Merlin's Nightmare (The Merlin Spiral) by Robert Treskillard Page B

knows his horse, Casva? He was gone early, along with twa others. I remember because it made less work fer mah. That horse is a bit too high-spirited, I say, and makes the work o’ a mucker that muckle harder.”
    “But when did they leave?”
    “A lang time ago, as tha’ already knows.”
    Peredur backed his horse out the door. “Could they have decided to get a head start?”
    “Why?”
    “I dunno. Wait, what’s this — ” Peredur reached down and ripped a parchment off of the timber that supported the doorway. After reading for a moment, he handed it to Merlin.
    Merlin took it, and as he read the words, his hands began to shake.
    It was the parchment from that flouncing louse of an envoy. The man who wanted everyone to muster at Glevum in support of Vortigern and southern Britain’s defense against the Saxenow invasion.
    Peredur edged his horse up to Merlin’s. “Do ya think?”
    “I’m certain.”
    “No — !”
    “Artorius was confused when he asked if he could go. He thought there was only one muster, and now I know why. The boys must haveleft early for the adventure of getting ahead, and now they have half a day’s head start.”
    “He’s headed south?”
    “Yes. Right to Vortigern, the man who killed his father.”

    After talking with old Brice to verify that the boys hadn’t gone north through his gate, Merlin and Peredur went to Ector to tell him of their suspicion.
    “I’ll be bedraggled,” Ector said, his voice rising in anger. “I should have thrown that envoy on the dung heap after all and burnt every last parchment!”
    “May Peredur and I . . . May we have leave to search for Artorius?”
    “What? Not accompany me to battle?”
    “That is correct, my lord. Artorius will join Vortigern in the south unless we — ”
    The chieftain looked annoyed. “Well — well . . . I suppose. But bring him back as soon as you can. We need to make a man out of that boy.”
    Peredur rode off to talk to his wife and Merlin rode hard to tell Natalenya.
    Entering their home, he found her scrubbing the oatmeal pot.
    “Merlin!” But her joy faded when she saw the graveness of his face. She set the wet rag down. “What’s wrong?”
    “Artorius . . . he’s gone south.”
    “South? But the Picti are — ”
    “Read this.”
    Natalenya took the parchment and scanned its contents. “You really think he — ”
    Merlin nodded. “Yes, the foolhardy boy has gone the wrong way, and I need to catch him before Vortigern does.”
    “But he won’t be recognized. Vortigern doesn’t know him.”
    “He looks a lot like his father. If Vortigern even suspects . . .”
    “How long will you be gone?”
    “I have no idea. They’re on good horses, and unless we pick up their exact trail, we might not find him until he gets to Glevum.”
    “That’s almost all the way to Kernow.” Natalenya paused, then a new light came into her eyes. “Can we come along? The children and I? Please . . . I’d do nearly anything to see my mother.”
    “We’ll be riding hard, and the trail could be dangerous. Are you worried about your mother? Now that she’s an abbess you have nothing to fear for her anymore. Your father — ”
    “We could sail, and even bring the horses. What if we sailed? Aunt Eira hired a boat last summer and went all the way to Penfro.”
    “I won’t find Artorius that way . . . at least not until too late.”
    Natalenya sighed.
    “I’d better go. We’re taking the mountain pass.”
    “Wait, then,” she said, tears in her eyes. A knife lay on the hearth, and she picked it up. Gripping the ragged edge of her skirt, Natalenya cut off a small square.
    “What’re you doing?”
    “Take this,” she said, handing him the cloth. “Whenever you hold it, know that we’ll be praying for you. Promise me you’ll keep it with you always.”
    “I promise.”
    “And I’ll . . . I’ll wear this skirt until you come back safely, and whenever I see the missing edge, I’ll think of you and