Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable characters, they belong to their respective owners. I'm just having fun with them. Also, my first language isn't English so all the mistakes are my own as I don't have a beta, if you spot any please let me know so I can correct them as fast as possible. Thank you for reading and reviewing!
PS: The text in italics are thoughts.
CHAPTER I: THE FOREST
"It's over Morgana."
"You're wrong. This has just begun."
It's a clear and beautiful summer morning. The air is pure and warm and the sunlight filters through the leaves illuminating the path that crosses the forest.
Lancelot trots on the back of his black mare enjoying the sun and the light warmth, so different from the blistering heat of Camelot.
He has just finished the errand King Arthur entrusted him personally and now returns, leisurely, home.
So much has changed over the years. He has fulfilled his dream becoming a knight of Camelot, and one of the closest to the King for that matter, and the kingdom has been restored and has achieved a long awaited peace with magic.
Soft footfalls echoing through the forest pull him out of his thoughts. He turns the horse around carefully to see a small child stepping out of the woods. He can be no more than three or four years old, a mop of dark curls getting into his bright green eyes.
His tiny frame bends looking at the very edge of the path where a myriad of wild flowers grow giving a little colour into a world of green. Slowly, the little boy collects all sorts of flowers clutching them tightly in his small fist. He's so concentrated in his task that he seems to have missed Lancelot's presence.
The knight watches him, amused and confused at the same time, from his high perch, a small smile grazing his lips. He will wait for his parents or guardians to arrive; surely he cannot leave alone such a small child without supervision. Besides, he doesn't know what it is, but there's something familiar about this kid, so he watches and waits for something to finally trigger his memory.
When the boy is satisfied with his flower arrangement he lays it down carefully on a clean patch of grass. He closes his eyes, murmuring softly through his lips and forms a circle with his hands. Suddenly, the little child opens his eyes and a bright flash of gold illuminates them while the flowers wove themselves into a tightly knit crown.
"That's what it is, magic." That's why he has stopped, why he has watched him so carefully, that's why he's so familiar. He's like Merlin, he has magic.
A woman's voice startles both the boy, who hides his magically created crown behind his back, and Lancelot, who, for reasons he cannot explain, guides his calm mare behind the woods on the opposite side of the path away from sight.
Not a second after he's behind the protection of the greenery the woman comes running so fast that she's just a blur of green and black, even to his trained eye.
"Emrys!" - She exclaims kneeling abruptly before the boy - "By the Gods, do not ever scare me like that again, do you hear me?" - The fright is clear in the woman's voice and in the way she holds the child tightly to her chest.
"What where you doing outside the house so early, my child?" - She questions, now more calm after she's sure her son is safe, and strokes lovingly his messy dark curls.
"I wanted to give you a present for your birthday, mama" – He answers shyly, a slight blush colouring the tip of his ears.
"Oh, my sweet boy, you shouldn't have. I do not need any present because I already have the best one there is, you my darling boy" – She gives a sweet kiss to the child's forehead as a thank you for his thoughtfulness.
"Here, mama. I made it myself" – The boy gives her the crown with a proud smile.
"It really is beautiful, my darling. I shall never take it off" – A big smile can be heard in her voice as she puts it on – "Did you use your magic, Em?" – She asks looking quickly around them.
"Yes" – the boy admits in a soft voice lowering his head.
"Emrys," – she says in a tired voice that shows how many times the pair has had this conversation – "you know our magic is a gift, but we have to be very careful in its use because if we abuse it they could find us. And I cannot lose you, my love, you are my life" – she whispers the last part in a broken sob hugging the boy again as a life line.
"I promise to be more careful. I don't want to lose you either, mama" – he replies into the safety of his mother's arms.
"Well, now that we are out of the house we shall go to the pond and bathe" – she says nonchalantly standing up and brushing the dust off of her dress.
"No! Please, no. I am clean. I promise!" – yells the boy with wide eyes.
"Really?" – she says with mischief in her voice as she kneels again and grabs a handful of mud from the edge of the woods – "because I think you are really, really dirty, Em" – she concludes throwing the mud on top of his head dirtying his hair, neck and shirt.
"Mama!" – yelps the little boy with a blanched face.
"Come on, sweetheart. Now you are dirty. Time for bathing" – she says with a tinkling laugh as she leads the boy away from the spot where Lancelot is hiding.
"You cheated" – grumbles the kid letting his mother guide him towards the pond.
He doesn't know what compels him to follow them. Maybe it's the magic the boy possesses, or that he has big goofy ears that resemble so much those of his warlock friend. But he ties his horse to a tree trunk and follows them quietly under the cover of the leaves.
Once they're within eye distance of the water the child tries to run away from his mother and with a laugh she just turns around a lifts him into her arms guiding them fully clothed into the water. And in that exact moment Lancelot knows why he felt the need to follow them. Morgana.