The cart shook and bumped the whole way to Camelot. Nimueh had to struggle to hang on and accomplish what her father had said.

Her mother looked so pale; it scared Nimueh to see her like that, so weak and frail. Ninniane said that mum was dying but Nimueh didn't believe her. Their mother was strong; she wouldn't just die from some stupid sickness.

"Mam?" The sick woman slowly opened her eyes, gently smiling at her daughter.

"Yes Nimph?"

"Don't die, please don't die!"

Her mother's eyes became sad. "Of course I won't sweetheart. You'd be all alone with your sister then, and we can't have that."

Nimueh giggled and began to smooth her mother's brow.

"I'm going to tell you a story."

And she did. For the rest of the way to Camelot she told her mother story after story.

Finally the cart arrived at the gates to the city. They followed the crowd until they reached the gate. Guards were lined up, telling everyone where to go. One turned to her father. "Reason for being in the city?"

"We are here to see the physician, my wife is sick."

The guard nodded and gave the baker directions then motioned for him to leave.

As they entered the city, Nimueh gasped in amazement.

She had never seen a place so big in her life! There were people everywhere. They were walking around, bartering with others, there were mothers holding babies, children running around playing games, and for Nimueh, best of all were all the sorcerers.

They were everywhere. Some were preforming; amazing little tricks that had everyone watching gasping with wonder. There were some who were just using it to complete mundane tasks; there was one woman who had a rug beating itself while her clothes washed themselves.

It was all so wonderful and Nimueh was standing up in the cart, squealing in delight. It took everything in her power not to run out of the cart and to the nearest magician. Her mother clasped her hand between her weak ones and smiled up at her daughter. Nimueh returned it and immediately took to ranting about the amazing things she had seen.

Soon her father was throwing back comments of his own and Nimueh had never been happier.

They came quickly to the palace courtyard and Nimueh was even more amazed than before. The palace was HUGE! There were towers and battlements and it was beautiful.

Her father pulled the cart off to the side and ran to talk to a guard. Nimueh stayed in the cart and looked around, trying to commit everything to memory.

Soon her father came back. He motioned for her to get out of the cart, then he moved to pick up her mother.

She fought at the idea of him carrying her all the way to the physician's chambers, but it was only halfhearted and she was too weak to move on her own.

The baker began to walk towards a door and Nimueh trotted slowly behind.

They walked up a few flights of stairs, and Nimueh was disappointed to note that they didn't run into anyone.

Soon they were at a wooden door. Nimueh's father knocked and they waited a few moments.

She could hear the sounds of someone tripping over themselves, and there were a few muttered words that she couldn't quite make out.

The door opened and Nimueh saw a young man, not much more than a boy. "Yes? What can I do for you?"

"Are you Nerdren, the court physician?" The man shook his head. "I am Gaius, his apprentice. Nerdren is out seeing a patient. If you tell me what you need, I may be able to help.

Nimueh's father nodded and began to speak. "I am Deiniol. My wife is gravely ill and I was hoping Nerdren might be able to help her."

The man raised one of his thick eyebrows then took her mother from her father's arms. "I will take a look, see what I can do. My master should be back soon; you can wait here until he does. I suppose you are not from Camelot?" He waited for the baker to respond with a shake of the head before he continued. He then began walking back into the room and gestured for the others to follow.

Once inside, Nimueh immediately began to look around. The room was small and very cluttered. There was a table in the center of the room piled with notes, many books, and things Nimueh had never seen in her life.

There was also a door to another room and Nimueh desperately wanted to see what was inside.

Gaius moved quickly to the back of the room and placed the sick woman on a cot. He then turned back to Nimueh and her father. "You both can try to get comfortable, though I don't know where you'll sit."

The baker stepped forward and began clearing himself a spot at the table and Nimueh immediately followed.

They sat there for a while, watching Gaius as he worked, placing a wet cloth on the mother's forehead and moving around the workplace, grabbing different items and mixing strange concoctions.

Soon the door opened and a tall man walked in. He had grey hair that was beginning to bald and a cool stare that made Nimueh's blood grow cooled.

The man's eyes widened when he saw the people in his workshop and his eyes immediately sought out his apprentice.

"Gaius, who are these people?"

The boy's head shot up in surprise; he had obviously not heard the door open. "This is Deiniol and his daughter. His wife is gravely ill and he came here to see if we could help."

Deiniol stood up and moved towards Nerdred. "I can pay, whatever you charge I can pay. Please, she needs help."

Nerdred's gaze became sympathetic and he nodded, then moved forward to shake the baker's hand. "Alright, I will see what I can do. But your daughter must go and wait in the back room; this is no place for a child." He nodded in Nimueh's direction then strode past them towards the patient, not giving Deiniol time to respond.

Nimueh pouted and turned to her father to argue, but he just shook his head and scowled. "He is right love. Just go and wait in the room, maybe try and get some sleep. I will come and get you if anything changes."

The girl sighed and stomped over to the door, turning as she reached it and suck her tongue at her father.

The room was bare, with nothing but a bed, a window, and a cumboard. Nimueh's eyes immediately found the window and she ran to it. She stared at the city for what felt like hours, memorizing every detail, studying people as they past.

It was boring in that room. The adults were taking forever and Nimueh didn't like it one bit. She tried to distract herself, but the room was so small it was a hard task. Eventually, she fell asleep.

She was awoken by a hand grasping her shoulder.

The motion startled her and she felt her magic reach out in defense. She heard the intruder fly into the wall and she immediately turned to look, suddenly worried.

She saw the physician's apprentice laying crumpled by the door, beginning to rise.

He looked unhurt but very surprised and Nimueh grew nervous. "I didn't mean to, but you should really not wake people like that."

The boy got to his feet and gaped for a minute until he finally found the words to speak. "How did you do that? That was powerful magic, and it was instinctive! You didn't even say a spell!"

The child's little heart filled with delight at the obvious impressed look on Gaius' face and she smiled. "Yes, I did. I've always been very good with magic but I don't know any spells. Now tell me, how is my mother?"

Gaius' smile fell and he grew serious. Nimueh's happiness instantly fled as a sense of foreboding filled her mind. "You see, the sickness was very far along and your mother was already beginning to die. There was nothing we could do."

Nimueh screamed and she bolted out of the room, running until she reached her father who was seated at the table with his head in his hands. He looked up when he felt his daughter's presence and he immediately gathered her in his arms.

"I'm sorry little Nimph, they tried, but it must have been her time."

The girl shook her head and she whipped her head around, seeking out her mother's lithe form.

She saw Gaius and Nerdred with their heads bent together, discussing something in quiet whispers, but no mother.

Her head turned back to her father. "Where is she."

The baker sighed, a heavy, depressing sigh. "I did not feel it was a good idea for you to see your mother like that. As soon as her life faded, Nerdred sent for guards to take the body. He was able to arrange for her to be buried right at the edge of the city."

At her father's words, Nimueh burst into tears and buried her face in his shoulder.

They stayed that way for hours, sharing their grieve.

The hug was interrupted by the physician, a cynical expression on his face. He turned to Nimueh, looked into her eyes, and began to speak. "I hear you have impressive magic, I would like to see."