Hi everyone, So I'm back for another story and a lot of people have asked for a sequel to hidden truth. I have no idea what to do about that story so while I try to come up with an interesting plot ideas welcome.I have done a small prequel when our young couple first met when they were kids. I hope you enjoy it.


A Friendship always has a beginning –A prequel to Hidden truth

Chapter 1: The elements of winter

The blizzard had raged for days on end, it was turning out to be an extremely cold winter. The snow had continued to fall, wind whipped around moving chilling air that could freeze the tips of your nose. A heavy blanked of snow covered the ground knee deep, for the time being the snow had eased to a slow fall of sparkling snow crystals, but it was at all likely to turn nasty again. A small village was quiet as all the residence stoked their fires and curled together with multiple blankets to ward of the chill, no one would be sane enough to be out in the elements during the storm.

Unfortunately about a day's ride from the quiet village a king and his daughter had been caught in the horrible weather. The skid marks in the snow could be seen easily, indicating where the carriage had skidded through the snow in its mad long dash to separate the royals from the knights fighting the group of desperate bandits looking for food to survive the winter. The horse had broken away from the front of the carriage and continued to run away from the fright never to be seen again. The poor unfortunate soul who had been the driver had been thrown off the carriage and landed with a sickening thud into a tree dropping lifeless to the snow covered ground. The king was propped upright in the amount of shelter the tipped carriage provided, breathing heavily as his broken ribs protested with every breath, sending searing white hot pain into his chest. The cold ground was not helping as it soaked the layers of the king's brilliant purple fur cloak that was now covered in snow and blood. The broken ribs where only the beginning to the king's injuries, a long gash on his face and arm accompanied the numerous bruisers as well as a crushed ankle; that was currently trapped under the carriage when it had tipped. He could not move far from his position, he called out in panic "Cassie, Can you hear me? Are you alright?" the worry and fear for his daughter evident in the waver of his voice.

There was a small squeak and shuffling, as a girl of almost 7 seasons stumbled out of the wreckage, miraculously with minimal injury. She blinked from the bright glare coming from the snow covered ground, shaking her head a little to stop the world from spinning. She crawled over to her father staring with wide frightened eyes at all the blood. "Father what happened "she whispered trying to control the tears that threatened to fall.

The king sighed in relief when he saw that his precious angel was ok, she had a shallow cut on her head that was slowly bleeding , but would soon stop and an impressive array of cuts and bruises that littered her hands and face.

"It's ok Cassie, we were attacked, but the horse took us away. He was too scared and broke away when the carriage tipped." The king replied reassuring his frightened daughter by using his pet name for her.

He gave her a smile and a hug as she came over to help him.

"Can you move? What do I do to stop the bleeding, Where's Sebastian?" She asked

The king glanced at the lifeless driver and turned away with sad eyes, He knew he would not be able to move without help. "I'm sorry Cassie Sebastian is dead. You must stay strong. You need to go get help, I cannot escape the carriage. I'm stuck. "

"No "she gasped tears starting to leak from the corners of her eyes. "I won't leave you I want to stay" she whispered in desperation

"NO! You must go for help you cannot stay here. Head straight through the trees and keep the sun at your back during the morning and in front during the afternoon. A bright star will appear at night you know the one, I always show you, keep it on your left. "He replied commandingly grabbing the thick fur coat that was lying close at hand and pulling it around her shoulders to keep the icy wind off her body. He then grasped her hands and forced a brightly jewelled dagger into her hands. "Take this for protection, you will be fine. When you reach the village tell them what happened. Never let anyone touch the dagger it's only for you. "The king told the young scared girl before him, he reached up to brush away the tears with his thumb and embraced his only child. A gentle kiss was placed on her head. "Go be safe. I love you with all my heart" and he gave the girl a small push away.

The young girl nodded and whispered back " I love you too and I will be back soon, Hold on father" she tightened her cloak about her, tears running down her cheeks and turned her back on the only family she had left, to make her way through the deep snow to find help.

OoO

It was almost two days later in the dead of the night when a violent banging on the door of a small cottage in the quiet village alerted its owners that someone was desperately trying to get in. A small voice cried through the door "Please help me! Can you hear me?"

"Mother what is that "a young boy of almost eight summers replied blearily, his mop of black hair sticking up messily from sleep.

"Hush go back to sleep " A middle aged woman replied , with authority softened by the hint of fondness as she got up wrapping a shawl around her shoulders to ward off the chill to answer the door.

When she opened the door, she gasped in surprise at the young girl; tears frozen to her cheeks, wide scared and desperate eyes pleading for help. Blood was running in congealed blobs down the child's face from a cut on the head, she was shivering from head to toe and looked exhausted. "Oh child what ever happened to you, come in" the kindly woman offered helping the young girl over the threshold and pulling her close.

"My…My…..Father…pl…pl….ease…help" The frozen girl stuttered out before collapsing and passing out.

The kindly woman quickly caught the girl and rushed her to the small cot in the corner that was her own bed. She looked up and saw her son staring with wide eyes in worry at the young girl before him.

"Quickly Merlin get some yarrow, it's on the table and hand me a couple of blankets" the mother urged as she started to remove the wet clothing from the shivering girl. The boy Merlin handed over the herbs and blankets before turning away in embarrassment from the half-naked girl on his mother's bed to heat some water in the open fire. When the water had boiled he placed it in an animal skinned water sack that would help warm the girl. He turned around slowly and noticed the girl was now wrapped tightly in blankets and her clothes where hanging over a chair near the fire. She had stop shivering, but was now tossing and turning muttering under her breath. Merlin felt sorry for the girl, she looked so sad and alone and she had obviously been hurt if the cut on her head and the bruises that had turned bright shades of purple was anything to go by.

"Is she alright? Who is she?" Merlin asked as he sat down on the end of the cot

"Yes, she will be fine in a little while; she has a slight fever and is exhausted. She must have come a long way. We will know more when she wakes up" Merlin's mother Hunith replied.

Merlin gave a large yawn and a shiver as his neck prickled with the cold, "Go on now back to bed "

"Ok Goodnight "Merlin mumbled as he shuffled back to his small cot.