Author's Note:

Originally I wrote two separate stories, one from Percival's point of view and one from Drea's. I was intrigued by both characters. In Percival's case I thought it could be fun to delve into some background story of his character. In Drea's case it was just a matter of trying to see what kind of character she could be. But later on I decided to work them into this one story. That's why Percival's parts are narrated in third person and Drea's are narrated in first person, and sometimes the same situation is portrayed from both characters' point of view. I hope you are not going to be too confused by that.

I know that in the series, Lancelot is the one who introduces Percival to Arthur, but, with artistic license, in this story I let Gwaine do it. Gwaine is more fun than Lancelot. (Thumbs up if you agree).

Also, at some points this story deals with topics not really touched upon by the original Merlin series, like depression and self-doubt. Some would perhaps say that that side of the story doesn't match the fandom. But as a writer you can't always control where your story is going, and I am just happy that this story-in-the-story found a voice in some characters I really like.

On the Road to Camelot
or
The Enemy Within

A Merlin fan-fiction by Ellestina

Prologue - Drea

As if my life wasn't cruel enough already. Why did this have to happen? I saw them all die: Mum, dad, grandpa, Eric, Lilly, Sabine and even little Keira. She had not even turned two. And those shadows, they scared me so much that I thought my heart would stop. When I panicked I hid under some empty grain sacks in the cart behind the house. I lay there listening to the screams and the shadows' eerie wailing, thinking the next moment they would find me too, and take the life out of my body and freeze me, and at least then it would all be over.

Even after silence fell over the village, I lay still for hours. I didn't dare to move. The images of their frost-white faces flashed before my eyes, time and time again. I couldn't fathom they were really gone forever. It had gone so fast. One moment we were sitting together, talking and eating; Eric and I had been fighting, the next they were dead, frozen on the floor where they had fallen.

When I finally got out of the cart I had to go and check that it was really true, that I had really seen it happen. That it was not only a horrible nightmare. But when I pushed the door open, they still lay there, covered in frost. And it was cold, so very cold. Their dead faces scared me. I screamed and ran from the house. I screamed and I screamed. Someone in the village must hear and come and help me. So I thought. But they were all dead, lying in the houses or the street. The sky was reddening in the east when I realised there was no-one left but me.

What should I do? Where could I go? I didn't know anyone. Dad had sometimes told us of a time before Eric and I were born and they had just moved to Clunsdale, where war and hunger had threatened the village. Then everyone had gathered and gone to Camelot to seek refuge. That was the only place I could think of. So I began to run. I didn't think of taking anything with me.