Camelot

I

Under the light of Orion’s Belt we met. A waning gibbous lit the sky, we stood hand in hand around our circle of stone. I stood right above my stone, fresh and clean it didn’t hold the symbols with our ancient language that graced all of the other stones in the circle. “Guinevere, are you ready to take the oath and place our symbol on your stone?” My mother’s voice looked to me in her traditional Wolam wear.

    I took a deep breathe as I looked at all of the other Wolam's around the circle. It was my turn to join them and take the oath to cleanse my blood of all but Wolam blood, it was the only way to control our abilities so I'd no longer have to fear who I was. “I accept the Wolam's oath and pledge that my abilities shall be used for nothing more than the survival; of our bloodline.” I announced the ceremonial words that I had memorized since I could speak/

“Guinevere please step forward and light the circles stone with blue fire.” I was instructed.

Gently taking a step forward I stood in the center of the stones. I raised my left hand to the first stone and chanted “Hyacin thum flammis oriri mihi.” After the third time repeating it large red flames erupted from the stone circle in a wild frenzy. As I flinched I seared my arm in the fire while everyone else stood still.

“Guinevere, understand that before Orion’s Belt moves out of position you must change the flames to blue.” My mother’s voice shouted through the roaring fire. “If you don not you will have failed and all but Wolam blood will remain inside you. Focus and concentrate, you must prove you have some control over your abilities before you obtain complete control.” Her voice sounded worried.

Since I was born my mother’s bloodline had taken my life, I had to become a full wolam Witch and nothing else. As the youngest of seven I was the last one to take the oath, and if I fail I’ll be the first in my family's bloodline to not become a full Wolam witch. “Imperio obsequendum caeruleo rubrum!” I shouted above the flames.

As I continued shouting as the flames I could make out the worries whispers of my sisters and elders around the circle. My blood felt like it was boiling as my throat was dry from my constant yelling. “Guinevere, your time is almost up, you must hurry or you’ll fail. You can’t try again, this is your last chance.”

I had tried and failed this oath nine times since I was nine years old. You only get ten chances until the last ounce of Wolam blood leaves your blood. “Non possum iterum deficient! Mutare! Ceruleo rubrum ad!”

I could rarely speak as tears fled my eyes as the fire started closing in on me. I knew I was failing, it was just a repeat of all of my last fails. Each time it got harder and harder to control the flames. Just this morning my mother begged me to not try again so that I could keep my abilities, ramin living with the rest of the Wolam Witches without being a full blood. “Guinevere you shouldn’t have done this. Fight! I don’t want to lose you! Fight! Please!”

At the last available second I looked and stared into the flames, and they started changing. I focused on every ounce of power I could muster up. “She’s doing it with minimal magic!” I heard my grandmother’s voice.

“She will not succeed!” My eldest sister screamed as she lifted her hand towards the fire.

Simultaneous screams around the whole circle turned to her until one spoke up. “Do not do this, she's been sabotaged because of you nine times because of your jealousy. If you do this you’ll both be lost.” One of my sisters cried.

The strain to control the fire eased as it completely started to change. She had been sabotaging me for years, and I knew once that was out her stone would be broken and she would be exiled from our islands and can’t return. “Sumo locus eius!” I let go of the fire.

“No! Guinevere!” My mother shouted as my insides started to burn. I fell to the ground allowing the pain to take over my body as all of my Wolam blood was melting away. Streaks of lights flashed in my eyes as my vision was blinded. I took her exile, now she couldn’t be banished and instead I would be. The last glimpse I saw was my eldest sister’s broken eyes as I disappeared.

~~~~

I landed in a pile of hay as I reappeared,at least it was a cushioned fall. My head pounded as part of me felt empty, every Wolam blood cell in my body was gone and now I was normal once more. Still in my maiden witch white dress it was all I had left of what once was my family. I would never see them again, as goes the code. A failed or exiled Wolam which shall never be seen again by one with wolam blood, so I will never see my mother, my sisters, my grandmother, my home ever again.

I sunk down into the hay in complete defeat. I don't even know who my father was to find him. My mother refused to talk about him, and I knew he wasn't the same as the father of the rest of my sisters. I was the odd ball, the red head in an entire line of wolam black haired Witches. “Who's in here!” I heard a male’s voice shout as a single torch stood in an open doorway.

The person started stepping closer and closer as a figure started coming into view. He was roughly 6’7” with a complete chain mail suit from top to bottom, a large silver helmet covered his face as his unsheathed sword was pointed out. He raised the torch to me instantly having my hand fly up shielding myself from the light. “Are you crying?” His voice echoes in his helmet.

Sending my hand to my cheek I touched the chilling sensation of a teardrop, I hadn't even noticed that I had been crying. “What’s your name maiden?” Hen took off his helmet. I was stunned when i had seen his face, being only the second man I had ever seen he was handsome. His face was so firm, his dark brown hAir matted back with sweat, but his beautiful green eyes smiled at me. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Guinevere the Wol…” I cut myself off. I was no longer a Wolam witch so I can’t introduce myself with that anymore. “Just Guinevere.”

“Well my fair lady, what would one such like yourself be doing out here in such a place? And why do you look like you've been running through fire?” I looked down at my appearance for the first time since the oath ceremony, I was a complete wreck. Ash coated my skin where my once pristine maiden dress was all torn and charred. “Let me help you, where are you from? I can return you home.” He smiled.

“You can’t.I can’t go back home, I’m lost.” I looked down.

“I’ll help you with whatever you require  my lady. I am at your service.” He outstretched his hand. “Come. I’ll find you a more comfortable place to stay the night.”

“Why are you helping me?” I asked.

“I am Sir Lancelot, knight of Camelot. It is my sworn duty to take care of those in the kingdom no matter who they are.” He started leading me out of their barn I was in.

Sir Lancelot was such a kind man and he did what he promised, he gave me a home in his castle. For the first person I met since I came here I thought everything would be okay, boy was I wrong.