Destiny of Camelot; Destiny of a Druid

The sky was dark with rain clouds and a wind whipped the trees of the forests that surrounded Camelot. A hooded figure slowly made it's way through the lower town, the figure made no attempt to hide as guards on patrol made their way down the same path.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

The figure lifted it's hidden head and lifted it's hand and pointed to the guard that spoke.

"Ah...urgh...help" A weak voice begged.

The figure fell to their knees and then lay fully on the ground. The rains started. The guards looked at each other questioningly and jogged towards the fallen figure. The rain was heavy and got heavier and pelted off the armour with a high pitched 'ping' and in other parts with a low pitched 'pang'. Chain mail clanking as they lifted up the fallen figure and made their way back to the castle with haste; their captive was bleeding heavily.

Other guards looked on with interest at the small group of patrol guards and the mysterious cloaked figure being carried into the castle grounds and then into the halls of the castle it's self; why? What had happened? Was their trouble? The guards made their way to the chambers of the court physician not knocking before they entered his room. Gaius, the court physician, woke with a start and jumped out of his bed.

"What is the meaning of this?!" He asked in shock.

"We found him on the outskirts of the high town, he's bleeding badly and in need of service" One guard explained.

A door opened and Merlin, Gaius's apprentice ran out with drooping eyes.

"What's wrong?!" He half shouted.

Gaius turned to Merlin.

"We need water and blankets, find me a needle and thread" Gaius ordered.

Merlin nodded and got to work running around the room gathering the supplies. Gaius lit all the candles he could and cleared his bench for the guards to put the person down. Gaius could see a dark red stain coming through the light blue cloak. He began to worry.

"Help me take off his cloak"

Gaius and the guards then took off the cloak and the hood slipped down and the guards gasped; it was a woman. They began to blush and murmur.

"I thought you would of had a look to see who the person was before helping them into the castle" Gaius said.

"She was injured, of course we wanted to help straight away" A guard replied with a hint of anger.

Gaius shrugged it off and took a cloth to wipe the blood from the clothes. He looked at the girls face and felt sorrow cross his heart, she was so young, why would someone attack a young woman like her? Bowl's clattered on the side of the bench as Merlin put down the supplies.

"OK what do you need help with?"

"I need to cut away part of her dress to get at the wound."

Gaius picked up his scissors and began to cut away a large piece of the corset topped dress. The bones of the corset making it more difficult to do. Footsteps could be heard and torches lightened the corridor outside the door as Prince Arthur Pendragon and two more guards entered the room.

"Gaius, what's going on?" Arthur asked.

"This young lady was attacked she needs my urgent help"

"What happened?" Arthur turned to the four guards that found the woman.

"We were on patrol and found her making her way slowly to the castle, she must have been coming for help when she suddenly collapsed and we brought her to the castle"

Arthur nodded.

"Did you see anyone else? Did she say anything?"

"No Sire, all she said was 'help' "

Arthur nodded and looked down at the young lady and wondered; why would someone want to hurt her? She doesn't look like someone to cause trouble. Gaius started to clean the wound and once most of the blood had been cleared away his eyes widened. The wound was larger than he expected and it was evident that she had been stabbed with a sword that had gone in deeper than just the tip of it. Merlin got more clean cloth and helped Gaius as he continued to clean the wound and then began to stitch up the gaping hole in the girls side. Twenty minutes had passed, Merlin wiped the girl's head as beads of sweat formed on her head; she had a fever.

Who was this girl? Merlin looked down at her face, she was a outdoors girl, Merlin could tell from her darkened skin. He hadn't seen her around the village so she must of been from the lower town, most likely a farmers daughter, perhaps she hurt herself on a farming tool?

"Ah..." The girl hissed.

Everyone in the room jumped and looked at her as her head and eyes rolled. The girl's hand shot out to grab something and it clutched at Merlin's shirt.

"It hurts!" She gasped.

"It's alright, you're safe. You're in the castle. You can rest now, we'll take care of you" Merlin said to her soothingly.

"Am I in the room of Camelot's court physician?" She asked quietly.

"Yes" Merlin said.

The girl relaxed and hissed as Gaius finished his stitching.

"I'll make her a sleeping draft, it should help her sleep and numb the pain" He said and began to collect ingredients.

Merlin watched him for a moment then backed away from the girl as Arthur stood over her, his shadow darkening her face. The girl turned to face him, her breathing heavy and long.

"What is your name?" Arthur asked.

"Ania, I'm from the lower town. I was out trying to...get one of our pigs back...back in the pen when suddenly some...someone g-grabbed me."

"Did you see his face?"

"No...he...he grabbed me f-from behind. He's tall and has a scar on his left arm"

"How do you know this?" Arthur asked.

"He had me pressed to h-him. I could feel w-where my head was, it...it was on his st-stomach. He has a scar, because I pushed h-his s-sword away f-from me and it ran al-along his arm"

The girl's head fell to the side as she passed out. Everyone looked at her and then at Arthur, what would he do? Arthur looked at everyone then shook his head and stood straight, nodding at Gaius and Merlin before leaving. The guards following and leaving the three in silence.

"What do you think this means?" Merlin asked.

"I'm not sure, perhaps Camelot is under attack. Spies, perhaps the girl's family aren't getting along with someone else" Gaius offered suggestions.

Gaius and Merlin moved the girl to Merlin's bed and left her there to rest. Gaius returned a few minutes later with the sleeping draft and dribbled it into her mouth. Tomorrow would be a better day.