(Fourteen Years Ago)

"But….but father!" a much younger Onyx yelled. "You can't go!"

"I must my son. We must. Someday you will understand and part of life is learning how to let go."

"NO! How could you do this to me and not tell me! You cannot leave me! I need you and Mother to help me become Emperor! I'm not ready!"

"Onyx you have proved yourself ready and worthy of the crown far more than what is needed to satisfy us. You will do fine , my son."

"NO! You can't just leave me! What about Timmy or Massi or Alex! They can't be without you!"

"Onyx, if we died tomorrow, what would you do?" the Empress gently asked her eldest son and child. She was holding her infant daughter who was wrapped in a blanket in her arms.

"Mother please do not even talk about that!"

"But it is the truth my dear Onnie. Death and separation are essential parts of life that we must learn to live with."

"NO! YOU ARE BOTH SELFISH! You're only thinking about what you want and how things are hard for you! But what about us? We need a mother and a father in our lives! Please! I am begging you, mama, please just stay! Stay with me!" The Empress knelt down to her son and kissed his forehead passionately.

"Onnie, denying the truth will not change it. It will only make it hurt more." she whispered.

"Your mother is right. Onyx you were chosen to be born as the heir to the throne. You are entitled to it much more than I ever was at your age."

"But why do you have to go!?"

"Our place is not here, my son," the King said. "It is out there," he said, pointing beyond the bright ocean view of the palace where the setting sun met the water. "A world out there where the sun shines every day. Something like Heaven."

"Do you not care about us anymore? Are we too much of a burden on you that you do not love any of us anymore?"

"Of course not Onnie."

"THEN WHY ARE YOU LEAVING US!?"

"We are not leaving any of you and we love you more than life itself. We are leaving behind the dreaded dream of this Empire's criticisms and worries."

"That is the same thing! How can you say that!?"

"You will understand in time."

"You always say that! How many times have I actually understood anything bad that happens!?"

"Because you haven't waited long enough."

"What about Gwenny?" Onyx asked as he stared at the teeny baby his mother was holding.

"What about her?"

"She's just a baby. What do you want me to say to her when she asks about you: "That you just abandoned her because you're too pressured to raise a life that you chose to bring into the world?"

"We are not abandoning any of you."

"Well you sure are abandoning your problems to me!"

"Onyx you mustn't think that! These duties and responsibilities are passed down to you as they were to me from my father. Ruling is your destiny. It is our custom: The law of the Empire. You were born as heir for a reason. To take my place and fulfill a destiny that was not meant for me. It is a great duty and honor." Onyx bowed his head.

"I understand father. It is my calling. I am sorry for disagreeing with you. But there is nothing you can say to stop me from missing or loving you."

"I feel the same way, Onnie," the Queen said with a smile before walking up to her son and gently giving him his swaddled sister. "She is yours to protect Onyx."

"Yes mother."

"But I have something for her. Something for her to remember us by." the queen said as she pulled out a golden key on a red ribbon and placed it around the baby's neck.

"The key?" Onyx asked.

"Indeed. One day she will be able to use the stone's power with ease. It is her gift to be connected to its magic as it is yours to be crowned Emperor. You must make her promise to never lose it. This key is the only way to access the family pendant."

"Yes Father."

The three other sons came out to bid their parents a tearful farewell. When the sun had just fallen, the ex Emperor and Empress rode off into the horizon. The boys were all crying but Onyx tried his hardest to stay strong for his younger siblings.

"Oh why did they have to go Onnie?" the third eldest brother asked tearfully.

"I don't know Massi." Onyx replied.

"But Onyx, what about Gwenny? What will we tell her?" Timothy squeaked.

"That her parents were somebody great," he said as he lifted his baby sister more into view. "I promise, I will not let anything happen to you." he whispered.


"Not even a few months after Guinevere was born, Eoghan (AN: Pronounced like Owen) and Riana left their children alone in the world. Poor Onyx had so much placed on his shoulders at such a young age," Astella explained. "That might be the reason for his bitterness now. I feel he thinks he failed as a brother and as a King."

"But if something happens to Cameron, can he become Emperor again?" Arthur asked.

"I am afraid not. The Leoderance crown can only be given once, and if taken away, cannot be re-established, no matter what incident has occurred. Guinevere is the only rightful living heir. If Cameron loses his power, she will be crowned Empress."

"I see."

Astella paused for a long time before resuming.

"I should go talk to Onyx. Maybe I could knock some sense into him. Please feel free to tell me if you've figured out a way to reverse all this. Your help is much appreciated." she said as she exited the room.

"So what do we do now?" Arthur asked as he tried to forget everything he had just heard.

"It's what do you do my boy." Merlin said as he pointed to the boy.

"But you heard Onyx. What can I do? And why do I have to be the one to help when I can barely spell?"

"Because you're the King of England. You pulled the sword from the stone did you not? You can run from what you are not all you want but cannot run from what you are. I have held responsibilities like this, myself as well."

"Then why don't you help her Merlin? You're the one with the magic. Not me."

"Because I have told you, magic cannot solve all your problems. The only one who can help her is you."

"Why did you bring her here in the first place? She caused nothing but trouble."

"Life is full of troubles my boy. Troubles you cannot run from or magic away. Sometimes you have to just face them. It is called being a ruler and having responsibilities. Don't you understand that lad?"

"Well maybe I don't want all this responsibility! Maybe I never wanted to pull the sword from the stone! Did you ever even try to think about that!? Before everybody treated me like nothing because that's what I was! But when I actually do something important, everyone, even you , starts to shove all this pressure on me that I don't even want! I never did!"

"Well then, I apologize. If you deny responsibility and your place as King, that means that you deny yourself, your parent's legacy and you could care less if the girl dies," he said as he got up and became the third person to walk out the door. "I am sorry for putting so much pressure on you. I shall leave you be." Arthur sighed as he was left alone in the room. He sighed as he looked at Hazel's necklace.

"You said you would always be here." he said to it, heartbroken.


(SPEAKING IN GAELIC)

"Where is the key Cameron!?" The Pictish Emperor and his men had set up a small tent in the wilderness. The brilliant moon beamed down on them as all four of them circled around a fire.

"I don't know. She should have had it! I explicitly remember seeing Riana giving it to her! If Onyx finds it I will never get the Eye of Leodegrance. Better yet that stupid kid Guinevere could be rescued any time now and dethrone me!

"Not to mention put you out of your debt with the witch." one of the advisors chirped.

"I do not recall giving you permission to speak, Sir Aodhan!" the Emperor hissed.

"Wait Cameron…you don't know where the Eye of Leodegrance is?"

"I never said that! It is in my possession, I just cannot access it without the key."

"Then where is it?"

"I have no idea! Guinevere doesnt have it so Onyx must! I have to get him too! However whether he dies or not is of no importance, but he must never see Scotland again as long as he lives!

"What about Pendragon? If I am correct, he has a friend with unimaginable magical powers. Is this a threat?"

"Not to us it isn't. I will have Mim deal with the old magic sage. Sure he will easily dominate her but before he does we will have already won."

"What about the boy himself Cameron? He is still King whether or not he is weak. He controls all of England and that includes their army which is much larger than ours."

"Have you not learned that I am always two steps ahead in this wonderful thing we like to call a battle? Don't worry. They may have conquered us in the past, but not anymore! King namby-pamby will not be a problem. Everything has fallen into place and we are nearing the final countdown. It is time for us to strike."

To Be Continued…..