Prologue

Sunlight streaming through the canopy, caressing my face, my body like a long forgotten lover. My lungs expand and I breathe. In out, in out, oh how glorious it is to breathe the sweet, fresh air of the living. My dark hair is a mess, charred and ragged were I hacked it with my sword. But my limbs are blessedly free of marks, and my hair will regrow. I laugh, throwing my arms back to embrace the dawn as it creeps over the rise.

I am alive!

But where am I?

The Valar have sent me back, to protect the mortal Queen. Well where was this mortal Queen? And was I even dressed?

I looked down, a white tunic and black leggings met my gaze.

Well that was a relief, can't go meeting a Queen in nothing but my skin.

I began walking; well it should be called stumbling because I seemed to be unable to get my limbs in perfect working order. Damn Mandos! Couldn't he have at least taught me to walk before he gave me a body? No it was just too much work for him. Can't have Ecthelion knowing how to use his new body now can we? Can't even send Glorfindel with Ecthelion, he might have fun. Oh no, we had to send Glorfindel back to Arda a million years ago!

I gave up on walking and sat myself down at the base of a tree; if they want me to protect a Queen then they had better bring the Queen to me.

It was a nice day, the sun was warm and the air was sweet. Soon I fell asleep, lulled by the gentle hum of the stream.

XXX

Ygraine shuddered mentally, oh how Uther disgusted her, thinking she did not know his lustful thoughts as he imagined undressing her again and again. She had begged her husband, Goloris, to take her away from Camelot. But the lord could not allow her to leave, no matter how much he loved his wife he could not disobey his King. And so Ygraine had gone riding, alone as she preferred her own company to that of any honour guard Uther wished to send with her.

The lady threw back her head and laughed in wild exuberance as she urged her horse faster, leaping over logs as she expertly navigated the forest trail. She espied a dark shape huddled at the base of a tree and immediately dug her heels, stopping the horse. It was a man, a young man by the looks of it. Ragged and dirty and charred but still exceedingly fair, his eyes closed in sleep. The lady had no idea why that alarmed her but she immediately swung off the horse, cautiously approaching the boy.

His eyes snapped open and Ygraine held her breath as she was analysed with cold, deep grey eyes.

He blinked and Ygraine was released from the spell.

"Who-who are you", the lady whispered.

"Ecthelion", he said, his voice hoarse and raw sounding, and then blinked, a look of pain crossing his features. "I don't feel too good".

Ygraine momentarily felt a pang of guilt before resolve pushed it out of the way. She reached out and heaved the man to his feet, he really was quite light she noticed distantly.

"Come", she said briskly when he tried to struggle, "You are in pain and in need of a physician. Come".

And Ecthelion gazed into her eyes with his oh-so-old ones. "Yes, my Queen", said he and Ygraine felt a pang of foreboding chill her blood even as she denied it.

Ecthelion just smiled knowingly, and let her help him onto his horse.

So she was a Queen who did not know what she was, and that was the best kind.

Should I continue?