execution. Whatever this man was guilty for, it wasn't good. A villager looked down at her.

"Little girl, you shouldn't be here," the villager told her.

"Wha...why not?" Mairwen asked.

"Because, this man is charged with witchcraft," he answered. "And it is not a sight for young girls to see."

Mairwen rolled her eyes. Yeah, she was twelve, but not a baby. Mairwen came closer.

"Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is adjudged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic," said who appeared to be the king. He was a middle-aged man with greying hair, green eyes, and looked quite regal. He was wearing a crown and a red cape with silver chainmail. Mairwen looked and saw a woman standing there. She was very beautiful and had dark curly hair. however, she noticed the woman had no expression that was full of comfort. "And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass."

Mairwen gasped immediately when Mr. Collins was executed and covered her eyes.

"When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin."

"There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic!" yelled an old woman. She was the deceased man's mother. "It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance! You took my son! And I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son."

"Seize her!" Uther shouted. However, in a flash, she was gone in a whirl of wind and smoke.

Mairwen continued walking, the haunting image of that man's beheading flashing through her eyes. She put on her lost girl routine.

"Excuse me, sir," Mairwen said. The guard looked down at her, and he was indeed looking at her softly.

He must have children, Mairwen thought. "I'm looking for my uncle, Gaius the Court physician."

"That way, little miss," the Guard said, pointing the child in the right direction.

Mairwen went to the Physicians' chambers and opened up the door. She looked if she could see Gaius around. He hadn't seen Mairwen since she was three years old, and Mairwen vaguely remembered him from such a long time ago.

"Hello? Gaius?" Mairwen cried. She looked up to see Gaius standing there near the bookshelf. However, he immediately fell off. Mairwen's heart nearly stopped. She looked at the bed nearby and suddenly, her eyes flashed gold and the bed moved.

Not again Mairwen thought. The old man got off his bed and looked at Mairwen suspiciously.

"What did you just do?" the old man yelled at her.

"Nothing," Mairwen said.

"Tell me!"

"I- I- I have no idea what happened."

"If anyone had seen that...

"Er, no! That- that was, that was nothing to do with me. That- that was..."

"I know what it was! I just want to know where you learned how to do it!

"Nowhere."

"So how is it you know magic?

"I don't."

"Where did you study?... Answer me!

"I- I've never studied magic or, or been taught."

"Are you lying to me, child?

"What do you want me to say?"

"The truth!

"I was born like this!"

"That's impossible! Who are you?"

Mairwen remembered that she had letter her mother told her to give.

"I have this letter," Mairwen said with a smile and handed over to Gaius. However, he didn't know what to do with it.

"I- I don't have my glasses."

"I'm your niece, Mairwen," the child revealed. Gaius looked down at her. She was right. She was the spitting image of her mother.

"Hunith's daughter," He said smiling. "My, you look just like your mother."

"Thanks, everybody says I look like her when I was her age," Mairwen said.

"But you're not meant to be here till Wednesday!" Gaius said.

"It…uh…it is Wednesday, sir."

"Ah, right then. You better put your bag in there."

He gestured to the upstairs room he had already lain out for her.

"You- you won't say anything about, erm... "

"No," Gaius answered. Mairwen gave out a smile and was up the steps. "Although, Merlin." Mairwen stopped and looked at Gaius. "I should say thank you."

"Your welcome, Uncle," Mairwen said with a smile. She opened the door to her room and noticed that it was better than her room in Ealdor. She placed her bag on the bed and laid down on the pillow. Mairwen felt she was going to like it here in Camelot, but it was going to be trouble if she used her magic. Now what was she going to do if magic was outlawed in Camelot?

Gaius looked up to see Mairwen fast asleep. She must have fallen asleep instantly. He went over to the little girl, and covered Mairwen's shivering body and had seen she removed her scarf and was only wearing her white nightgown. She looked innocent, and sweet, and Gaius knew that Uther wouldn't show mercy to a child with magical gifts. He looked at the letter Hunith had writen him. Gaius took his glasses and opened the letter, beginning to read.

My dear Gaius,

I turn to you for I feel lost and alone and don't know who to trust. It is every mother's fate to think her child is special, and yet I would give my life that Mairwen were not so. Ours is a small village and she is so clearly at odds with people here that, if she were to remain, I fear what would become of her. She needs a hand to hold, a voice to guide, someone that might help her find a purpose for her gifts. I beg you, if you understand a mother's love for her daughter, keep her safe, and may God save you both.

"I got you water," Gaius told her when she woke up. Mairwen looked at him apologetically as she came down the steps. "You didn't wash last night."

"Sorry." Mairwen quickly apologized. She began eating very quickly, as she was very hungry since the journey. Gaius accidentally bumped into a bucket and Mairwen accidentally stopped her magic.

"How did you do that? Did you incant a spell in your mind?"

"I don't know any spells." Mairwen admitted.

"So, what did you do? There must be something."

"It just happens."

She let the water fall onto the ground and took a mop and began cleaning it up.

Well, we better keep you out of trouble." he told the child. "You can help me until I find some paid work for you. Here. Hollyhock and Feverfew for Lady Percival, and this is for Sir Olwin. He's as blind as a weevil, so warn him not to take it all at once.

"Okay," Mairwen said.

"And here." He gave her a sandwich for her to eat.

"Off you go. And Mairwen, I need hardly tell you that the practice of any form of enchantments will get you killed," he warned her.

"Got it," Mairwen said.

She travelled through the entire kingdom, giving those people their medicines. However, she was too late to tell Sir Olwin not to drink it all at once. Mairwen hoped it wouldn't cause trouble. With the few money she had left, Mairwen bought an apple from one of the stands and began walking down to where the knights were training. Being twelve years old, Mairwen was easily distracted by handsome men. It kind of bothered her.

"Where's the target?" said a blond knight. Mairwen looked at him skeptically.

"There, Sir?" said the servant who was moving the target.

"It's into the sun?" the young blonde knight said again.

"But, it's not that bright."

"A bit like you, then?"

Mairwen's mouth dropped as the two men laughed with the blonde knight.

"I'll put the target on the other end, shall I, Sir?" the servant said.

Mairwen looked at the three Knights again and saw the blond-haired knight take a knife and throw it where the boy, Morris, was at.

From up above, Mairwen noticed a dark skinned teenaged girl cleaning out something. Mairwen admitted, she looked beautiful and was looking down at the knight with a glare.

"I told you to keep moving!" the blond knight said and continued throwing more daggers at the poor serving boy. Mairwen shook her head, finishing her apple. "Do you want some moving target practice?"

"Hey, sir!" Mairwen said, coming in between the knight and his servant. "You've had your fun, sir. The boy's gone through enough."

"Do I know you , kid?" Arthur asked.

"Mairwen, I'm the court physician's niece," she said.

"Your Gaius' niece?" the knight asked incredulously.

"Yeah, what's it to you?" I asked him, giving him a mean glare.

"So, in other words, I don't know you."

"No."

"Yet you called me 'friend.'"

"I'd never have a friend who could be such an ass." Mairwen said. She was quite bold for an twelve-year-old girl. Mairwen began to turn around.

"Or I one who could be a stupid, ignorant little girl!" the knight said. "Tell me, Mairwen, do you know how to walk on your knees?

"No."

"Would you like me to help you?"

"I wouldn't if I were you."

"Why? What are you going to do to me?"

"You have no idea." Mairwen said. She looked away, and began walking.

"Be my guest! Come on! Come on! Come on..." he mocked the girl. Mairwen went to punch him in the face, but Arthur grabbed onto her wrist.

"You know what, since you're a little girl, I'll leave ya alone!" Arthur told her. He released her arm gruffly. "But, if you were a man, I would definitely club you like an old, broken table and have you thrown in the dungeons.

"Really?" Mairwen asked. "Who do you think you are you, the King?"

"No, girl. I'm his son, Prince Arthur," the knight, or rather, Prince said. Mairwen rolled her eyes.