Percival's life fell into a steady rhythm and he felt more at peace than he had ever done since leaving home. Perhaps even more at peace than he had ever felt in his life. He was growing older and wiser because of all that had happened since that time.

Most of a year had gone by since he came to Camelot and he had reached twenty-two years of age when one very early morning he was returning to the Castle from a night patrol with Sir Leon who was Arthur's most trusted knight, and three other knights. They were riding along the high road.

"Look there," sir Leon suddenly said and directed his companions' attention to a figure running frantically along the road ahead of them.

"It's just a girl," one of the knights said.

"She looks scared to death." This was Sir Leon speaking again. "You go and get her, Percival. Children always take well to you."

That was true. Somehow the children always seemed to gather around him in the villages where he worked, and he genuinely enjoyed playing with them and making up games for them.

He galloped forwards to catch up with the girl. When he closed in on her from behind, the first thing he noticed was her tangled pale blonde hair and her bleeding feet.

"Stop!" he called.

The frightened girl did not react at first, but then she slowed down and stopped. Percival reined in his horse and dismounted. The others had said that he was good with children, but when he knelt down on one knee in front of her in the hope he would be less intimidating that way, he realised that this girl could hardly be defined as a child for much longer. She was probably around twelve or thirteen. Soon she would begin turning into a woman.

"Where are you going?" he asked in as friendly and reassuring a manner as he could.

The girl stared at him with big, pale blue eyes that were full of pain. "Ca – Camelot," she said timidly.

"What for?" he asked.

"They're all dead. In my village. They were killed. My mum, dad, everyone …" Tears filled her eyes and she started sobbing. Soon she was crying fiercely. Percival wasn't entirely sure what to do.

"There now," he said, still very calmly. "Don't be scared. You're safe now. We'll take you to Camelot. You can tell me what happened on the way. Would that be alright?"

The girl stopped crying. For a moment she just looked at him, probably trying to decide whether she could trust him or not. Then she nodded.

"Good," he said and tried a little smile. "What's your name?"

"Drea."

"Don't worry, Drea. I'm Percival. I'll look after you. Alright?"

She nodded once more, looking much less scared.

He signalled for her to come with him. Then he lifted her onto the horse and mounted up behind her.

"Hold on tight," he said and obediently she grabbed a whisk of the horse's mane in each hand and twisted them around her fingers.

On the way he tried to get her to tell more. She had said that many people in her village had been killed. This was very serious. Arthur would have to know as quickly as possible.

"How old are you, Drea?" he asked.

"Thirteen."

"What's the name of your village?"

"Clunsdale."

That was one of the villages he had been working in. He paused for a while before asking another question. He did not want her to feel pressured. If she did, she might not tell any more. Also, he truly felt sorry for her. He knew what it was like to lose your family, and he had not even seen it happen in his own case.

"Did someone attack you?" he then asked.

"Yes, in a way," she answered mysteriously.

Slowly, question by question, he unravelled her terrible story. Apparently the new enemy was not flesh and blood, but rather a form of spirit beings. It sounded incredible, but he did not think she was lying.