Chapter One
Book One
Daughters of Merlin
Merlin had lived for centuries, he was an Immortal, the Greatest Warlock there had ever been, his magic was powerful and his heart was pure and true. He had watched Arthur Pendragon grow from boy to man, seen him fall in love and marry Guinevere, create the Knights of the Round Table and fulfil the Ancient Prophecy. He had watched as he took his rightful place as King when Luther Pendragon died He loved Arthur like a Son despite his Father’s hatred of all things Magic, Merlin had stuck by his side and nourished his young mind. Arthur was a good King, he ruled fairly and justly and was loved by all, Camelot had prospered and peace was brought to England and her people. It had been a time of love and happiness, many of the Knights married and started families and therein lay the problem, Guinevere did not conceive, he tried everything he knew but years had past and still there was no heir to the Kingdom. Camelot must have an heir, Arthur had paced his floor begging the Warlock to find a solution, anything that could help but there was nothing.
He had discovered Morgana’s jealousy and ultimate betrayal by chance, she had placed the spell that rendered the Queen infertile and encouraged the chaos that eschewed. It had led to all this death and destruction as she turned friends into foes. He watched as the battle raged across the valley, the Knights were fighting bravely, many were already dead as Camelot burned. Merlin knew how it would end and a great sadness filled his heart as the golden head of England’s beloved King fell to the ground.
’Your King is calling,
Ladies of the Lake
Excalibur must rest
Blessed sword you must take’
He watched as Sir Lancelot’s eldest Son, Sir Galahad picked up the bejewelled sword and hurled it into the lake. It never touched the water, Nimue, Lady of the Lake, raised her hand and caught it her eyes locking with Merlin’s,
‘I will keep it safe Great Warlock, until England needs her King once more’
Merlin nodded and turning he smiled down at the young woman by his side,
‘You must leave Alanna’
He told the beautiful redhead who was his wife,
‘I cannot leave you Merlin’
She sobbed throwing herself into his arms,
‘There is no choice for you Alanna, it is for their sake’
He pointed to his ten year old daughter and his six year old twin daughters,
‘And for this one you carry still’
He stroked her swollen belly,
‘Please my love, you must leave Camelot. I have arranged for your safe passage to my castle in Ireland, you and our children will be safe there and want for nothing. Go my love. They are waiting for you’
‘Why can’t you come with us’
She pleaded for the umpteenth time and he cupped her cheek,
‘I love you with all my heart Alanna, you and our children are my world. Haven’t I told you that often enough’
He caught the tear running down her cheek and kissed it saying softly,
‘Forgive me my dearest love. I pledged my life to Arthur long ago, I will not leave him now in his hour of need. I have never hidden this from you. I warned you of my destiny from the day we first met.’
She looked up at him and saw the truth in his eyes, he had no choice both men were linked by forces greater then their understanding.
Hugging him closely she kissed his lips and with a heavy heart took her children’s hands and left Camelot forever. They both knew they would never see each other again.
It was Merlin’s destiny to stay with his King in their tomb sealed by the High Priestess of Avalon. They would rest there eternally until England called her greatest King to arms once more.
He walked now through the silent battlefield his eyes blurred by the sight of bodies of so many Knights that lay dead or dying, he knew there was nothing he could do for them the Prophecy must run its course. At the lake the Priestess was waiting with her boat for Arthur’s body, the Knights laid it gently down and stood as silent sentinels while Merlin took his place beside him, their heads bowed in sorrow as the great King sailed to his resting place on Avalon
At Merlin’s castle in Ireland Alanna gave birth to another daughter, with red/gold hair and emerald green eyes she would grow up to be a beauty men fought over but could never win.
Maya was the first of Merlin’s Daughter’s born with his magic, she was the first to practice Witchcraft, the first to become as powerful as her Father. The true Daughter of Merlin, his youngest child was the creator of the Dynasty.
Henry III became King of England at just nine years old in 1216, he had been brought up by the church and was influenced deeply by the clergy who surrounded him on his accession to the throne. Aurora was his playmate, the daughter of his Fathers best friend, Lord Derby, she was also his first girlfriend. They had grown up together as Henry was kept apart from his siblings to protect him as heir to the throne. Aurora had no siblings, her Mother died giving birth to her and Lord Derby was known for his bed-hopping ways. It had been a simple solution to his problems leaving his only child in the care of the Royal Nannies as a playmate for the future King. The children shared everything, Aurora was fun, she climbed trees, swam in the lake, rode a horse as well as he did, in fact anything he could do she could do just as well. It was only when she started developing as a woman that the Nanny thought it was quite inappropriate for her to run around naked with the young Crown Prince, they had to find more demure things to occupy them. When he became King they tried to separate them, Henry was sent to be schooled by the clergy but he threw such a tantrum at being parted from his best friend they backtracked and allowed her to go along with him. The Priests were extremely unhappy at having to educate a mere girl, it was unheard of for girls of any class to be educated with boys and this little upstart was being educated with a future King. They were ore furious when they discovered she was also much cleverer than this future King. Henry did not care, Aurora was his best friend, the one person who had been constant in his young life and the only one who did not bow and scrape to him. She told him what he needed to know not what the others thought he wanted to hear, if she disagreed with him she told him so, and they had fiery arguments but they always said sorry and forgave each other. To the young King it was the two of them against the world and he insisted she was treated exactly as he was refusing to be parted from her even at bedtime’ The clergy were mortified when he demanded she share his room every night but he was now the King and nothing would change his mind so they acquiesced. It was inevitable that Henry fell in love with her, as she became a woman her stunning red hair and emerald green eyes entranced him. When he was sixteen he seduced her, or rather she let him think he seduced her and they became lovers. They were inseparable and the courtiers knew it, Henry strutted around the palace like a cat who had the cream. His Inner Circle all agreed, the Lady Aurora was very beautiful, she had a way about her that set her apart from other women. She could talk about the things men liked, her green eyes flashing, she could even beat them at cards and they all flirted with her vying with each other for her attention. Henry’s Advisor’s encouraged them to charm her, trying to marry her off to one of the many Dukes and Lords at the court. It did not work, Henry would call her to him and they would disappear arm in arm to enjoy each others company in private. They had been together so long they had the same interests she could ride, hunt, use a crossbow and a sword, in fact the only time Henry could beat her was when they fought physically. As a man he would always be stronger than she was but he did not beat her every time, Aurora was clever and wily, sometimes she actually beat him physically too. Henry was totally besotted with her as they grew into adulthood he became possessive and demanding if any of the noblemen showed to much interest in her he made sure they were banished. He would not tolerate any competition many of his Inner Circle were young, virile good looking men and he was a spoilt pampered King who got insanely jealous when they eyed up his property. His stunningly beautiful playmate belonged to him and his court quickly became aware of his feelings as he replaced the handsome young Lords with their older married contemporariness.
