It’s not a mistake, Excalibur seemed to say.
It’s not just a legend, Camelot quietly echoed.
Instead of calming Britt, it made her increasingly more uneasy. “This isn’t my life. This isn’t me,” Britt muttered as they rode through the great gates.
“Did you say something, Arthur?” Sir Ector asked.
“No,” Britt said, raising her eyes to take in the bustling innards of Camelot. Soldiers and guards were posted on the walls, and commoners and servants clamored in the streets for a glimpse of their new king. “Merlin. Exactly how are we paying for all of this?”
“With the treasury, of course. Before he died Uther Pendragon named his son the next king, leaving all his property and assets as his inheritance. No one knew of the son, so I created the sword in the stone to prove Arthur’s pedigree. Since you pulled it and became King of Britain all that Uther owned is now yours,” Merlin said, squinting at the sunlight. “Now, Arthur, if you would please?” he said, indicating to the crowds.
Britt exhaled and slumped in her saddle for a moment before she turned and faced the people with a white smile, set posture, and unshakeable confidence.
The onlookers went wild. Children tossed flowers at Britt and her horse, women waved ribbons in the air, and men clapped and stamped their feet.
“Hail, King Arthur!”
“Long live King Arthur!”
“Excellent work,” Merlin said, barely audible over the roar of the crowd.
The shouts followed them to the castle keep, where the guards moved to block the stampede.
“Leave your horse, a stable lad will take care of it,” Merlin said as they dismounted—he still had to shout to be heard over the cheering crowds that were held in check by the guards. “This way, lad.”
“Sir Kay, aren’t you coming with?” Britt yelled when the lanky knight headed in a separate direction.
Sir Kay shook his head. “I will meet up with you shortly, My Lord. I must check on some tasks first.”
“Arthur, come along,” Merlin said, pulling Britt by the neck of her tunic.
When they entered the keep the shouts of celebration were muffled, and Britt was finally able to hear herself think.
“Are you paying off the citizens or something?” she asked.
“Paying off?” Merlin blinked. “You mean did I pay them to celebrate your arrival? No. However, everyone here at Camelot has waited for you for years. You are a rather suspicious human being. Does loyalty mean nothing to the people of the future?”
“No,” Britt slowly said.
“Enough chatter. I am starving, where can a man get something to sup on?” Sir Ector said.
“We will eat soon enough. We had best learn if Sir Ulfius and the rest arrived safely. That pet knight of yours, Sir Bedivere, was supposed to come with them,” Merlin said.
Britt’s head spun as Merlin led her up and down stone hallways before they arrived at what appeared to be some sort of study.
“This is your room, isn’t it?” Britt asked, her eyes tracing the books and scrolls that lined the walls.
“It is. It is my study, I have quarters that are not far from yours as well. You there, lass. Go find Sir Ulfius, Sir Bodwain and the like. Tell them King Arthur and Merlin wish to speak to them,” Merlin said, stopping a servant in the hallway.
“And send for some provisions!” Sir Ector boomed before Merlin shut the door.
Britt frowned when she found what appeared to be some sort of globe model of the Earth. “Do you think the earth is round?”
Merlin flattened his eyebrows. “Of course. Every scholar worth his salt knows that.”
“Oh.” Britt paged through Merlin’s drawings of plant life as Merlin and Sir Ector rearranged benches and chairs for an optimum sitting pattern.
Within minutes someone knocked on the wooden door.
“I see you made the journey safely, come in,” Merlin said when he opened the door.
“Our ride was uneventful, but we’ve received some bad news from our sources in London,” Sir Ulfius said, the first to enter the study. He paused and bowed in Britt’s direction. “My Lord.”
Sir Bodwain and Sir Bedivere were right behind him. “King Lot has gathered another five or six kings to his side,” Sir Bodwain said, stroking his beard. “My Lord,” he added with a bow.
“Which kings?” Merlin asked, plopping down in a chair.
“My Lord King Arthur,” Sir Bedivere said, kneeling in front of Britt before he turned and addressed Merlin. Even though he was not one of Merlin’s brood he obviously knew who the real power was. “We do not know. We think them to be petty princes or dukes that are puffing themselves up. Individually they will not add much to Lot’s rebellion, but the clutch of them together might be a nasty blow to us.”