by K. M. Shea
“That’s why it had to be Gawain,” Lancelot growled, briefly rearranging his handsome features to smile at a lady before he returned his attention to his cousins. “Their relationship makes me ill. What did Gawain do to afford such esteem? He is a green knight and has done nothing to expand Arthur’s kingdom.”
“Sounds like jealousy to me,” Sir Lionel grinned.
“It’s not jealousy. It’s irritation at this incompetence. By all rights, I should be standing with Arthur. I am the best knight there is in these halls. He should place such trust in me,” Lancelot said.
Sir Lionel shrugged. “He’s seemed quite set against you since you first arrived,” he said, brutally honest as usual.
“I heard the Lady of the Lake fancies him. Maybe she has told him tales of us?” Sir Bors suggested.
“Or perhaps old Morgause. Found out from a lovely lady that our King exchanges letters with her still,” Sir Lionel said, winking at a lady who flounced past them.
“Whatever it is, I will right his thinking, or King Arthur will learn to regret the day he scorned my friendship,” Lancelot said, glaring at the bright king and the mystic-looking wizard.
“Calling it friendship might be a bit much,” Sir Lionel said before Sir Bors elbowed him hard.
You will call me your friend, Arthur, Lancelot promised himself. You will recognize me, or I will ruin you.
Standing on the inner walls, Merlin watched the bright spot on the outer walls that signaled where Britt was standing with her guards that evening. It was well after the midnight hour, but Britt was still up, battling her insomnia.
Merlin could see the flashes of Excalibur’s blade as the girl swung her sword around her in a difficult, complex practice pattern.
Merlin curled his hands into firsts, squeezing them so tightly they shook. “It’s ruined,” he whispered.
Merlin thought apologizing to Britt would fix the upheaval of the courts. He thought renewing their friendship would fix the discomfort he encountered when they fought, and he was right. It did.
Britt was smiling at him again. Granted, her eyes were more guarded, but she no longer fled from him, and she was talking again.
But.
BUT.
Things had changed. It wasn’t the fight, or even the silence that stretched between them during their quarrel. It was stupid Pellinore and his stupid, overheard plot.
Merlin knew that the way he reacted, the terror he felt—the loss of sense he had to shout her real name!—all of those were symptoms of a much bigger problem. The root of which was this: when Pellinore relayed the plot, Merlin feared not for Camelot, not for his scheme to have one king rule Britain, but for Britt.
The life of the time-traveling woman meant more to him than the whole of Camelot.
The thought terrified him because that wasn’t how it was supposed to be! Merlin had to be dedicated, no, obsessed with King Arthur’s reign. It was the only way his plans and ideals could be realized. He couldn’t spare the room in his heart for a single girl, much less allow himself to put the whole plan at risk for her!
“She means more to me than I thought and far more than I ever wanted her to,” Merlin grimly said as he pulled up his hood. “If she hadn’t interrupted me…I don’t know what I would have said.”
So Merlin watched Britt as she practiced with her magical sword late into the night, resolving to stamp out all affection for the laughing girl-king.
But in the back of his mind, Merlin knew trouble was brewing. Britt was too well liked, and if he was struggling against such powerful feelings, what would the rest of her knights do if they discovered she was a woman?
The End
Characters
Adelind: Wife of King Pellinore—Queen of Anglesey
Agravain: the second son of King Lot and Queen Morgause of Orkney.
Ban: One of two kings who marched with Britt against Lot and his allies. He is from France, is well groomed, and is said to have a son who is an impressive knight.
Bedivere: A knight Britt met in London when she was crowned King. Britt chose him as her marshal on an impulse, without any input from Merlin. Bedivere is the only knight in Britt’s close circle who does not know she is a girl.
Bodwain: Britt’s constable and one of Merlin’s Minions.
Bors: One of two kings who marched with Britt against Lot and his allies. He is from France, although he appears to be half bear. His two sons are said to be gallivanting around with King Ban’s son.
Ector: the man who was selected to be Arthur’s foster father. He has taken a similar role in Britt’s life.
Gaheris: The third son of King Lot and Queen Morgause of Orkney.
Gareth: The youngest son of King Lot and Queen Morgause of Orkney.
Gawain: The eldest son of King Lot and Queen Morgause of Orkney.
Griflet: A young, ignorant knight who is related to Sir Bedivere and is close friends with Ywain.
Guinevere: The daughter of King Leodegrance whom Britt dislikes thanks to modern King Arthur stories and legends.
Igraine: Mother of the real Arthur. Uther Pendragon was her second husband.
Kay: Britt’s seneschal and supposed foster brother. He takes Britt’s safety seriously and is often seen writing in a log book.
Lancelot: The only son of King Bors whom Britt despises thanks to modern King Arthur stories and legends.
Leodegrance: King of Camelgrance, one of Britt’s first allies.
Lot: King of Orkney and Britt’s worst enemy. He rallied kings and knights and led them to battle before Britt and her allies overthrew him.
Maleagant: A duke and friend of King Ryence.
Merlin: Britt’s chief counselor who is also responsible for yanking Britt back through time. He openly uses Britt to accomplish his dream of uniting Britain.
Morgause: Daughter of Igraine and Arthur’s half sister. She is married to King Lot of Orkney and has four sons: Gawain, Agravain, Gaheris, and Gareth.
Morgan le Fay: daughter of Igraine, Arthur’s half sister and full sister to Queen Morgause and Queen Elaine. She is known to have magical powers.
Nymue: The beautiful Lady of the Lake who “gave” Excalibur to Britt.
Pellinore: A noble-looking king who attacked Britt with King Lot, King Urien, and King Ryence.
Ryence: A cowardly king who attacked Britt with King Lot, King Urien, and King Pellinore.
Tor: the son of a cowherd who is made a knight by Britt. He has a squire named Lem
Ulfius: An older knight who once served Uther Pendragon and now serves Britt as her chamberlain. He is one of Merlin’s Minions.
Urien: the brother-in-law of King Lot and a King in his own right, Urien fought with Lot, Pellinore, and Ryence against Britt but has since become Britt’s vassal because he believes she holds his son, Ywain, hostage in Camelot.
Uther Pendragon: Considered to be one of the greatest kings of England. He is the real Arthur’s father and died some years ago—leaving all of his lands and money to Arthur.
Ywain: The only offspring of King Urien. He swore loyalty to Britt after being captured by her men and has revered her ever since. Morgause is his aunt.
Other books by K.M. Shea
Life Reader
Red Rope of Fate
Princess Ahira
Robyn Hood:
A Girl’s Tale
Fight for Freedom
The Magical Beings’ Rehabilitation Center:
My Life at the MBRC
Farewell to the MBRC?
King Arthur and Her Knights:
Enthroned
Enchanted
Embittered
Embark
Enlighten
Three pack (Enthroned, Enchanted, Embittered)
Timeless Fairy Tales
Beauty and the Beast
The Wild Swans
Cinderella
Rumpelstiltskin
The Little Selkie
Puss in Boots
Coming 2015
&nb
sp; The Snow Queen
Endeavour: King Arthurs and Her Knights book 6
About the Author
K.M. Shea is a book lover, champion web surfer, and all around geek. She’s been writing for over ten years and has worked as a librarian and a newspaper reporter. K.M. lives in the quaint countryside with her pets: Perfect Dog and Fat Cat.
