enough to ride, and I told her I would be going the next morning. She cried and begged me to stay."
"Did she know who you were?" Guinevere demanded.
Arthur shook his head. "I never told her my name," he said, "not even when we ... well, as it seems, when we conceived a son."
"Oh, Arthur," the queen said softly.
Kai scowled at her and snapped, "What did you expect, Gwen?"
"Enough, Kai!" the king said sharply.
"And you never told me?" Guinevere whispered.
"When we began trying to put our marriage back together, it was so hard. I thought this would only make things worse."
Guinevere's eyes blurred, but she forced herself to meet the king's gaze and say, "I love you, Arthur."
"And I you, Gwen. But that's not all," Arthur said. Guinevere's eyes grew wide again, and she clutched her hands together. "Today I learned that son's name: Mordred."
"Mordred," Guinevere whispered. "That boy who ... he's your son?"
"He told the story to the fellowship today."
"Then everyone knows?" Guinevere asked, her voice growing shrill.
"Only those in this room know who that knight was," Arthur said calmly. "But that's why I asked you here. I think ... I think I would like to claim him publicly."
"Arthur, no!" The queen's tone was frantic. "For all these years we ve told no one of myâabout Lancelot and me. I've lived in fear that people would find out. I couldn't face it! You can't shame me like this! I ve never betrayed you since then. I never will. Please."
"Your Highness," Gawain said gently to the queen, "the past hasn't been forgotten. People still tell stories about you and Lancelot. Not here, of course, but in otherâ"
"I know," the queen said, her voice growing wilder. "But as long as we don't admit it here, it's just a story. Arthur, if you admit to fathering a child with another woman, how will it make me look? And you, too! You'll be dishonored as much as I am!"
Arthur's face looked gray and old. Lancelot stared at the floor. Kai and Gawain exchanged glances, and all Terence could think was
Please, don't make Mordred the heir to your throne! Please, no!
Slowly Arthur nodded to the queen. "I will say nothing without your permission."
The Wooing of Lady Sarah
Public or not, King Arthur's relationship to Mordred complicated matters and only reaffirmed Terence's resolve to keep an eye on Mordred, starting the next morning. That wasn't so easy, though, on account of the acrobats and jugglers and minstrels that had suddenly filled the court.
Terence became aware of these performers shortly after breakfast, when snatches of music began to filter into his and Gawain's rooms from the small court outside their door. Stepping outside, Terence found a crowd listening appreciatively to a band of seven or eight musicians, all with different instruments, playing in the square. Slipping through the throng, Terence made his way to the front, where he found Dinadan. "What's all this?" Terence whispered.
"Shhh," Dinadan hissed back. A moment later, though, when the musicians finished the song they had been playing, he turned to Terence and said, "Wonderful, isn't it?"
"Who are they?"
"Haven't any idea. They just showed up this morning and began playing. They're all good, but having them all together like that, in harmonyâabsolutely splendid!"
A courtier in the crowd tossed a coin to the musicians, the usual tribute for wandering minstrels, but one ofthe musicians laid down his rebec, took up the coin, and threw it back to the courtier. "Nay, sir," the musician said. "We do not play for money but for love."
"Hard to spend love at a tavern!" called someone.
The crowd chuckled, but the musician went on, "If you wish to gratify us, do not give us money, but help us. Tell the beautiful Lady Sarah of Milrick that a heart lies at her feet, waiting for her to take it up."
"Eeugh," said Dinadan.
The musician retrieved his instrument, and the musicians began a new song. Terence slipped away, leaving Dinadan enraptured by the
"Did she know who you were?" Guinevere demanded.
Arthur shook his head. "I never told her my name," he said, "not even when we ... well, as it seems, when we conceived a son."
"Oh, Arthur," the queen said softly.
Kai scowled at her and snapped, "What did you expect, Gwen?"
"Enough, Kai!" the king said sharply.
"And you never told me?" Guinevere whispered.
"When we began trying to put our marriage back together, it was so hard. I thought this would only make things worse."
Guinevere's eyes blurred, but she forced herself to meet the king's gaze and say, "I love you, Arthur."
"And I you, Gwen. But that's not all," Arthur said. Guinevere's eyes grew wide again, and she clutched her hands together. "Today I learned that son's name: Mordred."
"Mordred," Guinevere whispered. "That boy who ... he's your son?"
"He told the story to the fellowship today."
"Then everyone knows?" Guinevere asked, her voice growing shrill.
"Only those in this room know who that knight was," Arthur said calmly. "But that's why I asked you here. I think ... I think I would like to claim him publicly."
"Arthur, no!" The queen's tone was frantic. "For all these years we ve told no one of myâabout Lancelot and me. I've lived in fear that people would find out. I couldn't face it! You can't shame me like this! I ve never betrayed you since then. I never will. Please."
"Your Highness," Gawain said gently to the queen, "the past hasn't been forgotten. People still tell stories about you and Lancelot. Not here, of course, but in otherâ"
"I know," the queen said, her voice growing wilder. "But as long as we don't admit it here, it's just a story. Arthur, if you admit to fathering a child with another woman, how will it make me look? And you, too! You'll be dishonored as much as I am!"
Arthur's face looked gray and old. Lancelot stared at the floor. Kai and Gawain exchanged glances, and all Terence could think was
Please, don't make Mordred the heir to your throne! Please, no!
Slowly Arthur nodded to the queen. "I will say nothing without your permission."
The Wooing of Lady Sarah
Public or not, King Arthur's relationship to Mordred complicated matters and only reaffirmed Terence's resolve to keep an eye on Mordred, starting the next morning. That wasn't so easy, though, on account of the acrobats and jugglers and minstrels that had suddenly filled the court.
Terence became aware of these performers shortly after breakfast, when snatches of music began to filter into his and Gawain's rooms from the small court outside their door. Stepping outside, Terence found a crowd listening appreciatively to a band of seven or eight musicians, all with different instruments, playing in the square. Slipping through the throng, Terence made his way to the front, where he found Dinadan. "What's all this?" Terence whispered.
"Shhh," Dinadan hissed back. A moment later, though, when the musicians finished the song they had been playing, he turned to Terence and said, "Wonderful, isn't it?"
"Who are they?"
"Haven't any idea. They just showed up this morning and began playing. They're all good, but having them all together like that, in harmonyâabsolutely splendid!"
A courtier in the crowd tossed a coin to the musicians, the usual tribute for wandering minstrels, but one ofthe musicians laid down his rebec, took up the coin, and threw it back to the courtier. "Nay, sir," the musician said. "We do not play for money but for love."
"Hard to spend love at a tavern!" called someone.
The crowd chuckled, but the musician went on, "If you wish to gratify us, do not give us money, but help us. Tell the beautiful Lady Sarah of Milrick that a heart lies at her feet, waiting for her to take it up."
"Eeugh," said Dinadan.
The musician retrieved his instrument, and the musicians began a new song. Terence slipped away, leaving Dinadan enraptured by the
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