A thin layer of the pure white snow, which was still falling steadily blanketed the ground, making the clearing seen at once serene and foreboding. The skeletons of once flowery trees stood black against the empty landscape, every knot and twist in their branches so pronounced that they began to look like figures of gods and monsters all locked together in a large seething a single creature moved, all of them having burrowed deep into the ground days ago before the worst of the chill could set in and the ground frozen to hard to move.

A young women pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders, doing the best she could to keep the bundel she held tightly to her chest warm, it's royal blue color seeming so alien in the black and white surroundings.

She might have once been a rare beauty, but the frigid wind had leeched the color out of her once rosy cheeks, leaving it weather beaten and deathly white. Her long brown hair had long since fallen out of the long plait it had been in the morning before, falling out piece by piece as she ran through the silent forest. Strands of it stuck to her face at odd angles giving her a look of some wild fury, and yet she still managed to look regal almost dignified.

There was a cracking noise, from somewhere deeper into the woods, breaking into the silence like the sound of a drum. The woman froze, her large electric blue eyes, flashing a dull gold, as a group of ten men emerged from the trees and made there way towards her. Their red cloaks shone the color of freshly spilt blood, a violent crimson, in the white light of the snow. It was a wonder she hadn't heard them earlier, for the sound of their heavy chain-mail shifting as they walked should have been sufficient warning. One of the men walked a little ahead of the others, a strained expression on his handsome face. He gestured for the company of knights (for they were Knights) to come to him. She saw the crests stitched carefully onto the breast of their cloaks and took a sharp intake of breath.

Camelot.

The man who appeared to be in charge looked up quickly, steely blue eyes scanning the space before him as if he knew that someone was there, his hand moved down to rest on the hilt of his sword.

He moved forward, taking slow,even steps until he stood only a few paces away from where she stood, not daring to even blink lest the knight should sense it. But of course that was ridiculous, the enchantment would hold, he could not know they were there.

The young women raised her eyes to the mans face. His hair was cut short, a deep chestnut brown, which contrasted sharply with his cold blue grey eyes. There was no emotion in them, no love,remorse, or even anger, just calculation. He slowly raised his hand and made to reach out, his long, thin fingers a hairs breadth away from her, and then "Sire! we must make haste! the dragon scum has run to the west, word has been sent from sir Hart that they are in pursuit."

The man, King Uther Pendragon of camelot turned abruptly what ever he had seen or thought he had seen completely forgotten.

"James ride back to the castle and have things made ready for my return! Liam, William, we shall join sir hart in the hunt." He crossed back to the company in a few long strides and mounted his horse, before galloping back into the warren of branches and snow.

Slowly, but surely the noise faded away, once again leaving the clearing in complete silence.

Hunith breathed a deep sigh of relief. they were safe... but Balinor...he... it did not bare thinking about. he was a grown man, a lord of Dragons no less, he could fend for himself. She slowly pulled back the top fold of her cloak, meaning to steal a glance at the tiny bod pressed to her breast, asleep no doubt. She was meet with the stare of blue the color of a spring day staring back at her. Unblinking and level. She put the flap back in place slowly, carefull not to dislodge her little boy.

And hen she ran, and didn't stop until she reached the tiny town on the boarder of Cenred's kingdom, where they stayed in peace for almost seventeen years until everything went to hell.