CAST

ashley madekwe as lydia summers

colin morgan as merlin

bradley james as arthur pendragon

with

marsha thomason as blaire summers

dwayne "the rock" johnson as draken summers

~Gifted Royalty~

The sound of the horrifying screams howled in the wind. The people of Summerfell were attacked by a large number of raiders.

The King, Draken Summers, decided that it was time to fight to the death. He walked through his chambers with a determined look on his face.

"My Lord, they've attacked the villagers," the knight in charge, Ruben, noted. His hand was stationed on his hand. "If we act quickly, we can escape. Sail across the rivers, make way to Camelot."

Draken shook his head, "They will only follow us, Sir Ruben. I cannot bring harm to Uther and his trouble."

"You will bring harm to your daughter and your queen."

Draken said nothing, he knew the words the man spoke were true. The king sat in his thoughts for a moment before making a decision. "We can lead the raiders out of the kingdom, only if we give them what they want."

"And what would that be, sire?"

"Me. And my treasures."

"What are we to do?"

"Take my wife and my child, the three of you will head to Camelot. I will follow closely behind." Draken walked past the knight. "I will lead the rest into battle."

"My Lord–"

"The decision has been made," Draken told the knight sternly. "I trust you to lead Blaire and Lydia to safety."

"By my life, they will be safe."

The King nodded at the knight before parting ways with him.

~GIFTED ROYALTY~

"What's happening outside?" The young child, Lydia asked her mother, the Queen.

"Nothing you should worry about." Blaire Summers said softly, she pulled a daughter from the window. It was her way of sheltering her from the truth. "Come, my child."

Suddenly, Knight Ruben barged into the room, breathing heavily. "We must leave."

"What?" Blaire asked.

"The raiders, they've broken through the gates. Soon, they will open the kingdom doors."

Fear and concern flashed in the young Queen's eyes, "Where's Draken?"

"The King is out there, leading the rest of the knights into battle." Blaire gasped at Ruben's words. "He's ordered me to take you to Camelot. Come. Come now."

Blaire grabbed Lydia's hand, rushing out her chambers.

Lydia didn't fully understand what was going on, but she knew it was something bad. She gathered that much from her mother's look. The young Queen was worried. She feared for her husband and her kingdom.

It seemed like they've been running for hours until they finally reached the river.

"How long until Camelot?" Blaire asked, holding Lydia close to her. The six-year-old girl was surprisingly calm, no fear, just confusion.

"Four hours until we reach the other side of the river. Then it'll be a three days walk, my lady."

"And you can guarantee us safety?"

The Knight nodded, "Of course, my lady. With my life, I'll protect you and the princess."

Meanwhile, back at the kingdom of Summerfell, Draken lead his men into battle with the raiders.

"Attack!" He yelled with his sword held high.

His trusty sword collided with the bodies of raiders. He defended his land with his life.

As he fought one man, their swords collided. The man's strength was nothing compared to Draken's. The King countered the man's combat. Once he head-butted him in the face, Draken went to pick up his weapon, but the man blindsided him by stabbing the king with a dagger.

Drakes fell to the ground, slowly becoming unconscious.

By the time he came to, it was night. From what he can see, the raiders have taken over his kingdom. Struggling against his wound, Draken crawled to the riverside, undetected.

He jumped in the small boat, the sound of a splash sounded the raiders nearby. The King cursed under his breath.

"Oi! What was that?"

"Shit," Draken mumbled as the boat was making its sail across the river.

"Hey!" A larger raider shouted, "The king's alive!"

"After him!"

"We'd need a boat."

"Gather one from the castle," The leader of the group said.

Draken used his unharmed arm to reach his hand into the water. His eyes turned to silver as he whispered, "citius navigant," allowing for the boat sail faster, making the water glide the wood material through the river.

~GIFTED ROYALTY~

By the time Draken reaches to the other side of the river, he took note that his first boat was stationed there.

The King stumbled through the woods, his wound starting to get the best of him. He was breathing heavily, the sting from where the dagger used to be made him weak.

But he was determined to find his family.

It was noon the next day when Draken saw a sign of life that could possibly be his queen and princess.

But the sight he witnessed was horrifying.

Both his knight and his Queen were dead.

Lydia was nowhere to be found.

Drakes fell to his knees, holding his dead bride to his chest. "My Love, what happened? Oh, gods!"

~GIFTED ROYALTY~

'Run! Run, Lydia! Go!'

The sound of his mother's voice ringed through her tiny ears. The scared six-year-old ran for her life, she didn't stop, her small legs moved quickly.

The only thing she can recall is the sight of knight Ruben drawing his sword on the both of them. His once caring features turning dark and evil.

The girl was out of breath by the time she reached a small lake. She cupped her hands in the water, drinking it rapidly. She then heard a twig break, the sound alarming her, she was on her feet once more before she tripped and fell, hitting her head against a stump of wood.

When she came to, she was confused, her memory a little foggy. She couldn't remember much.

'Run, Lydia! Go, my love!'

The girl started to run again, hoping to find someone to help her.

~GIFTED ROYALTY~

"Sire! Sire!" One of Uther's knights burst through the doors while the king was dining with his young son, Arthur.

"What is the meaning of this interruption?"

"It's King Draken, sire. He's wounded."

Uther's eyes widen before leaving his seat.

In a spare room for guests in Unther's castle, Drake was laid out in a comfortable bed. Gaius was starting to treat his wounds. The Summerfell King grabbed the physician's wrist. "Don't."

"But, sire, the infection is spreading. If we don't act now, you could die."

"Then die, I will."

"Sire–"

Draken made a pained expression, "Gaius, I don't have the strength to argue. Leave the wound be."

Gaius studied the man's expression and state of his wound before nodding, if he wishes to die, there is no saving him.

Uther barged into the room, concern written on his face. "Draken, old friend, what happened?"

"Raiders..." The process of dying truly starting, it was hard for him to speak. "My Queen, my people... dead."

"There's something we must do–"

"Uther... Lydia was nowhere to be found. If one day... she's no longer lost, take care of her." Draken asked of the fellow King before he coughed up blood. "Please."

"You have my word. We will search all of Camelot for her." Draken nodded at his words. Uther places a hand on the dying King's shoulder. "Die well, old friend."

"I will," was Draken's last words.

There was silence in the room. Uther turned to his guards, "Tell the knights to prepare for a search at dawn. We must find Princess Lydia and bring her to Camelot."

~Merlin~

Hunith, a young single mother to a very special little boy, decided to gather water from the isolated lake just north of her village, it was an hour's walk but she didn't mind. It was early morning, she was positive her son would sleep for another three hours.

As she walked with a smile on her face, thinking of her wonderful son, she was stopped in her tracks by the sound of movement in the bushes.

Not letting fear get the best of her, she strolled over the grown out trees, only to find a girl hiding.

As soon as Hunith laid eyes on the child, her heart melted. Blue eyes searching small brown orbs. As Hunith reaches out to her, the girl trembled in fear.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you..." Hunith's soothing voice told her. The mother knew there was something about the child, her wild curly locks, her brown skin, her tiny lavender dress. Hunith felt like the girl was special, the child was beautiful. "Let's see, what's your name?"

She was quiet. She didn't want to make a mistake in trusting someone. The child didn't remember much. She vaguely remembered the woman who told her to run in the first place.

Hunith noticed her silence, she didn't want to push the child into talking. The mother then noticed dried blood on her forehead. "You're hurt."

The girl nodded.

"Come with me. I can take care of you." Hunith told the girl. "But you have to tell me your name."

There was a silent pause between them before the girl's small voice gather Hunith attention.

"Lydia."

Hunith smiled, "What a beautiful name. I'm Hunith. Come along now."

The girl sat in Hunith's home. The mother fed the child, tended her wounds, even bathe the girl, dressing her in a nice dress that was given to her by a friend when everyone thought her son was a little girl when she was pregnant.

"Lydia, where are your parents?"

Lydia's face masked a sad expression, "Gone, I believe. I-I can't remember."

"Well, unless someone claims you... I would love for you to live with me."

"Mother." A tired toddler mumbled, rubbing his small eyes. Hunith sighed, picking the child up and carrying him to the dining table.

"Breakfast is served, my boy."

The boy looked at the new face in the house. The older girl smiled, "Hi, I'm Lydia."

The boy gave her a small smile. "I'm Merlin."

Unknowingly, their eyes sparkled, marking an unbreakable bond between them.