Destiny Defied ¹

Guinevere Pendragon needs a king.
A shadow from the past; a strong leader?
Her hesitant friend; a fractured bond?
Or loyalty; a man who's never left her side?

Camelot is without a king. Guinevere is alone; only Sir Leon still stands by her side. Everyone else is gone. Ruling in grief is a challenge she thought she would face alone, but true to his word, Leon stays close, offering advice when she wants to give up. Offering friendship. Offering even a hint of... love? But then Merlin turns up; he didn't die, as Gwen had feared, and has returned. He's home in Camelot. Instead of the joy she'd expected, Gwen is struck by a startling anger. Friends don't abandon friends. Merlin is distressed- he never meant to abandon Gwen, but it seems she can't see his staying away as anything else. They'd been friends before, but maybe friendship isn't enough. Merlin is the most powerful sorcerer to walk this earth- there must be something he can do. Yet it seems no matter how hard he tries, he can't be enough. Because maybe Gwen needs something else. Someone else. Can Merlin resurrect the past for her- a dark and dangerous game? Or should the past stay in the past?
As if the rising tensions within Camelot aren't enough, it seems a threat is lurking outside the kingdom.
Whispers of an army led by a ghost. Time will reveal the threat is already deep within the castle- already close to the queen. It seems the past can't let go of Camelot, and with the eerie Cup of Life falling into the conflict, past mixes with future. Some ghosts are hard to bury, but maybe Gwen isn't after the past anymore. Camelot needs a new start. New leadership. New rules.
The old ways versus the new.
Fear. Respect. Magic.
Fear alone cannot lead Camelot, respect must be earned, and magic holds an uncertain future.
They'd all begun to think they were safe- but is Camelot even meant to have a future? Or is it doomed to follow the destiny of its past kings?
To die- and leave them all devastated amidst its ashes.