Challenge #1: Butterfly Effect

[An Arthurian εїз]

The time has come,
the walrus said
to speak of many things
Of threads, and quotes
and awesome posts
of servants and kings
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Hello [#username],

Your challenge is to do a strong 'Butterfly Effect Style What If'? (Change one thing, change everything). What if one event, did not happen in your muses' life, or happened so differently it changed, everything. What if Morgana never went dark side? What if Merlin never came to Camelot? What is Arthur's mother had never died? These are only some samples, you can make it who you want it!

Come on [#username]! See if you can test out our writing skills on this one! Just post a reply.

[Deleted]

A knocking on the door caught Nimueh's attention just as she had both her hands up in her hair, trying to wind them into a fancy hairdo. With a little lenient sigh she let go of her long chocolate brown hair and opened.„Forgive me, Nimueh, am I disturbing you?“
A genuine smile broke out on the High Priestess' face and she ushered the guest inside. „Ygraine! By no means, come in, come in! Anything I can help you with?“

While Ygraine stepped over the threshold and lowered herself heavily into the nearest cushioned chair, Nimueh took a moment to think about the wicked ways of life and fate. Who would have thought things to work out that easily? After what she had foreseen almost twenty years ago the onfollowing years had been too good to be true. The nightmarish scenes had not happened, simply because she had had the courage to stand up to Uther, denying his request. Oh, he had been angry with her for almost a year, had banished her from court in disgrace, and had been on the verge of outlawing magic – but then the miracle had happened: Ygraine had conceived an heir to the throne, and Nimueh had been sent for to come back to Camelot and help Ygraine through the childbirth.

After a night of peril and the Queen's life teethering on knife's edge Arthur Pendragon had been born, mother and child quickly recovering and well.
Ever since then Nimueh had been held in higher regards than ever, and between her and the queen a solid friendship had developed, lasting through quarrels with Uther and other times of hardship.
King Uther himself often joked that he was ruled by two women in his life rather than he ruling Camelot, but all in all Camelot was prospering and enjoying times of seemingly everlasting peace. Of course, there was always a little of saber-rattling on the borders, especially with the young king Cenred, but Camelot, having the most powerful magic on its side, never needed to fear anything.

And now Ygraine was heavy with child again, her fourth and supposedly last as she came of age. But Nimueh did not fear for the queens health. Arthur and his two little siblings, his brother Iwein and sister Brianna were all in best health imaginable, the last two births had been without any complications

„Are you preparing for the Beltaine rites?“ Ygraine asked, pulling Nimueh from her idle reverie. The High Priestess nodded sincerely. „Everything is done except my appearance. And that will need some time I guess!”
“Ah, rubbish!” Ygraine replied with a little laugh. “Don’t make an ageing woman jealous. You still look as beautiful as on the first day we met. You will have no difficulties in finding your consort tonight. Anyone you fancy?” she asked and winked.
“Don’t you dare assume it’s me and not the Goddess that choses!” Nimueh replied and raised her forefinger. But she was only joking, as was Ygraine. It was that kind of friendly banter that had developed between the two women over the years of learning to trust each other completely.
It would be the honest truth if Nimueh said that she considered her life perfect as it was. The balance of the world was as firmly established as it could be, with Uther and Ygraine Camelot had a royal couple no one would wish to be any different, even if Uther’s rash nature got the better of the ageing king sometimes. But Ygraine was always there to balance him out. And finally, with Arthur, their eldest, the future of Camelot was secure. Already the Crown Prince showed a character that might make him become the greatest king Albion had ever known. Magic was considered a blessing to the people and those graced with its power were held in highest regards.
All was well.

[Catalina Regalis]

No one will ever change this animal I have become

There was death in the air that very night; the scent of blood was like a fine perfume. It had been a bloody massacre and at the center of the massacre stood a lone figure, bathed in the blood of her enemies, her eyes wild and filled with cruel satisfaction. Around her lay the dead and dying, the soldiers of Uther as well as a few Knights. It invigorated her, made her feel alive to stand in the midst of her enemies and know that she had come out the victor. She feared no one and had no remorse for what she had done either. The sound of groaning reached Catalina’s ears and a dark smile crossed her face as she located where it had come from. It seemed her work was not quite finished, what a unexpected surprise. Drawing back the red hood that she had over her golden locks, she made her way leisurely over to the dying Knight who was coughing up blood.

His eyes widened when he saw her coming towards him. They had done nothing to deserve such a cruel fate as this. They hadn’t been hunting the druids at that time; it had been a simple patrol of the lands surrounding Camelot before they returned home. Catalina had played the part of an innocent damsel quite well, acting as though she had been injured on the side of the road. Being men of valor, they halted their patrol in order to help the seemingly innocent maiden but that had been their mistake. She had attacked without warning or provoking; some had died before they even knew what was coming their way. She wasn’t like the druids they had been told about, she wasn’t peaceful nor secretive, she had used dark magic that no druid should ever use and it had devastated their small ranks. There had been another there but he had been unseen, his power had protected the druidess from their attacks while she continued to use magic to kill. They had had no chance against her and despite surrendering she showed them no mercy. Having already accepted his fate, he chose not to flinch when she knelt at his side, brushing back a lock of his curly brown hair with gentle but bloody fingertips. It was a waste of energy and breath but he could not help but speak as she peered at him. “Why…” He asked weakly.

Why? Did he really have a right to ask such a question? No. He did not deserve an answer to that loaded question but she’d give it to him anyway. Let it be known that Catalina had her moments of generosity. “Because you willingly serve a tyrant.” She hissed at him, so much rage and venom laced into every word. “Which makes you no better than he and just as big a target.” Pulling a dagger from beneath her bloody cloak, she traced the edge of the blade against his skin lightly, feeling him tense in fear at the implications. “Don’t worry, your beloved King will join you soon enough.” With that said, she quickly sliced a clean line across his throat. Blood spurted from the wound and he choked a few times before he died. She hated monologue but there were times that it was called for. Not like he would tell anyone anyway.

With the last soldier dead, she wiped the blade of his blood and placed it back in the confines of her cloak. This had been a victory as far as she was concerned, yet another step in her need for vengeance against the cruel King Uther who had taken her mother away from her. The sound of footsteps caught her attention and she turned swiftly to see who approached, when she saw who it was she smiled. It was the other druid who had aided her in killing all the men around her, the one who had kept her from being harmed by any attacks made against her. Walking over to him, she allowed him to embrace her tightly, his voice whispering softly in her ear. “Your mother would be proud of you.” Such words nearly brought tears to the dark druidess’ eyes as she pulled away. “I hope so father.”

It was because of her father that Catalina was the way she was now. Unlike her mother who had been burned by Uther during the Great Purge, her father had survived and swore revenge on Uther for taking away the love of his life. The once peaceful druid turned his back on the life of peace and secrecy and he took his daughter Catalina along for the ride. Samara remained with her Uncle Aldriv as her father’s behavior frightened her. Capris had tried to have Aldriv join him in his quest for blood as Caldara had been Aldriv’s sister but the druid did not allow himself to be filled with hate as Capris had been. So Capris was banished from the nomadic druids and while Aldriv argued he was not able to stop him from taking Catalina with him. Their years together were spent learning powerful dark magic that would ensure their rise to power and would also help the chances of them being able to kill Uther himself.

Brushing a smear of blood for Catalina’s face, he looked around at her handy work and grinned. “Well done, now we make for Camelot.” Excitement filled the druidess as she turned to peer at the castle in the distance. They would never know what hit them. Leaving her alone for the time being, Capris went to retrieve the horses. The bodies would be left for others to find and the druids would most likely be implicated or perhaps a group of roving bandits. It was no longer their problem, as long as no one suspected her or Capris they would be safe. Their next move was risky but given that Uther allowed no magic within his realm at all, that meant he would have little to no defense against powerful magic and Catalina wouldn’t make the same mistake others had made. While seeing him suffer a thousand deaths would have pleased her greatly, she wouldn’t allow him more than a second to breathe in her presence before she ended his existence as well as his son Arthur. Arthur would die because he was most likely a reflection of his father and Catalina would not end one reign of tyranny just to enter into another.

The Pendragon line ended today…

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Tags; None
Word Count; 1086
Lyrics; "Animal I Have Become’ Three Days Grace <3
Time-frame; What If Scenario

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

„What do you think, mare? Should I marry him?” Princess Yassia asked hesitantly as she felt her mothers hands moving through her long hair, combing it before the precious mirror. She was eighteen years of age, and had just been presented with a proposal by a certain young nobleman. He had not asked her directly of course, but King Diodore had informed his daughter just a few moments before of this arrangement he certainly agreed with. Yassia however had asked for a little more time to decide. Marriage was an important step after all. It would change her whole life.”Well… what do you feel for him, dear?” Queen Rhiannon asked with her soft voice, full of understanding and wisdom. Yassia knew that if her mother had any doubts about this marriage, she would not hesitate to voice them, and she wanted her children to be happy, despite what the common custom said. It was a great privilege to be given time to decide for her own, Yassia knew that, and she valued it. It didn’t make this any easier though.


”I like him…”, she began after a brief silence. “We get on very well. Mircea de Fremente surely is the epitome of chivalry. Others might think him distant and cold, but I know it’s not true.” Yassia smiled. “I see beneath this shell. He has never been cold or distant to me. Yes… I think we would make a good couple, and the de Frementes have always been valued allies of the crown. I owe it to father to seal this alliance.”
And yet, Yassia was sure her mother could hear the ‘but’ that was practically tangible in every word. And she was proven right.
Queen Rhiannon stopped combing her daughter’s hair and leaned forward, looking at Yassia through the mirror, examining her facial expression while her hand rested idly on her shoulder. “What is holding you back then?”

There she had it, the unanswerable question. Yassia couldn’t even fathom the true reasons for her hesitance. Logically nothing spoke against this match, and she could very well imagine a life at Mircea’s side. He was no second son of a king, nor a duke, but he was a Knight of Ailantha, a friend to her brother and a truthful, beautiful soul. He adored her, she could see that. The actual step of proposing had surprised her in the end, but now as she thought about it, she realized it only had been a matter of time.
”I don’t know…” she sighed, closing her eyes for a second and letting the indistinct feeling she most of the time was ignorning take over her, so she could figure it out. “There is something… I can’t even name it a reason, it’s more a feeling, a hunch. Like something is waiting for me, calling me…”
”Where?” Rhiannon seemed very interested all of a sudden. She believed in fate as much as anyone in Ailantha, and she knew that nothing happened without a reason.
Once again Yassia tried to listen, but however much she tried, she could not quite make sense of it. “I don’t know… north…maybe?” She shook her head. “It is silly, I know. Maybe I am just afraid. Marriage…it’s so grand.”

”Maybe…” Rhiannon said but she didn’t sound fully convinced. “So… what will you do?”
Yassia bit her lip hard, thoughts and feelings, reason and heart battling inside her, forming a whirl of different ways. Was that how it felt to stand at a crossroad? You couldn’t remain there forever, you had to decide: left or right. And in the end, where was the use in abandoning something safe for something indistinct? What would happen if she declined Mircea’s proposal. Her father would throw a fit, that was for sure. The relationship to Mircea would never be the same. And then… what? She would be waiting, maybe forever waiting for something that would never happen. And in the end she would have waited too long.
Taking a deep breath, Yassia squeezed her mother’s hand and then stood up. “I have made up my mind. I will accept Mircea’ proposal. I will tell father right away.”

As she turned to walk out of her chambers, her eyes caught on a peculiar sight. Through the large window, she saw a flaming star crossing the sky coming from the north. But before he had come even half way, its burning tail suddenly dwindled, and then died down altogether. The star had vanished in mid air, as if he never had been there.And suddenly, Yassia felt a wave of sadness wash through her, but she couldn’t even tell why.