Confusion rules this shifting age
And uproar fills the town
My thoughts of you are drowning in the noise
How could you know?
Why should you know me?

You gently nourish my dry skin
A drop of color saves me from
The fate I'm facing everyday
A single bloom piercing the snowdrift

How softly, the springtime breezes sing
How deeply, the distant mountain breathe
There are so many things to show to you

Oh why does hate bring forth more hate?
A long abandoned fruit
is hastening the process of decay
This country's starved, it's void of feeling

How softly, the springtime breezes sing
How deeply, the distant mountain breathe
There are so many things to show to you

One of these days

How softly, the springtime breezes sing
How deeply, the distant mountain breathe
There are so many things to show to you

(A Drop of Color – Hyde)

Chapter 1

Birth - 14

Part 1

Crimson Lady

Sir Gawain was known for his sexual exploits. He had two sons with different women, and his third child was on his way, this one with his wife. It was by no means a shock that when he met The Crimson Lady Lillian of Avalon that he should want to bed her. Had he still been an unmarried man he was sure that he would have gladly married her, but his marriage was political and divorce was something that was not allowed. Besides, Merlin himself had sent him on this mission, surly the Wizard knew that he would meet the beautiful sorceress and that he would surly bed her. He would have to thank the old wizard later on.

~~~~~****~~~~~

Nine months had passed since Gawain's encounter with Lady Lillian. He was finally at home with his wife and his three sons. Florence was five this year, Lovell had just turned three, and Gingalain had just been born four months ago. Gawain was a happy man, a very happy man.

It was as this happy man was heading off to do his daily duties that he nearly stumbled upon the woven basket. Gawain kneeled down slowly and pulled back the basket's coverings, revealing a baby with obsidian hair and oceanic blue eyes.

"Oh dear, who left you hear little one. Surly it is not safe for a babe to be left upon a doorstep."

It was at this moment that the knight noticed the letter pinned to the boy's blanket. He pulled it out and slowly began to read.

Dearest Gawain,

This is our son Talon; he was named by the Lady of the Lake herself. He is such a happy baby. I wish that I could care for him, but he is destined for greatness and he can not find that greatness in Avalon. Forgive me for leaving our boy upon a doorstep. Please take care of our beloved son.

Yours ever so sincerely,

The Crimson Lady Lillian of Avalon.

Gawain read the letter several times before looking back down at the babe.

"What ever shall I do with you?"

Part 2

Nothing but a set of Milk Jugs.

Gawain carried the bundle into his home, a soft smile on his face as he looked down at the little child. He winced when he noticed that his wife had entered the room with the children.

"What do you have there, my dear husband?"

Gawain sighed softly. "Talon. I told you many months ago about my encounter with the Crimson Lady. It would appear that she conceived a child."

The little bundle in Gawain's arms started whimpering before he began to cry. "Oh. He must be hungry." Gawain looked up at his wife slowly and smiled before moving closer to here. "Dear wife…you are still nursing little Gingalain. Perhaps you could spare some milk for little Talon?"

The woman slapped Gawain hard across the face. "What am I Gawain? A couple of milk jugs?"

Talon began to cry harder. As his tears fell, the furniture around the room began to shake and rock. The woman's eyes widened in fear and she took the child from her husband. "I will feed him, but he will never be my son!"

She sat down with the small child and took out her breast, allowing the boy to happily latch on. The furniture settled back into previous positions.

"Talon huh? That will have to be changed. How about Percival."

Gawain frowned at the name. "No, he was named by the Lady of the Lake. His name can not be changed."

Gawain's wife scowled. "Such an unnatural name. Fine, it shall remain Talon but do not come crying to me when the other children make fun of it."

Gawain smiled softly and took back the boy when he had finished nursing and fallen to sleep. "No one would dare speak one cruel word to him. He is just as perfect as any other child."

Gawain looked down upon his sleeping child's face, feeling content to have the boy in his arms. He was not seen outside of his home that day.

Part 3

Lady of the Lake

One year had passed since Talon had been born. Gawain had taken his children out for a bit of fresh air near the lake, his wife coming along to make sure that none of them strayed too close to the water.

An apple had arrived earlier that day. A special gift from the boy's true mother, a special Avalon apple. Gawain had mashed up the apple and was feeding it to his little boy who seemed as if he was tasting the most amazing thing in the world. Then again…a taste for the apples of Avalon was in his blood.

A hawk flew overhead and landed close to Gawain. It had a note tied to its leg. Gawain sighed when he had finished reading the note. Arthur required that he go on a mission. He would be gone for a month. Gawain carried Talon over to his wife and handed him to her. "I must leave now. Arthur has a mission for me. I will be gone for a month."

Gawain kissed his children and his wife before leaving.

Gawain's wife looked at his children and told them to go off and have fun. When they were far enough away she walked over to the lake with Talon and grinned.

"Finally I can get rid of you!"

The woman shoved Talon's head under the water, only to be thrown back a moment later by a wave of water.

"Children are precious gifts." The Lady of the Lake rose out of the water, holding a crying Talon in her arms. "How could you harm such a precious child, one that I have personally blessed?"

The Lady sighed and closed her eyes.

"Lady Morgan?"

A fog appeared over the lake, and out of the fog stepped Morgan le Fey dressed in an elegant dress made of the deepest red. The Lady of the Lake handed over the child to Morgan. "I entrust his health to you Lady Morgan. Do not allow this foul woman to harm him again."

Morgan held her nephew close to her and kissed his forehead before turning to Gawain's wife. She held out her hand and shot a black light to the woman.

"As punishment for harming a precious gift, you will no longer be able to bear children, and when your youngest no longer needs you…you shall spend eternity cast in stone. But for now…black sight will have to do."

The woman cried out in fright as the world around her grew black with blindness.

Morgan walked into the open field and called to Talon's brothers, taking their home because their mother could not.

The Lady Gawain did not find her way back home for three days, at which time the blindness had worn off.

"You fowl witch!"

Morgan looked up from where she was tending to the two infants.

"I am no witch my Lady Gawain. I am a sorceress, much more powerful than a witch." Morgan held Talon close to her. "And from this day forth Talon shall be my apprentice, which means that until he is old enough to leave this home…I shall be residing here."

How Morgan loved to watch the Lady Gawain fume.

Part 4

Wolves of Stone

It was a beautiful summer day. Gingalain and Talon were both three and the two were very close siblings. The two had come up with a plan to sneak out of their home so that they could go play in the meadow by the lake. The two boys squealed with happiness as they tried catching butterflies and frogs.

Both looked up at the same time when a loud growling reached their ears.

"Doggy!" Gingalain giggled and walked closer to the 'dog' not realizing that it was a wolf that hadn't eaten for quite some time.

"No Gingi! No doggy! Woofie!" Talon ran after his brother, afraid that something bad was about to happen.

~~~~~****~~~~~

Both Morgan and Gawain were completely distraught. The two youngest boys had up and disappeared on them and they could not be found anywhere.

"Wolf! There is a wolf in the meadow with two little boys! Somebody help them! Wolf!"

Morgan and Gawain looked to one another before they both ran off in the direction of the meadow, but when they got there…the wolf had already attacked.

~~~~~****~~~~~

"NO! Bad Woofie!" The wolf had snarled and snapped at Gingalain's hand. Talon had stepped in front of his brother and put his hands out just in time. When the wolf came too close, power shot out of the little boy's hands and turned the wolf to stone.

~~~~~****~~~~~

Morgan and Gawain watched in awe as a three year old Talon turned the wolf to stone to save his big brother. Gingalain had begun to cry as the two adults made their way closer.

Talon turned slowly and wrapped his arms around his brother. "Is okay Gingi. Woofie gone now!"

Morgan looked back at Gawain and sighed.

"I am afraid that it is time he comes to live with me now. He must be trained properly."

Gawain didn't want to give his little boy away, but he knew that Morgan would remain within Camelot. Gawain nodded slowly and picked up Gingalain as Morgan picked up Talon, separating the two brothers and taking them to separate households.

Part 5

Tickle a Sleeping Dragon

It was not often that Talon was sent into the forest alone. He was only a seven year old after all and only had three full years of magical training under his belt. Most of his magic still happened instinctual and could not be called on command.

Still, Talon was more than grateful to get out of the stuffy old shop where he worked as Morgan's apprentice.

He hadn't seen his family much in the past few years, but he had heard that his brother Florence had begun his apprenticeship as a knight, while Lovell had started the early stages of training with their father. His brother Gingalain would begin his own training the next year.

He didn't see them much and he missed them.

Talon sighed as he made his way deep into the forest, a list in one hand and a basket with a knife in the other. He had been sent out to gather potion ingredients. This forest was notorious for having plenty of the magical herbs…as well as many mythical creatures. Word had it that a young dragon had been spotted and that hunters had been searching for the beast. Talon hoped that they would never find the beautiful beast.

A frightened cry caught Talon's ears, and he began running in the direction, only to find that his hopes had already been crushed.

The beautiful black dragon had been captured by heavy chains and a group of hunters surrounded it, ready to make the killing blow.

"STOP!"

The hunters looked confused when Talon stepped in front of the dragon, seemingly not afraid of the beast that was struggling to be free behind him.

"Get out of the way kid. We're only doing our job!"

"Your job? You kill innocent creatures. There have only been dragon sightings, there have been no missing livestock or people. This dragon has done nothing to hurt anyone."

The hunters laughed, and one of them took a swipe at the dragon, only to have the branched of a tree reach out and rip him off of the ground, binding him to the trunk. Talon turned slowly to look at the others, and the trees around them did the same, binding them as they had bound the dragon.

Talon moved closer to the dragon and touched its muzzle, rubbing it slowly.

"Hold on young dragon. I'm going to get these bindings off of you."

Talon grabbed one of the swords and started using it to pry up the stakes driven deep into the ground holding the chains in place. When the dragon was free it spread its wings and took to the sky.

~~~~~****~~~~~

Talon had started searching for the magical herbs that his aunt wanted him to collect. His basket was nearly filled with them when a strong wind picked up. Talon covered the herbs with his body to keep them from blowing away. A loud thump behind him revealed that the dragon had landed.

Talon turned slowly and smiled.

"It isn't safe here dragon."

The dragon let smoke curl out of his nose.

"I am beginning to see that. I have done nothing and still those humans attacked."

Talon rubbed the dragon's nose before hugging it.

"These are tough times for dragons. I'll speak to King Arthur about it. There is no reason that you should have to fear for your life when you have done nothing wrong."

The dragon curled its lips up in a smile, though it looked more like it was snarling. The dragon wrapped its wings around Talon and spoke one last time.

"You are a friend of dragons. We will come whenever you call young human."

The slightest pain rippled through Talon's back as the mark of a dragon took over his back, marking him as a friend to all dragons.

~~~~~****~~~~~

A dragon landed in the center of a busy market square in Camelot. Talon slowly slid off of the dragon's back, the beast's tail guiding him down safely. Talon waved good bye to the dragon as it flew off, shocking everyone within the village, including his aunt.

Part 6

End of an Era

Sweat poured down Talon's face as he sparred with his father and brother. A year before he had begun training with a sword at his father's insistence and Morgan had agreed…as long as he spent most of his day on his magic.

Talon could do many high level spells and brew almost any potion. At nine…Talon was just a few short years away from the end of his apprenticeship.

A falcon flying overhead caused the spar to end. It was a signal.

It wasn't long ago that his cousin Mordred had become a traitor, wanting the thrown for himself. Mordred had gathered his own army, and the falcon was to be the sign that the war was about to start.

Gawain sighed and closed his eyes. "I fear that this is the end of an era." He kissed each of his sons on the head before heading to war.

~~~~~****~~~~~

Talon was panting by the time he arrived on the shore. King Arthur had been mortally wounded and Mordred had been killed. Talon watched as the boat holding his uncle Arthur and his aunt Morgan began to sail off.

"Father was right…it is the end of an era…"

~~~~~****~~~~~

Arthur had been laid to rest in Avalon, and yet Talon was still at a funeral. His stepmother had gotten sick and passed away. Rumor had it that she had been cursed for betraying her king Arthur by giving Mordred secrets that Arthur had told only Gawain.

No one really knew what had happened though.

Talon wrapped his arms around Gingalain. "I am sorry brother."

Gingalain pushed his brother away, causing him to trip on a stone and fall. Talon looked up at his brother with wide eyes.

"It was you, wasn't it? You never liked my mother."

Gingalain spat at Talon's feet before walking away, leaving his half brother alone in his confusion.

Part 7

Death of a Legend

Morgan ushered Talon into Merlin's bedchambers. The great wizard was on his deathbed and had asked to speak with Talon.

Morgan left the room, allowing Talon to sit on the stool beside the old man.

"Talon…you are destined for greatness." Merlin seemed to struggle to speak and breathe. "You…will be the one…to save Camelot…and lead it back to greatness."

Twelve year old Talon looked confused. "What do you mean Merlin? How is that possible? I'm just a boy."

Merlin took Talon's hand and smiled. "But you will be great. I have always seen greatness in you."

Merlin took a deep breath. "In a time of war and corruption, you will set things right."

Merlin patted Talon's hand before drawing his last breath.

Part 8

Alone

Morgan sat Talon down with a bright smile on her face.

"There is nothing more I can teach you Talon, you have finished your apprenticeship."

A large grin came to Talon's face, and his oceanic blue eyes sparkled with glee. Talon hugged his aunt before pulling away when a battle weary knight opened the door, pain contorting his face.

The knight removed his helmet and kneeled.

"It is my deepest regret to inform young Lord Talon…that Sir Gawain has fallen in battle.

~~~~~****~~~~~

Talon stood far away from his brothers. The three of them still believed that he had killed their mother. He wondered if they thought that he was responsible for this too. He wouldn't be surprised with the way that they were looking at him.

Talon closed his eyes before turning away as his father's body was set upon a burning raft and set adrift on the lake. A crystalline tear fell from Talon's eyes as he walked away from the last of his family.

Part 9

Run

Talon's life ended during the summer of his fourteenth year. His father had died exactly one year ago, and now an army was marching upon Camelot. They would be there by dawn. He had packed up all of his belongings inside of a trunk and shrunk them down to a manageable size. He didn't let anyone know that he was leaving as he walked away from Camelot.

~~~~~****~~~~~

It had been a month since Talon had left Camelot. He had traveled night and day for one week before choosing a spot in the middle of the woods to build a cabin. With his magic it had only taken fourteen hours to build the cabin properly.

He was working on gathering food when Morgan came. By the look in her eyes…he knew that it was with bad news.

"What news do you have Morgan."

Morgan sat down on a log and looked at her nephew.

"Your mother was discovered burned to death by dragon fire. Your brothers have all fallen in the war. I am sorry"

Talon looked away.

"What of Camelot?"

"It fell in three days. The people are all filled with despair. Why did you run?"

Talon looked away. "The weight of the world should never be set upon the back of a child. The Lady of the Lake and Merlin were foolish to have chosen me."

Talon looked up at the sky, letting his tears fall.

"Perhaps I will make up for what I have done one day…but for now…I am just a child who couldn't help but run."

Morgan kissed his forehead softly.

"You will be given a second chance…I just know it"


Author's Note - There will be 6 chapters to this story.

Also, if you check my profile, you will find a link to the playlists for this story and Another Life.

Enjoy, and remember to review. I will right the sequel to Another Life after I have finished this story!