Erika stood at her locker nervously, she needed to get the costume and go. But where was Charlotte? If Erika was late home she would get the shit beaten out of her.

Finally, Charlotte turned the corner with a plastic costume bag in her hand.

"Thank you so much Char." Erika said.

"No problem Erika." Charlotte said. "How are you gonna get to the party? Doesn't your dad freak if he catches you outside of your room?"

"I'll go through the window."

"Be careful. I can't keep lying to the teachers about why you're not coming in."

"Don't worry Charlotte. I've done it before." It was the only way she could go anywhere. Her father was abusive and hated her. He always yelled at her for something. Usually about how her mother died when she was born. She had bruises on her back and arms. Occasionally she would come in with a black eye and have to make something up.

Erika was different. She could do things no one else could, you could call it magic. Her father thought she was a freak an beat her for it. He hated having a weirdo for a daughter.

She'd tried running away, but they found her. Seventeen years of torture. Only a few more months and she could get out of that town. Away from them. If she could even get out of the house.

"Thanks again." Erika said before rushing to catch the bus. She made it just in time to leave.

The bus pulled up to her street and she rushed inside.

"Oh great the freaks here." Her dad grumbled to himself, hunched over his computer. Erika hung her head and scurried upstairs. "Where are you going?"

"I have homework." Erika rambled.

"Whatever you stupid bitch." Erika ran to her room and blocked the door, as it had no locks. She looked at the clock and smiled. Only two hours 'til the party. She pulled the costume from her bag. A servant of Camelot. Camelot stories were her favorite.

She threw on the dress and began braiding her hair. If she left soon she would just make it to the party. She grabbed the rope ladder from under her bed and opened the window.

Once she was outside she ran for it. The party was two blocks away. She ran into the woods so her father wouldn't see her if he went outside. She was in the clear.

Once she was far enough away she slowed down to a walk. Her dress snagged on something and she fell to the ground. A bright light shone from somewhere and blinded her.

When her eyes opened, she lay in a different area of the woods. Perhaps another one entirely.

She got up from the ground an continued walking. There was a pain in her chest and her head. In the distance she saw a castle.

"What is that doing there?" She asked herself. She made her way towards it and, to her luck, she fell again. Blacking out.

Meanwhile, Merlin, court sorcerer of Camelot, was hiking through the forest to find herbs. He stopped when he saw a young woman lying unconscious on the ground. He dropped his bag and ran to help her. Picking her up, he carried her back to Camelot.