by Jack Porter
“What do you think you are doing?” the fiery, beautiful woman demanded.
I was caught between my anger at Galahad and my desire not to upset Elaine any further. For the first time I could recall, my ability to say the right thing at the right time failed me completely. I stood there with Elaine pointing her sword my way, and her father, who was steadying himself with his hands outstretched, stuck in a moment of indecision. It was a standoff, of a sort, and Sir George didn’t help matters by flapping his wings and hissing at both Elaine and her father.
“If I had known you intended to do my father harm, I would never have brought you–” Elaine began, and I started shaking my head.
It had never been my intention to do anything of the sort. But when I’d seen the older man standing there, I’d simply reacted.
I’d had to change my entire face because of him!
All this, I wanted to say to Elaine, and more, but I wasn’t convinced it would help my case even if I did. Fortunately, Galahad himself came to my rescue.
“Mordie?” he asked, sounding uncertain. He had largely recovered from my blow, although he still held his jaw as if it pained him, a fact which gave me a certain sense of satisfaction. “You are Mordred, King Arthur’s Bastard?”
With my own jaw firmly clenched, I nodded.
“Rolf told me that you had found some way to alter your features. This is what you have done?”
Again, I nodded.
The old man relaxed and let out a sigh. He hung his head as if in shame, but when he spoke next, it was to Elaine and not me.
“Lower your sword,” he said to her. “For what I have done to him, I deserved that and more.” Without waiting for his daughter to respond, he then turned back to me. “Mordred, I understand your anger. If it is your intent to take it out on an old man, then I will not resist. But know that I have been regretting my actions since the moment I sent the message to spread the word of your existence.” He then gave his daughter, who was starting to relax, a rueful smile. “Yes, since even before you and I argued about it.”
He took a deep breath and straightened, looking me in the eye. “I tell you truly, if I could do so, I would take that back. It was unfair of me to place the burden of my life’s mission on your shoulders, and it was wrong of me to try to force your hand once you declined. So if you seek to take the cost of that from my hide, so be it.”
With that, he simply waited, allowing me to do whatever I wished.
I wanted to hit him again. And to perhaps keep hitting him, as I had done with Rolf in the cellar. He had caused me a few difficult moments, that was true. But more than that, he had caused trouble indirectly for Ember and Jacob as well, and I did not like that fact at all.
At the same time, his regret seemed genuine, as did his willingness to make amends.
And there was Elaine to consider as well. Although she had lowered her sword, there was more steel to her than just what her weapon possessed. I didn’t think she would look upon me kindly if I was to persist.
With effort, I unclenched my fists.
“It is my turn to apologize,” I admitted. “I didn’t come here with vengeance in mind. The man who spread word of my heritage, Rolf’s spymaster, him I could easily strangle with my bare hands. But you are also Elaine’s father, and if what she said about you is true, you have worked long and hard for the good of this city.” I managed a self-mocking grin. “For a moment, I couldn’t see the latter of the two men before me, and saw only the former.”
At my words, Galahad seemed to cheer up considerably. He straightened his jacket even though it was not out of place, and Elaine finally relaxed enough to sheath her sword. “Men,” she muttered under her breath as if it was a curse, and I couldn’t help but offer a quiet chuckle.
“Good,” the old spymaster said, and I could see a glint of good humor in his eye. I realized that I actually liked the old man. And for a variety of reasons. Elaine’s stories of him had made an impression, but before that, he had earned my respect as a silent spymaster, pulling hidden strings all around Camelot. And he had brought Elaine herself into the world, and for that, he had my gratitude.
And he had apologized for doing me wrong.
“So, if you are not here to beat me bloody, then why are you here? Have you reconsidered my proposal?”
At his words, I shook my head sharply. Despite all that had happened. Despite knowing in my soul that Arthur was a tyrant at heart, despite that he was after my blood, planning to usurp the King’s throne was beyond me.
I had a smaller, more immediate purpose.
“Actually, I was hoping to ask for your help in another matter. Anwen De Maris,” I said.
The old man seemed vaguely puzzled. “What do you want of her?”
“I understand that her life is in danger, if she is not already dead. She has more than one group of people searching for her. And none of them are on her side. I would like to add my own hat into the mix, and find her before anyone else does.”
“And why would you want to do that?” Galahad asked.
It was my turn to look away. I couldn’t meet the old man’s eyes.
“I did her a disservice not so long ago. To my mind, I owe a debt. I would like to repay it.”
As it turned out, Galahad didn’t know where Anwen was, or even if she was still alive. But like me, he reasoned she had a good chance of being so. At least the King and Lancelot’s men believed that she was.
Galahad agreed to send the word out through his network that he was looking for information.
“If she is out there,” he said. “Then I will hear of it. But it might take a few days for my people to learn anything of any real value.”
That was good enough for me. I told him that I had my own people looking as well, but that they had yet to yield anything substantive.
The older man studied me closely. “Are you sure you don’t want to aid me in my plan to topple the King?” he asked, and despite the lightness of his tone, I could sense that he was genuine. “A man with your skills could do a lot of good if you were wearing the crown.”
This time, instead of getting angry, I managed a grin. “Ask me again once we’ve found Anwen,” I said. “For now, she is my focus.”
I wasn’t completely sure why I said it that way. I didn’t really have any intention of being part of a revolution. And yet, everything Galahad and Elaine had said about the King’s history had rung true.
I knew for a fact that the King had been working against his own people, in the form of Rolf. He had slaughtered my brothers and sisters so that Merlin could experiment with their blood, to try to kindle the dragon within that was part of King Arthur’s bloodline. What other heinous acts the King might have done – or might do in the future – I didn’t know.
But despite all of that, and the fact that he was literally after me for my blood, I still couldn’t see how I could stand against him.
It was just too big a task for a petty thief like me.
“Let me know if your people learn anything that might help point mine in the right direction,” the old spymaster said.
With that, he held out his hand, and I shook it. The two of us had reached an accord. An accord that was about more than just finding Anwen. Galahad’s spreading the news of my existence, and me punching him in the mouth were both consigned to the past. What the future might hold for us both, I didn’t truly know, but it seemed to me that we had created something in that moment that hadn’t existed before.
A partnership. Galahad and I, by mutual agreement, had decided to work together.
I couldn’t help but feel it was a significant event despite my unwillingness to reach for King Arthur’s crown.
Where it might lead, I didn’t rightly know. But it was a start.
We were done. It was time for me, and Elaine, if she wanted to join me, to leave. But there was one more thing I needed to say. My thought processes during our discussion had reminded me of something relevant.
“Rolf,” I began. “He has escaped. I thought you should know.”
The older man’s face twisted into a nasty expression. For a moment, he seemed brittle, unsure how to respond.
“How will you react if he tries to seek you out?”
The old man shook his head. “Rolf and I are done. He was useful to me while he had King Arthur’s favor. But now he is a fugitive.” His expression hardened. “I have what I needed from him. I see no reason for me to ally myself with him any longer.”
It was a good answer. “If you should hear from him, let me know,” I said.
Galahad nodded in agreement.
In my mind, Rolf was a joker in the deck. Without Galahad’s aid, he was less dangerous than before, much less of a central player. But I still didn’t want him anywhere near the game.
He could still cause trouble all by himself, and I didn’t want to risk him changing anyone’s hand.
Despite the unexpected confrontation when Elaine had first shown me in, the older knight’s daughter seemed keen to spend time in my company. Together, we bid Galahad a good day and left him to his cozy church basement.
29
Over the next several days, I tried to resume my life as it had become, even though I wore the face of a stranger. I would have liked to spend time with Rosylin, Cassandra, and some of the others that I was starting to feel I was neglecting, but if anything, Lancelot’s men had increased the intensity of their hunt for me and the others. Squads of Blackcoats were active day and night, seeking any hint of their quarry, and I was starting to hear rumors of people getting beaten if there was any suspicion they were holding out.
So to most people, even those I was close to, I was Gawain, my own cousin.
I just couldn’t accept putting the people I cared about in danger.
The people who knew it was me were limited to those who needed to know, and to whom I was closest.
Elaine and her father, of course, but also Ember and Jacob, whose tavern I had begun to use as a base. Meghan, of course, although she was less at risk, given the location of her cottage. Samuel, who had figured it out with only a few hints from me.
And that was it. Although, on the second day after my meeting with Galahad, I decided to add Lady Emmeline to the list. The swordsmistress was as tough as they came. She wasn’t the type to betray a man’s secret even under duress. I could envisage her laughing in Lancelot’s face if the leader of the Blackcoats tried to intimidate her into talking, and she was beyond lethal with the sword she always wore at her side.
Lancelot had impressed me with his speed and strength. He was an unstoppable force, and I could envisage him prevailing against an entire squad of his own men without breaking a sweat. More, if he chose to wear his full armor.
But Lady Emmeline was a true master when it came to her weapon. She would sting Lancelot a hundred times in less than a minute, the tip of her sword unerring in its quest to seek out unguarded flesh.
Not even a man like Lancelot would be able to withstand such treatment.
If the elderly swordsmistress and the formidable knight were to ever cross swords in earnest, I could see only one outcome.
And Lady Emmeline had her own grievances against King Arthur and his men. She had once been the first choice to train the King himself. But when Merlin had enchanted King Arthur’s sword, he had seen no further need for her in the education, and had cast her aside without hesitation, spreading rumors that she was a pretender, with no true talent to offer.
And besides, Elaine had beaten me. Which meant I still had much to learn.
Of all the people I knew, Lady Emmeline was the first to truly see me for who I was despite my new face. I knocked on the door, fully expecting to have to explain who I was, but the gray-haired swordsmistress saw me in an instant. While I still stood on her doorstep, her eyes took in Sir George, studied my face for a moment, then did a quick once over, looking at the way I stood, the shape of my body, my clothes, and even the sword at my waist.
She blinked rapidly twice, but then stood aside to allow me to enter.
“You look older,” she said. “And different enough that others would struggle to know you. But if you want to hide who you are from me, you will have to do better than that. Mordie, you are a few minutes early for your lesson, but that is acceptable. Better early than late.”
I barked out a laugh. “What could I have done better?” I asked her, curious to see what she would say.
“Change your stance,” she said. “The way you stand is, if not unique, then at least characteristic. You have a casual set to your hips and shoulders. It speaks of confidence and capability that few others possess. And you case people openly. In a city where it can be dangerous to meet a stranger’s eyes, that too is unusual.”
I made a mental note to think about what Emmeline had said. There might be times when I needed more than just an altered face to hide who I was. At such times, I might need to change my posture and personal mannerisms as well.
I walked with the elderly swordsmistress through to the courtyard, the place where our lessons normally took place. With no wasted movement, Lady Emmeline moved to her preferred starting spot, and I had to smile at the knowledge that even someone as talented with the sword as her still had recognizable habits. Then we both drew our swords, and the lesson began.
Sometime later, we had retreated into the bedroom, were once again I lay sprawled on the bed naked, blindfolded, my wrists and ankles bound by silk ties to the bedposts.
Today, Lady Emmeline had removed her clothing but put on a sort of open dress that she tied around her waist, and she had brought her sword up with us. She ran the tip of the blade gently along my side, and it tickled my ribs. I strained not to twitch or laugh, fearful that she would nick me with that blade. Even though I knew of her expert hand, I didn’t want to accidentally cause an injury. And so I held perfectly still as she ran the blade down along my hip and along my thigh, taking off a few hairs that she went. I gulped when she touched the bottom of my foot and then moved around the bed to the other side.
I couldn’t see her, but I knew of her movements, could sense her breath in the air and just barely hear the whisper of her blade as it moved over me. I felt the tip touch my nipple, teasing it, and I was strangely aroused. This sort of foreplay was her favorite, and I had found myself in all sorts of positions during our lessons. But this was the first time she’d ever brought her sword with us, and I sensed an increase in the play, an increase in the danger, and all it did was heighten my anticipation for what was to come.
When the flat of the blade touched my erect cock, I took a long, slow breath, and swallowed hard. I could almost hear Lady Emmeline’s smirk as she removed the blade, and then the bed shifted as she climbed up beside me.
“You are strange one, Mordie,” she said softly. She ran a finger down the middle of my chest.
“Why do you say that?” I asked.
“Silence,” she said, squeezing one of my nipples to the point of pain.
I gasped and then smiled.
“Not many young men would humor an old woman such as me,” she said. “But I am glad that you do, and that you seem to enjoy yourself.”
My smile grew even broader, and I opened my mouth to say something when I felt another twinge of pain on my other nipple. Laughing, I closed my mouth and waited for what she would do next. This was always my favorite part.
A hand closed over my cock, cool and yet smooth and sure. She moved up and down a couple of times before I felt the bed shift again as she sat down on me. Lady Emmeline felt exquisite, and the sensation of being blindfolded and having my limbs bound only added to the experience and heightened my other senses. However—
“Take off the blindfold, Lady Emmeline,” I whispered.
“Hush,” she said as she began to move slowly on top of me.
But I insisted. “I want to see you.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Lady Emmeline removed the silk cloth around my eyes, and I saw
her straddling me, her smooth gray hair flowing down over her shoulders, and her dress falling over both of us, accentuating her still womanly curves. She had extinguished all but one candle at this point, and so the room was semi-dark, but I still noticed her strong yet delicate features, and once again was reminded that she must have been very beautiful indeed when she was younger. And yet she was still beautiful, and I told her so.
Her eyes shone as she placed her hands on my stomach and began to move more on top of me. Since I couldn’t do anything but watch, I relaxed into the bed and let the sensations take over. It didn’t take long for me to begin feeling the build of my own climax, and I desperately tried to think of other things so that I didn’t finish too soon.
Because if I’d been control, I could have paused or shifted positions, but the way she was riding me was merciless and determined. Just like in her lessons below, she did not back down.
I felt her legs and hands clench, her fingernails scratching my belly, and her eyes closed in pleasure as she gave a small shudder. She swallowed, and rode me a little longer, allowing me my own release. I tried not to buck off the bed and unseat her, but mine washed over me more harshly, and I gave a sort of shout and then a bit of laughter.
It had been good, and I could tell that she felt the same way, but we didn’t often speak of our feelings when we were done. This was a… business arrangement. Although I had come to enjoy her company all the same.
She moved off me and carefully climbed off the bed, straightening her clothes and smoothing her hair. Then she turned and began to untie me.
When she had had untied both my arms, I sat up and gently took her wrist, pulling her toward me so that I could kiss her cheek. “You never cease to surprise me,” I said with a smile.
Lady Emmeline patted my cheek and smiled back.
As I climbed back into my breeches, Emmeline asked why I had risked exposure by coming to her. Although she lived by herself in her spacious home, she somehow managed to stay aware of events that happened within Camelot. She knew that Lancelot and his men were looking for me along with a couple of others.
