Magical Encounters

Prologue

Hi everyone! So this is my first book ever; critics are welcome ( nothing too harsh though :)) Please comment, vote, e.t.c. Hope you enjoy the story.

Young Clara trudged along wearily on the winding path . She knew it would lead to that famous and powerful place, Camelot. The thought of it made her smile, but her smile left as quickly as it came.

She remembered her father's words, so cold and harsh they had been, "Leave Clara, you don't belong here, leave before you hurt anyone else with your magic!" Her eyes filled up with tears but she impatiently brushed them away.

Her father was right though, she needed to leave,to get away from the place that had once been her home. Where nearly everyone lived in fear of her power.

So she had gone to Rolf, the village blacksmith. He was the only one who did not fear and hate her.

He was not able to house her, but she had expected that, to hope for otherwise would have been ridiculous. No, instead he had told her of the wonderful kingdom Camelot, where the beloved King Arthur and Queen Guinevere resided.

There magic was not feared and hated ,as in her village,but was looked upon as an interesting gift. This was due to the fact that the King's adviser, protector and very best friend was Merlin, who was possibly the most powerful wizard in the world.

Clara was to go there and meet a friend of his,a woman called Gwendolyn, who would take care of her and ensured she got work.

It wasn't the fact that she was to labor that frightened her so, it was because she was going to be thrusted straight into the unknown. Though, she was cheered by the fact that it would mean a new beginning.

A twig snapped behind her, she whirled round quickly. There was nothing there; her eyes darted around suspiciously.

She turned back warily and continued on her way. Just as she turned round she bumped into something in front of her . She gave an "oomph", before landing onto the grass.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?", said the tall figure - apparently what Clara had bumped against - grinning down menacingly at her.

Clara doubted this man wanted to make polite conversation. Most likely he wanted to steal her belongings. She clutched tighter to her sack containing all she owned. I'll be damned if I let some half-wit steal my stuff.

"Please sir , don't hurt me," Clara pleaded, "I am but a child".

"Well now, children shouldn't be out in the woods alone now should they?" he replied mockingly. "Now give me the bag or I'll have to hurt you," he said, all mocking pretense gone.

But by now Clara was impatient, she just wanted to get on with her journey. "Look, if you don't get out of my way, then I'll have to hurt you".

The man guffawed loudly, nearly doubling over, "You're a funny one aren't you!, really though, give me the bag".

Clara sighed, she wasn't really surprised that he hadn't believed her. Still, it was annoying, and he was wasting her time.

From her fingers flowed an unstoppable stream of striking blue energy. It engulfed the man and soon he fell in a pile, unconscious.

Clara prodded his body with her foot, then tutted, "Tsk, tsk well you can't say I didn't warn you." She then turned on her heels, got back on the path and walked away without a backwards glance.